More New Information From Famitsu on KH3D

[Xemnas89]

http://www.andriasang.com//e/blog/20...dom_hearts_3d/

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix is now out and topping the sales charts. Time for Square Enix to move on to the next Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts 3d!
As revealed at last week's 1st Production Department Premier event, the 3DS title is fully named "Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance." Square Enix showed a new trailer for the game at the event (an official online version is coming later today) and also had co-director Yasushi Yasue take the stage for a few comments.
Of course, as with any Kingdom Hearts game, we'd like to hear what Tetsuya Nomura has to say. Famitsu gives us the chance this week through a two page preview of the game and and one page interview with Nomura.
First, some details on what's in the previews.
A pair of screenshots in the preview look like they were taken from the same spot in Traverse Town. In one of the shots, we see Sora standing in a faceoff with Xehanort, who he defeated in KHII. The other shot shows Riku in a face off against Ansem. The magazine notes that even in the same area, Sora and Riku appear to encounter different bosses.
The preview mentions that the game will have new worlds. One screen shows Sora running through a bell tower. Another screen shows Sora falling down into a crowded plaza (a scene meant to symbolize the "drop" part of the title). These two are new worlds. The game will have others besides these.
Also mentioned in the preview are some of the actions that were shown in the trailer: Sora swinging from poles, Riku kicking off walls to advance, and Sora sliding down a rope at high speeds.
ABOUT THE NAME...
The interview first began with Nomura explaining the meaning of the title Dream Drop Distance. The image associated with the name is "the distance you fall in your dreams" (presumably as in how deeply you fall into your dreams). Nomura admitted that the English isn't grammatically correct, but they were focused on how the sound of the phrase.
This scene represents the 'Dream' in the title.

Together, the three words have a number of meanings, Nomura told the magazine. On their own, "Drop" in particular has something to do with the gameplay.
One of the points mentioned at the Premier event was that the game will have a lot of actions that we aren't used to seeing in the series, some of which are listed above. This area of change actually ties into Nomura's other big project at the moment, Versus XIII.
Explained Nomura, if you take Kingdom Hearts as a base and evolve it like Final Fantasy, you get Final Fantasy Versus XIII. However, if you evolve the Kingdom Hearts qualities further, you will get Kingdom Hearts 3D.
Versus XIII can be said to form a pair with Final Fantasy XIII. However, in terms of gameplay, Versus XIII forms a pair with Kingdom Hearts 3D and the future Kingdom Hearts series. The base gameplay between the two sides is similar. However, Versus XIII doesn't have some of the actions that you see in KH3D, like the pole swinging. The evolutions shown in the two games differ greatly. The flashy and bold actions shown in KH3D provide a glimpse at the image of the future of the series, and Kingdom Hearts III.
The concept of Kingdom Hearts 3D is "bold actions," said Nomura. He believes that numbered Kingdom Hearts games should have proper and orthodox evolutions. But they want to try out bold things for non-numbered titles like KH3D. The plan is to make KH3D far bolder than even Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep. "By playing this, you will probably understand how Kingdom Hearts III will evolve," said Nomura.
SWITCHING BETWEEN SORA AND RIKU
In the past, Nomura suggested that the game would depict Sora and Riku in their Mark of Mastery test that will turn them into Keyblade Masters. In this latest interview, he clarified a bit. The Mark of Mastery test will not span the entirety of the game. Only some parts of the game will cover the test.

Riku (left) and Sora (right). You'll apparently be switching off between them against your will.

You'll be switching off between Sora and Riku as you play. However, Nomura revealed to Famitsu that the switching will be forced upon the player as they play. When walking through town and even in battle, you'll suddenly be switched to the other character.
Nomura noted that in most games, character changes take place at key points in the story. But here, the changes will have nothing to do with your progress through the story.
The Premier trailer showed a mysterious new gauge called the "Drop Gauge." Famitsu asked if the character changes will have something to do with this. There are actually a number of secrets to the gauge, said Nomura. Regarding character changes, he said that it will be easiest to understand if you think that there's something like a countdown event always taking place.
Adding even more confusion to the issue, Nomura said that Riku and Sora's stories are different. They don't have the same goal, and they'll encounter different bosses (as indicated in the screenshots in the preview).
They also have different actions, and even different control methods! This area has something to do with a new system that has yet to be shown.
NEW WORLDS AND NEW GAMES
Regarding new worlds, Famitsu noted that the bell tower world shown in the trailer and screens looked a bit like Hunchback of Notre Dame. Nomura wouldn't acknowledge that this is the case, saying that we'll have to wait for a followup report. The new worlds being included in the game are ones that have received a large number of requests in the past. There will be new Disney Worlds, of course, although Nomura would not give a solid count of the new count.
Closing off the interview, Nomura said that Kingdom Hearts 3D is not currently at a state where he can give a release time period. He suggested that players first take a look at Birth By Sleep Final Mix and Dissidia Duodecim Final Fantasy.
More mysteriously, he added, "Also, there are still titles that were not announced this time," presumably in reference to the 1st Production Department being in development with additional games that weren't shown at the Premier event.
Famitsu is promising a complete version of this interview at Famitsu.com shortly, so we may get a few additional Kingdom Hearts 3D details shortly. An official online version of the game's Premier trailer will be released later today.

[Digidude111]

Tetsuya Nomura Discusses Kingdom Hearts 3DS (andriasang.com, 01.27.2011)

wow, amazing intervew. liking the entire thing except randomly switching between characters.

[Ronove]

I wonder if Volume II will tie into Dream Drop Distance...

Man, from the looks of this interview Nomura is preparing to violate our minds once more...

[Xienith]

Thanks for the post.

Curious how this will all play out. Too bad 3D is so far away from being released

[Ralz]

I wonder if Volume II will tie into Dream Drop Distance...

Man, from the looks of this interview Nomura is preparing to violate our minds once more...

Aw... and I just recovered from the mindfcuks found in BBS...

[Roronoa Zoro]

Game sounds phenomenal really. Too bad it's being released on such a shit console. Ok maybe it's not a shit console but it's way too expensive and its battery life is hardly long enough for a handheld.

[Digidude111]

Game sounds phenomenal really. Too bad it's being released on such a shit console. Ok maybe it's not a shit console but it's way too expensive and its battery life is hardly long enough for a handheld.

its one of the best and most view-changing consoles to ever be released. sure, it has its faults with the low battery, but thats a small price to pay for a system with infinite new features and possibilites, with mind-blowing 3D and graphics better than the NGC, and maybe even the wii? its a great console for kingdom hearts to be shared on.

[Greekguy7]

Hey! I was right about the MoM Exam not being a full game long. I'm sure alot of people also were.

[King Chaser]

Hey! I was right about the MoM Exam not being a full game long. I'm sure alot of people also were.

I think that was announced a while ago.

[rac7d]

Promotional examination will be drawn - the master story that Sora and Riku, and over the full length of the drawn portion of the exam but also

Sora and Riku - switching operations forces in play. Battle in the middle even when walking down the street, regardless of the situation suddenly switch. The previous method has changed to fit the operation to separate character of the story, this story is not related to the progression of

* (Between Gage and drop) if you have a secret this gauge w various ways. Switching characters is easy to understand if you would maybe think things like that always happens the countdown event

- Sora and Riku mean that instead of aiming the same location is also different for different bosses to fight both of them expand the story. How different will be truth as well as action, involving the new system still does not show. Sora in KH Chain of freely divided to the deck for the card, the difference that Riku had decided to fight with the deck, there is a difference that this time around


Details of the new world - a large bell, but I want to wait for further news, world wanted more out of desire before. This "bold action" that I think may fit well with the concept gimmicks

Number of new world still will not say that Disney World offers a new course. I think it's a novelty item

· 3D using stereoscopic production is scheduled to put some calculations, but it does not contain artificial production. 3DS Ttashi glue rather than fly off the impression that there is so deep, taking advantage of it as a "drop" ... there is a drop keyword

Sora goes down - a lot of pictures of the scene, but Sora falling "drop" represents a "dream" is to fit out a lot of keywords. Here's how it is no dream, symbolizes the image on the work

· KH3D in active development but because there is no release date yet convey the stage, and the first Final Mix DDFF BbS I hope other people to take notice of the title. In addition, please look forward to because it did not yet announced the title this time

[SuperSaiyanSora]

Siiick. Well, I just shelled out a PSP for BBS. Now KH3D and 3DS. So after this and the apparent BBSv2, we're getting Kingdom Hearts III (Assuming Versus XIII is done)?

[Roronoa Zoro]

· KH3D in active development but because there is no release date yet convey the stage, and the first Final Mix DDFF BbS I hope other people to take notice of the title. In addition, please look forward to because it did not yet announced the title this time

Er, is he saying that BBS Vol. 2 isn't the name of the game?

[Ronove]

BBS Vol 2 is just a phrase for it, like 3DS for Dream Drop Distance.

I like the name Zero Point, but Nomura will probably go with something else.

[Incognito]

Together, the three words have a number of meanings, Nomura told the magazine. On their own, "Drop" in particular has something to do with the gameplay.

haha there go alot of theories people were working on XD

[Memory Master]

Adding even more confusion to the issue, Nomura said that Riku and Sora's stories are different. They don't have the same goal, and they'll encounter different bosses (as indicated in the screenshots in the preview).

At the part where they say they'll each encounter different bosses and then they say (As indicated in the screenshots in the preview) does that mean there are screenshots in this issue of Famitsu with boss fights? And if so can someone post them?