FF VII remake statement doesn't make sense.

I didn't really like FF VII, but a recent statement by Square didn't make too much sense to me...
 
 "But even Final Fantasy XIII has taken over three and a half years to create. If we were to recreate Final Fantasy VII with the same level of graphical detail as you see in Final Fantasy XIII, we’d imagine that that would take as much as three or four times longer'"
 
They were saying here that they would only do a remake if it could be done in 1 year. However, why would it take longer that FF XIII? They would already have their story, characters, basic script, and scenes. Square also stated that there would be no way in hell they would spend 3 1/2 years on another Final Fantasy again, for XIII was mis-managed.
 
I could see them wanting to take some time to prepare an important game, but 3-4 times the length of a 3 1/2 project?

Probably retranslation, graphics, orchestrated music, all that crap. What I want is Final Fantasy VI DS. GET TO IT, ALREADY!!!

I remember reading somewhere that the reason there were no towns in FF 13 was because it would take too damn long to model them in such detail. Most of the PS1 era FF games were pretty heavy with towns, so I'm assuming that's the reason he thinks it would take so long.

Oh, it does make sense considering the number of locations in prerendered JRPGs. 
 
The actual problem is that he assumes a full-blown remake with maximum graphics capabilities. I think most people would be extremely happy with a nice little HD reskin doing away with the blocky and glitchy 3D engine of 1997, keeping as much as possible from the original game intact.
 
I wouldn't even want voice over or any other changes. In fact, if they remade this game but made it in a way that is realized (and realizable) with Voice Acting, I would probably not play it. 

Everyting people mentioned, licenses and such. And it's such a seminal piece of work, if even one frame was off, the awful FF7 fanbase would throw a fucking fit.

Already a thread on this.

ah  it makes sense as much money as they would make, and it wouldn't need alot.
 
they have the engine made they could easily make ff7 in that engine at most they would need a year to 2 years to make ff7 remake.
* i dont want to see it*

look how long FF13 took to make it was suppose to be one the first PS3 games 

i imagine at this point, the game original came out in 1997 and the remake has been anticipated for almost 10 years. 
 
living up to that kind of hype would be nigh impossible. 
 
Better to leave the game in it's place of pride today as perhaps the best JRPG of all time. Lest they remake it, it doesn't live up to the hype (which it just can't at this point) and then it becomes a failed IP.

" look how long FF13 took to make it was suppose to be one the first PS3 games  "

" @trophyhunter said:

" look how long FF13 took to make it was suppose to be one the first PS3 games  "

yeah but thats because they had to make a whole new engine, deal with the ps3, deal with blu ray deal with all this stuff when it comes from making a game from the ground up and on a new system.  ff7 the plot every thing is there at most they'd have to extend a remakes story to take into account the movies, and other games stories. the engine is there the graphics are there all they would have to do is take the unedited raw images and likely redraw some of them. "

I can't help but think if they redid the game and let people know from the beginning the graphics wouldn't be up to PS3 standards it would still be good and people would still buy and enjoy it.  I am thinking maybe PS 2.5 standards with graphics somewhere in between PS2 and PS3.

its all about graphics and rendering. why do you think XIII is just a straight line through the whole game? it is because they can't do traditional style cities like in old JRPGs. a remake of VII seems very very unlikely

they should just make a really long advent children style movie but then turn it into heavy rain

I believe FFXIII took so long was because the game was first being developed for the PS2. It was later scrapped and development started for the PS3. Not sure how long ago that was, but I remember reading that somewhere.

" i imagine at this point, the game original came out in 1997 and the remake has been anticipated for almost 10 years.  living up to that kind of hype would be nigh impossible.  Better to leave the game in it's place of pride today as perhaps the best JRPG of all time. Lest they remake it, it doesn't live up to the hype (which it just can't at this point) and then it becomes a failed IP. "

" @jadeskye said:

" i imagine at this point, the game original came out in 1997 and the remake has been anticipated for almost 10 years.  living up to that kind of hype would be nigh impossible.  Better to leave the game in it's place of pride today as perhaps the best JRPG of all time. Lest they remake it, it doesn't live up to the hype (which it just can't at this point) and then it becomes a failed IP. "

What hype? You mean the hype of standardizing their graphics? Because they have been doing that for a while now. And no, it wouldn't become a failed IP. If they announced an updeaded FF7, it would easily break a million. "

" Everyting people mentioned, licenses and such. And it's such a seminal piece of work, if even one frame was off, the awful FF7 fanbase would throw a fucking fit. "

Yeah, I didn't get that :/ I thought as they already have all the basics down, as well as a good engine for PS3/360 development, it wouldn't take too long. Saying that, Final Fantasy VII had towns in it. You know how much trouble Square have had with regards to towns and Final Fantasy XIII. 

"A properly run team could easily get this game out in 2.5 years. "

" @Landon said:

" @jadeskye said:

" i imagine at this point, the game original came out in 1997 and the remake has been anticipated for almost 10 years.  living up to that kind of hype would be nigh impossible.  Better to leave the game in it's place of pride today as perhaps the best JRPG of all time. Lest they remake it, it doesn't live up to the hype (which it just can't at this point) and then it becomes a failed IP. "

What hype? You mean the hype of standardizing their graphics? Because they have been doing that for a while now. And no, it wouldn't become a failed IP. If they announced an updeaded FF7, it would easily break a million. "

they know they could make money from it. that's never been an issue.  and the hype of a final fantasy 7 remake. Anything Final fantasy 7 instantly becomes a news story, thats how much hype there is to this game. 13 years later final fantasy 7 forums are still active. the most popular board on gamefaqs.com is the ff7 board.  people still make mods for the ultima edition ff7 for PC.  The game IS hype. And a remake, no matter how amazing will never live up to the standards set down by the original because it was amazing on release AND it's had time to age in the minds of it's fans to the point where it's untouchable.  And make no mistake, the game is untouchable. Why would you ruin that? for money? something square enix has mountains of and could make many more millions by making their new IP?  Bad business to fix what isn't broken. Worse business to put resources into a project that doesn't move the company forward. Worst business to pervert your own best work. "