However, it was challenging to make controller and touch controls coexist, especially in the menu area. Nakamura: Many of our members have experience in both console and mobile, so we didn’t really have any difficulties with mobile devices. What were some of the unexpected differences you encountered developing for mobile platforms compared to the previous games your team worked on? It made me realize, once again, that the idea of a new visual expression, no matter how big or small, is an essential one.

Then I was reminded of the handmade detail of dioramas, and I chose the novelty of this visual expression, even though it might not be so compatible with game creation.Īs a result, we feel that the effect was even better than expected. It’s not easy to innovate, and ever since the introduction of CG in Final Fantasy VII, I hadn’t been able to come up with a fresh idea. Sakaguchi: Visuals are one of the most critical elements of a game. Seeing how well it worked for FANTASIAN, what did you learn by combining these approaches? Though often seen on film, the use of dioramas has not been as common in game creation. I also focused on multiple worlds, and knowing that emotion equals energy, sought to fill the player’s heart with a warm feeling. I came up with a theme that overlaps with the contradictions of modern society, such as the fact that the most chaotic things are born out of the most orderly living things. The story is a different expression of the cycle of life and the stars, which I have cherished since the days of Final Fantasy. I was looking and imagining what it would be like if CG characters were adventuring, and playing RPGs on them. At that time, I also created the background using dioramas, and had the actual dioramas on hand. Sakaguchi: It all started when I wanted to use dioramas to make stop-motion characters for the Terra Wars project. Where did the ideas for the story and visual style originate?

Check out our recent case study to delve even deeper into Mistwalker’s incredible achievement.įANTASIAN sounds like a true passion project. In this blog, they share insight on how the team brought such a behemoth of an artistic vision to mobile. We sat down with Sakaguchi and Takuto Nakamura, the director and main programmer of FANTASIAN, to peek behind the curtain at Mistwalker. By importing photos of over 150 miniature handcrafted dioramas and innovating photogrammetry techniques, his team set out to create stunning sets and character effects for mobile. Mistwalker founder Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of the iconic Final Fantasy series, had an ambitious vision for his latest production FANTASIAN.

Fantasian dioramas