March 23rd, 2000 - Japan's Famitsu once again come up with the goods; this time they talk in-depth with Sakaguchi about Final Fantasy IX, where many interesting details are revealed.

Here's a basic overview of what Sakaguchi says (most of them you probably already know):

Just a side note: Don't you just love the way the Japanese conduct their interviews? It's so much less formal than western styles it just brings a smile to your face. :)

Famitsu: Final Fantasy 9 (hereon, FF9) has a fantasy feel, right?

Sakaguchi: Yes, it's fantasy.

Crystals are core to Final Fantasy IX's story... just as it is in the logo. :)

Sakaguchi: Well, I wanted to try it out. (laughs) I said that it was because it was the last single numbered FF, but, yes, I like the number 9...(laughs)

Famitsu: Why?

Sakaguchi: Because it's "Kabu" (Note: 9 is a good number in a certain gambling game called Oichokabu)

Famitsu: (laughs)

Sakaguchi: I was thinking it as an end. FF10 and FF11 are going to be on PS2 as well as PlayOnline. So with those, we were wanting to concentrate less on the feel of a world but more to use visuals which would push the hardware's ability. In that sense, because FF9 is the third in the series on PlayStation, instead of making it by pushing the abilities of the present hardware, we thought of making the feel of a Final Fantasy world once more.

Famitsu: As you say, with it becoming PlayStation games, I felt Final Fantasy changed a lot, even with the setting.

Sakaguchi: You're right.

Famitsu: FF7 and 8 had a cyber feel. But FF9 this time has a fantasy feel, and crystals will be appearing, and Steiner is a knight. Zidane and Vivi's ages have also lowered quite a lot. And their sizes have changed...

Cloud may have found it difficult to defeat Sephiroth if he kept stabbing himself in the forehead...

Sakaguchi: Actually, in FF7's planning stages, there were smaller characters, about the size of four heads.

Famitsu: Really?

Sakaguchi: But when we made it have a sword, it couldn't wield it...

Famitsu: (laughs) It could be stabbed?

Sakaguchi: Yes. Even when it lifts a sword...[does a action where the sword stabs into his forehead] and this happens. (laughs) We realized that this couldn't work and so they became taller.

Famitsu: I see.

Sakaguchi: FF8 became even more realistic as it was favorable in 3D motion and there was also Naora the art director's direction too...But this time, with Vivi the black mage, he couldn't hold a sword because it would get caught in his hat so, we thought "Why not?"...

Famitsu: So it was a logical move.

Sakaguchi: They might move in an anime-like way, and so there might be restrictions in movement, but there is a certain humor in that movement. And the humor of the characters too. We wanted to aim for that in FF9.

Famitsu: Then how about the theme of FF9?

Sakaguchi: Maybe I shouldn't say it... (laughs)

Famitsu: (laughs) You don't have to hide the theme. (laughs)

Sakaguchi: It's actually the same as the movie's.

Famitsu: ?

Sakaguchi: I, I shouldn't have said it. Let's stop this. (laughs) The world and everything else is different in the movie and FF9, but at the root of it, the themes are the same. It's not directly the same, and there is quite a difference, but we were writing the scenarios at the same time, so...

Famitsu: (laughs) You were the scenario writer for FF9 weren't you?

Sakaguchi: The first stages mind you. In the last stage of writing, it changed quite a lot because of the cooperation of two people. Especially, the last half of the game changed dramatically.

Famitsu: Well, there are some things I'd like to ask about the screenshots released this time...First, there are lots of airships flying in the sky.

Sakaguchi: Yes, there will be quite a lot in FF9.

Famitsu: What's more, on top of this airship, there is a building.

A flying theater full of bandits... and who said it wasn't fantasy?

Sakaguchi: That's the "Theater Ship."

Famitsu: A Theater Ship! That's the name of it? How about this one?

Sakaguchi: That will appear in the second half. The big airship that appears in the first half has a theater attached. This lid opens and becomes a stage. While in the air it will be attached to the side of the castle and the stage will open. And, everyone watches the play from the castle. It's a once-a-year event in this town...

Famitsu: So it's not just as a means of transport?

Sakaguchi: That's right. So these people are like a travelling theater/ circus troupe.

Famitsu: I see. So it's like a circus moving in the sky with the whole tent. So it's a troupe of actors?

Sakaguchi: Well it's different in reality. The ones inside are actually bandits who took over the theater ship.

Famitsu: What!?

Sakaguchi: Oops. (laughs)

Square Publicity: I will examine you later. (laughs)

Sakaguchi: Ah, you're going to run a check on me. (laughs)

Famitsu: Are you going to cut this out later? (laughs) In Zidane's profile, he was part of a bandit group, so he's one of them, right?

Sakaguchi: That's right. As one of the playable characters, Zidane is a bandit.

Famitsu: Huh? Playable characters?

Sakaguchi: Ah, this time, all the leading characters are playable. Although their backgrounds are all different.

Famitsu: I see. But there are no girls.

Sakaguchi: Ah, there is.

Famitsu: So there are only three revealed so far, right?

Sakaguchi: Yes. There will be 8 in total I think. Well, those that become part of the party anyway.

Famitsu: So these three were the first to be made.

Sakaguchi: There are many unusual characters...Anyway, because it's fantasy, it's a world full of different types of beings. The two characters we've announced this time are human, but the others are different. They may be mouse-like, or ghost-like...They are all different.

Famitsu: Oh I see. So would you switch characters when the various beings go into a battle?

Sakaguchi: Switching characters will depend on how the story progresses. Also, there will be situations where the player will switch characters.

Famitsu: From whose perspective will the player play through the game?

Sakaguchi: Basically, it's Zidane, but FF9 will be around 40 hours. So in the length of the game, you will be able to play through different characters. In one of the first scenes, where a boy is being chased by a soldier, for 5 minutes you will control the chasing soldier, and for the other 5 minutes, you will control the fleeing boy.

Famitsu: Ahh.

Sakaguchi: We thought it'd be fun if the player could control the most interesting character in a scene.

Famitsu: Sounds like fun. So there will be switching of characters being controlled, but it won't be just separate stories with 8 characters?

Sakaguchi: No it won't. They are not separate stories: the story will be consistent.

Famitsu: Will characters have jobs (classes)?

Sakaguchi: Jobs...

Famitsu: Well, the black mage and the knight...

Sakaguchi: In that sense, the concept of jobs will be near to FF6, where they are predetermined. And he (Zidane) is a bandit...

Famitsu: Ah, the bandit.

Sakaguchi: The gameplay system will have a lot of customization. I cannot tell you in detail, but it will be a lot of fun...

Famitsu: I feel it to be a lot like FF6.

Sakaguchi: Ito is the director. He made the active time battle, and after that, made several things, including the job change system.

Famitsu: I see.

Sakaguchi: The gameplay system has developed quite a lot, too.

Famitsu: In FF9, I feel that there will be quite a developed battle system too.

Sakaguchi: Yes.

Famitsu: Ah-huh. So, Zidane has a tail?

Sakaguchi: Yes.

Famitsu: Ah, so you say.

Sakaguchi: Yes.

Famitsu: Ah-huh.

Sakaguchi: There is a reason...

Famitsu: What kind?

VIVI: "The Story's core...".

Sakaguchi: [laughing it off, and without answering, he points at the black mage] Vivi is quite important.

Famitsu: This black mage?

Sakaguchi: Yes. Quite important.

Famitsu: I see.

Sakaguchi: Vivi's existence becomes quite closely examined from the middle of the story.

Famitsu: I see.

Sakaguchi: Vivi is the story's core.

Famitsu: Really?

Sakaguchi: Actually... [while saying this, Sakaguchi looks at the Square Publicity person] Too risky? (laughs)

Famitsu: (laughs) That's new. In the FF series, the black mage has never been closely examined as a main character.

Sakaguchi: And he (Vivi) has no self confidence.

Famitsu: He's a weak human?

Sakaguchi: More than just weakness, he thinks he doesn't exist in this world, that he doesn't have the sense of living.

Famitsu: Ahh.

Sakaguchi: He has anxiety. He's a weak guy.

Famitsu: See this phrase. In the explanation of this screenshot, Vivi says, "I..give up...I'm gonna die here."

Sakaguchi: He's hopeless. (laughs)

Famitsu: (laughs) He has no self confidence and is hopeless? It seems there are many essences of the character hidden.

Sakaguchi: Yes.

Famitsu: Oh that's right, it seems the graphics seem to have a Disney feel, or something.

FF VII: Cold colours of blue and green.	FF IX: Warm colours of red and orange.

Sakaguchi: The colors, right?

Famitsu: Yes. FF7 and 8 had colder colors.

Sakaguchi: That's right.

Famitsu: Overall there were lots of blues and greens.

Sakaguchi: Yes.

Famitsu: In FF9, I get a strong impression of reds and oranges.

Sakaguchi: You're right. Especially the first town. The roofs lined up in the town are orange...

Famitsu: I feel that this game seems warmer.

Sakaguchi: These are colors Minaba likes. I also like his colors.

Famitsu: Minaba-san was with Final Fantasy Tactics (from hereon FFT), was he not?