Language is always a big barrier "Lavate las manos!"

the next engine will be called the emeralds.

from What I seen in FF13 I think the white engine is incredible. Unreal engine is great too but it takes too long to load the details.

This doesn't surprise me at all. The cross-platform graphics engine used for DMC 4 is better than Unreal Engine in almost every respect except third-party ease of use.

Language problem? Do he mean the language laziness of not localizing more Japanese video games to the Western markets that really ought to be exported? Then, he is correct.

@Maaxxx:
Then Ruby, and Sapphire. Each will have something that the other could easily have, but doesn't.

"I do think that in terms of the language barrier, yes, it still is a challenge."

I totally agree. They still don't understand the words "Hurry up and release FF13 ALREADY!" in ANY language...

Yes, Japanese engine architecture is shooting back to its rightful place of hyper-mega-super graphics.

I expect more of Japan, when it comes to technological advances. When I visit I always assume I will see something new and mystifying. Japan, please don't disappoint. Please live up to your stereotypes.

@Ryosukekun21: Actually I'm still really curious to actually see their engine. To my knowledge everything from the shot above to the leaked magazine scans have been pre-rendered CG and/or target renders. Considering their history I'm by far willing to give them the benefit of the doubt that their engine is extremely impressive I'd still love to see it in action.

@Artdeux: Then the Diamond and Pearl Engines correct? I'm feelin this naming scheme. It's familiar.

the graphics for this game are insane already youve already got my $60+

...says the guy behind a game that won't out for another 18 months.

Japan never ceases to amaze me...
@Xideo: I agree hahaha!

@Elijah Man: And you'd know that from the 3 seconds of gameplay they've actually shown? Please... temper your fandom.

@ph15h needs followers: then they'll start combining names together, with crystal sapphire, and emerald diamond next in line

Well, we'll know for sure when FFXIII gets RELEASED.
All sarcasm aside, I think its obvious Japanese Tech is up to par with Western.
Just look at this
[tgs.sega.jp]
as opposed to this:
[files.xboxic.com]
I think that Japanese tech is doing at least as well as western.

I like this, I would definitely like to see other engines being used other than the unreal engine I really, really , really dislike that engine.

It's so grimy and overused. Hurray for NEW engines.
Languages shouldn't be a problem. Ca'mon it's not like we have to look for another Rosseta stone we have the internet.

It's always a pissing contest, isn't it?

@TheCleaningGuy: There's a bit more to it than screenshots.

@Soldrak: in those 18 months wonders will happe... and btw if wanted to spend $10000 on this game which i wouldnt that would be none of your concern :)

@Soldrak: Fandom or not, FFXIII sold whatever system it was going to come out on to me before it was even announced. I don't think it's hard to say that 30 seconds of in game footage isn't enough to convince someone.

@TheCleaningGuy: I'd take the word of a software developer over an armchair analyst any day.

@tajash: Lavate las manos tu primero.

New engines, yes, the answer to my prayers.

@TheCleaningGuy: Well in all fairness if we're going solely by screenshots supposedly this is in-game. [i25.tinypic.com]
But assuming that's real I could see FFXIII making its target renders quite well.

This guy can start talking whenever they release actual in-game footage for FF13...

Then again, if they're behind in tech they can always compensate with artistic style and modeling. I do hope they learn the ins and outs of network multiplayer soon though.

Every Japanese game I've seen so far (besides gt4) does not match up against the American game industry in the terms of a graphic comparison, the detail just does not match, nor does the "japanese game engines" Instead, we see Unreal engines and other game engines.

woo, not tell us when FF13's coming out!

The tech from the East was bound to catch up to the tech from the West once Japan started utilizing more PC tech than console tech for games. I'm sure it'll eventually get to the point where 9 billion gundams can be rendered at the same time fighting in outer space.

@brello: I get that, but I'm just providing a graphical comparison between two (great) games I've played.
@Nirolak:Wow.
That is beautiful. If the game looks like that in motion, I'm buying a 360.

@SpishackCola: 9 Billion rendered Gundams at ONCE?!? Oh MAN! Im loving that!

I won't pretend to know anything about programming. But I haven't noticed Japanese games being any less "advanced" than western games, past or present.

I think alot of Japanese-made engines are more game-specific whereas western engines are often used for a more wide variety of games. But I'm not pretending to know anything about programming beyond a text-adventure I almost made in Q-Basic when I was 17.

As far as tech and I mean 3D engine tech, the west has and is ahead of the east. This is a platform-agnostic belief. The best technology are just coming out of the companies with strong PC pedigree on next-gen hardware now. That said, the east (the Japanese in particular) have always been masters at sound and artistry. Honestly, I think only because they used what they had so effectively to convey the world the game existed in that they sort of trailed off the path of tech.

The idea of east versus west though is foolish at the end of the day because it's really people who are making this and not countries. As East and West become more homogeneous, we will see more of a synergy that will ultimately bring about better tech.

I don't see what the big fuss is about when FF has barely scratched the surface of anything resembling a physics engine. That's a huge sector that the East should get in on before comparisons are made...

@DarkFestim: How is that amazing?

It's more a matter of market than technological capabilities.

Japanese gaming didn't became as advanced as western counterparts not because they they lacked resources or people to do that, it's only that the gaming market is kinda different.

Yeah, I'm kinda tired of the "western gaming is superior" discussion.

Hardcore market in Japan exists, but is nowhere near the hardcore market in US or european countries.

But I only wish I could read and speak japanese... there are so many great games in Japan that doesn't make it here only because they are not triple A titles.

And I can't careless for ultra high quality huge graphics and shit. I'd rather play a 2D sprite game that makes me laugh rather than a game with impressive realistic OMFG incredible graphics with some repetitive boring gameplay.

But that's just me.

It's like... I probably had more fun playing Karoshi 2.0 than... the Crysis demo for instance.

Now that the west has clearly stated their next engines will be aimed at consoles and not PC's it's only a matter of time till Japan catches up.

I am hoping to do research in computer graphics and I have noticed that most graphical techniques were created by Western (mostly American) researchers. Texture mapping for example was created by Ed Catmull (who is now president of Disney/Pixar). Another example is Jim Blinn (now at Microsoft), who came up with the popular bump-mapping technique.

Techniques for creating smooth surfaces were also created by western researchers for the most part. So it's not a surprise that western developers are on the forefront of the latest graphics technology.

Kojima disagrees, says the US has surpassed Japan.

Still, when you are the creator of MGS you can say whatever you want IMO.

I'll believe it when I see it Squeenix. Your "in-game" videos of FF13 don't fool me.

Think you're better than Epic or Id? Then how about you show us a real game engine BEFORE Unreal Engine 4 comes out. You know, before the turn of the decade is over.

The entire East vs. West debate is on par with the idea of Console Wars, when it comes to juvenility. Saying that graphics engines (in the broad sense) of one continent/nation was ahead of the other is negligible.

At any point in history one country may be ahead/behind another, but if we look at history in its totality we see trends of recession and prosperity, and therefore ultimate balance.

Japan was previously lacking in a 7th generation console (PS3) and a substantial PC market; whereas the West was not lacking, in that they had the 360 and a PC movement that could still stand on its two feet.

Now, PS3 exists and is very much coming into its own, and the PC market here in the West is somewhat dwindling, or at least in need of restructuring. Checks and balances, ladies and gentlemen. Equilibrium.

@Bokusatsu_Tenshi: And by 'hardcore', you are of course, referring to FPS gamers 'hardcore'. Bleh.

What I find amusing is that the truly 'hardcore' gamers in the FPS realm that I've seen (tournament play) turn off all the fancy graphics and modeling when they play.

The graphics aren't there for hardcore players.

I only hope japanese gaming companies don't fall into that trap that is the competition for the best graphics in gaming.

Let them focus their attention on making good games, even if this means they don't have the bleeding edge on graphics technology.

I'm kinda tired of being impressed on graphics demonstration videos only to be utterly disappointed playing the very the same games.

My 2 cents.

@Artdeux: or emerald, THEN Ruby, and you wouldn't be able to defeat ruby, unless you were really cheap, but if you're unlucky he might remove Cloud from your party by engulfing him in sand. Yes that's another (maybe more esoteric) game quote using those two terms.

Japan can do more with less. Unique art direction rather than the raw power of Western PC graphics engines. Hurray for colour, bleh for various shades of brown.

But for other parts of a game like physics... no comment.

@Reilaos~: Not only FPS gamers... but mostly yes. I also meant people who play very loooong RPGs with third person cameras...

And yeah! That's completely true. Unless those hardcore gamers actually have a billion dollar machine, most of them have to turn off the fancy graphics in order to have a better gameplay with no lags or other disadvantages.

And yet, the same hardcore gamers always seem to DEMAND better graphics. Oh, the irony.

It's interesting to take a look at numbers though... as some other commenter already said, japanese market is more interested in portables, Wii, and even older consoles than PS3 and X-Box360.

And even on PCs, in comparison to western countries, japanese people are far less concerned about having the latest graphics card, or the newest gaming PCs released.

Adding those factors it's easy to understand why japanese companies won't spend millions on developing some new graphics engine or technology.

It's not that they don't have the resources, or don't have people who can do that... it's a different market.

Squeenix is an exception. Why? Because it's market is worldwide...

And I also risk saying that those incredible cell-shaded graphics on the latest Naruto game has more to do with Naruto being a huge hit in the worldwide market than the anime being well known in Japan.

@Daizzy: Those shots of FFXIII are totally believable, they are rendering less stuff in those fight scenes and therefore have more room to play with. It's, if you ask me, on par with GOW2, since you have more things on the screen with fps's than in rpg's.

Here are some "Western" engines for reference:

CryEngine2:

+ Watch video

+ Watch video

UnrealEngine3:

+ Watch video