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Overview
The next chapter in Final Fantasy takes the series to the next level. Final Fantasy VIII combines an epic storyline with dynamic role-playing elements, breathtaking music, and well-defined characters. The world of Final Fantasy VIII comes to life in a dazzling display of digital artistry that spans four CDs. With the addition of an hour worth of CG animation, a new "Junction" system, and compatibility with the Dual Shock Analog Controller, Final Fantasy VIII is a breathtaking addition to the series.
Trivia & Facts
The concept was derived from trading cards which is a popular hobby in some parts of Japan.
Originally, it was simply about collecting cards but Yasui considered this too disconnected from the main game and "begged" for the inclusion of an ability to transform cards into items.
The game's total development costs were approximately or $30 million (equivalent to $ million in ).
Final Fantasy VIII was the first title to have extensive communication between the Japanese and North American teams during the process.
Lead translator Richard Honeywood wrote a text parser that would automatically convert text from English ASCII to Shift JIS format required by the game engine's compiler, streamlining the translation process dramatically.
Development of Final Fantasy VIII began in 1997, during the English-language translation of Final Fantasy VII.