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Project Octopath Traveler Demo Downloaded A Million Times, Square Enix Shares Updates
The demo for Project Octopath Traveler, an exclusive RPG for Switch that blends HD visuals with pixel art, has been downloaded over 1 million times.
The main purpose of the demo, which released on September 13, 2017, was to receive player feedback on the game through a survey. Nintendo released a video today in which developer Square Enix gives a sneak peek at how the 45,550 responses from the demo have helped shape the final product.
- Instead of holding the B button to run, characters now automatically run when the control stick is pushed all the way in a direction. Pressing B now makes the player sprint. However, enemy encounter rates increase the faster you run. Fast travel, which is not in the demo, has been added.
- General visibility, especially in dungeons, is being refined. Changes include traversable areas standing out more, floor and wall color adjustment, and added landmarks. A radar, which Square says couldn't be added to the demo in time, will help players see entrances, exits, and designated areas. Players can also adjust brightness and the level of "HD-2D" filters.
- Ten save slots, one of which is for autosaves, will be available in the final game. Players are now less likely to accidentally overwrite a save. Help text size has increased, as well as general improvements to the user.
- Event scenes can be skipped. If you enjoy an event scene, a replay feature allows players to rewatch them. The default text speed has increased but can be adjusted.
- With gameplay difficulty, Square says they are refining the balance so battles can "provide a good challenge, without being overly frustrating."
Project Octopath Traveler is slated to release this year. Watch us play the demo here.
[Source: Nintendo on Twitter]
Our Take
Knowing player feedback truly is playing a part in the development of a game is
important. This video provides a nice, brief insight into how player
feedback is molding Octopath as a final product, which is looking better each time its shown.
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