PAL VS NTSC Final Fantasy X, if you have it please help...

[Kal_El]

Basically my buddy and I have been having a dispute over the merits of NTSC VS PAL and and I used Final Fantasy X which is what he was playing at the time as an example. I saw the massive black bars that are typical in PAL conversions where minimal effort is put into the conversion and tried to explain that the NTSC version wouldn't have that and would run full screen and 17.5% faster. "Bollocks" was the reply I got "Final Fantasy is made that way to look more cinematic, like a widescreen film, why would someone make the game slower and insert borders" he tried to reason. Now to be honest I don't have the game but as a fairly long term NTSC gamer I am pretty sure that the black bars are not for the effect of looking "cinematic" and more likely a sloppy conversion.

As my M8 doesn't want to believe me I was hoping some of you NTSC UK users have the game and can confirm if the NTSC version is indeed full screen and not letterbox "for effect".

Cheers

[jimtendo]

Even though the NTSC FFX does has small borders, they are nothing compared to the size of the PAL version.
Kinda like the small borders you get when watching many a BBC/ITV etc programme where they have small borders for widescreen.

I remember reading that it was intentional for FFX to have those small borders for widescreen tv's. Can't remember where i read that snippet from though.

[Lyris]

Your friend doesn't seem to have too much knowledge on this

Borders on films and TV broadcasts are there to present the image in it's original aspect ratio.

Badly converted PAL games are not in their correct ratio. They are SQUASHED.... yes, very cinematic indeed.

[Smeghead]

Alot of Squaresoft games in particular have very small boarders on the NTSC version, I don't know if this is to lower the resolution to free up slighty more resources or what, but the NTSC versions still are near enough full screen, and FULL speed. the PAL FFX is in a perfect 16:9 mode probably because that way at least there was some way to get a full screen, it looks bloody terrible on my 25" 4:3 in PAL and I've acctually stopped playing the came coz of the 50hz until I get a modded PS2 and can play the 60hz version.

[Lyris]

PAL FFX is in a perfect 16:9 mode

That is, the borders are the same sized as a letterboxed 16:9 image?
Sorry to nitpick but a perfect 16:9 mode would have the correct proportions

But yeah, if it's been squashed more than it should be, maybe it was so that at least some widescreen sets would stretch the image up?

[Super Stu]

would run full screen and 17.5% faster

Sorry to nit pick. The NTSC version (60hz) will run 16.66% faster than the PAL (50hz) version. 17.5% is VAT

Common mistake.

[Friction]

I have a pitcture someone made to illustrate the big differences in this game in terms of screen size, It's quite shocking!

I dont have any way to host it, but I'll gladly email it to you so you can show your mate if you like

HTH

Friction

[Kal_El]

That would be great Friction, send to [email protected].

Thanks to everyone who took the time to reply. I must admit I am somewhat surprised that a AAA big budget release like Final Fantasy has been treated and converted in such a way.

Actually Super Stu, now I thought about it we're both wrong. As Pal is 50hz and NTSC 60hz and the difference in speed 10hz this is actually 1/5 or 20% increase in speed

What can I say it was late....

[replicant]

the ignorance of the PAL casual. Thats why this site is here

[Super Stu]

Actually Super Stu, now I thought about it we're both wrong. As Pal is 50hz and NTSC 60hz and the difference in speed 10hz this is actually 1/5 or 20% increase in speed

What can I say it was late....

PAL = 50hz
NTSC = 60hz

Speed that PAL runs, as a fraction of NTSC running speed =

PAL / NTSC * 100 = 50/60 * 100 = 83.33%

Therefore, drop in speed from NTSC to PAL = 100 - 83.33 = 16.66%


Edit - I see where you're coming from now. If you took a PAL game and ran it on NTSC (forget the fact that a big chunk of the screen would be cropped), then yes, the increase in speed over PAL would be 20%.

[Fire]

Squares PAL conversions and in particular FFX are a total disgrace.

Any developer that treats fans/gamers/paying customers from any world region (remember, everyone on this site is effectively a PAL gamer in their eyes, they don't think twice abotu screwing you over) with such disrespect do not deserve to be in the industry.

[Concept]

Square Europe is one big, long running joke.

[iamlost_]

it may look nicer but in ntsc but isn't the pal version got more thats why the new improved edition was released in japan

[Kal_El]

it may look nicer but in ntsc but isn't the pal version got more thats why the new improved edition was released in japan

That's right the PAL version I am told had quite a bit of tweaking and features added, this version was also released in Japan though under the name Final Fantasy X International.

[Concept]

Lucky Europe, eh...

Gets a game released six months earlier in the US, 17.5% slower, gigantic borders flooding the screen and all for a more expensive price.

But hey, a few extras and a making of DVD more than make up for that...

...