Close Look at Xenoblade's Fields

Following weeks of story and world details, Nintendo has at long last opened up on the gameplay side of Xenoblade. The game's official site was updated today with the first of at least four "system" sections.

The first section is titled "Fields." This matches nicely with the recently shared trailer, which is also now viewable in the trailer section of the site.

The field section lists four properties of the game's fields of play.

Large Map

You'll be able to move seamlessly through the game's vast world. The only loading you'll find is when moving between the various body parts of the world. Those who like to explore will find secrets hidden in areas away from your target location.

3D Field Construction

The Xenoblade fields are not just vast, but have height as well. You'll be able to make your character jump as you move through the fields. You can also leap down from heights, although you may end up incurring damage.

(right): Incurring damage after a fall.

Support

The game includes a variety of support features that assist as you move through the vast fields. These features include:

• Warp to previously visited landmarks by selecting them from your map
• Your target area is indicated by an arrow at the top of the screen
• You can freely change the in-game time
• You can save anywhere

(left): Selecting a location from the map. The area shown is Colony 9, the home base for the main characters. (right): A pointer shows you the way.

(left): You can advance and rewind the time here via the Wiimote d-pad. (right): The in-game save menu. Z accesses a Story Memo.

It does seem that time will play a role in the game. A few of the time aspects are detailed in the World part of the site, which now has a section titled "City and Life."

Xenoblade will have a full day cycle. The people of the Kyojin part of the world all have unique personalities, and make different movements depending on if its morning, noon, or night.

You'll be able to listen to the worries and requests of NPCs in order to bring about changes to their lives, allowing you to delve into the game's deep story.

The site also provided screens showing many of the locals from the trailer.