Development began for the Sega Saturn, with battles on land and the tops of trains. After production moved to the Dreamcast, the motif of traveling the skies was set, inspired by the Age of Discovery. At the time, Japanese role-playing video games portrayed mostly darker worlds, but Overworks was more interested in creating an optimistic protagonist who explored the world. They took care to portray Aika and Fina, Vyse's female friends, on equal footing with him, rather than being saved by him. The historical architecture and ancient civilizations are attributed to team member Shuntaro Tanaka, who majored in history at university and conceptualized the world and scenario, inspiring the "discovery" aspect.