PC2012

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This version exists only as a downloadable title and has not been released in a hardcopy format. It is based on the Eidos port, but with some tweaks and new features.

Being a downloadable title, there is no longer the need for any kind of disc switch. The FMVs are upscaled version of the PlayStation FMVs. The new features is the new list of Achievements, the Character Booster, the option to use Cloud Saves, having a wide arrange of resolutions to play in etc.

Originally PC2012 music files were OGGs based on PC98’s MIDI music. After requests from the fanbase, the PlayStation music was however implemented as an upgrade on September 27, 2013. There appears to be no way to reactivate the MIDI tracks, even though they are still in the game files.

Installing and Starting Game
Cloud Saves
Character Booster
Achievements
Easter Egg: Secret Cow Level
Magic Defense Bug: Fixed
Yuffie Warp Glitch
FMVs
Script Changes: PC98 versus PC2012



Installing and Starting Game

Thanks to PC2012 being adjusted for modern computers, it is much easier to install than the PC98 version is to install today.

PC98 Minimum System Requirements PC2012 Minimum System Requirements
Microsoft Windows 95
133 MHz with 3D accelerator card; 166 MHz without 3D accelerator card
32MB RAM
DirectX 5.0 compatible
Microsoft Windows XP/Vista/7 (32/64-bit)
2GHz Processor or faster
1GB RAM
DirectX 9-compatible graphic card

When purchasing the game, whether it be from a European or an American server, there is the option to install the English, French, German or Spanish version. Even when one version is installed, the FINAL FANTASY VII folder will still hold the game files for all localizations.

After installation, the game is then accessed via the FFVII Launcher where a variety of settings can be made before initiating the actual game.


Right before the Eidos logo (familiar from the PC98 version) appears we see the modern Square Enix logo flash by.



The Squaresoft logo FMV with the Chocobos still remain and will play after the Eidos logo unless the player skips it.


When clicking on New Game, a window pops up that shows the current control scheme. Click on the OK button to proceed to the game’s intro cinematic.

The control settings in the above image are the default ones for PC2012. Unlike PC98, the game is not by default set to require a numpad. The requirement of a numpad in the PC98 version rendered the game unplayable for many laptop users, due to laptops generally not having a numpad.



Cloud Saves

By going to Network settings in the FFVII Launcher, one can choose to activate Cloud Saves. With this activated, the FFVII save files will be uploaded and saved on the Cloud network, creating an additional backup of the player’s saves. This also means that the saves can be accessed immediately even when playing FFVII on a different computer, as long as it’s the right login profile on the FFVII launcher.

One consequence of using Cloud Saves/Saving is that when loading the game it must synchronize with the server. If this fails, then it is impossible to load a save or even save your current game. With a good internet connection this problem will usually not occur however.



Character Booster

This new feature can be summarized as broken cheat code. In order to use it, Cloud Saves must be turned on.

To activate, the player must access their online profile on the website where they purchased the game. This can be done by clicking on “View Online Profile” on the FFVII launcher. If the game was bought on the Square Enix store, then the Character Booster is accessed on the profile on that site. If it was a Steam purchase, then the Character Booster is found on Steam.

The characters in your current battle party have their HP maxed to 999 and MP maxed to 999, while those not in your party remain unaffected. The calculation is so that this is what the max values would be WITHOUT any Materia equipped. Character level and all other stats remain the same. Gil is set to 49,999,999 even if the save previously had even more gil.

The consequence/penalty of using the Character Booster early on is that it will now be very difficult, for a large portion of your playthrough, to build up the limit bar and execute a limit break. With no other increases in character stats, battles will still take roughly the same amount of time but losing becomes nearly impossible.



Achievements

A total of 36 listed Achievements now exist as an incentive for the player to go an extra mile…except for with the achievements that would inevitably be gained by just playing the game normally.




There is one notable inconsistency between the naming of one achievement. In the FFVII Launcher, one Achievement is named “Gold Chocobo”, but in the Square Enix site profile, it is called “Golden Feather”. This is reflected in the list below.


END OF PART 1
Complete the first part of the game

END OF PART 2
Complete the second part of the game

END OF GAME
Complete FINAL FANTASY VII

MASTER MATERIA
Reach the Maximum Level of any Materia

MASTER OF GIL
99,999,999 gil

TOP LEVEL
Reach level 99 with any character

KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND
Get Materia Knights of the Round

OMNISLASH
Get Cloud’s Last Limit Break

CATASTROPHE
Get Barret’s Last Limit Break

CHAOS
Get Vincent’s Last Limit Break

GREAT GOSPEL
Get Aeris’s Last Limit Break

HIGHWIND
Get Cid’s Last Limit Break

FINAL HEAVEN
Get Tifa’s Last Limit Break

ALL CREATION
Get Yuffie’s Last Limit Break

COSMO MEMORY
Get Red XIII’s Last Limit Break

SLOTS
Get Cait Sith’s Last Limit Break

BAHAMUT ZERO
Get Materia Bahamut Zero

ULTIMATE WEAPON
Defeat the Ultimate Weapon

DIAMOND WEAPON
Defeat the Diamond Weapon

RUBY WEAPON
Dfeat the Ruby Weapon

EMERALD WEAPON
Defeat the Emerald Weapon

VINCENT
Get Vincent on your team

YUFFIE
Get Yuffie on your team

MATERIA OVERLORD
Master all Materias

BATTLE SQUARE
Start a battle in the Battle Square

GOLD CHOCOBO/GOLDEN FEATHER
Get a Gold Chocobo

WON 1ST BATTLE
Win your first battle

BRAVER
Use Cloud’s 1st Limit

BIG SHOT
Use Barret’s 1st Limit

GALIAN BEAST
Use Vincent’s 1st Limit

HEALING WIND
Use Aeris’s 1st Limit

BOOST JUMP
Use Cid’s 1st Limit

BEAT RUSH
Use Tifa’s 1st Limit

GREASED LIGHTNING
Use Yuffie’s 1st Limit

SLED FANG
Use Red XIII’s 1st Limit

DICE
Use Cait Sith’s 1st Limit



Easter Egg: Secret Cow Level

One Northern Cave area now contain a reference to a dungeon from the PC title Diablo II. Create a save point in the area left of the first crossroads and the location name will temporarily change from “Inside Northern Cave” to “Secret Cow Level”.

Once you exit the room or reload the save, the location name reverts back to normal.



Magic Defense Bug: Fixed

PS & PC98: A bug in the game makes it so that the Mdef stat in equipment is not added to your total magic defense. The Status menu for a character shows the accumulation of their natural stats and their equipment stats, but the Mdef stat will always be the same as the character’s Spirit stat. This is not just an error in the menu but is actually reflected in battles.

PC2012: The aforementioned bug has now been fixed and so the Magical Defense from equipment is added to the character’s total magic defense, both in the menu and in battles.




Yuffie Warp Glitch

Originally discovered by Neohart (twitch.tv/neohart), this glitch only works for the PC re-release. With this glitch the player can teleport to almost any location in the game, regardless of character level or story progression.

First, get a game over in any battle that is not triggered on the world map, with the exception of the Diamond Weapon boss battle. Exit the game, then load a save where Yuffie is yet to be recruited. Trigger a battle with the “Mystery Ninja” in a forest and win that battle. After the battle spoils, the player is then teleported to where the previous Game Over happened.

If the battle (that was lost) was scripted, like a boss battle, then that battle will start over. If the battle was a random encounter on a field map, then the player will be teleported back to that area but the battle will not start over again.

With this ability to jump back and forth through the game, huge possibilities open up like skipping Aerith’s death, repeating battles and revisiting areas that become locked from the player after story events.



FMVs

The low resolution FMVs from the PC98 version and instead the movies from the PlayStation version have been upscaled and applied here.

Because these are the PS FMVs in the PC re-rerelease, there are two notable observations to make:
1) The outdated SETO FMV is no longer present, but instead the final version is used.
2) In the penultimate FMV where Cid swears, his subtitle reads “Shit!!“. In the PC98 version this line was grawlixe’d into “$#@%!!“.



Script Changes: PC98 versus PC2012

The “Secret Cow Level” easter egg has already been mentioned, but there were a few more changes. In the tables PC98 text is displayed in the left column and PC2012 on the right column.

End of Disc versus End of Part

( End of Disc 1 ) End of Part 1
{PURPLE}Please do not open the CD drive
until further instructions.{WHITE}
( End Disc 2 ) End of Part 2
{PURPLE}Please do not open the CD drive
until further instructions.{WHITE}

While these two no-longer-relevant bits about the CD drive was removed, Cloud will still in the Beginner’s Hall in Sector 7 tell you not to open or take discs out of the CD drive until instructions are given. Strictly speaking, this bit is outdated too.


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