Over time, since I first posted Part 1, 2 & 3 in my Unused Text article series, I've made changes to these entries. Often because my resources and modding capabilities have grown. Here is a list of the changes/additions:
- The original intro, "article map" and credits which made up the beginning of Part 1 has been moved to the
Article Index. The index wasn't created until shortly before I posted Part 3.
- Description of "borders" added to the Terminology section of the article index.
- Embedded videos added to Part 1-3.
- Centered most images and titles.
- All images have been replaced. I either use snapshots showing the game in its "normal" PSX performance, or with graphics that are upscaled, in order to show hard-to-spot details. I also used to host the images, like, ALL OVER THE INTERNET, but now I primarily use
this site when uploading the images.
Thankfully, I also have all the images orderly arranged in folders on my computer, so all is secure if I ever have to reupload pictures.
- More screenshots are used to point out which map a piece of text belongs to, rather than using map rips. In overall, many new screencaps have been added.
- As I learn more I also become better at visualizing how the development process went about. I did not really think before about the context in which developer notes like "Tifa Name Entry" or "To the Flashback: Nibelheim – Travelling" were used. But, frickin' obviously in hindsight, these messages would appear when programmers/event planners were test playing (i.e. "debugging") scenes and checking that everything was running smoothly. So instead of a jump to the Nibelheim well, the event testers would see this "to-do" note appear, click past it, then see the rest of the scene unfold, to the degree that it had been completed. This realisation is now reflected more in the commentary.
PART 1
- Intro specific to this entry has been written. "Intro image" is now the Tobal No.1 fighting game, advertising the FFVII demo contained within.
- Added speculation to the "Demo play ends here. Look forward to the December release!" message. It also links to the
Final Fantasy VII V-Jump Festival 1996 presentation. A MUST SEE (AND LISTEN)!!!
- The timer in the mako reactor has an invisible dialogue box around it. Image added showing this text box. Because of forgetfulness, this part is not actually in either of the embedded videos.
See "Escaping From The Reactor" section.
- "The ROOTMAP Exclusive Cloud & Jessie Models" segment added. Because they are involved in an unused vision for how the scene was to be, I present and speculate upon these odd models. Octo, you said once before you wanted to see the face of this version of Jessie's field model, so, there it is now.
- Unfortunately I couldn't find any official sources to confirm that the term "Voluntary Restraint" is used as a euphemism for self-censorship.
My memory was mistaken that there was confirmation for this on GlitterBerri's website. =/
Despite this, I added the interpretation about "Voluntary Restraint" being about the developers censoring themselves so to not risk offending those affected by the gas attack.
PART 2
- More field models added. Check the first "Seventh Heaven Pub" section to see info about the unseen "flower" and "cash" models.
- Although very shortly after publication I added info about the unseen "President Shinra" model at the end of page one, I now added images of said model and make more comments about it.
- My initial explanation for how the scene with Cloud returning to the bar was triggered was bad and wrong. However now that I understand the script better I can provide a better explanation. Here it is.
When the player returns to MDS7 after the flashback, a flag is activated which is supposed to make the following scene at the bar counter available. The PPV-dependant post-flashback scene of MDS7PB_1 will interfere, however, and a player reentering the bar at this point will fail to trigger this scene.
A part of the field data named “StageDR” contains all the different scene setups, with each setup pointing out where all the field models are, if a border is on or off etc. Manipulating single values will not easily replicate all the conditions referred to in these “Stage Directions”, which explains to us why the following scene was not uncovered until Myst6re used his program, Makou Reactor, to pick the correct scene setup.
- In the "Beginner's Hall" section I misinterpreted the meaning of the unseen status effect "Wiped Out" and compared it to the status effect of *single* characters being wiped out, when in fact it refers to the entire party. In other words, Wiped Out is a superfluous "status effect" because it is essentially Game Over. It doesn't surprise that when digging my nose in the FFVII script as much as I do, occassionally misinterpretations happen.
PART 3
Not much changed here, other than the changes that are true to all the aforementioned articles (embedded videos, changed/added screenshots).
Some commentary on the images though...
- Now in the TIN_1 scenes, I have Barret standing up rather than sitting down.
- In this funny screencap showing unused field model actions...
, I humorously write under it "I also jump with my arms and legs completely still!"
- Church Roof (CHRIN_3A) inaccessible location name added. The location name itself is not unseen, as it is used in the field afterwards (where you do have menu access), but it still counts as hidden for this field.
- In the Japanese versions of the "alternate-angle scenes" in Aeris' house, the game will freeze. I figured out the cause (sort of). The text is written faster than the dialogue box (which is too tiny) can handle. The box believes it is not fully formed so you can't click past it. HOWEVER, by slowing down the speed of the field text, you can prevent the game from freezing. I now point out the maximum speed allowed, if you want to prevent the glitch.
That should be it. The most important stuff, anyway. I realise that some readers will be annoyed by the fact that I go back and change so much stuff (lol, Shademp is doing a George Lucas, lol) but the fact is that with more tools at my disposal, the later articles become more sophisticated. It is only right that the early articles are constructed the same, to add a sense of consistency.
Plus, it bothered me to no end for a while that the article map and credits were in Part 1. That's just wrong!
SUCH THINGS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE FOR INDEXES AND FOREWORDS! Everything needs to be in order. Period.
There should be no *major* overhauls in the future. But like the beginning of Part 1 says, somebody is yet to rip the script from the FFVII demos, and depending on what it says or doesn't say may change the comments in the section about the "End of demo play" message. Same goes for details such as finding a technical explanation as to why the Tseng model (presented in Part 5) causes glitches with the background: Once I have an explanation, I'll update the article with that information.
The "Credits" section in the Index will receive some updates, but that's a given considering that this article series is a work in progress.
