Idea: Community VII relay

Fangu

Fangu

Great Old One
So Lex is doing VII in a day with guest commentary over Skype, proving that there are still things we can do VII related as a community event. I had another idea for a VII LP.

With PC's today, anyone can play VII in an emulator. You no longer need a physical memory card to store your game, it's just a file on your computer. And said file can easily be sent to anyone else over email etc.

So I was thinking, what if we divide the game into parts, and then take turns playing on the same game? It would be kind of a fun challenge too, because you will have to take what you get - you might not have the exact same equipment you usually do in you own playthrough.

I don't know the game well enough to orchestrate it though, but I thought I'd put the idea out there if anyone would like to.
 
Flintlock

Flintlock

Pro Adventurer
Good idea! I think half the fun of this would be screwing with subsequent players. Like...

Oh whoops, I accidentally named Cloud "Fartbrain", sorry everyone. And whoever's next, you've only got half a minute to escape Reactor #1 from the save point before it explodes. I just thought I'd do a bit of grinding after Guard Scorpion to make it easier for you.

Alright, I wouldn't actually be that much of a dick :P I'd come up with some more harmless ways of having fun.
 
Lex

Lex

Administrator
I'm more likely to be the opposite and make someone a really easy save file to continue from :monster:
 
Fangu

Fangu

Great Old One
Okay so I still think we should do this, but instead of "relay", calling it "memory card swap" or something to make clearer what it is we're doing.

I copy pasta'd the chapters from the last VII community playthrough, from this thread (and the prelude).

Chapter 1: The AVALANCHE of the Slums
Chapter 2: The Flower Girl
Chapter 3A: Walk More Nicely, Cloud
Chapter 3B: Under the Falling Pizza
Chapter 4: The Shinra Building
Chapter 5: Kalm the Fuck Down, it's Only a Detour
Chapter 6: A Chocobo, a Snake, a Condor, a Ninja, a Serpent and a Dolphin
7. What the hell was that soldier doing?
8. We're gonna go play
9. The cries of the planet
10. Hold on to your drawers, an' don't piss in 'em
11. I still don't know what the hell's goin' on
12. Ultimate destructive magic
13. Beacause you are a puppet (end of disc one)
14. Over the snowy fields
15. Only a failure made it here
16. Quit slapping me, you old wench
17. Don't push your luck
18. I never even got to do my special victory dance
19. A little kid, sick and trembling in the middle of this huge universe
20. Hope may be inside (end of disc two)
21. Time's got a way of sneakin' up on ya
22. Northern Crater (end of disc three and the game)

Would anyone be willing to quote this post and specify which parts each chapter covers? (Flint? Lex?)

What I'd like to know is - who wants to participate in this? I'd say streaming isn't mandatory, but it would make it a lot more like a community event. So for participating you need:

* PS1 emulator, the BIOS, the game, and a minimum knowledge on how to set it up

Optional:
* Streaming software (like Open Broadcaster Software, which I strongly recommend)
* Skype, and a headset (for taking guests on your stream)

We could do 1-10 chapters each, I think.


Edit: Oh, and also
Flintlock said:
I'll give my answer in the form of a great Eurovision entry from the UK:

Click to expand...
Flint I miss you. Seriously, come back soon.
 
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Kuroto

Kuroto

Pro Adventurer
I'm really interested in taking part. However I've never streamed anything, so I don't know how that would work, but I believe that Flint might be able to help me with that. If he just has the time to do that. :)

Also I'm quite busy at the moment myself. I don't know when you have plans to do this but I don't think I have a chance to participate until the end of this month because exams and deadlines and so on.
 
Lex

Lex

Administrator
Fangu said:
Okay so I still think we should do this, but instead of "relay", calling it "memory card swap" or something to make clearer what it is we're doing.

I copy pasta'd the chapters from the last VII community playthrough, from this thread (and the prelude).

Chapter 1: The AVALANCHE of the Slums

From beginning to Beginner's Hall in the Sector 7 Slums just after you set out to go to blow up the next reactor (Beginner's Hall is optional).

Chapter 2: The Flower Girl

From Beginner's Hall to Aerith's house (after sneaking out).

Chapter 3A: Walk More Nicely, Cloud

Wall Market, Don Corneo, the Sewers and finish at the beginning of the train graveyard.

Chapter 3B: Under the Falling Pizza

Train Graveyard, Reno, Aerith's House, Wall Market, Shiny wire, save outside Shinra HQ.

Chapter 4: The Shinra Building

Completely self explanatory. End of chapter is first opportunity to save on the world map.

Chapter 5: Kalm the Fuck Down, it's Only a Detour

Just the Kalm Flashback. Save outside the chocobo farm (next destination).

Chapter 6: A Chocobo, a Snake, a Condor, a Ninja, a Serpent and a Dolphin

Chocobo Farm, Mythril Mines, Fort Condor (optional), Junon. Save at first opportunity in upper Junon. This is also the first opportunity to get Yuffie.

7. What the hell was that soldier doing?

Upper Junon, Cargo Ship, Costa Del Sol (save on world map after exploring Costa Del Sol).

8. We're gonna go play

Mt. Corel, North Corel, Golden Saucer, Corel Prison. Save on world map after Corel Prison.

9. The cries of the planet

Gongaga (optional), Cosmo Canyon. Save outside Cosmo Canyon.
#
10. Hold on to your drawers, an' don't piss in 'em

Nibelheim, Mt. Nibel, Rocket Town. Save on Wutai continent after getting Tiny Bronco.

11. I still don't know what the hell's goin' on

Wutai (optional), Random Dude's House on World Map (optional), Gold Saucer (date, keystone), save outside Temple of the Ancients.

12. Ultimate destructive magic

Temple of the Ancients, Gongaga. Save outside Bone Village.

13. Beacause you are a puppet (end of disc one)

Bone Village, City of the Ancients, Forgotten Capital, save at end of Disc 1.

14. Over the snowy fields

Corral Valley Cave, Icicle Inn, Great Glacier, save at Holzoff's Cabin.

15. Only a failure made it here

Gaea's Cliff, Northern Crater, save at Junon as Barret (1st opportunity).

16. Quit slapping me, you old wench

Junon, a million optional side quests, Mideel, save outside North Corel (or Mt. Corel if you fancy a long walk back).

17. Don't push your luck

Mt. Corel Reactor, Fort Condor, Mideel (Lifestream sequence), Save outside Mideel afterwards.

18. I never even got to do my special victory dance

Junon (Underwater Reactor), Submarine Sidequests (optional), save outside Rocket Town.

19. A little kid, sick and trembling in the middle of this huge universe

Rocket Town, Cosmo Canyon, save outside Cosmo Canyon.

20. Hope may be inside (end of disc two)

...this one is a bit of a gauntlet tbh. Ancient City, Diamond Weapon, Return to Midgar (including all bosses), save at the end of Disc 2.

21. Time's got a way of sneakin' up on ya

Any and all optional sidequests prior to flying to northern crater for the final dungeon. Save anywhere really.

22. Northern Crater (end of disc three and the game)

lol, not explaining this one
Click to expand...

OK so people should just do whatever chapters they feel like doing. Some of them are really short (particularly the first few), some are long depending on sidequests. I'd definitely suggest combining the really early chapters (like 1+2 at least) as well as the Kalm sequence with either the chapter before or after it.

Also this is really making me hunger for another community playthrough of something. Someone organise a nomination thing/ poll/ run it because i don't have time :(
 
Fangu

Fangu

Great Old One
Awesome Lex, awesome.

Yeah we should probably decide on some organizing stuff, like how long each person gets to finish a chapter and what kind of stuff each player should list after playing, if they have to list anything at all. And I think all the voluntary stuff should be up for grabs. I'll chew on it, but it would be awesome if someone else would like to step in and take charge.
 
Flintlock

Flintlock

Pro Adventurer
I'd have time to play next week if you want to start this soon :)

(I'll make an "I'm back" announcement somewhere in the next couple of days, for now I'm just replying to whatever posts spring to mind)
 
Fangu

Fangu

Great Old One
TODO:

  • Make a tutorial on how to get and set up emulator + bios + game (+ controller?)
  • Explain how digital memcards work
  • Explain OBS + Twitch (for anyone who'd like to stream while playing)
  • Create a plan for the relay (participants, dates)

Edit: What the hell happened to formatting
Edit 2: DUH forgot to close the [list]
 
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Cabaret

Cabaret

Donator
Can this thread be put up as an announcement? I think it's a fab idea and needs some pompom waving or n00dz to draw attention to it fgj.
 
Flintlock

Flintlock

Pro Adventurer
Any chance we could do this soon? After watching dazibit play FFVII I've got an urge to play it as well, but it would be best to get it out of the way before next month's community playthrough, I think.
 
Kuroto

Kuroto

Pro Adventurer
Let's do it. :neo: At least I should have time now, unlike last year when this was first suggested. :P
 
Fangu

Fangu

Great Old One
Awrite - help me choose an emulator? I've been using PSX, but I'm not sure which emulator is the most user friendly. If there aren't any protests, the basics of PSX is this:

1) Google "PSX" and find a link where you can download the software (PSX) - Link, scroll to the bottom and you'll find several emulators, PSX included
2) Google "PS1 BIOS" and find a decent download - Link, the one called "PSX_Bios_SCPH1001.zip" should be all right, remember to unzip
3) Google "Final Fantasy VII ISO" and find a decent download - Link

The rest should be very basic. When opening the software (PSX), you need to go to Configuration > BIOS and select the bios file. (Storing it in the bios folder of PSX is a good idea so you know where you have it.)

When you get the memcard we'll be passing around, you need to insert it into slot 1 or 2 under "Memory cards".

I suggest everyone keep a backup of the memcard before starting their run, in case they mess up :monster:

I guess the next thing to do is to make a list of the volunteers, and then do a random pick of chapters for each person?
 
Flintlock

Flintlock

Pro Adventurer
pSX is fine :) Someone could do a video tutorial if people really aren't getting it.

For the first 6 (7) chapters, I was deliberately following Mog's start and end points in the very first FFVII playthrough (apart from chapter 3, which I split up), but they are all a bit shorter than the chapters from 7 onwards, as Lex pointed out. I'd jiggle them around a bit like this (boss fights in brackets):

Chapter 1: This your first time in a reactor? - NEW GAME to Beginner's Hall (Guard Scorpion)
Chapter 2: You're so cute, Miss Cloud - Beginner's Hall to Train Graveyard (Air Buster, Aps)
Chapter 3: Golden shiny wire of hope - Train Graveyard to Shinra Building, 67th floor after rescuing Aeris (Reno, Sample:H0512)
Chapter 4: The real crisis for the planet - Shinra Building, 67th floor to World Map after Kalm Flashback (Hundred/Heli Gunner, Rufus, Motor Ball)
Chapter 5: Crossing the marshes - Kalm to Upper Junon (Bottomswell)

Then reduce the number of all the previous chapters by one. The first chapter is still a bit short, but I think that's alright. There isn't really a natural place to put a chapter break between Sector 7 and Sector 5, and it's best to ease people in gently :) Chapter 4 is an interesting one; it has the most boss fights but also the Kalm flashba...zzzzz... sorry, flashback. Chapter 5 is basically sidequests, party recruitment and stuff - could be short, could be long, depending on who plays it.

I don't mind either doing random chapters or choosing them. I just hope I get one with some nice boss fights in it :)
 
Lex

Lex

Administrator
I'm putting my hand up to volunteer but if I end up with chapter 4 I will cut a bitch

fucking Kalm
 
Fangu

Fangu

Great Old One
Depends, you can if Steam/SE store lets you use digital memory cards normally used with emulators. I can't remember the file extension/ name of the format atm.

Edit: It's .mcr.

Also, a piece of the "tutorial" I didn't mention. If you want to make your own memory card in PSX:

 
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