DCFFVII Research Thread

[Shademp]

Looked closely at this DCFFVII music playlist video that includes snapshots from the online mode. I was surprised at how many snapshots were not already in my extensive image collection. Despite all my hundreds of hours spent online searching for screenshots, these I have only found in the aforementioned music video.

*EDIT: Multiple screenshots from the video have now been found elsewhere!*


Then in this second music video (at the 145-minute mark) uploaded by the same person, there is another exclusive online mode screenshot.

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

There's not a lot said about Argento specifically in those scans. This one refers to her as a Tsviet, and this one refers to her as a subordinate of Weiss (ヴァイス部&#19979.

This one, though, in describing the Multiplayer Mode, says だが、色の字を持つツヴィエートを中心に、統括者レストリクターへの反逆計画は静かに進行していく --

"However, a plan of rebellion against the Restrictor controllers is quietly progressing, with the Tsviets possessing epithets of color at the center ..." --

and shows pictures of Weiss, Argento, Shelke and Rosso.

That seems fairly indicative. Especially with what you got from Suzaku.

 

[Shademp]

Thanks Tres.


After carefully looking over the entire playlist of the aforementioned niconico account, I found four more exclusive online mode snapshots.

The uploader is also the one who originally uploaded a complete playthrough of the mobile phone entry "Lost Episode" of DCFFVII. Grimoire later combined these videos into the single video with embedded English translations.

 

[Strangelove]

https://i.imgur.com/RqaySB9.jpg
アルジェント
マルチプレイヤーモードにのみ登場するツヴィエート、アルジェントのデザイン画。
ARGENTO
Design image for Argento, a Tsviet who only appears in the multiplayer mode.

https://i.imgur.com/0hoz6pq.jpg
一方、ツヴィエートのひとりであるアルジェントは、同じくツヴィエートのシェルクとともに、その兵士の動向を注視していた。
Meanwhile Argento, one of the Tsviets, kept an eye of the actions of the soldier along with fellow Tsviet Shelke.


i think it's safe to call argento a tsviet, at least on the same level as shelke

 

[Shademp]

It is perfectly ridiculous how I can go countless hours without finding blogs about the online mode that I haven't seen before...then I enter a simple search and almost instantly come across an entire blog's worth of new content. Hours are subsequently spent saving all the snapshots in their proper folders, archiving all the blog entries in the Internet Archive, translating content in Google Translate etc.

This particular entry in the blog I just found seems to confirm that during beta testing, you triggered a limit break by expending MP.

マテリアポイントというのですが、ここに入るとマテリアアイテムが使えたり、
無敵技となるリミットブレイクというのが使用可能になります。
（勿論これもテーブル作成時に制限可能。）

要はMPみたいなのが存在して、DCでこれにあたるのがマテリアだと思ってもらえればいいんじゃないかなーっと。。。

ポイントに入っちゃうとこんな感じで干からびます。

(GOOGLE TRANSLATE)

Although it is called Materia Point, you can use material items when entering here,
Limit breaks that will be invincible techniques become available.
(Of course this can also be limited at table creation.)

The point is that there are something like MP, I wonder if you think that it is the material that corresponds to this in DC. . .

I get dried out as I enter the point.

Correct me if my assessment here is wrong about MP and Limit Breaks in the beta phase. Edit: The passage at least appears to say that limit breaks "become available" after stepping on MP spots.
Edit #3: Is this blog entry saying that you could only perform a Limit Break if you also had a Materia equipped?

ちなみにリミット技はマテリア装備をした銃でないと使えません。意外と忘れるので要注意です。

(Google Translate)

By the way limit technique can not be used unless it is a gun equipped with materia. It is cautionful to forget unexpectedly.

Edit#3: Woohoo! First confirmation of not only Chocobo Coins, but also Shiva Coins and Bahamut Coins in the beta version.

コインとかも落ちてます。
コインの種類は、チョコボコイン（銅貨）・シヴァコイン（銀貨）・バハムートコイン（金貨）があります。
これを集めておくと、バトル終了後にお金がちょっと多めにもらえます(*'-')うふ
負けてもこの報酬は入るので集めてて損はないです。
ちなみに、銅→銀→金になるほどでにくいです。はい。

(Google Translate)

Coins are falling as well.
Types of coins include chocobo coins (copper coins), shiva coins (silver coins), bahamut coins (gold coins).
If you gather this, you will get a little more money after the battle (* '-')
Even if I lose, this reward will be included so there is no loss.
By the way, it is hard to become copper → silver → gold. Yes.

This is the first mention I see of the Shiva Coins and Bahamut Coins at all, apart from having found them in the unused data on the game disc.

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

Your assessments look correct to me.

 

[Shademp]

Interesting claim by another blogger I found this evening.

魔法はこんな感じ。見た目グレネードなファイアマテリアルの魔法。一応わずかに範囲攻撃なんだけど、ショボイ。魔法レベルを上げるアイテムや魔法用アーマーとかあるけど、イマイチ使えないらしい。

Magic is like this. Magic of appearance grenade fire material. It is a little range attack at first, but shoboi. There are items to raise magic level and magic armor, but it seems not to be usable.

A clear distinction between the beta phase and the 2006 era is that the latter did not have a Materia Leveling system. Both the level indicators, and accessories to increase materia level, do not appear in the 2006 material.

In the unused Online items on the game disc, and in snapshots like you see above, a materia leveling system was present at least in text. According to the blogger, the items to raise materia level were not functional/usable even in the beta stage.

 

[Shademp]

I'd like to ask for input on which names I should choose for the Online maps in the Multiplayer Archive. In some cases, Google Translate seems to give me enough options to choose from but there are a few requiring translations. I'll begin by listing ALL the maps, just to have the list. Where I am confident in the chosen English name, that name will be written in bold.

Spoiler: Map List

ジャングル = Jungle
カーム = Kalm
荒野 = Wilderness/Wastelands
下水道 = Sewer
教会 = Church
列車墓場 = Train Graveyard
戦場跡 = Battlefield Trace/Grounds
ブリッジ = Bridge/Causeway
巨大施設 = Huge Facility
大断層 = 'Major Fault'/'Great Fault'/'Major Divide'/'Great Divide'
砂漠 = Desert
台地 = Plateau
倉庫 = Warehouse
魔晄炉前 = In Front (of Mako Reactor?)
残骸 = Complex/Remnants/Debris/Ruins/Wreckage
研究所 = Laboratory/'Research Establishment'
神羅ビル = Shinra Building
処理場 = Processing/Treatment Plant
屋根 = Roof
砦 = Fort
市街地 = City/'Urban City'/'Urban Area'
神殿 = Temple/Shrine
雪山 = Snowy Mountains
渓谷 = Valley
DG = DG (Deepground Lobby)
旧管理棟 = Old Administrative Building
大演習場 = Great Exercise Ground

"Great Exercise Ground" consists of several maps: "Valley", "Battlefield Trace", "Huge Facility", "Roof", "Major Fault", "Desert", "Plateau", "Complex". It is not known how these terrains are patched together.


神羅屋敷 = Shinra Manor
玉座の間 = Throne Room
^these two names might not be using correct kanji, because the source is known for taking liberties with spelling.

Starting with the map where translation aid feels most essential: 魔晄炉前.

This map is situated in the outer ring of Deepground, right up against the wall of the dome. Its template is the beginning of Chapter 10 in the Single Player. What is the actual name of this map and what would be a convenient name for it in English?

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

Yeah, that name is basically "In front of the mako reactor." Not too special, huh? I'm not sure what to call it to give it some character. Something with some flare and flavor ... "Facing the Furnace"?

Most of what you have is correct and workable. I ran through all the ones you were unsure of to tell you what I would go with (some will just repeat what you already have).

荒野: The Wastes (that's how the official localization translated those kanji in the title of Chapter 2)
戦場跡: Battlescars
ブリッジ: Bridge
巨大施設: Stronghold (remember "Stronghold Impervious"? Same kanji as in that title)
大断層: Major Fault (断層 is the same term used to refer to geological faults, so I assume that's what we're working with here? Anyway, those three kanji together are what get used to refer to major faults)
台地: Plateau
残骸: Ruins
研究所: Laboratory
神[SIZE=+0]羅[/SIZE]ビル: Shin-Ra Building
処理場: Processing Plant (or Treatment Plant if context seems to suggest it works better)
屋根: Roof
砦: Fortress
市街地: Urban Warfare (what you have is correct; I just think this sounds more flavorful by adding the "warfare" bit in)
神殿: Shrine (or Temple)
雪山: "Snowy Mountain" is correct, but kind of bland. Would "Snowpeak" or "White Crags" fit the context? Are we talking a mostly flat area?
渓谷: Valley (but I'd go with "Canyon" if it's more desert-like; keep "Valley" if there's more greenery)
旧管理棟: "Old Administrative Building" is really all I got here
大演習場: Proving Grounds

 

[Shademp]

Had quite the vivid dream last night where I played the online mode of Dirge of Cerberus. It was difficult, but boy was it fun to try and headshot your opponents. Usually I just dream that I'm looking for blogs about the multiplayer.

Anyway, back to the maps...

荒野: The Wastes (that's how the official localization translated those kanji in the title of Chapter 2)

This also consistent with the official Extra Mission name.

ガトリンガーヴィンセント・荒野 = Gatling in the Wastes

戦場跡: Battlescars

Fancy name, though it feels a bit odd to refer to a place as "Battlescars". In this case I think I prefer mecorx's translation, "Battleground". Though I'd like to know which translation is more or less literal. Note: I haven't consulted mecorx on the topic, this is just a separate translation she happened to make.

Spoiler

バトルエントリー

ミッション: DGドローン
ミッション名
初心者講座その1 ★
初心者講座その2 ★
初心者講座その3 ★
教会マップ演習 ★
ジャングルマップ演習 ★
荒野マップ演習 ★
下水道マップ演習 ★
カームの街マップ演習 ★
列車墓場マップ演習 ★
戦場跡マップ演習 ★
ブリッジマップ演習演習 ★

Battle Entry

Missions: DG Drone
Mission Name
Beginner's Course 1 ★
Beginner's Course 2 ★
Beginner's Course 3 ★
Church Map Drills ★
Jungle Map Drills ★
Wasteland Map Drills ★
Sewer Map Drills ★
Kalm Streets Map Drills ★
Train Graveyard Map Drills ★
Battleground Map Drills ★
Bridge Map Drills ★

For more context, here is the map in question:

ブリッジ: Bridge

On one hand, I very much prefer this name. On the other hand, the official localization is "Causeway" and I generally try to follow the official translations. I am yet to make a solid decision on the matter.

In the map menu, the WRO bridge is called the "WRO Causeway" in the English game.

English vs Japanese

This is also consistent with the Extra Mission name:
ビッグブリッジ = Cyclopean Causeway

If I didn't dislike the word "Causeway" I would choose it in a heartbeat because it's the official translation.

EDIT: I may just end up choosing the names I prefer, then making a note of what the name was in the English game (in the few cases when those map names were included).

 

[JBedford]

They TLd ビッグブリッジ as "Cyclopean Causeway"? But...but... it says...

戦場跡 is used in FFX and is TLd as "Battle Site" (I checked it because I thought "Battlescar" might have been the TL used but I think I was just mixing it up with Fayth Scar in my head).

戦場 means battlefield, 跡 refers to an imprint, mark, or remains.

 

[Shademp]

In this post from over two months ago I show unlocked icons.

I did not know the purpose of

, but I see now that blogger kupoa describes its use.

初心者集合

部隊員のみ

部隊員募集

壊れたハンドガンのみ

(Google Translate)

Beginner's set

Unit members only

Union member recruitment

Only a broken hand gun

Using the emojis of the site, kupoa appears to say that the

icon appeared during member recruitment for your Unit. I don't understand the context of the "Broken Handgun" though.

Thanks to mecorx, I already know that the "green chevron",

, represents a new player and that it is a commonly used symbol in Japan. I don't think I ever unlocked this icon from the game, but it could very well still be in the game data.

初心者アイコン
Newbie Icon

Spoiler

"DGG Cataract: 妙な気をおこせばすぐ
にわかる、ここでいきたいなら常に賢
い選択肢をすることだ。"

DGG Cataract: ズィーガー! P.S.!!
Mana3: は敬礼をした。

---------

"DGG Cataract: Don't get any wise ideas, or you'll be found out right away.
If you want stay alive here, you must always make smart choices."

DGG Cataract: Seiger! P.S.!!
Mana3 gave a salute.

They TLd ビッグブリッジ as "Cyclopean Causeway"? But...but... it says...

Spoiler: Here's how they made that translation

戦場跡 is used in FFX and is TLd as "Battle Site"

"Battle Site". I dig it.

 

[Shademp]

Observed differences between the "Briefing Room" map of JORG versus post-JORG.

Spoiler: Briefing Room original

Spoiler: Briefing Room INT

- The object at F-8 has been removed.
- Originally there was only the one terminal at H-8 for checking group- and battle data. This one was removed and four new were installed.
- The post-JORG map shows an exit out of the room.

The above changes apply to the US, PAL and INT version. The US version still has the W, S and E letters around the compass, as most of you are aware at this point.


The object and the H-8 terminal was present for the entirety of the beta period. I do not know when, during the 2006 era, that the Briefing Room was redesigned. It must have gotten quite cramped in the Briefing Room during beta when everybody fought over the only existing terminal.

Spoiler: Beta screenshots

 

[Shademp]

After compiling all the Deepground Lobby maps as they appear in JORG, I have confirmed that most of them received slight changes in their shadings and how some corners are drawn. The basement maps and the character-creation map received no changes.

Perhaps the biggest difference, apart from the already mentioned Briefing Room redesign, is that the JORG version of Area 3 does not include a marker for the Beginner's Machine. This matches up with the impression that the JORG maps represent the beta testing stage and I have never found a single reference to the Beginner's Machine existing during the beta phase.

Green mark = Beginner's Machine

Spoiler: Area 3: JORG

Spoiler: Area 3: Post-JORG

 

[Shademp]

Picture hunting can still turn up new additions to my gallery.

- dcss_01
- dcss_02

Five of these screenshots I had only previously found in a music video.


Blogger Y.I (player character named "Y-i") held some new photos and is a rare example of a blogger who reported from the earliest days of the 2006 era. One particularly nice quote is this one about their February 3 playsession:

オンラインの方では、２月になり加入者が増え今日の時点で約７０００でした。
常時接続は多い時で１５００弱・・・
１つのサーバーに１０００人までなのでそのサーバーに入れないと、人のいないサーバーで孤立することに・・・
正直もっと人数をばらけさせないと・・・
他のサーバー同士は同じミッションやバトルに参加できないので同じサーバーに入らないといけないのですが、人数少ないと募集はないし、１人でやるはめに・・・
もっとメーカー側で人数を偏らないようにしないときついかなぁ～と・・・

(Google Translate)

On the online side, the number of subscribers increased in February and it was about 7000 as of today.
Always on connection is a lot and less than 1500 · · · Since it is up to 1,000 people on one server, it is to isolate with a server without a person ...
To be honest I have to break more people ... Because other servers can not participate in the same mission or battle, we have to enter the same server, but there are no recruitment for few people, and we do it by one person ... ·
It is more tight if you do not make the number of people more biased on the manufacturer side ...

Of course I do not know if the player had access to a menu that clearly stated that by February 3rd the online mode had 7000 subscribers. They observe on one server that the number of logged in people range from 1000-1500, so the blogger might be extrapolating from this that all seven servers (if all seven servers were active from the start) have an equal number of active players. My bet would be that for each server, the number of logged in people decreased dramatically.


In July of 2006, blogger netoge_toga wrote this about the number of people who played the DCFFVII Multiplayer.

2chの本スレによるともともとソフト自体はFFVIIのネームバリューもあって40万本売れたらしいですけどね、その中でオンラインに接続したのが5000人程度
(オフラインでも遊べるのでそれ目的で購入した人が多かったと思われ)、そして現在はピーク時ですら200人いかない、というひどい有様のようで。
まぁそれだと運営が成り立たないと判断されても仕方のないことでしょう。しかし200人ってすごいな…

(Google Translate)

According to this thread of 2 ch originally the software itself was also sold 400,000 books with the name value of FFVII, but in the meantime about 5000 people connected in the online
(It seems that there were a lot of people who purchased for the purpose because it can play even offline), and now it seems that there are not 200 people at peak even now.
Well it will be unavoidable if it is judged that management does not hold. But 200 people are amazing ...

We possess the data that Dirge of Cerberus shipped 392,000 units in its first week.

Presumably the "400,000" number in netoge_toga's blog refers to the number of units sold within the first 1-2 weeks of release. The numbers provided by bloggers show us that only a tiny fraction of people who bought DCFFVII actually played the online mode. Even with the higher-end values written by bloggers, the multiplayer never reached an active five-digit audience.

5000 players out of 400,000. That's a mere 1,25%.


The highest number I've found for simultaneously active players during the beta stage is 600 people on one server. Clearly many hundreds of people received a copy of the β Version.

EDIT: I didn't pay full attention to the quote in the blog linked above.

やっとプレイ。
鯖は本日１つ追加されたらしく、
ヴィンセント鯖、ケットシー鯖、クラウド鯖の３つ。
鯖移動は可能。
インしたのは12時近かったけど、
鯖人数はそれぞれ600人、600人、150人くらい。

(Google Translate)

Server seemed to be added today today,
Vincent server, Kettsea server, Cloud server, three.
Server traveling is possible.
I was in the vicinity of 12 o'clock,
The number of server is 600 people, 600 people, 150 people each.

It looks like the blogger is saying that a total of 600 (Vincent server) + 600 (Cait Sith server) + 150 (Cloud server) people were online at that moment in the beta phase. 1350 players! That sets the definitive number of copies of the β Version well above one thousand.

 

[Shademp]

Researcher Ljungbery asks that you kill some people who have mutated into giant birds. The mission this unlocks is "死を鳴く巨鳥", which is google translated as "Big birds crying death".

In the mission you kill many Epiolnis birds. ...What would the plural of "Epiolnis" be, anyway? XD


What I'm really wondering though is how the mission name 死を鳴く巨鳥 might be translated given different contexts. I do not know if the "crying death" part means that the mutated humans are crying for the sweet release of death now that they've been turned into giant birds, or if the giant birds are feral and bloodthirsty.

What is implied in daijinn's blog is that Ljungbery's request comes from a place of conscience, not wanting these mutated creatures to suffer any longer. I make this speculation based on daijinn's statement that Ljungbery "might be the only decent researcher out of them all".

Ljungbery(NPC)。…なんて読むんでしょうか、この名前（汗）。巨鳥にされた者達を星に還してやって欲しいと頼まれます。研究員で、唯一まともかもしれません。

(Mecorx's translation)

Ljungbery (NPC). I wonder how you read his name *gulp*. He asks that you to send individuals turned into giant birds back to the planet. He might be the only decent researcher out of them all.

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

It strikes me as more a "cry for death" than a "cry of death."

 

[Shademp]

I am very close to publishing the Multiplayer Archive in an "official" capacity. I just need a little bit more help with translations and interpretations of the text.


-

DGC Genza(NPC)。Jingiとはあまり仲が良くないようです。口癖は「ゲンゲンッ！」。

(Mecorx's translation)

DGC Genza (NPC). Apparently not on great terms with Jingi. Has a habbit of adding "Gengen!" to what he says.

Mecorx is not sure what "Gengen" could mean. Any ideas?

The context is probably not important, but old comments by S&G suggest that the reason Genza is on bad terms with Jingi is because Jingi keeps vomiting in the waterfall. Jingi, a mako addict, is known for vomiting regularly.


- After talking to Jingi, you are given the mission 奪われた秘本 [The Stolen Secret]. Here is the mission description from FFCheats. From the vomiting, and how this mission is unlocked, I deduce that the description-speaker is Jingi.

くそ！俺のお宝本が盗まれちゃった！
こいつは最近噂の怪盗バンバンジーのしわざに違いねーよ
もちろん、俺が直接取り返せたらいいんだけどよぉ、なんせ・・・・・・。オエェェェェェェーーーーーッ！！

(Google Translate)

Fuck! My treasure book has been stolen!
This guy has recently been a rumored thief Banban-G's program
Of course, I wish I could get back directly, but what kind of ...... Bleeeaaaaarrrgghhhh!!

I wonder about the "Treasure Book". Is it just a treasured book, or a "Book of Treasures"? What translations might there be?

EDIT: Solved by mecorx, who says that it means "treasured book".

 

[Shademp]

Among the many neat discoveries I'm making, here is one that particularly satisfied me. Recall the beta-version barrels on the game disc.

Spoiler: Vernis, Parfum & Rouge

Mid-range barrels:
Vernis
Vernis Prime
Vernis X


Short-range barrels:
Parfum
Parfum Prime
Parfum X


Long-range barrels:
Rouge
Rouge Prime
Rouge X


While the names are amusing, they can make it hard to remember which barrel is short, mid/normal or long, so the change to names reflecting the barrel length in the 2006 era was appreciated. This mimics the barrel names of the Single Player, though the same-named barrels don't share the same stats between Single Player and Multiplayer.

Normal Barrel
Normal BarrelⅡ
Normal BarrelⅢ

For a long time I was bummed out by only the beta-version barrels being on the disc. However, as it turns out... These beta barrels and their 2006 equivalents share the same stats! Their difference is in name only! This is consistent both with online guides and with in-game footage.

Ergo, if you wanted to restore the 2006 Multiplayer barrels, you'd just have to rename the beta versions. If the time ever comes, such a patch should be easy enough to implement. The descriptions to the beta barrels are generic enough that they actually fit the 2006 versions, though I am yet to compare the Japanese text of the two.

Vernis = Normal Barrel​

Vernis Prime = Normal BarrelⅡ​

Vernis X = Normal BarrelⅢ​

​

Parfum = Short Barrel​

Parfum Prime = Short BarrelⅡ​

Parfum X = Short BarrelⅢ​

​

Rouge = Long Barrel​

Rouge Prime = Long BarrelⅡ​

Rouge X = Long BarrelⅢ​

Don't remember if I spotted this difference between the English and Japanese settings before, but the range stats for your equipment are displayed differently.

Spoiler: English vs Japanese

Because the stats are displayed in reverse compared to each other, you need to stay aware if you're writing down the equipment stats (like I am).

Even when you play the PAL game in Japanese setting, the Japanese style takes over. The difference is also consistent in DC:International with whichever language setting you are using.

 

[Shademp]

After my serious experiments in Cheat Engine failed, I decided to indulge. I replaced Officer-East's model in Scene 10, starting with...his female equivalent. XD

Spoiler: Lady Officer-East

And just like that, my feelings for Officer-East turned...complicated. >__>

Observe how the model isn't corrupted to look like a monstrosity, as is usually what happens. Here is an example of what will happen if you try to insert one of Argento's models instead.

However with the female Officer model, the green commanders, the researchers and the mages, Scene 10 played out just as it would have normally. All the animations played out properly, except using these alternate models. What this teaches us is that in this context, these NPCs share the same "animation skeleton". Just to be clear, Officer-East's voice did not change nor did the location of the cutscene. Only the character model was changed.

Spoiler: Image Dump

Spoiler: And to finish it off...

Officer-East as the Beginner's Machine. Don't judge his life choices!

Officer-East as a Gigas Medal

"Lady, you're a Deepground soldier-"
"NO! I MUST DANCE!"

 

[Shademp]

My Japanese PS2, SCPH-50000 model, arrived. Along with the package came Japanese versions of the following PS2 games...

- Final Fantasy X (original version)
- Kingdom Hearts II (original version)
- Dynasty Warriors 4
- Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance

Almost definitely I will not touch these games. If anybody wants to buy them from me for some pocket money, let me know and I'll see what can be arranged.


A positive surprise for me was the documentary DVD "Other side of the Final Fantasy" that came with FFX. It is essentially the Japanese version of the Beyond Final Fantasy bonus disc that would later be packaged with the European release. That's pretty neat. What a memory trip back to 2001 it is with its trailers for Kingdom Hearts, The Spirits Within and Final Fantasy XI. Quite refreshing to see the Japanese voice actors for Tidus and Yuna talk about the story- and making of FFX, instead of the American voice actors that we are so used to hearing- and talking about.


...Oh my lord. The trailer for FFXI and PlayOnline is a 10-minute drama commercial. The actors have a habit of staring at the viewer with a deadpan face and talking with an advertising- and dead tone. Yet somehow I strangely got invested.

Fortunately somebody already uploaded this strangeness to YouTube.

Spoiler: My reaction through the whole thing...

WHAT IS THIS?! WHAT IS THIS?!?!

So far I'm not getting any power to the Japanese PS2. At first I figured it was because the adapter I have didn't work for transforming European -> Japanese, but the product info says otherwise. I've contacted the company who sold me the adapter to hopefully gain some insight.

EDIT: I've been told that my adapter doesn't convert volt and so what I'll need is a voltage converter. Still struggling to find a proper European -> Japanese converter.

 

[Shademp]

After consulting some tech support people, I was eventually recommended a proper "pre-transformer". This particular voltage converter, after I had given the company the specifications for the PS2 console and cables. I have now ordered it and the converter should arrive next week.

More technical issues remain to be solved. Since I reformatted my computer and moved to Windows 8.1, I had to install a new version of the Elgato Game Capture HD software. Thus far, the PS2 recordings using this newer version creates even louder background static noise than the older software. The relative incompatibility is not surprising, since its newer and has the same limitation as the older software: You can't select to record "PlayStation 2" footage. The option isn't there. You only record PS2 videos by selecting "PlayStation 3" as your console. So clearly the Elgato isn't made for PS2 recordings.

krHACKen of Assembler Games (the site is currently down so I can't check the message) informed me of the recording device he used for when creating the Installation Screen recording, so I should look into that. But...geez, I'm not looking forward to the technical challenges that are sure to come.


The Japanese PS2 I ordered included a normal controller and a Turbo controller. Both are appreciated, since the controller for my chipped PS2 has worn-out analog sticks. Whenever I start up Dirge of Cerberus and play using the worn-out controller, both Vincent and the camera will lean in a given direction until after a few minutes of play the issue solves itself. So yes, I was struggling with this during all those S ranking recordings.

Finally, the package also included a memory card of a design I have never seen before.

Memory cards are supposed to be region-free, yet this card won't register on my chipped PS2! All it says is "No data found". I hope that once I get power to my Japanese PS2 that at least the card will be registered on that console.

 

[X-SOLDIER]

Spoiler

"Lady, you're a Deepground soldier-"
"NO! I MUST DANCE!"

I can't stop laughing at this image with the caption.

Additionally, your work on this stuff is super interesting as always. I just wish that I had more meaningful words to contribute to express that.





X

 

[Shademp]

Right now in the early phase of the extensive work to ensure that I don't miss any facts about the Items & Equipment of the online mode. This involves comparing all the item names, descriptions and stats across all game discs (in both English and Japanese, when available).

I was expecting to have the work ahead of me to compare the headgear names and descriptions between JORG and INT (Japanese setting), but I was in for a surprise...

In the International version, with the language set to Japanese, the mask names have all been replaced by placeholder names: "&#38957;<Number>" [Head <Number>]. All the mask descriptions are gone too. The scenario was exactly the same even when I played the PAL version in Japanese and checked the masks there.

Ergo, only the JORG version still has full mask names and descriptions in Japanese.

Additionally, your work on this stuff is super interesting as always.

Thanks dude. Your post of appreciation made my day. Really means a lot.

 

[Shademp]

Observed that Notepad++ can read the text inside many of the disc's files. With this knowledge I extracted the text from "evlist.bin", which is a list of the game's events.

Here is the information contained in evlist.bin, as it looks in DCFFVII:International and when pasted into a spreadsheet:

- Event List International

Having this list will help me with future Cheat Engine adventures.

Each event is associated with a name from the Dirge of Cerberus staff and a given date. The exact meaning of the date is unknown, since we don't know if it marks a beginning, middle or end.

Observe this bit in row 43 of the document:

第１章 ○ 千葉 2005/07/15 ヲロチ(ロングバレル)

...

Chapter 1 ○ Chiba 2005/07/15 Woloti (Long Barrel)

This name for a long barrel, ヲロチ, has only been observed in a pre-release screenshot.

No barrel neither in JORG nor post-JORG has this particular name or these particular stats.

Spoiler: Compare with the first long barrel of JORG

Observe also how the pre-release screenshot lists the WT/POW/SPD/RNG stats to the right side of the abbreviation, rather than below the abbreviation like in the retail editions. By writing the menu this way, "RNG" could be written on the same row as WT, POW and SPD.

Following up, observe row 57:

第１章 ○ 千葉 2006/05/16 キマイラ(ショートバレル)

...

Chapter 1 ○ Chiba 2006/05/16 Chimaera (short barrel)

Just like the main guns are named after mythical beasts in the final game, the barrels were also originally named after beasts of myth. Once I am told what ヲロチ is actually referring to, I'll probably roll my eyes afterwards for not having realized the obvious. Any ideas?

*Edit: Input from Dipsiel. オロチ is normally the way to spell "orochi" which means "snake". However ヲロチ is pronounced the same, and there is a wrestler called Miyawaki Orochi [&#12530;&#12525;&#12481;].

Possible intended references might be the Eight-Forked Serpent or the aforementioned wrestler. When I google search ヲロチ I find pictures of a wrestler, perhaps the aforementioned one, wearing a serpent-themed mask.*


Neat to see the parallel here between the early phase of the Single Player and the Online Mode. The beta version of the Multiplayer had humorous barrel names that made it more difficult to know which barrel type you were picking, which was an issue solved with the official release albeit at the cost of making your equipment names all the more bland. Same thing clearly happened in the Single Player.