FF 25th Anniversary Memorial Ultimanias

[jazzflower92]

Does this book give any info on Sephiroth's childhood because it seems that a lot of the times these Ultimanas don't talk about anything in his childhood.I am just hoping that at least one Ultimana could give history into Sephiroth when he was a kid.

 

[Kermitu Kleric Katie]

@jazzflower:Fuck Sephy's childhood, I wanna hear about Cid's childhood, or Barret's childhood, or especially Hojo's childhood. I'm sure Hojo's could prove interesting. We at least know some things about his childhood, while we know jack shit about Cid's, Barret's, Hojo's, Reno's, Rude's, Tseng's, Palmer's, Heidegger's, Scarlet's, President Shinra's, etc.'s childhoods.I wanna hear about at least the first three's(perhaps the latter of the first three's childhood contains an explanation for why he's so deranged, while the former two are main characters, so we deserve some info). If I'm not mistaken, Cid and Barret are the only player characters in which we've learned nothing about their childhoods besides their hometowns.(Scenes from Cloud's, Tifa's, and Aerith's childhoods are shown in the original game; Reeve's childhood is touched upon a bit in OtWtaS; we learn a few things about Red's childhood in the OG, such as the fact that he was raised by Bugenhagen, not to mention he's technically a teenager; Yuffie is still a child in the OG, and we see some moar of her childhood in BC and CC; and I'm pretty sure we learn a few things about Vincent's in DoC, but I don't remember much from that game)

@Tres: So I guess this is pretty much confirmation that the cubs are Red's and Dinne's?

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

None of those characters' childhoods are discussed (including Sephiroth).

And, yeah, it would seem certain that those cubs belong to them.

 

[jazzflower92]

None of those characters' childhoods are discussed (including Sephiroth).

And, yeah, it would seem certain that those cubs belong to them.

Just between you and me the only info I want to know is if Hojo was originally from Wutai.I have a feeling he was kicked out of Wutai for his experimentations.So,he then got a job at Shinra where they allowed him to be as amoral with his research without any limits.I liked to think he is banned for life in Wutai and can only go there under the legal protection of Shinra.

 

[Strangelove]

maybe stuff like the early concepts and scrapped ideas for the series as a whole would make a worthy front page article

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

It would. The article is likely going to be a good mix of things that were, things that are and some things that have not yet come to pass (hush, Galadriel!) and some random others. I'm definitely going to do a Memories of FFVII, FFVIII and FFIX page, though.

 

[Strangelove]

if no one has the third volume i might (depending on my money situation) get that. i take back all my doubts about these books now

except maybe that price is too damn high

 

[espritduo]

I've got the third book. I'm just about done scanning all the new art from the first book (just got a couple FFVI concept arts to scan), and I'll be moving onto the second book next. It'll take me less time to scan it than the first because there's only three games covered and not quite as much unreleased artwork. The third has even less, so it won't take much time at all.

 

[Strangelove]

reposting this here for revelance, tres provided these images showing the dialogue from the storyboards for the ending of ffvii, which includes some changes from the final game

http://imgur.com/WL5ES.jpg

during the scene where Cloud is reaching for the hand after defeating Sephiroth, he was originally going to say "the Lifestream... Aerith?"


http://imgur.com/DKkdL.jpg
http://imgur.com/RPOyA.jpg

the dialogue once he is back to reality and with Tifa is also different in the storyboards

ク「帰るぞ、ティファ…」
テ「え？」
ク「俺達も帰ってから　やることがあった」
ク「まだ…　あの山の向こうを見てない」
テ「うん…　帰ろう」

Cloud: Let's go home, Tifa.
Tifa: Huh?
C: There was something we've got to do too when we get back.
C: We haven't seen what's beyond that mountain yet.
T: Right... let's go back.

 

[Lex]

Cloud: Let's go home, Tifa.
Tifa: Huh?
C: There was something we've got to do too when we get back.
C: We haven't seen what's beyond that mountain yet.
T: Right... let's go back.

For the first time in about 8 years, I am experiencing VII feels. That is awesome. Why the hell did they not put that in.

 

[Splintered]

reposting this here for revelance, tres provided these images showing the dialogue from the storyboards for the ending of ffvii, which includes some changes from the final game

http://imgur.com/WL5ES.jpg

during the scene where Cloud is reaching for the hand after defeating Sephiroth, he was originally going to say "the Lifestream... Aerith?"


http://imgur.com/DKkdL.jpg
http://imgur.com/RPOyA.jpg

the dialogue once he is back to reality and with Tifa is also different in the storyboards

ク「帰るぞ、ティファ…」
テ「え？」
ク「俺達も帰ってから　やることがあった」
ク「まだ…　あの山の向こうを見てない」
テ「うん…　帰ろう」

Cloud: Let's go home, Tifa.
Tifa: Huh?
C: There was something we've got to do too when we get back.
C: We haven't seen what's beyond that mountain yet.
T: Right... let's go back.

Wow, why do I think this kind of beautiful in a sad way? Don't get me wrong, "Let's go meet her" is a good line, but I wish they managed to weasel this one in there.

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

A bigger update with a lot more stuff to look over.

FINAL FANTASY VII
pg. 73
----
Source photos:
http://i.imgur.com/DVSgE.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/PrjzM.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/UHaYJ.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/EvU0z.jpg

[1st picture]
Seventh Heaven (early image)

[2nd picture]
Seventh Heaven (screenshot from during development)
Cloud: "But don't get me wrong. I don't care about you AVALANCHE guys either. I just want my pay for this one, and then I'm looking for the next job."

[3rd picture]
Seventh Heaven underground hideout (field map from during development)

[4th picture]
Memorial Place
A Look at Seventh Heaven's Former Design
When one visits Seventh Heaven during the game, its designs differ from those during development. However, these designs were not discarded, and appear as different rooms in the game with some slight adjustments (see images to the right).

[1st image to the right]
Lower Junon's Shin-Ra Members Bar

[2nd image to the right]
The second floor of the house in Nibelheim where the young brother and sister were

Japanese text:
[1st picture]
セベンスヘブン（初期イメージ）

[2nd picture]
セベンスヘブン（開発中の画面）
クラウド「勘違いするな。お前逹アバランチにも與味はない。俺は今回の報酬をきっちりもらって次の職を探すさ。」

[3rd picture]
セベンスヘブン地下アジト（開発中のマップ）

[4th picture]
Memorial Place
旧デザインのセベンスヘブンが見られる場所
ゲーム中で訪れるセベンスヘブンは、開発中のものとはデザインが異なる。しかし、開発中のデザインの場所がなくなったわけではなく、少しアレンジされたうえで、別の部屋としてゲームに登場しているのだ（右の画像を参照）。

[1st image to the right]
エルジュノンの神羅会員制BAR

[2nd image to the right]
ニベルヘイムの小さな姉弟がいた家・2階
----


pg. 112
----
Vision of a Monster
A picture of the Onyx Dragon's design, a monster which did not appear in the game. This piece from production became the prototype for the bio weapon, Ultima Weapon.

Japanese text:
幻のモンスター
ゲーム中には登場しなかったモンスター、オニキスドラゴンのデザイン画。アルテマウェポンの試作生体兵器という設定が用意されていた。

Source photos:
http://i.imgur.com/wWtPl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/rznuM.jpg
----


pg. 113
----
Mako Reactor Exteriors Initial Draft
Initial designs for the exterior of the mako reactors. Wide and cyclindrical, they had a look similar to the cooling towers of a nuclear power plant; an installation can be seen on the top portion.

Japanese text:
魔晄炉外観初期案
魔晄炉の外観の初期案デザイン案。末広がりの円筒形で、原子力発電所の冷却塔に近いイメージだが、上部にいくつかの設備が見受けられる。

Source photos:
http://i.imgur.com/J53Pv.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/uzZ17.jpg
----


pg. 113
----
Screenshot From Early Development
A screenshot from extremely early in development. Presented in pixels rather than polygons, Locke from FFVI served as the provisional character.

Japanese text:
開発初期の画面写真
開発の極めて初期に制作された画面の写真。表現がポリゴンではなくドット絵で、キャラクターは仮のものとして『FFVI』のロックが使われている。

Source photos:
http://i.imgur.com/QAUz1.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/SVZYQ.jpg
----


FINAL FANTASY VIII
pg. 186
----
Julia's Grave (adapted later)
The grave of Rinoa's mother, Julia. The design differs from Raine's grave seen in the ending. Julia's surname engraved on the gravestone is the same as Laguna's (Loire).

Japanese text:
ジュリアの墓（末採用）
リノアの母であるジュリアの墓。エンディングに出てくるレインの墓とはデザインがちがう。墓碑に刻まれだジュリアの姓は、ラグナと同じ「Loire（レウァール）」になっている。

Source photos:
http://i.imgur.com/zzwAk.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/MoIsf.jpg
----


FINAL FANTASY IX
pg. 277
----
Hill of Despair
After Kuja is defeated in the decisive battle with Zidane and co., his fear and despair over his little remaining life brings an entity forth into the world. They are then treated to a battle with Necron in this place, but in the picture from production seen below, Hades (pg. 287) is sketched in as the last boss.

Japanese text:
絶望の丘
ジタンたちとの決戦に敗れたクジャが、余命わずかという絶望や恐怖から無意識に生み出した世界。この場所では永遠の闇と呼ばれる敵と戦うが、下の設定画ではハーデス（→P.287）が「ラスボス」として描かれている。

Source photos:
http://i.imgur.com/5gohU.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/8224k.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/B2rLW.jpg
----


pg. 300
----
Ark
An ancient battleship from the old world Terra. It comes flying in from somewhere in space, transforms to its mech form, and -- after bombarding all enemies on the planet below a countless number of times -- fires its main laser. In the illustration to the left, it's referred to as "BLASSTY," the name of the fighter piloted by the protagonists of the PC game "Space Chaser Blassty," published by Square (as it was known at the time) in 1986. Just like Blassty, Ark can transform into a mech, and carries its main armament on its right shoulder.

Japanese text:
アーク
古き星テラの古代戦艦。宇宙より飛来しつつ人型に変形し、無数の砲撃のあとに主砲のレーザーで敵を星ごと撃ち抜く。左のイラストに記された「BLASSTY」とは、1986年にスクウェア（当時）が発売したPC用ソフト『クルーズチェサー　ブラスティー』で主人公が乗りこむ戦闘機ブラスティーのこと。ブラスティーも、アークと同じように人型変形が可能で、人型のときは右肩に主砲を載せていた。

Source photos:
http://i.imgur.com/llB7h.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/h1Bie.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ZK7DM.jpg
----

[Note: For more on Blassty, see the Wikipedia entry and this page at GEARS Online.]



I may have enough stuff for a frontpage post now.

 

[Flintlock]

I wish Kuja (in a new form) had been the final boss of IX. The last level and the final battles of that game are probably its biggest disappointment.

 

[Strangelove]

幻のモンスター

幻の here is more 'illusory' or 'phantom', something so rare that you might doubt it even exists. (For 'vision of a monster' the order should be reversed, モンスターの幻.)

いくつかの設備

Several installations.

無数の砲撃のあとに主砲のレーザーで敵を星ごと撃ち抜く

'...after bombarding them countless times [with countless barrages] it fires straight through the enemy along with the planet with its main cannon's laser'

The bit about shooting through the enemy along with the planet might be a bit oddly worded there.

 

[Shademp]

http://i.imgur.com/wWtPl.jpg

SHIT. Ultima and Ruby had a love child!

Seriously, that design has to be what Nomura drew from when he worked on the International release in early '97 and made Ruby Weapon.

 

[espritduo]

The concept art for Ruby Weapon had already been drawn by Nomura for the original game. It was just never put in until the Int release.

http://images.wikia.com/finalfantasy/images/1/10/Ruby_WEAPON_Artwork.jpg

Also, I'm done with all the new art from the first book!

http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Special:ListFiles/Espritduo

Tons of monster concept art, but annoyingly there is actually very little concept art for FFVI. Darill concept art is the highlight there.

Next up will be the new art for FFVII, although Hawkeye has covered alot of the juicy bits, information-wise.

 

[Kuja9001]

pg. 300
----
Ark
An ancient battleship from the old world Terra. It comes flying in from somewhere in space, transforms to its mech form, and -- after bombarding all enemies on the planet below a countless number of times -- fires its main laser. In the illustration to the left, it's referred to as "BLASSTY," the name of the fighter piloted by the protagonists of the PC game "Space Chaser Blassty," published by Square (as it was known at the time) in 1986. Just like Blassty, Ark can transform into a mech, and carries its main armament on its right shoulder.

Japanese text:
アーク
古き星テラの古代戦艦。宇宙より飛来しつつ人型に変形し、無数の砲撃のあとに主砲のレーザーで敵を星ごと撃ち抜く。左のイラストに記された「BLASSTY」とは、1986年にスクウェア（当時）が発売したPC用ソフト『クルーズチェサー　ブラスティー』で主人公が乗りこむ戦闘機ブラスティーのこと。ブラスティーも、アークと同じように人型変形が可能で、人型のときは右肩に主砲を載せていた。

Source photos:
http://i.imgur.com/llB7h.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/h1Bie.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ZK7DM.jpg
----

[Note: For more on Blassty, see the Wikipedia entry and this page at GEARS Online.]

This confirms my thoughts about Ark being from Terra. Thanks

 

[jazzflower92]

The concept art for Ruby Weapon had already been drawn by Nomura for the original game. It was just never put in until the Int release.

http://images.wikia.com/finalfantasy/images/1/10/Ruby_WEAPON_Artwork.jpg

Also, I'm done with all the new art from the first book!

http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Special:ListFiles/Espritduo

Tons of monster concept art, but annoyingly there is actually very little concept art for FFVI. Darill concept art is the highlight there.

Next up will be the new art for FFVII, although Hawkeye has covered alot of the juicy bits, information-wise.

I have a feeling they were inspired by Neon Evanglion Genesis for the designs of the weapons.

 

[Shademp]

The concept art for Ruby Weapon had already been drawn by Nomura for the original game. It was just never put in until the Int release.

http://images.wikia.com/finalfantasy/images/1/10/Ruby_WEAPON_Artwork.jpg

Can you point me to a source that confirms this?

The reason I assumed he designed Ruby and Emerald in 1997 was because of this magazine from shortly before the american release. But looking at the greater context I see something I didn't see before...

GF: How do you come up with the monsters in FF?
TN: First I think about the attacks of the monsters,
then I base it on relationships with living things.

GF: Are you working on the next Final Fantasy game?
TN: Not right now, I am working on the new monsters
for the American version of FFVII.

GF: How many new monsters are there going to be?
TN: There will be at least two new 'Weapons' (monsters).

The first question makes me realise that when Nomura says that he was working on the new monsters, he may have meant that he was working on the attacks for Ruby, rather than its basic design. But because of how I previously interpreted this interview, I thought he meant for sure that he designed the Ruby and Emerald only shortly before the American version was made.

Still, again, I'd like to see something that confirms the age of the Ruby Weapon artwork you linked. I've seen it before, but I don't know how to confirm that it was made in 1996 rather than 1997.

 

[Strangelove]

Does the caption of the image shed any light on that?

 

[espritduo]

I don't think the image says anything about it. I'll upload it once my hosting site's control panel decides to feel like working.

But, the "two new weapons" he would be referring to are most likely Emerald (which did not exist) and Diamond (which existed in the story, but was not an actual enemy encounter). There is no known released concept art for either of them.

Anyways, I'll look through my other FFVII books and see if there's any giveaway comments in them.

 

[Octo]

Just want to say this is totally awesome guys. Oh uh... and if theres anything new on the Turks/Shinra that would be great if you could enlighten us

 

[Selphie Tilmitt]

Holy freaking kaboombas my book came! and it -is- huge Like the big brown cardboard box in which it came is in length up to my armpits The book itself isn't quite as big but still I can plop my whole hand on there with room to spare and stretch out most of my lower arm on

Thanks again for all the work Tres, Claudia Wolf/hito and espritduo, really lovin' this stuff

Edit - What Octo said There's also stuff I wanted to ask about Cloud/Aerith/Tseng - Tserith fluff later maybe as well

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

All that Nomura artwork for V and VI is amazing. How could they have not released it sooner?

You can definitely tell he was building up to the Re-Birth Sephiroth design for a while. There's a number of recurring elements across his earlier FF designs, actually, but not at all in a bad way.

Thanks so much for sharing all those, espritduo. You're awesome.

 

[espritduo]

Here's the scan of that page with Ruby Weapon:

http://www.espritduo.com/images/Weapon%20Concept%20Page.jpg

And a funny thing I noticed in the FFVII stuff is that Barret was referred to as "Blow" in his early concept art before he was given a name.