FFVII Shinra Archaeology Cut Mod

[Odysseus]

Version 1.0 IRO Download​

About the Mod

This mod for Final Fantasy VII has been created to accomplish two things:

First, it offers a full retranslation of the game's text that fixes mistakes in the original English translation; improves tonal accuracy using idiomatic language; and conforms to the localization choices of the Compilation and Remake trilogy where applicable to ensure continuity through the Final Fantasy VII series. The goal of this retranslation is to give English players a narrative experience and foundation of lore that is as close as possible to that of Japanese-speaking players.

Second, and optionally, this mod restores numerous events, maps, animations, puzzles, and lines of dialogue that were cut from the final release. In 99 cases out of 100, this content has been mined from the original game files themselves. Only when absolutely necessary have the authors of this mod supplied the minimum amount of additional assets to ensure the functionality of the official scrapped elements. A full spreadsheet of this mod's script is available on Google drive, with unofficial dialogue clearly demarcated.

This mod requires the 7th Heaven mod loader to be used.

Custom facial expression system requires latest FFNx canary to work.


Example Images of Contents [CONTAINS SPOILERS]

Main Contents

Fully Retranslated Script

Spoiler

Parity With Compilation of FFVII, Remake and Rebirth Localizations

Spoiler

As mentioned, in spots where the Japanese is the same or partially the same between the original FFVII and Remake / Rebirth, we have opted to use the official localization of those lines to create a sense of cohesion akin to what the Japanese side of things has. This also extends to the other Compilation entries, but Remake—as the most recent FFVII entry—gets priority.

Restored Unused Scenes

Spoiler

Restored Unused Puzzles

Spoiler

Restored Facial Expression System

Spoiler

This system existed in the PSX version but was almost never used. It was unfinished in the PC version but has been restored by TrueOdin in recent FFNx canary builds, and I took the liberty of porting over the textures and incorporating new expressions into scenes on top of what few were already in the game. A full list of scenes affected can be found in the iro. Eyes work perfectly but custom mouths are a bit of a work in progress.

Bonus Features

FMV Options

Spoiler

Several FMVs got changes during development, and these options allow those earlier renditions to be used.

Beta-style Menu Icons

Spoiler

Early in FFVII's development, the characters had pixel art portraits reminiscent of prior entries in the series. The textures for Cloud, Aerith, and Barret's portraits remained in the Tobal No.1 FFVII sampler demo, and with this option you can use them in the final game. Additionally, the incredibly talented pixel artist Prism has provided stylistically-consistent custom sprite portraits for the remaining members so this mode can affect the whole party. (currently Red XIII and Cid are not yet made).

Red Yuffie Costume

Spoiler

In the planning stage of FFVII, Yuffie's outfit was red and white rather than green and orange. This option allows you to use a costume for Yuffie based on that original design, with a battle model provided by the incredible UpRisen.

Option to Restore JORG Backgrounds

Spoiler

The original Japanese release (JORG) of FFVII had a handful of prerendered backgrounds that got revised for the international release, generally to make it clearer where the player needs to go. This option restores the original versions.

JORG________________________________________________________________________Post-JORG

Mod Credits

Spoiler

This mod is a production of the Shinra Archaeology Department, an FFVII fan group dedicated to translating Japanese interviews and guidebooks and making them available to English-speaking audiences.

Restoration, Implementation, and Logo Graphics: Odysseus (TheStrifeIsRife)

Translation and Localization Continuity: TurquoiseHammer

Data Mining, Organization, and Annotation: Shademp

Original Script Mining: Herman1134 (Jason Maltz)

Cait Sith Regional Dialect: M. J. Gallagher (FFVIINovels)

Custom Sprite Portraits: Prism

Red Yuffie Battle Model: UpRisen


Acknowledgements

NPC blink animation fixes provided by Orichalcon.

Unused custom eye and mouth texture system restored by TrueOdin.

The tile set for the TRAP field was decoded by BrutalAl.


Tools used

Makou Reactor and Vincent Tim: myst6re

WallMarket and ProudClod: nfitc1

Black Chocobo: sithlord48

KimeraCS: LaZar00

Scarlet: petfriendamy

 

[Odysseus]

Hi kids. Ody finally built up the gumption to delete his twitter in protest of elmo, but I still crave that sweet, sweet validation, so I decided to finally come crawling back to my birthing grounds on TLS lol.

Here's a thread for the mod I've been slaving away at with TurquoiseHammer for the past few years, and even before that on my own for a good near-decade (there's a thread about the pre-SAC version of this somewhere around here). This has been my life's work if ever there was something I could call that, and it's nearing completion, so I figured it might not hurt to post about it here lol.

I guess it's something of an "FFVII: Director's Cut" with all the restored scenes. You can thank Shademp's old-ass articles for inspiring my end of this thing to begin with. The current version, v0.8, covers up through the lifestream sequence and hits the secret Zack flashback as well. We're hoping to have a full 1.0 release later this year.

 

[Tetsujin]

I might have to give this a go when next I play through FFVII. Only ever played this modded ages ago and it was just a simple field model to battle model swap

Ody finally built up the gumption to delete his twitter in protest of elmo

Deleted Twitter a while a back, my mental health is better for it. Probably.

 

[Odysseus]

I might have to give this a go when next I play through FFVII. Only ever played this modded ages ago and it was just a simple field model to battle model swap

FFVII modding has come a long way in recent times so thankfully this is all pretty simple to get set up. Even works on Steam Deck.

 

[Theozilla]

I am so interested in playing this mod, but I only own a MacBook Pro. Is there any way possible to get the mod (and any computer version of the OG) working on a Mac that doesn't involve installing a virtual PC operating system onto the Mac?

 

[Odysseus]

I am so interested in playing this mod, but I only own a MacBook Pro. Is there any way possible to get the mod (and any computer version of the OG) working on a Mac that doesn't involve installing a virtual PC operating system onto the Mac?

Nope.

 

[Theozilla]

Nope.

Curses!

 

[Lex]

This looks excellent! Will definitely give it a go the next time I do a run. Good to see you around Ody.

 

[heavyspace]

Is the restored content found in the original japanese release or is this content that was cut from all releases?

 

[Odysseus]

Is the restored content found in the original japanese release or is this content that was cut from all releases?

Most of the cut content that the mod restores can be found in the files of all releases, though there are a few things that were only in the original Japanese release (most notably the early version of the Honeybee Inn), and exactly three things in the mod were recreated from scratch using scripts found in the FFVII Ultimania Omega's "Early Material File," which was a collection of various scripts from the game's planning documents.

 

[Odysseus]

Version 0.9 is out now. Covers up to Diamond Weapon attacking Midgar.

 

[Odysseus]

The mod is doooooone.

 

[Tetsujin]

 

[Theozilla]

The mod is doooooone.

The work and passion that’s gone into this project is nothing short of amazing. Even without the cut content this is currently the definitive way to properly experience the OG FFVII game in English.

If I knew how to make websites well, I would try to make a yinza.com equivalent for the SAC script (since it would be easier to read/navigate than the google spreadsheet).

 

[Sorcerologist]

I have a question about the script. During the Nibelheim flashback, there's a line Cloud says in the Japanese version that I haven't seen often, and wasn't in the English release either. From the ff7 Citadel (this was translated before it was released in English and refers to Cloud as Claude):

During the final stages of the war... we, soldiers
were assigned to kill all who opposed the Shinra...it was a tragic job.

Here's another version at 42:23.

Soldier's main duty after the war was... dealing with those who opposed Shin-Ra. A lot of that work was pretty grim.

It's the second part - that the work was grim or tragic - that's missing. I'm just curious as to why it's often left out and how other people would translate it. Is it not in every edition of the original game?

 

[Odysseus]

I have a question about the script. During the Nibelheim flashback, there's a line Cloud says in the Japanese version that I haven't seen often, and wasn't in the English release either. From the ff7 Citadel (this was translated before it was released in English and refers to Cloud as Claude):

That has to be the oldest English fan content I've ever seen, hot damn.

Anyway, here's how we translated those lines:

“After the war ended, it was SOLDIER's job to…well, to deal with anyone trying to resist Shinra.”

Seems Turq decided to exclude that part as well, because I see it in the JP too. I'll ask about it.

 

[Odysseus]

From the boss man:

It's because the second part bears out the implication in the first part. Here's a literal translation:
"After the war ended, the job of SOLDIERs was, when you had people resisting Shinra… Well, let's just say there was a lot of grim work"
He's skirting around saying "put down people trying to resist shinra" and instead says grim work. Here we just combine the two and use the euphemism "deal with," so it takes care of that. It didn't seem worth the awkwardness of the literal version to express something that's drilled home many times before and after this line, so while I respect the comment, I'm happy with the translation we have.

Edit:

Then, spineless cretin that he is, he changed it anyway:
“After the war ended, it was SOLDIER's job to…well, to deal with anyone trying to resist Shinra. Pretty grim work—and lots of it.”