Final Fantasy VII PC Re-Release Thread

Lex

Lex

Administrator
There should be an edit button at the bottom right of your posts, but you might need to accrue a certain number of posts before you can do that, I can't remember.

Yes, certain mods work. Mods that involve replacing files work. Mods that involve screwing with the .exe will work in the near future, since apparently the .exe doesn't use a checksum or something.
 
JBedford

JBedford

Pro Adventurer
AKA
JBed
I don't know if this is a good place to comment on this stuff, but I decided to compare files with the original PC version. I'm looking in the fields right now. Although I'm only comparing filesizes to find differences, and even then it's rounded to kbs so I'm only going to find significant differences and I probably won't be able to notice translation fixes.

blackbgb - 55kb (old) 65kb (new)

The only difference I noticed was in the text.

"(End of Disc 1)
Please do not open the CD drive
until further instructions"

Becomes
"End of Part 1"

And the same for Disc 2. There are obviously other differences but I don't know what they are. I assume they all relate to game-changing.
----

frcyo - 191kb vs. 227kb

I don't know why the filesizes are so different, but I did decide to check the names. If you recall in the PS version of VII and the 1998 PC version, all of the Greens had incorrect names (Gizzard Greens instead of Gysahl Greens, for example). This has been corrected.

The nuts? Nope. They still use the incorrect names in the new PC version.
----

fship4 - 277kb vs. 306kb

Looking at the texts, when it gives the instructions for the Highwind the old version said "[ASSIST]" while the new says "[OK]". That would be a correction.

I haven't figured out why there's a filesize difference.
----

las0_8 - 332kb vs 386kb

Can't see any differences.
----

las2_1 - 296kb vs 354kb

I found something fairly interesting here. In the original version there is unused text. This text is also found in other members of its duplicate group, it was "012345678901234". In this room (and in this room alone)
this text has been replaced with "Secret Cow Level".

But that's not where it ends. The code has changed for the new PC version. Use the save crystal in this room and now, in addition to removing it from your inventory and changing a few variables, it will change the area's name in the menu to "Secret Cow Level".

Edit: Google indicates that this is a reference to Diablo II where there is a Secret Cow Level easter egg.
----

uutai1 - 398kb vs 448kb

Can't find anything special
----

These are all the files with significant changes. If someone who's more knowledgeable with field files could look into them that would be good.

Also it would be nice to know if there was a tool out there that could dump the texts into a text file.
 
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Shademp

Shademp

420
JBedford128 said:
las2_1 - 296kb vs 354kb

I found something fairly interesting here. In the original version there is unused text. This text is also found in other members of its duplicate group, it was "012345678901234". In this room (and in this room alone)
this text has been replaced with "Secret Cow Level".

But that's not where it ends. The code has changed for the new PC version. Use the save crystal in this room and now, in addition to removing it from your inventory and changing a few variables, it will change the area's name in the menu to "Secret Cow Level".

Edit: Google indicates that this is a reference to Diablo II where there is a Secret Cow Level easter egg.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much for finding this. THANK YOU. :salute:
 
Lex

Lex

Administrator
That was fixed in the original 1998 PC release. So were some other weird mistakes. In fact, quite a lot of the text was different between the PS and PC versions prior to this release. Like Touph ring was Tough Ring in the PC version. "Of course" instead of "Off course" etc.
 
SirVival

SirVival

Pro Adventurer
I could write 50 page essay of pure complains, but now that's just waste of time... I can't believe I wasted my money on this shit.

Square-Enix , I'm through with you.
 
Lex

Lex

Administrator
I've come to the conclusion that it's better than the original playstation version as long as you fix the music with that handy pack I linked to up there ^.

Released as it was - very poor. Can't get over the MIDI.
 
F

fear

Lv. 1 Adventurer
Prince Lex, thank you for the original PSX music soundtrack package. Though, I am having looping issues. None of the tracks are looping! Is there a fix for this? Why is this happening?

Also, just a quick comment about the game. What is the point of having achievements if the Character Boost feature is available? It's a cheat! This makes me rage, what was SE thinking!?
 
Cthulhu

Cthulhu

Administrator
AKA
Yop
What? There is no cow level.

(If they were adding easter eggs, this is a very poor one, imho :monster: )
 
TotoroTori

TotoroTori

Pro Adventurer
AKA
Silent-Dreamer025
I think what gets me sad is while the characters look better...the backgrounds just feel so not right...
 
Lex

Lex

Administrator
fear said:
Prince Lex, thank you for the original PSX music soundtrack package. Though, I am having looping issues. None of the tracks are looping! Is there a fix for this? Why is this happening?
Click to expand...

So far there isn't a known reason. It's only happening to some people. For example, it's not happening to me, so I can only assume it's something to do with your comp settings? Might be a permission thing, I'm not really sure. A new updated pack will be released at some point that might solve the problem.

TotoroTori said:
I think what gets me sad is while the characters look better...the backgrounds just feel so not right...
Click to expand...

Unfortunately that's just the way it is. The backgrounds are only available in a small resolution on both the PC and PS versions and to "fix" them they'd need to completely redraw them. There have been attempts to replace them with fractals upscales but to be honest they don't look much better than what it looks like now with the filter.
 
JBedford

JBedford

Pro Adventurer
AKA
JBed
In lastmap I notice there are differences within script 3 of AD3. In the new PC version the script tells it to do something with the background animations (via script 1 of group "disp") of that the original version didn't.

In fr_e the main script of the "chance" group uses wait 8 frame in the original PC release, but 1 frame in the new PC release. It has something to do with the background animation.

Also there are smaller filesize changes in ancnt1 and ancnt4, but the changes do not relate to texts, and I took quick glances at other potential changes but couldn't see any.

So I haven't found anything that interesting. Although the changes are so minor, it's strange that they made them at all. I'm fairly sure the ten locations I mentioned in this thread are the only changes.

And I think there are no other changes to any other of the files. Most of the files still have a "Date modified" from 1996, 1997, or 1998. There have potentially been changes to minigames, but I looked at one and I believe the only change was deleting two unnecessary files.
 
TotoroTori

TotoroTori

Pro Adventurer
AKA
Silent-Dreamer025
Prince Lex said:
Unfortunately that's just the way it is. The backgrounds are only available in a small resolution on both the PC and PS versions and to "fix" them they'd need to completely redraw them. There have been attempts to replace them with fractals upscales but to be honest they don't look much better than what it looks like now with the filter.
Click to expand...

I guess that is why I play on my PSP usually. I mean it is nice to have the PC version and I am curious to see the FF7 mods to be honest and I have friends who wanted to play Final Fantasy 7
 
Ite

Ite

Save your valediction (she/her)
AKA
Ite
No changes to the important files? Will chocobo racing work?
 
Shademp

Shademp

420
At least the team behind this re-release were not so stupid to upscale the PC FMVs (which were poor copies of the PSX FMVs). This is what it seems like to me though after looking through some of the FMVs.

In the 1998 PC version, an old version of the Seto FMV was used. One with more dramatic camera motions and a lens flare effect (this version of the sequence can also be viewed in the FFVII International Bonus Disc). This re-release utilizes the final version of the "setogake" FMV, as we know it from the PSX releases.

Edit: Naturally, the only "PC" FMVs here appear to be the Eidos and Squaresoft logo sequences.
...Also, why can't I find the "Ending 2" FMV? I only find Ending 1 & 3. =X

Edit #2: I simply can't find that FMV. I want to see if the Ending 2 FMV uses the PSX text with Cid saying "Shit!" or if it's the PC rendition with Cid's line reading "!&"#" (or similar).

Edit #3: FINALLY found it. Was in a completely different folder. data -> lang-en -> movies
rather than just
data -> movies

Makes sense, due to there being multiple languages.
 
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D

Datapack

Rookie Adventurer
I've just discoverd how to edit your save, for it to save on the cloud you have to be ingame while the changes take effect. (only tried manipulating exp and gil so far)
This might be old but you should be able to make a working trainer...
 
Shademp

Shademp

420
Yup, Ending 2 is indeed based on the PSX translation.

Dhjjv.png

NHwz5.png

Inverted(?) colors in 1998 FMV because media player is not compatible. If you play the game it doesn't look like that, of course.
 
JBedford

JBedford

Pro Adventurer
AKA
JBed
I just got all the achievements. Profile.

I used hex-edit on the "achievement.dat" file (when in-game) and changed it to "00 00 00 0f ff ff ff ff 00". Don't know what the other bits do, if anything.

Also does anyone know anyway I can view the FMVs? They are AVI files but my Windows Media Player won't load them. Is the file's fault or the player's fault?
 
JBedford

JBedford

Pro Adventurer
AKA
JBed
The file is located in My Documents[for me, anyway] > Square Enix > FINAL FANTASY VII > user_###### > achievement.dat
 
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