OK. I know we're keeping most tech discussion in the open forum, but there are a few things we need to discuss related specifically to the remake. I know that most of these have probably been brought up in the public tech forum already, but I'd like to keep this discussion separate - it is, after all, 100% relevant to the remake only.
The first - main - problem we face is: game engine. For the sake of completeness (been said already, but...) we have 2 options:
1) Use the existing FF7 engine.
Pros:
-Less likely to attract adverse attention from Square - it makes our remake a patch to the existing FF7 game.
-Reuse all the existing graphics, spells, models, just adding the new ones we need as well.
-Everybody likes it!
Cons:
-We NEED to figure out *at least* the "script" part of the level files. As anyone following Cosmo will know, we currently have about 90% of the text and backgrounds decoded but nothing whatsoever from the rest of the file - and since the rest could be in absolutely ANY format, it's gonna be hell to decode. I'm not sure if it'll ever be done.
2) Use another engine.
Pros:
-We can start work NOW. No delays waiting for people to hack file formats.
-Change anything in the engine we need to.
Cons:
-Can anyone say "Copyright violation?". Sure, any remake is a breach of copyright - but a "mod" to the game is less likely to be contested. We don't need Square pressuring our website hosts to cancel accounts.
-It's not gonna look quite the same. People might be put off.
-MAJOR downloads. Gonna have to recode lots of files.
You'll probably know, I'm somewhat dubious over whether we can decode the script format. (I think we'll never decode every format in the game unless Square release source code, which won't ever happen). Bitmaps were relatively easy - there's only so many ways to store a bitmap, and Square (understandably!) reused an existing format. Same with sound effects. Text - well, you can read some of it yourself once the file's decompressed! Scripts - it's a format invented just for FF7, totally binary (or near enough) - REAL problems.
So where does this leave us?
My preference: Those of us involved in the tech side of things should try to decode the script format. Yes, it's hard, but we should *try*. If we haven't got anywhere by, say, June? then we use our own engine. There's really no other choice.
Something to bear in mind: We can code up our own engine. Why not? That has the BIG advantage that we can program it to reuse *some* of the files from FF7 - like the music, sound effects, text, and some of the 3d data (basically everything we know how to decode!). Major advantage: requires an existing install of FF7, hence making less problems over Square getting p***ed off with us. Don't think it won't happen; IF we ever release this remake (I'm not trying to be awkward here, but it's by no means 100% it'll get finished) then Square could well get stroppy.
So: comments, anyone?