[FF8] Steam and original PC differences?

[JeMaCheHi]

Hi everyone. First of all, I wasn't sure about where to put this, so I did it here after all. Please move it where it proceeds if needed. Now I go with my question:

I want to learn about FF8 and I've been reading in the wiki, but now I'm noticing that there's no differenciation between original and steam version. For example in the data file format article, there's the three types fl, fs, and fi, but nothing about different versions are told.

I know that Steam version is a direct port from the original with some additions, but not sure about how different they are. I mean, the files seems to be the same, and some mods that worked with the original will do with the Steam, but others won't.

I'm not very sure about how to check this, and I'd really appreciate if someone could point me in the right direction.

Thanks in advance!

[Covarr]

The datafiles should be exactly the same. All that's changed is some stuff in the exe, and they replaced the FMVs.

The reason mods have different compatibility is because the 1998 version used a much older version of DirectX (and with Aali's driver, it uses OpenGL). The Steam version uses DX9. This alone makes a huge difference.

[JeMaCheHi]

Thanks Covarr, you're always so kind. So everything that deals exclusively with data files should work, isn't?

And, about Aali's driver, I saw some people say that they installed it, and it looks they use Steam version. Is it right? Is it compatible? I looked at its thread a couple of times but I didn't found any reference to this and I wouldn't like to mess it up for trying... plus the fact that I'd like to understand how it works xD
Since the last version is dated from 2011 I can't be sure by myself. I checked the wiki but the only stuff there about the driver is a link to the forum.
In short, it's another difference between the two versions that i cannot understand. From what I've learned, if the two exe are different, and they manages the graphics in a different way, Aali's driver shouldn't work with Steam version, am I in the right direction?

[EQ2Alyza]

I don't find much use using Aali's Driver with FF8 since all the recent mod releases associated with Tonberry utilize the directx driver that comes with Steam.

[JeMaCheHi]

I know it Alyza, but I've always been told that openGL is better than DirectX 9, so I'm just curious about that 

[Kaldarasha]

The driver is supposedly better because you can change the internal resolution. The re-releases are locked to 1280x720. So even if you choose a higher resolution the game wouldn't profit from it. With a FXAA it start to look even worse.
However, I don't think Aali's driver will work with the re-release without disabling the directx9 driver of it before.

[JeMaCheHi]

Oops, I missed your reply, sorry Kaldarasha.
You mean that no matter what resolution I choose, I will always have 1280x720? I other words, when I chose another res, the game will just do a screen stretching, am I right? Whoa, damn Square Enix people...