Author Topic: Graphical mods for FFVII Steam backgrounds?  (Read 11887 times)

the_randomizer85

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Graphical mods for FFVII Steam backgrounds?
« on: 2016-10-26 16:39:08 »
I can't for the life of me find any mods for the Steam release of FFVII, to filter or at least, make them less painful to look at on a 1080p screen. The only thing I can find is for the old 98 version, but not for the Steam port, is there no hope for us Steam users? Are we stuck with the horribly unfiltered pixelated backgrounds?

sithlord48

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Re: Graphical mods for FFVII Steam backgrounds?
« Reply #1 on: 2016-10-26 18:51:04 »
thats because you basicly need aali's driver to load them. you can use the game convertor to convert to the 98 version you will loose the ability to use the cloud saves... thats it

the_randomizer85

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Re: Graphical mods for FFVII Steam backgrounds?
« Reply #2 on: 2016-10-26 18:55:08 »
thats because you basicly need aali's driver to load them. you can use the game converter to convert to the 98 version you will loose the ability to use the cloud saves... thats it

Is there a thread that explains how to do all this?  I don't even know how to convert, but I don't use nor care about cloud saves to be honest.  I don't even know where to look to fix those horrid backgrounds.

Grimmy

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Re: Graphical mods for FFVII Steam backgrounds?
« Reply #3 on: 2016-10-27 00:31:45 »
Well this was posted in the wrong forum, but here is the game converter for you.

http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=14047.0
« Last Edit: 2016-10-27 00:38:54 by Grimmy »

the_randomizer85

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Re: Graphical mods for FFVII Steam backgrounds?
« Reply #4 on: 2016-10-27 05:00:35 »
Well this was posted in the wrong forum, but here is the game converter for you.

http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=14047.0

Apologies for that, wasn't sure where to put this thread >.>  What does converting it to the 98 version do? Do I still launch it as normal? All I see is the thread for the launcher, but nothing about background mods *sigh* I guess I have to look deep into the threads to find that lol

Edit: Seems I have to edit the registry to get it work, yeah, I don't know how I feel about doing that or why it has to be done.
« Last Edit: 2016-10-27 05:02:45 by the_randomizer85 »

Kaldarasha

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Re: Graphical mods for FFVII Steam backgrounds?
« Reply #5 on: 2016-10-27 06:17:31 »
What the heck? Why is this in the release section? Anyway it is not that you are forced to make an upgrade to 98 version with Aali's driver (since it will be the same game but with a better graphic output). You can use uMod. The problem: while it dumps similar textures as Aali's driver except as input, it uses different file names (hashes) to replace them. Moreover, the backgrounds it dumps are kinda different and contain some garbage information. So you need to dump all field textures, split and convert the upscaled textures of a project your choice OR upscale the dumped textures, which is also not as easy as you may think, since the bg's are split in tiles and then you need to write the hash codes as the names of the textures.

I think the converter is the easiest thing to do. If you need the achievements, use blackchocobo or an achievement unlocker to unlock them manually. ATM you can have either good graphics or achievements, but both isn't possible (yet).
« Last Edit: 2016-10-27 06:20:34 by Kaldarasha »

the_randomizer85

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Re: Graphical mods for FFVII Steam backgrounds?
« Reply #6 on: 2016-10-27 18:09:19 »
What the heck? Why is this in the release section? Anyway it is not that you are forced to make an upgrade to 98 version with Aali's driver (since it will be the same game but with a better graphic output). You can use uMod. The problem: while it dumps similar textures as Aali's driver except as input, it uses different file names (hashes) to replace them. Moreover, the backgrounds it dumps are kinda different and contain some garbage information. So you need to dump all field textures, split and convert the upscaled textures of a project your choice OR upscale the dumped textures, which is also not as easy as you may think, since the bg's are split in tiles and then you need to write the hash codes as the names of the textures.

I think the converter is the easiest thing to do. If you need the achievements, use blackchocobo or an achievement unlocker to unlock them manually. ATM you can have either good graphics or achievements, but both isn't possible (yet).

The only issue with converter, again, is it clearly states I have to edit the registry, I don't feel comfortable doing that, can't I use that converter without messing with regedit?  What about using the launcher? My Square Enix login credentials? None of those concerns are addressed in that thread.

That and the whole "Before using FF7 Game Converter you need a volume labeled "FF7DISC1", "FF7DISC2" or "FF7DISC3" (for the Re- or Steam-Release it is enough to relabel a USB stick)" makes no sense to me, converting Steam version to this version seems like a hassle.

sithlord48

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Re: Graphical mods for FFVII Steam backgrounds?
« Reply #7 on: 2016-10-27 18:34:37 »
you will not use the launcher and you don't need the square stuff after you convert it to the 98 version.

the_randomizer85

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Re: Graphical mods for FFVII Steam backgrounds?
« Reply #8 on: 2016-10-27 22:28:09 »
you will not use the launcher and you don't need the square stuff after you convert it to the 98 version.

But the fact it requires changes to the registry is what worries me, the guide comes with a zip file all the files I need, but the instructions on what to change, using the drivers to fix the background... Ugh ><

sithlord48

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Re: Graphical mods for FFVII Steam backgrounds?
« Reply #9 on: 2016-10-28 11:12:49 »
But the fact it requires changes to the registry is what worries me, the guide comes with a zip file all the files I need, but the instructions on what to change, using the drivers to fix the background... Ugh ><

then no nice backgrounds for you.

the_randomizer85

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Re: Graphical mods for FFVII Steam backgrounds?
« Reply #10 on: 2016-10-28 15:21:41 »
then no nice backgrounds for you.

It doesn't even tell you how to do any of the modding in that thread, there are no guides, it just explains what it does, not how to do it.  There's no need to be rude about it though.

Kaldarasha

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Re: Graphical mods for FFVII Steam backgrounds?
« Reply #11 on: 2016-10-28 16:35:55 »
It doesn't even tell you how to do any of the modding in that thread, there are no guides, it just explains what it does, not how to do it.  There's no need to be rude about it though.

Phew...
http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=15520.0

But to be fair our forum has become a bit unhandy, since the re-release and releases of FF games for the PC.

the_randomizer85

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Re: Graphical mods for FFVII Steam backgrounds?
« Reply #12 on: 2016-10-28 16:58:45 »
Phew...
http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=15520.0

But to be fair our forum has become a bit unhandy, since the re-release and releases of FF games for the PC.

So I follow this guide even if I merely want filtered backgrounds?  Okay, this guide makes a lot more sense than the other one on here, also, given that the Steam version automatically fixes the soundtrack to the PSX version, that won't be affected with this, right? And does that thread's EXE come with Aali's drivers or is that on another thread?

« Last Edit: 2016-10-28 17:03:14 by the_randomizer85 »

genesis063

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Re: Graphical mods for FFVII Steam backgrounds?
« Reply #13 on: 2016-11-09 19:53:03 »
When you use 7th Heaven it has an audio mod that replaces the midi and some well made fan edits of the songs and professional versions as well.  So you'll get more options when you convert and it has it's own converter with a nice compatibility feature like the nexus Skyrim one does.  So I would go to the 7th Heaven child board at the top and follow the guide there.  It is easy to do and has pictures for visual representation of what to do.

the_randomizer85

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Re: Graphical mods for FFVII Steam backgrounds?
« Reply #14 on: 2016-11-09 20:58:58 »
When you use 7th Heaven it has an audio mod that replaces the midi and some well made fan edits of the songs and professional versions as well.  So you'll get more options when you convert and it has it's own converter with a nice compatibility feature like the nexus Skyrim one does.  So I would go to the 7th Heaven child board at the top and follow the guide there.  It is easy to do and has pictures for visual representation of what to do.

Except, the audio is already replaced with Square Enix's official patch, so the game no longer has MIDI audio; they patched it for Steam shortly after its release in 2013.  Anyways, as long as I don't have to use the stupid regedit, I'm fine.

genesis063

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Re: Graphical mods for FFVII Steam backgrounds?
« Reply #15 on: 2016-11-10 14:37:11 »
The converter should do that all for you and you won't notice really any difference.  Basically no cloud saves or achievements.  Also you only need to test the audio stuff to make it all sync properly.

the_randomizer85

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Re: Graphical mods for FFVII Steam backgrounds?
« Reply #16 on: 2016-11-10 15:45:54 »
The converter should do that all for you and you won't notice really any difference.  Basically no cloud saves or achievements.  Also you only need to test the audio stuff to make it all sync properly.

Like I said, the game already has a patch that is auto installed when you download it from Steam; Square Enix already patches it from the get go, there's no default MIDI soundfont anymore on the Steam release.