FF7 - Reactor RELOADED Project

[Elentor]

Hi there people. First let me introduce myself: My name is Fernando Pires, I'm a brazillian 3d artist. After some time discussing possibilities, me and a friend of mine who is also another 3d artist decided that it would be cool to make a Final Fantasy 7 mod, complete with new graphics.
But I suppose that, since making the whole game would take an enormous amount of time and much probably would never get complete, we decided to give a try re-making the whole first reactor mission. Our main priorities are:

1) Remaking the organic models (Cloud, Enemies, Barret, etc)
2) Remaking the whole backgrounds in real-time 3D
3) Remaking the battle backgrounds.
4) Remaking the weapons

Fifth, and probably not much important, is to change some attributes and numbers, to make the game and in special the mission harder. FF7 is an easy game after all, and if the player could get through all the re-made mission with ease then what would be the point?

I don't know how possible these ideas are to insert in the FF7 game engine, though Reunion's progress and the SaiNt's high-resolution version. If we could remake the whole backgrounds in real-time 3d, then the whole game would take full advantage from a higher-resolution version. If not, then it still wouldn't hurt to have higher-resolution pre-mrendered backgrounds, again, if possible.

So, would anyone else be interested in this? Just a bit of our background: We're professional 3d artists and have previous experience with game 3D modeling. I'm an unorganic artist (backgrounds etc) while he is an organic artist (people etc). We're skilled both in modeling as in animation. Here is some artworks of ours, I hope you guys like!

Me, Fernando:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/Elentor/Corvete2.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/Kamashii/SAFrigate.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/Kamashii/Muralha2.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/Kamashii/Mansaofront.jpg

Him, Yakuza:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/Kamashii/blackman.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/Kamashii/narutoscloth.jpg

MOD EDIT: Do not post big images directly.

[Alhexx]

The idea sounds cool, however, AFAIK, the FF7 engine is and will not be able to render full-3d-scenes... and even if it was, it wouldn't look that good at all.
However, higher-res pre-rendered backgrounds may be possible, I think SaiNt could tell us more here.

Oh and btw:
Since I was hacking FF7's model file format for quite some time, I think that FF7 won't be able to handle models like the ones you want to make. The original FF7 models are all vertex-coloured (with a few textures for eyes, mouths, tattoos, etc.), and the whole character is split up into several files...
I don't think that it's possible for the FF7 engine to handle "normal" models.

 - Alhexx

 - edit -
BTW: Your work looks awesome  

[Elentor]

Gah! That hurts so much to know FF7's engine is evil... I guess I will have to wait for another coments to see what can be done after all.
Besides, thanks for your comment

[bulk_4me]

Yeah, fucking engines just pisses me off. But yeah high resolution backgrounds would be cool, rewriting the original models would own, new fmvs... would be OMFG!!!!!!1!

[Elentor]

If it's impossible to make real-time backgrounds, I'm very sure I could take my time to make high-resolutions pre-renders.
Still, I would do my best to give a try on rewriting the original models, even if we had to divide the models in multiple parts (which I suppose it's very masochistic)

[rmco2003]

oh my god that looks so realistic it's unreal, pity FF7 can't handle this..

[Qhimm]

I'd say it would be far easier to write your own engine than it would be to try and squeeze something like that into FF7's original engine. Still it's a captivating idea, probably the most professional attempt I've yet seen content-wise. Shame Square-Enix would probably crack down on it like a ton of junkies.

[James Pond]

Both your artwork, and your friends, is amazing sir.


I wouldn't have the time nor the patience to learn how to do something on that scale myself.

*Imagines FF7 with Advent Children Graphics*

[Cyberman]

Decent artwork.

I suggest 'omiting' FF7 from the name try something like Stroud Crife - Revisited .
Renaming all the characters might be good too (Lifa and Stroud? )
Qhimm is right it would be easier for you to make or use a new game engine to make things work. However you interface into the engine (IE your mechanics) is what makes things fun.  In deciding what engine to use you should consider what information you need for the game.  For example if the opening scene can be done in real time on the engine.. there is no need to make a movie of it.  The same goes with all the other long animation sequences. (Reactor explosion).  Sky is the limit.  If you want to use the original content .. there might be some DMCA loonies after you.  

As for difficulty, perhaps you should have easy moderate and hard like other games have.

Anyhow I don't wish to discourage you, people make things difficult when all you want to do is have some fun huh?

Cyb

[Alhexx]

*Imagines FF7 with Advent Children Graphics*

Yeah, that was my first thought, too.

As Qhimm said, it would be easier writing an own engine instead of using the original one.
However, we had a lot of (or at least a few) discussions about writing our own engine.
L. Spiro is writing his online-engine, and he's a game developer, so he is the one we should talk to when really trying to write our own.
(I mean writing our own, not asking L. Spiro for his code...)
Besides we would need a team of skilled coders for that. As for me, I wouldn't be able to write an complete engine on my own - maybe I could write the engine for the snowboard game or the chocobo race
But the own-engine thingy belong to another topic.

But as I said before, I like the idea of high-res models.
I'm not sure if we need to re-render the backgrounds, since there are thousands in the game... and I don't think that they look that bad at all.
But the battle scenes would need to be polished a bit...

 - Alhexx

[rmco2003]

It depends.. If the game was run at a higher resolution, which I think should definately be a choice in a new engine, then backgrounds would have to be rerendered, but either way I can definately imagine this churning out some great progress provided that the work put in is equally great.

[L. Spiro]

That is good modeling.

Unfortunately your task is too daunting.
If you just want to focus on remaking the reactor scene, that would probably be best.
I would suggest making your own engine for that scene (keeping in mind expandability) and pouring your heart into the graphics (being the thing you want to actually change from the original).
Since you are making your own new models, you really don’t need much insight into the original engine except for the battle system, which doesn’t need to be exact, and actually seems pretty straightforward anyway.
Since you won’t be loading their resources, you can make your own original engine, loading your own file formats (so you don’t need to be able to decode their 3-D models or textures, or animations).

Existing engines already have plenty of physics and 3-D rendering effects built into them, in which cases all you would have to do is find a suitable exporting plug-in for 3-D Studio Max or Maya and the engine will load your work.



Really, if you plan to redo the WHOLE game, it’s just too much.  Thousands of backgrounds redone, in detail?
Plus the high-hundreds of models that would need to be redone, also in spectacular detail.
But if you just want to remake the reactor scene, it sounds reasonable.

See how it goes and if you are still motivated after that, expand the engine one more step.


L. Spiro

[Qhimm]

And I'm afraid that just renaming stuff isn't going to keep Square's eyes off you, what they get poofed about is the use of their characters and settings in such a grand, official looking manner. Just remember the Chrono Trigger: Resurrection project, which was essentially completely remaking an even older game, also keeping in mind that they're still milking FF7. If you're really serious about going through with it though, I suggest it should be done in near complete secrecy, not talking about it around the web (more than necessary, like this topic perhaps), no project website people can link to. By the time the C&D note arrives, your project could have already been released. Of course, at that point it might not be a mere C&D note either, as a certain US legal case illustrated recently.

Whatever happened to that affair, anyway?

[Elentor]

Hey people, thanks for the comments.
L.Spiro: My focus is just to remake the Reactor Scene. I do have my own engine, actually, but my idea was making a mod, not a whole new game.
Anyway, I'm gonna check some other possibilities, and then I get back here to tell you guys. Thanks for the support

Edit: About the task being too daunting, it's not that much. I'm used to spilling out dozens of models per week, it's just a matter of patience

[Alhexx]

I've got a question:
What is a C&D note???

 - Alhexx

[EmperorSteele]

Cease and Desist.

or

Continue and DIE =P

A legal thingie telling peopel to cut out what they're doing, basically.

[Elentor]

It's one of the most evil abreviatures I ever saw.
It's so tyranical. CEASE AND DESIST. There is NO ESCAPE.

[Caddberry]

Your work is really beautiful.. Thanks for sharing it.. I can't code, but I wish you all the best on your venture. ^_^

[KojiroTakenashi]

Correction: The CT: Ressurection guys did NOT have very good communication skills, and thus that got Squeenix freaked out thinking that they were making a complete Chrono Trigger remake and were going to distribute it for-profit on several different platforms.

This was not the case. CT: Ressurection was actually a VERY ambitious and revolutionary TECHNICAL DEMO, with the grande purpose of showcasing the team's work, as well as the programmer's purportedly magical, multi-purpose AND multi-platform software engine. It wasn't going to be very playable...just faithfully reproduce some of the more memorable scenes from the original game. They planned to distribute it on PC, PS2, GCube, and X-BOX formats...which then got Squeenix's attenion. Unfortunately it was marketed as a "Chrono Trigger Game Demo" and that's what got them shut down.

If I could call to your attention the infamous Nintendo vs. Suicide Girls debacle, these companies just blindly hand out their Cease and Desists, they don't actually investigate things. I'm sure if the CT: Ressurection guys explained it was just a tech demo, and maybe promised to only make one scene, they could have been okay. This "Blind" Cease and Desist was sent under the assumption that their intellectual property rights were being violated in a commercial manner, and that CT: Rezz was actually a full, working game being developed (truth be told that would make them even more furious, since a garageware team would be outshining them :p).

I'm pretty sure Squeenix doesn't care too much about stuff as long as it's for free and completely uncommercial, considering that some websites have the FF1 source code up and available, as well as all the sprites and infamous sprite comics *cough8bittheatrecough* that run off donations and T-shirt sales floating around the internet. It's just blind Cease and Desist syndrome, IMO.

Anyway, in keeping with the Blind C&D theme, Stroud Crife really WOULD probally be safe until it gets particularly buzzworthy, since these companies appear to hire people for the sole sake of trolling Google/botcrawling the web for violations. I'm pretty sure re-arranging letters would defeat it quite easily :p

This has been your regular Kojiro Historical Disambiguation and/or Correction. We now return to your regularly scheduled thread.

[Borde]

Men, sure you two are good 3D artists. But I agree with what has already been said: doing it on an completly new engine would far easier than inserting it on the original FF7.
The hi-res background would be a very nice addition if someone ever figures out how to force the game to render them at the correct resolution, though.

[EmperorSteele]

KT makes a very good point about blind C&D orders.  In fact, most of these letters are the exact same thing they sent to the last guy, except with a few words changed, and in a lot of cases don't even pertain to the case directly.

Still, Square still has a profitable, vested interest in all things FF7.  While they may not go after fanartists or fanfic writers, or even us, fo that matter, I'd say recreating a part of thier game would raise a few eyebrows.  Still, keep it quiet until completion and you should be all set =)

[KojiroTakenashi]

Well, my point is noone would find it under the name Stroud Crife :p

[Qhimm]

And if it was indeed kick-ass, people would surely keep their mouths shut and not tell their friends, and it would never reach any news site? Uh-huh.

[rmco2003]

You could always do the RPG Maker thing, keep it secret until it's done, then spread it over the web so they can't do anything

[Qhimm]

You could always do the RPG Maker thing, keep it secret until it's done, then spread it over the web so they can't do anything

...except sue you out of sheer spite.

There is of course the option of releasing it anonymously, but I doubt anyone would really do that.