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Messages - zaphod77

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1
I've noticed a few things in the videos.

1) the camera moves 4 times as fast at the start of the battle.  I get that this is probably hard to fix, but wondering what the real issue is. It's not a deal breaker really.
2) characters and monsters dash in and out at 4 times the speed.  this one is much more jarring.  Is it really unfixable?

2
Troubleshooting / All about those pesky wind barriers.
« on: 2021-01-08 19:08:10 »
Throughout time people have had issues trying to get past these barriers on PC.  To wit

1) The timing is pickier on PC.  I haven't confirmed this by comparing the field scripts but other people have said this.  I suspect that this is a tuning change that didn't exist in the earlieqr version used as the basis for the PC port. it' also not very obvious where the actual dangerous spot IS, which doesn't help.

2) Sometimes the wind never dies down.  This is a purely graphical bug, but it does make it impossible to time your passage.  For vanilla 1.02, activating riva/tnt mode causes this.  Using upscaled backgrounds also usually causes this as well.  This is because dynamic palette adjustment is used to change the colors on the constantly scrolling background layer to make the wind visually die down.  Riva mode simply turns off the palette adjustment capability, because those cards had no 8 bit palette textures support.  You had to go to software mode just to resolve the issue.  Replacing the background with a mod causes a similar issue.  the palette changes won't register, so the wind never goes down.  Aali's driver eventually implemented this, so everything based on it has this fixed (all releases after the square enix store one, plus all modded drivers currently available) NX may have this fixed when using upscaled field textures. PSX is always fine.  If this happens to you on non vanilla, you must remove your texture mods for woa_1,woa_2, and woa_3, restoring the original ones for the area.

3) Often the green tornados get out of sync with where the game thinks they should be.  This does not happen on psx version.  This is because in the PSX version, there is code to stop the bg scroll whenever a field script is interrupted while in the whirlwind maze. On every PC version i can play, the scroll continues while the field script pauses for menu and/or battles.  This means opening the menu while on woa_2 or woa_3 will desync it, and getting zapped desyncs it. this is fixable by entering and leaving the screen, or entering and leaving the menu until the tornado looks right. The tornado is animated by background scrolling, and the field script can't actually check the position of the background layer, so it just uses some variables as counters to determine when it's safe to pass. For the one without the lightning, I recommend the menu method. for the third, it's much harder to tell if it's out of sync, so you should leave and reenter if you get tagged.

The lightning in screen 3 can't go out of sync, as it's animated a different way that's foolproof (parts of layer 1 are added and removed). it does three zaps, a random pause, then two zaps, and another random pause.  but it's always long enough to slip past during the pause, provided the wind is also low at the time.

3
General Discussion / Re: Windows 10 version of FFVII?
« on: 2021-01-04 05:07:17 »
it does have the cheats from the  ps4 version.  and some of them aren't in any mod yet.

4
General Discussion / Re: Windows 10 version of FFVII?
« on: 2021-01-03 17:59:57 »
Okay seems there's some huge 26 meg UWP application. the english exe and jp exe are hidden at

ff7\resources\ff7_1.02

without their exe extensions. they don't seem to actually run, though, wanting some files that are not at all present in this release. it seems the 26 meg wrapper deals with this.

I'm not sure this version can even be converted.  it does have a nice shiny japanese ver exe hidden in it though.

it does seem to have xbox AND ps4 controllers natively supported, with button prompts.  a nice trick.  and if course it has the ogg music, and the new cheats. (3x speed, no encounters, insta limit break, dialog skip)

the button prompt thing and the new cheats are the most interesting feature i think.

Replacing data files with modded versions should still work.  So mods that don't touch the exe should be installable.

5
General Discussion / Windows 10 version of FFVII?
« on: 2021-01-02 23:47:57 »
Apparently there's a windows 10 only version that was made at the same time as the ps4 version.

This one i expect has xbox button prompts, and has achivements.

Does anyone actually have this, and are there any features it has to recommend it over the steam release?

In particular, do the slots work right (60fps), and do the animated backgrounds work properly?

6
General Discussion / Re: [FFVII] ATB Wait does nothing
« on: 2020-03-09 07:18:02 »
Active=only stops for summons/equivalents.
Recomended=atbs gauges stop filling while attacks/magic are actually happening.
Wait=ATBs also stop while spell/item/target selection menus open.

It has NEVER stopped when the root menu was open ever.

In all three settings, as near as I can tell, any ENEMY who's gauge (that you can't see) fills goes instantly, or after the current attack animation finishes if on active, while party members go in the order they filled. limit breaks are sort of an exception, as even if you have a party member's gauge that filled while an enemy was taking a turn, if the enemy's attack caused a limit gauge to fill, that character will be lined up for next turn as soon as the limit break is selected and targeted.

The practical result is that on Active if you have any menu open including root, ALL player turns are paused regardless of player ATB gauges, and ALL enemy turns that are ready can cut ahead in line until you lock in a player action. On Recommended the enemy gauges fill up slower because they are paused during attacks. On wait, opening a submenu stops the enemies from adding to their gauge.

7
Troubleshooting / Re: XG midi on windows vista?
« on: 2016-11-07 04:16:00 »
I know this is a necrobump, but i have new information on the topic, so it belongs here in this thread.

Turn out that VSTi can not be bought by any means!

even the full version of SOL2 only came with the trial s-yxg50 VSTi, or so i've been told.

The full version was never actually released!  Yamaha decided to discontinue the product before it was even sold to stop competing with their hardware synths.

I'm actually trying to get in touch with yamaha to try and find out how to buy it, and if it can't be bought, if they care about it being hacked.  Will report back once i find out the legal status of this particular VSTi.

Ok, having got in touch with Yamaha, turns out they do still care.

These are the following legitimate ways to get XG midi with final fantasy 7. ALL OTHERs are not legit.

1) be running windows 9x.  use the one you get with the game.
2) have a soundcard that comes with the synth, and uses windows 98.
3) upgrade 1 or 2 above to xp, and get the update from MS to upgrade it to XP. 
4) run xp or earlier in a virtual machine and use one of the above.
5) use one of the above and record looping oggs of the xg songs to plug into steam version.  (or find someone else who's done this)
6) install a soundcard with hardware XG support and drivers for your OS.  good luck finding one of them now.
7) buy a hardware xg tone generator, and hook it up to pc with a midi interface. (this is what Yamaha wants you to do)

https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-Mu-80-Sound-Module-Ancestor/dp/B004AP3OCM is the one you want.

Installing from the ms cab file by hand is something Yamaha doesn't really care about, because they believe xp will completely die soon enough, and yamaha is NOT bothering to ask MS to take down the files. The guy pretty much said "xp is dying we don't care, those files won't be around forever".

To be clear on number 3. you can manually install the driver on xp for the softsynth from ms, and you need no activation key.  This is legal if you own a copy of s-yxg50 software.  Owning ff7 non steam version DOES count for this. (s-yxg70 is simply s-yxg20 and s-yxg50 combined into one product. nice math. :) )  So does owning a soundcard that came with it (you will have a certificate with a key on it if this is so)

If you bought the steam version but not the disc version, you do NOT own a copy of the softsynth, and installing the update cab by hand is piracy, though yamaha doesn't really care about it, since it's limited to XP.

If you are on vista/7/8/10 you gotta buy the hardware tone generator, since you cannot buy the VSTi, since yamaha is refusing to sell it, and never has sold it.

Sucks, but them's the breaks.  If you have the disc, use XP or earlier to get working midi.

And no, grabbing a copy of the yamaha samples and using timidity++ isn't legit either, as you are violating copyright on their samples.

8
Well i kinda thought the whole idea for button prompts is to have the info in game right. :)  So i figured an additional utility would be useful to configure the controller input right. :)

I'd do it myself if I knew how to write out that file and enumerate controller data from inside a program. :)

I simply described it in the hopes someone who knew more than me would step in. :)


9
Logitech controllers work two ways.

when in directinput mode, which is what you should use, they are mapped same as ps3 wired controller except home button is missing.

When you use them in xinput mode, they are mapped as an xbox 360 controller, which screws over directinptut games that can't map an axis as a button.

The proper solution for those users is to use directinput mode, to get the ability to press both triggers, and then use the ps3 setup with xbox icons.

Also did some testing of my own. seems you have to do two things.
1) define the buttons in the configurator so they match default ff8 controls. 
2) use this info to pick the icons.

not all ps2 usb adapters are even consistent.  they tend to not agree on buttons 5-12.

ps3/4 ARE consistent.

here's what i've worked out.

For ps3/logitech in dinput mode
button 1=square/X
button 2 =cross/A
button 3=circle/B
button 4=triangle/Y
button 5=L1/LB
Button 6=R1/RB
button 7=L2/LT
button 8=R2/RT
button 9=select/<
button 10=start/>
button 11=L3/left click (unused normally)
button 12=R3/right click (unused normally)
Button 13=home/none

Xbox off course there's an isue with the triggers. they can't be deteced by the game.

button 1=A
button 2=B
button 3=x
button 4=y
button 5=LB
button 6=rb
button 7=back
buton 8=start
button 9=left click
button 10=right click.

ps2 converters are USUALLY, from 1 to 12
triangle
circle
cross
square
l2
r2
l1
r1
select
start
l3
r3


but sometimes these get shuffled around.

while the first four are nearly always the same, sometimes l1 is before l2, and sometimes select and start are swapped. and sometimes select is swapped with l3 and start with r3.  there are variations. i don't have as many converters as i used to so i can't document all of these.  also sometimes they disagree on which axis the right analog gets mapped to.

10
I'm quite interested in the psx button prompts mod.

There should also probably be an xbox360 button prompts mod as well.

For future reference, here's how to detect controllers by enumerating the axes and buttons.

The following can be ps1/2 controllers using a converter, or native pc controllers.

1) X/Y,10 buttons. normal non analog ps1 controller, or pc clone of one.
2) X/Y/XRot/YRot/12 buttons 1 pov hat = dualshock 2, or pc clone of one
3) X/Y/Z/ZRot/12 buttons 1 pov hat = same.
4) X/Y/XRot/YRot/16 buttons=dualshock 2 on really old usb converter. in this case 12-16 are probably the d-pad
5) X/Y/Z/Zrot/16 buttons=same

if these combinations are detected, the new configurator we make can ask if it's a ps1/2 controller .upon yes, we can then ask the people to press the matching buttons/move the sticks to configure the controls for matching button prompts.  USUALLY triangle is button 1, but the converters are not consistent, so we need to ask. In particular, they never agree on which buttons are 9-12.

Certain logitech dual analog controllers also show up like this.  They will also show as 12 buttons, but usually use the ps3 mapping below except for lack of home button.

The following is a wired ps3 controller
13 buttons, 1 pov hat, x/y/Zaxis/zrotation
In this case, we do not need to ask anything because we already know what button is what.  It is ALWAYS the following
X/Y=left analog, x axis=right left and right, X rotation is up and down. square is button 1, x is 2, circle is 3, triangle is 4, l1=5,r1=6,l2=7,r2=8,select=9,start=10,l3=11,r3=12,home=13.

If someone manages to hookup a ps3 controller using special drivers, the same mapping will apply most likely, unless they emulate a 360 controller, or activate the tilt. If the tilt is activated, then x rot and y rot are the tilt.

ps4 controller is exactly the same as ps3, with 13 buttons. 13 buttons is the magic cue we don't need to ask questions.

xbox 360/one, on the other hand, shows up as

x/y/z/xrot/yrot/pov hat/10 buttons. buttons are, in order,

a/b/x/y/rb/lb/ back/start/left analog clock/right analog click.  guide is not detected.
z- is right trigger, and z+ is left

xrot and y rot are right analog, and the directions you would expect.

Sadly, this IS an issue with ff7, because i can't see the triggers at ALL.  So the only fix is to map them to analog clcks, and that doesn't work very well. :(

We detect a xbox controller by presence of 5 axes, and 10 buttons, and 1 pov hat.  we then know we can install the xbox prompts mode and the xbox mapping.

With this knowledge, an intelligent configurator can be made for both the mappings in launcher AND for any psx/xbox prompts mod. :)

11
Releases / Re: [FF7PC-98/Steam] Anxious Heart (A04 FINAL)
« on: 2016-05-23 20:16:47 »
well it existed as of version 4.  I had it happen. it writes the logg files, then tries to rename them, and the rename fails because it would conflict with the old one.



12
Releases / Re: [FF7PC-98/Steam] Anxious Heart (A04 FINAL)
« on: 2016-05-22 07:12:57 »
Bumping because i have useful info.

The reason the installer fails on the 2012 (steam) mode is because it tries to rename the new files without renaming the OLD ones first. 

if you move the old music files into  subdirectory, THEN run the installer it actually works.

if someone sends me the batch file used for the installer i can make the proper one easily enough and fix it.

13
Oh. that seems a little more reasonable.  Crazy confusing numbering system....


still it's quite the money grab since i'd just be paying for the birth by sleep part.  And 3d without the touchscreen really isn't anything close o the same game.

14
Because it's FFX/X2 HD Remaster. :)

Square simply does not sell remasters stand alone. they always bundle it.

Personally i'm pissed at Kingdom Hearts 2.8 remix, since i already bought 2.5 on ps3...

15
Already spotted one bug. after the first sinspawn fight when you are swimming around it says B: go down.

I actually needed to press A to swim down  no configuration was changed.

do like the "orignal soundtrack" option, though it seems the volume is lower relative to everything else compared to the original game.

16
Just found out the info. Yeah seems they ported Aali's driver to direct3d, with permission.

Still, then why the heck didn't they just grab anxious heart as well, since it's their music... :)

maybe 1.0.8 will have it?

17
Useful info on new 2012 version.

1)it DOES seem to have some sort of shader support. So it may be possible to replace the two hlsl files to improve the look of the game.

2) a fair amount of open source software was ued to make this.

ffmpeg, libogg,libvorbis,libvpx,qt,quazip, and vgmstream (looping OGG support. :) )

3) ff7music is obsolete. any looping ogg file that works with vgmstream will work in 2012. :)

4) most of the "fixes" are no longer needed. it just works.  HOwever..

5) limit break patch, etc that were included with the opengl driver have to be reapplied the old way. We can assume frame limiter patch is in already.

6) modding the data files directly still works, unless you are using hooks for the opengl driver.

7) newtoold conversions mean having to nocd the old executable. this could be abused for piracy. Since someone who bought the 2012 has no CDs to make images or minimages of, they are kinda stuck.  Therefor i recommend people redo their mod installers to handle the new version, and any "newtoold" patch makers make a concerted effort to ensure the Securerom DRM hasn't been tampered with and the new version is actually activated.  The former is easy, the latter is more difficult.

18
well, +1 for the new music and graphics engines. so it plays looping ogg fiels now?

-2 for using the #$@$ GM midis as source. 
+3 for ogg_files.zip :)

-1 for @#@% securerom and forced cloud save sync. Fortunaetly stripping the securerom out (not saying how) also removes the forced cloud sync.

Still, it's a good price, and probably the only version that works on modern cards and has proper sync.

it's up to version 1.0.7 now, btw. honestly square should grab the remastered music and use it. i don't think anyone here will mind. :)

19
Does it still use midi for the music, or have they stuck in a proper softsynth o a routin to use the original PSX music?

If so, i might buy this digital download.

20
General Discussion / Re: Portable FF7 PC?
« on: 2012-04-14 17:35:53 »
Well if you have a psp, you can play the psx version on the go with little difficulty, without pirating. :)

Unfortunately, it's kinda difficult to MOD that particular version. In fact i'm not sure it's possible.

I doubt the PSP has the power to emulate windows and a 3D card and run the PC version.


With custom firmware, and googlable tools you CAN mod your own fff7psx ISOS, then create an eboot that will run on your PSP.

21
General Discussion / Re: Portable FF7 PC?
« on: 2012-04-05 19:12:57 »
Yeah, like apple. :)

MS does not prohibit virtual machines. you just have to pay for the license as if it were a physical computer.

WIth windows 7 business or ultimate you do get a free xp professional license, but it is specific to the OS.


22
THe DRM contained in them makes them impossible to mod without hacking your ps3/psp.

Those with custom psp firmware (easy to do now) can use their own discs to create a version that will play on their psp, and they can mod this version first.  HOwever, performance of modded versions on the emulator in the psp is not guaranteed. only games that have officially been released are guaranteed to work.

23
General Discussion / Re: Portable FF7 PC?
« on: 2012-04-05 18:57:35 »
AS long as you paid for a full license for the OS, there is no legal issue in making a portable virtual machine as the only install of the OS CD. vmware player might actually be good enough for running it.   But there is no portable virtual machine with enough power to run 3d games that I know of. vmware player must be installed on the target PC, because of the os integration required to gain performance.

A more likely to work approach is to purchase the PSX CDs, rip them to disk and run a psx emulator off the flash drive. YOu can even include emulator for windows and linux on the same flash drive.

I still maintain that my procedure is probably the one most likely to give the best results across most windows machines, even though it's not truly portable.

A custom sound driver should probably be developed to match the custom graphics driver. this way a good "fire and forget" config can be created.

24
General Discussion / Re: Portable FF7 PC?
« on: 2012-04-04 03:49:58 »
SO you are telling me a fully portable and stable version with Ali's aggressive anti-nocd driver driver has been made?  With free portabalizing tools?

I know of no other method that can be posted about here. :)

25
General Discussion / Re: Portable FF7 PC?
« on: 2012-04-03 21:18:14 »
A truly portable final fantasy 7 pc cannot be made.

The game insists on storing configuration information in the registry, instead of loading it from a local relative path.

Is it possible to make the game run from a usb drive? yes, and it IS legal. You will need to

a) full install, and copy all movies to hard drive. You DID buy the game, did you not? :)
b) patch ff7.exe so all CD volume names are the same. (after updating and chocobo patching it, if you don't use ali's driver) this prevents needing to change disc, which is required for it to work. Suggest FF7_PORT or something else descriptive.
c) rename your flash drive to the same volume name
d) create a batch file to autodetect the drive letter it's being ran from and write the required configuration info to the registry to convince the game it is installed on the drive's letter.  Also make it set the moviepath. You may need 26 separate reg files. (one for each possible drive letter). DISCLAIMER: I do not know how to do this.
e) (optional) install mods/Ali's driver, etc.
f) copy all this to the flash drive.

Then to run it

a) run your clever batch file you created in d) above once from the drive after plugging it in.
b) run configurator and setup graphics and midi.
c) run ff7.exe
d) repeat a and b above if the flash drives letter changes for any reason (like having a different one plugged in first).

And also

a) keep everything but the batch file (and accompanying .reg files, if any) to yourself. This includes the usb stick ya just made.   Anything else would enable piracy, and earn you a pirate avatar.

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