Author Topic: Mod: FF7 Prequel (input requested) (Read 21340 times)

Lazy Bastard · « **on:** 2012-07-12 21:54:04 »

With no promise of ever actually performing such a feat, I'd like your thoughts concerning the possibility of an FF7 mod in the form of a prequel (title to be decided, based on story).

With the tools already available, some manual work in various areas, and perhaps even the creation of a tool here and there for specific purposes, we can now pretty much change whatever we like in FF7. The primary limits are creativity, time, and effort.

I realize there are already prequels in the FF7 universe, but:

1. There are plenty of places and time periods that haven't been expanded upon, and
2. I consider the existing prequel work to be far inferior to the original, and I would perhaps go so far as to completely disregard all prequel story content, rewriting it if you will.

If a prequel were created, it would most likely be of the same (game-play) length as the first disc of FF7, and if well-received, would be followed by other prequels, and possibly a sequel to the original as well. I'm not sure at this point if the story would be open to suggestions as it's written, or open to general suggestions from the outset, but kept private until release. The former could yield a more well-rounded story with a lower probability of mistakes ("Wait, Zack's last birthday was two days before that!"), but the latter would be a lot more attractive to hard-core fans and avid FF7 players, such as the members of Qhimm.com's forums (finally playing the finished version of a game you spent countless hours proofreading, helped write, and knew the storyline of months ago just isn't as fun as playing something entirely new to you). Of course, a compromise between the two would likely be optimal - bringing in a couple of people to ensure the finished product is polished to a high sheen

A final note: this mod will start as a PSX mod. It could be ported later to the PC version, but I've never even played the PC version, so someone else would have to complete that portion of the project.

Let me know what you think.

LeonhartGR · « **Reply #1 on:** 2012-07-12 21:58:45 »

I loved Crisis Core's story as prequel...

Vgr · « **Reply #2 on:** 2012-07-12 22:15:59 »

Quote from: Leonhart7413 on 2012-07-12 21:58:45

I loved Crisis Core's story as prequel...

However it is nowhere near accurate for a prequel, but that is a different topic.

I like the idea. However, it is *NOT* a one-man's job. I've known many people (who were even on this forums) that tried similar but they stopped at some point. The best is to keep us updated and have more than one person working on it.

LeonhartGR · « **Reply #3 on:** 2012-07-12 22:50:45 »

It should be more accurate but I was so emotionally attached with all character's relations and conflicts...

Lazy Bastard · « **Reply #4 on:** 2012-07-13 19:14:57 »

While there will always be those that toe the company-release line regardless of quality, ignoring inadequate or inconsistent prequel material certainly isn't a new concept. Pretty much every video game/comic book/animated series that has been made into a movie has then been made into another movie that ignores the previous movies, and sometimes this occurs more than once (The Incredible Hulk, for example). Directors and writers are often handed the rights to a series that has been butchered, and instead of writing a sequel to an awful rendition, they simply say, "Well, that was terrible. Now let's all pretend like it never happened...and HERE is how Spider-Man really got his powers."

ajthedj747 · « **Reply #5 on:** 2012-07-14 17:27:24 »

Quote from: Lazy Bastard on 2012-07-12 21:54:04

With no promise of ever actually performing such a feat, I'd like your thoughts concerning the possibility of an FF7 mod in the form of a prequel (title to be decided, based on story).

Let me know what you think.

You know what I think? I think this is a great idea, yet we need to get certain members of this forum with certain talents to help. Since I am a work-a-holic, I do not have much free time to help out, yet count me in. It would be cool to redo parts of Crisis Core and that one Japanese Anime Short called Last Order into the environment of Final Fantasy VII PC. I think someone already wanted to do this starting with Nibelheim as the starting point.

To be honest, I have daydreamed of how cool it would be to freely control Zax in the place of Young Cloud in the different prequel sequences. The same goes for Sephiroth, which I am told you can do that with him in the @xLostWingx's Lost Wing Complete Overhaul. So yeah, I am all for this.

Lazy Bastard · « **Reply #6 on:** 2012-07-14 20:31:35 »

Quote from: ajthedj747

You know what I think? I think this is a great idea, yet we need to get certain members of this forum with certain talents to help. Since I am a work-a-holic, I do not have much free time to help out, yet count me in. It would be cool to redo parts of Crisis Core and that one Japanese Anime Short called Last Order into the environment of Final Fantasy VII PC. I think someone already wanted to do this starting with Nibelheim as the starting point.

Ack, I wasn't specific enough. This mod would be for the PSX version...although I suppose I could probably port most of the work fairly easily to the PC version later.

Also, I intend to completely ignore the Crisis Core and Last Order story lines, in favor of a prequel story more true to the original (and more accurate).

Jenova's Witness · « **Reply #7 on:** 2012-07-14 20:51:36 »

Lazy Bastard · « **Reply #8 on:** 2012-07-14 21:04:40 »

An interesting concept. I was considering making an initial prequel, then several subsequent ones after the first one is released. One of them would have centered on the Cetra, although I hadn't given it much thought as you clearly have

ajthedj747 · « **Reply #9 on:** 2012-07-15 21:27:07 »

Quote from: Jenova's Witness on 2012-07-14 20:51:36

I've been thinking of the same thing ever since I first played FF7, when it first came out.

The prequel I imagined took place a long time ago, when the Cetra roamed the planet, cultivated lifeforms, and lived alongside the creatures which later sealed their memories inside materia, becoming Summons. This takes place before the Weapons were created, before the Black Materia or the White Materia had a reason to exist, before Jenova crashed into the planet, before anyone even needed materia, as all one had to do was pray to the planet, and to the spirits of one's ancestors, to receive their blessing in the form of magic.

Basically, you just roam around the planet, sail the seas, and live your life until a comet appears in the sky. This worries everyone, especially as the comet gets closer and closer, and eventually smashes into the planet, far in the north. Over time, the climate changes as the planet sends the lifestream deep into the earth (in the north, around the wound) to heal the wound.

The Centra who go north to cultivate the land, to bring forth life and thereby produce more spirit energy to heal the planet are the first to see the creature. They see it as nothing but a horrifying mass of tentacles, and they flee. Those that return to investigate find something shaped like a beautiful woman, which entices them, seduces them, and ultimately infects them, driving them mad and mutating them into lovecraftian horrors.

The thing shaped like a woman moves from one Cetra camp to another, spreading disease and madness. You are prepared to fight, but there is dissent within your tribe. There are those that wish to flee into the depths of the earth, who wish to hide and wait out the calamity, until it's killed all other life, when it may leave this planet or go to sleep.

You curse these people, and kick them out of your tribe. They flee to the hills, covering their ears to escape the cries of torment that echo in the hills and valley, as the planet suffers.

You take the remnants of your tribe north, where you fight the invader, killing your former kinsmen, now monsters who display a seeming mental link with the invader, a sort of hive mind, creatures bent to the will of this alien outsider. Eventually, you manage to damage it enough that it reveals it's true form, with tentacles and a bizarre carapace coming from the female form. You instruct the surviving members of your tribe to summon the lifestream away from the wound, as you seal it, and yourself, deep in a cave. Where you fight it one last time, until your allies can use the Materia which used to be their friends and lovers (this is the explanation as to why all materia is used for war or battle, and not for, say, cooking eggs) to seal yourself and Jenova in stone and fire.

The story ends with the few dozen Cetra attempting to renew the planet, and to continue their previous lifestyle. They kill many of the fiends and monsters, and drive the rest into hiding. As they roam the plains and sail the rivers, their formers kinsman come out of their caves, and walk down out of the mountains. Though your people hail them, and call them to join them, they do not listen to you, and they ignore the calls of the planet, as they can no longer hear it's voice.

You are right on target, mate! Perfect ideas!

What costume designs would look good on the Cetra? The wall murals made them look like Egyptians.

Jenova's Witness · « **Reply #10 on:** 2012-07-16 21:56:59 »

Lazy Bastard · « **Reply #11 on:** 2012-07-16 23:11:16 »

All interesting questions, many of which I've wondered myself. And yes, much of the Cetra lore created by the FF7 team was modeled after Jewish (mostly Kabbalah, if I recall correctly) legend and religion...and specifically, things like Sephiroth and Jenovah were pretty obvious.

Lazy Bastard · « **Reply #12 on:** 2012-07-23 19:25:38 »

Having mapped out most of the technical details and successfully performed a series of tests related to the creation of such a mod, I'm currently working on the script for the initial scenes, after which I'll create and release a short proof-of-concept mod, and post a video on YouTube.

Jenova's Witness · « **Reply #13 on:** 2012-07-23 19:50:18 »

Lazy Bastard · « **Reply #14 on:** 2012-07-23 20:25:15 »

Quote from: Jenova's Witness

Wait, you're turning my ideas into a mod? SWEETNESS.

No, I'm referring to the topic as a whole, and my general idea of prequels using the original FF7 engine (at this point I'm still considering which timeline and character set to focus on for the first prequel). However, after the initial prequel, one of several subsequent prequels may center on the Cetra, and if so, perhaps we should collaborate on the storyline

Jenova's Witness · « **Reply #15 on:** 2012-07-23 21:46:07 »

LeonhartGR · « **Reply #16 on:** 2012-07-23 22:00:53 »

I'll be following you! Good luck!

*What I was interested in watching is a prequel senario that will include all the details about Jenova's conditions to visit the earth and destroy the planet. What was actually happening in their planet to make the necessity to inhabit another planet ... or was it something else?

ajthedj747 · « **Reply #17 on:** 2012-08-05 04:34:27 »

Quote from: Jenova's Witness on 2012-07-23 21:46:07

I'm not sure if I have the time to write a good story, but you can do whatever the hell you want with the stuff I've written on the Cetra so far.

We should all collaborate and start a new project together.

Team work has created many great things, such as PitBrat's Bootleg Configurator.

EDIT:

Oh Sweet, a demo would be marvelous. Please consider using the Al Bhed as inspiration for the Cetra. Have you thought of coming up with Eight Main Characters and Twelve Main Villains, just like in Final Fantasy VII?

Lazy Bastard · « **Reply #18 on:** 2012-08-05 04:40:39 »

I've already begun this project; a demo will be ready for release sometime in the near future.

ultima espio · « **Reply #19 on:** 2012-08-05 14:12:32 »

Quote from: Leonhart7413 on 2012-07-12 21:58:45

I loved Crisis Core's story as prequel...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDhDpZa6dhA

LeonhartGR · « **Reply #20 on:** 2012-08-05 15:29:05 »

lol If it's gonna be the same story I'll better stick to CC, just for the graphics

Lazy Bastard · « **Reply #21 on:** 2012-08-05 16:16:44 »

Quote from: ajthedj747

Oh Sweet, a demo would be marvelous. Please consider using the Al Bhed as inspiration for the Cetra. Have you thought of coming up with Eight Main Characters and Twelve Main Villains, just like in Final Fantasy VII?

As noted above, this mod will not be related to the Cetra. In one of a series of subsequent mods, I intend to do that. As for the number of protagonists and antagonists...I haven't put any thought into it, and don't see a reason to. Are you referring to pure symbolism, or something else I'm missing?

A note: ultima espio's mod is not related to mine.

ultima espio: PC version?

ultima espio · « **Reply #22 on:** 2012-08-05 16:39:01 »

Yeah PC. It's not a mod either, and it won't be going any further

Just me messing about making the Aeris patch a couple of years ago

Lazy Bastard · « **Reply #23 on:** 2012-08-05 17:08:05 »

Ah, cool.

dkma841 · « **Reply #24 on:** 2012-08-11 15:58:32 »

Interesting stuff LazyBastard! So im guessing that's why you were getting your hands dirty and go through tools etc and doing something with coding which is way over my head lol, guess you should change your name to Hardworking Bastard