Final Fantasy 8 > Releases
[FF8PC - Steam] Succession Mod (v.1.0)
Percival:
I think it will be a shame if we won't be able to cry as we play our own games. - Nobuo Uematsu
If you can create an HD remaster of the graphics, can you create an HD remaster of the story?
Yes, you can...and in honor of this game's 20th anniversary, that's exactly what I've done.
Final Fantasy 8: Succession
Download from the Nexus: Here
Direct download link: Here
- About FF8: Succession -
Spoiler: show
This is not a gameplay mod, this is a story mod. This mod is designed to be the companion piece to my gameplay mod, Martial Law.
The goal of this mod was to enhance the overall quality of the game's dialogue, by improving on the English localization, and enriching the characterization of the main cast. Beyond that, this mod seeks to improve both the plot of the game and how that plot is told.
This mod is not a fan fiction, or a way to insert speculative theories into the narrative. Instead, it is an attempt to enhance the story that already exists. The approach taken in making this mod has been that of a script doctor, and has resulted in a COMPREHENSIVE SCRIPT OVERHAUL. Any changes to the story have been made primarily for one of three reasons: to clarify the characters' motivations for their actions, to eliminate apparent inconsistencies in the plot, or to enhance the themes already present in the original story. The aim was to change as little as possible of the story, while changing as much as necessary to how that story is conveyed.
With that said, almost every line of dialogue in the main story line has been altered to some extent. Most of the changes are small, but a few of the changes have been massive. The greatest change is in the effects of the Guardian Forces. Let me be clear: in this story, none of the characters HAVE AMNESIA. Many people will be happy to hear that, and I agree with them. But a change as large as that does have ripple effects in the story, and a number of other things have had to change as a result.
Beyond removing amnesia, TIME COMPRESSION has also been removed. It is a plot contrivance that most will admit was poorly explained and poorly executed. But it is also more necessary to the main plot than the amnesia, and so removing it has had greater implications on the story as a whole. That means that a more comprehensive change to the plot was necessary to resolve this issue. I am very confident, however, that the alternate explanation I have provided is less contrived and more coherent, and also has a more personal and meaningful impact on the main characters.
There are several other similar, but lesser changes that have been made, and each of these comes with its own ripple effects. I have done my best to weave all these changes together in a way that is both believable and compelling, while sacrificing as little of the original as possible.
The integrity of the characters, both their characterization and disposition, has been maintained, for the most part. The characters subjected to the most change have been Seifer, Rinoa, and Headmaster Cid. Each of these characters have had their motivations refined. As a result, their presence in the story is more pronounced, and their effects on the main character carry more weight.
My hopes for this mod is that it will improve the quality of the game, without taking away anything that made it good in the first place. For anyone who loved the original game, this should only make you love it more. And for those of you who took issue with the game due to its story, this mod is definitely a reason to give the game a second chance.
This mod was inspired by the desire to have a story worthy of its OST.
- Text Boxes -
Spoiler: show
Another aspect of the game that this mod seeks to address was the placement of the text boxes. In the original, there were many times when the dialogue box obstructed something crucial to the scene. This was usually some action taken by the characters, or the faces of those speaking. This issue is present in nearly every scene in the game. It can be incredibly distracting, and makes it more challenging to connect with both the events taking place and the emotion of the characters.
It is possible that this was not as much of a problem in the original Japanese, since the length of the text will ultimately determine how much of the screen it obstructs. It is very likely that none of the boxes were changed following any language translation. But along with edited text, most of the text boxes in this mod have been edited as well, solving most of these issues.
This change is the sort of quality of life improvement that I believe makes this mod worth having if only just for that.
Original Succession
- How to use this Mod -
Spoiler: show
This mod requires the steam version of Final Fantasy 8. It may also work for the older PC version of the game, but I have not tried it for myself. To use this mod, simply copy the three files, field.fi, field.fl, and field.fs to your FF8 steam folder:
data>lang en.
Replace the original field files with the ones from the mod. And I always recommend making a backup. That's it!
- Mod Progress -
Spoiler: show
This mod is now officially complete! I have rewritten every major scene in the entire game. And while it may not meet all of my lofty hopes, I am very satisfied with the result.
The original script for this game is around 75,000+ words, and that only includes the main story. That is the size of a small novel. I have not had a chance to tabulate the total length of this rewrite, but I would not be surprised if it is well over 80,000 words.
With that said, I do not have a proofreader, and so there are bound to be some minor typos throughout the work, and I will likely release more than one small update to correct anything brought to my attention. It may not yet be perfect, but it is eminently readable, and is almost as error-free as most first edition books released today.
For a sample of the many improvements made, check out the videos:
Youtube Playlist
- A Word to Other Modders -
Spoiler: show
If you have already played through this game multiple times, like me, and the original narrative is becoming stale, this is definitely the mod for you. It will provide you with an interesting and refreshing take on a story already familiar to you.
If your goal is speed, and you tend to mash through the text as fast as possible to get to the battles, then this mod is definitely not for you. Due to the many changes in dialogue, the script is at least 10% longer than the original in most places, and will take a bit more time to get through. (Though I would still recommend experiencing it just once.)
The changes in this mod are no longer 100% text only. I have taken the risk of breaking my own rule to create a few changes to the musical directing in the game. There are currently less than a dozen moments in the story where I have replaced the original track that played with one I considered to be more appropriate for that scene. These tracks are from the OST, they are just a different song from the original in that scene. If my instincts on these changes are correct, then very few people will notice, and even the most die-hard fan will not disagree.
- Tools used -
Deling - by myst6re
eXistenZe:
Honestly, I prefer the original...
Making some corrections is one thing. Changing the story is another. Ok... But in your video you change how character personalities roll out. Squall was the ailent type, and seifer always insults zell. Seing that changed is not very friendly to the fans...
Percival:
No worries, man. There are a lot of fans who prefer the original gameplay or graphics, too. As with any mod, I appreciate the feedback. And it is still a work in progress.
After playing the game so many times myself, I was just looking to create a more nuanced experience. Squall still maintains his personality, but in a manner that better suits a young man with the potential to lead an army.
Seifer is definitely the one who’s been altered the most. He has a greater sense of superiority and indifference, rather than pettiness. He insults both Zell and Squall. He just says it to Quistis. He even threatens Zell with violence if he doesn't follow his orders. My goal was to make him as intimidating in the story, as gameplay mods have made him in battle.
What did you think of the video of the inauguration dance with Rinoa and Quistis?
eXistenZe:
Some parts I liked, like reporting quistsis for flirting with a student. It goes in character with squall and it's funny.
The whole game develops towards friendship between the students, even Seifer. Throwing teen insults at everyone fills his role. Superiority and indifference does not.
You can change a lot in the game dialogs developing the characters further, but without breaking their roles in the story.
Removing amnesia is not a bad concept, but you will need a huge plot change for the trabia scenes. It's sort of the game story twist.
It's a shame I don't have the time now to test the mod. When it develops further perhaps I'll find some time to do so. Also, I hope you get some proper feedback to give ideas.
Percival:
--- Quote from: eXistenZe on 2019-08-18 19:43:35 ---Some parts I liked, like reporting quistsis for flirting with a student. It goes in character with squall and it's funny.
--- End quote ---
Thank you very much!
--- Quote from: eXistenZe on 2019-08-18 19:43:35 ---The whole game develops towards friendship between the students, even Seifer.
--- End quote ---
I agree with you, but not with Seifer. Seifer is a very challenging character to write. He goes from not getting along with his peers, to willfully launching missiles at them, with the intent of killing everyone in Balamb Garden, including Raijin and Fujin. The only redemption he has is post-game, and we don’t have the opportunity to experience it.
--- Quote from: eXistenZe on 2019-08-18 19:43:35 ---Throwing teen insults at everyone fills his role. Superiority and indifference does not.
--- End quote ---
You’re right. His given role is that of a schoolyard bully. Unfortunately, this contrasts very sharply with his apparent ability to lead an army of his own. I wanted to strike a balance between these two, with a character that was still petty and spiteful, but also had the grist to become a future general.
--- Quote from: eXistenZe on 2019-08-18 19:43:35 ---Superiority and indifference does not.
--- End quote ---
Superiority and indifference are definitely aspects of Seifer's vanilla character, especially toward Zell. Remember his “Swatting at flies” comment? Not to mention him ditching his team, both during the mission, and afterward with the car.
--- Quote from: eXistenZe on 2019-08-18 19:43:35 ---Removing amnesia is not a bad concept, but you will need a huge plot change for the trabia scenes. It's sort of the game story twist.
--- End quote ---
Trust me, I am well aware of this. I’ve already finished rewriting that scene. It took more than a month…
I really do value the feedback, and will continue to make tweaks for a future update. I have already finished the entire story, every single scene, up until the end of disc 2. That’s well over half the game in terms of story.
I am not interested in forcing my mod to become anyone’s new head-cannon or anything. If you do ever play it, let me know. After all, isn’t that what this forum is for?
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