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Topics - DLPB_

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101
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f475a4a8-4a15-11e2-a7b1-00144feab49a.html#axzz2Lojt7xDv

See the thing is, all 3 main parties in Britain are left wing.  They did used to have an ideological difference, but not anymore. What happens now is every 4 years we have an election, and people vote for the same 3 parties who change nothing (to give you an idea of how retarded our country is at the moment, the so called right wing Conservative Party are in a coalition with the left wing Liberal Democrats).  These people were all born, educated and live in nice areas unaffected by crime, and are detached completely from reality.

On Question Time, Michael Heseltine told the British people we can't change it so  "we should live with it".  This is where he lives:

http://s0.geograph.org.uk/photos/33/86/338676_7aa9ab14.jpg



The media, especially the BBC (tax funded), is infested with liberal left socialist bias.  Democracy does not exist here.  The people vote, but they do so based on 1 side of the argument, with a socialist bias presented on every subject.  Nothing is properly debated, so in the end, most voters vote how they are TOLD to by the media and education system.

Labour decided to speed up immigration deliberately to rub the right's nose in it (as one of Blair's speech writers said).   Multiculturalism was a term made popular after it was clear certain sections of the community were not going to integrate. Instead of confronting a problem, it was just redefined as "Diversity" and "Multiculturalism".  Unfortunately, redefining a problem does not make it go away.  Crime, segregation and intolerance have greatly increased in London over the years, and now the white British people are leaving it. Why would they want to stay in a place they can no longer identify with?

The other reasons for mass immigration is that the "right" see it as a way to get money from big business hiring cheaper workers, and the left see it as a way to increase their votes at elections.   The ordinary man and woman on the street pay the price, not the bastards who orchestrated it all.

Anybody who wants to bring these issues up is slammed as a racist.  Whether it is being critical of the war-lord Muhammad and his crazy cult,

Quote
Qur’an:9:5 “Fight and kill the disbelievers wherever you find them, take them captive, harass them, lie in wait and ambush them using every stratagem of war.”

Quote
Qur'an (5:51) - "O you who believe! do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people."

(If I wrote a book with that, it would be banned, and I would be subject to arrest.)

 or whether it is being against an immigration policy that is brewing civil war, you are accused of being a racist nutter.  No one wants to deal with the real issues affecting Britain (and the same goes for places like Detroit in America).

The truth is, certain cultures, and one particular religion, are not suited to a western style democracy, and if you then allow a massive influx of those people and groups into your country, your own identity is lost.  The worst thing though, is that a flash point comes about, and this breeds war and destruction.  Already we have had suicide bombings and mass riots in london. This is just the beginning. 

If something isn't done, we are simply heading for a civil war. 

Tony Blair and the people involved with this socialist experiment should be in the dock for treason.

102
Completely Unrelated / Remember when writing was clever?
« on: 2013-02-21 09:10:57 »
Still happens now. but seldom. 

I wish they'd bring this kind of thing back and do it justice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w8R-ATXXDE

103
Seems I did back up.

Firstly, I am not a modeller, so I can't really help with that side of things.  However, using

http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/User:JBed/FFVII/Characters

 I have compiled a list of what is done or not done.  I have marked in RED, anything which I believe constitutes a model that has not been done and needs to be made.  Most of the ones on my list are trivial... like dogs and cats.  I have not marked objects, those not done will be in white.

From what I can see, the vast number of main models (human characters) are done.  Any corrections to the list, please let me know.

The list is HERE


================================================
I have made a package of what I believe to be the best models that currently exist, whilst making sure there are no duplicates from various authors.  In this way I have made 1 complete update package for use with The Reunion.  So why am I here?  To make you aware of the models that still may need an update due to them being shaded/PRP/Old/Broken. 

 Below are the models I have sorted from Pitbrat's collection:

BATTLE.LGP:

Anfiga - Sephiroth

BloodShot - Cloud, Tifa.

Needs doing:
   1. Shin_Ra Soldiers.
       Although Bloodshot has done a selection of them, I believe they
       are too different to the originals to be used. Obviously this change
       would be reliant on the changes to char.lgp


CHAR.LGP

Bloodshot

       Animation Fixes.

  OBJECT
       Motorbike

Bootleg

  SUPPORT
        FVED_Mr_Coates

Needs doing:
   1. This is an update to Squallff8's model. It may need checking.



Costa07


  OBJECT
        Potions

Needs doing:
   1. These may need an update.  I dunno...  seems a little
       different to the feel of the game, but haven't really
       gone into this much.



Grimmy (updated PRP)

  NPC
        Boy 3  Normal (ctib)
        Camera Man  Normal (cyif)
        Chocobo Racer 2  Normal (gpjb)
        Chocobo Racer 3  Normal (gqfe)
        Condor  Normal (exga)
        Employee 4  Normal (fbba)
        Guard  Normal (fxjc)
        Honey Bee Girl  Rebuild (badd)
        Man 10  Normal (asbf)
        Man 14  Normal (ciac)
        Man 6  Normal (drcc)
        Mechanic  Normal (gzhf)
        Old Man 3  Normal (arfd)
        Reporter 2  Normal (fcgd)
        Reporter 3  Normal (fcaf)

  SUPPORT
        GPCD_Joe

Needs doing:
   1. These are PRP updates.  I have made sure the corresponding
       PRP models have been removed from the package.  These
       are likely to be in a shaded format and may need updating.



PRP

  MONSTER
        BZDA_AirBuster
        EPFB_MateriaKeeper
        FHAA_CarryArmour
        FIBA_Bottomswell
        HKJC_DemonsGate
        HSJD_UltimaWeapon
        HXBC_ProudClod
        HYFD_JenovaSynthesis

  NPC
        AJIF_Airship_Crew
        AKEE_Airship_Crew_Fat
        ASJC_Guide1
        AWCB_Employee1
        BBGE_Woman1
        BCCF_Guide2
        BCGD_Ship_Crew
        BFCA_Fatman
        BFHE_Old_Man1
        BOCC_Old_Farmer
        CBFE_Woman
        CCBC_Man
        CEFD_Man13
        CFBB_Begger
        CFHA_Punk
        CGDA_Child
        CJIF_Man4
        CMIF_Man1
        COAD_Grandma2
        CPCA_Girl2
        CRCA_Man2
        CRID_Man12
        DGCD_Boy1
        DXJE_Old_Woman2
        GBIA_Chocobo_Costume

  OBJECT
        DHGE_Barrel
        EAID_Helicopter
        FNDF_Soccer_Ball
        GJCF_Basketball
        GWIB_HolyMateria
        HHJF_Shinobi
        HJDC_BlackMateria

  SUPPORT
        BLJC_Doctor
        CMDE_Jessie_Top
        DZBB_Knight
        EBEC_Chocobo_Boy
        FZCC_Dragon
        GABE_Wizard
        GAJC_Dio
        GLJD_Mogs
        GOFD_Chocobo_Girl

Needs doing:
   1. These are PRP models and as such many will be shaded
       thus no longer fitting in with the SquallFF8 style. 
       Monsters and Objects should be fine to leave as they are.

   2.  We need some new Materia models.  The ones that came
        with PRP just didn't seem any good to me.



SquallFF8

  MAIN
        FBGE_Caitsith_Reporter

  NPC
        AZHE_RedGuard
        BLDE_Man1
        BPDC_Wrestler2
        BQFB_Man7
        BRAF_Woman1
        BSFC_Obasan1
        BTEC_Nurse
        BWAB_Soldier
        CDJA_Employee3
        CGIF_Boy2
        CHED_Girl3
        CIGE_Detective
        CJCC_Man9
        CKFC_Beach_Man1
        CSED_Man16
        CTCC_Saucer_Staff_Female
        CUFC_Punk1
        CVBA_Punk2
        CVGE_Punk4
        DAFB_Woman2
        DCIC_Man5
        DEDA_Man3
        DFGD_Merchant
        DMCB_Old_Man2
        DMIA_Fat_Man1
        DNDF_Wrestler3
        DOIB_Woman6
        DPEF_Man17
        DQAE_Woman9
        DQGD_Man8
        DSBC_Fat_Woman1
        DSGF_Grandma1
        DTCE_Rocket_Man
        DTJB_Suit_Man
        DXBD_Soldier_With_Gun
        ECBF_Woman7
        ECIB_Woman1
        EDJD_Old_Man4
        EHBE_Woman5
        EIAC_Woman
        EMDF_Man15
        ENAB_Cloud_13yrs
        ESEB_Soldier_With_Sword
        ETFE_Boy_Blank
        EUAF_Girl_Blank
        EUHB_Old_Man
        EWBD_Condor_Man
        EWJE_Condor_Woman
        FKDF_Girl
        FNEF_Man11
        FOBE_Begger2
        FPCB_Woman8
        FRGD_Mayor
        FSGE_Man2
        FTCF_Farmer2
        FTIC_Farmer1
        FUFE_Punk3
        GCBD_Saucer_Staff_Male
        GEBB_Haunted_Butler
        GEHD_Frankenstein
        GHAD_Woman4
        GIHA_Sumo1
        GJAB_Sumo2
        GJHA_Fighter1
        GKCF_Fighter2
        GKID_Fighter3
        GLEB_Fighter4
        GRGA_Cosmo_Man
        GSBE_Costa_Girl
        GSJE_Costa_Woman
        GTFC_Costa_Old_Woman
        GUBA_Costa_Boy
        GWIF_Man2
        GXEF_Man3
        GYDC_Rocket_Woman
        HDGF_Wutai_Man1
        HECD_Wutai_Woman1
        HEIB_Wutai_Woman2
        HFFB_Wutai_Man2
        HGAF_Wutai_Child
        HLFC_Man
        HMBE_Woman

  SUPPORT
        BVDA_TifaFather
        CWED_BigBro
        DDHA_ScruffyMan
        DNJE_Mukki
        DUFA_Scotch
        DVBE_Kotch
        DVHF_DonCorneo
        DYFD_King
        GFDF_MrHangMan
        HGJD_Godo

Needs doing:
   1. These are SquallFF8 models and may need a further update.
   2. Cait Sith Reporter update for Kaldarasha


CHOCOBO.LGP

  PRP

        CD_Chocobo
        DH_Jockey1
        EA_Cloud
        LP_Jockey2
        MI_Cid
        NC_Tifa

Needs doing:
   1. Was this completed? Anyone?


CONDOR.LGP

  StrayOff's Remake

Needs doing:
   1. This is not complete.


HIGH-**.LGP

  Bloodshot's Update

Needs doing:
   1. Was this completed? Anyone?


WORLD_**.LGP

  Costa07

        Buggy
        highwind
        Highwind_HQ
        Submarine

  Kaldarasha

        Chocobo
        Cid
        Cloud Blue
        Tifa

  PRP
 
      Tiny Bronco
      Ultima Weapon
      Ruby Weapon
      Emerald Weapon

Needs doing:
   1. Battle convert of original Diamond Weapon to World Map(?).
   2. Possibly another look at models of Sub/Highwind/Buggy to be more in line with original game?

     


104
Completely Unrelated / This Guy Is Sheer Class
« on: 2013-01-05 03:24:00 »
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cjRGee5ipM

My cousin showed me a few clips of his recently... we stayed up all night laughing :)  The guy's class!

105
It came to my mind that generally I am always looking at what I don't like (because these days I don't like a lot) and this may give the impression that I don't like anything.  So to address this imbalance I wrote an IMDB review on my favourite film, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

--------------
I have just come from watching that pigswill, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, so I thought it only fitting that I review what I believe to be the greatest film of all time.

I don't say that lightly. If you dislike this film, you have a problem. This is why:

1. Characters are perfectly cast and perfectly executed.
2. Story is perfectly executed.
3. Dialogue is perfectly executed.
4. Screenplay is perfectly executed.
5. Pacing is perfectly executed.
6. Tone and feel are perfectly executed.
7. Acting is perfectly executed.
8. Direction is perfectly executed.
9. Music is perfectly executed.
Case in point:
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubVc2MQwMkg
  and
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upjlKlV9uIA
 
10. Set design is perfectly executed.

And I mean PERFECTLY EXECUTED.

There is not one negative I can find about this film (apart from the fact it ended). Not one. Even the added scenes were brilliant and only added to the spectacle. The whole film is a masterpiece, and unlike a lot of films with that tag, this film deserves it. I have not seen another film this perfectly executed across the board. I haven't the words to describe just how well made this film is from every point of view. I never get bored of watching this film or quoting it.

And guess what... no CGI, no stupid chase scenes, no action scenes for the sake of it. The film couldn't be made today because people just aren't capable of this level of magnificence anymore.

Finally, Eli Wallach stole the show as Tuco, even upstaging Clint Eastwood. If you haven't seen this film yet, I envy you.

DLPB

106
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0903624/reviews?filter=hate

Let's kick off with the score I've given it.  5/10.  That 5 is for reasonable job with the comedy, design and things not related to story and pacing (with the exception of Gollum and the cave scene).  In fact, I may need to start looking into the scores I am giving films because I am sick of saying "The graphics are great, but..."

I am not going to arse lick this film or give it a good review just because people tell me I should.  I am sick to death of sheep.  I don't care if this is Tolkien or Jackson or how much money it took to make the film.  If it's bad, it's bad.

Graphics count for shit.  The reason I watch a film is primarily for a great story and well written characters.  I don't get dazzled by graphics anymore (if I ever did at all), and 3D action films do not make a film good.  So right there is the problem with The Hobbit.  The story is shallow and pretentious and cardboard.  I have still not read the book, so if the film is accurate to it, the book itself is poor.  Let's run through why the film had me rolling my eyes throughout:

  • The introduction is way too long.
  • The pacing is dire (and I've heard scenes that weren't in the book have been added).
  • One brainless action scene after another for no other reason than to eat screen time (because the book is 300 pages and they are trying to maximise profits by having 3 films at 3 hours each).  Watching 2 rock monsters fight is not captivating or cool, it's boring.
  • Implausibility factor 10.  I understand this is a fantasy.  I understand that if everything was ultra realistic it would end up boring, but for heaven sake, that does not mean you can get away with what happens in this film.  EVERY single scene shows something that would ordinarily kill someone.  Fall down multiple ravines, battle 100's goblins with just a few men, rocks the size of cars flying at you... and no scratches, no deaths.  It just doesn't work.
  •   Lazy writing.  You know you are witnessing a lazy-ass story when your heroes are saved at the last minute EVERY time in multiple scenes.  Where does that leave us?  It leaves us with all main characters intact and no dramatic tension.  Every scene you see a massive rock crush a character you know they aren't dead.  Every time you see them perilously close to the edge of a cliff, you know that even if they fall, they will be saved and/or survive.  Further to this point, smaller problems such as Bilbo never handling a sword to suddenly taking on killer beasts like he has been to He-Man training school.
  • Cliché crap.  The way Bilbo goes from being an outcast to being accepted is contrived and rushed and totally obvious.  It just smacks of lazy cliché writing.  The acting that goes with it is not good either.   Kind of like "I once said... you weren't one of us... OH how wrong I was!"  Roll eyes time.  Then you have the White Orc that Thorin said he had slain, and you just KNEW it was coming back at the end for some sort of showdown, didn't you?  Talk about obvious.  I blame the film for this because the scenes involved in the exposition were way too see-through. Might as well have had Thorin wink at the camera.  That brings me onto the whole "Thorin dislikes Elves" angle... where you know the elves are suddenly going to  become important allies just so we can have a totally obvious and expected reversal.  Wow, Thorin, you got Bilbo wrong and you got the Elves wrong!  DRAMA.
  • Lack of character development.  Think Final Fantasy XII.  This was the stake through the heart of this film...  Most of the dwarves are completely redundant and I could not identify or even accept Bilbo.  This was due partly to the lack of character development, partly to the script and partly to the actor.  Same goes for Thorin except the scenes he is in feel more like a bad soap opera than they do a "blockbuster" film.


It is just dull, lifeless and retarded. You shouldn't do things just because you can.  That isn't how to make a great story/film.  LOTR trilogy for the most part had decent pacing, and it didn't do things too fast, too soon, or for the sake of it.  Some of the original trilogy suffers from the complaints above, but nothing like The Hobbit does...  it's in a league of its own.  I went to watch an engaging movie, not a cartoon.

The use of CGI is also glaringly obvious and fake. Like with the prequels of Star Wars, when the movie cuts between humans and CGI blobs, your brain is onto it.  Stop relying on CGI for everything.  It's getting annoying.  At least Jackson makes real sets so it isn't a total wash out.

There is some real potential in this film and it is squandered; whether that's because Tolkien wrote a flawed book, whether it is because he wrote a book that doesn't take well to a feature length movie or whether it is because Jackson fucked it up, that's what we ended up with.

The ultimate truth is the Hobbit should have been 2 films, and making it 3 has been the final nail in the coffin.

So, I am sat here mightily pissed off that once again graphics and self indulgent, completely pointless action scenes have trumped good storytelling and pacing. 

Of course, the film is still watchable, it is entertaining at times, and the 3D visuals are fun, but for me it is a massive disappointment.  Visuals can not make a film, but when used excessively, they sure as hell can break it.




107
This is my latest project that I am finally getting out of the way since first having the intention to do it back in 2006.  I have left it far too long.

I did numerous tests with the actual console and various emulators and discovered the original Gens emulator is the best.  But it still isn't good enough because the original game audio quality and output is lacking.  I have spent a long time today and yesterday working out the best way to equalise the music so that it sounds better.  And that's what this project is...   I have already finished Street Fighter II for the SNES.

I have also compared using the 10th anniversary Sonic release and other OST's, and mine are still better.

I am only doing a few games that I personally like the music of, these are:

Columns
Sonic 1
Sonic 2
Sonic 3
Sonic and Knuckles
Sonic 3D
Streets of Rage
Revenge of Shinobi
Golden Axe
Cool Spot (A few musics probably)
James Pond I/ II (Main theme)
Micro Machines II (Main theme)
Sonic Spinball (1 music)
Super Hang On (2 musics)
Ecco II: The tides of Time (Main theme)
Skitchin' (1 music)
Road Rash II (a few musics)

I will keep you posted and will probably release them as MP3 and on youtube.  Green is completed.

108
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20146942

Prepare for the cash-ins. Dear lord, is this really the way movies are going now? Reboot after reboot, remake after remake. No creativity and just a cash in mentality. Star wars ep 7 8 9 then another movie every 2 years? What a laugh. I won't be watching and anyone with a modicum of sense won't either (granted that won't be a majority or near it.)

I couldn't make this shit up.  I am racking my brains to find something more ridiculous.

109
It seems that FF8 PC does not use the same font that the PSX game did.  The result is the mess we currently have where letters are too thin (to name one problem).  It isn't just the font though, as Aali has shown me, the actual scaling is off too.  Aali believes the actual resolution should be 768*480 but I am doubtful of this since that stretches the screen far too much compared to PSX. The PSX also chops off the extended part of the screen, so perhaps even the PSX game abandoned widescreen support.  This only affects the menu anyway. I will demonstrate now the differences in font and scale:

Firstly the fonts

FF8 PSX:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/36889302/FF8/fontpsx.png

FF8 PC:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/36889302/FF8/fontpc.png

Also notice that FF8 PC is pure white and shouldn't be.


Then we come onto the actual scaling:

PSX (640*480)
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/36889302/FF8/ff8PSX640.png

PC (640*480)
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/36889302/FF8/ff8PC640.png

PC (768*480)
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/36889302/FF8/ff8PC768.png

Clearly 768 is stretching too much.  Notice that both PSX and PC original use the same window space, but FF8 PSX has chopped off the stretched image).  In otherwords, 640*480 (or psx 448) is the correct size window but PSX scales the menu and then chops it off.  It does not scale to 768 though, notice the shape of griever.

The main issue with the font in FF8 PC seems to be that the PSX font was not used. The PC one looks... crap.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/36889302/FF8/MenuComp.png

110
Completely Unrelated / Fanboyism is a Mental Illness
« on: 2012-10-16 12:26:06 »
http://thelifestream.net/forums/showthread.php?t=12267

A perfect example.

1.  If you can't explain a stupid or badly implemented plot/character logically, have a long winded and futile conversation about how the plot can work if x is y and z is w and a is b.  If these are true, perhaps it will make sense after all. 

2. If someone criticises your game in any way, they must be annihilated or made to feel like an idiot.

3. Discuss story like it is real life... Remember, this story defined your childhood.  The story was not made up, it is literally true.

4.  The story can't be wrong or bad because the story defined your childhood (and is literally true).  No matter what cracker jack plot exists, it was obviously intended (or actually happened).

5.  Make mention of a past member who hasn't been on site in months because he is the person you believe embodies everything that attacks your sacred game.

Quote
I assume this thread is in response to whatever DLPB or DLPB-ganger wrote on 1up this week, spewing his "remove Cait Sith" falderal. I've thought about that, thought about what it would mean to the story to remove Cait Sith or alter him in a way that is less... uh... starkly contrasting to the more serious tones. But it's actually some welcome levity, especially when his character arc is about kidnap, betrayal and self-sacrifice.

What a load of waffle that is.  What a load of waffle!
"Correcting the plot wouldn't work because that would be correcting the plot"
Quote
That being said, getting older, I kind of like the concept of Cait Sith more and more. I think he charms me more now that I've thought about him critically and learned to deal with his presence in the story. I'm not entirely sure what changed in me.

I can explain it to you... you became a fanboy.  :-D
---------------

Rufus coming back to life?  No problem!
Cait, a mounted robot on top of a stuffed white toy infiltrates your party?  That's cool!
Hojo, brain in a computer?  No sweat.
Sephiroth returns?  Hell, yeah.
Dyne's bones dug up and used as a new weapon?  I guess so!


Some people need to wake up and realise that VII is a great game but not a perfect game (and the spin-offs are deeply flawed).  And fanboys need to enter the real world.  It is no wonder Hollywood and square churn out more and more mediocre games and stories when they can get away with anything.






111
Misc. Tools / [N/A] Text and Hex Editors - Hext Tools 3.0
« on: 2012-09-06 06:48:02 »
HEXT TOOLS 3.0

I have created 7 tools for programmers and modders. 
These programs are part of the collection found HERE.

Donate HERE

HextCompare
Compares the bytes (binary data) of two files and then lists all differences in a Hext format instruction list.

HextEdit
A hex editor that uses a Hext format instruction list.

HextLaunch
A launcher that can edit memory using a Hext format instruction list. It can also inject DLLs.

Hextract
Extracts file data from user-provided addresses to a Hext format instruction list.

HextSort
Simplifies and sorts Hext format instruction lists.

ListLoad
Stores a list of your favourite programs.
ListLoad can run files/programs and inject DLLs.

TextMod
A multipurpose text editor.
Especially good for modifying config files at run time,
or batch editing a large number of text files.

================Simple Music Alarm 3.4================
A standard music alarm (plays mp3, wav, ogg) using bass.dll. Comes with an event reminder, stopwatch, and countdown timer. And it's simple - hence the name.

Download HERE


112
Just because I like to document everything.  Never know who might find this useful.

The time until you pass out is based on number of steps the character takes.  I am actually making this value a 3 byte value rather than 2 because I am odd like that and like to know how many steps I have taken in a game.  The glacier zeroes the 2 byte value (which I will be stopping/nopping in my tweak) and when it reaches 220h (544 steps, around 2.5 minutes), you pass out.

For anyone who cares, the actual pass out value of 544 steps .

The value is set and checked in flevel script.  Like
move_s > group 0 > s0-main

variable [14][6]

The main comparison in code is at 00611CCC.  If it equals 220h, it adds 1 to al, and this is the pass-out flag. 

Code: [Select]
cmp esi,edx
setge al

Code: [Select]
esi: current number of steps
edx: 220
if esi=edx then add 1 to al.


If you want to have no passing out, then just nop the instruction "setge al"
This will mean the flag is never set.

in ff7.exe, set
002110CE = 90
002110CF = 90
002110D0 = 90


 If you want to set the actual number of steps to pass out
(65535 maximum. To give you an idea, running speed is around 3.6 steps a  second, so 65535 is
around 5 hours) then you will have to change script with Makou Reactor.



113
I have spent time with kranmer looking at MGS1 and the problem it has displaying videos (doesn't display the video, only audio).  At first we thought it was an OS compatibility issue, and whilst that is still possible (at least in part), the main issue seems to be graphic card driver related.

When Kranmer uses custom graphic drivers supplied by https://www.virtualbox.org

the game then displays videos properly.   Virtualbox works with your current OS CD and the files on it.  We have tried everything we can think of, but it is a no go without someone who understands assembly a lot more than we do...  Because a fix to the code is likely needed.

Hopefully someone around here is up to the challenge.  8)  though I don't expect this to ever be tackled :(

114
Graphical / ATTENTION MODELLERS
« on: 2012-08-23 20:34:23 »
edited.

In my time here at Qhimm's, I have noticed one major problem that is not being addressed(?).  That is, we have a number of NPC models that have not been done.

Since the PRP disbanded, no one has really taken up the challenge to finish what they started.  We have had a few decent contributors since then, like Dahfa, but 'few' is the operative word here.

I don't mean to sound rude, but I am personally getting fed up of seeing Sephiroth, Cloud, Barrett and Tifa models.   I understand that they are popular, and that people mod for their own pleasure as well as everyone else's and I am grateful for that.  I also understand that what a person chooses to mod is their business.

But, that doesn't change the fact that we have a serious shortage of models where it really matters.  So I ask the modellers around here to at least make an effort to help out finishing the NPC models.  If everyone did a small part, it wouldn't take long before we had a full, finished project.

I don't know how much work is being done outside this forum, so if this is already being tackled, then cool.  I just wanted to bring to this to people's attention.  Also, hopefully Pitbrat or Grimmy can be kind enough to list those NPC which are currently in need of work.

Dan

116
I sent this to Dziugo.  If he gets the time he will look into them.  These are the remaining issues with the current game.
If anyone else can help or has information regarding these issues, please let me know.

OK this is a save file and Kranmer.dll to help you should you decide to help with the issues :)

here: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/36889302/FF7/dziugo.zip

Game 4: Wallmarket
Problem: when you enter wallmarket, there is a visible skip at regular intervals during panning.
Not a code bug.  Solution by Dziugo.

Game 3:
Outside Submarine and Snowboard game.

1.  Submarine game uses timegettime for the actual clock.  This means that although gameplay
   is frame based, the timer will always countdown the same, giving people with slow computers a
   disadvantage.

2.  The same problem exists with the Snowboard game.
[I have fixed these]

I am not sure if anything can be done here to make these games use frame based timer
and not windows internal timer (or queryperformance... whatever is used).

=============================
FPS problem. Field not operating at full 30fps.

resulting in choppy gameplay.
Especially evident with fraps when recording, where it takes an even further dip.
This dip does not occur when setting game to 60fps and then using record in fraps limited to 30.
This problem does not occur at all in FF8 PC.

I have included Kranmer.dll  This will allow you to speed up the game to 60fps
To use, place in FF7.exe folder and add
load_library = "kranmer"
   to Aali's opengl config. (Press Alt + 3 in game to set to 60fps)


117
I have used 4 categories. 

Confirmed working.
Confirmed not working.
Likely works, but not confirmed.
Very likely will never work


Mods

Menu Overhaul   No chance.

Anxious Heart Make sure the path to install to is correct and exact (the correct folder is the one which includes ff7_en.exe).  A "New Folder" might be added onto the path and also needs deleting.

Unified Model Installer Make sure the path to install to is correct and exact (the correct folder is the one which includes ff7_en.exe).  A "New Folder" might be added onto the path and also needs deleting.

Remix Patch: Doesn't even work with old FF7 hahaha!  Has even less functionality with new FF7 because some of it works with the old paths.  Definitely avoid this installer.

Hardcore Mod

FeliX World Map and other graphics

Team Avalanche Overhaul: Relies on Aali's modpath, so no.


Tools

touphscript:Won't support new exe without change.  Currently does not work on flevel.  So until that is fixed no.  But in future?  Likely.

Proud Clod

Hojo

Wallmarket

Makou Reactor

Loveless

Meteor

Sfxedit

White Chocobo: No, unless Addresses are offset by C00.

Libre: No, same as above.

Black Chocobo:  http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=9625.msg187942#msg187942


118
See Menu Overhaul thread.

119
I would spend more time on this if I really felt it was needed but I have done what i set out to do.
Each enemy model has a corresponding **ab file (for example Midgardsormr's is ddba).  The 3rd byte of this file is the identifier for the death animation (Death Value) AND identifier for model type (so far unknown what this type is and why it needs to be set).  The Death Value is used at 004258ac when the battle ends to determine what death animation the model will undergo.

The following game code is a break down of how the game uses the 3rd byte of **ab.
Code: [Select]
Code starts At 0042bc7a
mov cl,[eax+02]: Takes the 3rd byte of the **ab file and places into cl
mov [edx+00BE119F],cl: Places in new address

This address is then accessed by a few places
but the one related to the death animation is at 0042BE62

mov dl,[ecx+00BE119F].
And edx,3F

The And edx,3F is stripping away the model type identifier which
is the high bit of the 8 bit register.  Therefore 80 would become 00
and 82 would become 02.

Then the Death Value is placed in a new memory
address (mov [eax+009A87F8],dl) at 0042BE72.

This memory address is the one used for death animation when the battle ends.
The usual area is 009a8838 for first enemy.  I will use this address when
referring to the Death Value Memory Address.

This value is then accessed at 004258AC

mov dl,[ecx+009A87F8]
mov [ebp-08],edx
cmp dword ptr [ebp-08],12
ja 00425A72

A comparison is made with 12 (Sepher Sephiroth's and largest normal value).
If greater it will jump to end of function and do nothing
the same as value 10 jumps to the end of function.
When this occurs, the enemy stays on screen at battle end.

The value is now in [ebp-08]
if not greater than 12, it continues:

xor eax,eax
mov ecx,[ebp-08]
mov al,[ecx+00425A9A]

The value is now providing an offset to a memory address to find a new value
This value is placed in al.

jmp dword ptr [eax*4+00425A76]

al from above is now used as an offset to new memory address which
holds the address to jump to. In the case of a normal enemy death (ecx 00)
mov al,[ecx+00425A9A] returns a value ALSO of 00

al is now 00

jmp dword ptr [eax*4+00425A76]

Since al (and therefore eax given the xor above) is 00, at 00425A76 onwards you
find a table of addresses, and the address at 00425A76 is used for the jump in
the case of a normal death enemy.  In this case Jump to 004258d1.

This pushes a new value then makes a specific call.  The push and call function will change
as the jump address changes. This section of code contains all necessary parts for each
of the games death animations.

You can see further down that the obvious jump-to locations are:

004258D1
0042590C
00425947
00425991
004259CC
00425A04
00425A3C

These are all involved in the actual animation itself based on the death value.
The Death Value merely ends up providing a jump to one of the above addresses.
Therefore there are 7 distinct death animations.

If you want to force death value without having to keep changing the battle files,
change the jump at 004258CA (that's CA) to force the exact area you want to start at from list
above, or probably best, change 004258AC (that's AC) to mov [ebp-08],00000002 where 2 is
"melt" and 11 is "boss" etc.

High Bit Model Type Identifier.
Code: [Select]
As said, when the 3rd byte is set to 80-FF in **ab, the high bit will be set to 1.
I have not gone into this much but the 2 areas involved are at 0042BE84 (at battle start)
and 00429858 (constantly accessed on loop during battle).

Death Values are 00-12, and they are as follows:
Code: [Select]
00: Normal
01: Disintegrate (Think mechanical things)
02: Melt (Think 8-eye, flans and Tonberry's)
03: Disintegrate 2
04-06: No death animation, enemy will remain as battle ends.
07: Morph
08: Flash death (Flash animation where enemy floats to sky.  Translated Iainuki)
09: No death animation, enemy will remain as battle ends.
0A: Disintegrate
0B-10: No death animation, enemy will remain as battle ends.
11: Boss death
12: Boss death

And as memory addresses
for main functions:
Code: [Select]
004258D1: Normal
0042590C: Flash
00425947: Disintegrate 1
00425991: Melt
004259CC: Disintegrate 2
00425A04: Boss
00425A3C: Morph
00425A72: No death animation.

Pointed to from 004258CA

My conclusions are these:

  • 07 and 08 are animations associated with actions during battle.  When a player uses Morph or Flash, the new death value is placed in memory, replacing the one that was placed there from the **ab file.
  • Although 12 is set by Sepher Sephiroth's **ab file, the value is not used in that battle, as the death animation is hard-coded. 12 simply jumps to the same place as 11 and performs the same action when not Sepher (which bypasses the death animation code altogether as said).  If you look at the entries above it seems fairly likely that the design team had a number of entries that weren't used or ended up being dropped (04-06,0b-09, 0a,12, 13-FF). The code has been changed to reflect only values of 00-12.  First an "And 3F" is used to clamp the lower 6 bits and then a compare is made to reflect only values 00-12.  Anything else simply performs no animation (like 10).
  • When Values greater than 10 are used (11 and 12), the game will not allow Morph or Flash to change the death value. If the death value is not 11 or 12, the new value will be reflected.  This is because the game checks to ensure bosses do not perform the Morph and Flash animations.  A boss will always die like a boss unless the jump is deleted at  005DB127 for Flash ( 8 ) and 005CACEE for Morph (7).
  • The Model Type Identifier is the high bit (of 8 bit register).  Therefore, values 80+ in the **ab file will set the high bit to 1.   The difference between models using the high bit and those that do not is unknown. The **ab file relies on the skeleton file (**aa) when the high bit is set to 1.  If the skeleton does not belong to the correct model and the highbit is set there is a crash.   Therefore the model type set by the high bit is related to the skeleton.   Setting high bit to 0 on the wrong model seems to have no adverse effects.  Certainly there is no crash.

  • When the high bit identifier is set to 0, animation values in the **ab files are 00-12 (as above).  However, to achieve the same animations when it is set to 1, values 80-92 are used instead.   This is because the code at 0042BE68 strips away the identifier for purposes of keeping the actual death value.  In other words, the death value placed into memory (009a8838 for first enemy) for **ab values 82 and 02 (for example) is the same.  If you wanted a melt animation with a normal enemy (high bit set to 0), you would use 02 in the **ab file. If you wanted melt animation with a model with the high bit set to 1, you would use 82.   In both cases 02 will be placed as the death value in memory.  Remember the death value has nothing to do with the high-bit identifier.  The identifier is letting the game know which of the 2 types of model are being used.  What distinguishes these 2 types is unknown.  The only things that set the high bit in the default game are User characters (like Cloud), Yuffie battle and certain human enemies (like MP).
  • The melt (Death Value 2) animation is broken.  It has been broken in the PC version for as long as I can remember.  When the animation finishes the model temporarily restores to its full size again.  I will see if I can fix this.













120
How about a little music to go with this? 

Edited 26.June.2012 to reflect new information.

This thread has been created to discuss the resolution used in Final Fantasy VII.  Starting with the Playstation through to the ported PC version, which has the same underlining issues.

When I first played FF7 back in 1997, I was surprised to find blatant black borders during game play.  A decade later, I had decoded some of the FMV to discover that they were were a very odd resolution (320*224).  At first, I took this resolution to be a side effect of the Playstation... that is was one of its standards.

Later, I had done a lot of work with video editing and I still hadn't encountered anything else that used 320*224 or a multiple of it.  In fact, the only games I know to this day that use this resolution are the square games FF7,8 and 9. 

When playing FF7, it becomes clear that the FMV are 320*224 to fit in with the game play.  The fields match up perfectly to the FMV, like the opening FMV into the District 1 (Yeah, I am not using erroneous names like Sector anymore) Station field.  The question still remains- why this resolution?

It has been said elsewhere that the "normal"  resolution of the Playstation is 320*224, but this is a nonsense.  A normal resolution for a Playstation game is the sane 320*240 or 640*480, which is 1.33 AR, or 4:3, the TV standard.  The reason for the more blatant black borders in FF7 is that to fit a 320*240 profile, the Playstation/TV has had to compensate for the choice of resolution.   320*224 (1.42857 AR)  does not conform to any known standard that I am aware of. 

I did a little digging and found out that the SNES uses 256*224 Progressive.  Could it be that in the transition from FF6 (SNES) to FF7, they simply kept the none standard 224 vertical pixels?   I have been told that FF7 had been intended for the N64 originally. Could this have been an early design choice?  The problem with my argument is that FF8 and 9 continued to use 320*224.  Why would they do that?   Because they used the same engine and didn't want to redesign? Gemini offered the view that:

Quote
Most square games do that.
 It's just an optimization matter for vram

This still doesn't explain why other games use the much more logical 320*240.  Others have surmised that the original choice of 224 vertical resolution was to avoid overscan with older TV sets.   

The problem with 320*224 is that is a totally awkward non-standard resolution.  It wasn't good for TV and it isn't good for PC, either. The PC game suffers the same black border issue that the PSX did, because it is using the same field backgrounds and FMV's. The PAL version of FF7 suffers even more because PAL has a greater vertical resolution than NTSC (576 v 525).

This moves me onto my second point.  The FMV.  Back in 1997, CD was the media available to Final Fantasy VII staff, who had ditched N64 for precisely the reason that 64MB cartridges were too limiting.  Even then, it would take 3CD's to fit the necessary number of FMV into the game. Because space was still too limited, the design team had no choice but to use a low end resolution (this goes for the game backgrounds too).  Coupled with the Mdec (using mjpeg codec), the resulting videos are unimpressive by today's standards and look even worse on the high resolution LCD monitors we now have.  Given the odd choice of 320*224 by the design team, it couldn't have gotten any worse.

The team that created the FMV worked with 3D rendering software at much higher resolutions... so it's no surprise that there exist higher resolution FMV's.  Sadly, the only release of higher resolution FMV's came on a DVD released by Toshiba, with issues which make them poor for use in modding.  These issues are:

  • The video is interlaced
  • Toshiba were given the FMV at 640*448, meaning they added borders around the entire video to make it a NTSC compliant DVD 720*480.
  • The original sound is not present
  • Editing has taken place. Sometimes the video ends too quickly, and on one, the camera is higher up.
  • A lot of the FMV are missing


The DVD does answer the question as to whether higher resolution videos were made.  The DVD versions are not upscaled from the PSX versions, they are from a higher resolution render.  I find it very likely that Square rendered at a few resolutions which could be taken at any time and used in the way they saw fit.  Final Fantasy VIII PC also comes with higher resolution 640*448 videos. 

The game backgrounds were designed at larger resolutions as well.  The only releases from the higher quality renders are background items from the International bonus disc.
 
Higher resolution renders of the backgrounds likely exist in the same way that higher resolution FMV's exist. Either way, due to limited disc space, these high quality renders were never released.

I looked online at the official release high resolution "Sephiroth at Niblheim" still, hoping it would answer the question as to whether even higher resolution masters are available.  The still is 1024*768 and is obviously generated by the same team that worked on the FMV.  Sadly, the still does not appear in any of the frames of the FMV, so I have to conclude it was created solely for use as a wallpaper.  The still is an indication of how high the quality of the FMV's could be if the videos were rendered at higher resolutions.

In conclusion:

  • The FF7 Team worked in 3D for the backgrounds and movies and probably rendered at a few resolutions before ending the project.  The released video resolutions for FF7 are 320*224 game, and 640*448 Toshiba DVD.  It is likely higher quality renders exist out there, possibly ones at an even greater frame rate.
  • The FF7 Team worked at 320*224 possibly because of fear of overscan, and/or poor research on game resolution after coming from the SNES. It is also possible it was an early design choice in preparation for the N64. They then kept this design choice because they didn't want to change the engine or because they still had a fear of overscan.

121
Today I and Luksy wanted to add a credit list to the start of VII for the Retranslation Project (which shows up only if a certain rare action is taken).  Unfortunately, the text stalled half way through and the game would not progress any further.

On further investigation I discovered that the game had a limit of 256 bytes (which includes opcodes for text colour and formatting) for dialogue per page. Strangely... when I looked at a part of the translation at Chocobo Farm that I knew to be longer than 256, I was surprised to find that no stall occurred. 

Luksy then suggested that the Window ID may be the reason behind it all... and he was right.  Basically, 4 ID's are assigned to Windows, 0 through 3, because there can be 4 dialogue boxes on screen at 1 time.  Each of these windows is supposed to have a space limit in memory of 256 bytes.   However...

Due to lazy programming, ID0 actually ends up getting 256*4 because it can overflow into the areas allocated for ID1-3.  The box I was testing with at the start of the game was ID3 in script.. this meant it was being allocated the last 256 byte area in memory (00CC0428 memory is the base address).  The game will fail to write any more information after 00CC0428 + 1024 bytes and so the terminator and new page opcodes will not be written leaving the game dialogue stuck where it is.

Basically...  due to sloppy programming, ID0 can have a limit of 1024 bytes (assuming there aren't other windows in operation or it will end up running into them).  For the most part, since there is only 1 dialogue box on screen at 1 time, it is possible to have a limit of 1024 bytes for dialogue, as opposed to the intended 256.  Of course, if you set to ID2, you'd get 512.  and ID1 would get 768. Window ID can be set with Makou Reactor.

122
Completely Unrelated / classic
« on: 2012-05-22 03:33:30 »
My favourite ever program and one of the best FF tunes!  Classic!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfadQC_E09c

123
Scripting and Reverse Engineering / Models and Blinking.
« on: 2012-05-12 13:49:40 »
As some of you will be aware, new models have a big problem with blinking.  The heads glitch, often disappear momentarily.  I am wondering if if it at all possible to correct this issue but first I need to know the exact nature of the problem.  Why are heads disappearing?  Surely an eye texture or blink code should not affect a whole head?



124
Actually to a guy in the pub that I know in passing. Enjoy.

It isn't often that I meet someone as utterly cretinous as you. Actually, on second thoughts, I take that back. Living amongst the sea of freaks in this town means that I do.

Let's start at the beginning, and I will go slow for you, don’t worry.

I do like football. If I didn't like football why would I be watching a football match? Unlike you, though, I do not watch football to support a team that is largely where it is due to wealth. That goes for City and all premier league teams, every bit as much as it does United. In fact, it largely goes for ALL club teams. Money almost always equals success (the reason why I hate club football), as you are finding out this season with Manchester City.

The difference of course is that you can't see it. To you, "your" team is where it is due to Ferguson's "genius" and some divine skill that was harnessed like a diamond from some dingy mine. The truth is, United have had little competition over the years and have had a monopoly in the English game. They are the richest team in the world- even surpassing Barcelona. Unless you are completely stupid or blinded by fanboyism or both, money being the massive, overwhelming reason for their success is obvious.

Why do you support Manchester United? Why isn't it Rochdale AFC? And why were you so angry about Peter being a Rochdale supporter? No, I am not asking questions, I am telling you answers. The reason is. . . you are a moron. You are a typical United fanboy who has regressed to having the emotional responses of a little girl whenever they are confronted with an opposing viewpoint. Like a crazy follower of religion, your mind is broken. It is the same thing. Football is your religion, Alex Ferguson is your prophet and United is your God. I am sure you also parrot the same lines like a church goer parrots the sermon responses- "I have supported them all my life" (Because you were baptised that way by your dad). "My dad supported them" (Case in point). "I live near Manchester" (Oh, come off it, and why don’t you support City?). I understand why nearly all United fans came to support United, and it is because United have been successful. They are on TV a lot, it feels good to back a winner and it is nice to forget how crap life can be sometimes. The reason I support Federer in Tennis, for example, is that he got where he did from hard work alone, and he is great to watch. No crap or dodgy refs; no money that can influence a result. He can't just go and buy his success. That is something I can support genuinely. I can appreciate club football players and the talent the teams possess, but there is a big leap to actually supporting them, and in my opinion, it is a bad leap.

The players and owners of United do not know you exist. You are a statistic to them- a means to generate money because club football IS A BUSINESS. I love international football because I am a patriot and I know that it is fairer. You cannot go around buying the likes of Rooney, Ronaldo or Messi. You have what you have and you have to use it. I said I do not like club football. I did not say I do not like football. I can appreciate a game for what it is, even if it is two overpaid clubs playing. You can't comprehend that though, can you? You didn't shut up all through the match, even abusing my cousin in the process. All I could hear from you was rants about Rochdale fans and shouting at me to go home because I was a neutral in the match. Whilst I may not support either team, I have a right to hate United, as much as you do to like United, and I also have a right to enjoy a football game. But again... like a good religionist, anything that opposes your religion has to be intolerantly stamped out, doesn't it? Well, f*ck you. Your god lost. I enjoyed every single minute of your displeasure; watching how a religionist behaves when things are not going to plan. The best bit of all though, was that you were waiting all match to get back at me, and I knew you were. Waiting for the goal that never came (even with Fergie Time [Rights Reserved]). Hahahahahaha. You couldn’t leave fast enough! You left tyre marks in the pub! I sincerely hope City win the league and silence the swarm of United fanboys, once and for all.

Only the most wrecked of minds will lash out like the raving lunatic you were yesterday. I suggest you have a good think about that and try to change it. Not only did you throw a pint over me, hoping to get a bad reaction (when all you got was embarrassment and a laugh in your face), but you actually threatened to bottle me. You would bottle another person because the team you support went 1-0 down? That wasn't the worst of it though… you even managed to embarrass yourself further (a difficult proposition given what you had already done) by denying that you threw a pint over me, claiming it slipped on my head. Within 5 minutes you had already contradicted that story and admitted you did it on purpose (which was obvious) and then you went back to the ridiculous "slipped" fantasy. Finally, you told me that I got the pint thrown over me because I was closest to you. How stupid do you think people are? Clearly, you believe everyone is as stupid and gutless as you. Whilst other people may be inclined to forget this, so you can ride off into the sunset like Tonto- I won't. I am placing this up on Facebook, so that everyone can know what you did, Daniel Miller. And so they know why.

There are people who can support a team without being an idiot. You are not one of them. Marc Sunderland sat down quiet during the entire game and gave valid, reasonable opinions on the game, despite his passion for United. Learn to do the same.

It is best you don't reply to this, since you would be wasting your time. I have said all that I intend to.

Daniel Burke

125
Completely Unrelated / Any Tennis fans?
« on: 2012-03-24 09:34:37 »
http://rocketronnie.net/stats/Most_Successful_Tennis_Slam.htm

I whipped these stats up for you if so! The Slam win stats in the Open Era (1968+).  I guess I was bored.  8-)

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