Topics

1

General Discussion / FF7 new announcements as a modder

« on: 2022-06-17 02:37:08 »

I know I have been on here forever and haven’t modded much. Was feeling the itch again awhile ago and trying to teach myself about the tools available and things we are able to mod/do with FF7 OG.

Waited for the 25th anniversery announcements with all the enthusiasm of a FF7 fan. Especially excited for the Remake part2 (Rebirth). Holding verdict on Ever Crisis but thought it was cool that everyone gets to experience compilation. Not too enthused about the cashgrabs though. As much as I was excited for First Soldier I got burned out during first season.

The Crisis Core remake (some ppl saying reskin but to me it looks like they are rebuilding the game in Unreal Engine) is what is bugging me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m jazzed on the same level as Ever Crisis cause fans may ( depending on if they redo Dirge of Cerberus) get to experience the full compilation on current systems. But it puts something I want to do on a backburner.

I’ve been working on a Zack mod again. My first goal was to make Zack’s battle avatar. My hard goal in that was making the DMW limits work in FF7og. Knowing that I can’t change Limits I thought that using Vincent’s transformations, like the Shinra mod (Hellistic Hojo) and Sephiroth (into Safer Sephiroth) transformation, to make Alternate Zacks perform necessary limits. With some sort of ai code to transform back into regular Zack after the attack.

I figured once I got a decent Crisis Core Zack battle model working I could slowly ( probably would take years) make a Demake of Crisis Core in FF7og. Hence why even though I’m glad they are doing CC Remake, I’m bummed cause it just makes my idea feel… uninspired, like a ripoff more than it was, etc.

Idk have any of you started a project and saw something come out that is similar but puts yours to shame? Do you just drop the project or find a way to move forward? Any thoughts and opinions for me to examine would be appreciated.

2

General Discussion / Flash MX still whats used to convert videos?

« on: 2022-06-07 19:01:18 »

I still have my flash mx disc still kicking it in my cd binder. I’m sorting that binder out and getting rid of stuff that is out of date/better options. But I remembered back when it was discovered that through some codec on flash mx and frame counting we could change out the ff7 pc movies. Is that still whats happening or is there a better way now? Otherwise I probably should toss it since the internet hates flash now lol

Edit: Somewhat found my answer:
- Flash MX is not required. It was the preferred software Grimmy used for his remastered replacement FMV's from 2009. Apparently I'm stuck in the past thinking that and Remako were the pretty new shine on FF7. Been seeing Satsuki's work pop up but I was completely wrong about what it was. I thought it was a driver like Aeli's. So I've been looking at their posts to try and find the process they use which goes above my head in the post production stuff. So I'm not quite sure how to edit videos past what I did around that time which was using Flash MX. I think that I can use Blender and or Di Vinci if I want to make any video edits as long as I pay attention to Frame Rate/ total frames? Not sure. Going to research some more but burned out at the moment.

3

General Discussion / Vbox WinXP/7 plus other modding progress questions?

« on: 2022-03-12 10:48:19 »

Edit: I've seen peoples links to other sites like a tutorial for character modeling on a french site and such. So besides Qhimm is there other good places to go to read up on the technicals of modding FF7?

So right now I've been fiddling around with Kimera, Ifalna, Black Chocobo, and Makou Reactor for my modding. Went after Libre and Wallmarket to try to mess with limit breaks. Looking through the forum it mostly looks like I need to install an older version of windows since they don't like 10. I'm just considering Virtual Box on my laptop to run the tools and be able to transfer the files back and forth between win10 and that. But which OS do ya'll think would work better?

Pretty much I'm going after learning how the tools work again hoping that my mushy brain can figure them out better then before. I've mostly just figured out changing around field models and adding new entry/exit points/ladders by making access to the cave up a vine in the Ancient Forest Valley just before the city. I'm trying to place goals on things to learn how to do:

Edit and replace fields/events/walkmesh even. I have a couple ideas in mind for things but just seeing what I can do so I know what I can't do.

Character modeling: wonky but doable

Edit limit breaks: Currently what I'm researching. I was thinking I'd theme my studies on the old replace Cloud with Zack project. I was curious if I could tweak Cait Sith's limit break into ones from Zack in Crisis Core. So more than just attributes/status effects I have to see if I can edit the animations and somehow get the slots to do different ones. Part of wanting to learn how custom I can make characters.
Looks like this one may be a bust. It looks like there have been some attempts but mostly it's caused the game to freeze. Looks like the Red Werewolf mod is trying to swap some of Nanakis LBs with Vincents. So far on Youtube I've only seen him use Sled Fang but it did no damage. In another post Sega Chief mentions being able to switch magic animations in but I am reading otherwise as well. Looks some of the coding is in the executable so messing with it is bad in general. Was able to swap in Barrets Limit Breaks to Cloud. Most break his bones but AngerMax looks ok. Not much can be done for swapping the LBreak names if same is used on two characters.

Reading all this I might be able to swap Cait Sith out with Zacks animations at best. Not sure if I could change the slots textures and the random effects cannot be changed from my guess.

Replace FMVs: I think the community has mostly got a handle on this and I'm going to be relearning Blender (New UI since I last messed with it).

Replace text: This one is the easiest from what I remember

Edit Summons, Magic, Enemy skills, etc.: Kernel.Bin I think same as limit breaks above. Would be another interest group to mess with. I think I've read they're limited entries just like field scenes though.

World Editing: As far as I know texture edits can be done but that's it. So IDK what I can do about world editing but if someone can let me know I'm misinformed I'd welcome it. Especially if theres ways to Add new models, vehicles, or events.

Any ideas to try out based off your experiences I'd appreciate the suggestions.

4

Troubleshooting / OG PC disks or Steam release?

« on: 2022-02-04 11:10:12 »

Been a long while, hope all the OG Qhimm crew are doing well and the new members are having fun. Looks like the last time I tried FF7 modding was midway through 2020 and I was just playing with the tools. Getting the itch again and probably won't be on/doing any of the big projects but thinking about tinkering.

Anyways as the subject asks, Should I continue to use my OG 97 disks or upgrade to tinkering with the Steam release?

Also blanking on some of the umm... history going on with the board so if there's toes not to step on, things not to mention, etc. can someone give me a general rundown?

5

Troubleshooting / [Makou Reactor] Model won't center/no panning?

« on: 2020-05-20 13:52:25 »

So whenever I look at the field models through Makou reactor, I barely get to see and arm/leg, and maybe it spins or zooms depending on what mouse buttons I press. Tried Shift, CTRL, and Alt keys with mouse buttons to try and get models to pan. Again, only Zoom/rotating. Am I missing something? I see on Tsunamods Youtube that it seems to default to center and I'm guessing that it is like that for everyone else. I'm just curious how I messed mine up between unzipping it and turning it on lol. Thanks, I appreciate any help.

6

General Discussion / So what new things has the community accomplished modding FF7?

« on: 2020-05-07 02:29:17 »

Hey folks, Long time on and off tinkerer here that some of you may remember. Glad to see Qhimm is still going and doing awesome things. I've started downloading the tools and fiddling with FF7 again just to see what can be done. After seeing things with the New Threat mod I'd be jazzed to see what I can do. Although more than likely I'll just break my copy of the game alot lol. Looks like Makou Reator will be interesting. Kimera was a headache to get installed but finally got it working last night. I still remember the trick to remaking movies in ff7 and have flash mx to do so. Not going for a big project Like the Zack project wouldve been.

However I'm curious what other Qhimm members have to say about what things in modding they are excited about? I see Qgears and a few other projects have been ghosted. What things should I try doing just to tinker?

7

Completely Unrelated / Question of curiosity, FF7 remake and qhimm?

« on: 2014-07-03 08:19:30 »

Ok with the G-Bike demo teaser supposedly test running the idea for a remake to FF7, I started to nostalgia for FF7. Thank you steam for making it easier to install. Anyways I got to thinking about the remake. I know I havent been on the boards or contributed for a long time so this post is out of the blue. Let's say that SE makes the new FF7 to be everything we dreamed for. Open world, moddable, Pc plus playstation, hq graphics, the works. Would Qhimm community switch over to modding the remake or continue working on the original? Most likely both I'd wager. What types of projects would you all enjoy bringing to both versions if there were the tools/resources for both?

Glad to still see things going on healthily here

8

General Discussion / An odd theory about the monsters in Nibleheim Reactor

« on: 2012-02-24 23:46:22 »

You know the monsters being grown in the Nibleheim reactor. Just read up on Velds history, and it doesn't give a timeline for the Kalm bombing. So perhaps the people in the tanks are Kalm survivors. There for Hojo's experiments in merging people and materia.

9

General Discussion / A new favorite of FF7 cosplay. Share your favs please.

« on: 2012-01-21 01:32:24 »

Cloud, Tifa, and Aerith in Wallmarket outfits.

Literally fell out of my chair laughing at this one. I've seen the good, bad, and ugly of FF7 cosplay. This is one of my new favorites along with Zombie Aerith and Jenova (yes I know I have odd taste). Just wondering which cosplay images other qhimm members have favorited?

10

Releases / [WIP] Furzball's Zack Project (small download and youtube vid)

« on: 2011-12-22 10:41:26 »

** Updated file:http://www.filefactory.com/file/c0f7f1f/n/Zack_package.7z
***New file contains working field model (basic one, wont work for kid flashbacks and such.) and battle model: need help fixing white texture background trouble described below (near bottom).

Alright so I've been going back over how to use the communities tools. Reading the tutorials I can find. Etc. Trying to figure out how much I can do for my Zack project I have been promising for.... 5+years aroundabout XP

Basically this mod is to replace cloud in game with Zack. Still figuring out the story on that but I do have my ideas.

Anyways started from scratch tonight and decided to get the base field model out of the way. So I go play with highwind and kimera.
Now in Kimera, I took zack's head .P file and substituted it in place of cloud's head. Then used image2tex to fix the eyebrows. And managed to decently get it.

Other things I'm up to on the project
Just got grimmy's help in figuring out how to change the FMVs. Going to see if I can edit all 14 (0_0) movies cloud appears in. Yes I did count c_scene3.avi in that (just clouds arm. Handing black materia over to sephiroth). And the Jairo (tiny bronco) movies. Anyways I'm going to test the process with my teaser trailer from youtube and see if it works in game.

going to try to script it so it makes sense. The only other character changer I've played was the old sephiroth mod. While it was cool to play sephiroth, story wise it didn't make sense. This I will try to make the mod match up with the story so while it is a new experience, it will be close to what it would have been if the zack mod was part of the original game in terms of the world role rules and such. For example. If you remember that hojo said cloud was a failed sephiroth clone. Well what if hojo was trying to make a clone of sephiroth like the clones of genesis in crisis core. However samples got mixed up and he became zack instead. Hence why he is a failed sephiroth clone.

Along with the script I might have to change out some of the main party if I get to it.

As for starting off small, my first planned demo of the project will be the first reactor. Pretty much after the explosion, all you'll have is a field model and battle model zack until I get the project updated. Certain scenes will be messed up (flashbacks and scenes using other models of cloud, ex. him using sword at ancient city).

For the project I'll mainly concentrate on
-models
-movies
-script

After I finish the initial demo, I'll most likely take comments and suggestions on how I should update the project.

Anyways if members can help answer any questions that pop up, I'd be grateful. Current questions are
-Current opinions on how I should update the project? Get such and such out of the way first, update it by game area, etc.?

And yes, progress on this will be slow but there will be actual releases. Not like my past promises. Mainly I'll be working on it during breaks (learning my programming at home and then going to work. Breaks consist of hours between teaching myself programming and an hour or two after work).

Edit:
-Just finished doing the battle model. Zacks field head on battle model. Yes I fixed the colors. However texture spots still white, even after I tried to fix it through the ol pcreator method. Eyes and mouth still show over white spots though just like in kimera pic below.
- about to dive into changing menu portraits and default names. Don't know how so will be researching. If anyone wants to point out the process, thank you for any help.
-last upload of the night unless I find a way to fix the battle model.

11

General Discussion / Am I stupid for not realizing that the ancients look like black mages?

« on: 2011-12-22 08:13:04 »

Right now going through the long list of hrc files and writing out a list of who they belong to. So of course I notice (at least) 2 so far of the ancient spirit models from ancient temple. Now whenever I saw them in game, they always looked like small elephants(basically face with trunk coming out) with purple robes and hats. Now that I'm looking at the models up close in infalna+kimara, I'm going "holy nova those trunks are actually beards! and their faces and clothes make them look like black mages)

So what do people think. Were the ancients black mages? Favorite facepalm moments of realization while playing or modding?

If you want to check the models for yourself open them in ifalna or kimera.
-bccf.hrc
-asjc.hrc

12

General Discussion / Restarted ffvii. Now what?

« on: 2011-12-18 08:09:54 »

Alright. I just reinstalled ffvii on my dev pc (oddly named jenova lol) currently going through the mods to figure out what I would like. Took Awhile cause I installed on xp. But finally got everything working. Some field lag though bleugh. Anyways I have mostly played with graphics mods, yamp, and sephiroth mods. Not sure if I should get one of the hardcore or rebalance/ added features mods. Also I'll tell ya what, it takes so stinkin long to kill safersephiroth and weapons with just the 9999 hpmpdmg limit breaking mod.

From personal experience what mods do most of you prefer? Good or bad experiences with certain mods? Etc.

I may just relearn more about the new tools and make my own stuff if I get a few ideas. Zack mod still isn't done. My idea for updating graphics but keeping chibi style seems to be taken. Unless I do chibi battle models if I could wing that.

13

General Discussion / Remake or post dirge?

« on: 2011-12-18 08:00:36 »

I've been thinking about which I would like to see first. The remake of the first ffvii or a new game post dirge of Cerberus timeline?

What makes it hard is
For a remake, nostalgia factor. New graphics, gameplay, etc.

For post dirge, either continuing or finishing the story.

What are everyone's thoughts on this? Post dirge or remake and why?

14

General Discussion / Thoughts on FFX for psp vita

« on: 2011-12-14 04:36:04 »

Ok. Recently heard an announcement for FFX being ported to ps3 and psp vita and given an hd makeover.     

Ok while I do admit I would still play it, I also think wtf....seriously, they are porting FFX before remaking ff7. To me that is sorta backwards. But still if it is to prove the vita is as good as a ps2 is the only sense I can make of it. Still, hoping for a new ffvii or ffviii.

What's everyone else's thoughts on the recent announcement?

15

Completely Unrelated / Learning Some coding, a few questions

« on: 2011-12-13 01:53:59 »

Just for a quick catch up; I got my A+ cert this year, and have been learning basic web programming. Learning basics of flash on old but still registered version of flashMX. Been fiddling with ubuntu. Now I've been thinking of getting into programming. One of the places I thought of to ask random questions is here. Considering alot of the programs on qhim also have their source code for show, I thought it would be a good place for study ideas.
Picked out two languages to learn, visual basic to go with visual studio express. And after I get through that book, I have a book on C++.

Anyways just making sure that it wont be too annoying if I ask questions here.

Also with the hex editing, what is the best training material to read up on understanding it.

16

Completely Unrelated / Standard RPG's just not cutting it anymore

« on: 2011-04-23 05:07:16 »

I'm wondering if I'm the only one doing this. In the last couple of years, I've steered more away from the standard rpg and more towards open ended rpgs. Meaning you create your own characters, stories (that go along with the main quest) and sometimes mod it.

Stuff like FF7, FF8, FFX was what I originally played and favored. Now it's more like balders gate, Oblivion, Dragon Age, Fallout, etc.

Maybe cause there is more option to break the standard mold of being emo characters (cloud, Squall) or super hyper kid characters (tidus, Vaan). Maybe cause you have an option of going with the spunky fun girl(yuffie, selphie, Rikku) or the mature woman(tifa-ish, Quistis, LuLu) rather then a homely young woman(aerith, Yuna) Or maybe cause I could have the option to hack the game and fix the story to stop the girl from dying (FF7 with Aerith)

IDK, what do you all think, Railroad RPG's or Open Ended?

17

Completely Unrelated / Funny logo idea with three times the fan service

« on: 2011-03-05 19:15:37 »

Ok, basically my mind connnected windows 7 and FF7 today. So somehow this concept turned up


Good for a chuckle so I decided to make it. Tell me what you all think.

18

Completely Unrelated / JFF, What do you call your computer?

« on: 2011-03-02 03:36:11 »

I've known a couple people that name their computers. Me and my best bud have. I'm just wondering if anyone on this board does and have background stories behind the names.

My current computers are
Adjutant SHODAN: Themed after a mix of the Adjutant on Starcraft II and SHODAN from System Shock. A newer 2009 laptop from Vaio. Named it this because it's version of windows 7 was back in the days when W7 had alot more hiccups and clashes against programs.
Alma:Old Laptop converted into Desktop, Named after Alma Wade from FEAR due to the whole resurrection theme, and that it is a red toolbox housing the remains of the laptop. Besically the laptop was overheating too quickly and on the verge of dying so I popped it open and fixed it up with more ventalation.
Jenova:My newest Emachine Desktop. Mostly just cause the look of the think reminds me of a mako reactor and mako green eyes. Plus I experiment on her all the time.
Suigintou:An old Dell Computer my uncle had. Just like Suigintou from Rozen Maidens, she was broken, needed a little repair and a little love. But heck she's a beastly gaming computer once she was fixed up. At least for games like MWS Oblivion. Can even play Starcraft II with graphics turned up high.

Basically I go in, make the backgrounds, themes and sound/voices match the characters they are named after.

19

Scripting and Reverse Engineering / field input mechanics

« on: 2011-02-08 17:51:00 »

Currently I'm trying to get my work going on the fields/areas in FF7. With the PC version I'm mainly using meteor. Extracting and trying to repackage fields. Currently I'm looking into changing field graphics and area to match what we want. In this case, I'm combining Yuffies two trap areas so that both her recruitment and the wutai materia steal event take place in the same area map. Then I'm using the now spared map as an anchor point to add a new field. I haven't gotten on that part yet. What I have so far is,
changed materia steal event to change over to yuffies recruitment map. So far I've gotten yuffie + Clouds team to show up and begin script for materia steal event. However it freezes when it comes to the MP's showing up.
My only guess is that the somewhere the script is broken or the MP models don't exist for this field map. Does anyone have any thoughts to spark other ideas of what could be happening?
====================
Edit:
On a side note I'm kinda looking at some of the triggers on the maps for changes. I've looked at the triggers for the repeat loop in forest after bone village and the trigger to get the blizzard map deal in the mountains. It looks like I might be able to reuse debug room maps and replace them with something umm... village like. No height changes or stairs but open portal doors is what I've fiddle with so far. Can't seem to get graphic layering right but I've managed to put blocky graphics in for building representations.

Again like the NPC/Character model edits, it may not be possible to add new stuff, but I can change some of the scripting, edit the background, and replace stuff.

20

Completely Unrelated / Warnings and etc

« on: 2011-02-08 02:00:16 »

This isn't tech related.  Moved and warned.

oook. I disagree since I'm trying to figure out which is better to work with since the PC version is for the most part, a conversion of the playstation files to barely work on the computer end where as playstation is harder to mod.
Would you please care to explain why you think it was not tech related and even if I agree that you are correct, why I should get a warning when I used my best judgement of where a topic on the inner workings of FF7 psx/PC goes. I believe that is a bit unfair when all that was required was a subject move. I haven't made repeat offenses so it isn't like that is an excuse.
I'm not made, I'm not downcasting your decision, I'm just wondering what your processing was for this event.

21

General Discussion / Just yoinked an PSX version from garage sale. So PSX or PC?

« on: 2011-02-07 22:04:50 »

Which do you think is better for modding projects? Also if you do answer PSX then what is a good sandbox program for windows os?

Which of these is best to eventually take apart for things like q-gears or trying to check/change game modules to see if we can do things like say, edit or add an area?

22

Scripting and Reverse Engineering / Anyone ever open "Locked" chests?

« on: 2011-02-04 16:58:30 »

There are 4 locked chests in FF7 that I can remember. 2 in shinra building (I think they're supposed to have something in them much later, forgot) The one that is a background image instead of normal chest in Kalm, and the one at the bottom of the hole in the desert (Gold Saucer) Prison (Which later is open for some reason with no item given). Has anyone checked these out in the programming? Can these chests and others be changed to give different responses or items?

23

Scripting and Reverse Engineering / Checking battle data for characters

« on: 2011-01-30 04:00:59 »

Ok, I'm curious about the what battle datas are seperated and available for player controlled characters in battle. First we have the general cast of
-Cloud
-Barrett
-Tifa
-aerith
-red XIII
-Yuffie
-Cait Sith
-Vincent
-Cid
Whom all can have their battle data edited and models changed as far as we know.
Then we have flashback characters
-Young Cloud
-Sephiroth
Alternatively we also have
-frog (frogged?) characters
-Mini's

Now I'm guessing that out of the alternatives when characters are frogged, does that just change the model used, or does that change the battle stats as well, so in that sense, we could perhaps edit the frog feature to be different creatures or characters?
As for mini, safe to assume that it is the same as those experiments where we have seen Red XIII and other characters shrink and grow in size.

As far as I know, young clouds data is tied in with vincent or cait sith somehow. Similar to Sephiroth. Or is it possible to edit those two to become new characters?

I'm trying to piece together what I can do to add characters to the system without taking out characters needed storyline wise and hooked up to their own quests.

24

Completely Unrelated / Announcing retirement from Qhimm

« on: 2010-08-23 06:17:46 »

The past few years of chatting it up with you guys/gals and working on the Zack Project has been interesting to saw the least. I have enjoyed all our discussions and tried to contribute in my own way. Unfortunantly with my life as it is, I'm having to start concentrating on other things that will later benefit me. Mainly Job, College, and my art/game design. I love FF7 and it will always be my top retro game. Unfortunantly the Zack project is being dropped with only most of the text done and some model fixes for Zack character (unfotunantly didnt get around to finishing Cissnei). I can pass along the notes to anyone that would like to continue it from where I'm leaving it. [email protected]

Thank you all for being such wonderful people, the time spent here, and good times. I wish you all the best and will peek in occasionally to look at mods and projects. Again Thanks
-Corey/Furzball

Edit: on an odd coincidence. Post 500.
Edit: if anyone interested, one of the things I'm putting my time into is my own website. I know shameless self advert. But if any of you want to still hang out with me, you'll find me running the board at http://www.furzball.9250x.com/phpbb3 it's a roleplaying forum, some FF7 so far but the story is still being made up since it is a multiverse deal.

25

Completely Unrelated / Cheers all, it's my birthday and I'll drink and be lazy if I want to.

« on: 2010-08-15 00:22:12 »

Cheers to my qhimm buds and gals. Enjoying a day off work, shaving, and going without beer.



This year I'm hoping to wrap up my Zack Project and say goodbye to it until someone starts bugging out ( I know it'll happen) I have a few other contributions in mind. Sharing drunk idea but what does everyone think of Final Fantasy 7 crossed with Ghost Rider. I want to make a picture of flamy cloud and sephy fighting it out hell level. Saving rest for l8r 4 sure. Again cheers with you all, please share an alcoholic beverage (if you're legal) with me bringing in my new year.