I actually have several copies of the original PSX discs, the set I original purchased, a set I had borrowed from a friend prior to that, and the third set I somehow inherited from someone else. This is somewhat necessary as there are a few casualties. I actually ripped them to my SSD already in what are perhaps vain hopes that everything can load more quickly.
What I most appreciate about ePSXe with Pete's OpenGL2 plug-in is that it handles scaling to my 24" monitor (at 1920x1200) surprisingly well. There are artifacts and there's an obvious amount of smudging but none of the feeling is lost from the game and it remains better than it looked on televisions running from the console. A friend of mine (former owner of one of my sets of discs) actually purchased the imported, orchestrated, OST at some ludicrous price back when it was released, but I can't fault him as it sounds amazing. I would not be averse to somehow replacing the synthesized midi tunes with the orchestrated versions.
It's not my intention to change the game, just as many of those involved with originally creating FFVII have suggested, they're reluctant to attempt to remake the game on the basis of how dangerous changes can be. Perhaps a direct 1:1 port to an improved game engine with superior graphics and sound would be too little? Perhaps adapting graphics on that scale from pre-rendered, static, backgrounds to fully rendered would be too labor intensive? Perhaps the artistic touches and feel are complicated to adapt? What if they lose the feel of it? Then perhaps they consider a re-imagining is in order, with the same essential story but a changed telling to better suit modern technology and sensibilities? All of these ideas are complex, bothersome, and potentially hazardous. I would love to a new adaptation but I concede it will require more wisdom and foresight than I possess to make that work.
If I have a point, it's perhaps that mods which modify the game too heavily MAY reinvigorate it, but could just as easily lead us too far astray from what was obviously a satisfying game by itself. I think I've noticed some mods by some lovely chaps that might replace the music and utilise painstakingly upscaled pre-rendered backgrounds, are these relatively easy to install and use? I'm unclear on what graphical improvement mechanics the custom driver from aali is capable of implementing, also. Does it compare favourably with Petes?
Finally, I'm more than a little wary of tracking down and purchasing a secondhand copy of the PC version. Not simply because I'd likely have to do it online and might receive a bum set, but because none of that money will in any way benefit SquareEnix. I would much rather support the developer than some secondhand reseller who is selling it at a high premium. If it was properly licensed and retailed that would be another story altogether, I'd buy three copies just to remind Square it is a fantastic product and one they should keep more in their thoughts.
Edit: Also, don't most EULA stipulate that the license from purchasing a PC game is non-transferable, suggesting that only the original purchase is recognised as legitimate in the eyes of the publisher? This makes sense, they're rather sell a new license to a new customer than have the original customer reselling their discs, thus making secondhand copies tantamount to piracy. They are not legally licensed to resell that game. I would think that, given the absence of a legitimate, licensed, reseller, it would be preferable to favor piracy which does not profit the pirate to that wherein the pirate is seeking a profit through their misdeeds? In any case, I noticed that someone suggested in another thread that the game is in the Steam registry, were they to see fit to release it that would be fantastic. Why can't more publishers continue to recognise that PC gamers exist and want to buy their products?
