Messages

1

Releases / Re: [FF8R:PC-Steam] FF8 Remastered (Lunatic Pandora) Mods Progress

« on: 2019-09-15 07:24:16 »

Hy everyone,

I will re-ask a question cuz I'm not sure if I good understood. Is the Lunatic pandora mod package first created for FFVIII 2013 updated for FFVIII remastered?

Thanks

Mcindus is still working on importing his mods to the Remaster. The first post in this thread shows his progress.

Looking around the forums also seems to imply that people are still trying to figure out the new data insertion methods to "fix" the backgrounds. When the mods are ready to be released I'm positive there will be a release thread that lets you know. ^_^

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Releases / Re: [FF8R:PC-Steam] FF8 Remastered (Lunatic Pandora) Mods Progress

« on: 2019-09-09 19:56:00 »

The fonts, icons/UI elements are actually set up almost exactly like the original SeeD mod by sl1982/Aali's Driver using .png's instead of the original .tex files.  I updated that mod a long time ago, and it looks like they used it as a template for their version lol.  They even stole my gradient to use in the remaster lol - it's a pixel perfect 'replica' which is pretty much impossible to do accidentally with gradients.  it's probably just a cut/paste of mine.  They also took the cut out textures I made for tripod cards, and stole two of my hand-crafted sprite animations for the magic sprites in triple triad. mwahahahahaha!

...Mcindus, my dude.

1. You are awesome. 

2. This is really forked up. Modders have been tiptoeing around Squeenix for YEARS. We've been fixing their flaws, improving their quality, and keeping their neglected properties viable decades past their projected expiration dates. All for free, out of respect for intellectual property value and a love of the community and product. The community has maneuvered through disdain and C&D shenanigans. (RIP, Crimson Echoes). Time and time again, when poo hits the fan, the social fallout asks "Instead of shutting it down, why didn't they just send a recruiter out to hire the free-lance modders?" Every time, that viable option is ignored. And now, Squeenix decides to pay someone else to *steal your work*. Like ACTUALLY steal your work. It wasn't someone just modifying what was already there and putting it out for free alongside your art. They took something that you created years ago, put their name on it, and are now making money off of it. Modding/Hacking isn't theft. What this outsourced company did to you, IS. 

3. Do you have a Patron site? Or like, a link to a project site I can donate to? I'm a bartender and broke actor, so I can't afford much, but I gave Squeenix $20 for the FF8 remaster, and I can darn well afford to donate some money to you.


***edit***
...just saw the post literally above mine by cloudhaacker linking to Lunatic Pandora. That's what I get for opening my mouth before reading through the whole thread. ^_^

3

General Discussion / Re: [FF7PC-98/Steam] Multiple mods - The Reunion (R05c)

« on: 2019-06-26 06:46:18 »

Right. Like I mentioned first off, the best, easiest, and least stressful way to address a personal annoyance with abbreviation (or any text change for that matter) is for the user to apply your translation and then just edit the kernel with WallMarket themselves.

I've been following your project (and Kaldarasha's model overhaul/reshade/chaos) for the past 6 years. I've seen a fraction of how much work and life you've put into it. Its both impressive and inspiring. As a modder myself, I've already made more than a few mental lists of the things I want to poke around in for fun/preference when you throw out a final release. Hell, I already have 1/4 of the original release of "Beacuse" colloquialised for an American ear because my eye twitched every time someone said "mum". . (<-- just an example. Your translation is brilliant and thought-filled. I just had too much time on my hands and wanted to play.)

With my above "font edit" post, I was in no way trying to derail your intention or efforts, or question your decisions. I'm sorry that I came off that way. I just got overly excited and decided to respond to a random poster's issue that I saw I might be able to lend a hand with.

I appreciate the fact that you respond to people on the forums, in spite of how daunting it can be. Keep fighting the good fight.

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General Discussion / Re: [FF7PC-98/Steam] Multiple mods - The Reunion (R05c)

« on: 2019-06-24 04:43:13 »

Speaking of griping over something small, I still cannot stand "Summon" being truncated to "Sum" in the battle command menu. Yes, the menu overhaul mod is great otherwise, and yes I understand sacrifices had to be made. But I can't abide it. I've tried. "Sum" is just plain ugly and, as a FF7 purist, never something I can get used to.

But I won't be an ass and ask you to change your entire mod around for my sake. However, I would very much  like to know if there will be any tools available to change Sum back to Summon myself when R06 launches. To shrink or replace the text, or resize the command menu, or whatever.

Ooph. I'm right there with you on the abbreviation gripe wagon. (in a universal sense, not specifically to their use in The Reunion). A suggestion to getting around this is by, after installing DLPB's translation, manually edit the kernel file and change the "Sum" text to a less verbose synonym of "summon" yourself. If you recall, FF4 used "Call" for it's "summon" command, and I've always been fond of "Evoke" when I fiddle around with those files. It's been a hot minute since I've prodded around under FF7's hood, but I don't remember the Kernel editor being difficult to use. 

...as an inquisitive aside, DLPB, *why* won't the "Summon" text fit in the new textbox? It's still 6 characters, just like "Attack" or "W-Item".  Is it a spacing thing with the double "m"'s that pushes the text too far? I ask, because if that's the issue,  I might be able to whip up a font file fix that could incorporate double "m"'s (or similar problem phrases) into their own singular 'letters/characters'. Similar to how snes modders put the "-aga" nomenclature for magic upgrades back into FF 4/5/6.   

5

Releases / Re: FFVII - Menu avatars based on new Nomura art

« on: 2017-04-19 21:32:30 »

That's awesome!

So, does it use an external archive? If I'm understanding right, does it just communicate to the game to use specificnamedfile2  from a different folder instead of using specificnamedfile2 from the FF7 data folder?

I know that some game's file archives work this way. (Dragon Age, and any Renply games) Where if an uncompressed file has the same name, the game will pull THAT file instead of the original. It makes modding way less stressful.  Like you mentioned above, you don't have to worry about messing up the original files.

I"m intrigued to know more now! lol. Going on a forum hunt! 

6

Releases / Re: FFVII - Menu avatars based on new Nomura art

« on: 2017-04-19 20:25:46 »

Thanks, Covarr! I will do that!

...but first, I have to look into 7th Heaven.  I've always directly inserted files, so I have no practice with it. In all honestly, mass installers kinda terrify me. Even using DLPB's Reunion installer made me anxious, because I couldn't see what it was doing. lol.

7

Releases / FFVII - Menu avatars based on new Nomura art

« on: 2017-04-19 19:59:26 »

Hey guys!

Long time lurker, first time poster here!

I picked up some random personal ff7 modding projects a few years ago, and have been chronically poking in and out of the modding scene ever since. I mostly spend my modding time around FF6, Chrono Trigger, and other random SNES titles. You see, I have this horrible infliction called Attention Defficit Disorder, that makes me loose track of my thoughts while I'm wor.... OH SHINY!  ....uh. ...while I'm working. Anyway this has derailed MANY attempts at actually finishing any project I start.

So saying, I decided to branch out and throw up something to this here public forum. Maybe putting it out there, in the real world, will help motivate me to finish.

Ahem. So let's start small, (baaaaaby steps) with these Menu Avatar Customizations:

I used Nomura's new(ish) G-bike Cloud, Tifa, Yuffie, Barret, and Cid artworks and some of his Crisis Core promotional art as bases. (Except for Cait and Red, whom I edited from their original FF7 art, and Vincent who I hobbled together with some glue, popsicle sticks, and a bit of Gimp frankenspriting magic.)



Also, A screenshot so you can see what they look like in-game. ((Minus Male Tifa. Ignore him. That's a different project...))



The actual files (NOT the merged preview above) are converted with Img2tex from 24-bit BMP format, with a false transparency (using a fadeout) on the corners of the frame piping. If you don't use a black menu background like I do, the black pixels on the edges might drive you slightly crazy... but I tried to avoid it best I can with the Steam version and it's adversion to transparent layers. 

I'm posting these as a preview for  a work-in-progress, so I can still fiddle about with them some more and get some feedback from you guys. Namely, I want to rework Cait Sith a bit, tweak cid and young cloud, and maybe redo Vincent...

Anywhoodle, after I fix up some of the rough spots a bit more, I'll throw the .tex files (made .lgp friendly) y'alls way and move this over to the 'released Graphic mods" subfolder for all to enjoy!



Subnote: _{Seeing as I'm first and foremost an SNES modder, I'm still learning the ropes with FF7's hacking scene. Is there a batch patching process (like making a .ips patch) or somesuch that I can use to make these easily accessible to casual modders? I mean, It's not hard, or much of a problem for me to create a "how to" for manually inserting these into the .lpg (for those who don't already know), but if there is a tidier, more concise way of doing things, I'm all ears! ^_^}

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General Discussion / Re: [FF7PC-98/Steam] Multiple mods - The Reunion (R05c)

« on: 2017-04-19 15:30:51 »

Woolsey didn't do FF7 though, it was Michael Baskett.

....aaaaaand that's the SNES modder in me, rearing to life. Sorry; it's instinctual at this point, I believe. I see a translation error, or a 'WTF' localization line, and my brain automatically goes to "DAMN YOU, WOOSLEY!!".

Thanks for all the clarification and the brain food, sir! I'll check out the model list, and next time before I ask questions, I should probably just RTFM. It's what I get for being a swampy forum lurker, who tries to decipher old forum posts instead of making contact with actual people. lol

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General Discussion / Re: [FF7PC-98/Steam] Multiple mods - The Reunion (R05c)

« on: 2017-04-18 22:13:05 »

Got it. You use the word similar to the use of the word "diamond", whereas I've always thought of it similar to the usage of the word "gold" because I assumed Materia was it's own thing, and referenced it's secondary noun's plural. "crystals" not "materias"

So, when Woosley used "Materia crystals" in the english script, it was incorrect and redundant, (similar to saying "diamond gemstone/s"). Materia is crystallized Mako. So properly, the translation should have referenced that Mako crystals = Materias.  "Materia's crystal" isn't a thing either, for the same reason. 

Thanks, DLPB!

NOW, on a completely different, and more on topic point, I have a quick question about the Model Overhaul portion of Reunion's 5c patch: 

I've been trying to follow up on all the different model issues and fixes you, Kaldarasha, and a few other's have been discussing, and I was wondering what, in R05c, has been implemented in addendum to, or in place of Kaldarasha's UM 1.66?  I know you aren't using Kaldarasha's new Cloud, Biggs, Wedge, or Jesse specifically, but what about Nunsrgr8's new model additions? Should I patch those into the .Lgp or are they already implemented? What about the animation updates, or the fixes to the flevel with things like Sepheroth's transparency and clouds water-walking model?

Just curious to see what I should try to patch in manually (using ideas and methods you AwesomeAmazingGenius people have already discussed), or what has already been patched. ^_^ 

Thanks, Sir!

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General Discussion / Re: [FF7PC-98/Steam] Multiple mods - The Reunion (R05c)

« on: 2017-04-18 21:00:55 »

Nope. I use materia like diamond.

There are lots of diamonds. There are lots of materias.
Diamond is rare. Materia is rare.

It's a localization choice. Japanese doesn't have plurals like this, so they aren't affected by these considerations. I think it's very silly to use the same form for materia when they are clearly separate rocks. Even different abilities with the different rocks.

Ooohhh. I don't know though, DLPB. It's always kind of bugged me what exactly materia is, and how it's referenced by the general public. In the english game script, does the game ever refer to a plural form of materia, or do they always use it as a descriptor for the (plural) crystals?

IE: Is there a difference between Materia the material, and individual materia crystals (orbs? rocks?)  Because, stealing your reference, a necklace made OF Diamond is rare (and usually only found in a D&D campaign), but a necklace made WITH diamonds is more common. Then again, either is still referred to as a 'diamond necklace'.  Also, Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend.  Are Materias? or IS Materia? 

To put it in game context: What is it that's found somewhere with high amounts of condensed Mako?  A materia cluster? or a cluster of materias? A nest of crystal(ized) materias, or a nest of materia crystals?   

 EDIT: I guess in my head, I always wanted it to be clean and concise, so I subconsciously referenced Materia the same way Magicite is referenced in FF6. or Nethicite in FF12: A a material descriptor for a crystal.  You don't have multiple magicites, you have Magicite crystals. Same for Materia. (or so I thought.)

However, you've spent FAR more time with this script than anyone on this forum, (or outside of the production staff, honestly) So I defer to your judgement.

Either way, English plurals are weird.

11

Releases / Re: Improved and added unshaded characters

« on: 2013-05-31 19:24:00 »

Hey, Kaldarasha:

I just wanted to take a second and thank you for all of your work. This entire project is fantastic, and the amount of time you've put into it all, to make a quality product, is really stellar. ^_^ ((I'm patching the new update into my game as we speak!)

As a note of interest: I was having the same issues as 'Template' above. A few of the NPC's seem to be missing half of their faces. (off the top of my head: Biggs, Wedge, and Turk!Vincent for sure.) Interesting to note though, is that when I tried installing your "UMC-Complete Replace" ((as opposed to the individual packages)), The heads displayed fine. THAT really threw me for a loop. 

I'm not using Aali's Custom Drivers. I'm just direct patching the files into the lpg. I wonder if that is effecting anything?

Anywhoo: Your work is still glorious, and I'm enjoying every second of it!

Thanks again!