General questions

[PhoenixDown]

Hello all,

I am new to the forum and i have only just stumbled upon it when nostalgia got the better of me and i was getting ff games to play on my Xperia Play bigLOL.
Great job to all the modders etc on the work that has been done and released here its truely amazing and i wish to get into modding myself as somewhat of a hobby with intent to maybe create some graphical mods of my own eventually as there is nothing i enjoy more than sitting at my desk for hours on end getting stuck into something. and there is nothing better than the best game in the world to work with.
This weekend i wanna spend some time using some mods and trying to get a decent game going the way i like it to help me undertsand some things and get used to some of the stuff involved and generally get a feel for it.

Basically i am very computer savvy although i generally work with websites and game servers and etc this is something i am keen to get into.
I have FF7 along with the essential official patch 1.2 and aali's driver no problem.
I have tested the 'Remix auto installer 2.5.1' (from memory) and it all works great. *i am understanding this is outdated now so it was curiosity*

I noticed that the menu overhaul by kranmer and DLPB does not work with some of the things in the remix and i got problems like no music and dodgy graphics.

I then noticed the very useful bootleg tool however the front end makes you install quite alot of things and i got a similar outcome.

This didn't bother me because i wanted to get used to things via manually adding mods and aali's lgp/unlgp tools are great and i totally understand the way they work its simple really.

So here comes my questions' firstly i am using as a base , maximum install + 1.2 offi patch + aali's driver. I think this is what i should be using as a base.

So first mod im trying... Cloud, i compile the battle.lgp char.lgp and backup originals etc .. run game and the mod works i can play as the modded cloud however i get 1 of 2 results often after adding a mod.

1) Black screen (no title fmv) i can ctrl+q and quit and i can press + and get the menu up then get black screen again when i click 'new game'

2) Game loads fine but without music (sound fx are there just not music)

i was wandering what would be causing this. i am obviously missing a step after i add the lgp and/or mod...


Second question basically is if i wanna add more than one model example : barret - cloud and vincent do i just add all the model files together and the compile the LGP?

If someone can give me some starting pointers for manually adding mods and models of my choice or even assist me in the black screen issue or missing music issue.
Basically i wanna create similar game as the remix would but with some newer stuff in. Also i wanna know if my blank canvas setup is correct.

(maximum install + offi 1.2 patch + aali's driver)

Thanks for reading and i hope someone can help me, i have been browsing alot to try and find some answers but there is so much stuff on here i dont wanna jump the gun and get confused.

Cheers

[UGerstl]

Welcome to Qhimm,

read this about the minimal installation i described here:

A: This is the minimal installation to play the game with the movies:

• Final Fantasy 7, english, Maximum Install
  ...

Have you checked this registry key:

Example:  CD drive = E:

Windows, 32 bit

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
  SOFTWARE
    Square Soft, Inc
      FINAL FANTASY VIII
        1.00
          DataDrive = E:



Windows, 64 bit

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
  SOFTWARE
    Wow6432Node
      Square Soft, Inc
        FINAL FANTASY VIII
          1.00
            DataDrive = E:


I will answer your other questions soon ...

[PhoenixDown]

Hi man, i am going to take a better look after i have eaten, thanks for swift reply, appriciate it.

I'm looking firstly to manually add stuff and play through the game to familiarise myself with it again, i am kinda looking to get the updated graphical overhaul, and some other neat stuff i have seen.

Basically the small portion of game i played through with the 'REMIX INSTALLER' was great some new FMVs overall better looking gfx and models cool audio, however i was then stumbling accross stuff like the FFX battle menus, cool new avatars, awesome inventory menus etc etc (which i have read newer things you shouldn't install over remix) But also bootleg wouldn't seem to let me install 'basic' things and kinda forces alot of mods so you can't pick exactly what u want.. unless i was using it badly.

EDIT : i noticed that i was using an older version of Aali's Custom Graphics Driver i was using ff7_opengl-0.7.09b

so i downloaded these from your post about installation

Patch 1.02 (ff7102zx.zip)

Aali's Custom graphics driver for FF7 (ff7_opengl-0.7.11b.zip)

now when i use this setup i get a white screen and when i skip intro i get a white buster sword hehe, also there is an error message but its so fast im still trying to see what it says i will update when i find it. Now i am even more confused lol. Sorry looks like im going to be a pain in the neck

ERROR : could not find c:\program files (x86)\square soft, inc\final fantasy vii\input.cfg    <------ here is what i think error says but its very hard to catch it

[UGerstl]

The ff7input.cfg file is created when you can change your
menu settings after Cloud jump's off the train (intro).


Open ff7_opengl.cfg with any text editor (Notepad, ...)

• check this parameter:  use_shaders = yes
  
  
• add these lines at the bottom:
  
  # Disable Error Notifications
  disable_popup = on
  

Open .\shaders\nolight\main.frag with any text editor (Notepad, ...)

• remove all lines
  
  
• insert this:

Code: [Select]

#version 120

uniform int vertextype;

uniform sampler2D tex;
uniform bool texture;
uniform bool fb_texture;

void main()
{
vec4 color = gl_Color;
vec4 texture_color;

texture_color = texture2D(tex, gl_TexCoord[0].st);
if(texture)
{

if(fb_texture && texture_color.rgb == vec3(0.0, 0.0, 0.0)) discard;

if(texture_color.a == 0.0) discard;

color *= texture_color;
}

gl_FragColor = color;
}


[Kompass63]

Hi PhoenixDown,

This didn't bother me because i wanted to get used to things via manually adding mods and aali's lgp/unlgp tools are great and i totally understand the way they work its simple really

There is a new Tool out, look here.

[PhoenixDown]

Tool looks nifty,

@ guest thanks, ok now i have a plain install working, do you know why i would have needed to do this though? when i was using outdated stuff before i didnt :S

i ask because if i need clean install again i must edit the main.frag file all the time could you think why?

Now i guess ill try adding some mods and see what happens =)

Now movies are working but the audio isnt playing on them, i can't believe im having so much trouble with plain install (un modded) haha
Also no audio on the main menu (new game / continue)

[Kompass63]

Did you connect headphones?
 

[PhoenixDown]

nope

Its very strange no idea whats going on i am installing the REMIX version i had working last night in a different location i'll see if that all works ok.

[Kompass63]

OK, start FF7config.exe and check the "sound" and "MIDI" section (also make the Tests).
If this not helps, see here.

[UGerstl]

@PhoenixDown:

Open ff7_opengl.cfg with any text editor (Notepad, ...)

#music_plugin = plugins/ff7music.fgp  remove the # when
                                                              you have FF7Music
                                                              installed


Execute .\FF7Music\FF7Music.exe and compare your setup with my screenshots:

      

@ guest thanks, ok now i have a plain install working, do you know why i would have needed to do this though? when i was using outdated stuff before i didnt :S

guest ?

You should know this problem: new software version = new problems 
                                                                                        but also more features

i ask because if i need clean install again i must edit the main.frag file all the time could you think why?

The old version of the main.frag file comes from Aali's Custom graphics driver for FF7
and was later updated (called: Everything is made of light - FIX).

Make a copy to a non FF7 folder of this file. 

[PhoenixDown]

Lol sorry UGerstl  trick to the eyes and speed typo i will try all again from start and update you, seems a pain to get even unmodded version working ha

Ok, so now i have a **Plain** install working (this is without using FF7Music too)

1) uninstall all ff7
2) install maximum
3) use 1.02 official patch
4) use Aali's ff7_opengl-0.7.11b driver
5) use my new special file main.frag

now all is working as u would expect with my psx version... this sound about right to you guys?

What i really wanna get into this for now is character models that i can play around with, general updated graphics, menu/battle menu overhaul, FMVs and possibly audio along with new main menu background, opening credits, avatars and all the other fun stuff =) time to ruin this directory i think where is it best i make a start?