Final Fantasy VII (7) DS: Is it possible?

[atmuh]

This is gonna end up a pointless debate OMG THIS GAME SHOULD BE REMADE BECAUSE IT IS THE BEST FF EVAR!

To tell you the truth I really don't care. Porting is nice so I can keep FFVI on my GBA. Remakes are useless to me though.

[Ramaniscence]

I'll just make this one point, and that is that space and hardware capability are not a problem. FFVII was four cds, each cd is roughly 700mb so that is 2.8gb (roughly) that needs to be handled at the worst. Admittedly, the two cart sizes for the DS are 512mb and 1,024mb; but let us not forget the GBA slot. The problem with a multi-cartridge games has to do mostly with saves, so long as certain information is contained on a GBA game, information will not be a problem. And then there is the simple fact that more efficient coding can greatly reduce the space of the game. Square has had quite a few years to refine its techniques and so should be able to drastically reduce the size of a game like FFVII.

But now lets go back to the problems, a game that takes up 2-3 cartridges plus a GBA slot will be expensive and the graphical leap from upgrading to the DS from the PS will not be quite as great as many fans might wish for (FFIII had better graphics than FFVII, but not drastically better).

In truth, I'd prefer a console remake. I may not have enjoyed Advent Children much as a complete movie, but after seeing what they did for Aerith and Tifa, I don't think I'd settle for anything less.

So I've recently started working in Computer Animation and Maya and yadda yadda yadda. I can tell you right now that as far as models go, FF7 probably doesn't us anything over 1000 polys or so...if even that...and THAT'S in battle scenes. As far as walking around and shit that's a huge LOL. Those things are like MAYBE 200 polys. I'd say even saying THAT is pushing it.

I'd go as far as to say the game, sans-the world map and battle enviroments, was completely lacking textures. It only uses shaders except for the eyes, brows, and mouth (this is assuming PS was capable of using shaders, I really don't know. If it can't, it could just us 1px colored textures.) Whatever textures it DOES have are no bigger than 32px.

The background images for most of the levels are statics images and, my guess, are about 720x480 IF EVEN THAT. They could even be stretched to twice the size from 360x240.

So what does that say for FF7? It says that if you removed all the music or downgraded it from CD quality to something substantially less, and turned the CG cutscenes into FMV cutscenes, I'm willing to bet you could get that thing under 200MBs.

So is it possible? Well nothing's really impossible.

Is it HARD? Well, depends on how you look at it, but no not really.

Will it HAPPEN? PRETTY doubtful...at least anytime soon.

But what does this tell us is a BETTER candidate for DS port? MGS1

[Gollgagh]

And there we have it.

Thread ovar.

[Kanthos]

FF VII was only 4 CDs in the PC release, and that's because one CD of the 4 was the install CD that copied data that was duplicated on the other game CDs to your PC. It wasn't a game CD on its own. The PSX version is only 3 CDs and does everything the PC version did.

[Shivy]

The port of Resident Evil on the DS still had all the cutscenes in-tact, and was a near perfect port of a two-disc game.

[Gollgagh]

FF VII was only 4 CDs in the PC release, and that's because one CD of the 4 was the install CD that copied data that was duplicated on the other game CDs to your PC. It wasn't a game CD on its own. The PSX version is only 3 CDs and does everything the PC version did.

The horse is dead.

Stop beating it.

[Maco70]

The horse is dead.

Stop beating it.

Quoted for emphasis.

[CE]

Why do we want this thing on the DS again? Have you people not had enough of it? It's like those people who want to remake Ocarina of Time. Why? I say the more we try to push a classic, the less classic it becomes. With Advent Children, that meh TPS with Vincent, and the bajillion FF7 cameos (coughsephirothcough) do you still feel such a need to play a probably watered-down version with flimsy touch-screen addons?

And this goes for all of the so-called "classics" like Ocarina of Time and Metal Gear. The games are all masterpieces, but even a masterpiece becomes banal if you're force fed spoonfuls of it every day of every week.

[XCloud419]

Why do we want this thing on the DS again? Have you people not had enough of it? It's like those people who want to remake Ocarina of Time. Why? I say the more we try to push a classic, the less classic it becomes. With Advent Children, that meh TPS with Vincent, and the bajillion FF7 cameos (coughsephirothcough) do you still feel such a need to play a probably watered-down version with flimsy touch-screen addons?

And this goes for all of the so-called "classics" like Ocarina of Time and Metal Gear. The games are all masterpieces, but even a masterpiece becomes banal if you're force fed spoonfuls of it every day of every week.

I agree with you on the whole remake for metal gear(twin snakes) although very flashy, they just went OVER BOARD with the whole matrix like cut-scenes. i mean come on, snake ridin a missile like a skateboard? ridiculous.

[CE]

I agree with you on the whole remake for metal gear(twin snakes) although very flashy, they just went OVER BOARD with the whole matrix like cut-scenes. i mean come on, snake ridin a missile like a skateboard? ridiculous.

I actually liked that, to be honest. It felt somewhat like a MGS parody, and the Mantis fight scene was hilarious.

[Zero_Infiniti]

yea there's definetely a lot of dead horse beating going on around here...

but just to point out

I'll just make this one point, and that is that space and hardware capability are not a problem. FFVII was four cds, each cd is roughly 700mb so that is 2.8gb (roughly) that needs to be handled at the worst.

which actually each CD on the playstation was about 400mb (at least when i copied them to ISOs), take the fact that each CD probably has the exact same content on them except the few cutscene and i'm sure dialog changes (you know since [sPOILOERS]Aeris dies on the first disk[/spoilerS] so you don't much need her information or related dialog on the next two disks...not to say its not there, but in a coding perspective). compressing the game would be too easy.

Admittedly, the two cart sizes for the DS are 512mb and 1,024mb; but let us not forget the GBA slot. The problem with a multi-cartridge games has to do mostly with saves, so long as certain information is contained on a GBA game, information will not be a problem.

you do know that a PS1 memory card was less than 64KBytes right? if you put it into your PS2, each game save was only 4KB, i'm sure it could be easily stored on the DS cart, and transfered via RAM...

its not an issue of the game fitting onto a DS Card. the issue is whether or not Nintendo and Squeenix will do it. the simple answer, probably not. you hardcore FF7 people need to get over it. yes i'd probably buy it too if they did, but until they do, i'm spending that $40 bucks on food and bills and other important things.

and a MGS1 port would be awesome! use the touch screen to select items faster too...but speaking of psycho mantis, how will you confuse him by plugging the controller into the second slot, or have him taunt you by reading your other namco saves off the memory card...looking back, i never used that trick to beat him, and i can't remember what i did to take him out. i think i just shot at him until i hit him...something like that...

[Penfold]

I actually liked that, to be honest. It felt somewhat like a MGS parody, and the Mantis fight scene was hilarious.

Yeah lol, Mantis. "I CAN'T READ YOU!" Considering that was my only exposure to the first Metal Gear Solid, I really enjoyed it.

Anyway, I can understand your stance on remakes. It becomes considerably less special if they remake it everytime new hardware comes out. While I'm not a FFVII fan (I really wanted to like it, but I just couldn't get into it), if Square-Enix decides to remake it to the DS or any other hardware, I doubt it'd be watered down. It is one of Square-Enix's biggest IPs, and despite supposedly not-so-good spin-off games (I never played Dirge of Cerberus, nor do I intend to, so I can't really judge it), I don't think they'd really jeopardize its success by making a crap remake.

[Eulogic]

I enjoyed Twin Snakes. I've always felt the Metal Gear Solid games to be somewhat tongue-in-cheek.

[Avatar of Justice]

The main reason I would like to see both Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy Tactics get a remake is because their original translations sucked. It could be a better game experience for both of those games if they had good translations. At least FFT is getting remade, although I'll never own a PSP with which to play it.

[Evilhead]

Simple solution:

1. Place PS1 FFVII CDs in computer.

2. Rip to ISO.

3. Convert to an eboot using Popstation.

4. Place on memory stick.

5. Play on your PSP with perfect framerate, textures, sound, etc.

You don't even have to pirate it if you have the original PS1 discs.

[Darth Lime]

Why do people like this thing so much dammit. It's fucking archaic as far as RPGs go now a days, but still too young to have any nostalgia to allow it to be remade like FF4 or 3. Plus if it's coming out somewhere it's on the freaking PSP. It's practically decided already, everyone knows it'll come out sooner of later, it's just a matter of when, not if.

QFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Necrotic]

Simple solution:

1. Place PS1 FFVII CDs in computer.

2. Rip to ISO.

3. Convert to an eboot using Popstation.

4. Place on memory stick.

5. Play on your PSP with perfect framerate, textures, sound, etc.

You don't even have to pirate it if you have the original PS1 discs.

Intrigued! Please, tell me more.

-Nick

[Hector]

Zero_Infiniti, I just want to clarify one thing about why I think using the GBA slot would be important; its not so much containing for holding space but for design limitations. I don't think the DS is designed to allow you to remove a cartridge that is being played while the system remains on.

I have my DS setup to skip the loading screen and go straight to the DS cart (GBA cart has second priority). For a while I was playing a GBA game but had a DS cartridge in; so I'd quickly eject the game while turning the system on (you have a second after you hit power to do this). One time I was a tad late popping out the DS cartridge and my system did not appreciate it.

The type of memory used for RAM typically cannot hold any information when a device is turned off (there are exceptions depending on the hardware used). And even then, I'd question if the system's loading a game wouldn't overright the save file.

[sirusd]

Sure, it's a possibility. However, if Square is going to re-release FF7, it'll be on the PS3. The buzz created by that Tech Demo was huge. A fully remade FF7 would do extremely well on the PS3.

However, it's still just a mediocre game... I'd rather see a remade CT or FF6 any day.

[Evilhead]

Intrigued! Please, tell me more.

-Nick

The new firmware version 3.03 allows you to download PS1 games with your PS3 and play them on your PSP perfectly. If you install DarkAlex's 3.03OE-B custom firmware on your PSP, you can not only do this without the need for a PS3 (you can rip the games with your PC), but you can play ALL of the 1.5 homebrew software like the emulators, flash players, etc, as well as any of the newest PSP games. Here's more detailed info and links to the necessary software:

http://boards.gamefaqs.com/gfaqs/genmessage.php?board=918340&topic=32973596

[KyleJCrb]

Possible? Yeah, of course. Wanted? Not so much. Let's focus on a good game in the series, like FFVIII.

Hahahahahahahahaha! Oh man, that's a good one. You almost had me there, right up until you said "VIII". Ahahaha!

[Zero_Infiniti]

Zero_Infiniti, I just want to clarify one thing about why I think using the GBA slot would be important; its not so much containing for holding space but for design limitations. I don't think the DS is designed to allow you to remove a cartridge that is being played while the system remains on.

I have my DS setup to skip the loading screen and go straight to the DS cart (GBA cart has second priority). For a while I was playing a GBA game but had a DS cartridge in; so I'd quickly eject the game while turning the system on (you have a second after you hit power to do this). One time I was a tad late popping out the DS cartridge and my system did not appreciate it.

The type of memory used for RAM typically cannot hold any information when a device is turned off (there are exceptions depending on the hardware used). And even then, I'd question if the system's loading a game wouldn't overright the save file.

i haven't attempted to eject a cartridge from my ds while its on, but reguardless, they'll have to come up with something. having to manufacture a gba memory card would be kinda a waste considering that it would only be used for one game (even though it'd be mad cheap to manufacture you know they'll charge 40 bucks for it). granted they could make it universal, but then that's only for games released after the card, and if they decide to use them. if the cartridges hold up to 1 gig, that's a lot of information that can be stored and i believe that covers a majority of games that nintendo or 3rd party companies want to produce for the ds. in addition its not like the cards can't hold up to 2 gigs or 4 gigs within the near future. we already have digital memory cards that go up to these values (and possibly higher). its just a question of whether the ds hardware is set up to read from them or not.

[XCloud419]

Hahahahahahahahaha! Oh man, that's a good one. You almost had me there, right up until you said "VIII". Ahahaha!

8 is pretty cool, now 9...eh..i've seen better.

[The Monkey Bob]

Zero_Infiniti, I just want to clarify one thing about why I think using the GBA slot would be important; its not so much containing for holding space but for design limitations. I don't think the DS is designed to allow you to remove a cartridge that is being played while the system remains on.

I have my DS setup to skip the loading screen and go straight to the DS cart (GBA cart has second priority). For a while I was playing a GBA game but had a DS cartridge in; so I'd quickly eject the game while turning the system on (you have a second after you hit power to do this). One time I was a tad late popping out the DS cartridge and my system did not appreciate it.

The type of memory used for RAM typically cannot hold any information when a device is turned off (there are exceptions depending on the hardware used). And even then, I'd question if the system's loading a game wouldn't overright the save file.

Anyone that has bought the new Action Replay for the DS knows that the programmers can make it so you can take out the DS cart without the system freezing. I do it 3 times every time I use my AR. ¬_¬

[atmuh]

8 is pretty cool, now 9...eh..i've seen better.

I am quite possibly the only person I know that really liked IX.

LET'S START A DEBATE SO THIS THREAD CAN FINALLY GET LOCKED!!!