[Steam] Steam to 1998 conversion - Game Converter (Beta V0.11)

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I really don't like the idea of changing this program from the way it is. I think it makes sense to use the new files. But if Reunion MenuOverhaul/Retranslation comes out tomorrow... and it's only working on 1998 flevels... (I'm pretty sure Dan's warned us that it will only work with 1998 flevel) then maybe it is a good idea to alter GC's output flevel. It seems to be the only new file there is a problem with. We know they altered the script in at least 1 or two places. I'm guessing it would be easier to change the GC flevel than it would be to change Menu Overhaul or ToughScript. But I also don't know the status of those projects (well, MO is nearly complete).

Edit: removed incorrect info about changes to flevel in 2012 and STEAM. I don't know what they fixed, if anything, other than messing with the script somewhere.

The adjusted movie script is a question of putting an extra 720MB of stuff on a GC install to fix an error that is probably harmless. I don't know what is best for either question... but the movie script is here on the forum, I can make a thread about it, but it seems a bit silly and almost illegal to post a collection of movies that were upscaled by SE and have simply had their sound ripped out and reencoded. So I'm not going to do that. I do think it's a pretty cool trick, though, and it would be fun to watch GameConverter whip out all 105 movies reencoded in under one minute.

Then there is the security disc check. Newbies are confused by that and I do not have time to make a bloomin tutorial on mounting ISOs or renaming a USB memory stick. I think there comes a point where you have to stop making a program user friendly and let the user learn about their computer or not.
 
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I plan to make a new topic for the flevel, so we could make our own patches. I have currently fixed some of the stopping sound bugs (the Mako Reaktors and the ship).
My idea is, that many person will work on different scenes for faster patching. Possible changes: adding background sound, change the color of the scene light for a character (I made some tests with this and got nice results), a better model size, adding some animations to a character (for example I have added some animations to Cloud to make him look sad when Aerith dies - after the fight with Jenova) and complete script enhancements.
It is possible to use Iros mod manger to implement it. My only concern is, how this could work with the Reunion.
 
I wish I understood why the MIDI playback is restarting after battles... I don't know if it is a function of Aali's driver or something the game code had messed up from the beginning. I hate testing vanilla STEAM or 2012. I'm doing install after install after install of bootleg all of a sudden to make .iros out of the adjusted models and things that PitBrat and VGR did. There will be available--in time--an iro for mode changing. It will include all complete difficulty mods and gameplay mods like Aerith revival which are made compatible through bootleg. So there will be a config option for this Mode.iro mod through 7thHeaven which will allow you to switch modes or turn Aeris revival on off etc.

This is only possible because PitBrat and the other developers are allowing us to do these things and giving permission, or at least everyone's not telling me to go jump in a lake. Perhaps the development of more convenient ways of modding the game will attract more artists and developers to create new material.

It is possible to use Iros mod manger to implement it. My only concern is, how this could work with the Reunion.
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Flevel changes of any kind will be compatible with Reunion Menu Overhaul. The Retranslation is the sticky part. If the game text script has been altered by flevel changes, it will not be compatible with the retranslation, but only that portion of the Reunion is affected.
 
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I am sure Luksy will add support for 2012 ts when he completes the update, and it does fix a few bugs from the original flevel.  It is probably best to use it.. especially since I am thinking of postponing Reunion regardless until ts new is completed.  What we need is a new universal flevel that fixes numerous bugs but does not alter the text structure.
 
...And finally it sinks in. OK! So Kompass is right to use the new flevels. Luksy will come through for us. We just need to put a note for people not to use the retranslation preview with GameConverter for now.
 
The probability is low, but if anyone can help me, I can try it.
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For some reason I cannot reply to the PM. I only have the english version but since I´m living now in Japan and I wanted to play the original version I was thinking of buying the japanese version also. So I cannot help right now but if I decide to buy it, I´ll let you know.
 
I just tried it on a newly installed machine with steam and New Folder\ff7.exe closes promptly after being run.

update: as a workaround, I uninstalled this and used Kranmer's  conversion patch instead
 
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I just tried it on a newly installed machine with steam and New Folder\ff7.exe closes promptly after being run.

update: as a workaround, I uninstalled this and used Kranmer's  conversion patch instead
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That's too few information!

What OS,what architecture,  UAC on or off, what compatibility modes, have you tried to start ff7config, what tells the ff7_GC.log (etc) ?
 
Sorry about that, I was posting from my phone while heading off to work.  That was a Windows 7 x64 system. UAC on. Non-system directory. Subsequently I realized "New Folder" is a product of Kranmer's conversion app, while trying to set it up for a friend I saw the same issue. I suspect "New Folder" gets created and then it should be removed after files are moved to the correct location, so seeing that folder is a symptom of the patch failing.  It would be nice if either of these apps were open source, or if the process that they execute were described in detail.  Otherwise I'm left to diff the directory and registry for changes to try to figure out what you're doing.

On an side note (nothing to do with this conversion app), ff7config.exe was just crashing on friend's pc. It made me wonder why it's still necessary when we're using Aali's opengl driver.  I'm tempted to diff the registry and document all the records necessary for the game to run so we can make that file obsolete.  I ended up telling my friend to wait for MO R02.
 
On an side note (nothing to do with this conversion app), ff7config.exe was just crashing on friend's pc. It made me wonder why it's still necessary when we're using Aali's opengl driver.  I'm tempted to diff the registry and document all the records necessary for the game to run so we can make that file obsolete.  I ended up telling my friend to wait for MO R02.
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This is a known bug of Nvidias Optimus solution. The wraper.dll conflicts with it.

C:\Program Files (x86)\NVIDIA Corporation\coprocmanager  --> 'Nvd3d9wrap.dll' rename it to '_Nvd3d9wrap.dll'. Change it back after you have setuped the config.
 
This is a known bug of Nvidias Optimus solution. The wraper.dll conflicts with it.

C:\Program Files (x86)\NVIDIA Corporation\coprocmanager  --> 'Nvd3d9wrap.dll' rename it to '_Nvd3d9wrap.dll'. Change it back after you have setuped the config.
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Oh fascinating.  Thanks  ;D

Update: The issue I reported before must have been my own fault, sorry about that. Out of curiosity I went back and formatted that machine, using process monitor and winmerge to watch the registry and diff the folders.  I had made a backup of a previous configuration including registry keys that worked. After observing what your app does (hoping to identify the bug) the game ended up working afterall. So your patch definitely works on win7 64-bit.  My apologies!

Second edit: I can run ff7.exe without running ff7config.exe at all by setting the following registry key:

Code: [Select]
Code: 
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\VirtualStore\MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Square Soft, Inc.\Final Fantasy VII\1.00\Sound]"Sound_GUID"=hex:00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00
There, no more dependency on ff7config.exe!  You can test this by setting the key back to its default, and ff7.exe will require ff7config to be run again:
Code: [Select]
Code: 
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\VirtualStore\MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Square Soft, Inc.\Final Fantasy VII\1.00\Sound]"Sound_GUID"=hex:
 
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Sorry about that, I was posting from my phone while heading off to work.
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First gripe before you ever know what's going on...  :x

It would be nice if either of these apps were open source, or if the process that they execute were described in detail.  Otherwise I'm left to diff the directory and registry for changes to try to figure out what you're doing.
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My GC is not intended as open source, but it is a self-extracting WinRar archive.
So you can unpack the EXE with WinRar or (maybe) other packers.
The most important file that I have made, is the "FF7_GameConverter_0.9b.bat".
Anyone who knows anything about bat files can very accurately comprehend everything, including the changes to the registry.

It made me wonder why it's still necessary when we're using Aali's opengl driver.   I'm tempted to diff the registry and document all the records necessary for the game to run so we can make that file obsolete.
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Aalis driver works exclusively with the old (1998) version of FF7.
For this reason, the conversion of the Rerelease or Steam release is mandatory.
A converter (no matter which one) will never be "obsolete"
But I have hope that my converter is taken over by PitBrat and will be integrated in the next bootleg.

Second edit: I can run ff7.exe without running ff7config.exe at all by setting the following registry key:
Code: [Select]
Code: 
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\VirtualStore\MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Square Soft, Inc.\Final Fantasy VII\1.00\Sound]"Sound_GUID"=hex:00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00
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Congratulations!  ;D
You have one (of two) keys found, which causes the old FF7.exe to start the FF7Config.exe if there is an empty value.
With the FF7Config.exe the correct value is then entered.
The value 00 is wrong and leads to a crash.
Another problem is that the key among the different requirements has to be at various positions.
Even to start with admin right or not makes a difference.
I have FF7-old installed under many different conditions and checked the registry.
I think I have covered all the conditions and the matching keys, but I'm only human :-)
My GC deletes exactly this value in (hopefully) all positions, so FF7Config.exe is called automatically.
Problem is that all of its programs must be started with the same conditions, otherwise sets FF7Config.exe the keys in a different position, as they be read from the FF7.exe afterwards.
 
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Not converter obsolete; ff7config obsolete..

We don't use midi anymore so when does it crash?  Works for me so far. ff7config + nvidia can crash as Kaldarasha said
 
Not converter obsolete; ff7config obsolete..
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ff7config calculates the value of "Sound_GUID"
Unfortunately, I do not know how to find out this value otherwise :cry:

We don't use midi anymore so when does it crash?
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The game wants to play MIDIs.
That it can be diverted to other music files does not matter, for the game, the MIDI functionality must be available.

ff7config + nvidia can crash as Kaldarasha said
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It would may be possible to integrate the appropriate settings in the converter, but I can not correct because I do not have Nvidia's Optimus solution.
 
If I convert my steam version it won't ask me for a disc right? Because the whole reason I bought the steam version was to play without needing the disc as my laptop has no disc drive.
 
The game requires a volume with name "FF7DISC1" (or FF7DISC2 or FF7DISC3).
This can be a USB stick, SD card or a hard drive partition, that does not matter.
Thanks AnyCDv2 of Kranmer only one volume is required.
 
Hey Kompass63, I've been trying to convert my steam version and I have been getting issues with it, I posted it in the sticky "[Tutorial] Tifa's Bootleg" thread so I'll just link to the message I sent there that describes my issue: https://www.ff7catalog.com/posts/160631/
 
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