Final Fantasy VII README file

-----------------------------
This README file contains the latest technical information about
playing Final Fantasy VII. Please refer to the FF7 manual for
details on how to play the game.
This README file covers the following topics:
1. System Requirements
2. Game Controls
3. Technical Info
4. Final Fantasy VII Web Site Information
======================
1. System Requirements
======================
Final Fantasy VII has the following minimum system requirements:
Pentium 133 w/ supported 3D accelerator card (4Mb video memory or greater)
or P166 w/out supported 3D accelerator card (see below)
Intel or 100% Intel-compatible CPU
32 Mb RAM
4x CD-ROM drive
Windows 95
DirectX 5.1 (included on Installation CD)
DirectMedia 5.2 (included on Installation CD)
================
2. Game Controls
================
You can play Final Fantasy VII with the keyboard or a game controller
supported by DirectX 5.1. The default keyboard commands all revolve
around your Numeric Keypad. You can change the default settings in
the game through the CONFIG sub-menu in the game's main menu. The
default commands are:
KEYBOARD (default)
NumPad 8 (Up) - Move Up or Menu selection Up
NumPad 2 (Down) - Move Down or Menu selection Down
NumPad 4 (Left) - Move Left or Menu selection Left
NumPad 6 (Right) - Move Right or Menu selection Right
NumPad Enter - [OK] (Action)
NumPad 0 - [CANCEL] (Cancel, Run in field w/ arrow keys)
NumPad + - [MENU] (Bring up menu)
NumPad . (Del) - [SWITCH] (Switch from Materia to Equip menus)
NumPad 9 (PgUp) - [PAGEUP] (Page up in menu, Escape from battle w/ [PAGEDOWN])
NumPad 3 (PgDn) - [PAGEDOWN] (Page down in menu, Escape from battle w/ [PAGEUP]
)
NumPad 7 (Home) - [CAMERA] (Switches camera view in world map)
NumPad 1 (End) - [TARGET] (Highlights targets in battle)
NumPad 5 - [START] (Pause during battle)
NumPad - - [ASSIST] (Help pointers in field, Help window during battle)
CTRL+Q - Quit
GAMEPAD (default)
Direction Pad - Movement and Menu Selection
Right Button - [OK] (Action)
Bottom Button - [CANCEL] (Cancel, Run in field w/ arrow keys)
Top Button - [MENU] (Bring up menu)
Left Button - [SWITCH] (Switch from Materia to Equip menus)
L1 - [PAGEUP] (Page up in menu, Escape from battle w/ [PAGEDOWN])
R1 - [PAGEDOWN] (Page down in menu, Escape from battle w/ [PAGEUP]
)
L2 - [CAMERA] (Switches camera view in world map)
R2 - [TARGET] (Highlights targets in battle)
Start - [START] (Pause during battle)
Select - [ASSIST] (Help pointers in field, Help window during battle)
=================
3. Technical Info
=================
Please refer to the FF7 User's Manual for installation instructions.
VIDEO CARDS
Supported 3D Accelerator Video Cards
Final Fantasy VII currently supports 3D accelerator video cards that
pass the criteria contained in the FF7 Configuration graphic card test.
At release time, the game supports the cards that contain any of the
following chipsets:
3Dfx Voodoo
3Dfx Voodoo2
3Dfx Voodoo Rush
3Dlabs Permedia2
ATI Rage Pro
Intel I740
In addition, the game will support the following chipsets when they
ship later this year:
Matrox G200
NEC PowerVR2
Please use the latest drivers for best performance of your 3D accelerator
video card. The latest video card drivers at the release time of FF7 are
included on the Installation CD in the Drivers\Video Drivers directory.
You can get the very latest drivers from the web sites of each of the 3D chip
companies:
3Dfx: http://www.3dfx.com
3DLabs: http://www.3dlabs.com
ATI: http://www.atitech.com
Intel: http://www.intel.com
Matrox: http://www.matrox.com
NEC: http://www.powervr.com
If you do not have a supported 3D accelerator video card (or do not
have a 3D accelerator video card), you can still play Final Fantasy VII
in the software rendering mode. The game will automatically default
to the software rendering mode if it does not detect a supported 3D
accelerator video card. To play in 640x480 (Full Screen) in the
software rendering mode, it is highly recommended that you have a
Pentium 300 or better. Otherwise, please select one of the other two
software rendering modes in the Configuration menu.
If you experience graphic display problems while playing the game, please
check to ensure that your 3D accelerator card has at least 4Mb of video
memory.
For ATI RagePro users, please run in 640x480 Full or Quarter Screen
mode. These modes are faster than 320x240 Full Screen mode. A P233 or higher
is recommended for RagePro users playing under hardware mode.
For users of Matrox Millenium (not supported but can run in software
rendering mode), if you cannot run the FF7 Configuration program,
please uncheck the Bus Mastering box located in the PowerDesk settings
in your Display Properties.
AUDIO CARDS
Final Fantasy VII supports all DirectX 5.1 supported audio cards.
For a list of DirectX supported audio cards, please visit Microsoft's
web site at:
http://www.microsoft.com/directx/pavilion/hardware/soundcardlist.htm
You should use the latest audio card drivers for your audio card.
The latest audio card drivers at the release time of FF7 are
included on the Installation CD in the Drivers\Audio directory. You
can get the very latest drivers from the web sites of the various audio
card companies:
http://www.creativelabs.com
http://www.ensoniq.com
http://www.yamaha.com
If your current MIDI device is a previously installed software synthesizer,
please either select your sound card driver (not the software synthesizer)
as the MIDI driver in the FF7 Configuration program OR install the
Yamaha S-YXG70 software synthesizer (see below).
CREATIVE LABS SOUND FONT MANAGER
If you have a Creative Labs AWE sound card, you can enhance your
music in the game by installing the Sound Font Manager for AWE32,64
(if you have not done so previously). Please read the SoundFont
Manager README file for more information.
YAMAHA SOFTWARE SYNTHESIZER
If you do not have a wavetable synthesis audio card, you can still
play the game with the high-quality Final Fantasy VII music by
installing the Yamaha sound synthesizer (SXG70) that is provided
on the game's Installation CD. Yamaha has created this special
version of its software synthesizer specifically for Final Fantasy VII.
In the FF7 Configuration program, select General MIDI as your MIDI
Data for use with the Yamaha software synthesizer. (The XG MIDI data
type is for XG MIDI compatible sound cards.)
Also in the FF7 Configuration program, the Logarithmic Volume Control
check box should be checked for sound cards that support logarithmic
volume control. Most newer sound cards support logarithmic volume
control. To test if your card does, please adjust the volume control
test slider bar and listen to the volume at various levels. If the
volumes do not seem to match the slider bar settings, please try
checking/unchecking the box and test again. Choosing the correct
volume control mode will allow for correct volume control in the game.
If you notice some skipping or jerkiness in the music while playing,
please open the S-YXG70 Configuration under Yamaha SoftSynthesizer
in the Start Menu. Then, change the Sampling Rate to 11K, uncheck
the Reverb checkbox, and/or increase the CPU Load percentage.
Increasing the CPU Load percentage will slow down the gameplay,
however, so please increase the CPU Load percentage only as high as
necessary. Please refer to the Yamaha Help files for more information
about the Yamaha software synthesizer.
Yamaha Software Synthesizer installation notes: You must restart your
computer if you install the software synthesizer. If you also install
DirectX or DirectMedia (Movie Player) during installation, you will be
prompted at the end of the entire installation to restart your computer
(so you should answer "No" at the Yamaha restart computer message).
Also, if you are reinstalling the Yamaha Software Synthesizer, you
MUST uninstall your current version first before reinstalling.
SUBMARINE GAME WIRE FRAME
In the Submarine minigame, you may toggle the wire frame background
ON and OFF by pressing F2. The wire frame slows down the game
considerably, so the default has been set to OFF.
WIN95 CONTROL KEYS
If you press ALT-TAB, ALT+ESC, CTRL+ENTER or the WINDOWS key on your
keyboard while playing Final Fantasy VII, you may not be able to
return properly to the game. Therefore, it is strongly advised that
you do not use these Windows 95 functions while playing the game.
OTHER NOTES
It is strongly advised that you close all programs before playing
Final Fantasy VII. Also, please do not remove the CD from the CD
drive while playing the game, unless you are instructed on the screen
to do so.
Windows 95 note: You need to have the Audio Compression component of
Multimedia installed. Under Control Panel, click on Add/Remove Programs,
click on the Windows Setup tab, click on Multimedia, click on Details,
and check to see if the Audio Compression box is checked. If the box
is not checked, check the box and click OK. Follow the instructions
on the screen to complete installation.
For additional DirectX or DirectMedia information, please visit
Microsoft's web site at:
http://support.microsoft.com/support/directx
Windows 95, DirectX, and DirectMedia are trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.

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4. Final Fantasy VII Web Site Information and FAQ
=================================================
You can find general information about the game and the latest
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) list and technical support information
at the Final Fantasy VII web site.
The official Final Fantasy VII PC web site is located at:
http://www.ff7pc.com
The official Eidos Interactive web site is located at:
http://www.eidosinteractive.com
The official Square Soft, Inc. web site is located at:
http://www.squaresoft.com