

Final Fantasy VII: New Threat Mod v1.5 - README

CONTENTS OF THIS FILE
---------------------
   
 * Introduction

 * Installation

 * Characters

 * Rebalance & Content

 * Troubleshooting

 * FAQ

 * Credits


---------------------
    Introduction
---------------------

The FF7 New Threat mod (FF7 NT) is a content and balance overhaul mod for the PC versions
of the game. It is focused on being a midcore-difficulty mod with a learning curve that's
designed to be accessible for players of all skill-ranges. In addition to overhauling all
the game's enemies and equipment, it also adds new sidequests, bosses, and other challenges.

The mod is for players looking for a fresh FF7 experience and for people who may have found
the original FF7 to be too uneventful and/or broken compared to other RPGs to enjoy properly.




---------------------
    Installation
---------------------

1) Download the Main Installer folder from either Qhimm Forum or NGPlus.net

2) Extract the contents of the folder using a zipper tool (7z, WinZip, etc.)

3) Locate the Main Installer .exe file inside and right-click; select Properties.

4) Check that the .exe is Unblocked and running as Admin to avoid security issues

5) Run the installer and, when prompted, specify the 'FF7/Data' folder as the install location.

	Example Location: D:\Steam\steamapps\common\FINAL FANTASY VII\data

6) Confirm and the mod should be installed over the game files.

7) Run the game and select New Game; a dialogue option confirming the NT build should appear
	before the FMV starts to play.

#) Check Troubleshooting section if there are any problems during installation


---------------------
    Characters
---------------------

Each character was given a stat re-spec, a unique innate ability, and
more variety in their weapon effects and stat bonuses. The goal is to
allow the player to create 'builds' for each character.

[Cloud]

An all-rounder that can be built in different ways, Cloud has decent
showings in his defensive stats but at the cost of Speed. He can make
good use of a physical build using his Limits, but is also suited to
a hybrid build with a solid Magic stat.

\\Innate Ability: Limit Boost// 
Whenever a Limit Break is used, Cloud gains a stack that boosts his
Strength and Magic by +10. He can hold 3 stacks for a maximum boost
of +30.

\\Initial Stats//
HP (Lv.6-99:	314-6521
MP (Lv.6-99	54-602
Strength: 	43
Vitality: 	28
Magic: 		27
Spirit: 	32
Dexterity: 	16
Luck: 		14

\\Source-Point Options*//
Ex-SOLDIER:	+5 STR/MAG/SPR
Mercenary: 	+10 STR, +5 VIT/LCK
Makonoid: 	+10 MAG, +5 SPR/DEX
Shinra Trooper: +10 DEX, +5 STR/LCK

*Note: You can buy 8 upgrade sets per character.


[Barret]

With high HP, Vitality, and a range of long-range weapons Barret is
a natural damage-sponge with poor Speed, Magic, and MP. His builds
revolve around either defence or boosting his offence with his
short-range weapons offering Vitality/Spirit bonuses.

\\Innate Ability: Attack/Defence Stacks// 
When attacked, Barret gains 1 stack (max of 5) that boost his attributes
based on his current Row; Front Row = Strength, Back Row = Defence.
He cannot hold both types of stack at the same time.

\\Initial Stats//
HP (Lv.6-99:	334-7535
MP (Lv.6-99	46-413
Strength: 	45
Vitality: 	43
Magic: 		09
Spirit: 	37
Dexterity: 	08
Luck: 		12

\\Source-Point Options//
Marauder: 	+5 STR/VIT/SPR
Vigilante: 	+10 STR, +5 DEX
Heavy Metal: 	+10 VIT/SPR
Techno-Freak: 	+10 MAG/DEX/LCK


[Tifa]

A physical attacker with high Strength and Speed but low Defence, Tifa's
weapons can either compliment her Dexterity stat for better evasion and
more turns, or boost Defence to help shore up her low Vitality stat.
Tifa also has various special weapons like Motor Drive and Powersoul
that offer either high stats/damage output with some drawbacks.

\\Innate Ability: Grit// 
Once per battle, if Tifa's HP hits 0 she will auto-revive with 1HP and
any buffs/Limit gauge/queued turns left intact. A downside is that she
will also retain status ailments.

\\Initial Stats//
HP (Lv.6-99:	315-5586
MP (Lv.6-99	46-720
Strength: 	47
Vitality: 	12
Magic: 		23
Spirit: 	18
Dexterity: 	42
Luck: 		09

\\Source-Point Options//
Monk: 	  +5 STR/MAG/DEX
Pugilist: +5 STR/VIT/DEX
Brawler:  +10 STR/LCK
Oracle:   +10 MAG/SPR, +5 DEX


[Aeris]

The strongest natural caster of the 9 characters, Aeris is reasonably
fast and has decent Spirit for Magic Defence. She has a unique weapon
type which can heal characters & sometimes apply buffs when they are
used to attack party members.

\\Innate Ability: Geo-Stance// 
While defending, Aeris will absorb Fire, Ice, Bolt, Earth, Wind,
Water, Gravity, Poison, and Holy elemental damage.

\\Initial Stats//
HP (Lv.6-99:	263-5177
MP (Lv.6-99	58-845
Strength: 	22
Vitality: 	11
Magic: 		47
Spirit: 	22
Dexterity: 	32
Luck: 		25

\\Source-Point Options//
Flowergirl: +10 MAG, +5 SPR/DEX
White Mage: +15 MAG, +5 VIT
Geomancer:  +10 VIT/SPR, +5 MAG
Slum Drunk: +15 STR, +10 VIT/LCK


[Red XIII]

An all-rounder like Cloud, but with an edging toward Magic and Speed
over Defensive attributes, Red XIII has a wide range of weapon effects
that can absorb MP or apply status ailments like Berserk.

\\Innate Ability: Wild Fang// 
As a fight goes on, Red XIII's Strength and Magic stats will slowly rise
up to a maximum bonus of +50 for both; this is more useful in longer battles.

\\Initial Stats//
HP (Lv.6-99:	328-5886
MP (Lv.6-99	48-746
Strength: 	35
Vitality: 	27
Magic: 		32
Spirit: 	25
Dexterity: 	35
Luck: 		12

\\Source-Point Options//
Cosmo Warrior: +5 STR/MAG/DEX
Guard Hound:   +10 STR, +5 VIT/SPR
Red Mage:      +10 MAG/DEX
Sample #13:    +15 LCK, +10 STR


[Yuffie]

A glass-cannon, Yuffie has high showings in Strength, Magic, and Speed
but also has some of the lowest defensive stats in the cast.

\\Innate Ability: Perfect Dodge// 
When hit by a physical attack, Yuffie temporarily gains max physical evasion
until either a few turns have passed or she is targeted for any magical effect
(including healing).

\\Initial Stats//
HP (Lv.6-99:	235-5269
MP (Lv.6-99	43-709
Strength: 	37
Vitality: 	08
Magic: 		38
Spirit: 	11
Dexterity: 	50
Luck: 		12

\\Source-Point Options//
Materia Hunter: +5 STR/MAG/DEX
Gil Bandit: 	+10 DEX, +5 STR/LCK
Wutai Shinobi: 	+10 MAG/SPR
Goddamn Punk: 	+10 STR/VIT


[Cait Sith]

With an abnormally high Luck stat, Cait Sith can either use this for defence
(evasion) or for offence (critical hit rate), he has good showings in his
conventional defensive stats as well but abysmal Speed and unlike the other
characters has no stand-out attacking stat.

\\Innate Ability: MP Regen & Overcharge// 
Cait Sith will slowly regenerate MP throughout a battle, and will regain MP
even faster while Defending. MP gained can go past his MaxMP amount.

\\Initial Stats//
HP (Lv.6-99:	346-6708
MP (Lv.6-99	48-644
Strength: 	25
Vitality: 	39
Magic: 		25
Spirit: 	39
Dexterity: 	10
Luck: 		89

\\Source-Point Options//
Fortune-Teller: +5 STR/MAG, +10 LCK
Yeti Pal: 	+5 STR/VIT/LCK
Materia Tank: 	+5 MAG/SPR/LCK
Top Cat: 	+15 DEX, +10 LCK


[Vincent]

Specced as a 'tough' caster, Vincent lends himself well to a durable hybrid
role as a joint physical/caster. His Limits also benefit from a mix of Strength
and Magic. His downsides are that he has very low Speed and Spirit, leaving him
vulnerable to Magic damage.

\\Innate Ability: MP Transfusion// 
Intermittently, Vincent will regain HP based on his current MP; this allows his
MP to serve a purpose during his Limit forms and makes him more durable in battle.

\\Initial Stats//
HP (Lv.6-99:	269-5485
MP (Lv.6-99	50-818
Strength: 	30
Vitality: 	41
Magic: 		45
Spirit: 	11
Dexterity: 	10
Luck: 		14

\\Source-Point Options//
Horror Agent: +10 MAG, +5 STR/VIT
Beastmaster:  +10 VIT, +5 MAG/SPR
Berserker:    +10 STR/MAG, +5 LCK
Shinra Turk:  +15 STR, +5 VIT/DEX


[Cid]

A tough physical attacker with a strong Luck stat to make use of more critical
hits to boost damage at the expense of Magic, Magic Defence, and Speed. Cid is
a durable front-row fighter who can also serve as a reliable tank.

\\Innate Ability: Second Wind// 
When Second Wind has charged during battle, Cid can trigger it using the Defend
command to fully restore his HP & MP.


\\Initial Stats//
HP (Lv.6-99:	340-7087
MP (Lv.6-99	42-539
Strength: 	50
Vitality: 	34
Magic: 		12
Spirit: 	10
Dexterity: 	11
Luck: 		90

\\Source-Point Options//
Shinra Ace: +10 LCK, +5 STR/VIT
Engineer:   +5 STR/VIT/SPR
Wingman:    +10 MAG, +5 VIT/LCK
Dragoon:    +15 DEX, +10 STR



---------------------------
    Rebalance & Content
---------------------------

The mod features the following modifications:


[Enemy Rebalance]

Every enemy in the game has been given a re-spec, fully rewritten AI, revised attacks,
and tweaks to their encounter formations. New enemies have also been added to bolster
each area's enemy roster. Bosses have had a more radical rework, with new mechanics
and slight tweaks to their appearance (mostly palette swaps). New bosses are also
present and will appear throughout the game.


[Revised Equipment, Materia, & Spells]

Every weapon, armour, accessory, item, and piece of Materia has been looked at and tweaked.
Expect to see better stat buffs on weapons/armour, more unique effects on accessories, and
Materia with new spells & AP thresholds. New spells have been made to fill out the original
spell-list, and every existing spell was tweaked.


[Elemental Consistency]

Elemental weaknesses were inconsistent in the original game; for NT, it is easier to discern
an enemy's weaknesses based on the type of enemy:

	Beasts/Vermin: 	Fire & Ice
	Mechanical:	Bolt & Water
	Large enemies:	Earth
	Flying enemies: Wind & Gravity
	Humanoid:	Poison
	Demons/Mutants:	Holy
	Temple/WEAPON:	Hidden

This does not take precedence over obvious elemental affinities; traditionally fire-aspected enemies
like Bomb will still be weak to Ice and Water in addition to weaknesses associated with the flying
type, so Bomb will be weak to Ice, Water, Wind, and Gravity in this mod. A mechanical enemy with
a lightning affinity, however, will be immune to Bolt but still weak to Water.
	

[Stealing & Morphing]

These have been revised for every enemy, and Morph is now available much earlier in the game.
Bosses can be Morphed, with effort, into powerful items and equipment early in the game for
players willing to invest the time and energy.


[Revised Character Stats & Progression]

As mentioned in the Characters section, every character has been re-specced and can be built
in different ways using the new Source-Point/Rank-up system. Every character also has a unique
innate ability to give them more individuality in combat.


[New Content & Sidequests]

The player can engage in some new extra content to acquire certain items and abilities.
Lv.4 Limits are acquired by following a mini-quest for each character, an Extra Battle
section was added to Battle Square, a new dungeon was added on Disc 3 called Dark Cave,
and a round-robin tournament added to Junon. You can also speak to your party members
in some towns as they'll appear in the area (much like when visiting Costa del Sol for
the first time).

You will also see some new cutscenes that were deactivated/broken in the original game
that have been restored for the mod. Quality of Life additions were also made, such as
the option to skip certain lengthy sequences like the Nibelheim Flashback.


[Extended Save Points]

All Save Points have been given a UI overhaul with various options. At any Save Point,
players will be able to toggle Random Encounters, change Battle Music behaviour (use the
regular battle theme or retain the currently playing Field music), use a hotkey to activate
a Tent, and conduct various Rank-Up options (post-Mythril Mines only).

Oh, and you can Save the game too.


[Revised Dialogue & Text]

Several sweeps have been made of the game's text, with the aim being to clean up some phrasing,
repair the damage done by the PC port team, and make explanations/plot points clearer. The style
of the dialogue has been largely kept intact.


------------------------
    Troubleshooting
------------------------

If your issue is not answered below, please leave a post on either Qhimmforum.com or NGPlus.net
describing the encountered issue.

Q) The installer failed/cannot find files to patch
A) Make sure that you have clicked the Data folder within the FF7 folder; the folder icon should
	'pop' open to ensure you have specified the Data folder and not just the FF7 folder itself.

Q) The installer says there is not enough memory to install the mod
A) An issue can arise with the installer vs the Windows 10 operating system; get in touch on the
	forum and I'll sort you with a direct patch.

Q) There is no dialogue option when starting the game/game appears to be unpatched
A) This may be due to a security or file verification issue; make sure that you have set the .EXE
	for the installer to unblocked and to run as admin (with write permissions set if needed).
	You can also try temporarily moving the Data folder to the desktop outside of protected
	systems folders, applying the patch there, and then moving it back in. Antivirus may also
	interfere in some cases.

Q) I encountered a super-powered enemy in the first area of the game; is this normal? 
A) Probably not, none of the enemies in the first Reactor are capable of one-shotting a character.
	If you find an enemy that is far stronger or seems out of place, then it's likely that
	the kernel has not been patched and the installer did not work properly. Try a fresh install
	and avoid using other mods if they have been installed on top of NT.

Q) The game froze!
A) This usually happens due to problems with FF7 Steam itself; when playing windowed, the game can
	sometimes lock up when clicking away from this window. It is rare, but it can happen.
	There is also a crash associated with the Hyper Jump animation due to the OpenGL driver used
	for the Steam port. If you encounter a consistent crash in a specific place however, then
	please leave a error report detailing where it happened, when it happened, and what you
	were doing when it occurred (mentioning your current story progress is also useful for
	troubleshooting the problem faster).

Q) The game seems to run really slowly
A) FF7 uses a dodgy frame-limiter that can make it run badly when video recording software is in
	use; to get around this, I recommend using the Ochu trainer tool to manually adjust FPS
	and unlock the speed of the game. Often, it's the game engine that is bottlenecking it
	rather than the PC itself.

Q) I'm stuck in a battle/field, cannot input commands, nothing happens
A) This is a soft-lock that can occur when the scripts mess up due to a logic error or missing
	reference. This is typically caused by a mistake I've made when setting up a scene or
	fight; let me know where and when it happened so I can sort it out with a patch.

Q) When I use Transform and Added Effect the game sometimes locks up
A) This usually happens when model mods are used, but can happen without them as well; the cause
	is currently unknown but please report which enemy this happened with so I can set immunity
	to avoid the issue popping up in the future. Some enemies just don't like being frogs :I


---------------------
       Credits
---------------------

Special thanks to...

 The dedicated players who helped shape the mod with feedback:

		Neurosephiroth		Alpha Playthrough & Feedback
		Raging Flare: 		v1.0.5 video playthrough
		FFMan: 			v1.1 playthrough
		LetCreativityPlay: 	v1.1 & v1.2 playthrough
		Loseless:		v1.2 Feedback & Testing
		PotatoHandle:		v1.2 Streaming & bug reports
		Bowser9:		v1.2 Troubleshooting
		Cicadian:		v1.3 Streaming & 1.3 bug reports
		Garland the Great	v1.4 Youtube Playthrough
		Redmon89		v1.4 Youtube Stream
		death_unites_us		v1.4 Twitch Stream
		DLPB:			v1.4 Technical Support on FF7's Engine & Scripting
		iDerek759:		v1.4 Feedback & Bug Reports
		strife98		v1.4 Feedback & Bug Reports
		MoCheese		v1.4 Feedback & Bug Reports
		Robo Jesus:		v1.4 Feedback & Forum
		

	 The creators of the tools that the mod was made with:

		Borde: 		Kimera & IMG2TEX
		NFITC1: 	ProudClod & WallMarket
		Myst6re: 	Makou Reactor
		Aali: 		LGP/UNLGP
		Luksy: 		ULGP
		Iros: 		7th Heaven
		Bosola:		Damage Calculator

	 The people who support the mod on a technical level:

		EQ2Alyza:	For supporting the mod's 7H Version and being patient when I messed
					things up :I
		Kalderasha:	For donating his excellent chibi field models & providing lots of
					great ideas for additional content.
		DLPB:		Identifying scripting issues and teaching me how to read/write Assembly
		RedManMark86:	7H troubleshooting and feedback
		TenkoKuugen:	.exe addresses for Materia modifications


	And also to:

	 XeroKynos, for the mod's first stream and bestowing the prestigious title of 'The Poverty mod'

	 TheStrahl, for all his excellent ideas like 1-second bomb timers.

	 Lockirby2, for introducing me to the Insane Difficulty forums.

	 BTB, for letting me use his ReadMe & FAQ as a template >.>

	 Gjoerulv for reviving my interest in this game with his excellent Hardcore mod.

	 Members of NGPlus.net for being very supportive of the mod and hosting a sub-forum for NT.

	 And finally to everyone who chipped in to help shape the mod with their feedback, bug reports,
		promoting the mod, and other ways they've helped this project reach the stage it's at.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Please feel free to get in touch with any questions, feedback, or suggestions.

		You can find places where the mod is supported here:

			http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=14938.0
			http://ngplus.net/index.php?/forums/forum/7-final-fantasy-vii-new-threat/
			http://youtu.be/I7JlJHP4xb0

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