I know it’s customary on this here Internet to post thematic content on holidays such as today, Independence Day. But honestly I can’t even be bothered to make the pretense; here is an article by Nadia Oxford about Final Fantasy VII, which has nothing whatsoever to do with the emancipation and self-governance of America some 200-odd years ago. But you guys like Final Fantasy VII, right? Alright then.
I submitted both GameSpite Quarterly Journal 9 and the fourth bonus book for proofing last night. The former should be ready for interested parties to acquire in a few weeks, while the latter will likely go out in a mass mailing in August. I seem to be on a seven-month cycle with the bonus mailings, which is not quite the semi-annual approach I’ve been hoping for. My apologies for that. It’s probably indicative of some grim existential failing on my behalf. I’ll have my doctor look into it at my next check-up.
Weren’t FFVII’s prerenders made in Los Angeles? If so, that would make this topic suitably patriotic.
Los Angeles wasn’t around during Independence Day (well, I mean the day when the DoI was adopted)…
I always thought the pre-rendered backgrounds were a great way of achieving that sense of scale the 2D games couldn’t do, something that only got better (though sometimes in excess) when character models got more realistic, or at least proportionate to the environment, as the series went through VIII and IX.
Although, in VII, sometimes it was pretty awkward… I’m not sure how any of these models, especially Barret, could have ever fit in that little pinball machine-secret elevator.
Some gamers feel that these are dated because they’re so static, but I think it helps them to hold up well, especially when you consider how muddy and awful they would certainly look today if they had been rendered using polygons. time has not been kind to PS1 games, or any early 3D game.
Maybe that’s why they haven’t been remade yet… or maybe SE hates money.