Games PC FINAL FANTASY VII User Manual

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Eidos Interactive Limited Warranty Table of Contents

Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Installation of Final Fantasy VII . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-6

Playing Final Fantasy VII . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-8

Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9-11

The Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12-16

Field Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Shops,Inns, Etc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

The Battle Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19-24

Menu Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25-37

Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Materia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27-29

Equip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31-32

Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Limit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33-34

Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34-36

PHS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

Save . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36-37

Credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

System Requirements

Computer

Final Fantasy VII requires an IBM PC or 100% compatible computer. The minimum CPU speed required is a Pentium 166MHz without a 3D accelerator or a Pentium 133MHz with a recommended 3D accelerator. Your computer must have at least 32MB of RAM.

Operating System

You must have Windows 95 installed in your system.

Drives

Final Fantasy VII can be installed with a Standard or a Maximum install. The Standard install requires 260MB of free uncompressed hard drive space on your computer. The Maximum install requires 460 MB of free uncompressed hard drive space on your computer. You must also have a Quad-Speed or faster CDROM drive to play Final Fantasy VII.

Controls

Final Fantasy VII supports Keyboard and/or Joystick controls. Your Joystick must be calibrated and configured through DirectX5 “Game Controller”settings in your Windows control panel.

Video

Final Fantasy VII requires a SVGA DirectX5 compatible video card. DirectX5 is included on your installation CD. You can enhance your gaming experience by utilizing a recommended 3D accelerator.

Audio

Final Fantasy VII will work on any DirectX5 compatible sound card. Your card must be configured to playback digital and MIDI audio.

Getting Started

Place the CD labeled “Install Disc”into your computer’s CD-ROM drive. If your computer is “Autorun”enabled the setup screen will appear on your screen momentarily. If the setup screen does not appear you must open the “My Computer” icon on your desktop, click on your CD-ROM drive,then Double-click on the “Setup.exe” icon. You will see the Final Fantasy VII setup screen with 5 options to choose from. The 5 options to choose from are:

Install

Click on the INSTALL to begin installation of Final Fantasy VII. The “Welcome” screen will appear,please read through the text and select either “Next”to continue or “Cancel”to exit without installing. After continuing you will see the “Select Components” screen. If you are unsure or do not have DirectX5 and DirectShow on your system, leave those 2 components checked. If your sound card does not play back high quality MIDI instruments you may want to check the Yamaha box. The Yamaha S-YXG70 software MIDI synthesizer will play back the MIDI music in Final Fantasy VII with proper MIDI instruments simulated in software. If your sound card only supports FM synthesis for MIDI playback it is highly recommended that you install and use the Yamaha S-YXG70 driver. After selecting the components select “Next”to continue on to the setup type selection. The “Standard” installation requires 260MB of free uncompressed hard drive space and the “Maximum”installation requires 460 MB of free uncompressed hard drive space. The “Maximum” setting will offer slightly faster loading times during game play. You will then be prompted for a destination location for where you want Final Fantasy VII installed on your hard drive. The default location is “C:\Program Files\Square Soft, Inc.\Final Fantasy VII”.If you want to install Final Fantasy VII in a different location click on “Browse”and change the default setting to your desired location. Next you will choose a Program Folder for Final Fantasy VII. You should continue on with the default unless you want to select a different Program Folder. Final Fantasy VII will now be installed onto your computer.

Installation of Final Fantasy VII

Install DirectX5

Final Fantasy VII requires the installation of DirectX5 to your computer system. If your system does not have DirectX5 or if you are using any previous versions of DirectX click on INSTALL DIRECTX5 to install or reinstall DirectX5. Your computer hardware will be analyzed for a few moments then follow the onscreen prompts to finish the installation. See the Readme file if you have any problems with DirectX5.

Install Movie Player

Final Fantasy VII requires the installation of DirectShow to play the fantastic movie sequences in Final Fantasy VII. Click on INSTALL MOVIE PLAYER and DirectShow will automatically be installed onto your system.

Install Yamaha Software Synthesizer

The Yamaha S-YXG70 software MIDI synthesizer will play back the MIDI music in Final Fantasy VII with proper MIDI instruments simulated in software. If your sound card only supports FM synthesis for MIDI playback it is highly recommended that you install and use the Yamaha S-YXG70 driver. Click on INSTALL YAMAHA SOFTWARE SYNTHESIZER to install the S-YXG70 driver,follow the onscreen prompts to continue the installation. At the end of the installation you will have to restart your system for the new Yamaha drive to take effect.

Exit

Click on EXIT to quit the Final Fantasy VII setup screen.

Installation of Final Fantasy VII

Starting or Continuing Final Fantasy VII

After installation you must insert “DISC 1” in your CD-ROM drive before starting or if you are continuing a previously played game. If you are continuing a game from disc 2 or 3 you will be prompted to insert the correct disc before continuing. To start playing go to the program group containing Final Fantasy VII in the Windows 95 start menu and select “Final Fantasy VII”. The intro screens will begin to play, and then the floating credit screen will appear. Press [OK] to skip to the start screen. At the start screen you will have two options:

New Game - Starts a new Final Fantasy VII game. You must have Disc 1 in your CD-ROM before starting a new game. Continue? - This option will let you continue from your previously played game. Press [OK] to enter to the Save File list. Select the correct Save File from 1-10 and press [OK]. Go to the Save Game you want to continue and press [OK] to continue. You will be prompted to insert Disc 1, 2,or 3 if the correct disc is not in the CD-ROM drive.

Final Fantasy VII Configuration

When you first start Final Fantasy VII you will see the “Configuration”screen. This menu screen will detail your current graphic and sound settings. You can change the settings anytime after by selecting it from the Final Fantasy VII program groups in the Windows 95 start menu. Here you will find four tabs to choose from. The four tabs are:

Current Settings

Shows the current settings Final Fantasy VII will run for your game.

Playing Final Fantasy VII

Graphics

You can configure your desired graphic setup here. There is a tab labeled “Display”, click on it to choose either your recommended 3D accelerator or Primary Display Driver. The other tab you may choose is “Renderer”, click on it to choose either Software Renderer or 3D Hardware Acceleration,select the one that complements your “Display”setting. You may also select the Display resolution with 3 options. If you are using the software renderer, select 320X240 (Full Screen), 640x480 (Quarter Screen) or 640x480 (Full Screen). If you are using a recommended 3D accelerator,select one of the two 640X480 settings. The Quarter Screen option will run slightly faster than the Full Screen option but you trade off by having a smaller viewing area. The area on the right shows the Direct3D features that your PC supports. Do not be alarmed if your settings do not support all the 3D features. You can still play Final Fantasy VII fine without some features. See the Readme file for 3D card troubleshooting.

Sound

The sound driver setting should be automatically configured to your sound card. Press the test button to hear if your sound card is working properly. If you do not hear anything,change your sound driver to match your sound card. If your sound card supports stereo sound you can reverse the left and right channels by checking the “Reverse Speakers”box.

MIDI

Your MIDI driver should be automatically configured. If you want to change the driver,select the one the matches your computer’s MIDI setting. Your MIDI data should be automatically set as well. Your MIDI data should match your MIDI driver. General MIDI is for all wavetable synthesis cards or any sound card in general. General MIDI is also for use with the Yamaha S-YXG70 software synthesizer.Soundfont MIDI is for Creative Labs AWE sound cards. Yamaha XG MIDI is for Yamaha SG MIDI compatible sound cards.

Playing Final Fantasy VII Continued

You can play Final Fantasy VII with the keyboard or a game controller supported by DirectX 5.0. The default keyboard commands all revolve around your Numeric Keypad. The commands are:

NumPad 2-4-6-8 Directional Movement

Field screen 1)Moves the characters in the Field screen or in the World

Map screen.

2)Selects messages.

3)Selects weapons,armor, items,etc. in shops. Menu screen 1)Moves the cursor and selects commands. Battle screen 1)Moves the cursor and selects commands.

NumPad Enter [OK]

Field screen 1)Talk to other characters.

2)Pick up items or examine treasure chests.

3)When pressed in front of a ladder,allows character to climb

up and down.

4)Confirms the selection of weapons,armor, items, etc. to sell

or buy in shops.

5)Activates switches on various items (ex. elevators). Menu screen 1)Confirms the selected command. Battle screen 1)Confirms the selected command.

NumPad 0 [CANCEL]

Field screen 1)When the character is moving in the field,the character

starts running.

2)Cancels the selection of weapons,armor, items etc. to sell

or buy at shops.

Menu screen 1)Closes the Menu screen.

2)Cancels the selected command. Battle screen 1)Cancels the selected command.

NumPad + [MENU]

Field screen 1)Displays the Menu screen Menu screen 1)Removes Materia equipped on a weapon or armor. Battle screen 1)Defers action (enter command) to other characters.

NumPad . [SWITCH]

Field screen N/A Menu screen 1)Switches between the Materia menu and the Equip menu. Battle screen 1)While held down,closes the Command window and

displays the Barrier and Magic Barrier (MBarrier) gauges.

Controls

NumPad 9 [PAGEUP]

Field screen 1)When the character is moving,this turns the character left.

If held down, the character keeps turning to the left.

2) When the character is moving on the World Map, this turns the character left.

3) When the character is stopped in the World Map, you may view the surroundings by turning left.

Menu screen 1)Selects characters in the same order as they are lined up in

the party.

2)Moves the scroll bar up when selecting items and magic.

Battle screen 1)Hold down simultaneously with the [PAGEDOWN] button

to escape from battles.

NumPad 3 [PAGEDOWN]

Field screen 1)When the character is moving,this turns the character

right. If held down,the character keeps turning to the right.

2)When the character is moving in the World Map, this turns the character right.

3)When the character is stopped in the World Map, you may view the surroundings by turning right.

Menu screen 1)Selects characters in the same order as they are lined up in

the party.

2)Moves scroll bar down when selecting items and magic.

Battle screen 1)Hold down simultaneously with the [PAGEUP] key to

escape from battles.

2)Switches between multiple and single targets.

NumPad 7 [CAMERA]

Field screen 1)Switches views in the World Map. Menu screen N/A Battle screen N/A

NumPad 1 [TARGET]

Field screen 1)Changes view of the World Map. Menu screen N/A Battle screen 1)Toggles the target cursor on and off.

Controls continued

NumPad 5 [START]

Field screen 1)Switches map displays on the World Map screen. Menu screen N/A Battle screen 1)Pauses or resumes battle.

Numpad - [ASSIST]

Field screen 1)Brings up a pointer which shows your position and displays

colored [triangle] marks,indicating possible doors and exits in your area. Press the [ASSIST] button again to hide

indicators. May not work in all areas. Menu screen N/A Battle screen 1)Displays help window.

You can also use the keyboard letters to type in names of characters joining your party. The default settings can only be changed while in the Menu screen in the game.

Gamepad/Joystick controls

Final Fantasy VII supports any controller that is supported through DirectX 5.0 game controller’s settings. You must calibrate your controller before you start playing Final Fantasy VII. See the Readme file for game controller troubleshooting.

Controls continued

During the game,you will encounter friends and other important characters in the story. However,depending on how you play, you may not be able to befriend some of the characters. The following are the main characters in the game.

Cloud Strife

Job: Mercenary (ex-member

of SOLDIER) Age: 21 Weapon: Sword Height: 5’7” Birthdate: August 19 Birthplace: Nibelheim Blood Type: AB

The main character in Final Fantasy VII. Originally a member of SOLDIER, he is now a mercenary who will take any job. After being hired by AVALANCHE, he gradually gets caught up in a massive struggle for the life of the planet. His enormous sword can cut almost anything into two.

The Characters

Tifa Lockheart

Job: Bar Hostess,AVALANCHE member Age: 20 Weapon: Glove Height: 5’4” Birthdate: May 3 Birthplace: Nibelheim Blood Type: B

Bright and optimistic,Tifa always cheers up the others when they’re down. But don’t let her looks fool you, she can decimate almost any enemy with her fists. She is one of the main members of AVALANCHE. She and Cloud were childhood friends, and although she has strong feelings for him, she would never admit it.

Barret Wallace

Job: Leader of AVALANCHE Age: 35 Weapon: Gun-arm Height: 6’4” Birthdate: December 15 Birthplace: Corel Village Blood Type: O

Head of the underground resistance movement,AVALANCHE, Barret is fighting the mega-conglomerate Shinra, Inc. which has monopolized Mako energy by building special reactors to suck it out of the planet. Barret depends on brute strength and his “Gun-arm” to see him through. His wife died in an accident several years ago,and he now lives with his daughter Marlene.

The Characters continued

Young, beautiful,and

somewhat mysterious,

Aeris met Cloud while

selling flowers on the

streets of Midgar. She

decided to join him

soon after. Her unusual

abilities allow her to heal the

party, but she seems more

interested in the deepening love triangle between herself, Cloud and Tifa.

Aeris Gainsborough

Job: Flower Merchant Age: 22 Weapon: Rod Height: 5’3” Birthdate: February 7 Birthplace: Unknown Blood Type: O

Red XIII

Job: Research Specimen Age: 48 Weapon: Headdress Height: 3’9” Birthdate: Unknown Birthplace: Cosmo Canyon Blood Type: Unknown

Just as his name implies, he is an animal with fire-red fur. But under his fierce exterior is an intelligence surpassing that of any human’s. His sharp claws and fangs make him good at close-range fighting,but other than that, not much is known about him. It’s not even certain that “Red XIII” is his real name. A real enigma.

Cid Highwind

Job: Pilot Age: 32 Weapon: Spear Height: 5’8” Birthdate: February 22 Birthplace: Unknown Blood Type: B

Cid is a tough-talking,warm-hearted old pilot who hasn’t forgotten his dreams. There’s no better pilot by air or sea. He believes that someday he’ll be the first man in space. With his handmade spear and knowledge of machinery, he throws himself into any attack regardless of the danger.

The Characters continued

Sephiroth

Job: Top ranking SOLDIER officer Age: Unknown Weapon: Long Sword Height: 6’1” Birthdate: Unknown Birthplace: Unknown Blood Type: Unknown

Even amongst the elite troops of SOLDIER, Sephiroth is known to be the best. His past is locked away in a confidential file held by Shinra, Inc. His giant sword, which only he can handle,has extremely destructive power. Said to have disappeared in a battle years ago,his current whereabouts are unknown.

Yuffie Kisaragi

Job: Materia Hunter,Ninja Age: 16 Weapon: Knife,boomerang, and origami

(for throwing) Height: 5’2” Birthdate: November 20 Birthplace: Wutai Blood Type: A

Although you’d never know it by looking at her, Yuffie comes from a long line of Ninja. She forced herself into the group just to get a “certain something”. She’s sneaky, arrogant and “way” selfish. But with her super shuriken and her special skills, there isn’t anyone else you’d rather have on your side in a fight.

The Characters continued

Cait Sith

Job: Toysaurus Age: Unknown Weapon: Megaphone Height: 3’2” Birthdate: Unknown Birthplace: Unknown Blood Type: Unknown

Cait Sith rides around on the back of a huge stuffed Mog he magically brought to life. Megaphone in hand, he’s always shouting orders and creating dopey attacks. When his slot machine attack works,the enemy lines look like an overturned toy box. His hobby is fortune telling,but like his personality, it’s pretty unreliable.

Vincent Valentine

Job: Unemployed Age: 27 Weapon: Gun Height: 6’0” Birthdate: October 13 Birthplace: Unknown Blood Type: A

A mystical man, stern and upright while at the same time dark and mysterious. His past connection with Shinra, Inc. is what made him join Cloud and the others. He may seem frail at first glance,but hidden inside his body lurks a fearsome power.

The Characters continued

In Final Fantasy VII, you can experience a 3D Field,for the first time ever in the Final Fantasy series. Since you can explore this enormous world in all directions,you will feel as if you are actually in the world, moving around. Dynamic scene cuts and variations in camera angels provide a cinematic experience. Once in the Field, you can enter names,talk with various people in the cities,and play Event Games.

VIEWING THE WORLD MAP

As you proceed in the game,you will come across the World Map screen, as shown here. At the bottom right corner of the screen, a reduced World Map is displayed. In this map,a broad yellow light beam indicates the direction your character is facing and the character’s current location. Dots scattered around the map represent towns,and villages. If you press the [START] button while the reduced World Map is displayed, it will switch to the enlarged World Map screen. Press [START] again, and the World Map will disappear from the screen. To display the reduced World Map, press [START] again.

ENTERING NAMES

As you encounter each character,you will be able to customize their name using up to nine letters. If the default name is acceptable,press the [START] button to move the cursor to “Select”and push the [OK] button. To change a character’s name,select a letter using the Directional Buttons and enter each letter using the [OK] button or type in the name using the keyboard. After a name is entered, select “Select”. If you want to change back to the default name, select “Default”. Press the [CANCEL] button to backspace and erase letters.

SELECTING MESSAGES

You can occasionally select a response or reaction when you are talking with other characters in the game. Select the response or reaction by using the Up or Down Directional Buttons,then press the [OK] button.

Field Controls

There are various shops, inns,etc. throughout the world, where you can buy things you need for your next adventure and rest. You can sell extra weapons or items at any shop,except for inns. The following are some descriptions of these establishments.

INNS

If you rest one night at most of the inns,the HP and MP of all party members will be completely restored. Also,any abnormal status caused during battles will be reversed. The cost depends on the inn.

WEAPON SHOP

Weapons and armor are available. Weapons are specific to each character. (For instance, Gun-arms may only be equipped on Barret.) Armor may be equipped on any character.

ITEM SHOP

A number of items with various effects,such as curative and offensive, are available.

ACCESSORY SHOP

Various accessories are available. Once equipped,they will have various special effects.

MATERIA SHOP

Materia are magic orbs that have a number of positive effects if equipped in weapons or armor. Purchasing Materia is the same as purchasing other goods in other shops; however, it cannot be purchased in bulk like items or weapons.

BEGINNER’S HALL

Located above the Weapon shop in the Sector 7 Slums near AVALANCHE headquarters. It is not a shop,but if you talk to people at the Hall (and listen to Cloud), you will learn many helpful things about playing the game.

EVENT GAMES

Some of the events that take place during your adventure require different controller functions. For instance,there is an event in which you throw barrels at enemies below you. There are other events where you compete,relying on your amount of stamina. Tips may be hidden in messages and screens, so look for them carefully before starting an event. In some cases you will have to complete an event within a certain time limit. If you have to discontinue an Event Game,you can finish the game after saving, or press the [START] button during an Event Game to pause.

Shops, Inns, Etc.

A typical Battle screen looks like this:

1) Messages during battle are displayed here.

2) Graphics of the party members. The mark above a character’s head

indicates that you can now control that character.

3) Graphics of the enemy characters.

4) Press the [ASSIST] button to display the help window during battle.

Descriptions for the selected commands,monster names, etc. are displayed.

5) The names of the party members, with the Barrier gauge and the MBarrier

gauge are displayed. If the gauge is hidden behind the Command window, you can bring it to the front by pressing the [SWITCH] button. At the beginning of the battle,the Barrier and MBarrier gauges are empty,but if you equip a Materia called “Barrier”,a magic that reduces the damage sustained by half can be cast. You can fill up the upper Barrier gauge and the lower MBarrier gauge by casting the Magic Spell only once,and the defensive effect will last until the gauges reach zero. “Barrier”works as a defense against the enemy’s physical attacks,while “MBarrier”works as a defense against magic attacks. The “MBarrier”is recommended when you fight boss-level enemies.

6) Commands that can be used during the battle. Depending on which

Materia is equipped, different commands can be used.

7) The status window shows the current status of the party members. Reading

from the left side of the window, you will see: current HP, maximum HP, remaining MP, the Limit gauge and the Time gauge.

During battle,numbers will appear above your characters and enemies. White numbers indicate damage,while green numbers indicate recovered HP or MP.

The Battle Screen

Under each character’s HP and MP, there are gauges by which you can immediately find the balance of HP and MP. The gauges will change from their standard full color to red as they become depleted.

BATTLE FORMATIONS

In addition to the normal battle formations,enemies may also appear in the following arrangements. Both your characters and enemies can receive twice as much damage if attacked from behind.

Pre-emptive Attack

Allows you to enter commands prior to the enemy’s attack. This formation is favorable to your characters.

Back Attack

An attack from behind your front defense and your rear defense will be reversed. Furthermore, you will always be pre-empted. A real disadvantage for your characters.

Side Attack

Enemies appear between your characters,allowing you to attack them from both sides. Though you cannot change formations of your characters by using the “Change”command, this formation is advantageous to your characters.

Attack from Both Sides

Your characters are caught in the enemies’ Side Attack. The enemies will always preempt you, and you won’t be able to escape. You won’t be able to attack all enemies with one magic spell, nor can you change formations using the “Change”command. In this formation,your characters are at a great disadvantage.

ATB (ACTIVE TIME BATTLE)

For battles in Final Fantasy VII,the ATB (Active Time Battle) system is introduced. Whether ally or enemy, the character whose Time gauge fills up first is given priority for entering commands. Choose commands in order to best attack or to defend yourself from the enemy.

The Battle Screen continued

BATTLE COMMANDS

The following commands, displayed in the command window, change as you proceed through the game,depending on the characters in your party.

ATTACK

You attack with equipped weapons. You can also fight your allies by selecting them as attack targets. The same applies to the “Magic”command.

LIMIT

The Limit gauge starts filling up with each enemy attack. When the gauge is full, it blinks,indicating Limit Break status. At this point,the “Fight”command changes to the “Limit”command. By selecting the Limit command,the character will be able to perform his or her unique attack called a Limit Break. If the battle ends without using the Limit Break, you can carry it over to the next battle. In this case, the Fight command will remain as the Limit command. The more damage you sustain from the enemy, the faster the Limit gauge fills up.

MAGIC

When you equip magic Materia on weapons or armor,the “Magic” command becomes available and is displayed in the window. Select the magic you want, and select who you want to cast it on. For instance, if it is attack magic, select the enemy to attack, and if it is curative magic, select one of your allies. The amount of MP consumed is the same whether it is magic that uses the Materia effect of “All” on multiple enemies or a single enemy. (Magic effective on all enemies is indicated by a red arrow next to the name of the Spell.) If magic cannot be cast due to reasons such as insufficient MP, the name of the magic will be displayed in gray.

ITEMS

Items that affect attacks and recovery can be used in battles. Select an item and decide who will use it or against whom it will be used. If it is an attack item, select the enemy. If it is a recovery item, select one of your allies.

CHANGE

This command will appear if you press the left Directional Button at the left edge of the battle command window. With this command,you can change the position of your characters from the front line to the rear. Characters at the rear will incur less damage from the enemy, but their damage to the enemy when attacking will be less. Placed at the front, the effect will be reversed. The changed status will not be carried over to the next battle.

The Battle Screen continued

DEFEND

This command will appear if you press the right Directional Button at the right edge of the battle command window. If you use this command, damage incurred will be reduced by half until the Time gauge fills up.

ESCAPE

If you hold down the [PAGEUP] and [PAGEDOWN] buttons simultaneously, you may be able to escape from battle. Depending on your enemy and battle formations,it is not always possible to escape.

OTHER COMMANDS

As you proceed, you will obtain many Materia. Among them are Materia that will add commands that you can use during battle. For example,there is the “Summon” command, the “Sense” command, and the “Enemy Skill” command. Only characters equipped with the appropriate Materia can use these commands.

END OF BATTLE

Battles end when you have destroyed all your enemies or when all enemies or your characters have escaped. If you win the battle, Gil,items,experience points (EXP), or ability points (AP) which affect Materia growth will be awarded. Their values will vary depending on the type and number of enemies destroyed.

GAME OVER

If all your party members are critically injured or are turned to stone,the game is over. When the game ends,press [OK], and you will return to the opening credit screen. Press [OK] again and you will go to the “NEW GAME/ CONTINUE?” screen. If you have saved data before, you can choose the appropriate file to reload and continue the game. However, the data reverts to what it was before the Game Over screen appears (including Gil, EXP, and items obtained.)

The Battle Screen continued

STATUS CHANGES

If a character is attacked, his/her status may fall into “abnormal”status,such as these listed below. In many cases,abnormal status can be cured during battles using Materia like “Heal”or items like “Hyper”. Also,abnormal status will normally disappear after a battle ends. However,“Critical”, “Death”,“Fury”, or “Sadness” can only be cured using appropriate magic or items. Any abnormal status can be cured if the character rests at an inn. In addition to the following, there are other status conditions that can occur during battles.

The Battle Screen continued

Status Condition Cure

Sleep You cannot enter commands Magic “Esuna”,or enemy or

until the character wakes up. ally’s attack on the affected

character

Poison HP decreases every turn. Item “Antidote” or Magic

“Esuna”

Fury Doubles the damage incurred Item “Tranquilizer”

and causes the Limit gauge to

fill faster.Hit rate against

enemies is decreased. Sadness Decreases the damage Item “Hyper”

incurred and causes the

Limit gauge to fill up slower. Petrify The character is turned into Item “Soft”or Magic “Esuna”

stone,and commands cannot

be entered. If all characters in

your party are turned to stone,

the party is destroyed. Confusion The character becomes Magic “Esuna”,or enemy or

confused and attacks allies ally’s attack on the

as well as enemies. affected character Silence The character becomes Item “Echo Screen”or

unable to cast magic. Magic “Esuna”

The Battle Screen continued

Status Condition Cure

Paralyzed The character becomes Magic “Esuna”

paralyzed and commands cannot be entered.

Darkness Character’s vision is Item “Eye Drop” or Magic

obscured, and hit rate against “Esuna” enemies is decreased.

Frog Character turns into a frog Item “Maiden’s Kiss”or

and the ability to attack and Magic “Transform” defend is decreased. Magic other than “Transform” cannot be cast.

Small The character’s size is reduced Item “Cornucopia” or

and the ability to attack and Magic “Frog” defend is decreased.

Critical HP levels are dangerously low. Item “Potion” types or

Magic “Cure” types

Death HP drops to zero and the Item “Phoenix Down” or

character is unable to do Magic “Life”types anything.If all characters fall or Summon “Phoenix” into this status,the party is destroyed.

Slow Numb The character’s body Item “Soft”or Magic “Esuna”

gradually turns to stone, after each turn.

Death Sentence A countdown begins,and at You must end the battle

zero the character becomes before count reaches zero disabled.

Berserk Commands cannot be Magic “Esuna”

entered and the character keeps continuously attacking the enemy.

HOW TO VIEW MENU SCREENS

Menu screens can be displayed by pushing the [MENU] button in the Field screen; they contain the following information.

1) Current status of each party member.

Reading from the left: the character’s image (face), name,level, current HP/maximum HP, and current MP/maximum MP are displayed. The two gauges to the right indicate what is required to reach the next level or to perform a Limit Break attack.

2) Commands available to you. However,some of the them, such as “PHS” or

“Save”, can only be used at certain locations. Also,“PHS” and “Materia” commands can be used only after you obtain items “PHS”and “Materia”.

3) Total gameplay time and the total sum of Gil the party has.

4) The location of the party.

MENU SCREEN COMMANDS

Ten commands are available on the Menu screen; each explained below. To select commands,use the Up and Down Directional buttons, and confirm by pressing the [OK] button.

Menu Screens

1. ITEMS

This command enables you to use items mainly for recovery and cure,such as “Potion”or “Phoenix Down”. If you select this command, the screen shown on the right will appear. If you want to use commands other than “Use”,press the [CANCEL] button,and select the appropriate command.

Use

Choose this command to use items you possess. After selecting the item,select the character on whom the item will be used. Any items that cannot be used will be displayed in gray. Press the [PAGEUP] or [PAGEDOWN] button to scroll up and down the list of items.

Arrange

Choose this command to arrange items. Items can be arranged according to the following criteria:

Field - Items that can be used in the field are listed here first.

Battle - Items that can be used during battle will be listed here first.

Throw - Items that can be thrown in battle will be listed here first.

Type - Arrange by item types,such as weapons, armor, etc.

Name - In alphabetical order.

Most - Arrange by the number of items in the player’s possession,

greatest first.

Least - Arrange by the number of items in the player’s possession,

fewest first.

Key Items

Displays important items you currently possess,which will affect your progress in the game.

Menu Screens continued

2. MAGIC

While you are in the Menu screen,you can cast magic for recovery, cure,and check magic like “Summon” or “Enemy Skill”. When this command is selected,the screen shown on the right will appear. If you press the [PAGEUP] or [PAGEDOWN] button before you select one of the three commands listed below, other party members can be selected without going back to the menu screen. This applies to other commands, including “Materia”, “Equip”,“Status”, and “Limit”.

Magic

Choose this command to use magic. After selecting the magic,decide upon whom the magic will be cast. Magic Spells available to you are displayed in white while those that cannot be used are displayed in gray. In order to cast each magic,Materia must be equipped on the character’s weapons or armor. Press the [PAGEUP] or [PAGEDOWN] button to scroll up and down the list.

Summon

Displays the available Summon magic (summon monsters) and their effects. In order to cast the Summon Magic,Summon Materia must be attached to the character’s weapons or armor.

Enemy Skill

Displays the current enemys attacks and their effects. In order to learn enemys attacks,a Materia called “Enemy Skill” must be attached to the character’s weapons or armor.

Extra Abilities

If special abilities have been gained by equipping Materia such as “All”, its effects are displayed.

3. MATERIA

If Materia orbs are inserted into slots in weapons or armor,various abilities become available. Select this command in order to equip Materia or to see its abilities. To equip the Materia, move the finger cursor to the slot in the weapon or armor,and press the [OK] button. Materia not equipped by other

Menu Screens continued

characters are available,so choose the one you want to use and press the [OK] button. To remove Materia, select the slot where it is equipped, and press the [MENU] button.

1) The number of slots available in the weapons and armor currently equipped on the characters are displayed here.

2) The ability of the Materia equipped in the slot is shown.

3) Information on the equipped Materia,including the name of the Materia, the level, the AP (Ability Point), the required AP to reach the next level, future abilities,and the effects of the Materia.

Ability List

Abilities given to the character by equipping the Materia are displayed. Available abilities are shown in white. Abilities shown in gray are not yet available.

Equip Effects

By equipping certain Materia, a character’s Strength, Magic, MAX HP (maximum HP), or MAX MP (maximum MP), may change. If any of these values increase,the increased value will be shown in yellow. If they decrease, the decreased value will be displayed in red.

AP (Ability Point)

The APs (Ability Points) gained up to now for that Materia. APs are gained if you win battles. Materia that is not equipped on weapons or armor (that is,if you just possess it), will not obtain APs. If the AP exceeds the value of “to the next level” shown on the right, the Materia level goes up, and the number of available abilities increases and the effects will be stronger. Most Materia can go up to level 5.

Move the finger cursor to “Check”and press the [OK] button. Commands and Magic available to the character during the battle due to the equipped Materia will be listed.

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By using “Arrange”, un-equipped Materia can be arranged, or all equipped Materia can be removed at once. Also,any excess Materia can be disposed of. Use “Exchange”to switch Materia between all party members, whether they are present or not.

Move the finger cursor to the slot for Materia and push the [OK] button. Materia in your possession (not equipped) and their effects when equipped are displayed.

MATERIA TYPES

Various types of Materia appear in the game. Materia can be divided into five groups based on their abilities.

Independent Materia

Purple Materia. This enhances the character’s Status, such as maximum HP and strength.

Support Materia

Blue Materia. This Materia,such as “All” or “Elemental”,shows full effect when used in conjunction with other Materia. Make sure you insert this Materia in linked slots (either slot is OK) when equipping this Materia in a weapon or armor. Insert Command Materia or Magic Materia in the other slot. The effects of these Materia will be enhanced with Support Materia.

Command Materia

Yellow Materia. This will increase the number of commands that can be used during battle,such as “Steal” and “Throw”.

Magic Materia

Green Materia. This will enable you to use Spell Magic and Curative Magic.

Summon Materia

Red Materia. This will enable you to cast Summon Magic during battle,in order to call a Summon Monster.

Menu Screens continued

4. EQUIP

This command equips characters with weapons,armor, and accessories. Even if weapons or armor have been acquired, they will not become effective unless equipped.

Weapons

Once a character has equipped weapons,their Attack Power and Attack % Status will change. (To view the Status, choose the weapon currently equipped and press the [OK] button.) If you have other weapons available to equip, they will be displayed in the lower right box. Select the weapon to equip, and press the [OK] button. The Status change is shown in two columns in the lower box. The left value indicates the Status of the equipped weapon,while the right indicates the Status of the one you want to equip. Yellow numbers mean that the Status will increase,and red numbers mean that they will decrease. To remove the equipped weapon, select that weapon and press the [OK] button.

Armor

When a character is equipped with armor,the Defense, Magic Defense, and their percentages will change. Armor equips in the same fashion as weapons.

Materia slots

The number of Materia slots in corresponding weapons or armor is indicated here. The linked slots are for using Support Materia and other types of Materia in conjunction to increase the power of abilities.

Materia Growth

The growth speed of Materia is indicated. The speed varies depending on the weapons and armor. “Normal” does not change the speed, but “Double” doubles the APs obtained. On some weapons and armor, Materia does not grow at all.

Accessories

Various effects can be gained by wearing accessories. Some accessories change the character’s Status. Accessories equip in the same fashion as weapons and armor.

Menu Screens continued

5. STATUS

The current Status of the character is displayed. Press the [OK] button to display current properties.

1) The current condition of each party member is displayed. Reading from the left are: the character’s image (face), name, level, current HP/maximum HP, current MP/maximum MP, and total EXP. Also, there are gauges that indicate required EXP to reach the next level and required Limits to perform Limit Break attacks.

2) Each party member’s current Status values are shown here. Reading from the top are: Strength, Dexterity,Vitality, Magic, Spirit,Luck,Attack, Attack %, Defense,Defense %, Magic Attack,Magic Defense, and Magic Defense %.

3) A window listing battle commands available to the character is displayed. Weapons equipped on the character, number of Materia slots,types (colors) of

Materia equipped, and accessories equipped on the character are displayed.

1) ELEMENTS

By equipping certain weapons,armor, or accessories, each character can gain special Elemental Abilities useful for both offense and defense. When the character obtains these Elements,the name of each Element is shown in white. The nine Elements are Fire,Ice, Lightning, Earth, Poison,Gravity,Water, Wind, and Holy.

Attack

When you attack enemies who have certain Elements as their weak points,you will cause twice as much damage. On the other hand, if the enemy is resistant to those Elements,you will cause only half as much damage, or in the worst case,the damage may become void or absorbed.

Menu Screens continued

Attack Effects of Each Element

Fire - Effects of fire. Effective against beasts and ice enemies.

Ice - Effects of ice. Effective against enemies weak against cold,

or fire enemies.

Lightning - Effects of lightning. Effective against mechanical enemies.

Earth - Attacks utilizing the power of the earth. Not effective

against flying enemies.

Poison - Poisons opponents. Not effective against poisonous enemies.

Gravity - Attacks utilizing power of gravity.

Water - Calls on the power of water. Effective against fire enemies.

Wind - Calls on the power of wind. Effective against flying enemies.

Holy - Calls on the power of the planet. Effective against the

creatures of darkness.

Half reduction - When attacked by enemies with certain Elements, the

damage incurred will be reduced to one half.

Void

When attacked by enemies with certain Elements,no damage will be incurred.

Absorb

When attacked by enemies with certain Elements,the damage will be absorbed and added as your own character’s HP.

2) EFFECT

Certain weapons and armor provide enemies with abnormal status,or protect you from those abnormal status. If any of the weapons or armor currently equipped has such effects,the name of the abnormal status will be displayed in white.

Attack

When attacking the enemy, in addition to inflicting the usual damage,you can also inflict an abnormal status effect (for example,Poison, Sleep).

Defense

When the enemy tries to cause abnormal status to the character,the attack by the abnormal status effect can be avoided (for example,Poison, Sleep).

Menu Screens continued

6. ORDER

This command is used to change the characters’ positions or to move them to the front or the rear of the ranks. Select the character,and choose the location to move the character (or choose the character to switch places with). To change the character from the front line to the rear,move the finger cursor to the character and double-click the [OK] button.

Front

By moving your character to the front,Attack Power will increase,and Defense will decrease. Attack Power and Defense against Magic doesn’t change.

Rear

By moving your character to the rear,Defense will increase,and Attack Power will decrease. Attack Power and Defense against Magic doesn’t change.

7. LIMIT

By using this command, you can perform Limit Break attacks when your character reaches Limit Breaks during battles. You can also find out the effects of the attacks. Limit gauges are displayed at the upper right corner,which shows the progress towards the next Limit Break.

Initially, you can only use Level 1 attacks,but as you go through a number of battles,the characters will learn higher level attacks. To select an attack to perform, move the finger cursor to “Set”and press the [OK] button. Then select the “Break Level”shown in white at the bottom of the screen. You will be asked whether you want to change the Break Level. If you want to change it, choose “Yes”, and the limit gauge will return to zero; if not, choose “No.”

Menu Screens continued

To find the effects of the Limit Break attacks, move the finger cursor to “Check” in the screen, and press the [OK] button. Select the level of the attack you want to check, then select the attack’s name.

When Your Status is “Fury” or “Sadness” If your status becomes “Fury”,the Limit gauge fills up faster and is shown in red. If your status becomes “Sadness”, the limit gauge fills up slower and is shown in blue. Abnormal conditions such as Fury or Sadness can be cured

with the appropriate items or magic.

8. CONFIGURATION

By using this command, you can change the game system according to your preference. Use the Directional Buttons to select various options,then press the [OK] button to confirm.

Window Color

Mixing the three colors,RED,GREEN,and BLUE can change the colors of the window background. Press the [OK] button in order to move the finger cursor to the right window. Use Directional Buttons to select the corner of the box you wish to change,then press the [OK] button. Change colors using the Right and Left Directional Buttons,and press the [CANCEL] button. When you have finished changing colors of all four corners,press the [CANCEL] button again.

Sound

You can adjust the sound and music volume by pressing [OK] and then the Right and Left Directional Buttons at either the music or sound volume bar. When you have finished adjusting the volumes,press the [CANCEL] button.

Menu Screens continued

Controller

The controller settings can be changed to Normal or Customize. To choose Customize,press the [OK] button to display the window, then press the [START] button. The finger cursor will appear to the left of the buttons in the box. There will be a keyboard column and a controller column, choose the column that matches your control scheme. Select the button command you want to change by using the Up and Down Directional Buttons. Press [OK] to change the button, then press the keyboard key or controller button you want assigned to that function. Note: If you are using a control pad or joystick, it must be calibrated and configured through DirectX 5.0 game controllers settings. You may not have all the button commands available if you do not have enough buttons on your controller. When you finish customizing your button settings,press the [CANCEL] button to exit.

Cursor

Even after you close the window, the last position of the finger cursor can be stored.

ATB

You can set the time flow during battles to one of the following three options:

Active - For skilled players. Time passes even while you are

selecting commands such as Magic and Items.

Recommended - For moderately skilled players. Time stops while the

screen effects are displayed when using Magic and Items.

Wait- For beginners. Time stops while you are selecting

commands such as Magic and Items.

Battle Speed

Speed of time flow during battles can be changed.

Battle Message

Message speed during battles can be changed.

Field Message

Message speed in the Field screen can be changed.

Menu Screens continued

Camera Angle

Screen angles during battles can be changed.

Auto- The camera angle (view) changes constantly,making the

battle exciting and realistic.

Fixed - The camera angle is fixed to a specific angle when you

encounter enemies. The battle continues at this fixed angle.

Magic Order

When selecting Magic to cast during battles,you can choose between six types (No.1 through No. 6) of sequences for listing Magic in the window.

9. PHS

Once you have more than three members in your party, two members besides Cloud must be chosen. To do this,an Item called “PHS” is required (except for certain Events). This Item will become available to you during the game. However,members can be switched only in the World Map screen and at Save Points. Switch party members as follows:

Select the character you want to remove from your party. Move the finger cursor to the character,and press the [OK] button. (If you press the [OK] button again, details on that character will be displayed. However,information on Cloud will not be available.)

Move the finger cursor to the other characters. Select the character you want to add to the party, and press the [OK] button. (If you move the finger cursor to a character and press the [OK] button twice,details on that character will be displayed.)

10. SAVE

Execute this command at a Save point to save your game contents up to that point to your computer’s hard drive. In the World Map screen, regardless of your location, you can save the game by pressing the [MENU] button and opening the Menu screen.

In order to save the game in the Field screen,move the character to a Save point. A window explaining ways of saving will appear. Close the window by pressing the [CANCEL] button,and open the Menu screen by pressing the [MENU] button. Select the “Save” command by using the Directional buttons

Menu Screens continued

and press the [OK] button. Select from Save File 1-10. Use the Up and Down Directional buttons to select the file in which you want to store the saved data and press the [OK] button. Though only three files appear on the screen,other Save Games will appear if you press the Up and Down Directional buttons. Up to 15 Save Games can be stored in each Save File for a total of 150 individual save games.

You can easily e-mail your Save Files to friends by attaching the save file(s) to an e-mail. The Save Files are all located in a separate directory on your hard drive where you installed Final Fantasy VII. For example, if you installed Final Fantasy VII to the “C:\Program Files\Square Soft,Inc.\Final Fantasy VII” directory, your Save Files will be located in the “C:\Program Files\Square Soft, Inc.\Final Fantasy VII\Save”directory. The Save Files are named “SAVE00.FF7” to “SAVE09.FF7,”which correspond to Save Files 1-10. So, if you want to send your Save File 1 to someone,simply attach “SAVE00.FF7” to your e-mail and send it!

QUIT

Select and press [OK] at this option if you want to quit playing Final Fantasy VII. You can also quit during the game by pressing CTRL+Q in the Field Map,World Map or Battle System. You will be prompted with a “Yes or No” option. Choose “Yes” to quit or “No”to play on.

VEHICLES & MACHINES

As you proceed in the adventure,you will be able to travel in a variety of vehicles. By using these vehicles,places not accessible by foot can be reached. Many different vehicles and machines will become available during the game. Instructions on using each vehicle will appear as you use it for the first time.

Menu Screens continued

SQUARE CO. LTD.

Producer Hironobu Sakaguchi

Director Yoshinori Kitase

Music Composer Nobuo Uematsu

Main Programmer Ken Narita

Character Design & Battle Visual Director Tetsuya Nomura

Art Director Yusuke Naora

Image Illustrator Yoshitaka Amano

CG Supervisor Kazuyuki Hashimoto

Movie Director Motonori Sakakibara

Character Modeling Director Tomohiro Kayano

Battle Effect Director Hirokatsu Sasaki

Special Magic Effect Director Shintaro Takai

Battle Stage Director Akira Fujii

Outside Contractor Coordinator Hiroyoshi Hamada

Graphic Outside Contractor Art Director Hitoshi Sasaki

Animation Director Hidetoshi Omori

Battle Plan Director Yasushi Matsumura

Map Plan Director Hidetoshi Kezuka

Map Plan Co-Directors Takeshi Endo Motoharu Tanaka Masato Yagi

Main Character Modeler Hiroshi Arai

Battle Programmer Hiroshi Harata

Character Programmer Hiroshi Kawai

CD & Movie Programmer Shun Moriya

Sound Programmer Minoru Akao

Sound Engineer Eiji Nakamura

MA & Recording Engineer Kenji Nagashima

Story by Kazushige Nojima Yoshinori Kitase

Based on the story by Hironobu Sakaguchi Tetsuya Nomura

Executive Producers Tetsuo Mizuno Tomoyuki Takechi

SQUARE SOFT, INC.

Senior Vice President Yoshi-Hiro Maruyama

Executive Producers Masahiro Nakajima Randall Fujimoto

Vice President,Marketing Jun Iwasaki

Senior Software Engineers Anthony Ignacio Son Ton

Software Engineers “William”Feng Chen Scott Coventon Jay Fong Kazumasa Fuseya Akintunde Omitowoju Rajiv Patel Yoshinori “Goro”Uenishi

Graphic Artist Jason Greenberg

Production Manager Yumi Yoshida

Associate Producer Akihito Kozu

Localization Michael Baskett

Technical Translation Aiko Ito David Jones

Marketing Kenji Mimura Kyoko Yamashita Lisa Ahern

Business Development Elaine DiIorio

Network Administration Sami Zuhuruddin

Customer Service Rick Thompson Fernando Bustamante

Quality Assurance Manager Jonathan Williams

Lead QA Analysts Richard Amtower IV

Clayton S.Chan Tymothi V. Loving

Quality Assurance Sean Camanyag Sissie Chang Mike Givens Stephen A. Holder Andy Hsu Terry Y. Jung Kirk Lambert Vangthonhoua Moua Stanford Ng Robert Smith Takahiro So Jamie Wiggs

EIDOS INTERACTIVE (U.S.)

Producer Frank Hom

Director of Development James Poole

Quality Assurance Manager Mike McHale

Lead QA Analysts Corey Fong

Quality Assurance Clayton Palma Eric Adams Jeremy Hunter John Arvay Matt Miller Mike Gilmartin Mike Schmitt Rudy Ellis Timothy Moore Tom Marx

VP of Marketing Paul Baldwin

Product Manager Gary Keith

Creative Services Director Sutton Trout

Public Relations Gary Keith Tricia Gray

Production Manager Jo Kathryn Reavis

Manual Design Moore & Price Frank Hom

Special Thanks Charles Cornwall Dave Cox Keith Boesky Mike McGarvey Phil Campbell SQUARE SOFT, INC.

EIDOS (EUROPE)

Associate-Producer John Ng

Director of Development Steve Hickman

Localization Manager Flavia Timiani

Marketing Managers Cindy Church - England Sebastien Salinie - France Christian Zoch - Germany Mercedes Rey ñ Spain

French Text Localization Corinne Racineux Celine Bellini

German Text Localization Tetsuhiko Hara Elke Kleinofen

Spanish Text Localization David Carillo

Public Relations Steve Starvis - England Sascha Green-Kaiser Germany Priscille Demoly - France

INTERMETRICS, INC.

Yoji Takenaka Jeff E.England Joseph Alemanni PÂl-Kristian Engstad Michael Kelleghen

YAMAHA CORPORATION

Susumu Kawashima Naoyuki Makinose Toshiaki Kaburagi Tad Aoyama Yasunori Ogawa

SPECIAL THANKS

3Dfx Interactive,Inc. Intel Corporation/Intel K.K. Microsoft Corporation/Microsoft K.K. The Duck Corporation NEC Electronics Inc. ATI Technologies Inc. NVIDIA Corporation Rendition, Inc. 3DLabs,Inc. Creative Labs,Inc. Diamond Multimedia Systems,Inc. Matrox Graphics Inc. S3 Inc. BradyGames

CHOCOBO

If you have a Materia called “Chocobo Lure”, you can catch a Chocobo in certain areas in the World Map screen by walking on the Chocobo’s tracks. Chocobos can move around areas you cannot reach by foot, such as rivers,seas,and mountains (different Chocobos have different abilities).

You can get off a Chocobo by pressing the [CANCEL] button,once you do the Chocobo will run away. You cannot ride the same Chocobo more than once. In order to ride another Chocobo, you must catch one again. Riding a Chocobo is the same as walking except for the use of the [CANCEL] button.

Are you stuck?

Call the Eidos Hint Line at: 1-900-773-4367

Menu Screens continued

Credits

The “Tips for First Timers” section lists lots of helpful bits of information that every gamer should know.Don’t worry though—the tips don’t give away anything that could spoil the game for you.

Presented by

Written by

David Cassady

FIN AL FANTASY

VII:

INI STRATEGY GUIDE

INTRODUCTION

Are you ready to take your first step into Midgar?

If not, then take a moment to peruse our “Tips for First Timers.”If you’re really stuck and don’t know what to do,check out our “Mini Walkthrough.”

You may even want to take a quick look at the “Mini Walkthrough.” This is just a short,hand-holding walkthrough of Cloud’s first mission with Avalanche.

It’s very important to note,however, that this section gives away everything about Avalanche’s assault on Shinra’s North Mako Reactor.

TABLE OF CONTENTS PG.

TIPS FOR FIRST TIMERS..................42-44

GENERAL TIPS ......................................42

ITEMS .....................................................42

WEAPONS & ARMOR............................42

MATERIA & SPELLS..............................43

BATTLE ..................................................44

WALKTHROUGH:

ASSAULT ON REACTOR NO. 1......46-50

So,if you

don’t want

to know,

don’t look!

The “Mini

Walkthrough”also helps

you become accustomed to

Final Fantasy VII’s gameplay

and provides a lot of useful tips

that will come in handy later in

the game.If you enjoy this

section, make sure you check

out the ad in the manual

on how you can order

the BradyGAMES

Official Guide to

Final Fantasy VII.

• You don’t need to purchase each new weapon and piece of armor you find. You should keep your main party outfitted in the latest gear,but only buy for inactive characters if you have an overabundance of Gil.

• Your armor and accessories can seriously effect the outcome of a battle. For example,an enemy that uses nothing but water-based attacks will have trouble injuring someone equipped with the Water Ring.

• Items like the Water Ring enable your party to use normally harmful spells for healing purposes.

Materia & Spells

• Over the course of your adventure you’ll have the opportunity to buy lots of Materia. Although you can find most of it just lying around, you may want to buy a second Materia crystal for essential spells like Cure and Life.

• All is one of the most valuable Materia for eliminating multiple enemies.But it can also be teamed up with a Materia that gives the entire party bonuses,like Restore or Time.

• Each Materia gives the equipped character certain bonuses and penalties. Avoid overloading characters with Materia that have heavy penalties or you may seriously decrease the character’s effectiveness.

• Summon Materia is sometimes difficult to find.You should search everything and everywhere as you explore.If you can’t enter an area now,return later and the path may have opened.

• Some of the most valuable spells cause no damage at all and are commonly overlooked. If you want to master Final Fantasy VII, you must learn how to effectively use Materia like Time and Mystify.

Tips for First Timers

Is this your first Final Fantasy adventure? If so, then the following tips are especially for you.While you’re playing,keep in mind that even “veterans”of the Final Fantasy series may find the following information useful for brushing up on their adventuring skills.

There are certain truths that are universal to the worlds of Final Fantasy. Knowing these truths will make your quest less frustrating and considerably more enjoyable. So before you charge into Midgar,take a few moments to arm yourself with the ultimate weapon: Knowledge!

General Tips

• Save often—you never know what lies around the next turn.

• Talk to everyone—several times. Some characters won’t spill their guts the first time you speak to them; however,they’ll tell you everything the second and third times around.

• Major events in the game often change what some characters say and do.If something earth-shattering occurs,revisit nearby villages to see if anything has changed.

• After acquiring a vehicle,leave it in a place where you can easily retrieve it. Otherwise, you can easily get completely cut off from your transportation.

• Riding Chocobos is a fun way to get around quickly, but it’s not always the best choice. The random battles that occur while traveling between towns are critical for raising your levels and fattening your wallet.

Items

• Carry lots of Potions,Ethers, and Phoenix Downs. These items help the most during battles where your magic runs dry.

• Most status effects—either good or bad—only last until the end of a battle.You should carry a few of the items that cure such effects (four or five tops) just to be safe.However, don’t waste Gil loading yourself down with a ton of useless supplies.

• Look for special items like Power Source and Guard Source to give your characters a boost. Each “Source” permanently increases one of your character’s statistics by a point.

Weapons & Armor

• Always equip new armor and weapons when you obtain them.You should occasionally check your inventory to make sure you didn’t miss the addition of a new item to your inventory.

• The strongest weapon is not always the best choice.Always take into account how much

Materia a weapon can store and what kind of effect it has on the Materia’s growth rate.

Tips for First Timers

Battle

• Characters equipped with short-range weapons (swords,staffs,etc.) cause less damage while standing in the back rank. Even if they’re in the front ranks,they still cause less damage if they’re forced to attack an opponent’s back ranks.

• Characters equipped with long-range weapons can attack from the front or back rank without weakening their attacks.They can also attack an opponent’s back rank without a loss of power.

• You can only hit some enemies (mainly Bosses) with long-range weapons. Even if your character’s best weapon is best suited for close-range attacks,make sure you keep a longrange weapon in your inventory just in case.

• Each player will progress through the game at a different speed.Depending on how quickly you find your way around, you may occasionally need to “build”your levels or fill your pockets with Gil.To accomplish this, roam around near a town and fight the local hordes of enemies,resting at an Inn when necessary.

• After becoming familiar with the enemies in an area,take a few moments to re-equip your team. For example, if you’re facing ice beasts,equip lots of Fire Materia and accessories that protect you from ice attacks.

Tips for First Timers

WARNING!!!

The following section is a handholding walkthrough of Cloud’s first encounter with the rebel group Avalanche.In the walkthrough,many things are revealed,which may spoil some of the surprise.If you’re feeling totally lost and don’t know what to do,refer to this section for advice.If,on the other hand, you have a good grasp on what to do,play through the area first before consulting the walkthrough.

After meeting several members of the rebel group known as Avalanche, Cloud joins their effort to bomb Shinra’s Mako Reactor No.1. Shinra’s forces heavily guard the plant, so the group hijacks a train bound for the adjacent slums.

The guards at the station are easily overpowered as the mission quickly gets underway.Cloud exits the train and must follow the rest of the team off the platform. Make sure you check the downed guards to collect two Potions. Before Cloud can reach the end of the platform, two MPs initiate combat with Cloud.

But don’t worry, this is one of the few times Cloud has to fight alone.Even so, the MPs aren’t much of a threat.Cloud and his companions are more than a match for most of the enemies you’ll face in the Mako reactor.After the battle, follow Cloud’s companions to the reactor gate and then into the reactor itself.

Two security doors block the only passage in or out of the Mako reactor (A). Speak with Biggs and Jessie and they’ll open the gates.Don’t enter the elevator just ahead until after you’ve picked up the Phoenix Down (B) in the control room to the right.

Battle Tip: In most of the early battles,you’ll only use your characters’ normal attacks.You can cut down the selection time by holding [OK] as a character’s Time Bar finishes filling.This automatically selects your normal attack and the closest enemy.

Despite the rebel band’s doubt surrounding Cloud’s allegiance,the team quickly infiltrates the reactor.The ever-cynical Barret explains the reason for Avalanche’s existence: It seems Shinra’s Mako reactors are depleting the planet’s Mako energy. If Shinra isn’t stopped,the whole planet may die.Because so few people understand the Mako,Avalanche may be the only hope of saving the lives of millions.

In true mercenary fashion, Cloud makes it clear that his interests lie elsewhere.At this point, Barret joins Cloud for the rest of the mission.

Assault on Mako Reactor No. 1 Assault on Mako Reactor No. 1

Follow Jessie out of the elevator (C) and into the reactor (D).After giving you a quick lesson on using ladders,she steps aside as you continue deeper into the reactor.Make sure you grab the Potion resting just in front of

Jessie’s sentry position.

Note: The party will find many useful items like Potions lying around different areas of

the game.Keep your eyes open or Cloud may run right past one.

After traveling a little further, the party encounters tougher enemies,plus you get your first chance to save the game.Step on the Save Point,access the Menu,and then choose Save. You should also use this opportunity to heal the party before moving onward.

As Cloud approaches the Mako reactor,he finds a “Restore” Materia on the floor— unfortunately he can’t do anything with it right now. You’ll often find some Materia lying on the ground;however, others will be less obvious.

When you approach the reactor,Barret makes Cloud plant the charges.After the attempted intervention of a mysterious voice,Cloud happily obliges.Unfortunately, their actions trigger an alarm that alerts Shinra’s forces to their presence.

Assault on Mako Reactor No. 1 Assault on Mako Reactor No. 1

Battle Tip: Some enemies have a weakness

or immunity to at least one type of element.For example,Ice-based creatures falter against fire,but are healed by any type of ice-based attack.In this area of the game, you’ll run into several mechanical enemies, like the Sweeper.You can short-circuit these motored menaces with the Bolt spell.

Boss Fight: Guard Scorpion

Although the Guard Scorpion has some deadly attacks,Cloud and Barret’s combined strength should be more than enough to punch its ticket.

Start the battle by having Cloud pummel the Scorpion (another mechanical creature) with constant Bolt spells while Barret uses his normal attack.

Battle Tip: Keep your eye on Cloud and Barret’s hit points (HP). If either falls below 100, use Potions to heal them.

After several attacks,the Guard Scorpion raises its tail and begins to shake violently, at which point Cloud warns Barret to be careful.When this occurs,stop your attacks.Attacking the Boss during this time causes it to counterattack with its super weapon, the Tail Laser.This move causes close to 75 points of damage to both characters.When the Boss returns to its normal stance,continue your

regular attack pattern.

As Cloud makes his way through the pipes and support structures,he finds Jessie stuck where he had left her.Help Jessie release her foot and then follow her to the exit.If you fail to rescue Jessie,you won’t be able to open the security doors above.

When you reach the security doors,speak with Jessie and Biggs again.They’ll release the locks for you.If you made it to this location quickly—and the party is still in good health—use this time to fight some enemies in the area.This is a great opportunity for the characters to easily gain a level. In addition, they will be fully healed when they get outside.When you’re ready, run Cloud out of the area and watch Mako Reactor No.1 burn.

Congratulations on your first successful mission! However,the fight against Shinra has only just begun.There are numerous Mako reactors and AVALANCHE’s forces are sparse.This will be a battle not easily won.

Includes detailed

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level maps,

bestiary,

and the locations

of all Materia.

Plus lots of other surprises!

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Assault on Mako Reactor No. 1

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The Guard Scorpion is easily destroyed.Now Cloud has only 10 minutes to evacuate the Mako reactor before the bomb explodes.

Before running for the exit, quickly equip Barret with the Assault Gun that gets left behind by the Boss.You may want to save your game on your way out just in case something unexpected occurs.

Note: The timer runs continuously, so you need to quickly finish your battles.If time is short, you can run from your enemies by pressing [PAGE UP] and [PAGE DOWN] simultaneously.

Games PC FINAL FANTASY VII User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual