Confusion with the new release of FF7

[boreal ibex]

Today, Square Enix updated the Steam release of FF7 to be the Windows Store version, with additional features such as speed up and no encounters. I attempted to update the page here. I was informed "This appears to be a different version of Final Fantasy VII". Given that this new release has feature parity with the console releases (which are also tracked on this page), I am confused as to what was meant by this comment. Do the new features necessitate that a different page be made for the console, Windows Store, and new Steam release?

[civic mortar]

For reference:
Old Steam page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/39140/FINAL_FANTASY_VII/
New Steam page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3837340/FINAL_FANTASY_VII/

[true shadow]

We went ahead and made a page for the previous Steam version of FF7 over here:
https://www.igdb.com/games/final-fantasy-vii--11

[reef sky]

I know this topic is resolved but I figured I'd ask this here since it's related (can start a new topic if need be of course). I see there's currently a page for the original PS1 release and then a "port" for the "International" Japanese release, which is -- according to the page -- the western release, but brought back to Japan.

Wouldn't it technically make more sense for the initial Japanese release to be the original game, then the version released outside of Japan (and then back in Japan) to be the port of the original version, since the changes/content of western FFVII and FFVII International are the same?

I know I might be opening a can of worms here, but this seems correct by IGDB standards, unless I'm missing something.

[boreal ibex]

seems about right, but this would need to be applied for a bunch of square games

[true shadow]

So the differences are normal things that would change during a localization without being so major that we would track the localized version as a port. Really the only reason we track it at all is because it was backported to Japan as a new release. It's not perfect, but it's the best fit we have at the moment

[boreal ibex]

it seems to be untrue that the international release was a simple localization

there are quite a few gameplay changes here, including new superbosses

[reef sky]

https://youtu.be/oFJyoN26zjY?t=62

There certainly seem to be various changes, additions and QOL improvements, I'd go as far as to say the International release should probably be considered an expanded game

The way I would probably go about it to cause the least disturbance with lists/collections/other sites that use IGDB etc:
~ Final Fantasy VII (OG Japanese release) - New Main Game page
~ Final Fantasy VII (Worldwide release) - Change to an Expanded Game (the current original FFVII page)
~ Final Fantasy VII International (Japanese release) - Merge this page into the Worldwide release:
Add a Japanese release date and "Final Fantasy VII International" as the localised Japanese name and alternative name spelling

[thorny ridge]

aight, so here which is which? 2013 vs 2026

so this would be the 2013 https://www.igdb.com/games/final-fantasy-vii--11/changes
and this would be the 2026 https://www.igdb.com/games/final-fantasy-vii--6/changes
?

[true shadow]

I have not looked at this in some time, so I am going off of memory here, I may be thinking of another backport situation. I will take a look into this tomorrow

[reef sky]

I believe that's correct, yeah

[true shadow]

Looking into this more, yes, significant content was added to the US version. Please feel free to make the proposed submissions.

[reef sky]

I have the new page for the OG Japanese version ready to submit, copied over everything except the tags, screenshots, artwork and videos for now

Do you want me to add something at the beginning to denote it's the original Japan-only release?

[true shadow]

Maybe something in the summary just to help avoid confusion

[reef sky]

Something like this or a bit more subtle?

It'll probably be best to add something similar the to expanded version too, to help avoid people trying to "correct" the Japanese release date when it's changed on that page

Maybe this is better?

[lavish pagoda]

i think breaking out the note looks a little cleaner. but that's imo

[boreal ibex]

i think it might be better to alter the description of the existing entry to indicate it's the international release

similar to how the port is labled

[reef sky]

I think there will need to be something on both, if for nothing else to minimize people trying to add the wrong release dates or other info on each page

I'll submit the second version for now and if it needs tweaking before or after approval I can do that

https://www.igdb.com/games/final-fantasy-vii--12/changes/2805920

[boreal ibex]

Also changed the existing entry to be reflective of its status as the western version

[hot burrow]

I usually make the first paragraph describing the main differences, maybe that could be a way forward?
Though I would agree it would be good to change all the involved versions to make it clear which is which

[reef sky]

Added the Japanese release date and localisation, and a mention of it in the summary, once these submissions go through we can report the current Final Fantasy VII Internation page as a dupe

Not sure we want to remove the old summary completely though, I know I copied it over to the new page but still

[boreal ibex]

seems the international jp release should be retained as a unique entry?

[boreal ibex]

if it is adding the jp information to the main page would be inaccurate

[true shadow]

If it doesn't contain anything new over the NA release, then we wouldn't track it on its own page

[boreal ibex]

started the international changes with FFX:

Original
International

[boreal ibex]

KH1:

Original
International

[boreal ibex]

are these significant enough differences to warrant a separate entry for international?