The following article by Robert Seddon was reprinted with permission from Face of the Moon.
ANCNT3
Robert Seddon says: This final miscellany in the search for unused text in FFVII International omits a couple of placeholders which amount to ‘battle here’, and ignores a few empty text blocks which turned out to be annoyingly blank in the Japanese files too, but it’s pretty exhaustive otherwise. In ANCNT3, one of the maps from Aeris’s dying place, we see what’s presumably debug text…
| チェック0{END} | Check 0 |
HILL
| ゆうやみの丘{END} | Twilight Hill |
Robert Seddon says: As a minor point, the hill where Cloud and Tifa spend the night together (HILL/HILL2) is identified as “Twilight Hill”.
| 決戦前 ハイウインド{END} | Highwind – Before the Decisive Battle |
| 北の大空洞5~1です。{EOL} | Great North Cave 5~1 |
| バトルロックしています。{EOL} | Battle lock enabled. |
| NOJIMA | NOJIMA |
Robert Seddon says: Maybe a message from him to testers? I’d guess it has to do with the ‘battle lock’ that can be enabled in the main debug room.
TRNAD52
| 大空洞{END} | Great Cave |
Robert Seddon says:TRNAD52, by the way, has its location identifier included, but seems to have an empty block in the English (PC) files missing altogether from International.
FSHIP_2
Robert Seddon says: FSHIP_2 is from the Highwind. This follows ‘{RED XIII} Well then‚ what is {CLOUD}?’
| {Cait Sith}{EOL} | Cait Sith: |
| 「{Tifa}さんの幼なじみの{EOL} | Tifa’s childhood |
| {Cloud}さんですわ」{NewScreen} | friend, Cloud. |
| 「5年前、ニブルヘイムのセフィロス事件・・・・・・{EOL} | 5 years ago, during the Sephiroth incident at Nibelheim… |
| そのときに意識不明の重体・・・・・・{EOL} | Cloud was rendered unconscious… |
| 宝条の実験に使われた・・・・・・」{NewScreen} | He was used as Hojo’s experiment… |
| 「宝条は、よ~さんの人間に{EOL} | Hojo likely did the same |
| 同じようなことしたんでしょうなぁ」{END} | to countless others. |
Robert Seddon says: There follows (in English too) ‘{RED XIII} But why only {CLOUD}?’—and that’s the last line in the file.
FSHIP_3
Robert Seddon says: FSHIP_3 is also from the Highwind. Besides the ‘speak to Captain Cid’ and ‘job well done’ lines which are present in English, here we see some placeholder text.
| 「す、すいません!{EOL} | E, excuse me! |
| 一度{Cid}艇長とお話を!」{END} | Go and talk to Captain Cid! |
| 「仮:{Tifa}、{Barret}、{Red XIII}」{END} | Temporary: Tifa, Barret, Red XIII |
| 「{Cid}さんごくろうさまです!{EOL} | Thank you very much, Cid! |
| 「仮:{Cid}、{Barret}、{Cait Sith}」{END} | Temporary: Cid, Barret, Caith Sith |
| 仮:{Cid}、{Barret}、{Cait Sith} | Temporary: Cid, Barret, Caith Sith |
| 「{Tifa}さんごくろうさまです!」{END} | Thank you very much, Tifa! |
| […] | … |
| {Cloud}の演説ながなが終了{END} | Cloud’s speech draws to a close. |
CHORACE/DEL/RCKT
Robert Seddon says: CHORACE1 and CHORACE2 have some debugging text – デバック{EOL}{VAR1} だって{END} – but what variable VAR1 represents would be context-dependent, so it can’t be determined from the text. Also of note on these maps: CHORACE2 has the キーストーン (Keystone) we see in the finished game, but CHORACE1 has キー・マテリア (Key Materia). Maybe Square decided they didn’t want another special Materia in the plot. There are a couple of other maps that appear in two visually identical versions: DEL1/DEL12 (Costa del Sol harbour) and RCKT3/RCKT32 (Cid’s garden). (Usually an extra trailing 2 suggests a variant, e.g. a different camera angle, but these have no visual differences. Each has a piece of scenery which may be present or absent, so my guess is that Square started out using multiple map versions, then decided that complete multiple files weren’t necessary, but didn’t clean up fully.) The latter has no dialogue variations (although the filesizes are different, so something must vary), but the former has a smidgeon of variation (and DEL12‘s dialogue is curtailed before DEL1‘s version ends). Probably an editor only bothered changing the one that was actually used. Besides a very slight variation in Aeris’s text, this line was added to Barret’s:
| 「いいか!!{EOL} | Alright!! |
| こっからは一般人として行動しろ!」{END} | From now on, y’all act like ordinary folks! |
MIDGAL
Robert Seddon says: MIDGAL, Zack’s dying place, brings up sad news: not only is a known blank from the English version still blank here, the adjacent, unused ‘Received “High Blow ST”!’ is blanked out in International too.
MTNVL6
Robert Seddon says: MTNVL6, outside the Nibel Reactor, offers this…
| {EOL} | |
| メモリ{END} | Memory |
BLACKBG1
Robert Seddon says: There’s various stuff to probe in the debug rooms. Some of it was left blank or not fully translated in English – see a previous post for some of the stuff the translators butchered – and some isn’t used in the final versions.
| ☞コルネオ{EOL} | ☞ Corneo |
| ☞うんぱんせん{EOL} | ☞Transport Ship |
| ☞コスモキャニオン{EOL} | ☞Cosmo Canyon |
| ☞{Red XIII}{EOL} | ☞Red XIII |
| ☞{Red XIII}とセト{EOL} | ☞Red XIII and Seto |
| ☞{Cid}のテーマ{EOL} | ☞Cid’s Theme |
| ☞シエラ{EOL} | ☞Shera |
| ☞ロケット{EOL} | ☞Rocket |
| ☞スラムで{EOL} | ☞In the Slums |
| ☞{Tifa}のテーマ{EOL} | ☞Tifa’s Theme |
| ☞コスタデルソル{END} | ☞Costa del Sol |
| ☞{Aeris}のテーマ{EOL} | ☞Aeris’ Theme |
| ☞{Aeris}ここぞ{EOL} | ☞Aeris (Here) |
| ☞{Aeris}軽い{EOL} | ☞Aeris (Light) |
| ☞るけいち{EOL} | ☞Penal Colony |
| ☞セフィロス{EOL} | ☞Sephiroth |
| ☞{Barret}{EOL} | ☞Barret |
| ☞コレル村{EOL} | ☞Corel Village |
| ☞リズム{EOL} | ☞Rhythm |
| ☞ひくうてい{EOL} | ☞Airship |
| ☞{Yuffie}{EOL} | ☞Yuffie |
| ☞あせり{END} | ☞Impatience |
| ☞どこかの村{EOL} | ☞1. A Town Somewhere |
| ☞チョコしょうり{EOL} | ☞Choco Win |
| ☞チョコタンゴ{EOL} | ☞Choco Tango |
| ☞チョコオッヅ{EOL} | ☞Choco Odds |
| ☞暗い村{EOL} | ☞Dark Town |
| ☞メインテーマやさしい{EOL} | ☞Main Theme (Gentle) |
| ☞(){EOL} | ☞() |
| ☞(){END} | ☞() |
Robert Seddon says: BLACKBG1 has lots of what looks like menu text for a music test.
| ☞(){EOL} | ☞() |
| ☞(){EOL} | ☞() |
| ☞(){EOL} | ☞ () |
| ☞キャノン砲のムービーで{EOL} | ☞Cannon Movie |
| ☞(){EOL} | ☞() |
| ☞(){EOL} | ☞() |
| ☞(){EOL} | ☞() |
| ☞(){EOL} | ☞() |
| ☞(){EOL} | ☞() |
| ☞(){END} | ☞() |
Robert Seddon says: This menu is irritating: just one line that differs from the complete set of ()s in the English version. Mind you, another menu of ()s doesn’t even have that much.
| パスキーを手にいれてません{END} | You don’t have the Passkey. |
Robert Seddon says: This is presumably some sort of key item reference.
BLACKBG2
| ☞クラウドどん{END} | ☞Mr. Cloud |
| ☞バレットさま{END} | ☞Master Barret |
| ☞ボインちゃん{END} | ☞Miss Busty |
| ☞エアリス♥♥{END} | ☞Aeris ♥♥ |
| ☞おいぬさまXIII{END} | ☞Master Canine XIII |
| ☞ウフィウフィ{END} | ☞Uffie-uffie |
| ☞ケツトシリト{END} | ☞Ketsuto Shirito |
| ☞シシドおやじ{END} | ☞Old Man Cicid |
| ☞ビンセントン{END} | ☞Vincenton |
Robert Seddon says: A quirky version of the party selection text.
| ティファ{EOL} | Tifa: |
| 「できちゃったなんて、うそ・・・・・・。{EOL} | You’ve gotta be kidding, no way it’s ready. |
| ごめんなさい{EOL} | Sorry. |
| まだぜんぜんできてないの」{END} | It’s not finished at all. |
| 「たすけて・・・・・・」{END} | Help me… |
| プリシラ{EOL} | Priscilla: |
| 「ウフ・・・・・・わたし、幼女プリシラ。{EOL} | Teehee… I’m little Priscilla. |
| 小く保さん、パレット命令{EOL} | Mr. Kokubo, please do some debugging. |
| デバグしてくださいね」{END} | Barret’s orders! |
| 『モグリの家』{END} | Mogli’s House |
BLACKBG7
| ここは、ヨシオカせんようジャンプです。{EOL} | This is Yoshioka’s private jump. |
| 話かけると音楽が変わりますよ」{END} | Talk to me and the music will change. |
Robert Seddon says: This was changed to “Music mode” in the English files.
| 「ここは、よしおか用マップテストです。{EOL} | This is Yoshioka’s map test. |
| はずかしいのであまりじろじろ見ないでください」{EOL} | I’m shy, so please don’t stare. |
| ☞わかった{EOL} | ☞Understood |
| ☞わからない{END} | ☞I don’t get it. |
Robert Seddon says: The English files say:
Map check
Do not use!!
☞Yes
☞No
| 「ほな、おとなしゅうしとるうちに出て行けや」{END} | Well then, shut up and get out. |
| 「どないなっても知らんで。カクゴしいや!」{END} | I don’t know what’s going to happen, so be ready! |
Robert Seddon says: The ‘Aho’/’Baka’ text turns out not to be any more obviously meaningful at greater length.
| 大氷河の入口へ飛びますか?{EOL} | Warp to Great Glacier entrance? |
| ☞大成功{EOL} | ☞Huge Success |
| ☞成 功{EOL} | ☞Success |
| ☞失 敗{EOL} | ☞Failure |
| ☞大失敗{EOL} | ☞Huge Failure |
| ☞HYOU3{EOL} | ☞HYOU3 |
| ☞入浴前HYOU13-1{EOL} | ☞Before Bathing (HYOU13-1) |
| ☞入浴後HYOU13-1{EOL} | ☞After Bathing (HYOU13-1) |
| ☞HYOU5-2{EOL} | ☞HYOU5-2 |
| ☞いいえ{END} | ☞No |
| コンドルフォート(CONDOR1)へ飛びますか?{EOL} | Warp to Fort Condor (CONDOR1)? |
| ☞コンドルフォートふもと へ{EOL} | ☞To Fort Condor’s Foot |
| ☞コンドルフォート村 へ{EOL} | ☞To Fort Condor Village |
| ☞ミニゲー勝利後{EOL} | ☞After Minigame Victory |
| ☞まげ後に初めてたずねた{EOL} | ☞First Visit After Departure |
| ☞ラストバトル直前{EOL} | ☞Just Before Last Battle |
| ☞ラストバトル直後{EOL} | ☞Just After Last Battle |
| ☞全部終わった後{EOL} | ☞After Finishing Everything |
| ☞ミニゲー開始{EOL} | ☞Minigame Start |
| ☞コレルミッション成功終了{EOL} | ☞After Corel Mission Success |
| ☞やってっれっか{END} | ☞Cancel |
| メンバーは誰が中心ですか?{EOL} | Who is the leader? |
| ☞{Cloud}{EOL} | ☞Cloud |
| ☞{Tifa}{EOL} | ☞Tifa |
| ☞{Cid}{EOL} | ☞Cid |
| ☞けっこう{END} | ☞I’m good. |
Robert Seddon says: These menus were largely butchered (though the first two are used) for the English rooms.
| ☞やめる{EOL} | ☞Cancel |
| ☞01:オープニングなの{EOL} | ☞01: The opening. |
| ☞02:オープニングバトルの曲{EOL} | ☞02: Opening battle song. |
| ☞03:これはワールドマップに出てからだな。{EOL} | ☞03: After appearing on the world map. |
| ☞04:とりあえずのっけてます。{EOL} | ☞04:Leaving this here for now. |
| ☞05:・・・う~ん・・・{EOL} | ☞04: …Um… |
| ☞06:魔晄炉の中で{EOL} | ☞06: Inside the Mako reactor. |
| ☞07:ノーマルバトル{EOL} | ☞07: Normal battle. |
| ☞08:チョコボレースで{EOL} | ☞08: At the Chocobo race. |
| ☞09:暗いシーンで{EOL} | ☞09: In a dark scene. |
| ☞10:中ボスバトル{EOL} | ☞10: Middle boss battle. |
| ☞次{END} | ☞Next |
| ☞やめる{EOL} | ☞Cancel |
| ☞11:ケットシーのテーマ{EOL} | ☞11. Cait Sith’s theme. |
| ☞12:エアリス関係、ここぞというときに{EOL} | ☞12: Related to Aeris, use where you feel appropriate. |
| ☞13:フィールドでどうかな?{EOL} | ☞13: How would this sound in the field? |
| ☞16:アンダージュノンでのルーファウス歓迎式{EOL} | ☞16: Rufus’ welcoming ceremony in Lower Junon. |
| ☞17:アンダージュノンでの・・・え室{EOL} | ☞17: …e room in Lower Junon |
| ☞18:クラウドの夢で使うつもりだったけど{EOL} | ☞18: Planned to use this in Cloud’s dream, but. |
| ☞19:とくに意味を持たないフツーの街で{EOL} | ☞19: For use in a regular town of little remark. |
| ☞20:シドのテーマ{EOL} | ☞20: Cid’s theme. |
| ☞21:さりげなくシドのサビが折り・・・まれている{EOL} | ☞21: Nonchalant Cid’s melody is weaved in. |
| ☞22:少年の牧場でのチョコボダンス{EOL} | ☞22: Chocobo dance at the Chocobo Ranch. |
| ☞次{END} | ☞Next |
| ☞やめやんけ{EOL} | ☞Cancel |
| ☞23:コルネオの館で{EOL} | ☞23: In Corneo’s mansion. |
| ☞24:コスタデルソルへ向う船内の機関室とかで{EOL} | ☞24: In the machine room on board the ship to Costa del Sol or something. |
| ☞25:コスモキャニオン{EOL} | ☞25: Cosmo Canyon |
| ☞26:レッド13の名前入力あたりで{EOL} | ☞26: Around when you enter Red 13’s name. |
| ☞27:レッド13、石になったセトと出会う{EOL} | ☞27: Red 13 meets the stone statue of Seto. |
| ☞28:怪しいところで{EOL} | ☞28: At a suspicious place. |
| ☞29:神羅のお偉方が登場するあたりで{EOL} | ☞29: Around when the Shinra VIPs appear. |
| ☞30:神羅ビルの中とかでいいんじゃない?{EOL} | ☞30: Wouldn’t this be good in the Shinra building or something? |
| ☞31:独房の中で{EOL} | ☞31: In the cell. |
| ☞32:少年の牧場{EOL} | ☞32: Chocobo Ranch. |
| ☞次{END} | ☞Next |
| ☞やめやゆうとんや{EOL} | ☞Cancel |
| ☞33:メインテーママイナーアレンジ{EOL} | ☞33: Main Theme Minor Arrangement |
| ☞34:ティファのテーマ{EOL} | ☞34: Tifa’s Theme |
| ☞35:コスタ・デル・ソル{EOL} | ☞35: Costa del Sol |
| ☞36:ロケット村{EOL} | ☞36: Rocket Town |
| ☞37:エアリス軽いヴァージョン{EOL} | ☞37: Aeris Light Version |
| ☞38:バイクチェイス{EOL} | ☞38: Bike Chase |
| ☞39:流刑地{EOL} | ☞39: Penal Colony |
| ☞40:(未)セフィロスの・・・いテーマ{EOL} | ☞40: (Pending) Sephiroth’s …i Theme |
| ☞41:バレットのテーマ{EOL} | ☞41: Barret’s Theme |
| ☞42:コレル村{EOL} | ☞42: Corel Village |
| ☞次{END} | ☞Next |
| ☞ええかげんにせぇや{EOL} | ☞Cancel |
| ☞43:ブーゲンハーゲンの部屋{EOL} | ☞43: Bugenhagen’s Room |
| ☞44:エレキ・デ・チョコボ(チョコボバトルで){EOL} | ☞44: Elec de Chocobo (During Chocobo Battle) |
| ☞45:どっかで使えないかね?{EOL} | ☞45: Can’t we use this somewhere? |
| ☞46:バトルファンファーレ{EOL} | ☞46: Battle Fanfare |
| ☞47:飛空艇{EOL} | ☞47: Airship |
| ☞48:(未)キャノン砲のムービーで{EOL} | ☞48: (Pending) During Cannon Movie |
| ☞49:観・・・車でのデート音楽{EOL} | ☞49: Ferris … Wheel Date Music |
| ☞50:(未)セフィロスのテーマイントロループ{EOL} | ☞50: (Pending) Sephiroth’s Theme Intro Loop |
| ☞51:シンコ(チンコじゃないぞ)・デ・チョコボ{EOL} | ☞51: Cinco (not chinko!) de Chocobo |
| ☞52:(未)中ボスバトルその2{EOL} | ☞52: (Pending) Middle Boss Battle Part 2 |
| ☞次{END} | ☞Next |
| ☞ほんま しばきまわすぞ{EOL} | ☞Cancel |
| ☞53:ユフィのテーマ{EOL} | ☞53: Yuffie’s Theme |
| ☞54:あせるシーンで{EOL} | ☞54: In a hurried scene. |
| ☞55:(未)ゴールドソーサー{EOL} | ☞55: (Pending) Gold Saucer |
| ☞56:(未)どっかの村(これは使えないかもな){EOL} | ☞56: (Pending) A town somewhere (might not be able to use this). |
| ☞57:(未)宿屋でおやすみ音楽{EOL} | ☞57: (Pending) Resting in an inn music. |
| ☞58:(未)ゲームオーバー{EOL} | ☞58: (Pending) Game Over |
| ☞59:(未)チョコボレース勝利ファンファーレ{EOL} | ☞59: (Pending) Chocobo Race Victory Fanfare |
| ☞60:(未)チョコボレース敗北タンゴ{EOL} | ☞60: (Pending) Chocobo Race Tango of Failure |
| ☞61:(未)チョコボレースオッズ表画面{EOL} | ☞61: (Pending) Chocobo Race Odds Screen |
| ☞62:(未)ゴールドソーサーでの演劇{EOL} | ☞62: (Pending) Performance at the Gold Saucer. |
| ☞次{END} | ☞Next |
| ☞もぉええわ、どないなっとせぇや{EOL} | ☞Cancel |
| ☞63:(未)暗い・・・・・・気の村で{EOL} | ☞63: (Pending) In a dark, …-feeling town. |
| ☞64:(未)メインテーマ優しいヴァージョン{EOL} | ☞64: (Pending) Main Theme Gentle Version |
| ☞お・ま・け{EOL} | ☞B.O.N.U.S. |
| ☞先頭に戻る{END} | ☞Return to Top |
Robert Seddon says: One unused music track is known to exist.
BLACKBGH
| クラウドOO{END} | CloudOO |
| バレットOO{END} | BarretOO |
| ティファOO{END} | TifaOO |
| エアリスOO{END} | AerisOO |
| レッド13O{END} | Red13O |
| ユフィOOO{END} | YuffieOOO |
| ケットシーO{END} | Cait SithO |
| ヴィンセント{END} | Vincent |
| シドOOOO{END} | CidOOOO |
Robert Seddon says: A slightly strange PC list; six is the character limit in the Japanese version, I think.
BLACKBGI
Robert Seddon says: BLACKBGI has a 「{Party 1}・・・・・・{EOL} {Party 2}、{Party 3}!」{END} which seems to lack an equivalent block in the English files.
| 『みだれうち』のマテリアを手にいれた!{END} | Received “Chaos Strike” Materia! |
Robert Seddon: It turns out that ‘Received “Slapshot”!’ was originally a Materia receipt line.
Shademp: It seems that Slapshot is simply another translation of 4x Cut, and they are the same Materia.
BLACKBGK
Robert Seddon says: BLACKBGK is the legendary Kato’s room, so here we present a fairly detailed comparison…
| えいい製作中。{EOL} | We’re in the middle of earnest production. |
| しばし待たれよ。{END} | Please wait a brief while. |
Robert Seddon says: We know this as “We’re working hard making the deep {BLUE}.Wait a little longer.” That blue text always looked odd, starting just before a full stop, and here it’s missing.
| うっくっくっ・・・・・・。{EOL} | Nyuk nyuk nyuk… |
| よ~うこそ、かとうの部屋へ。{NewScreen} | Welcome… to Kato’s room. |
| 飛んで火にいる夏の虫。{EOL} | A summer bug flying into the fire. |
| わびしき宿屋のナンキン虫とは、{EOL} | A bedbug in a shabby inn. |
| きみのことだ。{END} | That is what you are. |
Robert Seddon says: We only got the first two lines of this in English.
| まあ、そんなことは{EOL} | Meh, I don’t really |
| どうでもいいやの、{EOL} | care about that, |
| ステラゴドン。{NewScreen} | Stelagodon [sic]. |
| かくごしちゃってくれたまえよぉ、{EOL} | I hope you’re ready, |
| あけち君、うくく・・・・・・。{EOL} | Akechi. Nyuk nyuk nyuk… |
Robert Seddon says: In the English translation this became…
That doesn’t really matter
all that much,
babushika.
Get ready,
caped crusader, nya-ha, ha… …
Don’t think you’ll get away so easy.
I always assumed “babushika” was an alternative or erroneous spelling of “babushka”, maybe suggesting the giant Aeris was scaled like a Russian doll.
In Conclusion
Robert Seddon says: When I first posted on unused text in the English files, one of the things I didn’t include at the time was the lost catalogue of the Shinra Mansion library…
“Information concerning Materia/Hojo”
{CHOICE} Read it
{CHOICE} Ignore“Life of Materia”
{NEW PAGE}
{CHOICE} Read it
{CHOICE} Ignore“Legend of the Ancients‚World Version”
{NEW PAGE}
{CHOICE} Read it
{CHOICE} Ignore“Next Quarter’s projected Budget/Hojo”
{NEW PAGE}
{CHOICE} Read it
{CHOICE} Ignore“North Pole Daily Report/Hojo”
{NEW PAGE}
{CHOICE} Read it
{CHOICE} Ignore“/Hojo”
{NEW PAGE}
{CHOICE} Read it
{CHOICE} Ignore“The Promised Land”
{NEW PAGE}
{CHOICE} Read it
{CHOICE} Ignore
Robert Seddon says: We know the titles, we know they were going to be written and readable, but we don’t have the books to read. That pretty well fits this enquiry as a whole: we know more, but we still have plenty of questions.
With regard to the lost cutscenes which are still viewable, we don’t know how or where the From Pinball scene would have continued. (It crashes because the game tries to switch location to somewhere that apparently doesn’t exist.) We don’t know how the Materia scene would have fitted into the plot, and I’ve come to suspect that the Cargo scene is acually another debugging programmer’s joke. (We know there’s debugging manu text on that map, after all.)
We know that quite a lot was changed in Sector 7, some of it involving Johnny, but we lack a complete picture. We know some changes are beyond reach, because we’ve seen some in pre-release publicity. We have no idea what the ‘voluntary restraints’ are all about. (GlitterBerri translating part of ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/自主規制: ‘“Voluntary restraint” is when a manufacturer voluntarily restricts a product when uneasiness about its social implications arises.
On the positive side, the only great disappointment was finding that there was actually no unused text in Aeris’s house after all. (The translators had just avoided duplicating stuff.) We know that quite a lot of character development, notably involving Jessie, was removed, and we can see how things would have proceeded. We know that Cloud’s knowledge of and unfinished business with Sephiroth were to be foreshadowed far more explicitly in early scenes than they are in the finished game.
And lastly, we know that we are but the bedbugs of a shabby inn, which is surely almost as satisfying as knowing what a Stelagodon is. Now we can go back to dreaming of the earliest scenario drafts, and their tales of New York and the mysterious Hot Blooded Detective Joe…