So I've been super excited about the FF7 remake since the announcement. Writing has always been a little hobby of mine, though I am not very good at it. However since my mind hasn't stopped thinking about FF7 in weeks, I decided that I need an outlet. So after giving it some thought I decided to write a little FF7 remake script. Kind of like a film script that describes the game's shots, while also putting in dialog and some game mechanic ideas I've been tinkering with.
Note that this script is supposed to act like a bit of a summary, so it wont focus too much on little details. I wrote this to give a general overview of story and scene setting.
Without further nonsense, here we go.
I present my Final Fantasy VII Remake Script
OPENING AND MAKO REACTOR 1
(NIGHT)
Camera fades in on a Aerith in her traditional pink dress and coat kneeling in from of a broken MAKO pipe. Bright green MAKO droplets can be seen spraying from in front of her, fading into the night sky as the drift into the air. She remains there from a moment before standing slowly.
Camera cuts to alley entrance, looking into the alley where we see Aerith grab the handle of a cart filled with flowers. She looks into the night sky.
Camera cuts to the sky where we see a sky filled with stars, but there is a dingy hue of reactor smoke vaguely blocking the true twinkle of the stars.
We look down on Aerith as she looks up, the stars can be seen reflecting in her eyes.
AERITH: It doesn't look scary at all.
Again the camera switches to the alley entrance as Aerith pushes her cart out onto LOVELESS Avenue. The camera pans back, the bustle and bustle of MIDGAR Sector 8 streets comes into view as the camera moves out further and further. The music here swells as we zoom out until almost all of MIDGAR is in view ala the original game.
TITLE SHOWS
Suddenly we are hovering over a train racing toward MAKO reactor 1. We zoom onto the top of the train, where a figure kneels on the roof, the iconic Buster Sword strapped to his back.
CLOUD: My name is Cloud. SOLDIER 1st Class. EX-SOLDIER.
The train screeches to a halt in front of the reactor platform. Two guards stand on the platform, unexpecting of what's to come. Suddenly from the front of the train Biggs darts out, roundhousing the first guard before the guard realizes what has happened. As the second Soldier raises his gun to shoot the invader, a female cry announces a arm that karate chops the rifle away.
We see Jessie snatch the guard and spin into him, her elbow meets his solar plexus doubling him over where she then flips him into the nearby wall with a crunch.
Barret emerges from the train car calmly. He passes his gaze over the downed guards, then nods at the two AVALANCHE members. The two run up a set of stairs and out of sight. Barret turns back to the train and looks up.
BARRET: You joining us? I aint paying you to watch Spikey.
Cloud flips off the train and onto his feet in front of Barret.
BARRET: Shinra teach you that?
CLOUD: No
BARRET: (Snorts) Alright don't be getting any Shinra ideas. This is seri.....
They are interrupted as more guards come running from the upper level to attack them.
This is where the player experiences their first combat. As combat starts, a tutorial appears to explain the ATB battle mode and the Active battle mode.
ATB Battle mode: The game behaves like the original game. Party members will move around the battle field trying to get good positioning on the enemy, however all commands for all characters must be entered by the player manually.
Active Battle mode: The player with actively control Cloud only. Entering commands and moving Cloud freely around the battlefield. The intent here is for the game to feel a bit like Crisis Core, giving the player more direct and active control over the main character. (The "main" character can be switched later in the game.) The other party members will be controlled on their own based on basic A.I. commands the player can edit further into the game. However during combat the other party members will suggest things for the player to let them do. For example, when fighting a bunch of robot enemies if a party member has a Lightning Materia equiped, they will call out Bolt as a suggestion which the player can confirm with the R1 button, or ignore. Summons will be suggested when facing groups of enemies, or spells linked with "All". The idea is for the player to have active control over a single member of the party while still being able to have input on the usage of spells and abilities of other party members.
In complicated fights, like super bosses, the micromanaging ability of ATB mode will be preferred and maintain the original feel of the game. These two modes can be actively switched with the "select" button.
After defeating the first battle the player will move to the upper level where Biggs, Wedge and Jessie are working to unlock a big steel door blocking their way.
BARRET: What the hell are ya'll doing?
Barret rages and stomps toward the group leaving Cloud behind.
BARRET: I told ya'll to split up. Ya'll trying to be caught.
WEDGE: This is the only way through Boss, plus we have a SOLDIER on our side right?
JESSIE: IF he can be trusted
BIGGS: Hold on a second. He quit right? Hey, mister SOLDIER! You're not gonna turn us in are you?
Cloud walks up shaking his head.
CLOUD: No.
BARRET: (Snorts) We'll see tough guy.
The door hisses and slides open.
BARRET: MOVE IT!
The crew runs into the reactor and Barret turns back to Cloud.
BARRET: Don't care what she says about you. I don't trust you.
CLOUD: (Shrugging) So long as I get my money I don't care what you think.
Close up on Barret's face, we see his eye twitch.
BARRET: Find your own way inside. Be quick about it.
Barret runs off and the player is left in control of Cloud. The encounters here encourage players to experiment with ATB and Active battle modes while only having to worry about Cloud for right now.
Once the player reaches the inner Reactor offices, Cloud again meets up with AVALANCHE as they work to bust open another security door. Barret waves at Cloud.
BARRET: Yo! Took you long enough SOLDIER. This your first time in a Reactor or what?
CLOUD: Of course not! Ex-Shinra after all. We deal with these places all the time.
BARRET: And that's the problem. MAKO energy is this planet's life-blood, and you Shinra punks are using this Goddamn machines to drain it away.
CLOUD: (clearly unimpressed) Spare me the speeches.
There is a long pause as Barret looks between the other members, Barret barely holding onto his outburst. The security door opens and Barret grabs a bag from Biggs.
BARRET: You two stand guard. Jessie get the elevator. (He turns and points at Cloud) You are coming with me. Sorry Shinra, but I don't trust ya as far as I can throw ya.
Barret joins the party and the player heads to the elevator where Jessie waits. She opens the door and the party enters.
JESSIE: I couldn't break the security codes, so the elevator will only take us so far. From there we have to climb down the ventilation pipes to get to the reactor.
BARRET: Not a problem.
JESSIE: I'm going to see if I can break it with a direct line, but no promises.
BARRET: We have time.
CLOUD: Don't be so sure. It's only a matter of time before Shinra security forces arrive.
Barret pats the pack slung over his shoulder.
BARRET: They'll get a show then.
The elevator stops and the door opens.
BARRET: Come on, try not to break a leg.
The player navigates through a redesigned, and more streamlined set of pipes and ladders to reach the reactor floor. Rather than a narrow walkway, the reactor floor is a full on room, one side has a large steel door and the elevator door. The other side of the room is the reactor face in which the bomb must be placed.
Barret rushes over to the bomb planting spot. When the player get within range, Barret tosses Cloud the bag with the bomb in it.
BARRET: You set it Spikey.
CLOUD: Shouldn't you be doing this?
BARRET: I'm gonna watch and make sure you don't get all Shinra sympathetic on me.
CLOUD: Fine, whatever.
Cloud moves forth to set the bomb. The camera changes to looking at Cloud as he places the bomb on the wall. Just behind him, we can see a leg, clad in a Shinra Soldier's uniform.
ZACK: (Voice only) Be careful. It's not just a reactor here.
Cloud freezes for a moment as he hears the voice.
BARRET: Yo! (Snapping his fingers in front of Cloud's face) No napping man, hurry it up.
Cloud shakes his head and sets the bomb. An alarm immediately blares to life. On the far side of the room, the large steel door opens and a kick ass giant scorpion guard robot stomps into the room and begins scanning for targets.
BARRET: Time to earn your pay SOLDIER.
This boss battle plays out much like the original, letting the player really get a handle on which battle mode they like. Only really differnce is that the tail mechanic isn't a factor as in "active mode" the player couldn't stop Barret from attacking the boss.
After the battle a cinematic begins. Barret turns back toward the bomb to see a mere 90 seconds left on the timer.
BARRET: Awwww Shit! RUN!
At that moment the elevator opens, revealing that Jessie had indeed hacking the codes. She waves them in frantically. Barret smirks.
BARRET: That'a girl!
The cinematic continues as the party gets in the elevator, makes it to the offices and charges out to the front of the reactor station.
Biggs and Wedge are nowhere to be found at first.
BIGGS: HEY!!!!
The two other members have opened a back entrance into a maintenance tunnel. The party makes the tunnel, mere moments before the explosion rips through the reactor. The camera cuts to various places within the reactor that the player journeyed through as they fill with a wall of fire. We then see flashes of places within Midgar during the explosion. Cars flip, windows shatter, and most importantly Aerith and her flower cart topple over, her flowers spilling onto the sidewalk.
END OF INTRO.
Note that this script is supposed to act like a bit of a summary, so it wont focus too much on little details. I wrote this to give a general overview of story and scene setting.
Without further nonsense, here we go.
I present my Final Fantasy VII Remake Script
OPENING AND MAKO REACTOR 1
(NIGHT)
Camera fades in on a Aerith in her traditional pink dress and coat kneeling in from of a broken MAKO pipe. Bright green MAKO droplets can be seen spraying from in front of her, fading into the night sky as the drift into the air. She remains there from a moment before standing slowly.
Camera cuts to alley entrance, looking into the alley where we see Aerith grab the handle of a cart filled with flowers. She looks into the night sky.
Camera cuts to the sky where we see a sky filled with stars, but there is a dingy hue of reactor smoke vaguely blocking the true twinkle of the stars.
We look down on Aerith as she looks up, the stars can be seen reflecting in her eyes.
AERITH: It doesn't look scary at all.
Again the camera switches to the alley entrance as Aerith pushes her cart out onto LOVELESS Avenue. The camera pans back, the bustle and bustle of MIDGAR Sector 8 streets comes into view as the camera moves out further and further. The music here swells as we zoom out until almost all of MIDGAR is in view ala the original game.
TITLE SHOWS
Suddenly we are hovering over a train racing toward MAKO reactor 1. We zoom onto the top of the train, where a figure kneels on the roof, the iconic Buster Sword strapped to his back.
CLOUD: My name is Cloud. SOLDIER 1st Class. EX-SOLDIER.
The train screeches to a halt in front of the reactor platform. Two guards stand on the platform, unexpecting of what's to come. Suddenly from the front of the train Biggs darts out, roundhousing the first guard before the guard realizes what has happened. As the second Soldier raises his gun to shoot the invader, a female cry announces a arm that karate chops the rifle away.
We see Jessie snatch the guard and spin into him, her elbow meets his solar plexus doubling him over where she then flips him into the nearby wall with a crunch.
Barret emerges from the train car calmly. He passes his gaze over the downed guards, then nods at the two AVALANCHE members. The two run up a set of stairs and out of sight. Barret turns back to the train and looks up.
BARRET: You joining us? I aint paying you to watch Spikey.
Cloud flips off the train and onto his feet in front of Barret.
BARRET: Shinra teach you that?
CLOUD: No
BARRET: (Snorts) Alright don't be getting any Shinra ideas. This is seri.....
They are interrupted as more guards come running from the upper level to attack them.
This is where the player experiences their first combat. As combat starts, a tutorial appears to explain the ATB battle mode and the Active battle mode.
ATB Battle mode: The game behaves like the original game. Party members will move around the battle field trying to get good positioning on the enemy, however all commands for all characters must be entered by the player manually.
Active Battle mode: The player with actively control Cloud only. Entering commands and moving Cloud freely around the battlefield. The intent here is for the game to feel a bit like Crisis Core, giving the player more direct and active control over the main character. (The "main" character can be switched later in the game.) The other party members will be controlled on their own based on basic A.I. commands the player can edit further into the game. However during combat the other party members will suggest things for the player to let them do. For example, when fighting a bunch of robot enemies if a party member has a Lightning Materia equiped, they will call out Bolt as a suggestion which the player can confirm with the R1 button, or ignore. Summons will be suggested when facing groups of enemies, or spells linked with "All". The idea is for the player to have active control over a single member of the party while still being able to have input on the usage of spells and abilities of other party members.
In complicated fights, like super bosses, the micromanaging ability of ATB mode will be preferred and maintain the original feel of the game. These two modes can be actively switched with the "select" button.
After defeating the first battle the player will move to the upper level where Biggs, Wedge and Jessie are working to unlock a big steel door blocking their way.
BARRET: What the hell are ya'll doing?
Barret rages and stomps toward the group leaving Cloud behind.
BARRET: I told ya'll to split up. Ya'll trying to be caught.
WEDGE: This is the only way through Boss, plus we have a SOLDIER on our side right?
JESSIE: IF he can be trusted
BIGGS: Hold on a second. He quit right? Hey, mister SOLDIER! You're not gonna turn us in are you?
Cloud walks up shaking his head.
CLOUD: No.
BARRET: (Snorts) We'll see tough guy.
The door hisses and slides open.
BARRET: MOVE IT!
The crew runs into the reactor and Barret turns back to Cloud.
BARRET: Don't care what she says about you. I don't trust you.
CLOUD: (Shrugging) So long as I get my money I don't care what you think.
Close up on Barret's face, we see his eye twitch.
BARRET: Find your own way inside. Be quick about it.
Barret runs off and the player is left in control of Cloud. The encounters here encourage players to experiment with ATB and Active battle modes while only having to worry about Cloud for right now.
Once the player reaches the inner Reactor offices, Cloud again meets up with AVALANCHE as they work to bust open another security door. Barret waves at Cloud.
BARRET: Yo! Took you long enough SOLDIER. This your first time in a Reactor or what?
CLOUD: Of course not! Ex-Shinra after all. We deal with these places all the time.
BARRET: And that's the problem. MAKO energy is this planet's life-blood, and you Shinra punks are using this Goddamn machines to drain it away.
CLOUD: (clearly unimpressed) Spare me the speeches.
There is a long pause as Barret looks between the other members, Barret barely holding onto his outburst. The security door opens and Barret grabs a bag from Biggs.
BARRET: You two stand guard. Jessie get the elevator. (He turns and points at Cloud) You are coming with me. Sorry Shinra, but I don't trust ya as far as I can throw ya.
Barret joins the party and the player heads to the elevator where Jessie waits. She opens the door and the party enters.
JESSIE: I couldn't break the security codes, so the elevator will only take us so far. From there we have to climb down the ventilation pipes to get to the reactor.
BARRET: Not a problem.
JESSIE: I'm going to see if I can break it with a direct line, but no promises.
BARRET: We have time.
CLOUD: Don't be so sure. It's only a matter of time before Shinra security forces arrive.
Barret pats the pack slung over his shoulder.
BARRET: They'll get a show then.
The elevator stops and the door opens.
BARRET: Come on, try not to break a leg.
The player navigates through a redesigned, and more streamlined set of pipes and ladders to reach the reactor floor. Rather than a narrow walkway, the reactor floor is a full on room, one side has a large steel door and the elevator door. The other side of the room is the reactor face in which the bomb must be placed.
Barret rushes over to the bomb planting spot. When the player get within range, Barret tosses Cloud the bag with the bomb in it.
BARRET: You set it Spikey.
CLOUD: Shouldn't you be doing this?
BARRET: I'm gonna watch and make sure you don't get all Shinra sympathetic on me.
CLOUD: Fine, whatever.
Cloud moves forth to set the bomb. The camera changes to looking at Cloud as he places the bomb on the wall. Just behind him, we can see a leg, clad in a Shinra Soldier's uniform.
ZACK: (Voice only) Be careful. It's not just a reactor here.
Cloud freezes for a moment as he hears the voice.
BARRET: Yo! (Snapping his fingers in front of Cloud's face) No napping man, hurry it up.
Cloud shakes his head and sets the bomb. An alarm immediately blares to life. On the far side of the room, the large steel door opens and a kick ass giant scorpion guard robot stomps into the room and begins scanning for targets.
BARRET: Time to earn your pay SOLDIER.
This boss battle plays out much like the original, letting the player really get a handle on which battle mode they like. Only really differnce is that the tail mechanic isn't a factor as in "active mode" the player couldn't stop Barret from attacking the boss.
After the battle a cinematic begins. Barret turns back toward the bomb to see a mere 90 seconds left on the timer.
BARRET: Awwww Shit! RUN!
At that moment the elevator opens, revealing that Jessie had indeed hacking the codes. She waves them in frantically. Barret smirks.
BARRET: That'a girl!
The cinematic continues as the party gets in the elevator, makes it to the offices and charges out to the front of the reactor station.
Biggs and Wedge are nowhere to be found at first.
BIGGS: HEY!!!!
The two other members have opened a back entrance into a maintenance tunnel. The party makes the tunnel, mere moments before the explosion rips through the reactor. The camera cuts to various places within the reactor that the player journeyed through as they fill with a wall of fire. We then see flashes of places within Midgar during the explosion. Cars flip, windows shatter, and most importantly Aerith and her flower cart topple over, her flowers spilling onto the sidewalk.
END OF INTRO.