Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core

Work Title: Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core
Medium: Video Game
Episode Title:
Year: 2008
Writer(s): Kazushige Nojima
"Original" Writer: Yes Writer(s): Yoshinori Kitase
"Original" Writer: Yes Own work?: No
Summary:

The game primarily focuses on Zack Fair, a young member of the paramilitary organization SOLDIER, who is assigned to look for the missing SOLDIER Genesis Rhapsodos. As he searches for Genesis, Zack discovers Genesis' origin, Project G, and how it is related to two other high ranking SOLDIERs; Sephiroth and Angeal Hewley. The game's storyline takes the player from the war between the megacorporation Shinra and the people of Wutai to the events in Nibelheim, and right up to the time just before the beginning of Final Fantasy VII. Citation: "Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 22 Apr. 2014. Web. 29 Apr. 2014

Era/Year of Portrayal: near_future
Distinctive characteristics of the world in portrayal:

The technology of Final Fanasy does have modern elements, but there are things such as airships and virtual reality simulations. When it comes to anything futuristic, it's mostly displayed through weapons such as giant mechanical weapons.

Technology

  • Name of portrayed presence-evoking technology: Virtual Reality Sytem
  • Description of the technology: The Virtual Reality System is stationary inside of a large room. The user uses goggles to allow the user to interact with the digital world, as data is also collected that way so other scientists can use it while the SOLDIERS such as Zack train. This is also used for various side-quests that require Zack to go into the simulator to collect more data and face foes that were either dead or he defeated. The quality of it is enough to make everything seem and feel real. Due to nature of the Virtual Reality System, death and injury are very possible. In fact, in the beginning of the game, Zack has his real sword broken while in cyberspace. Another instance is shown when three other SOLDIERS, Angeal, Sephiroth, and Genesis, are fighting one another, and Sephiroth manages to injure Genesis. Personality is only given if the subject has one. And a lot of the time, the personality is set to simply kill the user, or try to. And 90% of the time, the enemies are monsters that desire to kill the target in various ways. They may possess different attack patterns or elemental properties however. Environments can also differ too, and range from cities, to deserts, to even beaches and factories.
  • Nature of task or activity: Training, learning, or giving scientists new data by fighting any creature they send to them for a side-mission or story-related. The user usually gets a reward for their hard work too.
  • Performance of the Technology: It works incredibly well, though the harm is a drawback that they do not work on. Later in the story, it's revealed that Sephiroth destroyed it during his fight with Genesis and Angeal, but was able to be repaired despite high costs. Sephiroth was also able to sneak into the simulator to surprise Zack with an attack.
  • Description of creator(s): Scientists are seen as both male and female, though male scientists are more featured; example, Hojo. He is usually seen as mad and desires more information by throwing Zack into dangerous situations all for the sake of research. He is also not full
  • Major goal(s) of creator(s): To gather data, and to train the SOLDIERS to do their very best in simulations for the absolute best results. And given how they can fight powerful foes once considered dead, improvements can be made to one or more additional ways to defeat another foe like them.
  • Description of users of technology: Male dominant; not a single female operative was seen, save for those in another organization known as the Turks. They appear to be in their early to late twenties, possibly older. Their attitudes vary however, as some take their job very seriously, but Zack, the main protagonist, is really confident and hopeful. Some others are more laid back, and even train for fun; Sephiroth had fun with Genesis and Angeal as they were all friends, until Genesis received his injury, leading to future problems in the game.
  • Type(s) of presence experience in the portrayal: both
  • Description of presence experience: They treat it as if they are actually there, but with the numerous monsters, they are always forced into combat situations. Zack uses the environment on the train to dodge enemy soldiers, while Sephiroth used the destruction of cannon in a surprise attack. These are mainly battlegrounds.
  • User awareness of technology during experience: They are aware, but are only taken out of the experience once the simulation ends.
  • Valence of experience: The users seem to have fun. Zack is shown to be confident and smiling in battles, while even Sephiroth, a character who rarely smiles, does so in his fight against Angeal and Genesis.
  • Specific responses: Not much. They treat it purely as training.
Long-term consequences:

The consequences are the injuries. Genesis' injury in the story helped force other events to happen, as he had to take cells from Sephiroth in order to heal. Beyond this point, presence is irrelevant as the Virtual Reality System refers mainly to Zack as he uses it for side-missions. The only other consequence that awaits him is if he should use items, as he will not be able to get them back.

Other:

Coder name: Jonathan Falu
Coder email: tud53801@temple.edu
Coder affiliation: Temple University; Philadelphia, PA, United States