I don't care about the Steam Machine, but hopefully an early 2026 release also means an early 2026 release for the Steam Controller 2.

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Quoting: suchI think FF8R is the one version not to get out of the two - it looks atrocious, and it still has the same technical limitations the previous version had.

So, I maintain that if we're talking compromise (given we're discussing the PC ports, and modern FF8 ports in general) the emulated PSX version is the single best, easiest to obtain, set up and engage with... compromise. Popular games as well, so you can snag those discs easy off ebay. No Pocketstation support in software emulation AFAIK, but that's truly nothing to write home about - I own a couple, I know - and statistically not something someone interested in getting into FF8 in 2026 would be into, certainly not over the rest of the game not being... a sub-par, unresponsive experience relative to the smoothness you get on the PSX, emulated or otherwise.

Now, if we're not talking compromise there's the original hardware route or FPGA, which has the benefit of not requiring a scaler for HDMI output. Pocketstation support included.

I can't for the life of me decipher what you meant by the reading Japanese snarkiness, though :)

Without a PocketStation for Chocobo World you can't get various items (the Remastered version removed CW but added the items to the Angelo Search drop table). Also, a PSX version of FFVIII will set you back like 100 USD, which is 5 times what you'd pay for FFVIII on GOG outside of a sale, and that's before taking the costs for a PSX and PocketStation into account (of course that's even assuming you don't get scammed which used to be a real issue on e-bay). Not to mention the awful load times on PSX hardware (which could be mitigated by using a PS2 with fast disk loading instead).

I will have to admit being wrong about having to be able to read Japanese, though, I thought the PocketStation features were removed from the non-Japanese versions because the PocketStation was only available in Japan. Turns out I was wrong.

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Quoting: such

Quoting: kaktuspalmeThough I personally get it, VIII for example, there's the Remastered and just VIII, which one should I choose?

Neither. Emulate the PSX version. You'll have all the QOL you'll ever want, the game will look much better, and you won't be tied to any online account.

Do PSX emulators even have PocketStation emulation? It's also very bold of you to assume kaktuspalme can read Japanese. The better answer would be 'the Remaster is on GOG, so you can get it DRM-free'.

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What I've been playing? Digimon Story Time Stranger and DiRT Rally 2.0. Especially DR2, I'm absolutely addicted.

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Quoting: CaldathrasI've never played any of the Final Fantasy games. I always thought of the franchise as mostly a console thing, and I've always played my games on PC. Never got around to it once there were PC releases.

Loved the first animated movie, though!

You loved The Spirits Within? I was baffled at why it was called Final Fantasy aside from 'we have the trademark, might as well slap it on this completely unrelated project and try to get more eyeballs' (the Baldur's Gate 3 strategy).

Interesting that you thought of FF as being a console thing, which for the longest time it was, when my introduction to the series was FFVIII on PC (which was a benefit as Chocobo World was inaccessible for Western PlayStation players due to not having the PocketStation).

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Quoting: Liam DaweAll players who already own the 2013 Edition are eligible to access the new version at no additional cost.
Both versions will remain accessible in the owner’s Steam Library once the new version is released.

Combined with:

Quoting: Liam DaweFINAL FANTASY VII currently has a 60% discount on Steam

Means I have to give props to Squeenix. This is the way to do it, and companies like Rockstar should take notes (remember the GTA 3D trilogy remaster fiasco?).

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The best time to release a game is when it's done. The second best time is when it's mostly done and just needs some more content (like Assetto Corsa Rally).

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Quoting: Tethys84I'm probably one of the very few people on the planet who not only loves FF8, but that consider it to be their favorite of the series. I actually played this before 7 which I didn't get around to until much later. So much nostalgia with it and I still enjoy it to the present which is rare for things I have nostalgia for.

FFVIII was my first Final Fantasy, I like it a lot, but my favourite is (and, considering the direction Squeenix has taken, will always be) VI.

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I'm still going to keep buying games on GOG because the anti-DRM stance is more important than 'oh, they used an AI-generated image' (we don't even know whether the model used is an ethically trained model or not) or 'oh, their launcher doesn't run on GNU/Linux' (you can just download the game from the website and there's Lutris and Heroic and Minigalaxy). I also buy games on Steam and Itch because I know any and all of those bastards will stab me in the back when the mood takes them (and seriously, fuck Valve, fuck GOG, and double fuck Itch for stiffing the fucking devs out of the money their fans pay).

Is AI bad? Well, Adobe Firefly is apparently trained on specifically licensed content where Adobe paid the creators for making the materials the model was trained on, there's also Vaisual and Tess and Mitsua and gods know what else. Maybe whoever provided the banner art for GOG used one of those? But no, AI = bad, so let's not use our brains and just condemn; that's always worked out best.

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Quoting: SzkodnixOkay, now for real: that's a great change. Finally XFCE will start to catch up.

Switching WM in Xfce is fairly easy, but it is interesting how LXQt got Wayland support before Xfce.

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