Cloud save


 * "Whether you’re away from home or simply using a different computer to play, enjoy FINAL FANTASY VII wherever you are. With cloud save support in FINAL FANTASY VII you can continue your game progress right where you left off, all you need is an internet connection."

Cloud saving is a feature used in the 2012 PC re-release of Final Fantasy VII. It allows a user's save files to be synced with the "cloud", an online server. This allows a player to progress in the same save files despite playing from different hard drives.

The game does not require cloud saving or the internet, and the game can be played locally without a connection providing that the game was first downloaded and installed which would require internet access.

Save files
Save files are stored locally on the computer. These can be found in a folder with the user's ID, within a "FINAL FANTASY VII" folder, within a "Square Enix" folder which is found in My Documents by default.

Whenever the player accesses the Load or Save menus the game connects with the server and downloads up to date save files. If more recently files have been legitimately saved on the system these files will be uploaded to the server. After the player legitimately saves a game the save is then upload to the internet.

If in either circumstance the server cannot be connected the game will change the local files which will be synced the next time the player connected to the server.

When save files are synced, achievements are also synced from the achievement.dat file.

Player Profile
The player profile is where a user's synced assets are viewable on the internet. On here a game can view basic data from each of their save files as well as data on their most recently played save file, always visible in the top-right.

The website of a user's profile follows the format of http ://finalfantasyviipc.com/en/profile/[username]/. The profile can be accessed from the game's launcher via the "View Online Profile" option.

A player's Achievements can be viewed here, which can also be viewed locally from the game's launcher; and the player can use the Character Booster here, which is an option only available from the website.

Etymology
Cloud save is a double entendre. The term "cloud" in this case implies the internet, however it also shares the name with the game's main protagonist, Cloud Strife.