FFVII AFFECTION MECHANICS LIST
Probably this article was better suited for Valentine's day but I'm not well known for my perfect timing... :)
I thought it could be useful to have a full list of the OG variables that affect the date mechanics, a description of the actual Remake mechanics and the differences between the two games all in one post.
I had initially planned to add here also the Wall Market dress mechanics but this post is long enough and the Remake dresses are just so amazing that they absolutely deserve their own post and my complete devotion💖
So...Let’s get to the list!
OG AFFECTION POINTS
A reminder before reading:
Not all the optional choices of the game affect the scores.
Not all the optional choices that affect the score are mandatory.
Only four characters are associated to the affection mechanics and they start the game with different pre-set scores: Aerith 50, Tifa 30, Yuffie 10*, Barret 0. Aerith and Tifa are the most probable outcomes for the date.
The two main events influenced by the affection points are the Gold Saucer date and the scene under the Highwind. The charcter who has the highest score will spend a night with Cloud at the Gold Saucer; the dialogue between Cloud and Tifa before the final battle will be more explicitly romantic if Tifa has at least 50 points.
The characters are not in competition with each others, most of the choices affect the points of just one character at a time and sometimes they even affect uniformly more than a character. As a general rule, the points increase when Cloud tries to be a kind person and decrease when he's willfully mean.
The outcomes for the date and the HW scene can be different: it's not necessary to achieve Tifa's date to get the high affection HW scene, nor dating Aerith automatically triggers the low affection version. It is perfectly possible to get both Aerith's date and the high affection scene with Tifa.
MIDGAR:
1. On the train after the attack at the Reactor No. 1, when Jessie tells Cloud about the IDs:
Jessie: I know! Next time, I'll give you one I made myself.
"Thanks anyway" (No change)
"Looking forward to it" (-3 Tifa)
2. [Optional] At 7th Heaven, if Cloud bought Aerith's flower:
Tifa: But...A flower for me? Oh Cloud, you shouldn't have... - Cloud: No big.
"Give it to Tifa" (+5 Tifa)
"Give it to Marlene" (+5 Barret)
3. [Optional] If Cloud talks to Tifa when she's behind the bar:
Tifa: Sit down. How about......something to drink?
"I don't feel like it" (No change)
"Give me something hard" (+5 Tifa)
4. When Cloud tries to leave Seventh Heaven:
Tifa: So! You're really leaving !? You're just going to walk right out ignoring your childhood friend !? - Cloud: What......?
"How can you say that!" (+5 Tifa)
"...Sorry" (No change)
5. [Optional] The morning of the attack on the No. 5 Reactor:
Tifa: Good Morning! Cloud! Did you sleep well?
"Next to you, who wouldn't?" (+5 Tifa)
"Barret's snoring kept me up..." (+5 Barret)
6. On the way to the Reactor 5, getting through the train without being caught by the security system
Succeed (+5 Tifa, +5 Barret)
Fail (No change)
7. When Cloud is hanging after the explosion of the Airbuster in the Reactor 5:
Barret: Hey, you gonna be awright?
"(Be strong)" (+2 Barret)
"(I don't know if I can hold on)" (-3 Barret, +1 Tifa)
8. After falling in Aerith's church, when the girl is trying to run away from Reno:
Push a wrong barrel (-3 Aerith)
Tell her to fight the troopers (-1 Aerith)
Tell her to run (No change)
Tell her to run, but she has to fight (-1 Aerith)
Push the right barrel (+1 Aerith)
9. At Aerith's house, when Cloud says he wants to go back to Sector 7:
"No way!" (+1 Aerith)
Aerith: Is Tifa......a girl? - Cloud: Yeah. - Aerith: A girl...friend? - Cloud: Girlfriend?
"Yeah, that's right" (-5 Aerith)
10. When Cloud and Aerith are going to split up after getting to Sector 7 gate:
Cloud: Thanks. I guess this is goodbye. You gonna be all right going home? Aerith: Oh no! 'What ever will I do!?' ...isn't that what you want me to say?
"See her home." (No change)
"Go on to Sector 7" (+1 Aerith)
11a. [Wall Market option A] Talking to Aerith if Tifa is chosen as Don Corneo's bride
"You alright?" (+3 Aerith)
"We gotta help Tifa!" (-2 Aerith)
11b. [Wall Market option B] Talking to Tifa if Aerith is chosen as Don Corneo's bride
"You alright?" (-2 Tifa)
"We gotta help Aerith!" (+3 Tifa)
11c. [Optional] [Wall Market option C] If Cloud is chosen as Don Corneo's bride and acts hesitant
Don Corneo: You don't like me? There...there isn't someone else, is there?
No, only you (No change)
Yes, his name's Barret... (+5 Barret)
12. When Corneo throws the group in the sewer:
Talk to Aerith first (+3 Aerith)
Talk to Tifa first (+3 Tifa)
13. [Optional] After the plate fall, if Cloud talks to Marlene at Aerith's house:
Marlene: Guess what? Guess what? Aerith was asking me lots of questions. Like what kind of person Cloud is. I bet she likes you, Cloud!
"I don't know" (+3 Tifa, -3 Aerith)
"Let's hope so" (-3 Tifa, +3 Aerith)
14. At Shinra HQ, after meeting Red XIII and before fighting Sample H0512:
Cloud: We'll take care of that monster. Somebody take Aerith somewhere safe...
"Tifa, I'm countin' on you!" (-2 Tifa)
"Barret, take care of her!" (+2 Barret)
15. When party splits up to escape Shinra HQ:
Cloud: If all five of us go together, we'll be noticed. Let's break up in two groups.
Whoever is in the party gets a +2 boost
16. [Optional] Talking to Tifa in the jail (this option can be repeated indefinitely):
Tifa: Psst (Can we get out?)
"Leave it to me" (+1 Tifa)
"Kinda hard" (-1 Tifa)
17. In the jail, when Cloud thinks about the other party members:
I wonder how [Barret/Aerith/Red XIII] is doing
The first one gets a +3 boost (no change for Red XIII)
The second one gets a +1 boost (no change for Red XIII)
No change for the last one
18. After leaving Midgar:
Barret: ^#$^%......awright. Go Northeast to a town called Kalm. If something happens, we'll meet up there. 'Sides, we can't have 5 people strolling down the fields. It's too dangerous. Split us into 2 parties...
Whoever is chosen to join the party gets a +1 boost (no change for Red XIII)
KALM
19. After Cloud's flashback when Barret decides to leave the Inn:
Barret: Yo, Cloud! Let's get a move on!
"Right" (+1 Barret)
"Wait a sec" (Barret talks again) -> "Beautiful, just beautiful" (+3 Barret)
"Wait a sec" (Barret talks again) -> "Is that all?" (-1 Barret)
20. [Optional] If talking to the woman on the first floor of the house next to the Inn (the points change only if the characters are in the party. The dialogue can happen at any time before the GS dates):
Thanks to Mako energy, life's pretty darn convenient. Thanks to Shinra. Don't you think?
"Yeah, maybe" (-2 Barret, -1 Aerith, -1 Tifa, +1 Yuffie)
"You're full of it" (+2 Barret, +1 Aerith, +1 Tifa, -1 Yuffie)
21. [Optional] If talking to the woman on the second floor of the house next to the Inn (the points change only if the characters are in the party. The dialogue can happen at any time before the GS dates):
Mako energy's made things a lot more convenient......But seems like a lot of plants and animals have been disappearing at a rapid pace. I think the old life was better. Don't you think so?
"Yeah, maybe" (+2 Barret, +1 Aerith, +1 Tifa, -1 Yuffie)
"No way" (-2 Barret, -1 Aerith, -1 Tifa, +1 Yuffie)
FORT CONDOR
22. [Optional] If Cloud is the party leader and talks to the old guy (the choices affect everyone, even if the party hasn't recruited Yuffie yet):
It appears you have a problem with Shinra, too. After all, you climbed up here. Why not listen to what I have to say for a moment?
"I guess so" (+5 Barret, +3 Aerith, +3 Tifa, +2 Yuffie)
"Not interested" (-5 Barret, -3 Aerith, -3 Tifa, -1 Yuffie)
23. [Optional] After the old guy tells Cloud about his problem (the choices affect everyone, even if the party hasn't recruited Yuffie yet):
What do you think? You want to join us in our fight?
"All right" (+5 Barret, +3 Aerith, +3 Tifa, +2 Yuffie)
"Not interested" (-5 Barret, -3 Aerith, -3 Tifa, -1 Yuffie)
*MEETING YUFFIE
[Optional] The player can repeat the recruiting dialogue as many times as they want. Recruiting Yuffie on the first try will grant her 10 points, failing and repeating it will increase her points up to a max of 30 points (+2 for every correct answer).
CARGO SHIP
24. [Optional] Talking to Yuffie who asks for Tranquillizers for her motion sickness:
"Here, use this" (+4 Yuffie)
"Nope" (-2 Yuffie)
25. Talking to Aerith about the Highwind:
Aerith: That was REALLY something. Hey, do you think I could get on it?
"I'll take you someday" (+2 Aerith)
"I dunno..." (-2 Aerith)
26. Talking to Tifa about the war:
Tifa: ...But, you know what? I really hate this uniform. Uniforms, soldiers, war, I hate 'em all. They take away all the things and people you love... I wish they'd all disappear. Right, Cloud?
"Yeah..." (+2 Tifa)
"I don't know" (-2 Tifa)
GOLD SAUCER
27. After Barret leaves the group, Cloud can choose a partner. The choice will affect the score of the FIRST character he'll interact with. Only if the player declines Red XIII they'll still be able to affect one of the girls' score. If the player doesn't pick anybody, the character with the highest score will join him and the points won't be affected (Red XIII will join instead of Barret):
Go together (+3)
Don't go together (-2)
COREL PRISON
28. The character chosen to accompany Cloud and Barret to fight Dyne:
Cloud: So there it is, Barret. So I guess it'll be Barret, me, and......
(+10 Aerith, +3 Tifa, +2 Yuffie, no change Red XIII)
GONGAGA
29. [Optional] After meeting Zack's parents:
Cloud can talk to Tifa and/or Aerith (if they are in the party).
Ignore them (-3 Aerith / -3 Tifa)
Talk with Tifa (+1 Tifa)
Talk with Aerith -> "Poor guy" (+1 Aerith)
Talk with Aerith -> "(...jealous...envious...)" (+2 Aerith)
COSMO CANYON
30. [Optional] During the first visit the party splits up. If Barret was in the party Cloud can have a conversation with him:
Barret: There was this guy who studied 'Planetary Life' here. He couldn't take things the way they were, so he went to Midgar to form AVALANCHE. Wanna hear more?
Not really (no change)
"Go on" (additional dialogue) -> "And then" (Barret +6)
"Go on" (additional dialogue) -> "Yeah, whatever..." (Barret +3)
WUTAI
31. [Optional] Completing the first quest in Wutai until Yuffie returns the stolen Materia (Yuffie +10)
***
REMAKE AFFECTION POINTS
Even though the Remake covers just the Midgar section, the developers payed homage to the Gold Saucer dates including a beautiful "Resolution scene" at the beginning of Chapter 14, where Aerith, Tifa or Barret will appear and talk to Cloud.
What determines the optional cutscene this time is the number of side quests completed during Chapter 3 and Chapter 8, namely the two chapters spent building up Cloud's merc reputation with Tifa and with Aerith.
The Remake affection mechanics are very simple:
Aerith and Tifa start as equals.
The player can complete 6 Odd Jobs and 1 final Discovery Quest, each one granting to the related girl +2 points.
The girl Cloud will interact first after landing in the sewers will gain an additional +1 point that will eventually serve as tiebreaker.
As you can guess, the girl with the highest score will lead the optional cutscene but if both girls have less than 5 points then Barret's scene will be unlocked.
PERSONAL THOUGHTS:
The Remake affection mechanics are significantly different from those of the OG. Funnily enough some free-answer dialogues still exist, however not only they don't affect the score but they're also illusory choices as the plot is very linear (see below).
The Remake mechanics are less romance-based. Sure, accomplishing the side quests can be seen as Cloud spending valuable time with the girls, anyway they spend the day doing rough and mundane activities like defeat monsters, rescue kids and search for cats. The focus will always be to improve Cloud's reputation as a reliable merc. Moreover, it doesn’t really make sense to consider Barret as being positively impressed by Cloud refusing to help people in need.
While in the original Cloud can have just one date and one of the two versions of the Highwind scene, the Resolution scenes are not mutually exclusive and it's perfectly possible that all of them take place during the same night.
***
OG AND REMAKE COMPARISON
Most of the situations linked to the affection points in the OG changed or were left out from the Remake. In general Remake-Cloud tends to be kind with both Aerith and Tifa and by the end of the game his relationship with Barret improves as well.
