Digital Mind Wave The Digital Mind Wave , often abbreviated as DMW , is the Limit Break system in " Crisis Core - Final Fantasy VII - " . It consists of three reels in the upper - left corner of the screen which spin continuously like a slot machine , and eventually stop on a random selection of three portraits and a number per portrait . Depending on the results , the player receives a status buff , level up , or can execute a special attack . Though not stated in - game , the Digital Mind Wave is a representation of Zack ' s thoughts , which is why his emotions can affect its results during gameplay and flashbacks of Zack ' s life appear when the reels spin during Modulating Phase . The English - version website for " Crisis Core - Final Fantasy VII - " explains that SOLDIER members are taught to call upon their past experiences in battle to heighten their strength and improve their skills further , namely , leveling up . Mechanics . The three reels of the DMW spin automatically during battle , with each spin costing 10 SP . When the DMW spins , the left reel stops first , then the right . If the left and right portrait are the same , this initiates Modulating Phase , also known as a Limit Verge . If they are different , the center reel stops and the three numbers spinning alongside each reel also stop . Depending on the number results , Zack may receive a status buff for a short time . Once the three reels stop and any relevant effects have been applied , they begin spinning again , provided Zack has at least 10SP and is not suffering from the Curse ailment . At the start of the game only Angeal and Sephiroth are available , while all other character portraits are silhouettes . As the game progresses , more characters will be added to the DMW . Summons can also be added by finding their Summon Materia ( as key items ) , while the Chocobo Mode characters of Chocobo , Moogle , Tonberry , Cactuar , Cait Sith and Magic Pot also each have a unique key item that adds them to the DMW . Emotion Gauge . An important factor and feature is the Emotion Gauge , gauging Zack ' s own temperament and emotional condition throughout the game . Located atop the DMW ' s reels with an oscilloscope , these emotional states help affect the success ratio of the DMW , from placing the player at a disadvantage , to placing the player at a state with a higher chance of achieving matching numbers and portraits for status buffs and Limit Verges . In addition to gauging Zack ' s current emotional state , at certain points during gameplay , Zack ' s emotions towards particular characters will be heightened , announced by the message " Heightened Emotions Have Affected the DMW " . This causes a character ' s portrait to have a greater chance of appearing on the reels . Equipping certain Independent Materia also increases the chances of certain characters appearing . These heightened factors will signify themselves rightmost of the Emotion Gauge , with the portrait of the individual in mind and their multiplied probability of Zack performing their respective Limit ability . Corresponding Independent Materia increases the characters ' chance of appearing on the DMW up to 9x the normal chance . Note that these multipliers do not increase the chances of getting a Limit Verge or Limit Break ; instead , they merely change the relative probabilities of the characters . Modulating Phase . If the left and right portraits on the DMW stop on the same character , the DMW enters " Modulating Phase , " also called a " Limit Verge " . The DMW reels take up the full screen as the center reel finishes spinning , and during this time one of several things may happen : Barring the DMW switching to Summon Mode , Chocobo Mode , or Genesis Mode , the center reel will spin and stop , after which the numbers will stop . If all three portraits in the DMW match , Zack will gain HP , MP , and AP ; depending on the level and the equipment of a Feather Cap , the amount given will possibly break their set limits , gain a great amount of SOLDIER Points , and finally , Zack will execute a Limit Break . He can execute the Limit even while Stopped or Stunned . The level of the Limit Break depends on a number of modifiers , including the level of the Emotion Gauge , the numbers alongside the reels , and if any flashbacks occurred during modulating phase . All Limit Breaks have a level of one to five . If the Limit Break does damage , a higher level will do more damage . If the Limit Break grants a status buff , a higher level will cause the buff ( s ) to last longer . Depending on the level and the kind of Limit Break performed , the Emotion gauge will lower by one level until Normal status , unless the Limit Break can bring the Emotion level to a higher state , or cancels out the reduction , keeping the status in place . Despite what it may look like , the three Digital Mind Wave reels do not act independently ; a single process controls the whole task . The numbers on the reels , however , are random , with the exception of 777 . Regardless of whether the center reel stops to match the outer two , if the three numbers line up as three 7s , Zack will increase in level by one . If any two numbers lower than seven line up , the Materia in that equipment slot will level up - for example , if two 4s line up , the fourth Materia Zack is equipped with increases by one level . If all numbers match up but are not 7s , that Materia will level up by two levels , in this case , the fourth Materia gains two levels if three 4s line up . Though it appears that leveling up is random , it is not entirely so . Zack does gain EXP for defeating enemies , but it is a hidden value . The DMW will not line up three 7s until Zack earns enough EXP for it to do so . Once Zack has enough EXP , the DMW has a chance to line up three 7s , but it is not a guarantee . For this reason , the player cannot simply level up by letting the reels spin over and over , they are still required to defeat enemies to earn EXP . In addition to all of the above , when Zack acquires all the portraits and summons that appear on the DMW , the player receives a Fury Ring . When the player has viewed all the random flashback scenes for each character and summoned all the summons at least once , including the characters in Chocobo Mode , they receive Genji Armor . All the characters start with 10 % complete , and for the six main characters , the player needs to have seen six flashback scenes in total for 100 % ; four count for 10 % each , and two count for 25 % each . Genesis is an exception and has two scenes , 45 % each . Limit Breaks . If none of the special modes activate ( below ) , the Modulating Phase will enter Normal Mode , where one of the regular Limit Breaks can be used . Regardless of modes , Level 5 Limit Breaks have a chance of increasing the Emotion Gauge by a random amount . If the Limit Break is a single - target , a random enemy on the battlefield will be chosen . It is possible to hit long - distance targets Zack wouldn ' t otherwise be able to target with Limit Breaks . Summon Mode . At any time during Modulating Phase while the center reel spins , a blue star symbol will fill the screen . This activates Summon Mode , where the portraits in the DMW change to summon portraits and all three reels spin again . Similar to Modulating Phase , if three portraits match a summon will be called . All summons are non - elemental , despite their attack animations . Zack will still level up if the proper numbers match . There is a 12 . 5 % base chance of activating the Summon Mode when a Modulating Phase is triggered as long as Zack has obtained at least one summon . Equipping Summon DMW Materia can boost the chance further . Just entering Summon Mode doesn ' t yet guarantee that the Summon will be performed . The chances depend on the emotion gauge . < br > Chocobo Mode . At any time during Modulating Phase while the center reel spins , " Chocobo Mode " will have a chance of activating as long as Zack has obtained at least one Creature in the reel . In Chocobo Mode the two outer portraits in the DMW change to one of the below characters while the center reel continues spinning . Similar to Modulating Phase , if three portraits match a summon will be called . Zack will still level up if the proper numbers match . In certain special battles ( like against Sephiroth or the final boss ) the Chocobo Mode will never activate , but otherwise its base activation rate is 9 . 4 % , which can be boosted via DMW Materia . Just entering Chocobo Mode doesn ' t yet guarantee that the Summon will be performed . The chances depend on the emotion gauge . < br > < nowiki > * < / nowiki > Lv 1 : Curaga , Drain , Graviga , LibraLv 2 : Iron Bangle , Titanium Bangle , Carbon Bangle , Platinum BangleLv 3 : Kaiser Knuckles , Shinra Beta + , Royal Crown , Crystal OrbLv 4 : Elixir x5 , Elixir x10 , Phoenix Down x1 , Phoenix Down x3Lv 5 : Ribbon , Gold Rolling Pin x1 , Gold Rolling Pin x3 , Gold Rolling Pin x5 Genesis Mode . Genesis Mode is a special mode where Genesis ' s portrait is added to the reel . This is the final check the game makes ; If the game fails to enter both Summon Mode and Chocobo Mode , there is a chance Genesis Mode will activate . The base chance is 12 . 5 % , but it can be boosted further with DMW Materia . Genesis Mode still doesn ' t mean Apocalypse will activate , just as Summon and Chocobo Modes do not guarantee a move will trigger . After Genesis Mode has been activated once , Genesis ' s portrait stays in the reel until it is reset , such as during a storyline event or by drinking the Potion from the Shinra employee in the Shinra Building lobby . The Boost Modifier . The boost modifier is displayed in the menu under the specific Limit Break . Under normal conditions all Limit Breaks have equal chance of activating , but it is possible to boost the chances for a certain Limit with DMW Materia . If , for example , a Limit has a modifier of [ x5 ] it is five times more likely to activate than a Limit with [ x1 ] modifier . The modifiers don ' t boost the chance of getting a Limit Break per se ( they don ' t increase the chance of Modulating Phase appearing , for example ) , therefore it is futile to boost all the modifiers at once . Summon and Chocobo Mode DMW Materia not only boost their respective move , but also increase the chance of activating their mode during a Modulating Phase . Apart from the DMW Materia , Zack gets a boost modifier to certain Limit Breaks during specific storyline events . Flashback Scenes . During Normal Modulating Phase ( not during Summon or Chocobo Mode ) , the player has a chance of witnessing certain flashback and " behind the scenes " events that add percentage to the character portraits in the DMW menu , and once the player has 100 % on every portrait , they receive Genji Armor . Summon and Chocobo portraits only need for their move to be used once during battle to get 100 % , but the character portraits start at 10 % and the player must fill the rest of the 90 % by viewing the random flashback scenes during Modulating Phase . Every character besides Genesis has six scenes : four 10 % scenes and two 25 % scenes . The scenes become available as the player progresses through the game , and some scenes are only unlocked near the game ' s end . Whenever the player witnesses a scene that grants 25 % toward DMW completion , they are guaranteed to perform the Limit Break at the end of Modulating Phase . The same happens if the player gets five " poster cards , " although the image flashbacks do not count toward DMW completion and aren ' t character specific . The 25 % flashback scenes also raise the Emotion Gauge by one . Below are the chances of triggering the random scenes during a Normal Modulating Phase . Below are the chances of triggering the random scenes during Genesis Mode . Genesis has only two scenes , 45 % each . Zack ' s Final Stand . During the scripted battle , Zack ' s DMW reels break as voiced scenes between his friends play , whose portraits are replaced with a white silhouette . The reels break in the following order : Zack will also not get any buffs from the DMW during the battle . Development . The director of " Crisis Core - Final Fantasy VII - " , Hajime Tabata , has mentioned in an interview that once it was decided Zack would be the game ' s protagonist , the nature of his story barred the development team from utilizing the traditional party system as in " Final Fantasy VII " . In order to make controlling of a single character into an exciting game , the base structure of the " Final Fantasy VII " battle system was used with strong action elements added to it . The element of luck was designed into the Digital Mind Wave to prevent battles from becoming repetitive . Both Yoshinori Kitase and Tetsuya Nomura are enthusiastic about , a type of Japanese slots machine , and were discussing if there was any element of it that could put into the game . Other appearances . " Dissidia Final Fantasy " . Sephiroth is able to use Octaslash as an HP attack , executing a sequence of five swift sword slashes while charging forward . " Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy " . Sephiroth retains Octaslash as an HP attack , which has had its exact properties re - balanced but is otherwise the same attack . " Final Fantasy Trading Card Game " . One of Zack ' s cards can use both Rush Assault and Meteor Shots . For the discard of a Zack card and two Fire CP , Rush Assault deals 8000 damage to a Forward of the player ' s choice . Meteor Shots requires the discard of a Zack card , two Fire CP , and Dulling Zack , and deals 4000 damage to all the opponent ' s Forwards . Non - " Final Fantasy " guest appearances . The original appearance of Meteo Shots , Zack executes it identically to Cloud ' s Meteorain , leaping up and sending meteors at the opponent . " Kingdom Hearts " series . Zack is able to use an attack similar to Meteor Shots when fought in " Birth By Sleep " , sending a barrage of large meteors at the player . Zack ' s D - Link deck contains the ability Slot Edge as a reference to the slot machine mechanic of the DMW .