Okay, Chrono Cross Textures

[FaustWolf]

@Ramsus: Thanks for compiling those!

@Zeality: I'm going to do some hex comparisons between the video files dump.exe produced and the .STRs I ripped recently with PSXMedia Player (updated version of PSMPlay). I already know that the video .OUTs are 30MB less in size altogether than the .STRs. However, this isn't necessarily a problem at all, because PSXMediaPlayer's rip function seemed to stuff some extra gobbledegook in toward the end of the files. I'll report my findings when I've checked them out. It's possible there's an .OUT file header of some sort perhaps that prevens the PSX movie players from recognizing the .STR files.

[ZeaLitY]

Okay. And I guess the general idea is that main_disc_dump.exe uses the other .exes to dump particular assets right? So if some of the other .exes are flawed, we won't get the entire thing?

[Ramsus]

Okay. And I guess the general idea is that main_disc_dump.exe uses the other .exes to dump particular assets right? So if some of the other .exes are flawed, we won't get the entire thing?

No. They're all separate programs. First you extract all the files with main_disc_dump.exe. main_disc_dump.exe is standalone, independent, and by itself 100% complete. Anyway, doing that creates the filetree that the other programs use to do their thing.

That is, all the other programs are written with the assumption that you already ripped all the CD files out use those OUT files to generate decrypted or decompressed versions that you can further work with.

[Ramsus]

To be more simple and clear:

The main_disk_dump.exe program extracts everything, but some of the files are compressed/encrypted. You can unencrypt and decompress them using the other programs so you can work with them, and also do the reverse in order to reinsert them.

[Gemini]

It's possible there's an .OUT file header of some sort perhaps that prevents the PSX movie players from recognizing the .STR files.

Yeah, they have a non-standard header, so PSM Play can't detect the format when reading from an actual file instead of scanning the whole iso. I had to make a custom application just for handling that stupid format (used in Legend of Mana, too). >_> Here a picture of the tool:


Also, iirc, you guys mentioned the room TIM files, some of which seems corrupted of something. Yazoo's tools use an incorrect method of detection, so it dumps are .TIM or .RAW completely random. Some of them are just simple TIMs, other are clut-less TIMs, and the rest are compressed images. I made a tool for those, too, but it's totally incomplete and can only open the clut-less TIMs (no editor supports them correctly for some reason). Here an image of this tool:


If you need any addition info about the file formats, I can give you a hand, otherwise never mind.

[FaustWolf]

Thanks for confirmation on the .STR headers, Gemini. The Ramsus/Yazoo dumper seems to cut the .STRs directly from the disc image, but PSMPlayer doesn't recognize raw .STRs. Just for my own curiosity, do you know how PSMPlay and other programs are able to detect the .STRs when it's actually scanning the entire disc image? Does it need the Table of Contents to detect the STRs or something?

And I'm very interested in that tool you made that supports the CLUT-less TIM files. Have you taken a look through the Compendium's texture pack that Zeality made? The image you've posted strikes me as if it might be part of a pre-rendered background, which we haven't been able to capture with either PSicture or TIMViewer.

And BTW Gemini, could you tell us the file size of the CD image you ripped that CLUT-less TIM from? We've had problems with the images being split if we rip our iso/bins a certain way, and I'm wondering if we can get that image you posted any clearer if we use your utility on a differently-ripped CD image.

So many questions, but thanks for any answers you provide Gemini!

[Gemini]

Does it need the Table of Contents to detect the STRs or something?

I dunno why it doesn't work correctly with an actual file, but it must be using part of the sector header+subheader in the iso while scanning. The actual movie file doesn't contain any of those segments.

The image you've posted strikes me as if it might be part of a pre-rendered background, which we haven't been able to capture with either PSicture or TIMViewer.

Well, it IS part of a background. It is the teleport room in the Ancient Fort of the Dragons in Serge's dream, to be exact.

And BTW Gemini, could you tell us the file size of the CD image you ripped that CLUT-less TIM from?

Size doesn't matter in this case. My ISO size doesn't match at all Yazoo's, and yet I can extract, change content and reinsert everything fine. Just rip the ISO with Alcohol 120% or CD-R Win.

[Ramsus]

If you need any addition info about the file formats, I can give you a hand, otherwise never mind.

Could you post everything you know? I know jack squat about the PSX and PSX games, and I'm not even really involved in this project, so experienced people are more than welcome to join in.

[ZeaLitY]

Well, judging from the toher thread, we really need to get this dumper working:

http://chronofan.com/Black/Other/Chrono_Cross_-_Translation_tools.zip

It probably works better than Yazoo's, now that FaustWolf has found bad .TIM files. Once that's done, we can see what we have.

I'm VERY interested in a way to view the prerendered background images. Right now, the only way to get them is to make savestates in all the areas and use VRAM viewer. If we could just extract them normally, we might even find unused textures and other weird stuff.

[FaustWolf]

Yes Gemini, post everything you've got. Including that CLUT-less TIM viewer you programmed, if you don't mind; if it rips and views pre-rendered backgrounds, it is officially amazing.

[Gemini]

Yes Gemini, post everything you've got. Including that CLUT-less TIM viewer you programmed, if you don't mind; if it rips and views pre-rendered backgrounds, it is officially amazing.

Sorry, but I don't usually release any of my WIP programs. As for the information I've got, I don't have any notes on them, so trying to write a mini-doc with all the stuff I know would be quite difficult, not to mention that I'm totally lazy at writing anything. If you want you can still ask questions to me, I won't deny an answer.

It probably works better than Yazoo's, now that FaustWolf has found bad .TIM files.

Those are not bad TIMs. Some are just compressed, that's all.

[FaustWolf]

Sorry, but I don't usually release any of my WIP programs. As for the information I've got, I don't have any notes on them, so trying to write a mini-doc with all the stuff I know would be quite difficult, not to mention that I'm totally lazy at writing anything. If you want you can still ask questions to me, I won't deny an answer.

Do you release your programs once they're finished? In any case, your decision is fully respected.

And take a look at the CHRONO CROSS FILE EXPLORATION THREAD; I've got a question for you there.

Thanks Gemini!

[Gemini]

Do you release your programs once they're finished?

Yep, I do, but this is not the case. That program was created just for MFC practice and I haven't been working on it for almost 2 years now. I really don't have any interest in finishing it.

[nightmare975]

Would it be possible to use these texture in a 3D program (say, Maya?) if so, I think I'm going to have a field day.

[FaustWolf]

What format do you need them in, Nightmare? I'm giving them to Zeality in .BMP format, so I hope that'll do.

EDIT: Ripping done. Thanks Gemini for paving the way!

Zeality will probably release the new textures as a Compendium download, so stay tuned.

Now this opens up another can of worms: where's the battle textures for Dark Serge, the Mystics, the Time Devourer, etc. etc.? Could it be that enemies simply use the textures we've already ripped via PSicture and TIMViewer?