CHRONO CROSS FILE EXPLORATION THREAD

[Chrono'99]

Here's a rough translation of what Ramsus posted. Keep in mind that I don't know much about those technical terms; I just translated literally.

Dump_Init-> Dump initialization      ()
Dump-> File dump            (number of the Rooms to extract)
Dump_Sup-> File deletion         (number of the Rooms dumps)
Iso_Ouvre-> Iso opening            ()
Iso_Ferme-> Iso closing            ()
Dump_Ptr-> File pointer dump   ()
Dump_Entete-> Iso heading dump      ()
Script_Exec-> Script execution            (file name)
Rein-> File re-insertion         (number of the Rooms)
Rein_Init-> Re-insertion initialization()
Rein_Ptr-> File pointer "R?up"   ()
Iso_Mode-> Iso opening mode      (reading|writing)
Tim2Bmp-> Conversion TIM->BMP            (file)
Bmp2Tim-> Conversion BMP->TIM            (file)
Drp_D-> Decompression   DRP   (folder|files)
Drp_C-> Compression   DRP   (folder|files)
Copie_I-> Inputted   files   copy   (fichiers)
Copie_O-> Outputted   files   copy   (fichiers)
Coord_Rein-> Graphic   coordinates   dump   (folder|file)
Coord_Dump-> Coordinates   re-insertion   (folder|file)
Cpt_D-> Decompression   CPT   (folder|file)
Cpt_C-> Compression   CPT   (folder|file)
Txt_Dump-> Text   extraction   (folder|file)
Txt_Rein-> Text   re-insertion   (folder|file)
Brut_Dump-> Raw   data   extraction   (folder|file)
Brut_Rein-> Raw   data   re-insertion   (folder|file)
Rooms_Dump-> Rooms   dump   ()
Rooms_Copie_I-> Rooms   inputted   copy   ()
Rooms_Cpt_D-> Rooms   extraction   ()
Rooms_Lzss_D-> Script   Lzss   decompression   ()
Rooms_Extr-> Scenario   extraction   ()
Rooms_Infos-> Room   infos   loading   (file)
Part_Regroupe-> Scripts   gathering   (file)
Part_Partage-> Scripts   separating   (file)
Scenar_Dump-> Dump   of   a   scenario   text   (folder|file|table)
Scenar_Rein-> Re-insertion   of   a "scenario"   (folder|file|table)
Perso_Regroupe-> Descriptions   gathering   ()
Accent_Regroupe-> Accents   gathering   ()
Repart_Partage-> Separating   by   characters   (file)
Repart_Regroupe-> Script/characters   gathering   (file)
Repart_Infos-> Informations   on   distribution   (file)
Rooms_Rescn-> Rooms    re-insertion   ()
Rooms_Lzss_C-> Lzss   rooms   recompression   ()
Rooms_Cpt_C-> Cpt   rooms   recompression   ()
Script-> Execution   of a   script   (script)
Rooms_Copie_O-> Rooms   outputted   copy   ()
Rooms_Rein-> Rooms   re-insertion   ()
Repart_Retours-> Line   break   correction   (file)
Accent_Partage-> Accents   re-insertion   ()
Rein_Ptr_M-> File   pointers   modification   ()
AutoA_Suppr-> Auto-accents   deletion   ()
AutoA_Ins-> Auto-accents   insertion   ()
Listing_Genere-> Patch   list   generation   (file)
Listing_Persos-> Character   list   generation   ()
Lzss_D-> Lzss   compression   (folder|file)
Lzss_C-> Lzss   decompression   (folder|file)
Perso_Partage->
Str_Insert-> Video   insertion   (room number)
Listing_Fichs-> Patch   files   generation   ()
Raw2Bmp-> TIM   conversion   without   BMP   palette   (room|file|palette|mask)

[Akari]

Can some one put here one field file with screenshot of what it looks like in game. I want to find walkmesh for the field.

[FaustWolf]

Welcome to the Compendium, Akari! Glad to see you here.

When you say "walkmesh" are you referring to character models?

@Chrono'99: That REALLY helps. Thanks a million for the translation.

EDIT: Oh, a walkmesh is actually what the game characters walk over, right? Like in towns and dungeons? So you just need a screenshot of a specific location and the field file for that location then, is that right Akari?

I'm not sure whether we can tell which field file goes with which location yet. Anyone know of a good way to do that? From your experience Akari, do you know if walkmesh data would be included in a savestate or in VRAM?

EDIT: Now that I think of it, we might be able to get field file information from the utility translated by Chrono'99. I'll check it out when I get a chance.

[Akari]

Welcome to the Compendium, Akari! Glad to see you here.

When you say "walkmesh" are you referring to character models?

@Chrono'99: That REALLY helps. Thanks a million for the translation.

Walkmesh is 3d data on which models move. It's not visible and only use to calculate movement of model. Usually this called trimesh or triangular mesh. Walkmesh is Qhimm'f forum terminology. 3d models drawn togather with 2d background tiles sorted by depth. This create illusion of movement in 3d on 2d backgrounds (you can walk around pillar for example).
Walkmesh is one of the most important thing in field files. And I want to know format or at least try to found it. Cause Engine that I want to create suppose to handle all data... and chrono cross as well.

It can't be in savestate, because savestate is dynamic data holding structure, but walkmesh is static and doesn't need to be saved. It suppose to be in field files or in field group of files. They can be concatenated togather or not (most likely not). Tileset for background can be separated cause it needs to be uploaded in vram instead of ram. Field.dat file usually contains scripts, camera data, walkmesh, encounter data, different kind of triggers data, screen settings and background tiles descriptions. I don't know if it compressed or not (ffvii and xeno - compressed used lzs, but ffix are not compressed at all).

[FaustWolf]

@Akari: I'm going to check out whatever field files we have, and hopefully I'll be able to help you out with that.

@Everyone: I'm now going to qualify the statement I made earlier about the Ramsus/Yazoo dumper cutting the data files without injecting any stuff of its own. It appears that with some TIMs, the dumper isn't quite as accurate as we'd like. For example, in Guile's eyeball TIM, (#133 when exploring the CD image with PSicture), the dumped version (CD\0077) contains all sorts of other stuff prior to the proper TIM file. Allow me to illustrate:


THIS stuff and lots of other data (all referring to Guile, I presume) come before the TIM header in CD\0077. Not sure what this all means quite yet, other than that we shouldn't count on each of the .OUT files holding only one file. I just lucked out with the OUT equivalents to the STR videos.

Zeality, I'll add the STR and TIM headers, and whatever other file headers I can identify, to the wiki file on datamapping when I get some time to spend with that entry.

[Gemini]

That file with ASCII strings in it is just an archive containing the Status menu data. Each of those files contains a copy of the battle model, textures, and an ASCII description of a character. There isn't really anything relevant in there.

[FaustWolf]

Wait a minute, wait a minute - Gemini, you're saying CD\0077 contains Guile's battle model? That is extremely relevant! Do you know how to view the models? Or can you give me an idea of what the battle model file header looks like in hex? We might be able to separate out all the various files in the CD directory based on hex signatures.

My goodness, thanks for walking in here Gemini!

[Gemini]

Wait a minute, wait a minute - Gemini, you're saying CD\0077 contains Guile's battle model? That is extremely relevant! Do you know how to view the models?

I said it's a copy of the battle model, not the real thing. It has even a different format, in fact what you guys call "dynamic" textures aren't dynamic at all in the status menu, while they are in battle (eyes are updated in real time).

Or can you give me an idea of what the battle model file header looks like in hex?

I can't seem to recall any magic word or signature for models.

[FaustWolf]

Ah, I see. Thanks for clearing that up Gemini. Would you be able to point me to where the battle model copy is in CD\0077? Would it prove useful in finding the real thing in any way, do you think?

[Gemini]

Ah, I see. Thanks for clearing that up Gemini. Would you be able to point me to where the battle model copy is in CD\0077? Would it prove useful in finding the real thing in any way, do you think?

The archive uses this format for the subfiles (which can be extracted using Yazoo's CD decompress):
-0: description
-1: unknown 4 byte data
-2: as above
-3: 3d mesh+animation data
-4: eye tim texture
-5: custom format 8 bit texture, palette starts at 0x1C, pixel data starts at 0x22C

Arf's texture extracted using Tile Molester (works great with non-standard formats):

[FaustWolf]

Thank you very much, Gemini!!

EDIT: HOLY COW!! WE DON'T HAVE THOSE YET!!

EXTRA SPECIAL THANKS, GEMINI!!

Zeality, let's divide the CD\ files between the two of us and whoever might want to join in, and let's get these battle textures ripped as time allows. I'm going to explore CD\0077 with Tile Molester and see if I can reproduce Gemini's results in this area.

Gemini, did you run CD decompress on these files and use Tile Molester on the result? Or did you run Tile Molester directly on CD\0077?

[Gemini]

Gemini, did you run CD decompress on these files and use Tile Molester on the result? Or did you run Tile Molester directly on CD\0077?

On the extracted segment, but you can do it on the OUT file anyway, since it's not compressed or post-processed.

[ZeaLitY]

Well, I'm still going down the debug menu for maps on disc one. I think I broke 400 tonight, and I'll probably reach 600 before tomorrow. The absolute limit is 999.

I've already added the menu options and the digits I've found so far to the Chrono Cross File Structure Page in the encyclopedia. For any who don't know it yet:

http://www.chronocompendium.com/Term/Chrono_Cross_File_Structure.html

Big welcome to Akari and Gemini. We (or at least I) hardly know anything about PSX hacking. Our overall goals are to rip all the battle models and textures. Looking at the programming will probably be long-term, too.

[FaustWolf]

Nice job on the file structure page, Zeality! Do we even need to worry about the datamap now? It seems we've superceded the need to know where all the files are on the disc, perhaps.

I'm checking out how to produce the battle textures in Tile Molester. If I have any luck, I'll rip as many as I can while I've got time.

EDIT: Battle textures ripped. Thanks Gemini for paving the way! I never would have been able to do that without knowing where the CLUT was.

@Akari: Sorry I haven't gotten a chance to help you with the walkmesh issue yet. I think the most helpful files are probably those in the "Rooms" directory after dumping with Ramsus/Yazoo, but I don't think those OUTs can be dcompressed yet. Does anyone have a room decompressor executable?

[FaustWolf]

Okay, I've spent a little time with Nemesis' tools. I think I'm on the verge of getting the room files dumped with that, perhaps, but I get the following screen of death when the dumping starts:

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/169/sodgc3.gif

Anyone have any success yet with Nemesis' Chrono Cross.exe? I'm attempting to rip from the same .bin that worked with Yazoo's tools. It's the correct file size, but I'm wondering if things would work better if I converted my .bin to an iso somehow. But before I try that, I thought I'd gather other reports of success or failure with this utility so we can better tackle the problem.

EDIT: Zeality, I'm attaching the latest of what Sephiroth over at sadnescity has given me.

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