ARchive_neXt

[MichaelDarkAngel]

Thank you raykingnihong! That fixed the issue, my bad!!

Btw I am testing the program now and so far the issues I'm finding are:

1) I too get that same error message about previews and thus I can't see the meshes into the model viewer

And this is happening to you with all model files also?

2) I can't extract textures for some reason. Sometimes they extract automatically in DDS, but only the diffuses. If I try to manually export in other formats, I get another error message which says the maps cannot be found (but it seems to work if I click on 'Export All As')

By extract, do you mean along with a model file? If so, I'll explain how that works. There is a certain chain that I need to follow, in order to find the textures a model uses.
1. Find the Texture Set(s) referenced in the Mesh file.
2. Find the Material(s) referenced in the Texture Set(s).
3. Find the Texture Map(s) reference in the Material(s).

If any of those are missing from the Datafile the Mesh is located in you will not get exported textures, nor will you see textures in the model viewer.

I only decompress the Datafile when it is opened (if some people think it takes long for certain datafiles to open now, imagine waiting for close to a thousand of them to decompress before you could do anything ). But as a semi-workaround, if the program can not find a piece to the puzzle it needs in the datafile it starts in, it will look through all datafiles in the forge file. If you happen to have already opened a datafile that has the piece, it will find it and use that. If you watch the video I posted, you'll see I open the "CN_C_FR_Student_Scholar_M_DiffuseMap" datafile prior to opening the "CN_C_FR_Mid_M" datafile. I did that so the model I was using would have textures. Sorry if that hadn't been made clear before, but that is the way every version has worked, from ForgeX until now.

3) Normal maps appear damaged.
MDA, this happens with all the normal maps I am exporting. I think this issue also appeared in ArchiveX, but I'm not sure. The green ones look fine though, this issue appears only with the standard blue normals.

The issue with ArchiveX was a red/purple tint to a lot of the diffuse maps starting with ACIII if I remember correctly. This is something new. I have tried a few different DDS formats with no luck. Much like trying to find that elusive trigger that will tell me how to read around the blocks of duplicate face indices, I need to find one for these normal maps as well.

Can you view any of the texture maps in the program?

--MDA

[MichaelDarkAngel]

HI MichaelDarkAngel ，My good friend, I use ARchive_neXt.exe to test Assassins.Creed.Liberation.HD errors, caching textures cannot be extracted to the specified folder.

I would be interested in seeing a screen shot of the full error window you are receiving with the textures you are having an issue with. Based on what I can see it looks as though a slash (/) is missing from in between the name of the directory and the name of the texture.

[EDIT]
That is exactly what the problem is. Something else for me to fix.

Thanks for all the bug-squashing

--MDA

[raykingnihong]

HI MichaelDarkAngel ，My good friend, I use ARchive_neXt.exe to test Assassins.Creed.Liberation.HD errors, caching textures cannot be extracted to the specified folder.

I would be interested in seeing a screen shot of the full error window you are receiving with the textures you are having an issue with. Based on what I can see it looks as though a slash (/) is missing from in between the name of the directory and the name of the texture.

[EDIT]
That is exactly what the problem is. Something else for me to fix.

Thanks for all the bug-squashing

--MDA

HI MichaelDarkAngel, you are right, it is incomplete led to a path, maps have been declassified in the cache directory. This is not an issue, is my path \, remind Everyone that we set the path must be a full path, Thank you very much for your help, my friend. we hope that through our strengths to help you test this great tool, it saves you on the timing. Today, I will continue to test this tool.

[raykingnihong]

Hi MichaelDarkAngel，I tested the Prince.of.Persia.The.Forgotten.Sands error.

[raykingnihong]

Hi MichaelDarkAngel，I tested the Prince.of.Persia.The.Forgotten.Sands error.

[RunaWhite]

And this is happening to you with all model files also?

Yes, all the models.

By extract, do you mean along with a model file? If so, I'll explain how that works. There is a certain chain that I need to follow, in order to find the textures a model uses.
1. Find the Texture Set(s) referenced in the Mesh file.
2. Find the Material(s) referenced in the Texture Set(s).
3. Find the Texture Map(s) reference in the Material(s).

If any of those are missing from the Datafile the Mesh is located in you will not get exported textures, nor will you see textures in the model viewer.[

I only decompress the Datafile when it is opened (if some people think it takes long for certain datafiles to open now, imagine waiting for close to a thousand of them to decompress before you could do anything ). But as a semi-workaround, if the program can not find a piece to the puzzle it needs in the datafile it starts in, it will look through all datafiles in the forge file. If you happen to have already opened a datafile that has the piece, it will find it and use that. If you watch the video I posted, you'll see I open the "CN_C_FR_Student_Scholar_M_DiffuseMap" datafile prior to opening the "CN_C_FR_Mid_M" datafile. I did that so the model I was using would have textures. Sorry if that hadn't been made clear before, but that is the way every version has worked, from ForgeX until now.

Uhm, for some reason I could never preview the models in ForgeX nor ArchiveX. Certain diffuse textures were exported together with the models, but not always (sometimes the material file said the map could not be found) and not the secondary textures like normals and speculars. However, this is not a big deal... because I always pick the textures I need saving them in .png format (which is easier to use especially when they have an alpha channel).

The problem I was talking about is related to the single extraction; if I pick let's say only the diffise and try to export it manually in .png (or any other format) I get the error that says the texture can't be found. But, here again, not a big deal at all because it seems that with 'Export All As' it works

The issue with ArchiveX was a red/purple tint to a lot of the diffuse maps starting with ACIII if I remember correctly. This is something new. I have tried a few different DDS formats with no luck. Much like trying to find that elusive trigger that will tell me how to read around the blocks of duplicate face indices, I need to find one for these normal maps as well.

Can you view any of the texture maps in the program?

The problem appears in every model, every standard blue normal map has that issue for me. Some models use a green one, which looks fine, without squares and all.
And yes, I can see all the textures.

Also, I have a question: I noticed there are some HD meshes included in the files... but are they extractable? If yes, how? Because the only export option available is 'Export Raw' and I can't save them in .obj like I do with the standard meshes.

Btw thank you very much for all the work you're doing on this tool!

[MichaelDarkAngel]

Ray - Your last two errors might be caused by adding that slash at the end of your Temp File Location. Yes, that will solve the image export issue, but it breaks everything else.

Runa - The image export issue, my fault, missed a slash (/) in the code. Also found another issue with image export that I need to fix.
The HD Mesh is going to be changed to Hair Mesh. Because that's what they are.

Possibly tonight, I will have an update.

--MDA

[nav00811]

Awesome MDA im really waiting for that update

[RunaWhite]

Awesome, thank you!

[MichaelDarkAngel]

Updated - ARchive_neXt - for now version remains the same v1.11.16.0

Tested and working on Windows 7 Professional 32-bit, Windows 8.1 Professional 64-bit.
One thing I have noticed with Windows 7. If you install the program into the root directory, you will be required to run the program as administrator (right-click on ARchive_neXt.exe, select Properties->Compatibility, check "Run this program as an administrator" under "Privilege Level"). While testing, if I did not do that it would not save my preferences file. I did not see this same behavior in Windows 8.1.

Changes:
Temp directory and preferences file have been moved to a folder in your "My Documents" (Win7/8), "Documents" (Win8.1) folder.
Fixed the missing slash(/) that was causing image export issues.
Fixed another image export issue that would cause images to be exported without a file extension.
Fixed HD Mesh missing export options. Forgot to change it to Hair Mesh.
Added "Export Raw Data" option to Models and Images.

To Do:
Still need to figure out duplicate face index issue.
Still need to figure out normal map issue.
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands has some issues.

A host of other things I haven't even started on yet because getting the models and textures right has always been a top priority.

Happy Holidays to those who celebrate,

--MDA

I will not be able to continue working on this until Friday evening at the earliest.

[nav00811]

MDA after Friday please first of all can you figure out duplicate face index issue and fix it...

[raykingnihong]

Updated - ARchive_neXt - for now version remains the same v1.11.16.0

Tested and working on Windows 7 Professional 32-bit, Windows 8.1 Professional 64-bit.
One thing I have noticed with Windows 7. If you install the program into the root directory, you will be required to run the program as administrator (right-click on ARchive_neXt.exe, select Properties->Compatibility, check "Run this program as an administrator" under "Privilege Level"). While testing, if I did not do that it would not save my preferences file. I did not see this same behavior in Windows 8.1.

Changes:
Temp directory and preferences file have been moved to a folder in your "My Documents" (Win7/8), "Documents" (Win8.1) folder.
Fixed the missing slash(/) that was causing image export issues.
Fixed another image export issue that would cause images to be exported without a file extension.
Fixed HD Mesh missing export options. Forgot to change it to Hair Mesh.
Added "Export Raw Data" option to Models and Images.

To Do:
Still need to figure out duplicate face index issue.
Still need to figure out normal map issue.
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands has some issues.

A host of other things I haven't even started on yet because getting the models and textures right has always been a top priority.

Happy Holidays to those who celebrate,

--MDA

I will not be able to continue working on this until Friday evening at the earliest.

Hi MichaelDarkAngel, thank you for your great work, the tool works very well, if you can join the bones data read, once again thank you very much

[RunaWhite]

Thank you again MDA! I tested the tool and works fine. I am not getting the exception error anymore when I load it, textures export fine, same as HD meshes. I still have the preview issue, I can't see any of the models and that would be useful also to see if all the needed textures are there. Btw take your time fixing the normals and all

EDIT: I have a question not really related to the tool itself (unless it really depends on that), but more about the models:

I usually export in OBJ format and I noticed that the hair (both standard LOD0 and HQ) appears as outlined 'strands'. The mesh looks invisible once loaded and I was wondering if there is a way to 'fill' it correctly?

Probably it depends on the way they worked on their next gen models? Since we never had this issue with characters from the previous AC games...

EDIT2: Some models are not extractable, such as the legacy ones (Altair costume, Ezio costume, etc) and some parts for the Marquis de Sade. I get an exception error for those. Just to let you know MDA

EDIT3: Added a picture to show the hair problem I'm getting. I get the same issue with blender and 3DS Max as well. As you can see the hair is completely empty.

EDIT4: I just encountered the same problem showed by nav00811. Arno's body (CN_U_Arnaud_Civilian2_Body_LOD0) is still screwed for me if I load it in 3DS Max (OBJ), same for Elise's body (CN_U_FR_Elise_LOD0). However, I suppose that is related to the duplicate face index issue you are already trying to fix?

[MichaelDarkAngel]

Thank you again MDA! I tested the tool and works fine. I am not getting the exception error anymore when I load it, textures export fine, same as HD meshes. I still have the preview issue, I can't see any of the models and that would be useful also to see if all the needed textures are there. Btw take your time fixing the normals and all

EDIT: I have a question not really related to the tool itself (unless it really depends on that), but more about the models:

I usually export in OBJ format and I noticed that the hair (both standard LOD0 and HQ) appears as outlined 'strands'. The mesh looks invisible once loaded and I was wondering if there is a way to 'fill' it correctly?

Probably it depends on the way they worked on their next gen models? Since we never had this issue with characters from the previous AC games...

The hair is what it is. Two of three verts that make up every face are at the exact same position. How it works in game, is beyond me.

EDIT2: Some models are not extractable, such as the legacy ones (Altair costume, Ezio costume, etc) and some parts for the Marquis de Sade. I get an exception error for those. Just to let you know MDA

What forge file are they located in?

EDIT4: I just encountered the same problem showed by nav00811. Arno's body (CN_U_Arnaud_Civilian2_Body_LOD0) is still screwed for me if I load it in 3DS Max (OBJ), same for Elise's body (CN_U_FR_Elise_LOD0). However, I suppose that is related to the duplicate face index issue you are already trying to fix?

Looks like something I need to fix in the OBJ export routine. Exports fine for ARX, but not for model viewing or OBJ.

--MDA

[RunaWhite]

Uhm... so there's no way to get the hair working? I think it happens only with Arno, I tried loading Elise's hair and the mesh is fine, but Arno's is totally invisible for some reason.

About the forge files, let me locate them again.