Stronghold Warlords Archives

[Leo73]

Hello,
for the game Stronghold Warlords there are two types of archives.
The models seem to be packed into a assets.v file (what is a .v file?)
and the textures are in .pak format. I tried to extract the texture pak files via bms scripts for Unreal Tournament, but they say those files are encrypted, which might not be the case. Maybe that bms script is just not able to extract them.

I could send example files, no problem, but maybe someone already knows how to extract them?

Thanks.

[ikskoks]

Yeah, please upload some samples.

[Leo73]

Here are the samples:

https://www.file-upload.net/download-14 ... s.rar.html

apologies for the large file size(about 480 MB). I found out that WinRAR is able to open those .pak files with the textures inside.
But still no idea regarding that assets.v file, which should have the models inside.

[GenericModder]

Hello,

Maybe this guide from Stronghold 3 might help? It uses the same 'assets.v'.
https://www.strongholdnation.co.uk/arti ... ld-3-files

That guide links to this tool for extracting them, though you may want to follow along with the guide to use it.
https://www.strongholdnation.co.uk/down ... g-utility/

Then again they could've slightly changed the format between games.

[Leo73]

@GenericModder

thank you! This works perfectly with Warlords Archives!

Now i just need to find a way to import that model format (.model) to a 3d software, hoping there is a way.

If someone want to take a look at the model files: https://www.file-upload.net/download-14 ... t.rar.html

[GenericModder]

Glad that helped, though I've had little luck with the .model files.

I found a post on the Stronghold Nation forums from 2 weeks ago today that gives some minor details:

Basically the model format consists of several markers that split skeleton rig, (animations), texture/material references and vertices.

Here's a link to that discussion if you're curious, no posts since March 11th - https://www.strongholdnation.co.uk/arti ... ld-3-files

Unfortunately that's all I've seen. Someone smarter than me could potentially find a way to extract the meshes.
Hope that helps in some way! ~GM

[Leo73]

@GM Thank you for your help!

[Generosity]

Nice! Thanks for sharing!