Wangan Midnight [Need Help Reversing]

[nfm]

(random manga image for attention)


Hey guys I'm seeking help with 3d model reversal from Wangan Midnight PS3 game. This game like many previous Tokyo Xtreme Racer games includes full Shutoko expressway where you can freely roam the highway. I managed to write an extractor and documented everything I know here https://github.com/fatalhalt/TXRExtractor (see wmn.h header). This particular game uses chunked zlib deflate files so it was only matter of time to figure out the archive, 3 weeks in hex editor paid off, along with help from alugi's offzip.exe giving clues what and where to look for. Around the same time aluigi figured out the archive and posted quickbms script here (thanks!): http://zenhax.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=802

This is my first time messing with unpacking game archive or trying to import binary 3d model from an archive to 3d modeling program. I hope someone here has knowledge and little of spare time that could look at the models and point me in the right direction and save me some time.

Sample 3d model: (1.76MB) AREA_A_ROAD_MDL_000.GRID (link removed)

Smallest 3d model (3.35KB) COURSE/SHUTOKO/NIGHT/AREA_11GO_BUIL_CUT_11GO_WAN_013.GRID (link removed)


(9.85MB) TEST_CRS.7z (link removed) (complete)

I lurked the Tutorials section of this forum and followed tutorials such as http://forum.xentax.com/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=3739 from (Shaiya) game and read posts by people like finale00, mariokart64n, or fatduck... and it all makes sense when you look at format/maxscript that has been already figured. In Wangan Midnight dumps, I can see bunch of float numbers in those models, can see in hex editor how data is divided, but I don't have enough experience to figure this out yet.

I know few people who are interested in this. From this particular game the highway course is most valuable, there aren't that many car models since Wangan Midnight is more of a pictorial manga/comic game. For car models we will be looking at Import Tuner Challenge 2006 for Xbox 360 but sadly its archives are using unknown compression that hasn't been cracked yet.

Thanks in advance!!!


keywords: genki, tokyo xtreme racer, wangan, c1, shutoko, japan, assetto corsa


edit: july 21 2015, download c1 rev2 here for Assetto Corsa:
mirror: (link removed)

video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9g4TstsZAs
- fixed car spawn
- added lap time on outer c1 route
- placed a pit stop at Shibaura PA (similar to what Shutoko Battle X game did) (got inspired by shiragiku)
- reduced overall brightness
- closed ramps/exits like shibuya/shinjuku by placing road barriers
- replaced broken billboards with sti/nismo logos
- fixed few unfinished pink textures
- added a mini map (thanks shiragiku)
- added initial AI line
- map has 2 pit stops and you can do a quick race involving 1 opponent (2 people total)
- *tip for me c1 map looked a lot better when I edited \Steam\steamapps\common\assettocorsa\content\weather\4_mid_clear\weather.ini and set BLEND=0.3 under [FOG] and then chose mid_clear weather in game setup/menu

edit: june 12 2016, download c1 rev6 here for Assetto Corsa:
22139f93bbbcb533a5e9d8fba43f1875 *c1_rev6.zip 150MB
https://mega.nz/#!WlEUTJoZ!D5v3-HflS6wD ... -KLSaGYowU
- small update, mainly tweaked textures and adjusted UV maps

full FBX source to nfm's c1 rev6:
https://mega.nz/file/HhFlFSaD#4CRnI_hZQ ... ZMQLkWfr9U

wangan WIP .kn5 route (the one from 2016 that never got finished):
https://mega.nz/file/X9tz3K4b#0Xcp-mUmL ... ZlA8KVi6bM

[shakotay2]

using hex2obj (view link in my sig) for a quick format scan:

Area_A_road_mdl_000.JPG

[mariokart64n]

I recorded video of me going through the format and writing the maxscript, but it'll take a few hours to encode and upload to youtube

[REDZOEU]

I recorded video of me going through the format and writing the maxscript, but it'll take a few hours to encode and upload to youtube

DUDE, real nice progress there!
How do you manage to import the map with every model in it's right position?
If your maxscript for importing tracks from this game is complete, it'll really help alot of people who dreamt of driving their favorite cars on that track in a mod-able game.

Also, it would be great if the maxscript also worked for cars.
Btw, nice work bro

[nfm]

shak-otay thanks a lot for addresses and face/vert counts!!! this will now make it much easier to understand that file

I recorded video of me going through the format and writing the maxscript, but it'll take a few hours to encode and upload to youtube

no way...youtube video just for this format? this is awesome, i watched most of your DOA videos and learned few things, maxscript will be perfect

mariokart64n i think i will tip you soon

[mariokart64n]

alright, this video is NOTHING special, but it is pretty heavy its 2.5 hours long... :\

I recorded it live as I downloaded your files and looked through it.
it was late when I recorded it, so I started to fall asleep in some spots.

however i believe it may help save time on your side if you are interested in learning macxscript

Video:
https://youtu.be/zugkmEHrmMg

the maxscript is included in the video, but not completed.
only tested on your two ORIGINAL samples, so probably will NOT work on the other files?



EDIT:
yeah just removed a byte check and changed a loop and it worked on the .car and .mdl files

Wangan Midnight.zip

[nfm]

Script working great here so far. I'm watching your video now. Thanks for your time. I will PM you shortly.

REDZOEU will be very happy to see C1 route .

[mariokart64n]

I didn't script in the UV's, I'll do it up shortly for yeah


EDIT
Added handling for UVs, but the cars I tested do not have UVs on alot of its parts
probably the game has a paint shader that is used instead

Wangan Midnight.zip

[REDZOEU]

Mother of progress.
You guys did awesome work there!
I haven't taken a look on the files yet, so i can't see for myself about the track and textures (also cars).
I'm happy that even cars can be extracted.
@nfm : Totally happy to see it

So, good news is, WIP script can import map models with correct object positioning. I'm guessing there should be bad news too (knowing that shutokou expressway should use more than 100 texture for each part of map like in PSP version, named Street Supremacy)

Also, information about UVs... There is a high probability that body parts of cars didn't have UVs and uses paint shader instead, but there is also a probability that body has UVs too, since cars in game supports stickers/vinyls, right? (cmiiw)

[REDZOEU]

I imported the R34 to check some bugs.
Well, i found some. At first, i thought there should be a stock (not yet modified) GT-R R34, but no. The car is already pre-modified with bodykits in game. And it would seem the car is still missing textures.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAiCdhQmV0c (The R34 is at 1:38)


A pic of the part that's missing it's textures.

There are only 5 extracted textures, which is main texture for racing, main texture for menu, headlights texture, taillights texture, and number plates texture. The remaining, such as emblem (badge) texture is missing. Same goes to windows textures and much more. I didn't research that much yet. Also, steering wheel is in x 0 y 0 z 0 position, and the car is missing brakedisc, calipers, and wheel model (tire included).

I haven't imported any tracks yet. So, i guess this bug report is exclusive for cars only. I'll take a look for tracks next. This concludes my bug report. Thanks in advance.

EDIT: The windows in the pic is using RX3's texture. I kinda got it mixed up. LOL.

[REDZOEU]

Okay, so i tried importing tracks this time (AREA_9GO_BUIL_CUT_9GO_FREE_000.GRID)



Apparently, the maxscript did not extract any texture for this file.
I also tried importing AREA_9GO_ROAD_MDL_000.GRID, 001, 002, and 003. Models are imported in their rightful position, but only few textures are extracted. It's missing road textures and much more.



And by seeing the previous picture of the subaru boss car, i imported the car and i don't have that same exact driver model, also the models are not pre-textured like the picture from posts before (or do you manually apply it in max?)

Let me know if this bug report is not clear. I'll try explaining it in "english".

[nfm]

I also tried importing AREA_9GO_ROAD_MDL_000.GRID, 001, 002, and 003. Models are imported in their rightful position, but only few textures are extracted. It's missing road textures and much more.

Have you tried importing AREA_ZZ_00.GTF.XTD, AREA_ZZ_01.GTF.XTD, and AREA_ZZ_02.GTF.XTD yet? From my understanding *.GTF.XTD contains bunch of DDS textures, I ended up with 642 from these 3 files, there's stuff like road/asphalt texture, road signs etc. These could be the textures that get reused a lot in other parts of highway, and any specific texture that's associated with 1 part of highway is stored in *.GRID file along with the model.

[REDZOEU]

and any specific texture that's associated with 1 part of highway is stored in *.GRID file along with the model.

So that applies the same to car models? And if that file with 642 texture is actually the textures for the whole shutokou, that'll save time to search all textures. I'll try researching again once I got home.

[KarinFutoGT]

Awesome progress i can't wait to convert all the cars my files are ready

[KarinFutoGT]

Tire/brakes/discs/rims are on other place, folders Wheel/Tire/Brake have those meshes and the script import part of the mesh but crash and you need to restart the 3DSmax, missing textures for badges and many materials called wired_xxxx but anyway i'm happy with the progress. The other thing that i like is you can import the driver model not many games can be imported like forza and are sitted
https://www.dropbox.com/s/f7x53ggtobnxx ... L.rar?dl=0