FF9 Models: How did Zande go about viewing them?

[FaustWolf]

Sorry to spam the Tech Forum, but this doesn't involve Chrono Cross specifically, so I thought a new topic was warranted.

Searching the Qhimm boards, I've realized that Zande managed to actually view some of Final Fantasy IX's models. I couldn't find any info on exactly *how* Zande went about this, however. Anyone know if Zande actually decoded the model format and wrote a viewer specifically for FF9, or wrote a plugin for another model viewer such as 3DS Max?

[Akari]

Sorry to spam the Tech Forum, but this doesn't involve Chrono Cross specifically, so I thought a new topic was warranted.

Searching the Qhimm boards, I've realized that Zande managed to actually view some of Final Fantasy IX's models. I couldn't find any info on exactly *how* Zande went about this, however. Anyone know if Zande actually decoded the model format and wrote a viewer specifically for FF9, or wrote a plugin for another model viewer such as 3DS Max?

I thought it was Zidan =)

[FaustWolf]

This is the Zande to whom I refer:
http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=5481.msg71085#msg71085

Looks like Zande hasn't been around in awhile, though.

[Akari]

I'm talking about this http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=6968.0
He showed me some screenshots. But as I see he doesn't post any info here. Try ask him in PM.

ps:I think he used blender for rendering.

[FaustWolf]

Thanks Akari! 

I assume Zidane 2 wrote a Python script plugin for Blender, then?

[Cyberman]

Thanks Akari! 

I assume Zidane 2 wrote a Python script plugin for Blender, then?

Maybe, I wrote something the exported POV data for FF7 models.  So that isn't necessarily what he did.  There are many roads to Rome they say.

Cyb

[Zande]

Poke!!

Just to answer your original question, I wrote a program which converted the model files into other file types, so I could check the models in 3ds max. I can recall stereolitho (.stl) beeing one format I used, also tried 3ds format and the last one which worked best was obj/mtl files (plus texture in targa file) I think, whichever format that is from I can't remember (maya? lightwave?).
The program were never really completed though...

[FaustWolf]

Hey, thanx Zande! Have you released any info on the structure of Final Fantasy IX models, i.e., where the bone data, vertex pool, UV map, etc., are located within the model file? I assume the battle models and field models are very different.

[Zidane_2]

Format of field and battle models and animation are not difference.

[Akari]

Format of field and battle models and animation are not difference.

Just as I thought. The same thing in Xenogears.

[Zidane_2]

For rendering i use Blitz3D - Basic similar language with 3d functions.

[FaustWolf]

Thanks Zidane! The same may be true for Chrono Cross, and possibly other Square games then seeing as Xenogears follows the same pattern.

[Cyberman]

Faustwolf simply put it makes no sense to use completely different animation formats.
Here are the reasons that it doesn't (and likely why CC probably doesn't either).

• You need to make two separate tools to compile the animations for each set.
• You need two sets of code to perform animation.
• You have to use a separate tool chain to compile each set of animations.

In other words it unnecessarily complicates things and costs money. The first increases the likely hood of failures in the end product (two sets of tools be used etc.). The second is likely to cause extra expense to the project.  In all it would be a bad idea to do it since it could add as many as 4 weeks to the schedule for a game.

Cyb

[Zidane_2]

It is all that i know:
http://zidane_games.webhost.ru/formats_FFIX.doc
Thanks G for translating it into English.

[Cyberman]

I appreciate your sharing information Zidane_2

Cyb

[Zande]

Just a quick posts with some additional info to Zidanes doc, for anyone who may be interested.

Some additional 0xdb datatypes:
0x00, I don't know what's in here actually, but it does exsist!
0x06 is text (for dialogs etc), one byte per char with one special char (off the top of my head, 0xfe, but I have to look that one up) for special commands (ie. get image, get character name, get name of character is slot x, etc)
0x07 is sequencer data, in other words: music
0x08 is sound related, I'm not quite sure about this one but I think it's only calls, like calling a sound effect/sound effect bank
0x09 audio
0x10 is stats for enemies (ie. name, hp/mp, weaknesses, names of attacks etc)
0x14 is image mapping

That's all I can remember for now.

[FaustWolf]

Wow, thanks for all the documentation Zidane and Zande!

Now I'll have to carve some model data out of my Final Fantasy IX disc and compare with Chrono Cross. This might just lead to some major breakthroughs in Cross exploration if the formats are similar enough!