[FF7PC] Battle model > Field model Conversion FINALLY!! (2006-04-30)

[andrzejpopo]

Hmm... just wondering.. is it possible to extract the models to some 3d modeling program, like Cinema4d or 3dsMax and increse the number of polygons? It would look awesome Greetz - Andre (aka Andrzejpopo)

[Borde]

Well, here you have a new version of the NPCs Reconstruction Project. Now all the characters befor you get out of the train should be hi-res. There are also some more characters done by ice_cold513. Check the readme.txt file.
http://perso.wanadoo.es/eusebio2k/NPC%20reconstruction%20project%200.3.rar
I also leave you here an SD version of the patch. I recomend using the SD vesrion because it has less glitches:
http://perso.wanadoo.es/eusebio2k/NPC%20reconstruction%20project%200.3(SD).rar

-Zack_Neji, to extract the hair from the head, you must select the color of the hair and use the "Delete all polygons but those with the selected color" and "Kill textured groups". You can then combine that hair with another head by adding a reference to the hair after the one to the head in the HRC file.

-adrezjpopo, You can convert the model to 3DS, but I think there is no way turn 3DS to P files by now.

[Zack_Neji]

One more question.
How do you do for paint in the texture (ex. the face of Jesse whit the ribbonj)

[Rirse]

Hey Borde, I been following this project for a while, but I am wondering which characters are replaced with the current NPC replacement patch?

[Borde]

-To change the textures follow these steps:
  -First use biturn to convert to BMP the texture that originally belongs to the P file you are going to use.
  -Open the BMP with Paint Shop Pro (for example) and modify it at you will (allways keeping the structure it originally had). I told you to use Paint Shop pro because it handles better 8-bit BMPs than simpler programs such as Paint and it allows you to paste parts from other BMPs even if they have differnet palletes or are 24-bits.
  -Save the BMP and using LGPTools, REPLACE any texture from the char.lgp with your BMP. It doesn't matter which one you replace, but keep in mind that you will need to restore it befor playing.
  -Now EXTRACT that texture and save it with the name you want to use.
  -One last thing you must do is edit the texture with an Hexadecimal editor and change the 8th byte to 01.
And basically, that's all.

-Rirse, there is a list of the models in the readme.txt. Currently we have 14 models done.

[Zack_Neji]

and one thing more... how can I make the .rsd of archive? I save the archive with kimera but in the bitrun says that this archive is a "p model".

[Borde]

Just open an RSD file with notepad. The structure is simple: the first 3 lines refer to the same file (the P model), then it specifies the number of textures to be used with that model and then there is a list of the texture files (it says TIM instead of TEX). Simply create a file with the same structure.

[Otokoshi]

The work all of you are doing for this classic is amazing!  I've dl the hi-resolution patch, the field model conversion, and the hi-res cloud patch.  They have all worked together perfectly.  The only one giving me trouble is the cetra music patch.  I recieve an error code and cant run the game once that is installed.  Any suggestions would be apprecitated, I have the original first edition with the not so handy tri fold design    I was really wondering if there was any way that I could help out in this NPC conversion project?  I have a lot of experience in photoshop and I'm just getting into 3ds max.  Please let me know because these latest mod developments are the most exciting thing to happen to the ff7 pc in years.  It's like playing your favorite game again for the first time.  Thanks again everyone for all of your hard work.  

[EmperorSteele]

Well, as for ff7music, you need version 1.15 of ficedulla.dll if i recall correctly, NOT the latest one.

As for this, photoshop probably wouldnt be of much use, becasue allt he cahracters in the game are msotyl vertex shaded; aso, full modesl aren't made by themselves, they're actually a colelction of parts (So teh head is a different model from the torso, which is different form the shoulders, which is different from the...)  But if you can do that kind of thing, make up an npc model and show everyone what you can do, and i'm sure borde or reunion will intergrate your work =)

[Otokoshi]

Hmm I have ficadula dll 1.51a apparently, is there a link to this 1.15 dll? Thanks for your help emperorsteele, I've been a fan of your site for a long time now.  Well if you guys with the npc project could put a brief tutorial or pm me some basics, I think we could get this project rolling quick.  The more the better right?    I just tried out the npc v.03 and its great.  Just that they all seem smaller and are not shaded the same as the battle models are.  I'm guessing that is just a scaling issue.  Anyways thanks a lot, great job, and good luck with the project.

[EmperorSteele]

Hmm I have ficadula dll 1.51a apparently, is there a link to this 1.15 dll?

try this:

http://sylphds.net/f2k3/php/archives.php?num=14

if that doesnt work, go to http://www.ficedula.co.uk/, then click "ficedulla.dll, then click "archive".

And my msitake, there ISN'T a 1.15. but there IS a 1.10, which might be the version you need.  DL them all, and see which version works best, workin backwards.

 Thanks for your help emperorsteele, I've been a fan of your site for a long time now.

Always happy to meet a fan of my never-worked-on fansite, hahah ^_^

Well if you guys with the npc project could put a brief tutorial or pm me some basics, I think we could get this project rolling quick.  The more the better right?    I just tried out the npc v.03 and its great.  Just that they all seem smaller and are not shaded the same as the battle models are.  I'm guessing that is just a scaling issue.  Anyways thanks a lot, great job, and good luck with the project.

Well, the shading is different because in the field, , there's a defined light source, and everything cast shadows on themsevles.  In battle, there IS NO light source, and the "shading" on everything is actually colored on.  So part of the conversion process is to remove the "highlights" and "shadows".  But now that full scale npcs are beign worked on, i think it's a matter of just stretching them all (and all their aprts) and maybe adding a few details.

[Otokoshi]

Awesome! Thanks again for your help.  Troubleshooted like you said and worked backward with the ficadula dll.  Turns out 1.10 works great.  Just played ff7 with updated tracks from the Advent Children sound track.  Two words, absolutly amazing!  I really see great promise in this NPC project.  My understanding is the field models are NOT lighted its just the textures that are shaded then applied to the model.  If that is the case, I think I could be of some help skinning the new models once they figure out the correct model proportions.  A great job with the project so far.

[Rogue Agent]

what is the name of rufus' model?

and also how do I open up the models in 3ds max 7?

[Borde]

-Otokoshi, the field models are shaded by the game engine. That's the reason why when you open them with Ifalna they have plain colors. The models that have pre-calculated lighting are the Battle ones (because the games turns off lighting during battles). This lighting isn't texture-based though. It is coded directly in the model by giving vertices colors diferent tones.
While I must admit that often this shadows are better than those FF7 engine can cast, It's quiet problematic to modify a model without killing this pre-calculated shadows because we often need to remove and add vertices. Even changing the colors can be quiet hard if you don't completly get rid of the original ones (this is partly due to my crappy color detection routine, sorry).
As for the size of the models, don't know, maybe you are right. We could take a look at it one day.
-Rouge Agent, to open a model with 3DStudio you must first convert it using Biturn.

[Rirse]

By the way Borde, what models are you currently working on for the NPC Reconstruction Patch?

[Borde]

Well... errrr... none . Sorry, but I'm too bussy this week. When I continues, I'll the people arround 7th Heaven.

[Otokoshi]

the download links are down for the NPC v.03 patch and that makes me sad  

[Armorvil]

Maybe a stupid question, but would this work on PSX ?

[celestria]

makes me sad also

[Roxas]

Hey Borde, I noticed that in the NPC v.03 patch, under the directory of "man_13_sk", there's a bitmap for "cege". Now I don't see any bitmaps in any of the other directories, so I was wondering if this wouldn't cause any errors?

Sorry if that's how it's supposed to be, I just wanted to double check.

[ice_cold513]

Hey Borde, I noticed that in the NPC v.03 patch, under the directory of "man_13_sk", there's a bitmap for "cege". Now I don't see any bitmaps in any of the other directories, so I was wondering if this wouldn't cause any errors?

Sorry if that's how it's supposed to be, I just wanted to double check.

Just delete it and by the way i done the reeve's model as for the link

http://www.freewebs.com/foxhoundthetribe/NPC%20reconstruction%20project%200.3.rar

[Tsukiyomi]

Hi everyone, I just foudn this place, and read through a bunch of stuff...and WOW....u guys (like Reunion and Borde) are awesome...I showed my friend the game with the Reunion patch and played for a while, then I showed him how it was like originally and he was like "Wth...that's how it looked like before??" Ahah...Very nice jobs guys...frankly, I'm playing through it and I hardly even notice it's modded. It looks very original actually (despite the fact that most of the non-battle models are still sprites, but oh well). It's cool that you guys are slowly reinventing the game. =D

Ok which brings me to my question...I figured someone would've asked this alreayd, but I can't find an answer to it anywhere after searching the board. Can the "REUNION patch" and the "SEPHIROTH patch" be used together?? It crashed for me when I tried it. I guess the difference would be Sephiroth's battle model in place of the field sprite right? Anyway, is there any way to get this to work??

THanks a bunch...

[EmperorSteele]

Not likely, the "Sephiroth patch" doesn't swap models like we do, it actually forces the same models into taking on a new shape, from what I understand.

*shrug*

[Kerber]

This looks great..never would I have imagined FFVII looking this good. Even though I just beat FFVII, I might need to go through again with these high-res models. Keep up the great work. I have no idea how many NPC models exist in the game total, but roughly how far would you say you guys are percent wise with this project?

[Borde]

-Armorvil, this pacth can't be used for the PSX version because the format of the files is completly different. Morove, I highly supsect that even if you replace them, the PSX wouldn't be able to render them at full speed (not due to the power of the PSX, but beacuse the power of the FF7 PSX engine).
-I haven't counted it, but I think that joining all the models we have redone (Reunion's, ice_cold513's and mine ones), it would be arround 10% of them.