PSX FF7 Modding

[truecrisis]

Hi, as many of you know, FF7 is now playable on PSP. (via PSX emulator)

I want to mod it much like the PC version of FF7, with the NPC RC project mainly.

However, the files on the PSX CD, are different than that of the PC data (namely field/chars.lgp is missing from the CD)

I'm doubtful its possible, but thought I'd post the question to you guys. Is the data moddable? Has it been done?

I DID run a search through the previous topics, but didn't find much of anything on the topic.

Boy, I hope I'm not the only one who's interested in modding the PSX version... Your input is appreciated!

EDIT: I also was thinking its possible to change the avatars in the PSX version. they are essentially the same as the files in menu/menu_us.lgp but in the PSX version they are .TIM files and in the PC version they are .TEX files. Any ideas?

[James Pond]

Edit

Forget it.

[stormmedia]

Hi truecrisis and wellcome to the forums

Well... as James Pond said in his words ... it's quite impossible for now I think... and as you said the files in the PSX CD are differents... beside in the NPC RC we do not change any files from the CD it's just from the files that are on the hard drive... maybe later someone will do a editor for the PSX version but I don't think that there is any good editor for the PSX version at this time.  And  I unfortunatly don't know anything about the avatars in the PSX version...

Well sorry if we cannot help you with this for now...

[Cyberman]

Hi, as many of you know, FF7 is now playable on PSP. (via PSX emulator)

I want to mod it much like the PC version of FF7, with the NPC RC project mainly.

However, the files on the PSX CD, are different than that of the PC data (namely field/chars.lgp is missing from the CD)

I'm doubtful its possible, but thought I'd post the question to you guys. Is the data moddable? Has it been done?

I DID run a search through the previous topics, but didn't find much of anything on the topic.

Boy, I hope I'm not the only one who's interested in modding the PSX version... Your input is appreciated!

EDIT: I also was thinking its possible to change the avatars in the PSX version. they are essentially the same as the files in menu/menu_us.lgp but in the PSX version they are .TIM files and in the PC version they are .TEX files. Any ideas?

Sic et Non
Yes and No
It's possible yes, is it worth it, probably not. That's the real answer.
Right so why not?

• The PS1 version of the game uses the ISO9660 commands in the PS1 bios, and not the file system.  Thus far I've not sat down and scrounged every LBA address of every file then searched for where they might be located on the disk.  An LBA in the ISO file system let's say 0 for example is actually at sector 2:00.00  2 minutes 0 seconds and 0 frames.  Each sector is referenced that way via the CD, I believe in BCD format as well.
• Because of the first problem changing ANY file more than 1 sector (2048 bytes or in an ISO it's 2352 bytes), is likely to crash the game.  File size is determined on ISO accessed files by the begining DWORD having the size of the compressed data. This is used on files in \FIELD \ENEMY* \WORLD <-- maybe well most files that are accessed via absolute address. Files that don't have this size information are access via the normal CDROM system or the MOVIE player. 
• The model formats for the field and battle are different, the textures are stored differently as well.  FIELD.TDB contains all the field model textures.  Animations are somewhere out there (LOL), in the files that is. The number of bones in the models must be the same but I think that's about it.  The PS1 stores the models for the field characters (IE cloud Tifa etc.) in BCX files. These are compressed in LZS format like everything else by the way.  So you would have to take cloud's model extract his data (section 0 of cloud.lzs in ENEMY006 I believe) then repack it and scale it to the field model in clould.bcx.  Don't forget the field models have different looks as well, Cloudette Tifa in a nice dress and Aeris in a red dress etc.  These are all likely contained in the associated BCX file.

Without knowing where the table of LBA's or M:S:F formated index information is on the CD this is mostly just blowing smoke.  The only way to find this is by
making a complete list of files that have a begining that indicates total file size. After this procedure search all the files in directories (that do not have said data files) for both an LBA (little endian seems to be the common method), or BCD encoded M:S:F format (the latter might be very hard to find).  The likely candidates for searching are \INIT \MENU \MINI \MINT  \WORLD and \SCUS_941.63  I doubt KERNEL.BIN has the information in it (it's been looked at a lot).

I suppose this has to be found someday, I'm redoing my methods for extracting RAW data from an ISO image into something more ... elegant.  The ISO file format is quite anoying I've decided.

Cyb

[truecrisis]

thanks for the welcome!

although, ive been on the site before, and have found my way around without needing to post (i have nothing to contribute anyway)

but, i havent seen my question asked, and thought it would be worth bringing up.

well, anywho. cool beans. i didnt think it would be something conceivable.

thanx for the in depth explanation cyb

[James Pond]

but, i havent seen my question asked, and thought it would be worth bringing up.

Then you are blind. Look at my topic about 8 topics down.

[truecrisis]

Jesus, so you are right.... you posted the exact same question as me, except 7 days earlier.

For future reference, (if anyone is looking at this forum later on) the link to James Ponds topic is http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=6367.0

Sorry about that Mr. Pond, I am blind.

[kohan69]

• The PS1 version of the game uses the ISO9660 commands in the PS1 bios, and not the file system.  Thus far I've not sat down and scrounged every LBA address of every file then searched for where they might be located on the disk.  An LBA in the ISO file system let's say 0 for example is actually at sector 2:00.00  2 minutes 0 seconds and 0 frames.  Each sector is referenced that way via the CD, I believe in BCD format as well.
• Because of the first problem changing ANY file more than 1 sector (2048 bytes or in an ISO it's 2352 bytes), is likely to crash the game.  File size is determined on ISO accessed files by the begining DWORD having the size of the compressed data. This is used on files in \FIELD \ENEMY* \WORLD <-- maybe well most files that are accessed via absolute address. Files that don't have this size information are access via the normal CDROM system or the MOVIE player. 
• The model formats for the field and battle are different, the textures are stored differently as well.  FIELD.TDB contains all the field model textures.  Animations are somewhere out there (LOL), in the files that is. The number of bones in the models must be the same but I think that's about it.  The PS1 stores the models for the field characters (IE cloud Tifa etc.) in BCX files. These are compressed in LZS format like everything else by the way.  So you would have to take cloud's model extract his data (section 0 of cloud.lzs in ENEMY006 I believe) then repack it and scale it to the field model in clould.bcx.  Don't forget the field models have different looks as well, Cloudette Tifa in a nice dress and Aeris in a red dress etc.  These are all likely contained in the associated BCX file.

Without knowing where the table of LBA's or M:S:F formated index information is on the CD this is mostly just blowing smoke.  The only way to find this is by
making a complete list of files that have a begining that indicates total file size. After this procedure search all the files in directories (that do not have said data files) for both an LBA (little endian seems to be the common method), or BCD encoded M:S:F format (the latter might be very hard to find).  The likely candidates for searching are \INIT \MENU \MINI \MINT  \WORLD and \SCUS_941.63  I doubt KERNEL.BIN has the information in it (it's been looked at a lot).

I suppose this has to be found someday, I'm redoing my methods for extracting RAW data from an ISO image into something more ... elegant.  The ISO file format is quite anoying I've decided.

Cyb

What if you run the game in an emulator and monitor the kernel to what address it reads from, then hex-edit, say the field models to same address as battle models?
it shouldn't effect the file-size, and not offset anything



PS: does FF7 have a MAIN.EXE?

[Tsetra]

As a general rule, it's bad form to necropost (posting in topics over a year old). Unfortunately I can't get angry because I've always been interested in the subject matter at hand. Backgrounds and movies are rendered much better in the PSX version, and emulators already make Hi-Res possible.
It's frustrating that our problems the PC version has are solved on PSX, and our PSX problems are solved on the PC. :/

But this will probably get closed, as much as I hate to see it.

[kohan69]

I'd rather necropost than make a fifth thread about the subject 

I'll look into it, but if they are better, why arent' bg and cgi ported to pc, engine limitations? 

qgear section is of great help.
PS1_ISO_setup.exe looks awesome
i'll test this further by end of the week

ps: great forum, many talents here


Update/question:

using F F 7     P S X     M o d e l     V i e w e r  (found: http://www.ficedula.co.uk/) and a bit of searching,
the Battle Models of the characters are located in
psxdisc1:\ENEMY\
the *.LZS are the models (can be views with the psx viewer)

But I cannot seem to find the world models, are they not LZS files?

[Tsetra]

I'm not sure exactly why the movies are better on the PSX version, but I know for sure the engine has a lot to do with how much worse they look on PC. As for background, emulators can soften the rough edges of the PSX version, making them look a lot better. This currently can't be done effectively on PC.

[nafeasonto]

Why don't you just get a Virttual Machine with XP on it and run the PC version on the PSP, and forget about the hassle?

[kohan69]

you mean like VNC?
that's horribly slow

My goal isnt just to put it on the PSP, I'd like to get it working, even in concept

edit: I can't seem to find the WORLD (field) models only the battle models on the disk 
where are they located

[obesebear]

The field models are in the field folder under char.lgp.

Keep us posted on any progress you make.