The Sims 2 (PS2) ARC extractor and re-builder? Urgent.

[frogz2007]

I am wondering if anyone can make me both an .ARC extractor and re-builder? I am trying to mod the game. It would be very much appreciated if somebody could do this. If possible, keep the original format intact. Here is the models.arc file:

http://www.mediafire.com/download/p748w ... els_arc.7z

[Mygoshi]

This is the same .arc type than Over The Hedge. You should contact Knurek on HCS64.com

[frogz2007]

This is the same .arc type than Over The Hedge. You should contact Knurek on HCS64.com

Hmm. Does he have something that can read them, though?

[aluigi]

I wrote a script for Over the Hedge some months ago, just in case you want to try and may be useful:
http://aluigi.org/papers/bms/others/over_the_hedge.bms

[frogz2007]

I wrote a script for Over the Hedge some months ago, just in case you want to try and may be useful:
http://aluigi.org/papers/bms/others/over_the_hedge.bms

I just tried, and the format must be a little different. It says:

Error: invalid command "xmath" or arguments -1 at line 21

[aluigi]

Use the latest quickbms.

[frogz2007]

Still didn't work. Now it says, "Incomplete file of C:Users\User\Desktop\models.arc
Can't read 4 bytes from offset 5f746867

[aluigi]

Ok so it's not the same format as it was stated before.

[frogz2007]

I do have a script that a friend of mine named "albinoleopard" made, but it only extracts file names. Would you like it so you could study on the format? If so, here it is:

http://www.mediafire.com/download/ddelx ... ractor.bms

[aluigi]

I checked the sample you provided, the format is really very simple:

Code: Select all

get OFFSET long
goto OFFSET
get FILES long
for i = 0 < FILES
    get DUMMY long
    get OFFSET long
    get SIZE long
    get NAME string
    get TSTAMP longlong
    log NAME OFFSET SIZE
next i

[frogz2007]

Thanks! I think this would be more difficult, but would it be possible to make a script that can create a new, modified .arc file? I thank you for doing this.

[aluigi]

The script is valid for reimporting.
It's not possible to write scripts that build archives from scratch, at least not easily.

[frogz2007]

So it would be possible to re-import these extracted files into the .arc file? I'll try and figure out how to use the reimport function.

EDIT: Figured it out. Thanks so much!

[frogz2007]

Hey, aluigi. I'm not sure if you can pull this off, but is it possible to convert the models contained in the .ARC files into .OBJ or some other format that is usable? I have a friend who goes by the name "albinoleopard" and he can do it, but I haven't gotten a response from him in quite some time. Thanks

[aluigi]

Unfortunately I can't help with the model files.

[frogz2007]

Hmm, ok. What about textures, then? Or...

[aluigi]

I can help only with archives and things related to compressions and maybe encryptions.

[frogz2007]

Ah. I see. I have a request that you may be able to fulfill: I extracted a DS game ROM and couldn't help but notice the source code to the game is there, albeit in an archive with the extension .nitro_archive. I will attach the source files to the game, zipped in a 7z archive. And, if you do happen to figure it out, try and make it so re-importing is possible.

[aluigi]

In this case we have half luck.
I'm able to extract the files from the archive:
http://aluigi.org/papers/bms/others/nitro_archive.bms

But the files are non-standard, they are resources that use custom formats of this engine.
For example the nitro_texture files don't contain DDS or other known file formats, they seem uncompressed textures with a custom header.

[frogz2007]

Wow. I'm impressed you got the files to extract! Good job! Just that alone is quite the accomplishment.