Wargame *.ess

[id-daemon]

And.... full stereo track with no glitches. Now need to check ESS files from other games if its working.

http://www7.zippyshare.com/v/vhUIlDG1/file.html

[id-daemon]

Checked Wargame Red Dragon. It also works

[id-daemon]

First release. Only STEREO files! Don't try it with mono.

Feel free to test it on all games using this crazy ESS format.

[AlphaTwentyThree]

Wow! Thanks a lot, id-daemon!!!

[id-daemon]

The strangest ADPCM I've seen, 2-pass, 10 parameters, no tables.

There are 1 codec methods, but all files I have are coded using only one of them.

Can you confirm with which games it works? Other than RUSE & Red Dragon?

[AlphaTwentyThree]

Well I guess that at least some other games from Eugen Systems use the codec: http://www.mobygames.com/company/eugen-systems
Maybe ESS = Eugen Systems Sound?

[KattiValk]

Hey, I'm from the modding community at the Wargame Forums and I was interested in your file decoder! However, the link you have at the moment is incredibly sketchy and no one is willing to touch it. We would love it if you could post a new file onto a more trusted file sharing site.

Also, some instructions on how to use it would be greatly appreciated.

[id-daemon]

However, the link you have at the moment is incredibly sketchy and no one is willing to touch it. We would love it if you could post a new file onto a more trusted file sharing site.

What link? What sharing site? I never posted my tool on filesharing. Its attached right on THIS site here 5 messages above. Whats wrong with it?

[KattiValk]

What link? What sharing site? I never posted my tool on filesharing. Its attached right on THIS site here 5 messages above. Whats wrong with it?

Hmm, it appears MenDuck was mistaken then. Sorry about that.

Do you think you could explain how to use it?

[id-daemon]

As I remember, just drag .ESS file onto it. Or if you need multiple files, create a .bat file with loop

[KattiValk]

As I remember, just drag .ESS file onto it. Or if you need multiple files, create a .bat file with loop

Okay, so, we've started testing the decoder, but to no real success. For one, the .exe claims it crashes every time a file is inputed, but still spits a .wav out. The .wav is either completely nonexistent (0 kb), extremely distorted, or just straight static.

Hazarding a guess, it might be because the .ess is common throughout the Wargame series, but the actual files that make up the .ess files have changed through titles. Regardless, here are some of the results with the original file attached as well if you want to see what went wrong. Also, I'm fairly sure these clips are mono, though we tried bits that are almost certainly stereo to no luck.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0BywlIctrUOnEM2E0YmtsREhVTkk

Again, I'd like to say that this is unprecedented progress for us, and we're grateful for any help you can give, because we're all pretty inexperienced in this department.

[id-daemon]

No, these files are also mono. This is why its not working. The reason I only made stereo decoder is because noone was interested in mono files. I can make mono decoder when i have time.

[KattiValk]

No, these files are also mono. This is why its not working. The reason I only made stereo decoder is because noone was interested in mono files. I can make mono decoder when i have time.

I didn't link the stereo clips because we weren't aiming for changing those in the near future. The clips in the drive pertain to a current project.

Take whatever time you need, we appreciate anything you can do.

[id-daemon]

Here's the quick build for mono files. Later maybe I'll make a proper tool to detect and decode both mono/stereo files.

Interesting, how are you going to "change" them?

[KattiValk]

Here's the quick build for mono files. Later maybe I'll make a proper tool to detect and decode both mono/stereo files.

Interesting, how are you going to "change" them?

It works! We're incredibly thankful, this is absolutely unprecedented for us as of yet. The community has been trying to figure out this stuff for three years.

So, the process for changing should be simple. We have a modding tool that allows us to import and export files from the game and an installer to make everything streamlined for mod users. We were unable to use .ess files previously, but now, we have the possibility of modding sounds which is absolutely amazing. All that's left for this would be a way to encode a .wav into .ess so the game files will read it properly.

[id-daemon]

The community has been trying to figure out this stuff for three years.

Can you tell me more about this? What did you try? Have you asked the developers? They actually created a very complex and unique audio codec. I think they probably registered it as a patent.

[KattiValk]

Can you tell me more about this? What did you try? Have you asked the developers? They actually created a very complex and unique audio codec. I think they probably registered it as a patent.

Sure, the modding suite is a tool that allows us to edit the game files in a (relatively) user friendly manner. The act of modding itself is sanctioned by the devs, and they've even gone as far as to look into implementing some Polish textures made by the community (AFAIK, France doesn't allow use of free content in a paid product which is why that fell through). Eugen hasn't actually gone through the process of creating an official modding client because that would require them to release a dev version and acquire licenses for all the third party that goes into their production process (maps require multiple third party programs to complete for instance). There was an official guide to porting and importing custom 3D models in one of their older titles (Act of War), and someone is currently claiming to have jury rigged it to work for Wargame, which is pretty neat. As far as what this has to do with it, all that would be required to do this would be taking a new audio file and turning it back into .ess and placing that into the place where the original is kept. We aren't actually sure on that, as this has never been done with sounds, but that should be the gist of it.

I wasn't part of the more central modding community (TBH I'm like a glorified mascot/artist), that was trying to figure out how sound modding worked. There are four things we currently cannot do: sounds, 3D models, adding new database entries (adding a completely new unit to the game without stealing another unit's database entry), and maps. None of these are from dev disapproval, and the only controversy the modding community has had was a streak of cheaters utilizing a mod that allowed them to see every unit on the map (also, this mod was not sanctioned by the primary modding community and was made by a separate group). That led to a whole lot of bans, but as far as modding goes, Eugen doesn't care as long as you aren't actively cheating or doing something malicious/stealing their property for your own commercial gain. I'm not sure what their stance is on cracking .ess but if I had to guess, they're probably fine with it as long as you don't recreate it for your own profit. It's impossible to contact them until next week as the community manager doesn't take questions during the weekend and I only have contact with people that do balancing and stuff like that outside of the regular channels. Still, if you like, I will drop a message and see what happens Monday if you really feel it's necessary.

Personally, I want to replace some of the voice lines for US units, which is why I'm pursuing mono .ess files, and would love a way to make my own .wav files back into .ess. No one else really has plans (besides maybe blasting Danger Zone constantly) as of yet.

[id-daemon]

Sorry, that was not I was asking about. I wanted to know if you asked the developers to give you the tool to decode/encode sounds. I asked about that because their codec is very different from all other codecs in the world, and I spent a lot of time figuring out how to decode it. It will probably take even more time to figure out how to encode. So if its all for a couple of phrases, its just not worth the time to do it.

[KattiValk]

Sorry, that was not I was asking about. I wanted to know if you asked the developers to give you the tool to decode/encode sounds. I asked about that because their codec is very different from all other codecs in the world, and I spent a lot of time figuring out how to decode it. It will probably take even more time to figure out how to encode. So if its all for a couple of phrases, its just not worth the time to do it.

Well, we asked them about it, but I'm not sure anyone is entirely capable of explaining the situation. This is a PM from the Eugen employee with which we ask in regards to sound:

I'm not sure ton understand your question, since I am not acquainted at all with a ".ess" format for the sounds used in Wargame.

The sounds used in Wargame are either .wav (for weapons SFX) either .ogg (voices), all in MONO 16 bit 44100Hz, but then I don't know any program that converts them, in-house or not in-house, and I have never heard of the ".ess" extension.
Where did you get that info from? If such thing exists, then it's the Wargame code (and not some additional software) that converts it into whatever ".ess" is, because I can assure you that nobody here does such operation of conversion, it must be automatically done by the game code (IF such thing exists?). Only a dev could help you in that case.
Otherwise I can asnwer your questions regarding .wav and .ogg files constraints.

Regards,
Wister.

If you want more information before doing anything more, I totally understand that. If so, then give me a few days to see what I can get out of the modding community and Wister.

[id-daemon]

I can assure you that nobody here does such operation of conversion, it must be automatically done by the game code

Of course its done by engine before putting it into the game, no reason to ask that person about it, he has no idea about ESS format.

If you want more information before doing anything more, I totally understand that

I'm trying to tell you that converting from WAV to ESS will be so DIFFICULT to do, that I'm not even going to try it unless the community is VERY VERY interested in this. And there's no guarantee that I will EVER get any success.

But the developers are surely have all the software you need for that.