The VG Resource

I updated a PCSX2 tool I'm working on. I've also added more notes in the download but thought I'd add an overview about it. I'm only using Xenosaga3 for testing, I don't recommend ripping the models from Xenosaga3 this way because there is already a way to rip t-posed models from this game. I use the tool to fix the following issues.

1. Fixing perspective.


The left model is a close up top down view of the character. The right model has the perspective removed.

2. Repairing the mesh


The original mesh has random face directions.


You can improve this by adding a normal modifier and checking unify normals but it still requires a lot of manual fixing.


The mesh above is from running the repair tool on the original mesh.

3. Textures

I could use something like XnView but instead I have my own utility to fix all textures in a folder. This includes flipping the colors and normalizing the alpha channel (the max hair alpha was 50% instead of 100%).

4. Transferring settings.

In the first image I transferred settings form the fixed perspective model to another model without the perspective fixed. This helps transfer changes to other poses like running, jumping. I transfer materials, uv coordinates and face directions. The other main use is to improve the quality as mentioned next.

Quality notes:


As you can see above, the closer you are to the model the more accurate the vertex positions are. However, most models I've tried have much more accurate uv coordinates from the far away model. In some cases the near snap uvs are unusable. So I take a near and far snap, repair them and transfer the uv coordinates from the far model to the near model. You could also just apply a morph to the far model to change it to the shape of the near model.

Tool notes:


You first need to calibrate the tool for each game as mentioned in the docs. This should take less than an hour to setup.
I've include an xenosaga3 example. The raw calibration files are in the xenosaga3/calibrate folder. If you have xenosaga3 take a snap from the model viewer and add it to the xenosaga3/raw folder (I've included a Shion model). Then click the "Remove projections" button.
Optional: Import the model from xenosaga/projectionRemoved, delete any unused faces and export over the original obj file. This helps improve the uv scale.
Now click the "Repair models" button. The model can now be imported from xenosaga3/repaired. I normally select all faces and assign them to a smoothing group.

Add any raw textures to the xenosaga3/textures folder and click the "Fix textures" button to flip the colors and normalize the alpha.

PCSX2 tool
Shion model

I wonder...will we ever get a video tutorial?

Here's my config for Ratchet and Clank. It's a bit rough right now 'cause I'm still trying to get a hang of Null's program. I'll upload a better one later. It's not perfect (as you may see). I haven't been able to follow Null's directions very closely since Ratchet and Clank's model snaps are so messed up from the game's projection. It has all been trial and error. I will update as I make improvements.
Here's my progress so far:

Quote:What I did was I used the original snap .OBJ, brought it into Maya and removed the second frame's faces by just selecting the last half of the faces in the outliner, then I exported it from Maya and imported it into Blender. From there, I exported like I normally would, but I unchecked every option other than "Objects as OBJ Objects." I then brought it into [Null Pointer's] program and everything worked from there.