How do I convert Sega .cno model files to a more useable file format?

I'm really sorry that I keep asking that question, but I'm getting really desperate for help here.

Please respond as soon as possible.

I dunno about .cno files but we have an import script for the other .gno/eno/xno/zno files
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2787...egaNO.html

I saw another post from you, I think you should bump older thread instead of creating new ones every time and keep the title more clear. "Has anyone figured out...", figured out what? Including ".cno format" might help everyone better.

I noticed in that other thread you have primitive sphere file as well. Where did you get these? Are they from a game or are you creating these yourself. If yourself what program is that and what are the dimensions of objects? Knowing their vertex coordinates might help.

(04-05-2015, 02:48 AM)aceres Wrote: I saw another post from you, I think you should bump older thread instead of creating new ones every time and keep the title more clear. "Has anyone figured out...", figured out what? Including ".cno format" might help everyone better.

I noticed in that other thread you have primitive sphere file as well. Where did you get these? Are they from a game or are you creating these yourself. If yourself what program is that and what are the dimensions of objects? Knowing their vertex coordinates might help.

I was always under the impression that bumping older threads on the forums was not allowed, and so didn't bother to do so.

As for where I got the model files, I ripped them from the PS3 PSN store version of The House of the Dead 4, which is an on-rails zombie shoot-'em-up game by Sega and Wow Entertainment. I used QuickBMS to get the files.

What I did was:

1. I obtained the .pkg file for the game,
2. I extracted the .BNK archive files inside using pkgview,
3. I extracted the IZCA archive files from inside the .BNK files using QuickBMS, and then,
4. I used TGE's Sega NN Library Resource Extractor BMS script to get the .cno model files from the IZCA archives, since this game seems to run on Sega's NN Library Engine, which uses chunk file extensions such as: .cno, .sno, .gno, .xno, and so on.

(04-05-2015, 10:27 AM)MakutaMaster962 Wrote: I was always under the impression that bumping older threads on the forums was not allowed, and so didn't bother to do so.

Hmm, that might be true but this way unnecessary threads are created so it should be permitted. Anyway...

So the game actually had cube and sphere models. Interesting, I guess they are used as dummy targets or something in the game.

Are you sure that it's a different format, maybe if you renamed the cno extension to others and tried it will import?

I'm quite positive that .cno is the true file extension for these models. Also, I have tried every conceivable way to get the file extension renamed correctly. Hex editing, QuickBMS scripts, even typing in a new file extension in windows explorer. None of those methods worked whenever I try to import them into Blender.

Below is a link to a screenshot of the cube .cno file, when viewed in a Hex editor. The area shown is the end of the file, and you'll see "cube.cno" near the end. This is what leads me to believe that .cno is the true file extension for the models.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8wafjom0avmq4c...9.png?dl=0

What you're looking at might be the collision model you could try importing the .gno file in 3ds max and see what you come up with

   

I did manage to get this from the cube but the logo seems wrong (random triangles) so I must be missing something.

(04-05-2015, 02:44 PM)aceres Wrote: I did manage to get this from the cube but the logo seems wrong (random triangles) so I must be missing something.

Wow! How'd you manage to successfully import that into Blender? Because every time I've tried renaming the file extension to something more useable(like .3ds or .obj), I always end up with absolutely nothing on the screen.

I'm writing my own OBJ converter in Adobe Flash. Currently I'm trying to figure out vertex coordinates and polygon indices but no luck.

I think that diamond shape was coincidental and wrong.

       

I got these vertex coordinates which look more like a cube but the polygon indices are wrong. This I think is the correct vertex coordinates but then again, logo object gives problematic vertices in this second approach so it is probably wrong as well. It does resemble a chainsaw though.

(I just noticed that it wasn't "cno-zz_chainsaw_r_logo" but "cno-zz_chainsaw_r_long" instead)

(04-05-2015, 03:49 PM)aceres Wrote: I'm writing my own OBJ converter in Adobe Flash. Currently I'm trying to figure out vertex coordinates and polygon indices but no luck.

I think that diamond shape was coincidental and wrong.



I got these vertex coordinates which look more like a cube but the polygon indices are wrong. This I think is the correct vertex coordinates but then again, logo object gives problematic vertices in this second approach so it is probably wrong as well. It does resemble a chainsaw though.

(I just noticed that it wasn't "cno-zz_chainsaw_r_logo" but "cno-zz_chainsaw_r_long" instead)

That's way cool that you're making your own OBJ converter, but do you mean "file-to-OBJ" converter, or "OBJ-to-file" converter, or is it both? If it's a "file-to-OBJ" converter, will you be adding support for .cno files, such as the ones you're currently examining?

No, I'm not making a general purpose converter. I'm specifically trying to export your models into obj.

Here's what I found so far.

The file consists of chunks, each chunk has:
4 Byte > chunk-name or chunk-type
4 Byte > chunk-size (little endian)
chunk-size Bytes > chunk data

We have chunk types like:
NCIF - unknown
NCTL - texture file names
NCOB - geometry data
NOF0 - unknown
NFN0 - file name
NEND - end chunk

Number values in chunks seem to be in big endian. I'm working on NCOB currently. It has some unknown data and then the vertex data. The last 576 bytes of this chunk in cube file is vertex data. There are 24 vertices. Each vertex has 576/24=24 bytes. Those 24 bytes are 6 Float values, first 3 are x,y,z coordinates and next 3 are normal x,y,z I think.

I'll go to sleep soon. Are there any other files with the same name? I suspect polygon indices may not be in these. The unknown part in NCOB might be indices and uvs but they don't make sense.

(04-05-2015, 04:49 PM)aceres Wrote: No, I'm not making a general purpose converter. I'm specifically trying to export your models into obj.

Here's what I found so far.

The file consists of chunks, each chunk has:
4 Byte > chunk-name or chunk-type
4 Byte > chunk-size (little endian)
chunk-size Bytes > chunk data

We have chunk types like:
NCIF - unknown
NCTL - texture file names
NCOB - geometry data
NOF0 - unknown
NFN0 - file name
NEND - end chunk

Number values in chunks seem to be in big endian. I'm working on NCOB currently. It has some unknown data and then the vertex data. The last 576 bytes of this chunk in cube file is vertex data. There are 24 vertices. Each vertex has 576/24=24 bytes. Those 24 bytes are 6 Float values, first 3 are x,y,z coordinates and next 3 are normal x,y,z I think.

I'll go to sleep soon. Are there any other files with the same name? I suspect polygon indices may not be in these. The unknown part in NCOB might be indices and uvs but they don't make sense.

I've got several more files with the .cno extension. Here they are:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/d4ott9iu0as6ja...s.rar?dl=0
A quick note: this archive file includes the same chainsaw model you're currently looking at, so just ignore it.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/386u189t7yz424...s.rar?dl=0

And finally,

https://www.dropbox.com/s/e1kp50fsbx9sk7...e.rar?dl=0
This archive only has one .cno file in it.

aceres, you should reference RTB's edit of the NO Script. They're all based on the same base format, with some changes.

I don't know that scripting language. Actually I kind of gave up on this (and my thread regarding bones and animations of Summoners War models). Someone else familiar with these formats would be better for the task.