I am having thoughts about file extensions/types, their encoding, and the command-line tools for those games that we have never had access to. I have ran into so many different file types on these games. I have always wondered how do people like thakis make third-party tools to open files with unknown encoding that nobody knows how to open. If there is a file with some unknown encoding and you want to convert it to a file openable by another program like 3ds max. I am wondering how to make a program that will open a certain file with unknown encoding. You would need a sample of the file and an exact replica of the file in another format right? Like for example lets say there is an unknown file that is audio .uaf for example and you have an exact replica in .mp3. I wan't to make a program that can convert that unknown encoding into a more known extension or at least open the unknown file type. Please help.

For example, QuickBMS can be used to decrypt custom/unknown formats.
But you have to do it, there are a tutorial here on VG Resource forum.

I don't quite understand how encoding works but I think I would like to decode the stuff myself. Where is the best place to understand encoding and be able to decode unknown formats. I first want to understand encoding more so I can know how it really works. I opened a .wav file with notepad++ and there was strange scrambled up rows of characters and a few boxes that say NUL, BEL, ESC, FF, and many others. when I opened this file in notepad as an .mp3 file it had a totally different bunch of scrambled up rows of strange characters. Because it was in a different format I guess. But I don't understand this at all and I really want to understand encoding a lot and how to decode unknown file formats. How can you decode a unknown file format when it's just a bunch of different scrambled up characters than it is in another format. Is a different form of scrambled up characters like a type of different encoding language. I just want to know the best place to understand encoding thoroughly and how to decode unknown/custom encoding.

Files encoded can be in hexadecimal or ASCII format. Most of them use a hexadecimal format, so only a hexadecimal viewer can open them (Notepad++ can't and will show boxes), like WAV, and some are ASCII, so text you can open in Notepad++, like OBJ 3D model format.

Most of the files encoded are in hexadecimal, but you can make a script to decode unknown files/encoding, follow this tutorial to learn more :
https://www.vg-resource.com/thread-28180.html

Ok thanks, check up on me later in case I have more questions.

How would companies decrypt unknown formats? would they ask for samples from the format creators?? Plz tell me

That's why reverse engineering exists. You know how the file is ingame, you know what's the content of the file, so you find how to decrypt it like the game do it.
And why companies would decrypt unknown formats ?

So your saying that the game knows how to open the file. So you're saying if you reverse engineer the program you can find what's in the game that can open the unknown format?

How did thakis or wiimms make BMDview2 or szstools. Just wondering. I did all people use QuickBMS to decode unknown formats or make ripping tools? Did some people write a program in C++ from scratch to make a program to decode an unknown file format? Are there other ways to do it? How do you make a program in C++ that is made to open and decode an unknown file format with unknown encoding?? What other ways are there to make a way to decode an unknown format and open in or convert it?? What other ways did other people use to make a way to open the unknown formats and decode them. I was wondering if you can decode the file by coding an app to open and decode it from scratch in C++ kinda like the old school way to do it. It might take some time to make the program open the file and view it correctly and accurately but I just wanna do it the old school way. The way you sample the encoding and disect it's properties and then compile the app.

Oh, and can you please reply to my other thread. Nobody has responded rather than me. https://www.vg-resource.com/thread-31779...#pid639163

(10-13-2017, 01:48 PM)SniperDude2745 Wrote: So your saying that the game knows how to open the file. So you're saying if you reverse engineer the program you can find what's in the game that can open the unknown format?

Yes, you can do it, but you also decrypt data by deducting the content, for example a triangle is composed by 3 values on XYZ axis.

(10-14-2017, 01:11 PM)SniperDude2745 Wrote: How did thakis or wiimms make BMDview2 or szstools. Just wondering. I did all people use QuickBMS to decode unknown formats or make ripping tools? Did some people write a program in C++ from scratch to make a program to decode an unknown file format? Are there other ways to do it? How do you make a program in C++ that is made to open and decode an unknown file format with unknown encoding?? What other ways are there to make a way to decode an unknown format and open in or convert it?? What other ways did other people use to make a way to open the unknown formats and decode them. I was wondering if you can decode the file by coding an app to open and decode it from scratch in C++ kinda like the old school way to do it. It might take some time to make the program open the file and view it correctly and accurately but I just wanna do it the old school way. The way you sample the encoding and disect it's properties and then compile the app.

No, QuickBMS is not the only way to make scripts and decrypt data. You can do also 3DS Max scripts or many other solutions like a custom software.

(10-14-2017, 11:34 PM)SniperDude2745 Wrote: Oh, and can you please reply to my other thread. Nobody has responded rather than me. https://www.vg-resource.com/thread-31779...#pid639163

Sorry but I don't know this format.

So the only way to decode custom/unknown formats is QuickBMS or Writing an application in C++ code, therefore making custom software. So the people who make the software have to write tons of code for the software to properly read the format. There are tons of software on the internet that read these custom/unknown formats. Like a .scworld opener called cave view and they had to sample the format and write tons of code to open the format properly, wow! There are so many applications that are meant to open unknown formats anyway. How do you make custom software written in code to open and unknown format?? Because I know there is tons of video conversion software made by companies and they must've written the code from scratch there is like 30 different formats you can convert to! But I want to make a software to open/convert the specific file formats like the companies did. They can't just open any format but there has got to be another way than QuickBMS because I know the people who made cave view dissected the file and looked at its format properties. Just please also tell me where can I gain the knowledge to fully understand encoding?

There's a lot going on with audio encoding, and it's not always easy to work with the files. There are several things you must factor in when working with this kind of stuff. And you don't really even need too many programs, a significant amount of it is done through hex editing, figuring out the proper headers and comparing the code to other codes. Try using multiple files from the same game and compare them to other files of the same type, as well as other files of known formats, and note any major differences.

Don't be afraid to ask around if you need help understanding encoding, there is very likely someone very experienced willing to help. Things like this are mostly trial and error, so don't be afraid of failing, failure is a step further to understanding, so just keep on trying until you figure it out. Also make sure to take notes of what works, and doesn't work so you can avoid making mistakes over and over. Sorry I couldn't really give a more direct answer, I don't really know too much about audio encoding despite all I said, but hopefully this will help understand encoding a little better.

Where would be the best resource available for understanding encoding how it works and how to open up different file formats with different encoding. What are all the ways of opening unknown file formats? Do you have to write tons of code?? I just want to know where would be the best place to understand file formats and encoding. Please provide the links to the places

I looked all around but nobody ever responds. I usually get one response a week and it never is a satisfying answer. PS iyenal, I know that there are other ways than QuickBMS to open unknown formats. And QuickBMS is only for extracting stuff. Like what about C++ or C or what ever? Of course C++ can do it!