[TUTORIAL] Model Ripping Guide For Beginners (.BRRES Format) [Updated: 8/5/2012]

[John2k4]

That is such a huge help, Dazz.

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I use Noesis's Batch converter for some of these TF2 models, so I can cover that tutorial.

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Batch Convert with Noesis

Open Noesis, and navigate to the directory you want to batch convert. (For this purpose, it is the "gibs" directory)





On the top menu bar of Noesis, choose Tools -> Batch Process.





From there, set the output extension, and any extra parameters ( -flipUV is a common one).





Now click on "Folder Batch", and choose the folder that contains all your models.





After choosing your folder, the list should populate with commands for each model in that folder.





Hit okay and let it fly! It will pop up a message when it finishes.





Close the batch converter, and all your models should now be in the format you specified!

[Dazz]

Oh crap, I didn't see you posted this - sorry dude! I just did it and added it to my previous post, with a mass .dae edit tutorial...

Our two tutorials are slightly different though - I tried yours and no textures came up...

[Garamonde]

Batch convert with BRRES Viewer

-Batch convert with BRRES Viewer-

Following Mighty Jetters tutorial written above, you can actually convert several models all at the same time, which will make submitting a full game's contents a whole lot easier.

First, in BRRES Viewer, open all the files you want to convert. You can select multiple from the open command, so open a whole bunch by select them all and hitting open - NOT ONE AT A TIME THAT WOULD TAKE YEARS.


Then select File > Export All Files...


A little window should pop up with a bunch of drop downs. Depending on how you plan to do everything, you can select various options. This screenshot shows the way I opt to do things, as it makes mass converting a lot easier...


Hit OK, and leave the window - it might not work if you're loading absolutely thousands of models, so maybe do this is a few times in batches of whatever works best for your computer.
The windows should appear to do things - just leave it. The bar at the top of the window will read "[Writing...]" until it is complete, at which point it will disappear.
Your converted files will all appear in a folder called "exported" in the same folder as the brres files.

Batch Edit .dae Files

-Batch Edit .dae Files-

Now you have to edit all of the .dae files, so that the textures will load properly!
This is super fun to do, so trust me - open up Notepad++, and drag alllll of the .dae files into it. (If you sort the window by type, it makes it much easier to select all the .dae files)


Select Search > Find in All Files (CTRL+H)


Now a window like this will pop up


You want to find all the giberish you want to have removed from those texture lines (read MJ's tutorial for more explaination) - copy paste this part from the texture path in the document.
And since you want it replaced with nothing at all, you just leave "Replace with:" blank. Then hit "Replace all in all opened documents"

It should then say that it has replaced a tonne of occurances!


Now it's not over - you need to add .png on the end. For this, it's a lot more effort, because you need to do this slowly. Basically, put this into your replace window:


And hit "find next" - then replace. Do this for all the entries of textures, and STOP AS SOON AS THAT IS DONE. The text will jump a lot when you're done - and it should highlight the </init_from> after "Image" - this is your stop marker.
Save, and close that .dae - and that is finished! Continue this process for the rest...
This is the boring bit - but it's the final step! Once all of those are done, you're done! Loads of fully working .dae files

Oh for the love of... I can't believe I forgot to include that stuff. I guess I figured that since the guide mentions about the setting that separates multiple BRRES files, people would assume they could open multiple files, or something. I dunno. Sorry about that guys.
These two parts above is exactly how I do it, except that I don't leave everything together because it would literally take me longer to try to sort everything than it would to export each model individually and it would give me a brain ache.
Then I'd have that paranoid doubt that everything is fine.
Plus... with the type of models I do that have these weird specular textures and whatnot, you'd never know which model they belonged to, so I'm better off with my way of doing it.
Updated the guide.

[Garamonde]

Edited the guide to say to export models as .MD5 format instead of .PSK because .MD5 is overall better even though it takes longer to export. Just do everything else the same way as you would do with .PSK models.
This is long overdue and I apologize for it.

[Garamonde]

Made another small but critical update to the guide to include a vital note to those who export in .MD5 format (thanks Peardian!).

Leave the Models dropdown as it is, as you want to export all your models in .MD5 format.*

*IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT THE .MD5 FORMAT: When exporting in .MD5, always double-check the export to see if it came out right. I don't know if it's because Noesis doesn't always properly convert it, or BRRES Viewer does not always export .MD5 correctly, but sometimes the model will mess up. If the model does mess up, you will be able to see it in Noesis. This isn't really a common problem AFAIK, but if it happens, use .PSK.

[Brandondorf9999]

How do i batch extract brres files because i'm looking for some of the textures to the stickers in brawl because i can't find the super mario strikers peach because i want to replace the file with the other so that i can finish and submit it to the other site.

[Garamonde]

You mean export them from BRRES Viewer? I don't understand what you mean by batch extract.
Because to export multiple models, you just open all the ones that you want to export in the File Tree, and then go to File > Export All Files (but be sure to check the "Create one folder for each BRRES file") and it will export all of them, just keep in mind that if you want to export .OBJs, you will need to export each model individually (double-click it to make sure you're viewing it first or it won't export it) or BRRES Viewer will not create the .MTLs for them.

[Garamonde]

Made a fairly large update to the guide. I've bolded the parts that are new (for the second paragraph, the only new part is the whole bottom portion about .OBJs and .MTLs).
I generally update this pretty often, so be sure to read this stuff over regularly.

1: BRRES Viewer (get it here, and you can find an updated list of games that use .BRRES format here)
2: Noesis (this is the easiest way, you don't have to mess with the model at all usually. Get it here)
3: A text editor (Notepad ++ is recommended because of all the great features it has, but you can just use Notepad if you like. Get Notepad ++ here)
4: An image editing program (MS Paint will probably do the job, it's for making preview images so that your model will be uploaded faster)
5: Icon Maker V3. You can get it here.

Start off by opening BRRES Viewer and browse for the model you want and open it. Now you should see this tall window on the left, listing the model(s), textures, palettes, animations and etc.. This is called the file tree, and will be referred to as such from now on. You can press the enter key to center the model so it won't be on top, or use shift to move it back to its initial position. But for now you want to go to File > Export All Files. You will see a small window appear. Click the Textures dropdown and select PNG (you can also right-click on each texture individually and select Export (then choose the directory you want them to go) to make sure you get them all, but this is tedious). Leave the Models dropdown as it is, as you want to export all your models in .MD5 format.* You should click the Animations dropdown and select "(do not export)" if you don't want to include animations in your submission (you can include them if you want but most people don't and it isn't required). Very important: Make sure you check the "Create one folder for each brres file" box when exporting multiple files so that the files will not conflict and get mixed up with eachother. Now you have to go into the folder that had the BRRES file of the model you just exported. There will be a new folder named "exported". You can pull that out and put it somewhere else. You should now export each model again as a .OBJ. However, it seems that when you click "Export All Files" and choose to have your models exported as .OBJ, it does not export the .MTL file with it (which tells the model which textures go where), thus the model loses its texture mapping. The solution to this, is to double-click on the model (you must be actually viewing the model for the "Export" command to work) you want to export in the file tree, and then go to Model > Export > OBJ. Keep in mind that this will not export the textures with it, so if you don't already have them, go to Export All Files again, make sure the textures drop down is set to PNG, and pick "Do not export" for the other two (if you have multiple models loaded, don't forget to check "Create one folder for each BRRES file" or the textures will be all mixed up!). However since you already exported them as .MD5 first (or at least you should have), you should have them already.

[TGE]

Textures can be exported with the models. Its under model->export--> automatically export textures.
They will come out as *.TGA though.

[Peardian]

You don't want to use "Export Automatically". It only exports the textures that are directly being used by the model. Alternate animation frames and other channels (Specular, Env) won't get exported, and that's not good.

[TGE]

I totally forgot! That was my first mistake I made on my brawl models

You don't want to use "Export Automatically". It only exports the textures that are directly being used by the model. Alternate animation frames and other channels (Specular, Env) won't get exported, and that's not good.

[Garamonde]

That's right! And plus, unless there are dozens of textures, I'd rather not have to use a converter on them.

[TGE]

I always use Format Factory to convert stuff. It converts alot of formats even the more uncommon ones.

[Garamonde]

Look what I've got here~ http://www.mediafire.com/?pejk0yvyrimdofh
It's none other than a newly revised version of the Icon Maker that can import images with transparency! You will never have to use an image program to make your icons again~
And that's not all! Remember how the first letter of text would sometimes be cut off when the line breaks? Well that's been fixed too!
You guys can all thank Barubary for this, and, well, I guess me as well for personally requesting the revision from the man himself.
I've replaced the old IM link in the guide with this version for now, so go grab it.
Have fun making icons!
Also edited these parts of the guide (all bolded parts are new):

Now after you save that, you're done aside from making the preview and icon. You can find the preview image here. In BRRES Viewer, go to Model, and uncheck Axes (or hit F3) to remove those colored lines, and center the model if you haven't already (you can turn the model around with your mouse, and zoom in and out with the mouse wheel too). Also under Model is an option called "Color". If you uncheck this, the model will become brighter (this does not apply to all models, but it works for Brawl models. Try disabling it if the model looks significantly darker than it should). Now take a print screen of the model at an angle you like and insert it in the preview image (making sure it fits in decently enough, it's okay if a little bit of it is cut off). Icon Maker V3b also isn't much different from V1, you can just pick between sprite, model and texture icons. (Click "Load Image" or Ctrl + L to import images. With the newest revision, You can now load your model renders in the Icon Maker and they'll keep their transparency!)

It's also okay to save the preview images as .JPG. .PNG isn't necessary unless you're funny about JPGs like I am.
The icon however must be .PNG, as .JPG won't be accepted, so just remember that if you decide to make it manually (without the use of the Icon Maker).

[TGE]

Is there someway I can contact Barubary?

[MJ EDIT: I've PM'd you the link to his profile.]