NDS Model Ripping Tutorial

[Mystie]

UPDATE 07/10/2014: Added a link to an improved build of MKDS Course Modifier.

Greetings everyone! Mystie is back for another Nintendo ripping tutorial! Last time, I taught you how to rip sprites and textures from Gamecube and Wii games. This time, I'm going to teach you how to rip models (and textures) from NDS games.

Pictures are not included this time around because I am on a very tight schedule, but I might edit this post later and include them.


What you'll need:

• NDS ROMs (of course)
  
• Console Tool
  
• MKDS Course Modifier
  
• A modeling program (if you're rich, or if you can find a cracked version that actually works, use 3DSMax. If not, then settle for Blender like me)
  

Step 1. Open Console Tool.

Step 2. Click on "File > Open", browse to where you have your ROM(s), choose the one you want, and open it.

NOTE: It may take some time for the program to load the ROM. Be patient.

Step 3. Browse through the folders until you find an .nsbmd file. Most of the time, they are found within a folder named "3d" or "models". Click on the .nsbmd file once, then click the plus icon next to the filename (if available) and click on the texture (.nsbtx).

Step 4. Double-click on the .nsbmd file for a preview of it. Close the preview, right-click on the file, and choose "Export". The model and textures (if available) will export to the folder that your ROM is saved in.

Step 5. Open MKDS Course Modifier and browse for the exported model file, then open it.

Step 6. In the window that appears, click on "Export > Model > OBJ". Now browse to where you want to export the .obj, and export it. (You can also choose to export the bones if you wish, but this function does not work very well for me)

NOTE: The model may not appear in MKDS Course Modifier's model viewing window. No need to worry, as the model actually is there, the view is just scrolled too far out.

Step 7. With your modeling program of choice, open the exported .obj to see if everything turned out right. If need be, re-add the textures and re-export the .obj.


And you're done! Wasn't that easy?


Now before I go, here is a list of NDS games that I know support the .nsbmd/.nsbtx/.bmd0 formats. If you know of any more that use them, please tell me and I'll add them to the list.

• Animal Crossing: Wild World
  
• Avatar: The Last Airbender (I've only looked at the first one, but I'm guessing the other two use .nsbmd as well)
  
• Brain Age 1 and 2
  
• Custom Robo Arena
  
• Donkey Kong: Jungle Climber
  
• Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker
  
• Elite Beat Agents
  
• Inazuma Eleven 2: Firestorm
  
• Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days (stored within .p files, but these can be opened easily)
  
• Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
  
• Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
  
• Mario Kart DS
  
• Medarot DS
  
• New Super Mario Bros.
  
• Nintendogs (I've only looked at Best Friends, but I assume all of these games use this format)
  
• Okami-den
  
• Pac-'n-Roll
  
• Pac-Man World 3
  
• All main series Pokemon games
  
• Resident Evil: Deadly Silence
  
• Sega Superstars Tennis
  
• Sonic Colors (character models are in .narc archives, found in the .narc folder)
  
• Both Sonic Rush games (for the second one, the character models are found in the .narc folder just like with Colors)
  
• Soul Eater: Medusa no Inbou
  
• StarFox Command (textures are stored in a separate folder however)
  
• Super Mario 64 DS (models are in a .bmd format rather than .nsbmd or .bmd0. MKDS Course Modifier can open them, but cannot export them)
  
• Super Monkey Ball: Touch 'n Roll
  
• Tomodachi Collection (stored within .bin files, but they can be opened easily)
  
• Trauma Center: Under the Knife 2
  
• Viewtiful Joe: Double Trouble!
  

[redblueyellow]

I'll definitely have to test this out.

I've been meaning to get back into ripping models, and what better way than with the DS! Also, give me a while, but I should be able to add many more games to the list of compatible games.

Maybe provide some example images? Otherwise, awesome job!

[Orwell]

I'm pretty cuorious if it works with all versions of nsbmd file format. I will test it. ty

EDIT: well, it seems not changed nothing frome the other methods which are based one the same nsbmd viewer. It doesn't support games with some nsbmd versions like Love plus or Golden Sun- Dark Dawn.
Soo sad.

[Neweegee]

I am stuck

I'm trying to rip from New Super Mario Bros, and I can go through the whole thing until I load the Model in MKDS Course Editor



At this point, the Model Viewer opens up before I can do anything else and I can't select anything outside of it, so I close the window, and the model seems to get unloaded as I can't select Export to OBJ or any option that needs a model loaded already.

[Mystie]

I am stuck

I'm trying to rip from New Super Mario Bros, and I can go through the whole thing until I load the Model in MKDS Course Editor



At this point, the Model Viewer opens up before I can do anything else and I can't select anything outside of it, so I close the window, and the model seems to get unloaded as I can't select Export to OBJ or any option that needs a model loaded already.

Odd...that didn't happen to me when I looked at an NSMB model...

[redblueyellow]

I am stuck

I'm trying to rip from New Super Mario Bros, and I can go through the whole thing until I load the Model in MKDS Course Editor



At this point, the Model Viewer opens up before I can do anything else and I can't select anything outside of it, so I close the window, and the model seems to get unloaded as I can't select Export to OBJ or any option that needs a model loaded already.

Odd...that didn't happen to me when I looked at an NSMB model...

I'm having the same problem when opening a .nsbmd file. Could you provide a screenshot of MKDS Course Modifier after opening a model?

[White-Jet]

I followed the tutorial exactly as shown, but there's still one problem that's stumping me and may be similar to redblueyellow's situation.

Every model has an underscore next to its file name, which I'm told is supposed to indicate it's been compressed.



I collapsed the compression and previewed the model with texture, then I export the file, but then it asked if I want to decompress the file before exporting.



Whether not I decompress or leave the file alone, the underscore goes with the file name, making it difficult for MKDS to even register it as a file it can open.



Using the "all files" option won't open it, and when I rename the extension, I end up with this confusion mess:



I dunno, maybe I just picked up an MKDS that was a different version from the one you used to extract the models from. I may not be planning to rip models anyway, just toy around with them using Cinema 4D (Which is another possibly costly 3D program that can access game models).

[Mystie]

I'm having the same problem when opening a .nsbmd file. Could you provide a screenshot of MKDS Course Modifier after opening a model?

Sure thing.




Also, here's the version of MKDS Course Modifier I am using, in case the build you are all using is a bugged one: https://www.dropbox.com/s/yae7ys42x9ndmw5/beta11.zip

[redblueyellow]

Also, here's the version of MKDS Course Modifier I am using, in case the build you are all using is a bugged one: https://www.dropbox.com/s/yae7ys42x9ndmw5/beta11.zip

Yep, that fixed it! The version that you linked to in the first post did not have the menu bar at the top.

[Mystie]

Thank you so much for letting me know! I'll update the OP right now with the link to the fixed build!

[TheNightFlare]

I need a lot of help. I'm trying to get the island from Tomodachi Life into a .obj file. But when i go into the files for Tomodachi life in Console tool, im totally lost from there. Please help!

[Mystie]

I need a lot of help. I'm trying to get the island from Tomodachi Life into a .obj file. But when i go into the files for Tomodachi life in Console tool, im totally lost from there. Please help!

Are you sure it's Life and not Collection? Because Life is a 3DS game, and only a select few know how to open a 3DS ROM (and they refuse to share the info to the public).

[TheNightFlare]

Ah yes, now i see. Sorry for the confusion

---

I have actually just found out how to rip models from a 3ds if you would like me to share

[Mystie]

I have actually just found out how to rip models from a 3ds if you would like me to share

Yes, please do!

[Lilothestitch]

Coraline uses nsbmd models but when you view the characters, they look distorted.