NintenTools - .NET library for BFRES / SZS / other stuff

[Ray Koopa]

Hey there!

I thought some might be interested in my dull programming project I mostly do out of boredom.
It's a stupid .NET library which should eventually be capable to load several typical Nintendo file formats into object-oriented structures - and eventually store modified instances of it.

My current main target is to create a command-line based tool to export SZS/BFRES into OBJ/MTL (and DAE later) with just one command, and to get rid of any dependencies to 3D software.
To emphasize diversity of the library, I am also interested to replace BrawlBox to create BRSTM/BFSTM music files far later on.

Why am I doing this?
Mostly to learn about how model files are structured and help me developing my own some day later (for a 3D engine I'm writing in the other part of the time I don't have xD).
Also because I was overwhelmed of RandomTalkingBush's effort for the MAXScript importing BFRES files into 3DS Max (thanks for that!)... and because I had issues exporting some models into Blender to work with them there (some models get their skeleton crushed in a DAE export...).

You can find the library - totally open source and licensed under WTFPL - on GitHub: https://github.com/Vibeware/NintenTools
There is no wiki documentation yet, of which I am mostly ashamed (since, for example, the BFRES structure for example can get quite complex), but the code is fully commented, and example programs are under development.
Of course, everyone can contribute, but I'd like to coordinate any pushes to the main branch (I wrote some details about that in the Readme).

Tell me what you think about it, I am prepared for the most horrible criticism of all time... x3

[TGE]

I must say I'm impressed by your code design and project management. I still have lots to learn

[Ray Koopa]

I must say I'm impressed by your code design and project management. I still have lots to learn

Oh thanks, that means a lot to me to hear that =D I bet that comes from being punished in my apprenticeship if I missed a dot in a comment or disobeyed Microsoft's C# coding guidelines xD

Turns out the library might even seem a bit "over-engineered" for now and probably discourage others to contribute. x'3

[Hiccup]

I fully support removing dependencies on 3D software

[Ray Koopa]

Yeah! While they are a great help to import first scripts, they might become a hurlde for those used to other 3D software.

It's not that I dislike 3DS Max for running RTB's awesome import scripts, I actually even worked with 3DS Max at first almost a decade ago, but nowadays it's even pricier than before, and I forgot how it works after moving to Blender.

I first wanted to write a Blender plugin for BFRES, but then quickly saw: It creates just another dependency. And I'm not a regular Python programmer, so I made this library written in C# x3

[Irastris]

Thank you so much for this hard work! I really look forward to seeing how it matures.

Blender users, rejoice! (That includes me. )
Gone shall be the need to touch 3DS Max!

[Farlavor]

WOW Ray... I am impressed... So if you finally manage to improve your project succesfully. It's only a matter of time we can rip models not just from Wii U, but maybe... from nintendo 3DS games too?

it would help me so much.

[Ray Koopa]

I don't really know about other formats than BFRES right now (in fact, I don't understand some BFRES parts yet xD) , but of course, if I retrieve info on the others, I'll add them later maybe.

[TGE]

Do you intend to add in conversion from other formats to BFMDL/BFTEX/etc?

[Ray Koopa]

I can't say anything about that, as I don't know these formats at all yet.

But it's the idea of the library to add support to these formats too - sooner or later. And maybe not by me, and by another contributor =3

[Farlavor]

Oh well... To be honest, when I'm saying about the projects I'm saying, I cannot guarantee even to find any BFRES format in them, since plenty of the 3DS roms might not be just Mario or Pokémon, but games from some third parties like, Skylanders, Toriko Gourmet Monsters, Monster Hunter Ultimate 3/4, Ettrian odissey, Moshi Moshi Monsters Katsura revenge... etc.

I had downloaded most of them, but for now I had no avail at ripping at the moment, so I am taking some rest and think while I chill out. Anyway... if you succeeed at your project, it would make things pretty more easier for me ripping the models in the future... it might be like Noesis but focused on nintendo games.

[Demonslayerx8]

Farlavor... you are aware that BFRES is only in WiiU games, correct? 3ds games will either use BCRES, BCH, or some other model format thats not made by nintendo.

[Ray Koopa]

Side note is, this library should not support formats not made by Nintendo (I've got enough to do with the Nintendo formats already, for one or two years, lol...)

[lotadthegreat]

...I don't know how to run this, any help?

[Ray Koopa]

There's not much to run at the moment, it's just a library, and since I have too many other projects with other games running at the moment, I didn't continue on this much...