Software Rendering Ripping

[EaTstu]

I have my hands on a demo of FF7 for pc (Specifically the 1998 version). I can run it to some extent, but the important part is I can get to a battle very easily. Unfortunately, Direct3d does not work on it, so ninjaripper and 3D ripper just... don't. The PSX version didn't fare as well either, because even on an emulator things are still messed up. The entire scene from where the camera was located during the render is flattened, almost as if you took a photo of the fight with a polaroid.

Main thing I'm asking is if there is a way to rip the models from games that are using the "Software Renderer", which is fairly common in older titles, including Doom, Unreal (Tournament), Half-Life, and the one I'm desperately trying to figure out is for FF7. Unless there's a way to access the models in some external application and use ninjaripper from THERE, then I'm pretty much stuck. 


Any advice?

[RiffRaff1138]

Noesis supports FF7 models by default. I don't know about the PC version, but definitely the PSX version. That way you don't even have to bother with NinjaRipper, you can just convert it directly to another format. The battle models, including those of the player characters, are in the ENEMY1-ENEMY6 folders.

Do be warned, though, that FF7's battle models don't T-pose, and they're mostly untextured. The player characters' facial features are textured, the rest of the bodies use vertex colors.

[EaTstu]

Noesis supports FF7 models by default. 

How would I go about accessing said models, then? I mounted a .iso of the first disk and took a look inside. All the folders and files are hidden, and I can't extract, unhide, or even read any of them. What now?

Edit: For some reason entire folders don't work, but the individual files do. Nevermind, works like a charm.

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Well, the Animations and textures are exporting fine. Only issue is the fact it's not transferring the vertex coloring! Argh!!!

I'd rather not do it manually, simply because 1: It's already on the model, and 2: I can and will mess it up. FBX and DAE are my two picks currently, Though they each have their own issues. DAE has the swords locked onto the hands, but the shoulders just disconnect from the rig entirely, but FBX just doesn't have the swords lock on. what a conundrum



Edit: Turns out the vertex coloring IS in the DAE, just had to change the input from a texture to the vertex coloring. Gotta, say, PSX cloud has never looked better

[EaTstu]

Several bones are missing from the export... fml

Every option has at least *one* thing wrong with it that makes it unusable. Oh Well!

[Peter_horis]

Noesis supports FF7 models by default. 

How would I go about accessing said models, then? I mounted a .iso of the first disk and took a look inside. All the folders and files are hidden, and I can't extract, unhide, or even read any of them. What now?
Edit: For some reason entire folders don't work, but the individual files do. Nevermind, works like a charm.

---

Well, the Animations and textures are exporting fine. Only issue is the fact it's not transferring the vertex coloring! Argh!!! It's unlikely that this will get you out. Consider reverse engineering. I do a lot of research into fintech software development, studying https://dashdevs.com/fintech-software-development/ for this. I’ll say right away that this is a complex and time-consuming process. But if you want it, then no one will stop you!

I'd rather not do it manually, simply because 1: It's already on the model, and 2: I can and will mess it up. FBX and DAE are my two picks currently, Though they each have their own issues. DAE has the swords locked onto the hands, but the shoulders just disconnect from the rig entirely, but FBX just doesn't have the swords lock on. what a conundrum
Edit: Turns out the vertex coloring IS in the DAE, just had to change the input from a texture to the vertex coloring. Gotta, say, PSX cloud has never looked better

Are you still not succeeding?

[EaTstu]

Nope.

I mean... I *did* get the files exported to a usable degree, but unfortunately for me I neglected to add baked in textures for most of the models, so they all got rejected. Whoops!