Valkyria Chronicles (PS3, PC)

[gomtuu]

I think I might have solved the problem I described in my last post. You can now articulate fingertips, etc. The bones are a little bit weird, though. It might be a tradeoff rather than a complete fix. I'll let you decide. In addition to the vertex group fix, I improved support for pieces of equipment that are positioned relative to bones. Many models should look better now.

I also completely refactored the importer to make it easier to maintain, changed the name from hmdl_import to import_valkyria, and added support for the shape keys that are stored in the model files for facial expressions. Here's a combination of two (edit: actually three) shape keys that make Alicia look surprised:



To install the new version, first get rid of hmdl_import if you were using it, then make Blender install this ZIP file. See the README file inside the ZIP for more info.

By the way, Blender 2.67 is out now, and it includes a fix for the texture bug that was present in 2.66 and 2.66a.

Have fun!

[windfury]

Wow, I didn't know how I'd be doing proper facial expressions back then.
This is such a nice addition. Can't wait to try this out!

EDIT: I just tried it out. Pretty huge progress I must say. Loving the shape keys!
Even the models that didn't import completely when you added bones support, now does.

[gta1211]

Ohoh ! Just passed by on a free time, wasn't thinking you were always on this !

I will try this out ! Thank you very much Gomtuu !

EDIT : Does this importer work on 3DS Max ?

[gomtuu]

Hi gta1211,

No, import_valkyria will only work in Blender. Blender is free and cross-platform, though, and it can export models as .3DS files. But I can't say how well that works, because I don't have 3DS Max.

[gta1211]

Okay thanks, I don't know anything about Blender but I will try to figure it out and get it on Max

[windfury]

You can always just export them in FBX format.
That's what I do whenever I need to transfer between 3D packages.

Since I'm also not that good with Blender, I did this for the VC models too.
The shape keys are also supported and will be exported as morphers in 3ds Max.

[gomtuu]

Hello,

Here's import_valkyria 0.6. The main changes in this version are:

• Added support for most MXE files.
• Added support for most ABR files.
• Added support for double textures, but partially lost support for automatic normal maps.

MXE files are lists of other files with some parameters. Most of them, such as EVMAP*, EV_OBJ*, TESTMAP*, and VMAP*, describe a scene by listing model files and specifying where to put them. VMAP* files are the maps used in battles, with VMAP_GROUND* being the basic terrain and buildings, and VMAP_SET* being things like sandbags and other props. VMAP_SET* files also appear to specify unit placement points, but import_valkyria doesn't support those yet. Here's a combination of VMAP_GROUND_003_00.MXE and VMAP_SET_003_00.MXE:



Note: VMAP_GROUND* files are pretty complex. They take a long time to open.

ABR files mostly seem to be meshes used for animations and effects. No support for the animations yet.

After adding support for these additional file types, I noticed I'd been making some incorrect assumptions about the basic model files. In particular, some meshes have two textures. I assumed that the second one was always a normal map, but that's not the case. Double textures are used extensively in the MXE models, and they're also used for the characters' eye glints.



Unfortunately, I haven't figured out a 100% reliable way of detecting the normal maps yet, so you'll see weird-looking blue textures on some models. You have to make those textures normal maps for them to look right.

Also, some of the tree placeholders are rotated incorrectly, and some objects aren't positioned correctly on some maps. That might be because I still don't have armatures working the way they should.

Anyway, enjoy!

[gta1211]

Wonderful !

Amazing work, thanks again !

[windfury]

That's really nice! I had to add those eye glints manually by taking them from the alpha map.
Looks like I'll be redoing my renders. Thank you!

[Xr79]

Hey every one, sorry to post such an old reply to this thread, but I am try to use the quick BMS script but all it's extracting is empty files...I have no Idea what I am doing wrong.

[albert1905]

here is the quickbms script to extract files with names.

It doesn't support Japanese version.

[gomtuu]

Good news, everyone! The data files for the recently-released PC version of Valkyria Chronicles are all unencrypted and extracted. All you have to do now is buy the game on Steam, and you can open the models in Blender with import_valkyria.

The PC version's "data" folder contains the same files as the PS3 version's DATA.CVM file, with a few minor exceptions:

• The PC version's files are organized into subfolders.
• The 26 files in the PC version's texture_replace folder don't exist in DATA.CVM.
• 10 of the files in the resource\mtpa folder differ from their PS3 counterparts. I haven't investigated the differences yet, but here's the list of files that differ:
  • mtpa_adv_00.mtp
  • mtpa_adv_11.mtp
  • mtpa_adv_13.mtp
  • mtpa_adv_18.mtp
  • mtpa_book.mtp
  • mtpa_slg.mtp
  • mtpa_sys.mtp
  • mtpa_sys_battle.mtp
  • mtpa_sys_town.mtp
  • mtpa_sys_town2.mtp

I opened resource\mx\valcA01aB_h.mlx from the PC version as a test, and it worked! (I used Blender 2.69.0.) Some of the more complex models might not open, though, because they might depend on files that are in a different folder now.

By the way, is it possible to get the name of this topic changed to "Valkyria Chronicles (PS3, PC)"?

[DecidingToast]

Good news, everyone! The data files for the recently-released PC version of Valkyria Chronicles are all unencrypted and extracted. All you have to do now is buy the game on Steam, and you can open the models in Blender with import_valkyria.

The PC version's "data" folder contains the same files as the PS3 version's DATA.CVM file, with a few minor exceptions:

• The PC version's files are organized into subfolders.
• The 26 files in the PC version's texture_replace folder don't exist in DATA.CVM.
• 10 of the files in the resource\mtpa folder differ from their PS3 counterparts. I haven't investigated the differences yet, but here's the list of files that differ:
  • mtpa_adv_00.mtp
  • mtpa_adv_11.mtp
  • mtpa_adv_13.mtp
  • mtpa_adv_18.mtp
  • mtpa_book.mtp
  • mtpa_slg.mtp
  • mtpa_sys.mtp
  • mtpa_sys_battle.mtp
  • mtpa_sys_town.mtp
  • mtpa_sys_town2.mtp

I opened resource\mx\valcA01aB_h.mlx from the PC version as a test, and it worked! (I used Blender 2.69.0.) Some of the more complex models might not open, though, because they might depend on files that are in a different folder now.

By the way, is it possible to get the name of this topic changed to "Valkyria Chronicles (PS3, PC)"?

I've tried using the script to import with blender 2.72, and received some kind of "file not found" error. Is there a specific version of blender that this works best for?

EDIT: Sorry, didn't test it enough. Works for certain files.

[windfury]

Good news indeed. Glad to know that you've been looking through the files as well.
Yes! Buy it on Steam people! Who knows, we might even get the sequels ported, too.

Crossing my fingers for some importer progress soon (No rush, enjoy the game first).

[DecidingToast]

Yeah, here's hoping for a translation/port of the third game. (also, is a remaster asking too much?)