MADS Engine, Dragonsphere, Rex Nebular, Return of the Phantom Opzioni

[Raulpuro]

Hello,

sorry to resurrect this old thread, EditMADS could not be created? Is not it possible to re-import your file back to messages.dat messages.dat.txt?

Greetings and thanks for your time.

I try to resume briefly the whole story.

EditMADS was a program that was intended to edit the game resources of the MADS engine in order to translate text dialogues, description, etc. from english to any latin alphabet based language.

All MADS engine resources are compressed but it was possible to explode them so that one could edit them; unfortunately it was not (yet) possible to compress the text back into the resources. This is not completely truly. Actually yes, I had found a kind of way to write the data translated as "raw" data (no compression) but it was an empirical method that could cause unpredictable crashes (or, at least, I ascribed them, when they occurred, to the empirical algorithm).

All the matter has tangled up after I lost my laptop with the backup of the recent source code of my programs (in Turbo Delphi), and after I bought a new 64bit win7 equipped laptop.

Turbo Delphi doesn't work decently on win7, and anyway I think it doesn't linkedit to 64bit.

So, firstly I have to learn to work decently in C, then I have to rewrite from scratch my programs in C++ (MS visual Studio), and I think I will, but I have not started; at the moment I use my "game translation projects" spare time to work on a OldGames Italia translation project, on a new release of italian version of Sherlock Holmes - Case of serrated scalpel and on a study of Mean Streets engine that i am conducting on myself.
As soon as one of these task will end, I will point my attention on MADS engine.

(What did I say? Briefly?)

Ciao,
Alberto

Hi,

Thanks for your reply Alberto and encourage the translation project Lost Files of Sherlock Holmes - The Case of Serrated Scalpel, is a wonderful adventure.

I'll watch the news.

Greeting.

[Anyman]

Alpobemp, can you help with translation of Dragonsphere?

- How to edit text files from HAG? (for ex, cnv-files)
- How to pack unpacked files to HAG?

Messaggio modificato da Anyman il 1 Jul 2014, 21:17

[Alpobemp]

Alpobemp, can you help with translation of Dragonsphere?

- How to edit text files from HAG? (for ex, cnv-files)
- How to pack unpacked files to HAG?

Hi Anyman.

Concerning you first question, there are two answer, one short and another more complex.

The first one is: you can't, since they are zipped (LZ family of compressors).
The second one is: I developed a tool that unzips, modifies and puts modified texts unzipped back into the original files, but most part of its source code it's gone on account of the loss of my notebook some years ago along with backup.
At the moment I am working around two or three task (not sorted in any order):
writing the tool from scratch (it was written with turbo delphi, that now it's not supported anymore) with visual studio c#;
learning visual studio c#;
learning assembly x86 (mostly for my own pleasure, but also to write more performant routines, e.g. the unzipping routine) ;
writing a routine that zips the texts back with the same original algorithm (very difficult but not impossible).

This latter task introduces the answer to your second question.
Packing texts back into hag resources is quite difficult; I have succeeded putting them back "without any compression" (or more precisely, using the format of the compressed file with "no compression", i.e. word FF hex followed by 15 chars, and so on).

Anyway, you can read about any further progress on my blog.

Ciao,
Alberto

[Alpobemp]

To Anyman and whoever out there:
it seems that mads engine support is under development for a while on scummvm.
http://wiki.scummvm.org/index.php/Developer_Central
As a matter of fact, on the developer repository there is a "compression.cpp" c++ source file (that should sound "decompression" instead) that could help you.
Maybe you would ask them to support for your tasks.

Ciao,
Alberto

[Anyman]

We can put files to HAG via MAD Tractor

But how to compress text files to MADPACK 2.0 is question. Thx for answers

[Raulpuro]

Hi,

Two applications for mads engine,

hagutils.exe (unpack and pack .hag files).

Use:
hagutils.exe unpack file.hag existing_dir
hagutils.exe pack file.hag existing_dir

Attention: the destination directory must exist for the application does not display an error.

datutils.exe (unpack and pack the MESSAGES.dat file using the trick of Alpobemp, thanks Alberto), the
application extracts messages.dat to a txt file for editing and repackage the file, the character "|" is the jump of line.

Use:
datutils.exe unpack MESSAGES.DAT name.txt
datutils.exe pack MESSAGES.DAT name.txt

The .ss files contain images, i tried to make an application in C # to extract and convert png files but I have not got, i
have problems displaying colors (palettes) and not know how this packaging.

Where are the texts of the intros?

https://www.mediafire.com/?d65rx2paqqoyq4o

Greetings.

[Alpobemp]

Hi,

Two applications for mads engine,

hagutils.exe (unpack and pack .hag files).

Use:
hagutils.exe unpack file.hag existing_dir
hagutils.exe pack file.hag existing_dir

Attention: the destination directory must exist for the application does not display an error.

datutils.exe (unpack and pack the MESSAGES.dat file using the trick of Alpobemp, thanks Alberto), the
application extracts messages.dat to a txt file for editing and repackage the file, the character "|" is the jump of line.

Use:
datutils.exe unpack MESSAGES.DAT name.txt
datutils.exe pack MESSAGES.DAT name.txt

The .ss files contain images, i tried to make an application in C # to extract and convert png files but I have not got, i
have problems displaying colors (palettes) and not know how this packaging.

Where are the texts of the intros?

https://www.mediafire.com/?d65rx2paqqoyq4o

Greetings.

Hi, happy to hear good news.
I remember to have succeeded extracting images exporting them into .bmp format, but I don't remember how I worked around this palette problem you are reporting, neither which files (if any) contained text intro.


[EDIT] *.aa type files should be the animation files. They should contain also the text information.

Ciao,
Alberto



Messaggio modificato da Alpobemp il 12 Mar 2015, 17:54

[Raulpuro]

 VICEROY.rar ( 436byte ) Numero di download: 3

Hi, happy to hear good news.
I remember to have succeeded extracting images exporting them into .bmp format, but I don't remember how I worked around this palette problem you are reporting, neither which files (if any) contained text intro.


[EDIT] *.aa type files should be the animation files. They should contain also the text information.

Ciao,
Alberto

Hi,

Well, displays all images green, trying to make an application to change the images (I think it is only necessary to change the cursor) but desist has been a failure, I unfortunately am not a programmer, my knowledge is very limited.

The texts of the intro rex nebular are these:

http://postimg.org/image/o2ce9rwmj/
http://postimg.org/image/853dqgzlj/
http://postimg.org/image/nq9y4fhqr/

Uff in .aa files and can be edited and re-package them?


This is the code from c # to try to change images. If someone wants to look at it.
Caution: Read the code can cause a severe headache, irreversible.

https://www.mediafire.com/?f55lg0caayp11r5

Thanks for the info Alberto.

EDIT:

To prove the viewer .SS archives, is necesary copy the VICEROY.PAL file (file attached in the post) in the directory where are the .ss files, the palette is wrong but at least the images can be seen.

Greetings.

Messaggio modificato da Raulpuro il 13 Mar 2015, 18:09

[Raulpuro]

Hi,

Sorry for the double post, Well, finally you can translate all, thanks to an application that has been kind enough to make institution.

It is an application made in Python, I passed the exe to make it more comfortable but is possible that the conversion to exe arise problems.

Usage:

FILES HAG:

UNPACK

mpskit hag unpack GLOBAL.HAG

PACK

mpskit hag pack GLOBAL.HAG

FILES MESSAGES.DAT:

UNPACK

mpskit dat unpack MESSAGES.DAT

PACK

mpskit dat pack MESSAGES.DAT

FILES .SS (IMAGES):

UNPACK

mpskit ss unpack *.SS (with this instruction unpack all files .ss applies throughout the application)

OR

mpskit ss unpack namefile.SS (with this instruction unpack only the specified name)

PACK

mpskit ss pack namefile.SS

FILES CNV:

UNPACK

mpskit madspack unpack *.CNV

PACK

mpskit madspack pack *.CNV

FILES .AA (Texts Intro):

UNPACK

mpskit hag unpack SECTION9.HAG (with this instruction SECTION9.HAG we unpack the file, where the texts are.)
mpskit aa unpack SECTION9.HAG.dir/namefile.AA (SECTION9.HAG.dir is the directory where the files are unpacked SECTION9.HAG instruction to add the directory is applicable throughout the application)

PACK

mpskit aa pack SECTION9.HAG.dir/namefile.AA (iden)
mpskit hag pack SECTION9.HAG

FILES .FF (FONT):

UNPACK

mpskit ff unpack namefile.FF

PACK

mpskit ff pack namefile.FF

UNPACK EVERYTHING WITHOUT TRIAL

mpskit hag unpack *.HAG
mpskit ss unpack */*.SS
mpskit ff unpack */*.FF
mpskit aa unpack */*.AA
mpskit aa unpack */*.CNV

LIMITATIONS

- In .AA and .CNV files, unfortunately the size of the translated text must be the same as the original, ie not is possible to extend the size of the phrases.
- While modifying unpacked png files use only colors already existing in the image

I would appreciate any help or suggestions to try to solve some of the limitations.

IMPORTANT

AGPLv3 or later

This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

Please read the LICENSE file included in the rar.

The file included the original code, LICENSE file, README for linux instalation and use, the conversion to exe.

https://www.mediafire.com/?quk2upa64iw60dl

Thanks a Institution and Alpobemp for your help.

Salute.

[Alpobemp]

LIMITATIONS

- In .AA and .CNV files, unfortunately the size of the translated text must be the same as the original, ie not is possible to extend the size of the phrases.
- While modifying unpacked png files use only colors already existing in the image

I would appreciate any help or suggestions to try to solve some of the limitations.

Darn good job you've done guys!

Concerning my quote, can you debate deeper why the size of the translated text has to be the same?

Ciao,
Alberto

[EDIT] Not to be too cryptic , I remember (from the code I wrote and I lost) that CNV files were to be uncompressed, and were composed by 3-5 subfiles.
One of these worked as an index of the subfiles and contained also the dimensions of them (so it was to be updated as you edited the one containing the text).
Anyway, don't give up, you are so next to the completion of the global task)

Ciao again,
Alberto

Messaggio modificato da Alpobemp il 2 Jul 2015, 09:56

[Raulpuro]

LIMITATIONS

- In .AA and .CNV files, unfortunately the size of the translated text must be the same as the original, ie not is possible to extend the size of the phrases.
- While modifying unpacked png files use only colors already existing in the image

I would appreciate any help or suggestions to try to solve some of the limitations.

Darn good job you've done guys!

Concerning my quote, can you debate deeper why the size of the translated text has to be the same?

Ciao,
Alberto

[EDIT] Not to be too cryptic , I remember (from the code I wrote and I lost) that CNV files were to be uncompressed, and were composed by 3-5 subfiles.
One of these worked as an index of the subfiles and contained also the dimensions of them (so it was to be updated as you edited the one containing the text).
Anyway, don't give up, you are so next to the completion of the global task)

Ciao again,
Alberto

Hi,

Thanks for your answer, I've been watching the cnv.* and *.aa files, well in the * .aa, are some "understandable" files with variables in them, i not know its functionality, but I guess that's where I can find the indexes.

In the * .cnv files, i have not seen anything, where you see the indexes, unfortunately i only see strange symbols. I guess it makes sense, my knowledge is very limited.

I keep trying, thanks for your support.

Attached a rar file, It contains the packaged and unpacked files, well maybe someone can see something.

Greetings.

 Mad_Engine.rar ( 16.33k ) Numero di download: 19

[Alpobemp]

LIMITATIONS

- In .AA and .CNV files, unfortunately the size of the translated text must be the same as the original, ie not is possible to extend the size of the phrases.
- While modifying unpacked png files use only colors already existing in the image

I would appreciate any help or suggestions to try to solve some of the limitations.

Darn good job you've done guys!

Concerning my quote, can you debate deeper why the size of the translated text has to be the same?

Ciao,
Alberto

[EDIT] Not to be too cryptic , I remember (from the code I wrote and I lost) that CNV files were to be uncompressed, and were composed by 3-5 subfiles.
One of these worked as an index of the subfiles and contained also the dimensions of them (so it was to be updated as you edited the one containing the text).
Anyway, don't give up, you are so next to the completion of the global task)

Ciao again,
Alberto

Hi,

Thanks for your answer, I've been watching the cnv.* and *.aa files, well in the * .aa, are some "understandable" files with variables in them, i not know its functionality, but I guess that's where I can find the indexes.

In the * .cnv files, i have not seen anything, where you see the indexes, unfortunately i only see strange symbols. I guess it makes sense, my knowledge is very limited.

I keep trying, thanks for your support.

Attached a rar file, It contains the packaged and unpacked files, well maybe someone can see something.

Greetings.

 Mad_Engine.rar ( 16.33k ) Numero di download: 19

Ok Raulpuro, let us consider the file CONV001.CNV you sent unpacked in 7 subfiles (from s00 to s06).
More in detail, let us also consider subfiles "CONV001.CNV.s00.part" and "CONV001.CNV.s05.part", this latter containing the text lines.
Let us open them with our favourite hex editor (I recommend UltraEdit, but there's ton of tools out there that can work as well).
Dimension in byte of CONV001.CNV.s05.part turns out to be 3715 bytes, in hex 0x0E83, (in little endian mode 0x830E).

Now let us observe CONV001.CNV.s00.part. We can recognize the filenames of the 6 subfiles listed, the latter being "spchc001.dsr" corresponding to CONV001.CNV.s05.part. Just after the filename, we can read the value 0x830E (don't know nor remember if it is just a word or rather a double word).
So, this value should be updated as long as you modify the length of the text when you translate.

Of course, then, you have to update the cnv file the same way you do when you modify the dimension of a MADSPACK file and also the *.HAG file archive that contains the corresponding CNV, in this case the GLOBAL.HAG.

Sorry for the pedantic tone but I'm not bad. I'm just drawn that way. (quoting)

Ciao,
Alberto

Messaggio modificato da Alpobemp il 3 Jul 2015, 10:37

[Raulpuro]

LIMITATIONS

- In .AA and .CNV files, unfortunately the size of the translated text must be the same as the original, ie not is possible to extend the size of the phrases.
- While modifying unpacked png files use only colors already existing in the image

I would appreciate any help or suggestions to try to solve some of the limitations.

Darn good job you've done guys!

Concerning my quote, can you debate deeper why the size of the translated text has to be the same?

Ciao,
Alberto

[EDIT] Not to be too cryptic , I remember (from the code I wrote and I lost) that CNV files were to be uncompressed, and were composed by 3-5 subfiles.
One of these worked as an index of the subfiles and contained also the dimensions of them (so it was to be updated as you edited the one containing the text).
Anyway, don't give up, you are so next to the completion of the global task)

Ciao again,
Alberto

Hi,

Thanks for your answer, I've been watching the cnv.* and *.aa files, well in the * .aa, are some "understandable" files with variables in them, i not know its functionality, but I guess that's where I can find the indexes.

In the * .cnv files, i have not seen anything, where you see the indexes, unfortunately i only see strange symbols. I guess it makes sense, my knowledge is very limited.

I keep trying, thanks for your support.

Attached a rar file, It contains the packaged and unpacked files, well maybe someone can see something.

Greetings.

 Mad_Engine.rar ( 16.33k ) Numero di download: 19

Ok Raulpuro, let us consider the file CONV001.CNV you sent unpacked in 7 subfiles (from s00 to s06).
More in detail, let us also consider subfiles "CONV001.CNV.s00.part" and "CONV001.CNV.s05.part", this latter containing the text lines.
Let us open them with our favourite hex editor (I recommend UltraEdit, but there's ton of tools out there that can work as well).
Dimension in byte of CONV001.CNV.s05.part turns out to be 3715 bytes, in hex 0x0E83, (in little endian mode 0x830E).

Now let us observe CONV001.CNV.s00.part. We can recognize the filenames of the 6 subfiles listed, the latter being "spchc001.dsr" corresponding to CONV001.CNV.s05.part. Just after the filename, we can read the value 0x830E (don't know nor remember if it is just a word or rather a double word).
So, this value should be updated as long as you modify the length of the text when you translate.

Of course, then, you have to update the cnv file the same way you do when you modify the dimension of a MADSPACK file and also the *.HAG file archive that contains the corresponding CNV, in this case the GLOBAL.HAG.

Sorry for the pedantic tone but I'm not bad. I'm just drawn that way. (quoting)

Ciao,
Alberto

Hi,

Thanks for your reply and spend their time looking at the files.

Well, I've been trying, now with the CONV000.CNV file (it is the first texts that are in the game and more comfortable for testing)

In this case, the file size CONV000.CNV.s05.part modified is 410 byte, in hexadecimal 19A. I changed the CONV000.CNV.s00.part file with the new size and the final CONV000.CNV file.

Now the game shows no mistake, not leave the desk. But the text is cut off. I've just added the word "test" to every sentence began. What am I doing wrong?

Original:




Modified:




Attached modified files.

Thanks and sorry for my clumsiness and insistence but this translation has already become a kind of challenge.

 Mad_Engine.rar ( 11.18k ) Numero di download: 10

[Alpobemp]

Hi,

Thanks for your reply and spend their time looking at the files.

Well, I've been trying, now with the CONV000.CNV file (it is the first texts that are in the game and more comfortable for testing)

In this case, the file size CONV000.CNV.s05.part modified is 410 byte, in hexadecimal 19A. I changed the CONV000.CNV.s00.part file with the new size and the final CONV000.CNV file.

Now the game shows no mistake, not leave the desk. But the text is cut off. I've just added the word "test" to every sentence began. What am I doing wrong?

Apparently, text line lengths are stored somewhere.
I need further investigation on that.

Thanks

You don't have to say.

Ciao,
Alberto

[Alpobemp]

Hi,

Thanks for your reply and spend their time looking at the files.

Well, I've been trying, now with the CONV000.CNV file (it is the first texts that are in the game and more comfortable for testing)

In this case, the file size CONV000.CNV.s05.part modified is 410 byte, in hexadecimal 19A. I changed the CONV000.CNV.s00.part file with the new size and the final CONV000.CNV file.

Now the game shows no mistake, not leave the desk. But the text is cut off. I've just added the word "test" to every sentence began. What am I doing wrong?

Apparently, text line lengths are stored somewhere.
I need further investigation on that.

Thanks

You don't have to say.

Ciao,
Alberto

Ok, we have sorted it out, I think.

CONV000.CNV.s04.part contains relative offsets of text lines oof CONV000.CNV.s05.part.

Each word is an offset.

Original offsets are:
00 00
00 42
00 6E
00 AB
00 E1
01 C1
01 57

This means, besides, that text dialogues can''t be greater than 64KB.

Of course you'll have to update all the offset of the text lines that follow the one you modified by adding/subtracting the convenient number of bytes.

Ciao,
Alberto

[Raulpuro]

Hi,

Thanks for your reply and spend their time looking at the files.

Well, I've been trying, now with the CONV000.CNV file (it is the first texts that are in the game and more comfortable for testing)

In this case, the file size CONV000.CNV.s05.part modified is 410 byte, in hexadecimal 19A. I changed the CONV000.CNV.s00.part file with the new size and the final CONV000.CNV file.

Now the game shows no mistake, not leave the desk. But the text is cut off. I've just added the word "test" to every sentence began. What am I doing wrong?

Apparently, text line lengths are stored somewhere.
I need further investigation on that.

Thanks

You don't have to say.

Ciao,
Alberto

Ok, we have sorted it out, I think.

CONV000.CNV.s04.part contains relative offsets of text lines oof CONV000.CNV.s05.part.

Each word is an offset.

Original offsets are:
00 00
00 42
00 6E
00 AB
00 E1
01 C1
01 57

This means, besides, that text dialogues can''t be greater than 64KB.

Of course you'll have to update all the offset of the text lines that follow the one you modified by adding/subtracting the convenient number of bytes.

Ciao,
Alberto

Hi,

Great!, thanks a lot to seek the pointers and your explanation.

Regards.

[Raulpuro]

Hi,

Thanks for your reply and spend their time looking at the files.

Well, I've been trying, now with the CONV000.CNV file (it is the first texts that are in the game and more comfortable for testing)

In this case, the file size CONV000.CNV.s05.part modified is 410 byte, in hexadecimal 19A. I changed the CONV000.CNV.s00.part file with the new size and the final CONV000.CNV file.

Now the game shows no mistake, not leave the desk. But the text is cut off. I've just added the word "test" to every sentence began. What am I doing wrong?

Apparently, text line lengths are stored somewhere.
I need further investigation on that.

Thanks

You don't have to say.

Ciao,
Alberto

Ok, we have sorted it out, I think.

CONV000.CNV.s04.part contains relative offsets of text lines oof CONV000.CNV.s05.part.

Each word is an offset.

Original offsets are:
00 00
00 42
00 6E
00 AB
00 E1
01 C1
01 57

This means, besides, that text dialogues can''t be greater than 64KB.

Of course you'll have to update all the offset of the text lines that follow the one you modified by adding/subtracting the convenient number of bytes.

Ciao,
Alberto

Hi,

Works perfectly , now I will look at the files .aa in principle they have less text, and is less important.



Greetings and thanks again.

[Alpobemp]

Hi,

Works perfectly , now I will look at the files .aa in principle they have less text, and is less important.

The tricky part should be the same of CNV files I think. Similar, at least.

Greetings and thanks again.

You don't have to say again.

Ciao,
Alberto

[Raulpuro]

Hi,

Well, the application is already completed and working properly. I have not made a version for Windows (* .exe) because it is unstable, but works well with the emulator Cygwin.

Institution has uploaded the project with all the information to use the application

https://github.com/institution/mpskit

Greetings and thanks to all.

Messaggio modificato da Raulpuro il 8 Oct 2015, 22:40

[Alpobemp]

Hi,

Well, the application is already completed and working properly. I have not made a version for Windows (* .exe) because it is unstable, but works well with the emulator Cygwin.

Institution has uploaded the project with all the information to use the application

https://github.com/institution/mpskit

Greetings and thanks to all.

Good job, glad to have helped.

Unfortunately I have no knowledge of Python...

Ciao,
Alberto

[Raulpuro]

Hi,

Well, the application is already completed and working properly. I have not made a version for Windows (* .exe) because it is unstable, but works well with the emulator Cygwin.

Institution has uploaded the project with all the information to use the application

https://github.com/institution/mpskit

Greetings and thanks to all.

Good job, glad to have helped.

Unfortunately I have no knowledge of Python...

Ciao,
Alberto

Hi,

Of course Alberto, without their help it would not have been possible.

Honestly, after so many years trying to gut MAD, I thought it was impossible. And now is when I have less time to translate, is Murphy's Law .

Sorry for responding so late, but I'm busy lately and not step here.

Greetings and thanks.

[TheRuler]

Alpone, non trovo più in rete il tuo extracthag, mi è venuta voglia di dare una mano per Rex Nebular.
A che punto sei con la manipolazione genetica dell'hag? Mi pare di aver capito che è stato soppiantato da hagutils. Ho seguito in maniera blanda le discussioni con i latini e non vorrei dover rileggere tutta la discussione, hai voglia di farmi un piccolo recap?

[Alpobemp]

Alpone, non trovo più in rete il tuo extracthag, mi è venuta voglia di dare una mano per Rex Nebular.
A che punto sei con la manipolazione genetica dell'hag? Mi pare di aver capito che è stato soppiantato da hagutils. Ho seguito in maniera blanda le discussioni con i latini e non vorrei dover rileggere tutta la discussione, hai voglia di farmi un piccolo recap?

Ehm... non ti potresti far venire voglia di darmi una mano su qualcos'altro?

Scrivimi. (con calma, oggi vado in spiaggia. Giornatona spettacolare.)

Ciao,
Alberto

Messaggio modificato da Alpobemp il 27 Dec 2015, 12:09

[TheRuler]

Alpone, non trovo più in rete il tuo extracthag, mi è venuta voglia di dare una mano per Rex Nebular.
A che punto sei con la manipolazione genetica dell'hag? Mi pare di aver capito che è stato soppiantato da hagutils. Ho seguito in maniera blanda le discussioni con i latini e non vorrei dover rileggere tutta la discussione, hai voglia di farmi un piccolo recap?

Ehm... non ti potresti far venire voglia di darmi una mano su qualcos'altro?

Scrivimi. (con calma, oggi vado in spiaggia. Giornatona spettacolare.)

Ciao,
Alberto

Che si fa allora? Dragonsphere?

[Gharlic]

Spera che non fosse un velato invito a spargergli la cremina solare (di dicembre? sì, vabbè).