Jul -- The Cutting Room Floor: Xenoblade Chronicles: Content Restoration Mod

gridatttack

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Posted on 07-18-15 09:12:16 PM

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An user on another forum I frequent on was talking about this.

He already made the daytime music.

But other than that, what you are trying to achieve seems really steep of a challenge.

I don't know how XBC hacking is as of now. The only thing I've seen is people managing to load bionis shoulder.

Things like the new species would require ASM hacking, and well, its really difficult.

So yeah, I dont think most of you what described could be achieved. Perhaps only something like swapping the music, and adding NPCs on the map.

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Griffion
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Posted on 07-18-15 11:40:44 PM (last edited by Griffion at 07-18-15 11:42:11 PM)

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Originally posted by gridatttack
An user on another forum I frequent on was talking about this.

He already made the daytime music.

But other than that, what you are trying to achieve seems really steep of a challenge.

I don't know how XBC hacking is as of now. The only thing I've seen is people managing to load bionis shoulder.

Things like the new species would require ASM hacking, and well, its really difficult.

So yeah, I dont think most of you what described could be achieved. Perhaps only something like swapping the music, and adding NPCs on the map.

Was talking about this as in my post? I'm aware this would be a challenge. So far, it seems the only thing people have done is make cheats for loading the bionis shoulder, yes. I'm not sure if I'd design a new species or inhabit it with existing models. That is just an initial idea and I'm already thinking to change it. I see no need to be pessimistic though. I myself am not saying I can make all this happen, but mods like Project M or Mario Kart mods have been successful. They are a bit of an inspiration for this idea.

As for the music... I'm not sure I like it. In that it would have to be consistent and sound similar to the works in the official soundtrack.

rednavi
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Posted on 07-21-15 02:53:58 AM

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He's not being pessimistic, he's being realist.

Griffion
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Posted on 07-21-15 03:30:32 AM

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Originally posted by rednavi
He's not being pessimistic, he's being realist.

Are you saying it's impossible? Again, these are just my ideas and are still constantly changing. I am hopeful though. It makes me wonder what went through minds of the Project M staff, or those who worked on additional content for any other Wii game. If I'm just in a fantasy, might as well tell me now. Better my dreams are crushed now than when I realized it can't be done. xP But with all this realistic talk, is there anything anyone can recommend to help me with such a challenge?

rednavi
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Posted on 07-21-15 04:00:25 AM

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If you're going to use Project M as your threshold for what's possible and what's not then you'll end up thinking that it's possible to restore every single game *ever*. The truth is that the melee hacking scene is going strong for a reaaaaaaaaally long time (I would dare to say more than a decade by now) while Xenoblade's hacking community is pretty much about checking what's inside of the disc, use gameshark to change values and that's it.

XBC's community is certainly nowhere close to the level of hacking melee has and you'll have to start from 0 if you ever want to restore all the unused content the hard way. I'm not saying it's impossible but rather *highly* unlikely, especially when you don't have as many people (With experience and skills) interested on this as melee has.

All you can do really right now is go to the most popular xenoblade site on the internet and assemble a team there but you have no skills whatsoever and the time it would take for someone from that assembled team to teach you some stuff in order to make you useful would be better spent just taking a look at the game, making you either a waste of time or a burden in that team.

In order to even start assembling a team for such titanic effort you really have to go back to the basics and learn how game hacking even works like if you ever want to make something similar to project M (In this case you might as well ask them directly for pointers and what to read about). "Walk before you run".

Griffion
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Posted on 07-21-15 04:28:29 AM

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I am mostly using Project M's success and effort as a threshold. I know that hacking scene has been at it for a long time. I know there is nothing of the sort for Xenoblade.

I'm ready to start from 0 and I feel now is the perfect time. I'm just now becoming a senior in HS and got accepted into a programming class. This along with a little dreaming I KNOW might never come to fruition is just steps towards the "real world" I guess you could say.

Do you know what the most popular Xenoblade site on the web is? I'd have no idea? The wiki? Already shared the idea there. Other than the "it will be really hard response" most concern is that it would never see the light of day through a C&D.

Just as you said, I'm not looking to make a team just yet. I need to know how to learn it first. I literally know nothing when it comes to game hacking, and that is where I want to start. I can't find much in the realm of "the basics" and need help just finding that! xD

But are you suggesting I ask the Project M team directly about game hacking in general? How would I get a hold of them? And if you know any place I can start learning from scratch or anything. It would be greatly appreciated!

This post is just a "proof of idea" you could say. Before a "proof of concept".

wolverinecarnage
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Posted on 07-24-15 06:32:21 AM

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i sent you a pm. Im interested in this as well if someone could make a restoration mod. Its possible for 3 reasons

1. Smash bro mods didnt start as people only hacking smash bro. Its the opposite,widely available tools for the wii which extracted/inserted/edited ..........audio/video/graphic files existed first (created by someone of course). people got together to study the structure of smash bro and modified the tools already there to work with specifically smash bro. This is what you would be doing unless you are that good you can create a new tool from the ground up. Theres tools to extract the files from the xenoblade game already but inserting them back (changed of course) thats where the challenge is.

2. A lot of games share similar code. There is a xenoblade 3ds game that was released and it wouldnt surprise me if the code structure was the same. of course i dont think anyone has hacked the 3ds yet. but when they do if someone makes a tool for that game then its almost certain you got a chance at modifying the wii version. I forgot the name of the company who made it but if you studied thier other games then you have a good chance at figuering how the audio is stored and if you can change the size to replace a song (for example).

3. with the release of that new xenoblade game on wiiu you can be sure others will want to know how to replace audio/video/characters etc and once someone makes a tool for this (will be difficult of course) it may be compatible with the wii version with some tweaking.

gridatttack

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Posted on 07-24-15 05:45:57 PM (last edited by gridatttack at 07-24-15 07:59:32 PM)

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No one is denying that is possible, but as rednavi pointed out, its highly unlikely.

Using Project M as a base against is being too optimistic.

Let's see. There is a tool (Brawlbox) to mod the game easily. XBC has none of that.
The smashbros has a bigger fanbase, so its more likely to find people with the needed skills.

Your position right now is to learn the format the game uses. It is possible some other formats the game uses are still unknown.

I suggest that you find the author of the TCRF page of XBC, for some general information about how the game works.

I've been on the ROM hacking scene for some years now, and I have seen people post up stuff like this and get nowhere.

But whatever, you might learn experience from this in end.
And for the record, it's not that I'm being pessimistic. As they say, it's easier said than done

And BTW wolverinecarnage, the last 2 points you made are nothing but assumptions. The 3DS has been hacked by now too.

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Griffion
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Posted on 07-24-15 11:26:26 PM

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Originally posted by gridatttack
No one is denying that is possible, but as rednavi pointed out, its highly unlikely.

Using Project M as a base against is being too optimistic.

Let's see. There is a tool (Brawlbox) to mod the game easily. XBC has none of that.
The smashbros has a bigger fanbase, so its more likely to find people with the needed skills.

Your position right now is to learn the format the game uses. It is possible some other formats the game uses are still unknown.

I suggest that you find the author of the TCRF page of XBC, for some general information about how the game works.

I've been on the ROM hacking scene for some years now, and I have seen people post up stuff like this and get nowhere.

But whatever, you might learn experience from this in end.
And for the record, it's not that I'm being pessimistic. As they say, it's easier said than done

If you read my responses to rednavi, I was saying that Project M's success and efforts are my base. I'm aware the Smash modding scene has been here for A LONG time and that Xenoblade doesn't have that. I myself don't know if this would ever happen, but you have to start somewhere. And I hope this experience will help me learn about programming and the likes for my future. I've already been accepted into a Programming class at a nearby High School, so I'm getting somewhere in the long run.

I think Robotortoise got the authorization of the XBC TCRF page. I've talked to him already. He definitely knows more than me, but I'm not sure anyone really knows how the game works. I obviously know I have to learn it on my own, sooooo. I think one of the only people that knew how the game worked was Helsionium, who originally swapped the map data to access the unused Left Shoulder map. Once the game was confirmed to be localized, a lot of those people left. They also started from nowhere though, so I don't see why I can't. Will be tough, but I want to try at least.

Shadic
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Posted on 07-26-15 10:01:21 PM

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Originally posted by Griffion
Originally posted by rednavi
He's not being pessimistic, he's being realist.

Are you saying it's impossible? Again, these are just my ideas and are still constantly changing. I am hopeful though. It makes me wonder what went through minds of the Project M staff, or those who worked on additional content for any other Wii game. If I'm just in a fantasy, might as well tell me now. Better my dreams are crushed now than when I realized it can't be done. xP But with all this realistic talk, is there anything anyone can recommend to help me with such a challenge?

As a Project M Development Team Leader, I'm saying that you really don't have any idea what you're getting into, and are looking at literal years of reverse engineering, coding development tools, art, etc. This is assuming you have a few people on a team that know what they're doing.

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Griffion
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Posted on 07-29-15 03:06:25 AM (last edited by Griffion at 07-29-15 03:07:13 AM)

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Originally posted by Shadic
As a Project M Development Team Leader, I'm saying that you really don't have any idea what you're getting into, and are looking at literal years of reverse engineering, coding development tools, art, etc. This is assuming you have a few people on a team that know what they're doing.

From a Leader of the Project M Dev Team, thank you for your response. As I've said, I know I won't have it done tomorrow, next week, month, not even next year. I'm aware it will take A LOT of work. But Xenoblade is my second favorite game of all time. It is something I'm interested in doing anyway, if just to help me enter the video game industry in general. So obviously, this is something I'm more dedicated to than the average person. I don't have a team. Again, nobody has had such bold ideas or messed with this game other than early translation work. But I'm starting from scratch, and anybody else interested will be too. Starting from the same point, we could work together. Everything has a beginning right? SO, with that being said and you a Leader of the P:M Dev Team, is there anything you can tell me or lean me towards to help me simply get started on how to learn what I must know. I've already found some helpful videos from InternetExplorer6, also on the PM team. Can you guide me in the right direction?

wolverinecarnage
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Posted on 07-30-15 03:55:02 AM

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Originally posted by gridatttack
No one is denying that is possible, but as rednavi pointed out, its highly unlikely.

And BTW wolverinecarnage, the last 2 points you made are nothing but assumptions. The 3DS has been hacked by now too.

Maybe im not a rocket scientist but when did "its highly unlikely" become a fact?.......... saying "its highly unlikely" is an assumption as well.

The 3DS was barely hacked late last year and xenoblade 3ds was barely released 3 months ago. Smash bro wasnt hacked in 3 months.

Theres people who have the ability but dont put out the effort to do such hacks and others have the effort but not the ability. I can tell Griffion has the effort and if he/she keeps researching then you will have the ability. All programmers/hackers started with curiosity and from "not knowing". I wouldnt bother paying attention to anyone who says its impossible or you're wasting you're time since what they "think" and what you know are two different things. Truth is if you want something bad enough and you go after it then you will eventually get it.

I would study the file structure for the game and get in contact with others who are doing the same thing. Luckily for you its a fresh game and everything you do will be fresh since not many have touched the game. That should make researching it more fun.

MUGEN-tan
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Posted on 07-30-15 10:01:21 AM

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Originally posted by wolverinecarnage
Truth is if you want something bad enough and you go after it then you will eventually get it.

I wanted Elvis Presley to be alive, and I went after that.
However, I never got that. And you know what? Because people who die remain dead!
So no, you don't always get what you want if you really want it and go after it.

Griffion
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Posted on 07-30-15 10:42:32 AM

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Originally posted by MUGEN-tan
Originally posted by wolverinecarnage
Truth is if you want something bad enough and you go after it then you will eventually get it.

I wanted Elvis Presley to be alive, and I went after that.
However, I never got that. And you know what? Because people who die remain dead!
So no, you don't always get what you want if you really want it and go after it.

Weird glitch...

You are over exaggerating and being nonsensical. Please don't spew such things. Instead, I'd appreciate it if you would contribute to the topic, in this case, if you know how I can learn what I must know to game mod.

Zerovii
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Posted on 08-10-15 07:35:28 PM

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If you want a starting point, I recommend learning how to edit the map file, and work on modifying makna forest.

How? you'll probably have to look up reverse engineering or figure out the structure of the map files in xenoblade which Id imagine is trial and error. Probably pick out a smaller map and poke at it and document what addresses do what.

Griffion
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Posted on 08-12-15 07:09:42 AM

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Originally posted by Zerovii
If you want a starting point, I recommend learning how to edit the map file, and work on modifying makna forest.

How? you'll probably have to look up reverse engineering or figure out the structure of the map files in xenoblade which Id imagine is trial and error. Probably pick out a smaller map and poke at it and document what addresses do what.

Thanks for the thought Zerovii, but I don't think it is possible to edit the maps without creating my own tools to do so. Unless you know of something, I can't do that yet. With that being said, I am already looking at some address. I've found the basic address for general movement in the game. (idle, swimming, attacking, jumping, etc.)

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