Noel's PSP Thread of D00M {Now with a TO-DO list!}

[Noelemahc]

Welcome to my "let's study and dissect the PSP version of the game" thread.

The CANs and CAN'Ts of the PSP:

• CAN use PS2 model files (this includes textures and icons and whatnots)
• CAN make custom textures for PSP models
• CAN use PS2 sound files
• CAN use XMLB/ENGB files from any engine version, just like all other engine versions (^_^)
• CAN use XML2PSP model files
• CAN add a fourth costume to Moon Knight
• CAN find extra stuff not in other versions about Hulk's dialogue options or the like
• CAN has moar muzak than PC version seems to have. Or maybe my PC version refused to play some of its
• CAN use XML2PSP loading screens even though they'll appear as oddly distorted

The CAN'Ts:

• CAN'T turn water into wine
• CAN'T use PS2 animation files (BSOD)
• CAN'T use XML2PSP animation files (do nothing)
• CAN'T CTD so BSODs or hangs as if dead instead.
• CAN'T load into a new game when altering HEROSTAT (no big surprise there, huh?).

The FIGURE OUTs:

• FIGURE OUT whether XBOX models can be used, as CUSTOM models use the same format
• FIGURE OUT how to make custom soundfiles
• FIGURE OUT if any animation files from other consoles can be used, we really need those XML1 skeletons!
• FIGURE OUT if extra REVIEW items can be added (I'm most concerned with loading screens)
• FIGURE OUT the exact cap on extra added characters
• FIGURE OUT if the NPCSTAT extra character extension works
• FIGURE OUT the exact cap on extra comic missions
• FIGURE OUT if there are more hidden PSP-only files out there that we may have overlooked
• FIGURE OUT the exact cap on extra added costumes, and if they're subject to the same bugs as the PC version's.

I'll keep updating this as I test more tests and/or make more discoveries and/or invent more absurd tasks for myself.

[Noelemahc]

Yeah, I'm edging myself back into the game.


I'm fairly certain you knew this already, but you can reskin PSP models in pretty much the same way as PS2 models or any other models out there. The only real difficulty will lie in re-swizzling the textures afterwards.

Case in point:
1. Take one texture from deadpool_1404.fb (PSP), save into format that is easily unswizzlable (direct hex rip -> 32x512x4bit DDS). Make a swizzle-base texture (a simple guide - two, actually, one made of a gazillion 8x32 blocks; and one made of two gazillion 8x16 blocks; for 16-colour and 256-colour textures respectively; simply alternating blocks of different colours within a 32x512 and 16x1024 DDSes will suffice).
2. Take one texture from deadpool_1404.fb (PS2), save into format that is easily openable (direct hex rip -> 256x256x8bit, I'm a barbarian, I know).
3. Recolour result of 2.
4. Swizzle, swizzle, little star.
5. Insert into game, bitch about lack of screenshot taking software, photograph game scenes.
Take some tasty screensnaps.

I can also tell you now that the _c.fb packages are as redundant on the PSP as they are on the PC. I only modified the texture in the general FB, and left the _nc untouched. Lo and behold, the in-menu texture was the original, while in-combat I've had the mod. Yay. Gonna see if I can strip them out of the WAD altogether to save some space, that would be of much help...

EDIT: Oh, right, nearly forgot.

"Noel, why the heck would we wanna modify the PSP textures and swizzle all that shizzle, when we can instead use the l33t PS2 models with their high-polyness and 256-colour textures?!"
"You see, little munchkin, the PSP exclusives, should you wish to retexture them, have no PS2 models; so sooner or later you will HAVE to do this. That, and the PSP icons and portraits are in a format that requires you mos def use the original files and mod those, because of the size constraints."

It's miraculous what a hangover can do to one's thinking processes.

Next up: custom portrait checking and my learning how to use the FB Builder.
Addendum: Checked. The icons and HUDs of the PS2 use the same size as the PSP. The only difference is that PS2 uses v3 headers and PSP uses v4 headers; and that the PSP is swizzled. Blunt c&p of portraits allows to achieve a removal of the need to swizzle the HUDs at all. Just don't forget to make sure you either c&p the equivalent file from the PS2 version OR that you've changed all the filenames and internal model number references accordingly and have carried over the FB pre-header for the relevant file. No need to rebuild the FB, even.

Next up: the mannequin, customized model and (drumroll please) custom voice checking. I've figured out the sound format ages ago, after all, so I only need to acquaint myself with ZSMEditor.
_____________________
A couple more shots of the X-Men Deadpool custom skin (these are actual pixel size, btw):

So my swizzling technnique is working, apparently. Yay me.

Also, this is how the PS2 portraits compare to PSP portraits when running the PSP version of the game:

So, yeah, I'm gonna make that part of my plan - update not only the playables portraits affected by the Official Characters mod, but also all the others as well, to a crisper, decent-er state. Obviously, updating the non-playables portraits will be one heckuva bitch, seeing as they're all FBed far far away from clear easy access. I need me a better HEX editor, apparently.

[xDisciplex]

That is amazing work!  Been trying to figure stuff out like that w/ the PSP for sometime as well, just not as advanced as you and Teancum unfortunately, but tried my best to get mods on the PSP going

Can't wait to see what else you do for us who use the PSP for MUA as well!

[Noelemahc]

Thanks, xDisciplex. It's just that I've had the technique for this prepped ages ago, when I figured out how to RIP those textures. I just had nothing to test on with how it would work in reverse. Now I do It will get better soon, I promise

In the news: Tried editing the herostat to add the Black costume for Moon Knight, but it seems my herostating is rustier than my photoshopping and he stopped being selectable. I gotta brush up on that coding skill then.

Also: custom portraits do work! It's sufficient to replace them in the main package (in this case, deadpool_1702.fb) for the effect to take place, as the _c package isn't used anywhere, IIRC, and the _nc... I haven't tested yet AFAIK, it only affects the hero selection menu, and therefore the portrait inside it is useless.

[Noelemahc]

Ohkay, extra costume adding DOES work, I was just dumb enough to forget to modify the powerstyle, which is why everything was going south. Now I WILL have to learn how to use FBBuilder.

But then I remembered my old theory for a hypermod that was inapplicable because the PC version treats packages differently. What if we include a DIFFERENT powerstyle into each FB? That way we could theoretically give every costume a UNIQUE power! Gotta test.

[iammingy]

I *think* you can make powers skin-specific in the powerstyle. I know BliZZ and Burning Rage had done it before in their Rogue mods-in-progress.

[Noelemahc]

They did? Must've been in the period when I was gone. When I tried doing that way back when, it didn't do much of anything. Could make the effects and all skin-specific, but not the powers themselves.

[iammingy]

I am not really sure how it's done since both Rogues mods were not released...haha

I guess that it has to do with the "require" sections in the powerstyle.

[Teancum]

A cool trick with FBs is unique menu animations.  There's a lot of instances where I use an anim set that I use during combat, but in the _nc.fb I just rename animations as I need to.  That's what I did with Angel, and he now has a menu_action and a menu_goodbye.

Also, in my experience _nc FBs are also used for the HUBs.  If combatlocked = true in the level's engb then it loads the _nc version, otherwise it loads the regular FB.  Could be wrong, but that's what all my data points to.  Then again, I've always just replaced files in both FBs at the same time, so I could be wrong.

[Noelemahc]

That is, indeed cool. Since the engine remains the same across the platforms, I assume the same tricks will work on the PSP also. Gotta try
___________________
Updated first post. Nothing new, just more... sense-making, I guess.

[xDisciplex]

Awesome progress so far Noel.  I wish I understood how to do as much modding as you, Teancum and other veteran modders, but least I'm glad I helped in some way w/ the PSP version w/ testing some of the XML1 and XML2 skins to get interst in it

I can't wait to see what your skills are able to unlock for the PSP community.  Just wanted to let you know your work is appreciated from us who are not able to do "advanced" modding such as yourself.

[Teancum]

Xbox models can't be used.  xDisciplex and I tried that back in the day with Gambit.  My guess is that the game can't read the texture format.  If only we knew how to export the PS2 format from 3DSMax.

If the sound codecs/format/updates are done I'd recommend asking Winstrol to code the PS2 format vs PSP.  We know the PSP can use higher quality sounds, but we don't know if the PS2 can use the PSP's sounds.

I would also try out the 360 animation files for the DLC characters.  The header formats are really similar so you might be in luck. 

[jonchang]

Cool Deadpool skin!

[Teancum]

@ Noel -- you might check to see if the 360's mlm_team_back.igb works on the PSP.  It's just raw vertex data, so it's quite possible it does.  If it does, then you've got slots for 33 mannequins instead of 29.  Of course you still would have to figure out how to actually export a PS2 model from 3DSMax, but you would be 1/2 way there.

[Noelemahc]

Yeah, I'll be sure to give it a try. Couldn't get to actual modding for a while, what with the student exams I had to take (did I not mention it? I teach classes now, squee!) and trying desperately to recover my sex life