New Discoveries from MUA2 PS2/Wii/NDS and PS3 Versions

[MUALover]

First of all, I don't know where I can post this, and I don't know if there's a post like this before.

On PS2
I managed to crack up all of MUA2 PS2 files and gather them up in one RAR, called 'MUA2 PS2 Assets'
After that, I've tried to experimenting with the files, and find these discoveries :
1. Fusion classes and new power classes that confirmed to be working on MUA : (Proof Of Concept : My Malice's (Sue Storm) Dome Blast power - available on my workbench)
    class = pulltome (taken from Spiderman's Web Warrior power)
    class = vacuum (taken from 'Collect and Smash' or 'Collect and Blast' fusions)
    They will be working if you use this handler on the powerstyle : handler = ch_grab_hold_base

2. We can use textures from MUA2. (Proof Of Concept : My Songbird's Eagle Dive effect - available on my workbench)
    Texture that confirmed to be working is speed7_clamped.igb

3. Fusions defined in this file called power_fusion_matrix.xmlb (this can't be used in MUA, though. Maybe there's a little chance on it to be working on MUA).

4. There's a new couple lines regarding fusions in the shared_anims.xmlb

Code Select Expand


   ea_allyoop_end = fusion_ally_oop_end ;
   ea_allyoop_start = fusion_ally_oop_start ;
   ea_allyoop_throw = fusion_ally_oop_throw ;
   ea_attack_projectile = fusion_attack_projectile ;
   ea_attack_split_finish = fusion_attack_split_finish ;
   ea_attack_split_start = fusion_attack_split_start ;
   ea_blast_tornado = fusion_blast_tornado ;
   ea_clothes_left = fusion_clothesline_left ;
   ea_clothes_right = fusion_clothesline_right ;
   ea_clothes_start_left = fusion_clothesline_start_left ;
   ea_clothes_start_right = fusion_clothesline_start_right ;
   ea_create_ball = fusion_create_ball ;
   ea_create_object_split_finish = fusion_create_object_split_finish ;
   ea_create_object_split_start = fusion_create_object_split_start ;
   ea_create_projectile = fusion_charge_projectile ;
   ea_create_tornado = fusion_create_tornado ;
   ea_create_vortex = fusion_vortex ;
   ea_end_tornado = fusion_end_tornado ;
   ea_ground_pound_finish = fusion_ground_pound_finish ;
   ea_ground_pound_start = fusion_ground_pound_start ;
   ea_hammer_end = fusion_hammer_end ;
   ea_hammer_loop = fusion_hammer_loop ;
   ea_hammer_smash = fusion_hammer ;
   ea_hammer_start = fusion_hammer_start ;
   ea_hold_tornado = fusion_hold_tornado ;
   ea_knockdown = fusion_knockdown ;
   ea_knockup = fusion_knockup ;
   ea_manjectile_end = fusion_manjectile_end ;
   ea_manjectile_loop = fusion_manjectile_loop ;
   ea_manjectile_spin = fusion_manjectile_spin ;
   ea_manjectile_start = fusion_manjectile_start ;
   ea_run_in_ball = fusion_run_in_ball ;
   ea_throw_ally = fusion_throw_ally ;
   ea_vortex_blast = fusion_vortex_blast ;
   ea_vortex_melee = fusion_vortex_melee ;
   ea_zone25 = power_fusion ;

5. There's a couple lines regarding fusions in shared_event_templates.xmlb aswell :

Code Select Expand


   event {
   name = power_fusion_start ;
   type = ce_power_fusion_start ;
   }

   event {
   name = power_fusion_finish ;
   type = ce_power_fusion_finish ;
   }

   event {
   name = fusion_collection ;
   type = ce_fusion_collection ;
   }


6. There are more new events powerups regarding powers and fusions in the shared_nodes_combat.xmlb file.
That's from PS2.. Now we go to PS3..


On PS3
Sadly, I just found only two discoveries..
1. Each character's effects, powerstyles, talents, and fusions are packed into a .PAK file. Until now, there's no extractor that can extract MUA2 PS3 files. Can't be opened with WinRAR. But, there's a couple lines at the bottom of the file that readable. Open it with Notepad, BTW
These are the examples :
-jeangrey_fightstyles.pak :

Code Select Expand

data\talents\jeangrey.xmlb data\fightstyles\interact_jeangrey_victim.muc data\fightstyles\fightstyle_default.muc data\powerstyles\ps_jeangrey.muc packages\generated\characters\jeangrey_fightstyles.pkgb data\fightstyles\moveset_flying.muc data\fightstyles\interact_grabvictim.muc
-jeangrey_fusioncreatetornado.pak :

Code Select Expand

effects_igx\base\misc\target_control_tornado.igz materials\effects\misc\fxt_sm3_ring_3.igz materials\effects\decals\fxt_crack08_s.igz effects_igx\char\jeangrey\jeangrey_f_to_create_blast.igz materials\effects\misc\fxt_gradient02_d.igz materials\effects\glows\fxt_lightshaft_d.igz materials\effects\glows\fxt_phoenix_trail_d.igz models\effects\common\common_white_sphere.igz effects_igx\char\jeangrey\jeangrey_f_to_create_power.igz packages\generated\fusion\jeangrey\jeangrey_fusioncreatetornado.pkgb materials\effects\models\penance\penance_tornado_ringblack.igz materials\effects\decals\fxt_crack04_d.igz data\fusion\jeangrey\jeangrey_fusioncreatetornado.muc materials\effects\misc\fxt_sm3_whitefaulta_35.igz materials\effects\decals\fxt_crack04_n.igz effects_igx\base\misc\target_control_lockon.igz materials\effects\distortion\fxt_distort_shockwave.igz

2. There's a 'shocking' file called permanent_pc.pak. Can you imagine? They have been working on a PC version. Why they're not release it as a PC version?
BTW, this is the lines from that file :

Code Select Expand

packages\generated\maps\package\permanent_pc.pkgb textures\ui\hud_pc.igz
On the above, the file contains two files :
1. packages\generated\maps\package\permanent_pc.pkgb, I'm not sure about this one..
2. textures\ui\hud_pc.igz, Positions of the HUDs on PC version? I'm not so sure..

Just realized these, although I'm not so sure about the functions of each format :
1. .xmlb (Fightstyles, and talents are formed with this format. Ex: data\talents\jeangrey.xmlb)
2. .muc (Fightstyles, and powerstyles are formed with this format. Ex : data\fightstyles\moveset_flying.muc  data\fightstyles\interact_grabvictim.muc  data\powerstyles\ps_jeangrey.muc)
3. .pkgb is for packages for each characters. MUA compatible, maybe.
4. Animations are stored (and formed) into a .hkx file (God, another unknown format -_-) Ex : anims\123_jeangrey_4_conv.hkx
5. Materials (like debrises, chunks, etc.), models, and almost all effects (powers, fusions, and misc. effects) are stored (or formed) into an .igz file.
6. There's a mention about an .igx format somewhere..


Gameplay Differences on NDS, PSP, PS2, WII
Played all the games on emulators and actual consoles (I bought all the games for their respective platforms Some of them are borrowed from my friends)
On PSP :
- Fusion sounds is triggered right when the fusion is near the end of the fusion. (You can call it late)
- Camera movement is not always 'moving as they were intended' when using Fusions (Sometimes the camera move closer to the characters that are doing Fusions, sometimes it's not.)
- Music are sometimes can be heard throughout the gameplay, but sometimes it can't.
- Low-Resolution graphics, but medium quality sounds
- Lagging (a bit), Graphical bugs and glitches. (Low to med in emulator, low in actual console)
- Loading time is a little bit longer.. (Am I the only one who experiencing this?)

On PS2
- Fusion sounds sometimes triggered right when the fusion is near the end of the fusion. (You can call it late)
- Camera movement sometimes but not so often 'moving as they're intended' when using Fusions (Sometimes the camera move closer to the characters that are doing Fusions, sometimes it's not.)
- Medium Resolution graphics, and low quality sounds XD
- Lagging, Graphical bugs and glitches. (medium in emulator, low/none in actual console)
- Crash a lot on emulator, but not so often..

On WII
- Fusion sounds is triggered right when the characters are doing their fusion.
- Camera movement is 'moving as they're intended' when using Fusions.
- Medium to High Resolution graphics and high quality sounds.
- No graphical bugs and glitches. (Both in emulator and actual console)
- No lag

On NDS :
- The fusion type on the NDS is different. It seems like two characters releasing Xtreme powers at the same time, rather than they incorporate their powers to create different powers for fusions..
- No problem at the fusion sounds, camera movements, etc.
- Low-Resolution graphics and low quality sounds (yeah, NDS )

Keep in mind that 'emulator gameplay' is affected from your computer.. Not all gamers experiencing the problems above, but at least I do.. XD

Conclusion : The most stable version of Marvel:Ultimate Alliance 2 game is WII Version!

[Midnightphoenix]

This is really amazing and very helpful! I am excited for all these new things

I would love you to release this!

[MUALover]

This is really amazing and very helpful! I am excited for all these new things

I would love you to release this!

Will be uploaded tomorrow

Edited the first post regarding the permanent_pc.pak on the PS3 version.

[Dihan]

Permanent_PC could refer to player characters or the fact that all games are made on PCs regardless of whether they're releasing for PC or not.

[Teancum]

2. There's a 'shocking' file called permanent_pc.pak. Can you imagine? They have been working on a PC version. Why they're not release it as a PC version????????

Developers almost always build their games on PC for consoles. We also know from talking with n-Space devs that Alchemy is built to essentially be "push a button" to port assets (in their original, uncompiled form) to other platforms.

So the question becomes why did they skip PC? Well, I have a few theories: 1) MUA and XML2 didn't sell all that well on PC, and MUA required a secondary developer to prep the game for PC (optimizations, networking probably). 2) the core PC build could have been in a state of flux as they prepped the PS3/360 versions. In other words, maybe it ran on the dev's higher-end, all-the-same-model PCs, but they didn't have the resources to optimize it for all PCs at the time.

[LarsAlexandersson]

I'll be damn. But heck yeah

[fox456]

You've made some excellent discoveries, MUALover!  Thanks.

[sbarth13]

    class = pulltome (taken from Spiderman's Web Warrior power)

i find it interesting that you got this power to work. i have the MUA2 assets from the PSP that was released. this power is in there, but i've tried twice to use it and it won't work. i think Blaw/Marvintage also tried to use it and he said something to the effect that it wouldn't work for him. i would like to see the whole power code to see what you have thats different.

[Teancum]

Hate to necro-post (but hey, it's keeping the forum active, right?)

Conclusion from this version :
1. Animations are in .igz format, so we can't use their animations.
2. Talents are in .xmlb format, maybe we can open it after it got extracted.
3. Models, textures and even effects are in .igz and/or .igx format, we can't use their models, textures, and effects
4. Packages are stored in .pkgb format.

I know that .IGB stands for Intrinsic Graphics Binary (Intrinsic Graphics built the original engine, Vicarious Visions bought it and now keep it updated), so I assume .IGZ stands for something like Intrinsic Graphics Zip. Now I doubt it's actually zip compression, could stand for something like ZLIB, too. The idea here is that they're probably compressed on top of being a scene graph (which is so much more than just a "model")

[Teancum]

Interesting.

50_vonbardas.igb has menu animations. Apparently they toyed with the idea of making Lucia playable? I haven't tested the anims yet. Will get back to you.

**edit**

Meh, they're just Spider-Woman's anims

[MUALover]

Updated the first post with more informations..

Interesting.

50_vonbardas.igb has menu animations. Apparently they toyed with the idea of making Lucia playable? I haven't tested the anims yet. Will get back to you.

**edit**

Meh, they're just Spider-Woman's anims

That sucks, terribly XD

[Teancum]

Also checked on porting just the PS2 levels based on what I now know about the process. No luck. If you get dumped back to the title screen (which it does) it means the game cannot load a necessary resource. In this case it's the level geometry.

[MUALover]

Also checked on porting just the PS2 levels based on what I now know about the process. No luck. If you get dumped back to the title screen (which it does) it means the game cannot load a necessary resource. In this case it's the level geometry.

It would be cool if we can port PS2 levels into the game. By the way, can we port WII levels? or maybe PSP ones?

Also, I'm thinking about doing a fusion feature on MUA, will experimenting with it soon. They are mostly impossible to create, but we'll see.. Is the fusion feature requires new Alchemy engine? (such as the one in the WII, and probably PS2)

[Teancum]

An n-Space programmer told me fusions were written into the game's executable code, and overwrote extremes.

[MUALover]

An n-Space programmer told me fusions were written into the game's executable code, and overwrote extremes.

So that's impossible.. XD Maybe we can make custom fusions from scratch? Can we take 'fusions' resources from MUA2 Assets and then add them into Marvel:Ultimate Alliance? Or can we edit it with source codes of PS2?

Still trying to open the .pak file through extractors, but no to avail..