SkullMod Guide

[0xFAIL]

SkullMod
A few forum members asked for a how-to, so here it is

Where can I get it?
The first release on this page


Which files can be modded?
PLEASE READ THE NOTE BELOW THIS LIST

Files that you might be interested in are marked green
Yes:

• characters-art.gfs
• characters-art-pt.gfs
• characters-win.gfs
• levels.gfs (level description)
• levels-textures.gfs (textures for 3D levels)
• levels-textures2d.gfs (background for 2D stages)
• music-win.gfs
  
• sprites.gfs
• ui-artgallery.gfs
• ui-storyart.gfs
• ui-win.gfs
• ved.gfs (an old version of dev.gfs, afaik not used by the game)

No:

• characters-foits.gfs (contains palettes among other things)
• dev.gfs (contains shaders and other thingamagics)
• ui.gfs (Otter UI scenes and misc, if I remember correctly)

Note: Before you go all: "BUT, THE CHARACTERS ARE EDITABLE" (characters-art.gfs etc.)
It won't work.

Also, there's no need to move the art/art-pt files to the bottom of the list or hash verify them, ever - those are literally just the compressed art data stuck together. The information for how to interpret that data to get art back is in foits, so even if you messed with the art files you wouldn't be able to do anything except screw up what gets displayed because it's still going to be looking for the original data. I intentionally don't verify them because hashing a 300mb file is unnecesssary when hashing a 20mb file does the same thing.

Unpack .gfs files

Drag and drop .gfs files on "GFS unpack"
The output will be in the same directory

Command line: SkullMod -do unpack -gfs -files C:/path/to/file.gfs C:/one/more/file.gfs

Pack .gfs files

Drag and drop directories on "GFS pack"
The .gfs files will be in the same directory

Note: If you want to pack the directory "characters-art-pt" again
you have to use "GFS pack aligned" instead

Command line:
SkullMod -do pack -gfs -files C:/path/to/a/directory D:/or/more
SkullMod -do pack -gfs -gfs_pack_align -files C:/path/to/a/directory D:/or/more

Unpack .spr.msb files

Make sure the .dds file with the same name as the .spr.msb file is in the same directory
Drag and drop .spr.msb files on "SPR unpack"
The output will be in the same directory
The .html files are a preview how the animation looks ingame

Command line:
SkullMod -do unpack -spr -files "C:/random/path with spaces/test.spr.msb"

Unpack character_select_NAME.spr.msb
Export the character select animations with an applied palette
Only on the command line for now
The palette has to be in the SAME directory as the .spr.msb

Command line:
SkullMod -do unpack -spr_charselect -spr_charselect_p beowulf_1p.dds -files C:/character_select_beowulf.spr.msb

Unpack .dds files

Drag and drop .dds files on "DDS unpack"
The output will be in the same directory

Command line:
SkullMod -do unpack -dds -files C:/path/to/image.dds


Unpack .pcx files

Drag and drop .pcx file on "PCX unpack"
The output will be in the same directory

Used for character portraits during a fight
Can be edited directly with Gimp and Photoshop

Command line:
SkullMod -do unpack -pcx -files C:/the/biggest_band.pcx

========================
Tutorials that have nothing to with SkullMod
Get sound effects
I won't vouch for this program since I didn't write it
Run it through antivirus software of your choice to be sure that it's clean

Install Dragon UnPACKer from here http://sourceforge.net/projects/dragonunpacker/files/latest/download
Make sure to select English on first start

Dropdown Menu -> File -> HyperRipper

Press the button with "..." to the left of source, select "characters-win.gfs" in the "data01" directory of the game
Select "Formats" tab, select WAVE only (see picture below), go back to the "Search" tab

Press the search button (the one below "...", wait till it's finished)
After it's done press close on Hyperripper
Dragon unpacker looks like this now:

Select "characters-win_gfs-0000000001.wav" with a left click on it, press Ctrl+A
Now all entries should be selected
Rightclick on any of them: "Extract Files to..." -> "Without Convertion" [That probably should have been "conversion"...]
Select a directory, all wav files are dumped in that directory (~4300 files, this takes some time)
Close DragonUnpacker, open files with VLC/Foobar2000 or any other music player

 

[Cellsai]

Oh wow. This is a super easy way to pack and unpack stuff. Thanks!

 

[SkullMan]

When I tried to unpack music-win.gfs, all I get is the window on the right and the music-win.gfs did not unpack. Is there something that I am missing?

 

[Mike_Z]

Is there a commandline GFS unpacker? If not...can there be? It'd be really helpful actually. :^)

Also, there's no need to move the art/art-pt files to the bottom of the list or hash verify them, ever - those are literally just the compressed art data stuck together. The information for how to interpret that data to get art back is in foits, so even if you messed with the art files you wouldn't be able to do anything except screw up what gets displayed because it's still going to be looking for the original data. I intentionally don't verify them because hashing a 300mb file is unnecesssary when hashing a 20mb file does the same thing.

 

[0xFAIL]

View attachment 7000
When I tried to unpack music-win.gfs, all I get is the window on the right and the music-win.gfs did not unpack. Is there something that I am missing?

Should work now, updated the file (https://github.com/0xFAIL/SkullMod/releases/tag/v0.4)

Is there a commandline GFS unpacker? If not...can there be? It'd be really helpful actually. :^)

Edit: Added examples for the command line to the first post

The current version can unpack gfs and can be used from the command line, if you need a feature just drop me a line

(Only gfs pack/unpack works)

 

[0xFAIL]

Added unpack for .dds and .spr.msb to the guide

 

[0xFAIL]

Added unpack for .pcx to the gude
Added explanation for pcx

 

[Mike_Z]

Added explanation for pcx

All 2D game makers from the 90s are weeping that this had to be explained.

 

[Baron Rider]

Why no palette hacks?

 

[Kasumi]

From what I recall, the game will not load modified versions of the files that palettes are in. Getting around this would not be trivial. Some palette colors are paid DLC, them being easy to modify would let one cheat that.

 

[fddcsjxk]

Here is all the stages in the game with their corresponding music filenames. I looked for this information elsewhere but could not find it, hopefully this will come in handy to others looking to customize the game's music:

• Streets of New Meridian (skull02)
• River King Casino (skull_casino)
• Medici Tower (skull03)
• New Meridian Rooftops (skull_rooftops)
• Rooftops Assault (skull_nighttime)
• NMO Arena (sg_arena)
• NMO Arena Empty (empty_arena)
• Bath of Tefnut (skull_eliza)
• Bath of Sekhmet (sg_bloody)
• Under The Bridge (skull_underthebridge)
• Meridian Area Rapid Transit (sg_train)
• Little Innsmouth (skull06) - Shared with Night
  
• Lab 8 (skull04) - Shared with Empty
  
• Maplecrest (skull_maple)
• Nightmare Crest (skull_nmc)
• Grand Cathedral (skull05) - Shared with Night
• Final Atrium (skull_boss)
• Gehenna (sg_gehenna)
• Glass Canopy (skull_glasswaltz)
• Class Notes (skull01)
• Main Menu (menu)
• Character Select (select)
• Snapback Infinite (sg_poccola)

Keep in mind that some files have _intro and _loop variants while others have _1 and _2.

 

[ZEkA10000]

Somebody have SkullMod.exe?