EQG Zone Importer

[Zaela_S]

Originally Posted by Gnomish1987

If one did use a PNG in lieu of a BMP, could one delete the parallel BMP files and the PNG ones would be loaded in their place even with an old zone/model? (For instance, if I wanted to make a brown Old Froglok to overwrite the base Old Froglok texture.)

Yeah. The client has no expectations about what format a particular image will be in. Any BMP or DDS file could be replaced with a PNG or JPEG without problems. It just looks at whatever's there, sees if it can figure out the format it's in, and sends it off to the correct decoder for that format.

The only caveat is that, due to internal references in the .wld files, the name of the image file needs to be exactly the same as the original one you want to replace, including the extension. So if you wanted to replace "frglg0101.bmp" with a PNG, that PNG would need to be renamed to "frglg0101.bmp". The extension doesn't really matter. I'm pretty sure some of the official texture updates for older zones are actually DDS files even though they have a ".bmp" extension -- changing the names inside the .wld is a bit of a pain.

Originally Posted by Gnomish1987

However, while I can get full use out of the Model Viewer, EQGExport still doesn't want to play nice. It simply opens, prompts for the S3D directory, populates the list of .s3d files, then does nothing further. I'm able to select a given .s3d file, but nothing comes up on the next column. Right-clicking does nothing.

Now that I'm really not sure what to say to :( Both tools are pretty much identical up to the point where it decides exactly what should show up in the second column. Right-click should bring up a the menu regardless, too... I re-uploaded my most recent files just in case that helps (zlib is now included too).


Maybe I should actually make a thread for EQGExport ;p

[jdoran]

What is the benefit of converting zones to EQG?

I think it is great that tools like this are being worked on.

I must admit that I like the s3d zones since I can use their models in other zones. Would these EQG tools provide a similar function?

[Packet]

Everything I've done uses png textures instead of DDS and BMP. I've noticed the file-size decrease to be well worth it. Also, the alpha channel with png files can be used if you choose the right shader for the material.

[Zaela_S]

Originally Posted by jdoran

What is the benefit of converting zones to EQG?

Mostly to make them compatible with this tool ;p EQG format zones are easier to work with in a lot of ways...

I'm just getting started re-writing this tool; when I'm done I should easily be able to add the ability to export placeable object models from one zone to another, and improve the s3d converter to be more complete (placeable objects, vertex colors, maybe alpha texture detection, etc).

[rhyotte]

So many cool tools popping up....and Sony just posted a 2 billion loss...

Here's to hoping!

[Akkadius]

Stickied thread

[Packet]

Originally Posted by Zaela_S

Mostly to make them compatible with this tool ;p EQG format zones are easier to work with in a lot of ways...

I'm just getting started re-writing this tool; when I'm done I should easily be able to add the ability to export placeable object models from one zone to another, and improve the s3d converter to be more complete (placeable objects, vertex colors, maybe alpha texture detection, etc).

Zaela, do you have a changelog anywhere? I've been abscent for a bit due to work and school. I'm uncertain if the original issues I had with your tool are still present.

[Zaela_S]

I doubt I changed anything since you last saw it.

[lakedoo23]

Zaela, I was going to attempt reverse engineering the EQG format, but I was hoping you might have some documentation laying around?

[Zaela_S]

Originally Posted by lakedoo23

Zaela, I was going to attempt reverse engineering the EQG format, but I was hoping you might have some documentation laying around?

Which part(s)?

The .eqg archives themselves are just differently-named .s3d archives. Several tools and sources around for opening those, although I could write something up quick about it.

If you're talking about the file types found particularly in .eqg-based stuff (.zon, .ter, .mod, .mds, .ani, etc) I could write up a bit about those too, they're all fairly straightforward.

[KLS]

The project has several zone utilities (https://github.com/EQEmu/zone-utilities) as well that includes code for reading all the known formats and are largely complete other than things we don't care about like animation.

Not exactly documentation but can be useful if you're trying to reverse any of the formats.

[Tyen05]

Ran into a small issue, wanted to see if there is any advice.

So gonna run through some images. Basically I took an edge of a hill and stretched it out to create a ramp.

First pic is me stretching it out in Maya.
Second pic is importing the obj to the EQG file.
Third pic is the viewer showing my edit.
Fourth pic is ingame where the edit is not showing up.

Basically my question is, when I edit a zone and import it, is there another step to make those edits show up? I've removed the .s3d so its just my editted .egc in my EQ directory.











The object I'm trying to import is here: http://eqbrowser.com/misc/crushboneramp.obj

[Gnomish1987]

I'm looking to make minor additions to a few old .s3d zones for my own use, such as adding extra alleyways, buildings, caves, etc. for things like new guildhalls in cities. However, a (rather sloppy) test with EQG Zone Importer quickly reminded me that objects and water are lost in the conversion from .s3d to .eqg, unfortunately.

OpenZone doesn't seem to be an option because the documentation is so outdated/sparse and it doesn't allow importation of .s3d files, but on the other hand, EQG Zone Importer's conversion process leaves the zone unusable due to lack of objects and water.

Is there some way of achieving what I want either through EQG Zone Importer or a combination of it and OpenZone? Again, I want to make additions to .s3d city zones without losing objects/water. (I'm not interested in modifying the newer .eqg zones instead, as my goal is to make new landmarks using the blocky, distinctive aesthetic of zones from Classic through Velious.)

Maybe I ought to make a standalone thread...

[jim001]

Does anyone know if there are any later versions of these?