Porting Tutorial

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Introduction

This tutorial will explain you how to export a track from any other 3D Mario Kart Game. If you are following the Custom Track Tutorial and making a level from scratch, proceed to the Modeling Tutorial.

If part of this article is unclear or hard for you to follow, you can ask questions on the Discussion page. Someone will attempt to clarify things for you and possibly edit the tutorial so it will be easier to understand.

The following will tutorials will explain step-by-step how to get your models in both Google Sketchup and 3DS Max if possible, and how to convert Max files to Sketchup, so please follow the guide appropriate to your needs. Additionally, this guide assumes you own a ROM or ISO Image of the needed game.

Important! The majority of these guides requires the use of 3DS Max before use in Google Sketchup. It is recommended that you go ahead and only use 3DS Max if possible.


Porting From Mario Kart 64

(The following applies to most N64 Games)

Exporting

Required Tools

Alternative Tools

Setup

Create a new folder in your hardrive folder - C:\ - titled VRML (This should be C:\VRML\). This file path is set in the emulator as the place to export the VRML file and the associated texture BMPs.

Open your Emulator. Take a moment to locate the Options Menu (Plugins Menu in 1964), as this plays a vital role in obtaining your model. Within the Options Menu, locate "Configure Graphics Plugin", as this is where you'll rip your model later on.

Next, you will need to load your N64 ROM, this can be done by simply dragging your ROM into your emulator. In game, select the course or level you wish to extract. Once the game play begins, pause the emulator immediately (This can be done by pressing hotkey F2 in Project64, or by pressing hotkey F3 1964). While the game is paused, go back to the Options Menu (Plugins Menu in 1964) and once again locate "Configure Graphics Plugin" and open it.

Within the Graphics Plugin configure menu, is an option that read "Export VRML". Select it and close the configuration menu. Quickly press F2 (F3 in 1964) to rip you model. This will capture one frame of animation, and create a VRML in your C:\\VRML\ folder. The emulator will only capture what geometry is shown on screen, so you'll have to capture your model multiple times from different locations, but be sure not to overwrite anything captured by moving it each time to a different folder or you can also directly import it into your 3D-Editor directly after capturing.

Importing

In 3DS Max

From here, importing into 3DS Max is simple. Once 3DS Max is open, select the 3DS Max logo in the top left corner. from there, select "Import". Go to your C:\\VRML\ folder, and select the VRML models you've exported (At this point, they've been given the file extension .wrl), and import them into your 3DS Max Scene. Import each .wrl model into your scene until each ripped frame combined creates the whole model.

The ripping process may have some effects on your UV coordinates, which must be fixed manually using the Unwrap UVW Modifier.

In Google Sketchup

Because Google Sketchup doesn't support VRML, you'll have to import it into another 3D-Editor first. It is recommended to use MeshLab because it works fine and is for free.

From here, importing into MeshLab is simple. Once MeshLab is open, select "File" in the top left corner. from there, select "Import". Go to your C:\\VRML\ folder, and select the VRML models you've exported (At this point, they've been given the file extension .wrl), and import them. Import each .wrl model into your scene until each ripped frame combined creates the whole model.

When done you can export your model as .3ds. Be sure to place it in the same folder with all the textures that have been exported together with your VRML (.wrl), otherwhise you'll lose them. Now import your .3ds-model into SketchUp.

Porting From Mario Kart Double Dash!!

(The following applies to all games using bmd/bdl models)

Required Tools

OR

Max

Optional:

  • BrawlBox (Allows you to both import the vertex colors and use collected shader data)


Sketchup

(The following applies to most GameCube/Wii games that use the BMD & BDL format)

Setup

Firstly, you need to open Dolphin. In the Dolphin window, select Browse, which should be right under the image of a star. Select the directory containing your ISO(s), and press select OK.

If you've selected the proper directory, then your game should now be displayed on the Dolphin main Menu. You should then right-click your game, and select "Properties" from the drop down menu. In the properties menu, you should select "Browse". This allows you to view & extract the game's files. You should look for key words within the directories of your game, such as "luigi_course.rarc", which would be GCN Luigi Circuit in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!. Most courses or levels in the game will be located in either an archive file. Refer to the following table for the needed tool to decompress the desired file:

  • SZS Tools Can:
    • Decompress SZS Files
    • Decompress Yaz0 File
    • Decompress Rarc, Carc & Arc files
  • Yay0 Decoder Can:
    • Decompress SZP Files
    • Decompress Yay0 Files

Once you've located you level or course, extract it by right clicking it and by selecting "Extract". Extract it to the directory you choose.

The last step would be obtaining the model from this file. Use the appropriate tool to decompress your archive. The process is fairly simple, if you have a Rarc, car, Arc, SZS or Yaz0, download SZS Tools. SZS & Yaz0 Files go into the Yaz0Dec that comes with SZS Tools, where they will be converted to .rarc. Any Rarc, Carc, or Arc, goes into rarc dump, where all of the files will be put into a folder for you to view.

If there are and BMD or BDL files, proceed to the next step.

3DS Max

Unlike most other games you can rip models from, this tutorial allows you to import both Vertex Colors & Shaders. Both are advanced lighting methods to make shadows, visual effects, and natural looking scenery. The following tutorial will explain how to both extract & import both into Mario Kart Wii. If you have no plans to use either, please move onto the next section.

Sertup the plugin

Firstly, you must setup the BMD Importer plugin to allow 3DS Max to import your BMD or BDL.

To keep this fairly short, a ReadMe has been included with the download for the Plugin. Follow it's instructions and proceed to the next step.

Getting Vertex colors & Shaders

Once you plugin is ready, you may import you BMD or BDL file.

Since the plugin supports only BMD files, simply rename your BDL to BMD and continue. Continue onto Creating a BRRES with BrawlBox for a setp-by-step guide on how to get your model in BRRES form using 3DS Max & BrawlBox.

One your BRRES is ready, you may add the shader data. To do so, open your BMD/BDL in the BMD Viewer 2. Once you model is loaded, go to File menu, and select "Dump Shader Data". You should get a .txt containing the shader data from your model. This data can be added to your model with the use of BrawlBox. The .txt will refer to the shader settings in BrawlBox you can alter. Re write the information in the .txt in BrawlBox. While settings between the BMD Viewer 2 & BrawlBox may not be exact, they are very similar, and will produce very similar results, casuing your model to look as if it was directly ported from the game you had gotten it from.

Porting From Mario Kart DS

Adding Textures

Okay. For textured models from the final do the following:

Unpack the MKDS ROM. Then copy and paste both course and Tex files. Example: Ridge_course.carc and ridge_courseTex.carc. After that use narctool to decompress them into NARC's. Now open MKDS Course Editor, look in the course file and export course_model.nsbmd. Now look in the course's texture file, and export course_model.nsbtx.

Now for the fun part (that's right, hex editing).

Open 2 times the hex editor you desire, opening both course_model.nsbmd and course_model.nsbtx. In course_model.nsbtx look for TEX0. Copy starting from TEX0 and ending from...the end. After you copied, paste it at the ending of the course_model.nsbmd. Paste it and your done. The same applies for the background.

Exporting & Importing

Part 1:

You Will Need The Following:

Exporting:

Once you have downloaded the .zip file, extract it to your desktop. Basically, the Tahaxan program is used for extracting the 3D models out of a DS game, and the NSBMD program is used for viewing the 3D models. Double-click on the Tihaxan program. Now click the button that says "Open NDS ROM". You may notice a lot of NARC files in your game. A CARC file stands for "Nintendo U8 Archive", which no existing SZS tools can open. Look browse through until you find the course you which you want to extract, (Example: rainbow_couse is DS Rainbow Road) double click and press "Extract".

Importing:

To get the model out of the carc file open MKDS Course Modifier and open the carc. Click in the treeview on course_model.nsbmd and hit the button with the package and the arrow up to export the file. Now that you have your NSBMD file, you will need to go through a few more steps.

Part 2: You Will Need the Following:

  • 3DVIA Printscreen (Download)
  • Google Sketchup
  • MKDS Course Modifier OR Tihaxan & NSBMD

Okay, first download 3DVIA Printscreen. Now, go to "Start", on your computer, then to Programs -> 3DVIA Printscreen, and leave it open. Next, we open our model in the NSBMD viewer (If the NSBMD viewer doesn't work, use MKDS Course Modifier), then we use our model viewer to find the desired area of the model. Make sure your model viewer window is the active one, you can do this by clicking it. Next, press hot key "F10", you will get a sign on the side of your screen, stating that it is capturing the model. You may need to do this more than once, as it only captures what you have on screen. Now, you will see a 3DVIA printscreen icon down to the bottom right of your screen. Left click it, and press "Explore Results". Now, drag the files onto your desktop. Next, make an account with 3DVIA. Activate your account, and upload what you got. Then you can Re-download it as a Dae file, then import into Google Sketchup. From there, put it back together, and OBJ export it, and that's all! __________________

Creating Your Track

Now that you have exported your model, you should scale it correctly. Check out Recommended Scale for Retro Tracks for that. After that you can proceed with making your own ported track! See the Importing Your Model section of the Modeling Tutorial next.

Custom Track Tutorials

Main Tutorials
Introduction – Textures – Scale – Modeling ⇒ Using Blender – BRRES: CTools
BRRES: BrawlBox – BRRES: RiiStudio – Minimap – Solidity – KCL: Wiimms Tools – KMP Editing
Object Editing – Cameras – Cannons – Post-effects – Videos

Battle Arenas
Battle Arenas – Enemy routes in battle arenas ⇒ Using Wiimm's Tools – Coins

Misc. Tutorials
Getting Files – BrawlBox Tricks – Animations – Shadows – Mipmaps
Custom Effects – Moving Terrain – Music – Ports – Paint Remakes – Tutorial Archive
Extended presence flags: Track Tutorial – LE-CODE Track FAQ

Testing and Reviewing
Testing a Track – Visual Review – Track Transformation – Fixing Errors

Software
3D Tools – BrawlBox – CTools Pack – KMP3D – KMP Cloud – KMP Modifier
Lorenzi's KMP Editor – MagicY – Material Tool – Post-Effect Editor – Wiimms SZS Tools – Wiimm's Tool Manager

Other
KMP Objects – Custom Objects – Model Database – Tutorial Archive

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