How To Rip Rigged Models from a CSN Asset

= Information = This page will teach you how to rip a model from a cutscene. It is impossible to get the morph targets (also known as Shape Keys) from these models. = Required software =
 * Industrial Park (level editor)
 * (You can use any software that can open a HOP file.)


 * Any hex editor (One with Wildcard search compatibility is prefered.)
 * Although not having wildcard search compatability, we will be using HxD. This is a freeware hex editor that is virus-free.


 * Any HOP archive that contains a CSN asset.


 * rwio


 * 3ds Max 64 bit (any version from 2009 up to 2020, excluding 2011, 2013, 2016, and 2019.)
 * The exporter, rwio, has support for 32 bit versions of 3ds max 2009, 2010, and 2012.

= Getting the CSN asset = For this tutorial, we will be using DB_entry.CSN.

To get this asset, we will need to navigate to the CUTSCENE layer.



Then, you will have to select DB_entry. Then, press the "Export Raw" button to the right of the asset editor.



You will be prompted to name the file. You can name it whatever you want, but add .CSN to the end of the filename.



You are done with Industrial Park.

= Hex Editing = Unfortunately, this tutorial requires a hex editor, which can seem intimidating at first, but this portion will explain what to do in the most detail we can give.

Searching
Although our hex editor cannot search with wildcard, we can still search the first number we need. This will give us some results that aren't part of the DFF, but these can be easily spotted.



When you find a DFF
Let's say we've found a DFF. It will look like "10 00 00 00 ** ** ** ** FF FF 00 14". The asterisks can be filled with anything.

You can skip to Chapter 5 to see what DFF you have, if you already know how to get the DFF.

A good example of a DFF would be "10 00 00 00 66 2E 00 00 FF FF 00 14". This model is one of SpongeBob's eyelids, which we're not looking for! We're wanting SpongeBob himself here, so we can keep on searching.

Some bad examples of a DFF would be:
 * Numbers that start with "10 00 00 00", and do not end with 8 characters and "FF FF 00 14".
 * Numbers that look like "10 00 00 00 FF FF 00 14". These do not have the 8 characters needed for a DFF.

Pretend we've found SpongeBob. His offset is 3800 in an untouched CSN file. Offset 3800 is "10 00 00 00 CE D0 02 00 FF FF 00 14".

Now for actually obtaining the DFF.

Step 1: Select the space before the digits "10".

Step 2: Hold down Shift, select the scroll bar and scroll to the beginning of the file (the top), and press Backspace or Delete.

Step 3: Click on "Save as..." in the File menu on the top left of the program.

Step 4: You will get a dialogue box asking what you want to save it as. Make sure "Save as type:" says "All files (*.*)". Save this with the file extension ".DFF".

You are done with hex editing.

= The 3D part =

You should have the rwio plugin installed already.

Congratulations! You have just gotten the hardest part of the tutorial out of the way. Now, open 3ds Max.

Assuming you already have rwio installed, let's import the model we've found.

First, click on the 3 on the top left of the screen. This button may look different on different 3ds Max versions. Then, click on the arrow right next to Import. Then, click on the Import slightly more to the right of the arrow we just clicked on.



Now, browse to your brand new DFF file you just made.

Import it, and it should automatically know the file format based off of the extension you gave it earlier.

You should get a dialogue box that looks like this. (The 70 is usually 45 by default.)



You can change the settings however you please, but Explicit Normals doesn't seem to work for me.

Now you should have that juicy cutscene model that's overly hard to get for whatever reason.



Remember, you can always use any CSN asset and follow the same steps!