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Post by Abelhawk on Aug 29, 2024 17:36:22 GMT -6
Does anyone know how to extract the text files in the game?
Last year I used some software to extract all the sound files and images in the game, and it's been great to have those as resources.
What I'd really like, though, are all the text files in the game—all the possible names for champions and towns, the descriptions for all units and buildings, dialog for encounters based on disposition, spell descriptions, artifact text, and everything else. Does anyone know how to do this?
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tloya
Member LVL 1
Posts: 12
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Post by tloya on Sept 2, 2024 0:08:57 GMT -6
It's the same process as extracting the images/sounds - just unpacking the gs.mpq file this time. The gs.mpq file is basically the heart of the game and contains the bulk of what makes it run outside of the executable itself. You will definitely want to make sure you're using a listfile with your MPQ editor so that the extracted text files will be named & organized rather than getting thousands of "File000000001.XXX" files. With respect to what you're looking for specifically... The tables containing all possible names of champions are in gs.mpq/gs/chmptext.txt - but if it's helpful I was curious about this same thing recently and extracted all of them into a table. See attached - saved as a csv for compatibility - should be able to open in Google docs for instance. Possible capital city names are buried in gs.mpq/gs/scenario.gs with the table starting at character 14,915 in the unmodded gs.mpq from the LOMSE disc. It's a pretty short list so I just copy-pasted it here: As with many things in LOMSE, there is lots of asymmetry in how many names each faith gets for their champions and cities. The descriptions for units and buildings have their own .gs files under the gs.mpq/gs/text directory (another reason it's very important you are unpacking the MPQ with a listfile so you can drill into the separate directory and isolate these files). Dialog for encounters is all included in gs.mpq/gs/textdict.gs - but be warned that this is a really big repository of the bulk of the text you see in-game and is very hard to follow as-is because the original .gs files don't have line breaks. Attached a copy of the file from the unmodded disc which I've previously gone through and added line breaks to in addition to some annotations. Mantera's versions from the GS5/GSZ mods are probably a bit more cleanly formatted but those contain a lot of customized text you may want to distinguish from the original data if you're looking at them for historical/archival purposes. Spell descriptions (both the library flavor text and the actual gameplay description) are in gs.mpq/gs/spells/speltext.gs. This one is a rare .gs file that natively has line breaks... although only between the flavor text and the gameplay text so you'll note each block of gameplay text bleeds into the subsequent spell's flavor text. Artifact descriptions are in the associated artifacts' .gs files under the gs.mpq/gs/artifact directory. Hope that's helpful - happy reading! |
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Post by Boaster on Sept 3, 2024 16:37:14 GMT -6
What he said.
I would also advise, on top, to use Notepad++. Great tool for searching for a string of text among many plain text files.
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Post by Abelhawk on Sept 5, 2024 8:05:53 GMT -6
This is everything I was hoping to find. Thanks so much! The idea of Listfiles alone is something I didn't know when I extracted the sound effects folder a few years ago, so I'm so glad I can do that without seeing a bunch of empty file names.
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Post by Abelhawk on Sept 9, 2024 6:24:21 GMT -6
There's one category of text these files seem to be missing: Descriptions of encounter locations. I can't find any text saying things like "This formerly abandoned encampment seems to be taken over by some local ruffians," or "Before you stands the spires of the Great Temple of Water. It seems Balkoth has sent some minions etc. etc." Any idea where those might be? The best I can find is what parties say to you when you encounter them, but I'm looking specifically for the building locations.
EDIT: Never mind! I found it. It's dungtext.gs
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Post by Boaster on Sept 10, 2024 6:09:07 GMT -6
Get Notepad++.
Extract all files to a single localized folder.
Use Notepad++ to do a text search by directory for a phrase you know. Find file this way.
Notepad++ is great for this.
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Post by Abelhawk on Sept 11, 2024 17:51:43 GMT -6
What about pictures of all the units in the game? Not necessarily their sprites, but just the image that's in the party view list at the bottom of the screen, in negotiation screens, and battle results? I can't find them anywhere.
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eyesodilated
Member LVL 7
May it be a light for you in dark places, when all other lights go out
Posts: 113 
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Post by eyesodilated on Sept 29, 2024 9:22:00 GMT -6
What about pictures of all the units in the game? Not necessarily their sprites, but just the image that's in the party view list at the bottom of the screen, in negotiation screens, and battle results? I can't find them anywhere. Its in the imp.mpq, look for the iface\ directory. Water would be waicons.imp. Extract the .imp and decompile with LOMUT |
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