Extracting custom container (.DAT) package from disc

[DD-Indeed]

Not at all, don't be sorry, this is just sparetime project that you work if you like


Well thing is that I ripped those tracker files out of Driver games and I lack the skills with tracker music compositions and how to use the software. So far, I've ripped SEQ files out of PSF's from other games and converted those to MIDI, which can be used on FL Studio, which itself is much more convenient to use. I managed to do that with RE-games and did some remixes of those songs just using the patterns, but replacing the instruments used.

But, if we can make the game to play the songs in the menu itself, we can export/record those while in the menu, so that there's no sound effects etc mixed to them. Even better of course if you guys can export those trackers out and we can then just re-render them in tracker software.

[Squaresoft74]

Getting closer, i think i got the XM loading part working as it should.
I need to figure out the playback stuff now.

[Yagotzirck]

Nice
If you got how .XMs and .VABs are linked together I could try converting samples to PCM and import them inside XMs to see if they play fine.

[DD-Indeed]

The way the game loads the music ingame is perhaps a bit broken. I noticed that when I managed to get underground section, that the new music playing over there only plays on two/three camera angles upon entering the place, but when you walk away from those, the music cuts out instantly to a complete silence. And when reaching some other areas, it starts to play the same general track it was playing on the base area as well. Might be helpful information or not, here's a save file for it incase you need:

https://www.sendspace.com/file/kjrgu5

[Squaresoft74]

As far as i could see, the game never really stop playback but rather mute the XM tracks.
If you let the FMV play after getting the title screen for example, the XM still play but has its volume set to zero.
Thanks for the new save file !

[DD-Indeed]

I can see the logic on that, but when it suddenly mutes when changing to different camera angle, that's really weird. It's either programming error or weird design choise (which this game is obviosly full of).

[DD-Indeed]

Yet another new save file, this time with new track playing on the Altar section (damn they mixed those organs high, makes you deaf! )

https://www.sendspace.com/file/pmwxd9

[Squaresoft74]

Ok got a working PSF driver !
It's still WIP and i need to clean up my messy notes, but we're almost there now.

*edit*
File removed, see my next post.

[DD-Indeed]

Omg, Omg! Just tested it out in foobar2000, works like a charm! And oh it sounds so smooth and clean.

[Squaresoft74]

Here's a wip set for you to check.
I've only included tracks that i assume are using 0008.VAB for now, so it's not complete yet.
Since you played the game and i didn't , please let me know how those sound for you compared to it.

Note that track's specific reverb depth isn't implemented so they all use the same as the title screen bgm atm.

[DD-Indeed]

The reverb option on that PSF codec for foobar2000 sounds okay for there, I'll investigate these and try to trigger them ingame so do comparisons. So far at least compared to PC version, these sounds pretty close, but some instruments were off/wrong. Nevertheless, great job, we're almost done!



Edit: One thing I would need to do with these is to adjust the instrument volumes a bit, the mixing in these tracks have too inconsistent loudness in some point that is hurts your ears even. Perhaps that can be arranged somehow.

[DD-Indeed]

Okay, here's the list, I went them all through:


Bgm0A-00CD <--- Altar discovery music, sounds correct, PC version is completely different.
(Total length = 1:48 (loops 0:25-1:48 endlessly))


Bgm0B-00CE <--- wrong instruments on drum beat, one of the many base themes, PC version is identical.
(Total length = ? (couple sections that loops endlessly, hard to determine the cut point))


Bgm0C-00CF <--- Trimorph (big monster) theme, sounds correct, slightly different than PC version.
(Total length = 0:57, loops this endlessly )


Bgm0D-00D0 <--- Necropolis (underground) theme, sounds correct, PC version is different but with same melodies.
(Total length = 3:26)


Bgm0E-00D1 <--- Main Theme, sounds correct, PC version is much much better however.
(Total length = 0:34 (two sections, loops endlessly))


Bgm04-00C7 <--- One of the base themes, sounds correct, PC version is different but with same melodies.
(Total length = 2:50)


Bgm05-00C8 <--- Unknown, happens propably in some specific place I haven't been yet.
(Total length = 2:03, overlapping slightly on the loop)


Bgm06-00C9 <--- Yet another base theme, sounds correct, this track is only on PS1 version.
(Total length = 6:08)


Bgm07-00CA <--- And another base theme, sounds correct, this track is only on PS1 version.
(Total length = 4:08)


Bgm08-00CB <--- Aaand another base theme, plays too fast & misses synth sounds, PC version sounds slightly different. (Total length = 0:54 (loops this, but there should be one section more after this))


Bgm09-00CC <--- Infomesh/Shuttle Bay theme
(Total lenght = 2:16, overlapping slightly on the loop)







In case if you wanna compare to the PC version, I uploaded this full collection couple weeks ago, you can compare some of those tracks which are similar that how they should sound.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kU-fAiT-A1o

[Squaresoft74]

Thanks for the detailed report, i'll check more later, taking a break for now.

Bgm09-00CC <--- Cuts out after 3 seconds and jumps to next track.

You need to disable "stop playback after xx sec of silence" in your PSF player settings.

Bgm0B-00CE <--- Some wrong instruments on drum beats, one of the many base themes, PC version is identical.

You mean the PC version has the same issue ?

[DD-Indeed]

Ah okay, now it works. Finally I can hear this track without some sounds effects that flood the track completely ingame.



And yes, you guys deserve a break now, finish this after you've taken some time off



''You mean the PC version has the same issue ?''


I actually don't know, now that I think of it again. I dunno that did I even trigger this song in the game so far, the audio system is broken in the game so that in order to trigger cecrtain songs, you need to be in exact place and the exact time (and that can be just a certain camera angle on certain room ). I need to try out from the beginning to see that does it trigger, I remember that it should trigger in the beginning section of the game.

[DD-Indeed]

I started to feel that some of the tracks should be longer, is the 3 min limit something that you put yourself or is that the lenght of each song in the disc too ?


Also, the track number Bgm08-00CB can be heard in that PC-version video at 13:24. When you compare to the extracted PS1 version, the PS1 version runs way too fast and lacks that greasy synth sample.

[Squaresoft74]

When no timing tag is present, which is the case for now, PSF players use their default play length value.
Just increase it in the settings.
You can also play PSF files using emulators such as Avocado, BizHawk, Duckstation, Mednafen or PCSX-Redux.
I'm using Duckstation that sounds pretty good compared to original hardware based on my testings.

I'll look into what's causing Bgm08-00CB to play too fast when i can.

Side note, can you check this PS1 playthrough and report timestamps where currently ripped bmgs play ?

[DD-Indeed]

It's true that these PSF's are much higher quality than the sound on emulators, and no sound effects messing up the actual song. Need to try those PSF's with BizHawk and Duckstation, as I have both.


I can check that, I was about to say that too, that we need to watch actual walkthrough to see where those songs trigger and how they should sound So far, I didn't manage to trigger most of the songs, only 4 or 5. The game is weird in that sense that perhaps some of those songs trigger only if you play it in certain order. Emulation and its settings can also cause issues with that, propably would work correctly on actual hardware.


Edit: I listened through all of the PSF's without length limit, I updated the previous post that contained track names, with the length of them.

[Yagotzirck]

Nice going, I guess this is almost done so there's no point in me jumping in anymore (I'd have to continue reversing from the limited amount of stuff I figured out last week, and it wouldn't make any sense since SquareSoft already discovered pretty much everything on his own, minus the final details to consider it complete).
I wish I could contribute a bit more, but I guess I'll stay content with the extractor tool "contribution"
Good luck with finishing this!

[DD-Indeed]

Nice going, I guess this is almost done so there's no point in me jumping in anymore (I'd have to continue reversing from the limited amount of stuff I figured out last week, and it wouldn't make any sense since SquareSoft already discovered pretty much everything on his own, minus the final details to consider it complete).
I wish I could contribute a bit more, but I guess I'll stay content with the extractor tool "contribution"
Good luck with finishing this!

If it's allright, I'll write down your name as contributor to this, once I upload all the music to YT, is that okay ? Same goes with Square, I always wanna remember the people who help with something and you both have done extraordinary work, even thou the game is bad as hell Really high props to you!

[DD-Indeed]

@Squaresoft74

I went through the video and that was propably the worst time I've ever done with investigating something

But anyway, here's all the times when these songs play:



Bgm07-00CA <--- 8:15, sounds correct

(The game plays mostly these two songs all the time)

Bgm06-00C9 <--- 14:07, sounds correct (this song plays 60% of the time when there's music in the game, fucking hate this )






Bgm04-00C7 <--- 1:25:37, sounds correct


Bgm09-00CC <--- 2:05:33, sounds correct


Bgm0A-00CD <--- 3:03:18, sounds correct


Bgm0C-00CF <--- 3:28:31, sounds correct


Bgm0D-00D0 <--- 4:14:15, sounds correct





The game is definitely so broken that the audio system isn't working properly (on emulation at least). I heard some of the songs playing in very high pitch in certain sections, and after a while it returned to normal pitch (Necropolis theme especially in the alien tomb area). I need to find a video where someone is playing the game through on actual PS1 console to see whether the sounds work correctly.