Starting to unravel the MESH format

[grumpyoldman]

Hi

I've been looking at the .MESH format and although it's not complete, I thought I'd share what I've found and maybe kickstart others to finish it.

I've mainly been looking at figure meshes (siege engine and other meshes are a bit different) and the information relates to these.

MESH files are stored as follows:-

.at byte 69 of the initial header - integer value for number of different mesh groups = num_group

.at byte 83 - start of first mesh group, integer showing length of mesh type (ie body ,arms, legs,etc) name string

.mesh type name string

.integer showing length of mesh group name(ie legs 01, arms 04, etc) string

.mesh group name string

.2 bytes of dummy data (only in first mesh group)

.integer showing number of triangles in mesh group = n

.n * 3 * 2 byte shorts for triangle values

.29 byte header/footer (only between first and second mesh groups all others are 23 bytes)

repeating for 1 to num_group-1

.integer - length of mesh type string

.mesh type string

.integer - length of mesh group name string

.mesh group name string

.integer showing number of triangles in mesh group = n

.n * 3 * 2 byte shorts for triangle values

.23 bytes of header/footer

Then you have another 24 byte of header/footer

.integer - number of vertices = n2

.n2 * 2 * 4 byte float - texture coord u and v values (note here the uv values are based on a composite texture ie 2048 x 1024 - the figure texture on the left and the attachment texture on the right)

.28 byte of header/footer

.integer - number of vertices = n2

.n2 * 2 * 4 byte float - vertex weights (primary weight, secondary weight - from left)

.38 bytes of header/footer

.integer - number of vertices = n2

.n2 * 3 * 4 byte float - vertex vector

.36 bytes of header/footer

.integer - number of vertices = n2

.vertex/bone assignments, information in series of four bytes - (from left) byte1 = 0, byte2 = secondary bone, byte3 = primary bone, byte4 = 0

That's as about as far as I've got so far. There is another block of code following the vertex/bone assignments that I haven't worked out yet. It seems to be in series of three bytes followed by a zero byte - maybe something to do with shader systems - any ideas?

After this block is just a listing of the skeleton bones in hierarchy order. Hopefully somebody can use this to go further.

Cheers

GrumpyOldMan

[grumpyoldman]

Hi

I was expecting at least some sort of reaction .

Anyway, here are some pics of extracted meshes that I exploded a bit so the separate parts can be seen

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s...rquebusier.png

and

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s...07/pikeman.png

Cheers

GrumpyOldMan

[lionskin]

You're a genius, thats all i can say right now

[Goatbuster3000]

Whoa, that is some impressive work there, grumpyoldman. Kudos to you!

[Tsar Stefan Dusan IV]

I was expecting at least some sort of reaction .

You are one of those genius minds that no one understands: "that guy is freackin' out, man, he says the world is round, huh! :shrugs:"
That is awesome, man, I always believed that we will get the .mesh converter from someone within this community rather then from developers...
I am no good at these things, and heaven't really understood much of Your first post , but as they say: "One picture, a thousand words".
This guy deserves a +rep from all of us, especially 3D modelers, so, don't make me repeat myself...
This is REALLY a BREAKTHROUGH!!!! Superb work, old man. You ROCK!!!

[DarkKnight]

I was expecting at least some sort of reaction .

Every single word that you said in that first post flew right over my head. I have no idea what any of that means. And I think the reason why there is not much reaction is because no one else can understand any of it.

But from the looks of it, and those pictures, GREAT WORK!!!

[Re Berengario I]

I Agree!!! +REP is the minimum (too bad I never get interested in programming 3ds plugins and scripts)

[Lusted]

Most of that technically babble went over my head as well, but fi you release a .mesh plugin script you will be reveared as a god by the community.

[PurpleScotch]

Amazing, please release it!

We will all worship you if you do .

[SigniferOne]

Nice progress g.o.m, very impressive.

[SigniferOne]

I hope you go on, grumpy, this could prove invaluable in case there's a hitch on the CA side of things!

[Tsar Stefan Dusan IV]

Yeah, keep us posted

[edders]

Thank you for your hard work. Rep given .

[Serious Spamurai]

As much as I'd like to understand the first post I don't, but this discovery could/may/will lead to us being able to edit the .mesh files. I would give you +1,000,000 rep but sadly I can only give you +1. If you do manage to fully extract/covert the .mesh files then you will be a living god, in my eyes at least.

[PurpleScotch]

I don't GOM is coming back, it has been 7 posts since he posted that last post over our posts. A sad day indeed.

[Soulghast]

Hopefully somebody can use this to go further.

Here is your answer guys. A sad day, indeed.

[KnightErrant]

He's still working on it. He was also able to do a
siege engine which is a little different in its
uv arrangement. He also said he was going to work
on the mystery block some more. I just think he doesn't
post unless he has something he considers important to say.

[DarkKnight]

The project isn't dead. The crackers at the org are still working on it:
http://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=79414

[grumpyoldman]

Hi Guys

I'm still working on it, but with some help over at the org. Main problem at the moment is I'm having mystery reboots so it means taking my pc apart and trying to find what's wrong. So far eliminated software, dust and power supply as problems, now to look at video card or motherboard (shudder).

Any new info that people find from looking at the mesh files will be handy.

Here's a pic of the culverin http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s...7/culverin.png

Cheers

GrumpyOldMan

[Re Berengario I]

I'm writing here so to keep clean the discussion at the org (because it's in the wiki part).

Maybe it's not needed but I want GOP, KE and Casuir feel the love from all the MTW2 modding community for the hard work they're doing. It's an obscure and unpleasant work but it will be the one that will let us bring into the game a lot of new wonderful ideas.

We really appreciate your efforts, keep on going!