BLP.. will it ever be possible to ---

[Zyxpsilon]

Simply extract or at least inspect whatever content from it?

R&F brought even more assets into the stack of UI variations and since we aren't getting access to a dedicated "pantry" style SDK (that includes all other DLC too, btw)... i'm stuck with a limited set from the Base game like everyone else.

Either Firaxis officially pushes out an updated SDK with all the latest elements or some genius out there should really hook us all with a custom BLP tool. It's been more than two years since Civ6 released.. so essentially, the major development component is still off-limits for modders it seems.

 

[Wolfdog]

Simply extract or at least inspect whatever content from it?

R&F brought even more assets into the stack of UI variations and since we aren't getting access to a dedicated "pantry" style SDK (that includes all other DLC too, btw)... i'm stuck with a limited set from the Base game like everyone else.

Either Firaxis officially pushes out an updated SDK with all the latest elements or some genius out there should really hook us all with a custom BLP tool. It's been more than two years since Civ6 released.. so essentially, the major development component is still off-limits for modders it seems.

I hope so. I would love to know what animations the Drone and Paradrop use. Just giving a unit the paradrop ability makes it teleport and not paradrop.

 

[Zyxpsilon]

Soooooo much power & details are hidden in these BLP files.. it's really baffling why nothing has been done yet to help the Modding community except for the minimal SDK (basic assets only) Firaxis gave us.
:Cross-Fingers:

 

[Deliverator]

Soooooo much power & details are hidden in these BLP files.. it's really baffling why nothing has been done yet to help the Modding community except for the minimal SDK (basic assets only) Firaxis gave us.
:Cross-Fingers:

I really don't know what you want to able to do that you can't currently do - I personally don't feel limited other than we are reliant on Firaxis releasing the raw assets in the SDK Assets.

Things are much better than Civ 5 at this stage:
1) We can get all SDK Asset models, skeletons and animations into Blender to modify them.
2) We can get models and animations from Blender into the game including animated Leaders.
3) We can open all textures that are included in the SDK Assets.
4) We can convert models and animations from Civ 5 -> Civ 6 quickly and easily.
5) We can visualise everything in the game engine outside of the game (albeit in a Asset Previewer that crashes often).

None of the above was possible with Civ 5 even after expansion, and some was never possible.

We don't have any of the Rise & Fall and DLC assets in the SDK Assets which is a shame - I don't know if that will change, but to be honest we have loads that is possible with 3D art now.

Coding-wise reversing the .blp cooking code is going to be very hard with not enough incentive so I think it's very very unlikely you'll ever get that. Why not focus on what can be done - which is a lot - rather than what can't?

(Also at the risk of being pedantic it's only 18 months since Civ 6 was released - not more that 2 years.)

 

[Zyxpsilon]

Fair points.

Yet. Lemme give you an example...



This Eras transition/animation trick (since R&F) has specific components that we currently can't extract. We sure get the actual (XML+) coding references, but each individual elements are still compiled into the BLP system. And so does many more assets.
The reasons being that having quick access to any authentic resources can help determine which modded designs are easily possible rather than to guess/gamble with a few tricky concepts & developping them into false "assembly" of custom GFX stuff. I'm more into HUD/UI gimmicks and anything new or recent is still simply hidden from formal analysis.

Soooooo.. right now.. i'm attempting to fine-tune an extremely simple project called "Scorinarow".



Whatever other assets exist anywhere else than the SDK/Pantry folders.. i'd still could use but the precise output cycle is a matter of "Trial&Error" when trying to pick'n'choose Atlas style icons, etc.
Thus.. IF i would need a Nubian pyramid action/build icon to replace the Ziggurat currently representing the Wonders/Stat value on the GridButton above.. this is where it can be pulled from;

<IconDefinitions>
<Row Name="ICON_IMPROVEMENT_PYRAMID" Atlas="ICON_ATLAS_NUBIA_UNIT_ACTIONS" Index="0"/>
</IconDefinitions>

... as defined by its corresponding XML in that DLC data folder(s). Then again in this case, she also has a cool Amun/Temple "building" -- fully colored.

<Row Name="ICON_BUILDING_TEMPLE_AMUN" Atlas="ICON_ATLAS_NUBIA_BUILDINGS" Index="2"/>

It gets overly complicated to gain a rational grasp of ALL available assets without some "Pantry" source of the facts. I just like taking whatever decisions within proper context.

 

[Deliverator]

This Eras transition/animation trick (since R&F) has specific components that we currently can't extract. We sure get the actual (XML+) coding references, but each individual elements are still compiled into the BLP system. And so does many more assets.

It gets overly complicated to gain a rational grasp of ALL available assets without some "Pantry" source of the facts. I just like taking whatever decisions within proper context.

Yeah, I do appreciate that this is frustrating. Sukritact's workaround for extracting textures may help in some cases.

 

[Zyxpsilon]

Fantastic help right there, buddy (and him!).
Should fit the deal for me -- thanks much!

 

[Zyxpsilon]

There you go.. first early test within a Gimp Alpha layer! It just simply -- works as intended.

 

[Zyxpsilon]

OH... maybe you'd remember this.
Civ5 Firetuner had a specific mod (or some TLP file) that allowed to inspect Textures too.
What if someone could mimic its methods or find a workaround solution?

 

[Zyxpsilon]

Soooooo.. any recent news on us getting the GS Pantry files?

 

[Wolfdog]

Soooooo.. any recent news on us getting the GS Pantry files?

As much as I want to get into these files, mainly so I can have access to the animations I know it is never going to happen. No one is going to make a blp extractor as it may upset firaxis if we have access to content they don't want us to have.

 

[Zyxpsilon]

When GS was going through each of its Twitch promo videos with devs.. there was a clear reference by someone they had serious plans on releasing such Pantry resources for everything, asap.
That's what i'm speaking of. Officially supported assets directly given by Firaxis. We got anything from R&F -- we just want GS as well.

 

[Deliverator]

When GS was going through each of its Twitch promo videos with devs.. there was a clear reference by someone they had serious plans on releasing such Pantry resources for everything, asap.
That's what i'm speaking of. Officially supported assets directly given by Firaxis. We got anything from R&F -- we just want GS as well.

This is what Dennis Shirk said in the Tales from the Trenches Livestream - 20 minutes in:

Well I can't say specific dates because it's still in progress. Once we've switched off of our official Gathering Storm work we'll turn our attention to getting all of the modding and SDK tools updated so that's in progress coming soon. Again I'm not gonna give you an exact date, hopefully before spring, we shall see, but we're gonna be updating all the tools. We're gonna be updating the art depots to include all of the expansion 1 and expansion 2 art packs. We're gonna make sure Scout Cat gets in there too.

So no commitment to dates but they have said that Expansion 1 (Rise & Fall) and Expansion 2 (GS) assets will be released to the pantry/SDK Assets "hopefully before spring" - interpret that how you like!

 

[Zyxpsilon]

@Deliverator .. Yup, that's precisely what i was refering to. Sooner the better!

There are soooooo many GFX assets i need direct files for -- namely the latest source FontIcons for various/misc modding purposes. It's always good to checkout what is where (specially in those big Atlas structures) & within XML instructions (files tagging).. but nothing like some exact visual proof of specifics.

 

[TheMarshmallowBear]

As far as I know we might get it fairly soon, I know Dennis said they plan on updating the depos soon.

 

[Zyxpsilon]

Good.. very good.. gathery-stormy-brainy good!