Question about model/texture decoding

[pie6nin]

Long story extremely, extremely, short. How does dolphin decode the models in Gamecube games? I've been wanting to experiment with them in some modeling programs, but haven't found a way to open the .dat files Kirby Air Ride has. I took a look at the source code but didn't find anything about .dat files when I looked in the 'decoder' section of the OGL plugin.

[Billiard26]

Decoding of models would be in the PPC code of the games, not the Dolphin source code.

[pie6nin]

So the game instructs the console on how to decode the models... Thanks. Well, that pretty much prevents me from extracting any models, now doesn't it?

[Jennsu]

So the game instructs the console on how to decode the models... Thanks. Well, that pretty much prevents me from extracting any models, now doesn't it?

It doesn't, the kernel of the Wii is being emulated into Directx 9 or OpenGL calls (Atleast the functions that are supposed to make something being drawn, for sound DirectSound will be used to call), therefore you can extract anything you want from the stream, such as textures, models, frames, sounds, shaders etc. Of course if you don't know anything about vtable hooking or extending the plugins you might want to resort to other 3rd Party tools that do the same for you. Obviously learning how to hook will also give you the possibility to replace entities, meshes or anything you have extracted with the one you have modified, making a game run with different shaders, meshes and such. It's really simple if you get a Starter Kit.

And speaking of 3rd party tools, I'm not providing you with them, either someone helps you or you find them. I don't support mindless ripping things.

[pie6nin]

Yeah... I think I'm going to stop attempting to figure this out while I still have a few functioning brain cells. Thanks anyway.