Multimedia Formats and Tools
This page is intended to move here all info about multimedia file formats that is commonly used in other wiki pages and the related PC tools
A lot more fileformats not added yet to the page are listed in: http://www.psdevwiki.com/ps3/XMB_database#Promoter
See also Game Modding
Image
BMP
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMP_file_format
DDS
Direct Draw Surface (DDS)
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DirectDraw_Surface
- http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb943991.aspx
DDS normal maps
Normal maps are a 3D effect, the word "normal" is a reference to the Y axis (of the 3D space defined by X,Y,Z axis), is also known as "elevation". Normal maps can make small areas of a surface to be displayed with a displacement up or down, they also reacts to the lights of the scene dinamycally
NVIDIA Normal Map filter plugin for photoshop
The NVIDIA Normal Map filter creates normal maps from grayscale height maps. The filter UI provides a powerful 3D preview and a variety of filtering options. For MIP-mapped normal maps, the NormalMap Filter should be used for preview only, and then the grayscale map exported via the DDS plugin with "Normal Map Settings..." enabled. This will create a normal map with maximal detail and fidelity for all texture levels, without undesirable filter aliasing.
An easy way to create normal maps in photoshop by using the Normal Map plugin:
In tab: Filter ---> Ndivia Tools -height generation - 7x7 / minZ-0 scale-2.2 -3D view options - animate light -height source - Average RGB (or "Alpha Channel" in case you created an alpha channel with this purpose) -Alpha field - height
Normal Map Tutorial (using photoshop and crazybump) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKqKJi6nh7A
DDS Cube Maps
DDS Tools
- Gimp DDS plugin http://code.google.com/p/gimp-dds/
- Gimp Normal Map Plugin http://code.google.com/p/gimp-normalmap/
- Photoshop DDS plugin https://developer.nvidia.com/nvidia-texture-tools-adobe-photoshop Tutorial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_SpdM5cLuQ (in spanish)
- 3DS Max DDS Plugin https://developer.nvidia.com/content/3ds-max-dds-plugin-1008271100
- NVIDIA DDS Thumbnail Viewer for windows explorer https://developer.nvidia.com/sites/default/files/akamai/tools/files/DDS_viewer.exe
- NVIDIA DDS Legacy Texture Tools https://developer.nvidia.com/legacy-texture-tools and https://developer.nvidia.com/sites/default/files/akamai/tools/files/DDS_Utilities_8.31.1127.1645.exe (includes a command line texture converter)
- Crazybump is a quick and easy tool for creating normal maps from a texture. http://www.crazybump.com/ Tutorial: http://iamsparky.wordpress.com/crazybump/
GTF
Graphics Texture Format (GTF) is a container for storing one or multiple textures ("pack GTF") data in a layout that can be used as is by RSX.
Header (for single texture):
Offset | Size | Example | Value (conversion) | Notes |
GTF header | ||||
0x00 | 0x04 | 02 02 00 FF | Version | |
0x04 | 0x04 | Size of texture (not included header) | ||
0x08 | 0x04 | 00 00 00 01 | Number of textures embedded | |
0x0C | 0x04 | 00 00 00 00 | Not used? | |
GTF specification | ||||
0x10 | 0x04 | 00 00 00 80 | Size Header | |
0x14 | 0x04 |
| ||
0x18 | ||||
0x19 | ||||
0x1A | ||||
0x1B | ||||
0x1C | 0x04 | Remaps: | ||
DDS specification | ||||
0x20 | 0x02 | 00 40 | 64 in decimal | Size image width |
0x22 | 0x02 | 00 40 | 64 in decimal | Size image height |
0x24 | 0x02 | 00 00 | 0 in decimal | Size image depth |
JPG
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JPEG
MPO
Is a 3D image format. The MPO MA for 3DS is different and this is not so much documented, it might be Sony/PS3 specific enough to be on wiki.
Since fw 3.70 with specifics sixasis controls (on PlayMemories but also from XMB), PS3 as well as Nintendo 3DS or some Sony & Fuji camera can read MPO images as specific format (otherwise display as simple JPG).
MPO Splitter: code&credit (and compiled) https://anonfiles.com/file/c70ac8535cc097ca13541e00261f8952
- MPO MA & MPO 3D
On the Sony MPO format Multi Angle (rco image), e.g.: the picture is 15 embedded Jpg Exif images with no padding (but can be modulate probably).
Fuji format:
PNG
PS3 supports PNG images in 24 bits (for RGB channels), and 32 bits with transparency (24 bits for RGB channels + 8 bits for an alpha layer). "PNG Interlaced" and "APNG (Animated Portable Network Graphics)" formats are not supported by the PS3.
TGA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truevision_TGA
Audio
AT3
Can be created by saving the file as a .WAV container using the ATRAC3 Codec @ 66Kbps.
Mono and stereo channels are supported
VAG
- Format
Offset | Size | Example | Value (conversion) | Notes |
VAG header | ||||
0x00 | 0x04 | 56 41 47 70 | "VAGp" | Magic |
0x04 | 0x04 | 00 00 00 06 | 6? | Version |
0x08 | 0x04 | 00 00 00 00 | - | Reserved area |
0x0C | 0x04 | 00 00 04 50 | 1104 bytes | Waveform data size (bytes) |
0x10 | 0x04 | 00 00 BB 80 | 44 000 Hz | Sampling Frequency (Hz) |
0x14 | 0x0A | 00 00 ... 00 00 | - | Reserved area |
0x1E | 0x01 | 00 | 1 ch | Number of channels
|
0x1F | 0x01 | 00 | - | Reserved area |
0x20 | 0x10 | 53 45 30 34 5F 42 61 63 6B | SE04_BACK | Name |
Waveform data starts |
- Tools
- MFAudio v1.1 (converts WAV to VAG): http://www.zophar.net/utilities/ps2util/mfaudio-1-1.html or http://dl.qj.net/software/utilities/mfaudio-11.html or http://downloads.ziddu.com/downloadfile/3353225/MFAudiov11.zip.html
Video
PAM
Pam files can contain audio or have the audio separwted in a .AT3 track, used in Content Information Files
Interactive
SWF
Shockwave Flash, used in Content Information Files and Widgets and some games (e.g.: Doki Doki unverse)
- Irfanview supported format
3D
DAE
DAE (Digital Asset Exchange) is an XML file that contains COLLADA content. COLLADA is an open standard created by sony for interactive 3D applications. Is used to export and import files from 3-D authoring applications in .dae format, see: https://collada.org/
Collada usually is implemented as a plugin, some 3-D authoring applications supporting collada are: Blender, Google SketchUp, Maya, Rhino, 3D Max, SoftImage
- Collada plugins for:
Tools & Tips
- Generic:
Irfanview: View, convert, batch processing ...
http://www.irfanview.com/ (there is a plugin for .DDS)
Imagemagick: Create, edit, compose, or convert bitmap images
http://www.imagemagick.org (typically utilized from the command line)
- 3D Modeling:
Maya - http://www.autodesk.com/Maya 3ds Max - http://usa.autodesk.com/3ds-max/ Blender http://www.blender.org/ Wings3D - http://www.wings3d.com/ Modo - http://www.luxology.com/modo/
- Texturing:
Photoshop - http://www.photoshop.com/ Paint.NET - http://www.getpaint.net/ GIMP - http://www.gimp.org/
- Tutorials and Online Digital Communities:
http://www.polycount.com/forum http://forums.cgsociety.org/ http://www.3dbuzz.com http://3d-coat.com/forum/ http://www.cgfeedback.com/cgfeedback/ https://forums.station.sony.com/playerstudio
|