About .lbx extraction

Information, How-to's, and discussion about mod'ing Master of Orion II.
Balrokzar
Posts:6
Joined:Fri Feb 10, 2006 6:42 pm
About .lbx extraction

Postby Balrokzar » Sun Feb 12, 2006 5:53 pm

I finally figured out how to extract files from the .lbx format. Yay! Lol.

I further problem is that all extracted files are always given uniform extensions, making it practically impossible to discern what is audio, visual, et cetera. I know for a fact that most, if not all, of the sound files are in .Wav format, but I don't know if there are other sound formats as well. So... how could I discern between various filetypes? What are some of the more commonly used filetypes found throughout the .LBX archives in terms of graphics, sounds, and the like?

User avatar
Lord Brazen
Site Admin
Posts:162
Joined:Mon Jul 18, 2005 10:16 pm
Location:Toronto, Canada
Contact:

Postby Lord Brazen » Mon Feb 13, 2006 11:48 am

The LBX files contain a great deal of information. The basic format has been deciphered by many people over the years.

Most of the LBX files are encoded as archives of blocks of data. The data types vary block to block. A number of the LBX files are smacker videos. All you have to do is rename the LBX file extension and play the movie in a compatable player.

The archives contain the following:
  • Single cell Images
    Multi cell images (animated)
    Color palettes
    Game fonts
    Sound wav files
    Arrays of text strings
    Arrays of structured data
There is no easy way to tell which is which. The game code accesses them by LBX file name and block number. The type of data to decode is hard coded into the game. There is no flag or tag in the LBX file to indicate the data type.
"Stars are holes in the sky from which the light of the Infinite shine through." - Confucius.

User avatar
Grig de Griz
Posts:48
Joined:Mon Sep 26, 2005 12:23 am
Location:Russia

Postby Grig de Griz » Tue Feb 14, 2006 7:41 am

Hallo, Balrokzar!

At free time I solving this task. By result of this operation is the programs package "MoO2 Workshop". MoO2 Workshop - is the software package for editing data of the game Master of Orion 2 (MoO2). The package includes programs-editors, description files of contents LBX archives for MoO2 version 1.31 and help file in the HTML Help format with the description of package programs and MoO2 files formats. (MoO2 Workshop is freeware product).
Now I can work with LBX, pictures, graphic palettes, texts, fonts, videos, sounds, leaders information, races abilities, races cost abilities.

List of made programs:

1. LBX Editor - intended for packing and unpacking LBX archives, type definition and view of packed files. Also program can export the packed files from formats MoO2 to close on value files of widely used formats of the PC. Main function of the program, apart from packing and unpacking LBX of archives, is the creation of the descriptions for LBX archives. The data of the description will be utilized by other programs-editors of the package, bound with LBX by archives. The program can view all MoO2 formats, known for me (see up).
2. Leader Editor - intended for editing leaders info.
3. Abilities Cost Editor - intended for editing races cost abilities.
4. Races Abilities Editor - intended for editing initial races abilities.
5. Font Editor - the editor of games font.
6. Text Editor - the editor of games text.

Screenshorts:

LBX Editor
LBX Editor (Picture Viewer)
LBX Editor (Hex Viewer)
LBX Editor (Font Viewer)
LBX Editor (Text Viewer)
LBX Editor (Palette Viewer)
LBX Editor (Leaders Viewer)
LBX Editor (Cost Abilities Viewer)
LBX Editor (Race Viewer)
LBX Editor (Sound Viewer)
LBX Editor (Smack Viewer)
Font Editor
Leader Editor
Text Editor
Races Editor
Cost Abilities Editor

List of program in development:

1. Balance Editor - the editor of the balance tables of technologies, types of objects, interactions etc., from game exe-file. (do now).
2. Palette Editor - the editor of the "external" game palettes.
3. Picture Editor - the editor of the pictures and "internal" game palettes.
4. Save Editor - the editor of the saved game and creator of the scripts.

I not publish the package on English Internet, because I can not make normal English translation of help files (the package has multi-language support). I have made the variant of the poor English translation and now I need correction it on normal English. If you will be interested by this idea (correct the English translation), write to my e-mail.
You will open this package and full description of game's file formats for the English MoO2's fans. :D
Last edited by Grig de Griz on Tue Feb 13, 2007 1:59 am, edited 3 times in total.

Balrokzar
Posts:6
Joined:Fri Feb 10, 2006 6:42 pm

Postby Balrokzar » Tue Feb 14, 2006 7:54 pm

No kidding! Sounds like a really talented programmer has really done a lot of homework. If this MoO2 Workshop thing does what you says it does, then you shall get no complaints from me.

Thanks for setting to work with creating such an interesting tool.

I do not know your email address, but mine is grunge_rocker@msn.com, and I do have lots of spare room for large files so feel free to send a copy of it there and I'll try it out for ya's.

Thanks again, I'll keep you up on whether it works well on my system or not.

User avatar
Grig de Griz
Posts:48
Joined:Mon Sep 26, 2005 12:23 am
Location:Russia

Postby Grig de Griz » Wed Feb 15, 2006 2:24 am

My e-mail is in Profile of this forum. :wink: I recommend delete your e-mail from the text yours topic, I added it to my e-mail list. Today or tomorrow (time difference) I send files to you.

Spyhunter
Posts:2
Joined:Wed Feb 15, 2006 4:28 pm
Contact:

Postby Spyhunter » Mon Feb 20, 2006 6:44 pm

Wow, that is seriously hard core... When I need something coded, I am going to post here! Nice work.

:)

Spyhunter

Dimonis
Posts:1
Joined:Fri Feb 24, 2006 3:42 pm
Location:Russia

Postby Dimonis » Fri Feb 24, 2006 3:54 pm

My e-mail is in Profile of this forum. :wink: I recommend delete your e-mail from the text yours topic, I added it to my e-mail list. Today or tomorrow (time difference) I send files to you.
I don`t find you email!
Pls send me mail to dmitry [] ochakovo.net.
We want make russian translate for MoO2.
That you think, about this?

User avatar
Grig de Griz
Posts:48
Joined:Mon Sep 26, 2005 12:23 am
Location:Russia

Postby Grig de Griz » Sun Feb 26, 2006 3:06 am

Hmm... Really, this forum does not support dispatch of the letters from the users. My oversight. :roll:

User avatar
Lord Brazen
Site Admin
Posts:162
Joined:Mon Jul 18, 2005 10:16 pm
Location:Toronto, Canada
Contact:

Postby Lord Brazen » Sun Feb 26, 2006 11:33 am

Hmm... Really, this forum does not support dispatch of the letters from the users. My oversight. :roll:
You can send a message through this board to any member by sending a private message (clicking the PM button). The board will email a notification to the member for you. You do not need the members email address.
"Stars are holes in the sky from which the light of the Infinite shine through." - Confucius.

User avatar
Grig de Griz
Posts:48
Joined:Mon Sep 26, 2005 12:23 am
Location:Russia

Postby Grig de Griz » Mon Feb 27, 2006 12:50 am

You do not need the members email address.
If not send files, then yes. Else need e-mail... (or other forum's tools) Thank you, we already have solved the problem.

User avatar
Zieman
Posts:29
Joined:Thu Jul 13, 2006 6:00 am
Location:Finland

Postby Zieman » Thu Jul 13, 2006 6:23 am

...
The archives contain the following:
  • Single cell Images
    Multi cell images (animated)
    ...
...
Does this mean that the game graphics are in .gif format?
Any news on how to export and maybe more important: import these from/to the game?
No skill, no knowledge - but lots of LUCK!!!

User avatar
Danakin Turner
Posts:2
Joined:Sat Sep 30, 2006 12:25 am
Location:Kholden
Contact:

Postby Danakin Turner » Sat Sep 30, 2006 12:33 am

Hi I am new to the forum, but not to Moo2 or modding.
I started modding it within a month of getting it, that was after getting the computer upgraded to be able to play it!
Anyway...
Grig de Griz can I please have a copy of your wonderful software! It is exactly what I need. Like everyone else who has done some modding save games and leader data are one thing but being able to mod all the lbx files, well that will just blow my mind!

:shock:
Thanks in advance!

User avatar
Xigam
Posts:1
Joined:Thu Dec 14, 2006 5:07 pm

Postby Xigam » Thu Dec 14, 2006 5:09 pm

I'd really like to get this MoO2 Workshop..

I am thinking of attempting to write a MoO2 engine for the MoO2 graphics..

Thunderchild
Posts:1
Joined:Mon Dec 18, 2006 9:45 am

Postby Thunderchild » Mon Dec 18, 2006 9:50 am

I would like to download the workshop too. Where can i get it?


Return to “Game Modifications”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 20 guests