I think I've found the FFXII fmvs...

[sayde]

Is there anyway possible to save the .tmp (temporary) file that is created while ffxii2mov is extracting the fmv's? Because I've noticed that though the program may extract mpeg2 files that are 0 mb in size, at least the temporary files it creates are the appropriate size the fmv's should be. I know this because if I keep refreshing the folder the 2 .tmp files are in, I can see them gradually increase in file size. One .tmp file seems to be for the mpeg2 stream. And the other seems to be for the audio stream. The problem is, once the program is done extracting an fmv, the 2 .tmp files reset back to 0mb in order to extract the next fmv. And instead of the data from the .tmp files being sent to their respective m2v/wav files, they aren't (obviously). It's almost as if the program were broken. It seems to perform one half of the extraction process ok, but fails miserably at the 2nd half.

If there was somehow a way to copy the 2 .tmp files *mid way through the extraction process of at least one fmv* I think I could figure out how to get the fmv's from there. Unfortunately, if you stop the program from extracting mid way, the .tmp files dissappear. And if you try copying and pasting the .tmp files, you'll get an error since the file is currently being utilized by ffxii2mov. Cutting and pasting or renaming the files doesn't work either just in case you were wondering.

[sayde]

...and to all who want these fmv's! I've finally came to a MAJOR breakthrough.

With regards to my previous post, it turns out I was right! There is indeed fmv footage being sent to those .tmp files. And I found one way to save the .tmp files before they could be deleted. Crash the program! End it before it can delete the tmp files. It's a simple as that...sort of.

Anyways, now that I've finally found some fmv ripped fmv footage, I'm going to load the fmv footage into a hex edittor and hopefully use the header values of the fmv's in the japanese version to search for the fmv's in the english version. It's a long shot, but this is the most progress I've personally made since the japanese release of this game so many months ago.

[Pwolf]

...and to all who want these fmv's! I've finally came to a MAJOR breakthrough.

With regards to my previous post, it turns out I was right! There is indeed fmv footage being sent to those .tmp files. And I found one way to save the .tmp files before they could be deleted. Crash the program! End it before it can delete the tmp files. It's a simple as that...sort of.

Anyways, now that I've finally found some fmv ripped fmv footage, I'm going to load the fmv footage into a hex edittor and hopefully use the header values of the fmv's in the japanese version to search for the fmv's in the english version. It's a long shot, but this is the most progress I've personally made since the japanese release of this game so many months ago.

heh, thats what i've been working on for the last few days. no luck at the moment as i can't get a copy of the japanese release.

Pwolf

[Qyot27]

Is there anyway possible to save the .tmp (temporary) file that is created while ffxii2mov is extracting the fmv's? Because I've noticed that though the program may extract mpeg2 files that are 0 mb in size, at least the temporary files it creates are the appropriate size the fmv's should be. I know this because if I keep refreshing the folder the 2 .tmp files are in, I can see them gradually increase in file size. One .tmp file seems to be for the mpeg2 stream. And the other seems to be for the audio stream. The problem is, once the program is done extracting an fmv, the 2 .tmp files reset back to 0mb in order to extract the next fmv. And instead of the data from the .tmp files being sent to their respective m2v/wav files, they aren't (obviously). It's almost as if the program were broken. It seems to perform one half of the extraction process ok, but fails miserably at the 2nd half.

If there was somehow a way to copy the 2 .tmp files *mid way through the extraction process of at least one fmv* I think I could figure out how to get the fmv's from there. Unfortunately, if you stop the program from extracting mid way, the .tmp files dissappear. And if you try copying and pasting the .tmp files, you'll get an error since the file is currently being utilized by ffxii2mov. Cutting and pasting or renaming the files doesn't work either just in case you were wondering.

I'm shooting from the hip, here, but is it possible to simply set the program up for one FMV, and when it's finished to pause it (and if that's possible, are the .tmp files still intact)?

Should that pan out, the Windows Backup utility can be used to backup the Local Settings folder (or wherever these temp files are being stored), and then later restored to any folder on the hard drive without fear of being deleted. This was actually how people could capture the free music videos from iTunes before the advent of 6.0 (or before a way was found to convert the iTunes URLs into real URLs - still prior to 6.0).

Also, when running ffxii2mov, are there junk characters on the screen at all? If this is the case, try running it using AppLocale to run it with a Japanese codepage. This might solve the issue (heck, running it under AppLocale may do it anyway). I know this because the extractor for Peace@Pieces wouldn't extract while using the English encodings, but using Japanese on it through AppLocale allowed it to dump the images like it was supposed to.

AppLocale can be downloaded from here:
http://www.microsoft.com/globaldev/tools/apploc.mspx

[Qyot27]

Also, when running ffxii2mov, are there junk characters on the screen at all? If this is the case, try running it using AppLocale to run it with a Japanese codepage. This might solve the issue (heck, running it under AppLocale may do it anyway). I know this because the extractor for Peace@Pieces wouldn't extract while using the English encodings, but using Japanese on it through AppLocale allowed it to dump the images like it was supposed to.

AppLocale can be downloaded from here:
http://www.microsoft.com/globaldev/tools/apploc.mspx

Ok, I just checked ffxii2mov (don't have a copy of FF12 to test with, though), and when it throws an error dialog it does do so in junk characters - AppLocale fixes this, so that may be what needs to be done.

[Pwolf]

I'm shooting from the hip, here, but is it possible to simply set the program up for one FMV, and when it's finished to pause it (and if that's possible, are the .tmp files still intact)?

Should that pan out, the Windows Backup utility can be used to backup the Local Settings folder (or wherever these temp files are being stored), and then later restored to any folder on the hard drive without fear of being deleted. This was actually how people could capture the free music videos from iTunes before the advent of 6.0 (or before a way was found to convert the iTunes URLs into real URLs - still prior to 6.0).

Also, when running ffxii2mov, are there junk characters on the screen at all? If this is the case, try running it using AppLocale to run it with a Japanese codepage. This might solve the issue (heck, running it under AppLocale may do it anyway). I know this because the extractor for Peace@Pieces wouldn't extract while using the English encodings, but using Japanese on it through AppLocale allowed it to dump the images like it was supposed to.

AppLocale can be downloaded from here:
http://www.microsoft.com/globaldev/tools/apploc.mspx

the tmp file is created in the same folder as the executable.

I tried ffxii2mov with applocale right after i found out it didn't work normally. no go of course. ive also tried changing my regional settings and thats a no go.

Pwolf

[sayde]

heh, thats what i've been working on for the last few days. no luck at the moment as i can't get a copy of the japanese release.

Pwolf

I'll see what I can do about uploading a sample fmv for you if you want. That way perhaps you can help me with the whole hex editting process. (I'm actually not very good at it.)

Qyot27, I appreciate the advice. It's 4:04 am where I'm at right now, so I'm about to get some sleep, but I'll be sure to download that program right now and give you and everyone else the full update tommorrow providing I can get the program you recommended to work properly. lol

[Castor Troy]

Trying to rip my ps2 ripping thunder, eh wolfy?

..... carry on.

[sayde]

well, I'm stuck again. I tried everything I could think of. Tell me why the hex values I took from the extracted .tmp/fmv files could not be found in neither the english iso or the japanese iso of FFXII?

I also noticed that none of the fmv's seemed to have any common headers to them. For example, most if not all .pss files start out with the following header:
00 00 01 BA 44 00 04 00
and end with:
FF FF FF FF 00 00 01 B9

I'm not saying I was expecting to see these particular hex values within these .tmp files, but I could'nt find not one common header or set of 16 digits that matched from one fmv to the next. Maybe I've got to look harder.

I even tried downloading microsoft visual studio 2005 (the program the ffxii2mov extractor was compiled with) in the hopes of being able to better understand how the extractor works. But alas, that program takes time and practice to learn. It's doesn't seem to be something I could effectively utilize unless I know what I'm doing (not that I'm surprised.)

So I'm back to square one.

On another note, I noticed that many of the fmv files are not so easilly viewed in their .tmp format. In fact, the only one I've actually been able to work with so far is the .tmp file for fmv#16. It's wierd. But fmv#16 seems to be the only fmv so far that you can simply drag into a media player and start watching with ease. I've been messing with this particular fmv all day to see what was up with that.

So that's all. Here's a sample pick just so some of you don't think I've been bs'ing this entire thing.



Later!
And if anyone has any advice with regards to the topic, please let me know.

PS: Qyot27, my results with AppLocale were the same as pwolfs. Sorry.

[GermWarfare]

[quote="sayde"]Here's a sample pick just so some of you don't think I've been bs'ing this entire thing.quote]

WoW!! That's just beautiful

I wish I was smart enough to help you out. But I'm probably not; so I'll do what I can, and that is to thank you for trying to figure this out for the rest of us dummies!