STR Files (FMVs)

[Zenko]

OPEN\FFTEND.STR	Ending video
OPEN\FFTOP.STR	New game opening video
OPEN\FFTPR.STR	FFT Trailer
OPEN\FFTPRE.STR	Lion War video
OPEN\FFTST.STR	Zodiac stones intro video *
OPEN\FFTUNIT.STR	Generic jobs/monsters showoff video

* This file will be affected by the game regardless of its contents. At ~49 seconds, the graphical part of the video will disappear to let the music play on the intro screen. At ~66 seconds, if the .STR file is not done reading, it will be forced to end causing a strong crash like noise. At ~69 seconds, the next video will be played. All other videos will play for the duration of their movie length even if it differs from the original one.

All videos seem to be using a 320x224 format. The game forces this format regardless of the STR file's format itself. 320x224 videos are positioned at the center of the screen, starting from the 9th row of pixels, leaving a 8 pixel black line at the top and bottom of the screen. However, importing a 320x240 video will still position the video at that location, and anything beyond 240 will appear on the top in a glitchy manner: constantly flashing black on what is originally the 8 last pixel rows of the video. Importing a 320x240 video over FFTST.STR will cause graphical glitches on the title screen.

STR files can be moved and resized without any problem, with cdprog.exe for example.

[Zenko]

FFT uses a different MDEC Image version that most games. Basically, Square coded their own. Replicating it would require us to find more revelant, and precise information on the subject or we would need to reverse-engineer the game.


Revelant links:

FTP with a tool that can play all FFT's STR/XA files and possibly some documentation about FF7's STR format which the author believes is the same for FFT.
http://kenai.com/downloads/jpsxdec/Old/

A guide on how to convert videos to STR
http://www.freewebs.com/freegamesfromjosh/psxvcdtutorial.htm

The Official PSX Development Kit (251mb) which includes AVI2STR
http://xifanie.ffhacktics.com/Psxdev.7z

[3lric]

No one else asked so i will at the risk of sounding like a tard lol.  So does this mean the game movies can be changed?

[FFMaster]

Once we work out how the game reads STR's differently compared to how they are usually read on a PSX, yes.

[Zenko]

If this will ever be the case. I'm certainly not volunteering.

[FFMaster]

Xif, If you want, I can upload an STR from FFVII just to see if they read the same way. CDMage doesn't seem to like messing with big files so I have no idea how you managed to import a BoF3 movie in. Anyway, most of the FFVII STR files are about 5-8mb, with some 21+mb. It won't take long if you want me to upload and try it out.

[Zenko]

I used cdprog.exe
You can also create new files over the same sectors with that program. If the filer is bigger than the original, well it will just crush the other movie files. I did most of my tests on the Zodiac intro... quick testing and plenty of space once you make a bigger file.

[formerdeathcorps]

Give the maker of the Kenai tool my props; he did a very good job.

If he accepts feedback, however, here are some things that would be of help to hackers:
1) Find a way to use the PSRTIM plugin from PSXMC in this tool.  It is a far more accurate reader of most .TIM files; the tool linked by Xif often reads .TIM files in .AR (archive) files in black and white, and doesn't recognize other .TIM files.  The game I'm referencing that's having this problem is Tear Ring Saga.
2) Allow the export of image files as .TIM as well, since some of us do have tools that can read it.
3) Find a way to read .XA/STR/CSTR files that are inside .AR archive files.  Again, Tear Ring Saga hides its maps and BGMs this way.
3a) Along these lines, find a way to read .DA files.  Tactics Ogre (Let Us Cling Together---PSX) uses precisely this format.

[FFMaster]

Bumpers.

Anyone tried this tool?

http://www.ps3news.com/forums/downloads.php?do=file&id=3980

I managed to watch videos with this, at least. But it says we can mux/demux as well... I haven't figured out how to use that though.

[Majiel]

It appears that Jpsxdec has been recently updated to beta 0.99 with the command line version having the modding capabilities replace .str, replace .xa, and replace .tim files.  While I want to try this out, the readers manual seems a bit confusing in regards to doing this.