Can we extract the contents of a *.vpk file?

Nyarlathotep · #1 12-08-2004, 02:52 PM

I want to extract the maps for the zones beyond Antonica/Commonlands. There are DDS map files for all the areas around Antonica/Commonlands, but I cannot find the maps for zones like Nektulos, Thundering Steppes, Enchanted Lands, etc. I suspect that these maps DDS files are in the .vpk files for the zones.

Has anyone developed a *.vpk extraction/viewer tool?

Is anyone planning on making one?

Thanks in advance!

tonyis3l33t · #2 12-16-2004, 01:35 AM

Yes i would also like to know! I want those maps of like antonica, etc. that dont show up in the map folder.
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SerennaHot

Vikan Karo · #3 12-23-2004, 10:49 AM

the VPK files do not contain maps.. They contain mainly the ambient sounds, combat sounds, etc in a compressed .VOC Format.

**Drumstix42** · #4 01-01-2005, 02:45 AM

All I have to say is good luck with that one. /evilgrin

Deathbane27 · #5 01-05-2005, 12:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vikan Karo

the VPK files do not contain maps.. They contain mainly the ambient sounds, combat sounds, etc in a compressed .VOC Format.

Please explain why you believe this or how you know it.

Nyarlathotep · #6 01-05-2005, 02:56 PM

OK then, does anyone know where the maps are stored then?

We know that there is a directory which contains the maps for Commonlands, Antonica, etc...

Where are the maps for EL, Zek, etc... ?

Eloa · #7 01-05-2005, 03:12 PM

The maps for these other sites are sent from the server. There is no map for anything that is not already viewable from the map window when you open uibuilder. (Info from SOE_Bobble)

Talyns · #8 01-05-2005, 03:43 PM

Would help if I got this in the right thread

Quote:

Originally Posted by SOE_Bobble

The additional maps for Antonica/Commonlands/etc are encrypted and map icons are sent down from the server (along with the fog settings.)

I think the maps are on our hard drives.. He says they're encrypted.. The Icons and fog is sent down from the server..

Each map in the images/map folder is 342kb.. Broadband can handle that.. But a 56k modem only gets like 6kb a second (I think, been a while).. It would take like a whole minute to download a map that size..

Edit:
Chances are the missing maps are in the vpk file but are encrypted.. I'm sure sooner or later someone will be able to read the contents of those files..

blaz · #9 01-06-2005, 04:31 PM

The maps for these zones are definitely there in the VPK files. They actually are in the NrVObm.vpk file, and have the following names:

nrvobm_antonica_east.dds
nrvobm_antonica_west.dds
nrvobm_commonlands_east.dds
nrvobm_commonlands_west.dds
nrvobm_enchanted_lands_east.dds
nrvobm_enchanted_lands_west.dds
nrvobm_everfrost.dds
nrvobm_feerrott_east.dds
nrvobm_feerrott_west.dds
nrvobm_nektulos_forest.dds
nrvobm_orcish_wastes.dds
nrvobm_thundering_stepps.dds
map_lavastorm.dds
nrvobm_tiles.dds

As for their being encrypted, it is probably true, as they certainly aren't regular DDS files.

Regarding what Vikan Karo mentions, it is not true that VPK files contain mainly ambient and combat sounds in VOC format. First of all, the 418 VPK files contain a total of around 190,000 files of all kinds; basically the whole set of assets EQ2 uses. They are in a variety of formats, but sounds in particular are in WAV format, while the voiceover files come in MP3 format.

VOC files, of which there are around 20,000, are actually data which describe a composition of simpler assets that together form a complex entity. The definition is quite vague, but that's because they're used for pretty much everything: zone rooms, game objects, characters, monsters, character accessories, etc. EQ2 uses a very interesting file format, which I want to start documenting as soon as possible. I'll start with the VPL/VPK file format, which is quite simple. In the meantime, if you're curious and want to see the whole list of assets, grab it here.

**Drumstix42** · #10 01-06-2005, 07:22 PM

I'm gonna have to quote Deathbane and say:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deathbane27

Please explain why you believe this or how you know it.

blaz · #11 01-07-2005, 03:24 AM

I'll explain why I believe what I said and why I know it:

Quote:

The maps for these zones are definitely there in the VPK files. They actually are in the NrVObm.vpk file, and have the following names:

I know what the format of the VPK files is and therefore know the maps, or at least files named as if they were maps, are there in NrVObm.vpk. You can confirm this yourself if you open the file in a hex editor, as in this case the files are not compressed and the filenames are in plain text.

Quote:

As for their being encrypted, it is probably true, as they certainly aren't regular DDS files.

I know they aren't regular DDS files because they don't start with the DDS token and the DirectX Texture Tool can't open them.

Quote:

The 418 VPK files contain a total of around 190,000 files of all kinds; basically the whole set of assets EQ2 uses. They are in a variety of formats, but sounds in particular are in WAV format, while the voiceover files come in MP3 format.

I know this because I have extracted the 191,000 files and examined most of them.

Quote:

VOC files, of which there are around 20,000, are actually data which describe a composition of simpler assets that together form a complex entity.

Finally, I know this because I have analyzed all 20,000 VOC files with a tool I wrote and know what data they contain. Also, the names of the VOC files give you a hint of what they actually are, as you can confirm if you look at the file list.

Deathbane27 · #12 01-07-2005, 04:50 AM

Okie. Go go hex editors.

(I need to get a new one, it won't open crap worth of file size.)

tonyis3l33t · #13 01-07-2005, 05:41 AM

blaz,
share your tools

i like tools
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Laguna Heights Condominium

blaz · #14 01-07-2005, 07:17 AM

Be patient

I'll try to release a VPK extractor tool in a few days, complete with source code.

SoulPl · #15 01-07-2005, 04:26 PM

blaz ---> i run http://www.***************/eq2/index.asp you will be my endless hero if you give me tool to unpack vpk files, i will put biggest credits for you on my site and will say all the time i will hear "EQ2" that "blaz is great coder"

Killarny · #16 01-10-2005, 09:48 PM

A VPK extractor would be great!! Good job!

**Drumstix42** · #17 01-10-2005, 11:23 PM

Before another occassion goes sour....

Is extracting any of these files "allowed"?

SoulPl · #18 01-11-2005, 03:42 PM

Drumstix42 ---> no, even dont think about it.

taco-man · #19 01-11-2005, 04:02 PM

/beg blaz for tool

blaz · #20 01-11-2005, 05:49 PM

Sorry for the delay. I'll try my best to release the tool tomorrow

At first I thought a command-line tool would suffice, but then I thought I could try a little harder and make it more user-friendly, so I added an UI on top of it, but that's taking a little longer. It doesn't help that this is my first WinForms application

Anyway, here is a little preview.

Thanks for the interest.

taco-man · #21 01-11-2005, 06:28 PM

looks very nice! ill look forward to hopefully snatching a copy tomorrow.

blaz · #22 01-13-2005, 06:17 PM

Here it is:

http://eq2.blazlabs.com/

Make sure you download and install .NET Framework 2.0 Beta 1 first:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

Suggestions and comments are welcome

tonyis3l33t · #23 01-13-2005, 06:21 PM

wooohoo its finally here! now i gotta go download dotnet....you are a genius blaz

should post this in the released forum...

now waiting patiently for "Everquest II File Format Reference", hoping this covers the files inside the vpk's

ok one quick Question...when i open assetslib.vpl i get this

what did i do!?
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VAPE INFO

Killarny · #24 01-13-2005, 06:34 PM

kick ass! thanks a heap, blaz..

blaz · #25 01-13-2005, 07:15 PM

I just uploaded a new version with a minor modification. That might fix the problem tonyis3l33t describes.

If you have any problems, please send me a PM.