id-daemon, posted Sat May 07, 2016 4:10 pm (13200)

---

The strangest ADPCM I've seen, 2-pass, 10 parameters, no tables.

There are 1 codec methods, but all files I have are coded using only one of them.

Can you confirm with which games it works? Other than RUSE & Red Dragon?

AlphaTwentyThree, posted Thu May 12, 2016 9:36 am (13295)

---

Well I guess that at least some other games from Eugen Systems use the codec: http://www.mobygames.com/company/eugen-systems
Maybe ESS = Eugen Systems Sound?

KattiValk, posted Tue Sep 27, 2016 12:41 am (17678)

---

Hey, I'm from the modding community at the Wargame Forums and I was interested in your file decoder! However, the link you have at the moment is incredibly sketchy and no one is willing to touch it. We would love it if you could post a new file onto a more trusted file sharing site.

Also, some instructions on how to use it would be greatly appreciated.

id-daemon, posted Tue Sep 27, 2016 3:12 pm (17686)

---

KattiValk wrote:

However, the link you have at the moment is incredibly sketchy and no one is willing to touch it. We would love it if you could post a new file onto a more trusted file sharing site.

What link? What sharing site? I never posted my tool on filesharing. Its attached right on THIS site here 5 messages above. Whats wrong with it?

KattiValk, posted Wed Sep 28, 2016 7:40 pm (17705)

---

id-daemon wrote:

What link? What sharing site? I never posted my tool on filesharing. Its attached right on THIS site here 5 messages above. Whats wrong with it?

Hmm, it appears MenDuck was mistaken then. Sorry about that.

Do you think you could explain how to use it?

id-daemon, posted Wed Sep 28, 2016 8:15 pm (17707)

---

As I remember, just drag .ESS file onto it. Or if you need multiple files, create a .bat file with loop

KattiValk, posted Thu Sep 29, 2016 3:13 am (17713)

---

id-daemon wrote:

As I remember, just drag .ESS file onto it. Or if you need multiple files, create a .bat file with loop

Okay, so, we've started testing the decoder, but to no real success. For one, the .exe claims it crashes every time a file is inputed, but still spits a .wav out. The .wav is either completely nonexistent (0 kb), extremely distorted, or just straight static.

Hazarding a guess, it might be because the .ess is common throughout the Wargame series, but the actual files that make up the .ess files have changed through titles. Regardless, here are some of the results with the original file attached as well if you want to see what went wrong. Also, I'm fairly sure these clips are mono, though we tried bits that are almost certainly stereo to no luck.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0BywlIctrUOnEM2E0YmtsREhVTkk

Again, I'd like to say that this is unprecedented progress for us, and we're grateful for any help you can give, because we're all pretty inexperienced in this department.

id-daemon, posted Thu Sep 29, 2016 4:29 am (17714)

---

No, these files are also mono. This is why its not working. The reason I only made stereo decoder is because noone was interested in mono files. I can make mono decoder when i have time.

KattiValk, posted Thu Sep 29, 2016 4:37 am (17715)

---

id-daemon wrote:

No, these files are also mono. This is why its not working. The reason I only made stereo decoder is because noone was interested in mono files. I can make mono decoder when i have time.

I didn't link the stereo clips because we weren't aiming for changing those in the near future. The clips in the drive pertain to a current project.

Take whatever time you need, we appreciate anything you can do.

id-daemon, posted Thu Sep 29, 2016 5:19 pm (17733)

---

Here's the quick build for mono files. Later maybe I'll make a proper tool to detect and decode both mono/stereo files.

Interesting, how are you going to "change" them?

ess_decode_mono.rar

KattiValk, posted Fri Sep 30, 2016 12:45 am (17738)

---

id-daemon wrote:

Here's the quick build for mono files. Later maybe I'll make a proper tool to detect and decode both mono/stereo files.

Interesting, how are you going to "change" them?

It works! We're incredibly thankful, this is absolutely unprecedented for us as of yet. The community has been trying to figure out this stuff for three years.

So, the process for changing should be simple. We have a modding tool that allows us to import and export files from the game and an installer to make everything streamlined for mod users. We were unable to use .ess files previously, but now, we have the possibility of modding sounds which is absolutely amazing. All that's left for this would be a way to encode a .wav into .ess so the game files will read it properly.

id-daemon, posted Fri Sep 30, 2016 4:41 pm (17753)

---

KattiValk wrote:

The community has been trying to figure out this stuff for three years.

Can you tell me more about this? What did you try? Have you asked the developers? They actually created a very complex and unique audio codec. I think they probably registered it as a patent.

KattiValk, posted Sat Oct 01, 2016 1:51 am (17760)

---

id-daemon wrote:

Can you tell me more about this? What did you try? Have you asked the developers? They actually created a very complex and unique audio codec. I think they probably registered it as a patent.

Sure, the modding suite is a tool that allows us to edit the game files in a (relatively) user friendly manner. The act of modding itself is sanctioned by the devs, and they've even gone as far as to look into implementing some Polish textures made by the community (AFAIK, France doesn't allow use of free content in a paid product which is why that fell through). Eugen hasn't actually gone through the process of creating an official modding client because that would require them to release a dev version and acquire licenses for all the third party that goes into their production process (maps require multiple third party programs to complete for instance). There was an official guide to porting and importing custom 3D models in one of their older titles (Act of War), and someone is currently claiming to have jury rigged it to work for Wargame, which is pretty neat. As far as what this has to do with it, all that would be required to do this would be taking a new audio file and turning it back into .ess and placing that into the place where the original is kept. We aren't actually sure on that, as this has never been done with sounds, but that should be the gist of it.

I wasn't part of the more central modding community (TBH I'm like a glorified mascot/artist), that was trying to figure out how sound modding worked. There are four things we currently cannot do: sounds, 3D models, adding new database entries (adding a completely new unit to the game without stealing another unit's database entry), and maps. None of these are from dev disapproval, and the only controversy the modding community has had was a streak of cheaters utilizing a mod that allowed them to see every unit on the map (also, this mod was not sanctioned by the primary modding community and was made by a separate group). That led to a whole lot of bans, but as far as modding goes, Eugen doesn't care as long as you aren't actively cheating or doing something malicious/stealing their property for your own commercial gain. I'm not sure what their stance is on cracking .ess but if I had to guess, they're probably fine with it as long as you don't recreate it for your own profit. It's impossible to contact them until next week as the community manager doesn't take questions during the weekend and I only have contact with people that do balancing and stuff like that outside of the regular channels. Still, if you like, I will drop a message and see what happens Monday if you really feel it's necessary.

Personally, I want to replace some of the voice lines for US units, which is why I'm pursuing mono .ess files, and would love a way to make my own .wav files back into .ess. No one else really has plans (besides maybe blasting Danger Zone constantly) as of yet.

id-daemon, posted Sat Oct 01, 2016 7:17 am (17763)

---

Sorry, that was not I was asking about. I wanted to know if you asked the developers to give you the tool to decode/encode sounds. I asked about that because their codec is very different from all other codecs in the world, and I spent a lot of time figuring out how to decode it. It will probably take even more time to figure out how to encode. So if its all for a couple of phrases, its just not worth the time to do it.

KattiValk, posted Sat Oct 01, 2016 4:33 pm (17781)

---

id-daemon wrote:

Sorry, that was not I was asking about. I wanted to know if you asked the developers to give you the tool to decode/encode sounds. I asked about that because their codec is very different from all other codecs in the world, and I spent a lot of time figuring out how to decode it. It will probably take even more time to figure out how to encode. So if its all for a couple of phrases, its just not worth the time to do it.

Well, we asked them about it, but I'm not sure anyone is entirely capable of explaining the situation. This is a PM from the Eugen employee with which we ask in regards to sound:

Quote:

I'm not sure ton understand your question, since I am not acquainted at all with a ".ess" format for the sounds used in Wargame.

The sounds used in Wargame are either .wav (for weapons SFX) either .ogg (voices), all in MONO 16 bit 44100Hz, but then I don't know any program that converts them, in-house or not in-house, and I have never heard of the ".ess" extension.
Where did you get that info from? If such thing exists, then it's the Wargame code (and not some additional software) that converts it into whatever ".ess" is, because I can assure you that nobody here does such operation of conversion, it must be automatically done by the game code (IF such thing exists?). Only a dev could help you in that case.
Otherwise I can asnwer your questions regarding .wav and .ogg files constraints.

Regards,
Wister.

If you want more information before doing anything more, I totally understand that. If so, then give me a few days to see what I can get out of the modding community and Wister.

id-daemon, posted Sat Oct 01, 2016 6:07 pm (17782)

---

KattiValk wrote:

I can assure you that nobody here does such operation of conversion, it must be automatically done by the game code

Of course its done by engine before putting it into the game, no reason to ask that person about it, he has no idea about ESS format.

KattiValk wrote:

If you want more information before doing anything more, I totally understand that

I'm trying to tell you that converting from WAV to ESS will be so DIFFICULT to do, that I'm not even going to try it unless the community is VERY VERY interested in this. And there's no guarantee that I will EVER get any success.

But the developers are surely have all the software you need for that.

KattiValk, posted Sun Oct 02, 2016 4:19 pm (17797)

---

id-daemon wrote:

Of course its done by engine before putting it into the game, no reason to ask that person about it, he has no idea about ESS format.
I'm trying to tell you that converting from WAV to ESS will be so DIFFICULT to do, that I'm not even going to try it unless the community is VERY VERY interested in this. And there's no guarantee that I will EVER get any success.

But the developers are surely have all the software you need for that.

Ah okay, I'll see what I can learn from the devs about it then.

Thanks for the help though, we're very grateful!

id-daemon, posted Sun Oct 02, 2016 6:34 pm (17802)

---

Well, if the devs will refuse to give you tools, then we decide what to do next.

KattiValk, posted Tue Oct 04, 2016 11:50 pm (17825)

---

id-daemon wrote:

Well, if the devs will refuse to give you tools, then we decide what to do next.

Right...so my talking has basically gotten me this:

Quote:
I have no idea what a ESS file is and Wister is unfortunately no longer with us to explain it to me.
And myself or our devs are way too busy those days with the incoming DLC to focus on that.

I don't know how legitimate that statement is, but whatever it means, Eugen doesn't want to take the time to help the modding community at the moment, but as they don't seem to object at us trying.

If you want to try and have a crack at encrypting into .ess, Wister said voice files are saved in .ogg originally if that helps. I don't blame you in the slightest if you aren't interested.

id-daemon, posted Thu Oct 06, 2016 5:20 pm (17882)

---

KattiValk wrote:

If you want to try and have a crack at encrypting into .ess

If it was encrypting, it would be easier. Encryption is precise two-way operation. The problem here is this is lossy codec, meaning some data is lost, and the result is just an approximate of the original audio wave.

I checked their code during last 2 days, and found some sense in their strange calculations. This may help in reversing the process. I need to make some tests to check that.

id-daemon, posted Wed Oct 12, 2016 5:23 pm (18005)

---

Good news. I was able to theoretically reproduce their encoding. This means I'm encoding/decoding it with my own code, not the game code. So it only prooves that I understand the principle, and it works.

This was the first test:



Then I applied a correction into the loop and its now much better, still not close enough to original.

id-daemon, posted Thu Oct 13, 2016 5:37 pm (18032)

---

First sound check. Here are input sound and output after encoding into ESS and decoding back.

http://www45.zippyshare.com/v/xFwWDg9Y/file.html

I don't hear any difference, while if you compare the files, you'll see that every sample is a little different.

id-daemon, posted Sat Oct 15, 2016 12:34 pm (18066)

---

Encoder works. Confirmed in RUSE game. I replaced menu music and a couple of infantry phrases.

The problem is that if I make a phrase with samples less that original, game crashes. Maybe its written somewhere how many samples or time each phrase must play.

Anyway, here's an example file I encoded with 2 seconds music jiggle, try putting it into the game.

KattiValk, posted Thu Oct 20, 2016 3:26 am (18176)

---

id-daemon wrote:

Encoder works. Confirmed in RUSE game. I replaced menu music and a couple of infantry phrases.

The problem is that if I make a phrase with samples less that original, game crashes. Maybe its written somewhere how many samples or time each phrase must play.

Anyway, here's an example file I encoded with 2 seconds music jiggle, try putting it into the game.

Hey! Sorry I've been away for a while, but I've been rather busy these past few weeks. So, the sound files work, which is absolutely awesome, but it seems as if there's some sort of time cap built into each entry that turns a tiny bit at the end of the recording to glitch out if you go over the timestamp. So, that means what you've got works like a charm! Anything else is for us to figure out.

Thanks for everything you've done. It's absolutely amazing and we all owe you a ton for it. enohka is planning on adding it into the modding tool once everything's wrapped up so I would guess you can either give it directly to him or just post it here.

id-daemon, posted Fri Oct 21, 2016 3:10 pm (18199)

---

Good! Means this will prob. work with all eugene games. The tool is not ready, I did some of it manually, and now busy with other games. I'll get back to it soon.