3D model from n64 version ?

[fromoven657]

is there a way to use the 3D model for c&c from n64 version ?

[Nyerguds]

Nope, sorry. No one ever really researched into those ROMs besides me, actually. I managed to extract and convert the unique missions (which is how they're in the Remaster now), and some of the graphics, but that's it.

A prominent N64 researcher called SubDrag[github.com] wrote a tool (Universal N64 Compressor[web.archive.org]) that is able to extract all files from that ROM, and I managed to figure out a bunch of the formats inside[moddingwiki.shikadi.net], however, none of that ever seems to have gotten us closer to the models. From the information I got from people who dug into N64 games, the models in N64 games aren't files. So while we have all actual named files in that ROM... the models simply aren't in there anyway.

I'm not exactly sure of the details, but apparently models are defined in the actual program code, somehow, which means extraction of said models is possible, but requires deep research into the binary code of that specific game by someone who is familiar with the Nintendo 64 bytecode language, and with the way those models are stored. There is no simple unified way of extracting N64 models from games; it seems to be research that needs to be re-done for every individual game.

And, well, while I did spend a decade in the binary bowels of C&C95... the PC and Nintendo 64 CPUs have a completely different bytecode language, and I don't know anything at all about it

[fromoven657]

wow thanks you man, im about to buy the game, and pray for a near future with tiberium sun remastered.

[Nyerguds]

There might be ways to dump the models using an emulator... not quite sure what those things are capable of. We managed to extract a few unique renders from the N64 briefings by making an emulator dump the textures, anyway. These textures are also not among those actual files.

[edit]

Here are those extracted renders. I used an AI upscaler (ESRGAN) to get some more quality out of them, since the originals were tiny (about 80x80 pixels). The wireframe animation's also been cleaned up a bit.

• SAM Site locations on wireframe map[i.imgur.com] - This wireframe animation is actually shown in the Nod 5 briefing on PC too.[i.imgur.com]
  
• Advanced Communications Center[i.imgur.com] - One of the only colour renders of it that exist.
  
• Wireframe to terrain transition[i.imgur.com]
  
• Nuclear component crates[i.imgur.com] - The building they are in seems to be a Weapons Factory.

Interestingly, the dumped textures were slightly larger than what was shown in-game.[i.imgur.com] Note how you don't really see in the left-hand image that it's a Weapons Factory, and in the right-hand image there's not even any of the wireframe part visible.

Original files:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zdhhExmHiMMxCEMnbKzwj_DsDSNXBrN4/view?usp=sharing

[Nyerguds]

There indeed seem to be ways to dump models from the emulator. No idea if this can be applied to C&C, though:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vz9dDyTTAGc

Looks like it might actually save the entire map including all units and structures as a single model. That'd be a lot of mess to filter out.

So, what's the next step? Render the N64 models into high resolution sprites, and make the crappiest looking C&C: Remastered mod ever out of it?