CCrunch
Captain Crunch (CCrunch) is a standalone command-line utility that does three things:
- converts .v3d files into .v3m files (Static Meshes)
- converts .vcm files into .v3c files (Skeletal Meshes)
- creates .vpp packfiles out of regular datafiles
Usage
Static Meshes
Static mesh files exported from 3ds Max via the RF Toolkit Plugins are .v3d files. These need to be converted into .v3m files before Red Faction can load them.
The command-line syntax for this conversion is:
ccrunch.exe FILENAME.v3d
Where FILENAME is the relative path & filename of your .v3d file. If you specify no path, it will assume the same directory you’re running it from. The resulting .v3m file will be placed in the same directory as the source file. The output spew for this process is confusing at best, but if it created the file and you don’t see the word “ERROR” anywhere in the spew, you’re good to go.
Skeletal Meshes
Skeletal meshes are used for characters and first person weapons. They are exported from 3ds Max via the RF Toolkit Plugins are .vcm files. These need to be converted into .v3c files before Red Faction can load them.
The command-line syntax for this conversion is:
ccrunch.exe FILENAME.vcm
Where FILENAME is the relative path & filename of your .vcm file. If you specify no path, it will assume the same directory you’re running it from. The resulting .v3c file will be placed in the same directory as the source file. The output spew for this process is confusing at best, but if it created the file and you don’t see the word “ERROR” anywhere in the spew, you’re good to go.
VPP Packfiles
.vpp packfiles must be used for any data modification in Red Faction PC. This goes for levels, .tbl files, models, textures, everything. If it’s not inside a .vpp file, the game will not recognize it.
Building .vpp packfiles with CCrunch is pretty straightforward. The command-line syntax is like so:
ccrunch.exe <output VPP filename> <input TXT filename>
A text file list of individual files to include in the .vpp must be specified. You can make the .txt file with Notepad, or any other text editor. A sample .txt input file might look like this:
data\effects\lights\LightBeam02.tga data\maps\skins\enviro_guard_face_b-mip1.tga data\levels\single\L11S3.rfl data\levels\single\L12S1.rfl data\audio\music\ambience\* data\audio\music\game\* data\audio\music\menu\*
One file per line. The pathname must be relative to the directory you run CCrunch from. Note, wildcards are permitted, as shown in the “music” lines above. This feature of CCrunch is designed for massive, automated .vpp building. If you're only packing a few stray files, it might be better to use one of the other RF Tools.