Notes:Mario Kart Wii
This page contains notes for the game Mario Kart Wii.
Contents
Useful Tools
These tools are helpful to datamine the different files in the game.
Multipurpose
BrawlCrate
Supports viewing / modifying many graphic and sound file formats found in Wii games, including BRRES (and its subfiles, such as MDL0, TEX0, CHR0, etc), TPL (image icons), BRSTM (music), BRSAR (sound effects archive) and THP (videos). It will also open / save ".szs" (Yaz0 compressed U8 archives) and ".arc" files (uncompressed U8 archives).
RiiStudio
Supports viewing / modifying many course-related files, including BRRES and its subfiles (graphical data), KCL (collision) and KMP (parameters). It will also open / save ".szs" (Yaz0 compressed U8 archives) and ".arc" files (uncompressed U8 archives).
Switch Toolbox
Supports viewing / modifying many graphic and sound file formats found in Wii games, including BRLYT (UI layouts) and BRLAN (UI animations). It will also open / save ".szs" (Yaz0 compressed U8 archives) and ".arc" files (uncompressed U8 archives).
Wiimms SZS Tools
A powerful command line tool that supports viewing / modifying many course-related files. Some useful commands are listed below:
Extracting an archive (.szs / .arc)
The following commands extract the contents of a .szs / .arc archive:
wszst extract my_archive.szs
Additionally, this version of the command not only will extract the contents of an archive, but it will also extract the contents of its files and even convert them into usable formats.
For example, for BRRES files, it will extract all the MDL0, TEX0, CHR0, etc, files contained inside it. It will also convert KCL (collision) files to .obj, and KMP (parameters) files to text.
wszst extract -a my_archive.szs
These commands will store the contents of "my_archive.szs" in a directory called "my_archive.d", to compile said directory into an archive, use the following command:
wszst CREATE my_archive.d
Checking a course archive
If "my_archive.szs" is a course file, the following command will do several checks to it to see if there's anomalies. This command will also check for unused object/camera routes and respawn points.
wszst check -a my_archive.szs
NOTE: Sometimes the command will give a few erroneous hints / warnings. For example, checking a cutscene course file, such as winningrun_demo.szs, will make the program think it's a battle course file.
Converting a KCL (collision) file to OBJ
wkclt DECODE my_collision_file.kcl
Decoding a KMP into a readable text file
This command will decode a KMP file named "my_parameters_file.kmp" into a readable text file named "my_parameters_file.txt"
wkmpt DECODE my_parameters_file.kmp
To compile said text file into a KMP again, use the following command:
wkmpt ENCODE my_parameters_file.txt
3D Visuals
noclip.website
Allows the user to preview 3D models and even entire courses within the web browser, with high accuracy to the original game. In order to view a model / course, open the website and drag a BRRES / SZS file into the noclip's screen.
NOTE: This website will ignore the presence flags of course objects, making them always visible. This will preview objects that are normally not possible to see in-game (such as disabled objects).
UI
wuj5
Allows the user to convert Wii UI formats, such as BRLYT (UI layouts), BRLAN (UI animations) and BRCTR (UI settings) to a readable JSON5 and vice versa.
Use the following command to convert a BRLYT/BRLAN/BRCTR file into .json5. For example, if we have a file called "Control.brctr", running this command will convert it into a JSON5 file named "Control.brctr.json5":
wuj5.py decode Control.brctr
Use the following command to convert a .json5 into a BRLYT/BRLAN/BRCTR. For example, if we have a file called "Control.brctr.json5", running this command will convert it into a BRCTR file named "Control.brctr":
wuj5.py encode Control.brctr.json5
Course Parameters
Lorenzi's KMP Editor
This programs allows you to preview / edit KMP (parameters) files in a 3D space, with an option to view a model (OBJ) or a collision file (KCL) alongside it. A few parameters, such as cameras / AREAs, are not supported
KMP Cloud
This programs allows you to preview / edit KMP (parameters) files. It supports loading a model (OBJ) alongside the KMP. This program supports editing a few more parameters than the tool above, albeit not in 3D.
Ghost Files
RKG Viewer
Supports viewing the metadata of ghost files (RKG), including the unseen ones, such as the date of creation. It also supports viewing the inputs of the ghost as well as extracting the Mii data from them.
Mario Kart Channel WAD's Files Equivalences
The following shows the equivalence between the *.app files extracted from the WAD (RevoKartNR.wad) and the ones from the main game's filesystem:
- 00000000.app = /opening.bnr
- 00000001.app = main.dol
- 00000002.app = Related to the Home Menu Icons
- 00000003.app = Related to the Home Menu Banner
- 00000004.app = /contents/RFLRes01.arc
- 00000005.app = /contents/HomeButton.arc
- 00000006.app = /contents/HomeButtonSe.arc
- 00000007.app = /contents/globe.arc
- 00000008.app = Contains the following directories (and some files/subdirectories pertaining to them): /Boot, /hbm, /Race, /rel, /Scene and /sound
- 00000009.app = Unknown
Keep in mind that not all files are identical to the ones from the main game. Some files and directories have been stripped out since they are not loaded in the Channel itself (like how the /Race directory in 00000008.app only includes the /TimeAttack subdirectory, as the other subdirectories/files are never loaded by the Channel itself).
Miscellaneous
Sound IDs with their names extracted from 'revo_kart.brsar'
Text dump with their BMG IDs (see the files starting with orig)
All particle effects from /Race/Common.szs/Effect
Complete Ghost and Mii metadata for all staff ghosts from the game.
Things to investigate
- Investigate all the files in the Race\Competition\CommonObj directory to make sure they are all used.
- Investigate the files inside the Scene\UI directory on the Korean disc (and the lack of the General Award.szs, Channel.szs etc... found on the other discs)
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTjyUMI5sYY&t=51s Get better footage of all the objects here
- Compare the text from the prerelease screenshots to the final game and look for differences