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Ripping and Importing 3D Models from Nintendo DS with Animations

Pre-Requisites

  1. Every File Explorer program. Download here.
  2. Apicula. Download here.
  3. NDS Roms. Use these as examples.

Ripping stage

  1. Open Every File Explorer.exe
  2. File menu > Open... or Open button in toolbar
    3. Open using toolbar Open using File menu
  3. Select your NDS rom. (We will use the files from MEGA as example)
  4. Browse around the ROM until you found the folders that contain these file formats
    • 3D Models 
      .nsbmd
    • Bone Animations 
      .nsbmca
    • Texture Animations 
      .nsbtp
    • Visibility Animations 
      .nsbva
    5. Right click, select Export
  5. Export these files. Make sure to follow the same folder structure as the ROM

Viewing

  1. Open a Command Line Interface(PowerShell or Command Prompt)

    2. Tip for Opening PowerShell

    Press Shift and Right click to open PowerShell in that directory

  2. Set the Command Line's directory to where apicula is located
  3. Run this command to view the files. [dir] is the location of your exported files
    4. .\apicula view [dir]

Exporting

  1. Repeat steps 1 and 2
  2. Run this command to export them to export them to glTF
    3. .\apicula convert [file] -o [dir] --overwrite
  3. Run this command to export them to export them to Collada
    4. .\apicula convert [file] -o [dir] -f=glb --overwrite

Export Tips

glTF supports multiple animations. The animations will turn into NLA tracks when imported into Blender.

While Collada has wide software support, it does not support multiple animations.

Command Examples

Example situation: In the directory where apicula is located there is a folder where you placed all the files you ripped from the ROM

Example folder structure

To view the 3D model inside the folder c00, run this command

.\apicula view .\3726\c00
Output

To export the 3D model as a glTF you run this command

.\apicula convert .3726\c00\* -o .\export\c00 -f=glb --overwrite

Make sure the directory exist before running the command

Export

To export the 3D model as a Collada file you run this command

.\apicula convert .3726\c00\*.nsbmd -o .\export-DAE\c00 --overwrite

You can view glTF files in Windows' 3D viewer app