CLZ files in Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life

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seangibbz
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2017 8:29 am

CLZ files in Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life

Post by seangibbz » Sun Oct 29, 2017 8:57 am

Hi guys.

I've been looking into creating some mods for the gamecube versions of Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life and Harvest Moon: Another Wonderful Life.

So far, I've been able to understand the TPL files (textures, explorable with BrawlBox), ARC files (U8 archives, explorable with BrawlBox or CTools SZS Explorer), MES files (dialogue, viewable with the A(n)WL MES Editor), THP (videos, viewable in VLC Media Player), GPL files (geometry files / 3D models, referred to in the official Gamecube/Dolphin SDK).

However, there's one file that I'm unable to open/edit, CLZ files.
I haven't been able to find any information about these files, but from what I can tell via hex editing, they appear to be some form of archive.
I've found file headers for other files (e.g. u8 archives, tpl files, etc) embedded within the clz files, but with some data not following standard conventions (likely the result of some compression method).

The header for the clz files follows the following format:
  • Offset | Size | Description
  • 0x00 | 4 bytes | CLZ file identifier [43 4c 5a 00]
  • 0x04 | 4 bytes | unknown variable [e.g. 00 63 ad 40 for one particular example file]
  • 0x08 | 4 bytes | null space [00 00 00 00]
  • 0x0c | 4 bytes | unknown variable, repeats that of 0x04 [e.g. 00 63 ad 40 for the above example]
  • 0x10 | 1 byte | null terminator [00]
  • 0x11 | variable | First compressed file in clz archive, in this case a U8 arc file [e.g. 55 aa 38 2d … for the above example file]
Has anyone else come across these files?
If so, do you have any advice for reading them?
sonic15783
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2017 9:37 pm

Re: CLZ files in Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life

Post by sonic15783 » Mon Oct 30, 2017 10:06 pm

I have been doing some research but like you not much came up. Also, the CLZ format is used in AWL, A(n)WL and AWL Special Edition on Playstation 2. There's a script folder inside the test folder of the root of the game. Maybe compare it to U8 archived CLZ encrypted Script files? (Also script files contain "RIFF" and "SCR CODE" which i don't know the meaning of and have been searching for months!) If you find anything else please keep me in touch! (Also found this the other day: [http://aluigi.altervista.org/quickbms.htm] AWAD (script 0.2.1) might help because it uses the CLZ extension, also mentions encryption.)

UPDATE: I forgot to say that if there are CLZ files in the playstation 2 version it might mean that the solution to decrypt these files is somewhere in the games files!
seangibbz
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2017 8:29 am

Re: CLZ files in Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life

Post by seangibbz » Tue Oct 31, 2017 12:27 am

Thanks for the tip.
I believe I came across some references to the script file type comparing it to that of Super Mario Sunshine.
I'll do some more research and get back to you.

I also looked at the PS2 files and found one of the files (mainchapter0) exists as both a .arc and a .arc.clz file. This could prove useful for comparison purposes.
sonic15783
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2017 9:37 pm

Re: CLZ files in Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life

Post by sonic15783 » Sat Nov 11, 2017 3:59 pm

I'm following the developpement of Harvest Moon A Proud Life on your tumblr so don't worry about coming back to me. ;)
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