About:

GCFScape v1.3.1 - GCFScape and all the files you need to run it (except the .NET Framework).

Download:

• Installer (376 KB)
• Archive (139 KB)

Runtimes: (Required)

.NET Framework v1.1 (23,698 KB Executable) - GCFScape is written in C++ .NET and as such requires the .NET runtime to run. The .NET runtime is also available as a Windows Update. v1.1 is required.

Download:

• Microsoft

IT WORKS FOR ME AS WELL!!!! woo, i opened the biggest file and its just fine:D

robotron:

no.

and please do not post information about or ask questions about hacking.

Alais and demonichachsaw:

Thanks for testing it. Now all I have to do is figure out a way to combine the code for the next release (the workaround is less memory efficient). It will probably be in the form a command line switch.

robotron:

As much as I disagree with some of Valve's copyright protection schemes there will be no talk of that sort of thing here. There is also virtually no chance that GCFScape will ever modify a GCF file. See the FAQ.

What would be cool is if you could make a tool which would set up a GCF file as a virtual drive in windows

Can Anyone help me with my HL2 to play without steam?

no. you can only play HL2 on Steam.

Love your programs. My question is: Is it possible to delete files within the GCF file? Using the pakscape I' was able to delete an annoying .wav that was looping and wouldn't stop, ap_rotor3.wav for the Apache, but couldn't remove it from Steam's GCF. I just downloaded you most resent version GCFScape.

No. It is not possible to modify the GCF files in any way using GCFScape.

I'm new to this, but if I understand correctly, this is for extracting the .vmf files from HL2 .bsp files.
I opened GCFscape, then the half-life 2 content.gcf, and I went into maps and double-clicked on some of them and it said, "gameinfo.txt doesn't exist in hl2"

So...can someone help me?

GCFScape will extract textures from Half-Life .bsp files, not Source .bsp files. You can use bspzip (one of the tools that comes with the Source SDK) to extract the textures and other resources from Source .bsp files.

As for the error, it sounds like Steam is trying to open the .bsp file but is set up incorrectly.

With the new version (1.2.6) I'm unable to select multiple files to extract (by shift-clicking or ctrl-clicking), but I'm sure I remember being able to do that with an older version. Am I wrong, or is it a bug?

Nem don't know if you have seen it but theres a file on fileplanet with aversion of gcf scape and a program that can supposedly make gcf files, i don't know what the creator is up to but my best guess it that it is used to "encrypt" files, i don't think they can use it with steam at least

Rof: This was a mistake on my part, I will add support for multiple files in the next version to be released shortly.

NoBody: Do you have a link so I can investigate?

I think he might be talking about this:
http://www.fileplanet.com/148080/140000/fileinfo/Half-Life-2---GCF-Editing-Suit

EDIT:
On the MakePakGUI website, it claims "makepak.exe is copyrighted by Valve Software"

Now, I know that they have not officially released any thing like this so I would assume it is something that someone made, or it is a reminant of the source leak.

But I don't know if it even works because I don't want to test it.

Neither do I.

Anyways, I am quite sure part of Valve's Steam plane was to create a GCF authoring suit for MOD developers so they could distribute their MODs over Steam. This could be a manifestation of this, but I don't think it is legitimate (possibly, as you said, a remnant of the Source leek).

I sent you a email with a ppt you might find interesting.

makepak is in Steam/bin/. Plus IMO we are unlikely to see a GCF authoring tool from Valve. GCFs are only useful when you have the mod hosted on the Steam servers to fill them up and that could far more securely be done internally. :-)

True, but it will be interesting to see what happens to the major MODs that emerge. Given how much the MOD community helped develop Half-Life into what it was, it would seem logical for Valve to host major MODs on their servers, both publicizing them and easing bandwidth constraints. If people are willing to buy Half-Life 2 for a specific MOD then why not? It is in their interest.

That is very odd. I have never seen that in there before.

And I agree with Nem on the MOD part. VALVe did say that it was part of their master plan to allow MOD makers to distribute/sell their content over Steam. So we have yet to see what will happen.

All I'm saying is that it is far more logical and secure to keep the authoring tools inside Valve, when any mods that is added to Steam and needs them must go through the company anyway.

I've been using 1.2.6 for a little while but I kinda have one issue with it. This was probably intentional but when you just barely move a folder in the left window pain or the "explorer" window it will throw all the files within that folder into a temp directory in the gcfscape folder. The reason I have an issue with it is because when I'm in a hurry and clicking on folders, I usually end up unknowingly moving the folder a little bit and it extracts them. I find this to be really annoying. I guess I could just be really careful with it but I really don't see why it does that.

I've just finished fixing multiple file selection (which I inadvertently removed) and I will take a look at the drag and drop code. Given how it is set up in the framework, I'm not sure I'll be able to improve it, but I will give it a shot.

Edit: Spent a good two hours trying to improve it, wasn't really able to. I might give it another crack for the next version.

ok i try to use GCFScape and it does not open and i get this error:

The application faild to initialize properly (0xc0000135). Click on OK to terminate the application.
____
|OK|
-----
^--very bad ilistration of the OK button

Read the FAQ.

Everytime I try to run GCFScape, it does not launch. No error, no nothing. Just the wait glass for a couple seconds, and then that goes away. I even made sure I have Microsoft's Framework .NET package installed.

Sounds like a problem with your .NET setup. What, I don't know (reinstall or maybe try v2.0 Beta 1). If you can't get it to work, you might try Half-Life 2 Studio. It isn't really a dedicated extractor, but it does the job.

when i try to open a gcf file, it gives me a "Invalid GCF version number (v0)." error

GCF file's don't have identifying headers so it is hard to say whether a file is a valid .gcf file or not. From the sounds of the error message, I think you have an invalid (null) .gcf file. The last person that reported the above error had the same problem. You didn't get it from Steam did you?

Yea, it was a null gcf file. Opened it in a hex editor, saw it was completely blank. Got another one and it works great. Thanks!

Hi there... I really enjoy GCF Scape but I have one problem with it... I remember reading that in the last update there was an addition of volatile access permissions, or something that would let you open GCFs while Steam is running. I have version 1.2.9, but I still have to close Steam to open any GCFs. Help!

you have to turn it on. It is off by default.
the option is in, *omg*, the options menu.


try reading the FAQ

Are you sure you don't mean '.qc'?
the .qc file is a script for compiling the model source files in to a .mdl

the GCF files only contain the compiled files that are used in the game. you will most likely not find any source files other than what is included in the SDK.

And it also sounds like you are only looking in the 'half-life 2 content.gcf', which only contains the compiled game maps (the .bsp files). the other game sources are stored in the 'source ***.gcf' files.

what files/file do i need to get the texture files

You mean to run GCFScape? Well the installer OR the archive, and the .NET framework. You'll know if you don't have the .NET framework because you'll get an error when you try to run GCFScape.

If you mean where are the texture files, they have the .vtf extension and are located in your source materials.gcf file.

Hi Nem

I have a problem wiht Gcfscape the open from the files is ok but i canīt not edit the files how can i the cgf file edit???

Thanks

Nichda

You can't edit .gcf files, see the FAQ.

i loaded the gcf files into a differnt folder, i am trying to run HL2 with out running steam, i got the files in a folder on my desktop, and when i run HL2 it say i need steam.dll, when i put that in the folder it has anouther error, can someonehelp me?

Yup, I can help you. Run Steam. It's not (legally...) possible to run HL2 without running Steam.

None of this talk here please...

hi i have non steam down and steam down i cant find half-life gcf but i did find gcf form the recent when i click it says cant find the folder browers or cancel. i click browser but still cant find it can u give me instruction or download thats might have need 2 i also have an error when i click counter strike half live shows up plz help me thank you

oh ya i also have thiz problem wen i click 1 of mai steams (steam-down, non steam down pro) to play counter strike i click a serever then i hve to donwload maps ex.de_dust it takes so long plz ccan u hlp me

I ve a problem (seems as im not the only one?)
when i try to start HL2 i get an errormessage:
"/materials/background/background.vcf is invalid
or corrupt" i didnt get help anywhere else...
please dont stone me?!

I get ''GCFScape.exe - Application Error"
'The application failed to initialise properly (0xc0000135). Click on OK to terminate the application.' What's wrong?

You need to have the Microsoft .NET framework installed inorder to use GCFScape. You can get it from windowsupdate.microsoft.com or it is linked from the GCFScape download page.

kustkiller:

The program you are using to run HL2 is illigal. Please keep it off here and take it up with the app's maker.

is the gcfscape.exe file corrupt?i cant figure out how to install cs using the file steaminstall_cs.exe can comeone xplain n send the gcfscape files to me @ ashish1987@gmail.com ....... thanx

You need to ahev steam installed with a user accound that has a valid copy of HL2 & CS:S registered to it. If you don't have HL2, buy a copy. Once you own a copy, you can install it from the My Games panel (or from a CD if it's the boxed retail version).

If you're trying to hack HL2/CS:S, then go away and don't come back.

hey, when i try to start up stea-down i always get this message: Steam.exe (main exception): Win32 StructuredException at 0F544C4B : Attempt to write to virtual address 3 without appropriate access rights.

please help me someone i'm of trying to get it to work

Jeez, what on this site makes people think it is about cracking Steam? It's not!

I'm having some difficulty in extracting specific materials from CS:S for use in DoD. GCF to extract / export the specific materials, then using the VTFedit prog. (which is very cool by the way)
Should I copy or recreate the entire folder, ..in this case DE-Nuke and it's contents, or just the vtf, vtm of the materials I want to use?
They're not showing up in the "metal" material folder when I try just the specific materials.......Clearly,...I'm missing some important step.

I'd make the materials from scratch,...but I can't get that damn TGA to vtex prog. conversion to work either.

Did I mention that mapping used to be easier?......and fun.

Any good tuts out there on more specific use of your tools?

Thanks and keep up the excellent work.

Are you updating the $basetexture path in the .vmt? You shouldn't need VTFEdit for this, just notepad.

Would it help if I said, ......I have no idea what your talking about?
There aren't enough custom source materials out there in cyberspace yet, so I have to choose from whats already available. Thanks again for the tools to make that possible.
Now if only the DoD dev team would release the necessary portion of the SDK so I wouldn't have to do this whole "work around",...that'd be nice.

But,...I digress.........I want a specific material from CS:S to be in the DoD "metal" materials folder,...........How do I do that?

Thanks (and I've been using TG since your first release.)
OH!,...and mapping used to be easier,...but I already said that.

Ok, well, you've probably noticed in the .gcf file that each material has both a .vtf and a .vmt file. You need both to use the material. If you look at say metalbar001a.vmt (in notepad) it will look like:

"LightmappedGeneric"
{
// Original shader: BaseTimesLightmapAlphaBlend
"$translucent" 1
"$basetexture" "Metal/metalbar001a"
"$surfaceprop" "metal"
"%compilepassbullets" 1
"%keywords" "c17downtown,c17industrial,c17sewers,wasteland"
}

In this case, the $basetexture tells the engine where to find the .vtf file, specifically the .vtf is in the metal folder and called metalbar001a.vtf (the extension is omitted since all textures are .vtf files and the metal folder is relative to the materials folder (cstrike/materials). So, it follows, if you want to use the same material in DOD, you would have to copy both the .vmt and .vtf to the dod/materials/metal folder. If you do not (say you choose the dod/materials/custom folder) you will have to change the $basetexture to read custom/metalbar001a.

It is important also to distinguish between materials and textures; materials reference textures and provide properties used to render them, textures are simply image data.

Ummm,..yeah,.....I figured that was probably the case.
I can ceratinly understand why,...and how,......but everything related to mapping has gotten so much......... slower,.......it's just annoying.

UPDATE,.........90 minutes later.

OK,...that was a really slow and tedius trial and error process before the material finally showed up in Hammer.
BTW,...this is all in an effort to re-release a map originally created for the old HL engine.

I still appreciate the help, and the time you put into making it any easier at all.
Thanks again.

Have I mentioned that this used to fun,...it's becomming a chore I'd just like to have done already.
Any tutorials on the folder / file structure for map preperation for distribution?

If you are distributing a map with custom content, you might want to check out Rof's Pakrat which embeds the content in your .bsp. I'm not sure if the bug where embedded models wouldn't work has been fixed though (with the Source engine, not the tool).

As for where everything goes, its best just to examine the structure of an existing MOD (though GCFScape). More less, materials and textures go in the materials folder and models go in the models folder (though their materials go in the materials folder). Everything should be in a subfolder, i.e. you should never have "materials/mymaterial.vmt", instead, "materials/myfolder/mymaterial.vmt".

maybe it's just me, i don't know, but when I try to open the installer i get an error that says "The setup files are corrupted. Clease obtain a new copy of the program"

I tried to use the archive instead, but when winZip tried to open it i got a similar error that says "Cannot open file: It does not appear to e a valid archive. If you downloaded this file, try downloading the file again."

I re-downloaded both files and i still get the same errors. Is it just me who's having the problem? or everyone?

I've tested both files and verified that they are not corrupt. Every once and a while someone reports a problem like this and it always ends up being a problem on their side.

damn...well, thanks for checking

[UPDATE] Hey, whadya know?! It's working!! haha!

HELP NEM i cant open any files it was working fine last night HELP

Well, what error message do you get?