Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections modding: same method, S.S.D.D. (and a new Indonesian video)

 Well, I come back with two good news.

Storm Connections Modding = Storm 4 Modding

I'll have to say, the modding techniques used in UNSC is similar to that of UNS4. Encrypted CPK archives, same method to replace images with the hex editor... TBH, it's not far off considering UNSC is a reskin of UNS4 with new features, bug fixes, and more, which makes UNSC as if it's a brand new game. Also, UNSC is the first modern Naruto game entry to return the use of two different Ninjutsus similar to that of Ultimate Ninja 5 on PS2 (no idea if Storm 1 is having that, correct me if I'm wrong tho).

Apparently, since I joined Nexus back when I was hyped with Fallout 4 Modding, there is a new game category dedicated to UNSC (I'm surprised since Ik that only VGM is the main source of the mods for Naruto Storm games), and not even a year or two it's filled with model mods, like, bwoaaaaaaaaaaah...

I moved away from AC7 modding for some time in a hope that I can enjoy other games while looking for job employment that suits my type, but since I bought this game on my b-day, which was on sale for 600k (new payment methods in Indonesia makes it easier so that I won't even depend on E-Wallet to top up), when I checked out the mods, I'm fairly surprised that CC2/Bamco have their style that never gets old when it comes to Storm games. I mean, just... look at the file and directory structure. Some assets seem to be reused and applied on UNSC, particularly the Boruto one from UNS4.

This means old-school modding tricks still work today, just in a way that it's 2023/2024, such as extracting the entire CPK archive with QuickBMS (it used the encryption algorithm by CC2 so conventional CPK archive extractor script can't do the job) and even the trick to replace image in a XFBIN file using hex editing. Heck, even Noesis can be used to view the models and images in a XFBIN file, too. You can use this link to see through my posts related to Ultimate Ninja Storm Modding and my diaries about that too.

The sad thing is, with XentaX Forums died out of nowhere, I don't think anyone will be able to extract the CPK archive without knowhow unless you join the UNS Modding Discord Server (I saw that link in one of the mods) and ask some of the experienced ones out there, so... yeah, if you run across my blog, you're lucky because I've preserved the BMS script dedicated to extract the CPK archives that is using the CC2's own encryption algorithm (I believe it's using XOR and then packed them as it is).

You can get the BMS scripts I saved at this link; you only need CC2_CPK_Decryptor.bms, which is a BMS script for QuickBMS that can extract and decrypt the files in one go. The goodies you can extract and tinker around with is in the data1.cpk file, located in «yourgamedirectory»\data\launch. You can't miss it. 😉 (Credits go to ssh @ XentaX Forums for the original script which maybe has lost forever if someone didn't save a snapshot at Wayback Machine)

I melt my heart because of Nanashi 😭

You heard that right. This is the second I almost cried after watching a scene in a Naruto game that really touches me hard (the first was when I have the Ultimate Ninja 5 game and played the scene where Naruto meets Sasuke). Some of you might consider the story is crap, but to me, it's a well-crafted storytelling that takes part in an age where Boruto haven't yet met Kawaki (so much so that it's in my fanfiction timeline that any of my stories that revolve around Boruto from 2019 to 2021 is related in my other blog), even though I wish that CC2/Bamco would bring the storyline of Boruto's saga into the game. So much for the story repetition in the game. 😑

I mean, let's be honest; the reason I want UNSC is that it has new characters that I like aside of new features and the like (and by coincidence, ever since Steam has added Bahasa Indonesia as both UI for Steam app and Steam website language, this game is the first Naruto game that uses Bahasa Indonesia as the UI language), but the story that revolves around Naruto (both Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden) has been milked to death. Even so, they made the game look like a PowerPoint Presentation 🤣 (I saw a review that says about that and not recommending it) and the IA (Interactive Activity/Action) is similar to UNS4, which is simplified with no chance that it can scrub your health if you fail a sequence, like in UNS3FB. Like, think about it. You can just leave it while hilariously seeing the IA sequences fail and the game continues to the next sequence. It's no different than TugaAvenger's video on "No DFM" subject in Ace Combat: Assault Horizon game (example). It's wack, let me tell you. IA is supposed to depend on user input that is pressed in time or else it makes things harder for you, not just as a decoration. You can easily fill up the stars on few sequences if done right to unlock the Secret Factor, but here it's just a useless feature to be added to the game since UNS4.

I've done my livestream regarding that subject. You can see the entire UNSC playlist of that here.

Nanashi/Hikari to me is... otherworldly. Different. It's at this point (and after watching the Frontline-59 campaign of Project Wingman) that I consider that Boruto isn't even a bad guy to begin with (in relations with the Two Blue Vortex manga that is still ongoing for now). On that subject, I once have an unpublished meme mod where Crimson 1 is Boruto Uzumaki, and I don't think it's rather fitting that he was a part of the Oceania incident where the Cascadians (which was once a part of the Federation before it went independent) rescued him, but later resorted to lead the Crimson Squadron in the Federation, ignoring the fact that he was a Cascadian. Also, Boruto becoming insane doesn't seem to fit the face.

Anyways, the reason I made that meme mod is because people who loved Naruto as much as I am don't get the same impression with Boruto. From story design to clothing, they have their own complaints, and I understand that. The only time Naruto fans hyped with Boruto saga was from episodes 129 to 136 in BORUTO: NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS, where Boruto and Sasuke traveled back in time to chase after Urashiki that was attempting to steal Naruto's Nine Tails and change the history forever.

At this point, I decided to wait for Frontline-59 extra content to be publicized, along with the game updates that fixes stuffs here and there. ATM, I'm running the game on the Beta Branch, and I see some changes that I noticed already if you have watched "Everything Wrong With Project Wingman" before.

Okay, back to the topic. With Kawaki "Karma Progression" DLC coming out soon, it's no secret that this game, while it's updated to match the 2024 gaming standards, people really wanted to have Nanashi/Hikari as a playable character, and not as a boss character. I can see the reason behind this mod on Nexus, but yeah.... people who don't even know about modding never heard about this mod, which ATM replaces an existing character instead of adding a new one. Me? I prefer waiting for CC2/Bamco to make her a playable character (that's why I bought the Ultimate Edition that costed almost similar to AV-8B N/A V/STOL module for DCS: World if not on sale price), and having Borushiki and Kawashiki as playable characters too (the Borushiki one has an exclusive outfit that Boruto used from episodes 282 to 293 in BORUTO: NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS, which is an improvement of his Academy outfit from episodes 1 to 37 matching the manga version).

Come to think of it, why they didn't bother to add characters that are only exist in NARUTO X BORUTO: NINJA VOLTAGE? Warrior Spirit characters and adult Shikamaru in a suit seems rad to me.

 

Anyway, the video I published is in Indonesian, but the voice over language is in English and I made a playlist dedicated to it. The Final "Real" Episode is the one that I and the people favored the most, so I'll include it here. I gotta say, UNSC seems to be one step ahead than UNS4 in terms of features and improvements over several things, though many seem to criticize it for some features that have been exchanged, including the Tilt moves. Honestly, I, for one, can't be able to utilize it, and even if I can, it's gonna need more than 20 to 30 tries to make it so. I'm just happy that CC2/Bamco swapped it with Ninjutsu 2 instead, which makes it the first (second if UNS1 is counted) to feature two usable Ninjutsus since Ultimate Ninja 5 or older in PS2.

I'll be back with more stories to tell, if my time permits, ofc. Although I spend my time mostly hanging out in Blaze's GBS Discord server, I can spare some time pouring what I'm thinking of into this blog for you to read. With that, I'll see you again in the next post. 👋