TheKreator's "Bring Back The Fink!" Project - AKA Remove JoJo!

[TheKreator]

This thread is to document my attempt at bringing back Howard Finkel to 2K18!  I know other people have made efforts in previous years on this type of thing, but not sure how successful anyone has been.  We're lucky The Fink has done so many previous video games over the years that with the exception of new wrestlers and more spoken locations in 2K18, the vast majority of the audio required for basic ring introductions, champion introductions, etc... already exists!  The tricky part is mapping out where all that audio needs to go!

Over the last week, using TheVisitorX's fantastic Sound Editor 2K18 tool, I listened to the entire ra_m.pck file line by line and typed up everything Jo Jo said verbatim.  I lost track of how many hours of tedious typing it was, but the updated data.xml file is now available with the entire file filled out!  Sort it alphabetically and easily find whatever you need!

What this means is not only can we replace all the ring announcer files, but you can also easily overwrite existing Superstars with other names (aka loading character mods into existing slots to enable custom renders and now custom ring announcing audio.)  This also works fantastic for replacing some of the more strange CAS call names with real wrestler names or your own custom sound files.  For example, I clipped Howard Finkel's "Paul Bearer" into separate "Paul" and "Bearer" and replaced the existing "Paul" and "Bear" calls.  So now he announces my created Paul Bearer perfectly!

So far, I've been working my way through replacing all the standard ring announcing with custom Howard Finkel audio.  Much of his lines from prior games are not identical matches to the wording and style of 2K18, so I've been trimming and splicing to match.  The hardest part is the way weights are announced.  They are created from multiple clips to enable proper voice announcing of any weight from 1 pound to over 2000 pounds (for team combined weight announcements).

COMPLETED:
Hundreds of files are now complete, allowing for almost entire ring introductions for one-on-one and tag team matches (both pre- and post-match announcements) with the exception of most wrestler names and weights.

 

IN PROGRESS:
My current focus is replacing all wrestler names that Fink has mentioned in prior games, and all locations, and all titles.  Also creating the individual weight announcements required.

FUTURE:
Possibly recording new announcements with a Fink impersonator (or possibly a different, but full set of professionally recorded announcements. - I produce a weekly professional wrestling TV show out of Portland, Oregon and may have someone interested in recording a fully custom audio set for this project.)
Also, I plan to index the custom commentary so we can also remove/replace/swap custom commentary for specific in-game Superstars, and maybe even custom crowd chant audio, etc...

DISTRIBUTION:
Sharing the fully customized ra_m.pck file might be the easiest way to share this with everyone, but what I may end up doing is just providing a compressed archive of the individual calls where you can then manually use Sound Editor to import them yourself.  (It's easy now that I've indexed all the clips, but it's time consuming to do the hundreds of replacements required.)

 

WANT TO HELP?
Would love assistance finding any existing Fink audio.  Most of what I have has come from prior games, though the complete calls are sometimes spotty at best and I haven't looked much into how to extract from certain console games from disc.

DONATIONS:
Not necessary, but sincerely appreciated!  PayPal Donation

This is a massive project that takes considerable time, but like most modders it's about the love of the game/professional wrestling and sharing our efforts with others to enjoy!

[weslacocubs]

Damn! I would love the Fink to be the ONLY announcer. Can't beat it. My favorite of all time is during a change of title where he goes, ".....and NNNNEEEEEEWWWW WWE Champion". Any timetable on a beta release?

[TheKreator]

Yes, his Championship announcements are the greatest!  So far, I have all the basics completely replaced and at least the Winged Eagle championship announcements so I can hear that NNNEEEEWWW!  Or when retaining the title, STIIIIIILLLLLL! 

My current process is getting all the required audio clips for weight announcements finished by clipping sounds and modifying as needed so they all sound balanced properly.  I also have several locations for wrestlers which I'm clipping into the 2K18 format.

Right now, when playing matches, the introductions are about 85-90% Fink, and JoJo only for names and locations, and a few weights.  But it flows very smoothly together which is kind of creepy to hear two very different voices announce seamlessly "Weight 298 lbs" for example, where Fink says everything except for "ninety eight".

I'll try to set up a demo match and capture it sometime soon.  No idea on how I'll distribute it, but due to the number of files and sizes, I think I'll wait until it's much closer to completion.

I'm also indexing the other sound pck files to find unique commentary clips, and additional ring announcer calls that weren't in the main file.  Making good progress in my spare time though, listening to hundreds of files and typing what they are.  Tedious, but very exciting when I play a match and hear The Fink announcing again!

[Daigron]

On 15.02.2018 at 2:36 AM, TheKreator said:

Over the last week, using TheVisitorX's fantastic Sound Editor 2K18 tool, I listened to the entire ra_m.pck file line by line and typed up everything Jo Jo said verbatim.  I lost track of how many hours of tedious typing it was, but the updated data.xml file is now available with the entire file filled out!  Sort it alphabetically and easily find whatever you need!

OMG

[kim666]

Awesome project. 

I remember @MatMania had a huge collection of Fink calls.

And there are also lots of Fink calls in this old Sega mega CD game "rage in the cage"

 

[TheKreator]

Yes, I still play Rage in the Cage on my Sega CDX. 

I've been up all night working on editing Fink audio and I can officially announce all weights from 1 to 2999 lbs are now complete!  (Except 11...  I can't find any audio of Fink saying "eleven" !)

Also, I've got about 30 wrestler names and locations, and about 10 team names entered.  At this point, all entrances are mostly Fink, with JoJo only saying names and some locations!

Still have lots of championship names and calls to add, and all the specialty gimmick matches, but I typically only play 1 on 1, or Tag Team matches, and usually only for the Winged Eagle and Classic Intercontinental Titles so that was my focus to start.

So many hours into this, but it's coming along so well!  I had to create so many of the weights by cut/pasting numbers and even sounds together to generate some (the 'teens were very tricky, but amazingly they all sound really good!)  That's a huge credit to Howard Finkel's abilities - he's very consistent and has great intonation which makes it a bit easier to patch together things and still sound natural.

[TheVisitorX]

I hope you stay tuned and do not lose motivation in this project. Since I only play with legends and I don't care about the current roster, I can't wait to finally have Howard's voice in the game again! Jojo just does not fit a legends game: /. If I can help you with my tools, please let me know.

[TheKreator]

At this point I have played several matches of different types with different wrestlers, and besides names and locations, it's pretty much all Fink now!  I still have the individual clips to make to support the Create a Championship options, but so far so good!  It's awesome having all the weights finished now since the game builds the weights dynamically now instead of having each wrestlers weight and locations combined into a single file.  I'm still trying to identify where the audio clips for the "accompanied by [manager name]" is located.  Those weren't in ra_m.pck, only the "accompanied by" clip which is then used for the Create a Superstar custom call names.  There's also a bunch of "And [Superstar Name]" clips located elsewhere to find.  So I will continue typing up the rest of the files until I find them!

[Cave Waverider]

Awesome stuff!

4 hours ago, TheKreator said:

There's also a bunch of "And [Superstar Name]" clips located elsewhere to find.  So I will continue typing up the rest of the files until I find them!

You might want to change the "and" clips (if they are found) to be without the "and" in the beginning since the "and" stuff is usually annoyingly bugged in this game and plays at inappropriate times. The "And" stuff isn't really needed anyway, since The Fink usually said things like "Hawk, Animal the Legion of Doom" without any "and" in it.

[TheKreator]

22 minutes ago, Cave Waverider said:

Awesome stuff!

You might want to change the "and" clips (if they are found) to be without the "and" in the beginning since the "and" stuff is usually annoyingly bugged in this game and plays at inappropriate times. The "And" stuff isn't really needed anyway, since The Fink usually said things like "Hawk, Animal the Legion of Doom" without any "and" in it.

Yep, I've discovered some of the clips link together awkwardly with the "and" pieces in there -- though certain clips that include "and" in addition to other audio are for multi man matches like 6 man and 8 man, plus there are some odd combinations with the match creator functionality and title matches for two belts simultaneously.  I'm trying to test as many combinations as I can to discover audio I thought I replaced is still coming out with JoJo's voice (hence audio in other files besides ra_m.pck that I haven't discovered yet.)

But so far so good!  I've also recently discovered (and maybe it was already known in prior years) but the specific audio clips of wrestlers during their entrances are not necessarily tied to the entrance animation itself, but to the wrestler ID.  I believe the trigger to activate it is within the animation, but the sound itself is tied to the wrestler ID.  For example, I've replaced Enzo Amore with Hulk Hogan to allow for render and ring announcements.  While testing him in a tag team (with Savage as The Mega Powers) I was looking through entrance animations and watched them come out to The New Day's tag entrance and Enzo's entrance vocals were triggered.  (Which means I could technically replace the Enzo clip with some Hogan promo material and use The New Day animation and have custom Hulkster vocals (but to goofy New Day motion).

Maybe it won't work, but now I'm curious if I swap Hogan (or anyone you want to have a vocal taunt) over an existing wrestler with a vocal taunt, then swap the audio and assign a taunt animation which triggers sound.  For example if you simply reassign a taunt like Flair's "Woo" to Braun Strowman, it triggers his "Braun!" vocal.  Of course, this means using an existing taunt animation which already has an audio trigger (but maybe we could figure out how to copy that trigger into other taunt files?  Like including "You!" for Hogan's point or maybe even adding a "Banzai!" into one of the Banzai Drop moves?

[TheVisitorX]

Quote

I'm still trying to identify where the audio clips for the "accompanied by [manager name]" is located. 

It's so weird. I can tell you where that sound file is located, it's in character_ss5_m.pck. Seems logical, right? (No, it's not, I know). Where I got it from? I've read that value from memory and made a search in all pck files........................ Id is: 7189919998. If you need more, please let me know. It isn't so easy as it was in the first version, where you have only one address which has that id, so that you can simply extract it from there. Now the id changes with each new match, so I have to search for an existing value like the id for "and his opponent" (987714386)... And than I can search for the id I want. Annoying...

Edited February 19, 2018 by TheVisitorX

[TheKreator]

10 hours ago, TheVisitorX said:

It's so weird. I can tell you where that sound file is located, it's in character_ss5_m.pck. Seems logical, right? (No, it's not, I know). Where I got it from? I've read that value from memory and made a search in all pck files........................ Id is: 7189919998. If you need more, please let me know. It isn't so easy as it was in the first version, where you have only one address which has that id, so that you can simply extract it from there. Now the id changes with each new match, so I have to search for an existing value like the id for "and his opponent" (987714386)... And than I can search for the id I want. Annoying...

Good to know!  I figured there might be a way to read the ID from memory.  I also noticed in tag team victory scenes, the names are separate files than the ring introductions.  For example, I replaced Savage and Warrior's names with The Fink, and works great in the entrances, but JoJo announces them in the victory.  I'm assuming those may also be in the ss5 file (or one of the others)

[TheKreator]

I opened up character_ss5_m.pck and had started adding some of the descriptions, but realized again in this file lots of the same audio clips with matching IDs appear here -- and so in the "Replaced" column, it shows the file names I replaced in the ra_m.pck, but if I play the file it's of course JoJo instead of Fink.  So as discovered in other files, many duplicates with same IDs are included, but each have their own audio data.  So it appears that the Victory Scenes use the ring announcer calls from "ss5" instead of the identical audio clips from ra_m.pck.  Confusing, but at least we're discovering which files are used when during actual gameplay.  So it looks like I'll need to work through the entire "ss5" file to find the rest of JoJo's vocals to replace.

If you could identify the specific IDs for the "accompanied by [manager]" that would help a lot!  I believe it would only be for the few people included as Managers officially.  Anyone else assigned as a manager probably uses a combination of their regular call name following the simple "accompanied by" clip.  I'll test that theory by using someone as a manger like Randy Savage who I've replaced his call names in both ra_m.pck and ss5.  Then I should hear Fink correctly say the accompanied by line using both separate files.  But it's also possible they recorded a separate file for every officially included superstar with an "accompanied by [superstar name]" audio file... that would suck as it adds so much more audio to identify and create.

EDIT:  I can confirm they did record separate files for each originally included superstar for "Accompanied by [superstar name]" and not just the original managers.  Why they didn't just dynamically use the existing name calls and the "accompanied by" snippet, I have no idea...  but that means a ton of extra hours of work going through the ssX files to find them all.  Hopefully they're all in ss5.  My plan of attack on this is just to quickly go through each line CTRL+P and if I don't hear JoJo, I'm just moving on.  This file contains lots of individual wrestler commentary from Cole, Saxton, Graves commenting on individual situations like being busted open, going up the turnbuckle, etc...  Just too much to worry about there.  I just need to focus on JoJo for now.

Edited February 20, 2018 by TheKreator

[TheVisitorX]

I can confirm that, too.. i have found a lot of "Accompanied by .." in the ss5 file. But it seems that the game doesn't use it for each superstar or situation? For example I've had AJ Styles and Randy Orton as managers and the game has used  7189919998, which is the file without the name... Weird.. But I can help you if you want. Just let me know. We could share the work on that files.

Just by the way... Maybe for further testing or a final release.. It would be a much easier and quicker way, if you would just create a new pck archive for all the sounds sharing the same ids or all sounds and bnk files and save it as patch30.pck or something like that. Because with that method it will possibly overwrites entries from other sound archives. That is the way how Yukes does it. The patch files often have duplicates in it.

In next SE version I will allow copying the sound ids.

Edited February 20, 2018 by TheVisitorX

[TheKreator]

5 minutes ago, TheVisitorX said:

Just by the way... Maybe for further testing or a final release.. It would be a much easier and quicker way, if you would just create a new pck archive for all the sounds sharing the same ids or all sounds and bnk files and save it as patch30.pck or something like that. Because with that method it will possibly overwrites entries from other sound archives. The patch files often have duplicates in it.

In next SE version I will allow copying the sound ids.

I was going to ask about that and what the best method would be for distributing once everything is replaced (or at least once it's ready to distribute in an early version with the audio I have completed so far.)  If you could assist with that, I would greatly appreciate it.  I will PM you a link to download my current files if you want to take a look at separating them out into their own pck (or let me know the best way to do that myself.)  Once created as a separate file, what is the process to ensure the game loads those clips with priority over the unmodified files in the original pcks?

Also, any possibility of adding a feature to SE such as "play all" or "preview all" where it would start playing the first 2 seconds of each file then move to the next item down?  Then when I hear a file I want to write a description, maybe hitting the space bar to stop the auto-playback, type in the description, then hit another shortcut to continue playing down the list?  That might speed up the process of identifying only JoJo clips as opposed to the commentators.

[TheVisitorX]

I'll do my best to help to get that project done. I can create that file for you if you want or you can do that by your own with SE. I can give you more details, if you need them. Actually it is not that difficult. Or - If you send me the files - I'll create the file for you. I can't promise that it's working that way, but it should. I have done a lot of tests the last days and it was working fine with multiple files (some voice, some sfx). In theory it should be so, that files from patches overwrite the already existing files of other archives in the game. That's the way how Yukes "fixes" sound files. Unfortunately you can not add more PCK files, so we have to use an existing archive and add the files it contains to make them work as they did before.

Your suggested feature should be possible, but I'm not sure if the preview thing would work. I'll have a look and add that to my list for the next release. Should be out really soon. I'll let you know!

Edited February 20, 2018 by TheVisitorX

[TheKreator]

Thanks, I appreciate the assist!  The preview feature would be great if possible.  Maybe even the option of 1 sec, 2 sec, 5 sec, etc...  I'm manually doing it very fast right now, so I'll probably be able to get through the file in a few hours of work.  I'm replacing audio as I find it if I already have the Fink files prepped (for names), and will go back and build all the "Accompanied by [name]" files once I've identified them all.

We're getting close to having all the basic ring announcements completed so only thing we'll have to do is find wrestler names and locations.  I've done quite a few including some modern guys like Miz and Jinder Mahal.  It's so fun to set up a match, and hear Fink almost 100% throughout!  Very exciting!

[TheKreator]

Made a TON of progress tonight!  Thanks to @TheVisitorX's awesome updates to Sound Editor, I was able to blast through and find the rest of JoJo's ring introductions and misc calls in the ss5 pck.  I then spent hours this evening formatting more Fink audio, cut/pasting clips together to create calls, and then replacing all the "Accompanied By [name]" files for wrestlers that I have actual audio for their names.  I also did a few more Championships, match types, locations, team names, and some other misc stuff that I came across.

Getting very close to an initial release so everyone can enjoy The Fink again!  But I still have a lot of Classics and Legends to find audio for, specifically Rick Rude, Jake Roberts, Dusty Rhodes, Lex Luger, and quite a few others.

I'm sending off a download link for the two main pck files for testing purposes, and will follow up here as I continue adding the championship title announcements.  But any names others can help me with, that would be awesome!  I'll start building a more definitive checklist of names that are completed, and those that are needed for the default 2K18 roster.

Edited February 21, 2018 by TheKreator

[TheVisitorX]

Guys, you can really look forward to it! @TheKreator kindly provided me with his already edited files and I could already hear it. I am very stunned! It sounds absolutely great. He really does a great job! It adds so much to the atmosphere to hear his voice in the game! I just want to say thank you again for taking the time and trouble to create this mod!

[TheKreator]

Just a quick update -- I've been out of town the past week, but planning to get back to this project later this week!

I finished creating and replacing all the "And [Superstar name]" clips so now even tag matches and post-match victories are properly announced for all Superstars who I have audio for.  There is still a large list of people that we'll need to find/create Fink audio for, but my current list is close to 100 if I recall.  Still need to do all the Team Names.  I've done several of the main teams, but not all the possible names from Team Announce (though the Fink audio for those is available so that makes the job a bit easier.)

[buffdiaz]

This is a goddamn dream  come true! Do you have audio clips of modded superstars names as well? (ex/ Hogan, CM Punk, Rey Mysterio, X-Pac, Ken Shamrock, Alberto Del Rio, Stevie Ray, or even I can hope...Kenny Omega). 

[TheKreator]

15 hours ago, buffdiaz said:

This is a goddamn dream  come true! Do you have audio clips of modded superstars names as well? (ex/ Hogan, CM Punk, Rey Mysterio, X-Pac, Ken Shamrock, Alberto Del Rio, Stevie Ray, or even I can hope...Kenny Omega). 

Some, but not all.  Obviously we have to find real audio of Howard Finkel saying the superstar's name to be able to do it, but Punk, Mysterio, X-Pac, etc...  guys who have been in games where Fink did audio officially, those are much easier to do.  I've already completed Hogan and Mysterio, because I have them modded into my game, but I do have audio for Punk, X-Pac, and many others.

I don't think Fink has ever announced Kenny Omega.  And probably not any of the wrestlers most known for WCW unless they also had a WWE run while Fink was still doing ring announcing.

But, as I mentioned in my first post -- I have intentions of possibly having some of those unique names recorded with a good Fink impersonator.  The guy I have in mind may or may not be interested, but of course depending upon cost we might be able to get certain names/locations read for a nominal fee.  I'm also looking into what it might take to actually hire Howard to do some custom audio, but again only if he would even be willing to do it.

[weslacocubs]

This is truly great news. Can't wait to try it. I unfortunately do not have much skill in this to assist, wish I could. I always wanted the "old" guys with current and non current wrestlers. I mean, having Fink, Gorilla Monsoon, Jesse Ventura, or even Vince McMahon announcing. "This place is going bananas!" while Ultimate warrior runs into the ring. Yep, I'm old.

If this catches on, with some tutorials maybe others and I can assist in doing Gorilla Monsoon and/others.

[TheKreator]

On 3/9/2018 at 2:34 PM, weslacocubs said:

This is truly great news. Can't wait to try it. I unfortunately do not have much skill in this to assist, wish I could. I always wanted the "old" guys with current and non current wrestlers. I mean, having Fink, Gorilla Monsoon, Jesse Ventura, or even Vince McMahon announcing. "This place is going bananas!" while Ultimate warrior runs into the ring. Yep, I'm old.

If this catches on, with some tutorials maybe others and I can assist in doing Gorilla Monsoon and/others.

It may be possible to do custom commentary, but the amount of files required to make it work would be impossible.  The best might be simply replacing the unique stories that are played during entrances for specific Superstars.  (Of course this only applies to original characters, so replacing an original in-game character with a mod, then replacing the respective commentary files will work.)  I'm making progress eliminating Enzo from the entire game, and replacing everything referencing him with Hulk Hogan stuff.  So as I discover more commentary audio specific to Enzo, I'm editing or swapping it with something else.  What I might do is find some relevant audio from Gorilla and Heenan to use for those entrance stories, or when Cole asks about a superstar and Graves responds.  If done correctly, it will almost seem like Gorilla and Heenan are joined with Cole, Graves and Saxton (since it would be impossible to replace everything completely.  There's just way too much.)

[kamehameha]

I would like to help with this project hopefully you didn't give up, I have already replaced some files with Fink voice but I'm missing some important lines like "And Introducing the champion".