How to open .ks files?

[Sciurus]

Basically, after extracting the files from the "data.xp3" archive of any game, you'll end up with several "scenario.ks" files that contain the game dialogue. For some games (mostly those published by Norn and Miel), I can easily open these with any text editor and read the Japanese characters just fine. However, for many other games, the "scenario.ks" files display only gibberish.

What could be the issue that's preventing the text from being displayed correctly?

[Infernoplex]

That's the problem I am also trying to fix. Did you try switching the encoding to SHIFT-JIS? And using Notepad++?

[Sciurus]

Yes to both.

I've downloaded two different games, both with data.xp3 archives. I used the same tool to extract the archives and used Notepad++ to view the .ks files for both games, but only one of them displays the dialogue text normally, the other doesn't. Don't know why.

[Infernoplex]

4 hours ago, Sciurus said:

Yes to both.

I've downloaded two different games, both with data.xp3 archives. I used the same tool to extract the archives and used Notepad++ to view the .ks files for both games, but only one of them displays the dialogue text normally, the other doesn't. Don't know why.

My theory is that it has to do something with the missing fonts ... May I know which two VNs you were trying out? I have the same problem and I can't figure what's going on and I am inclined to believe it's probably font-related but I can't figure out how to find out which font is missing.

[Sciurus]

I've mainly tried looking into eroges from the following developers (all of which are readable with any text editor):

Norn (e.g Yankee Kanojo to Kozukuri Gakuen Life)
Miel (e.g Oyakodon Massage)
Lilith Soft (e.g Ane Hara Mix)

Some other developers (Suzuya, Cattleya, etc) also have readable .ks files.

However, the .ks files from some developers display messed-up text when trying to open them with a text editor. Examples:

Spindle (e.g Kinshin Bokan)
Orcsoft (e.g Sei Yariman Sisters)

Something to do with the way those developers package their xp3 archives perhaps?

[Infernoplex]

21 minutes ago, Sciurus said:

Something to do with the way those developers package their xp3 archives perhaps?

The packaging should be on the engine-side of things. I don't see a reason why a developer would change the packaging and compressing of the VNs developed in the same engine but it could be possible that they are doing it (to prevent hackers from getting the files, I guess ... That's the whole reason we have these kind of encrypted archives in the first place) ...

I didn't test any VNs by the mentioned developers so I don't know what engines are they using. The latest engine that I tried fiddling with was YU-RIS and I managed to get the scripts but just like you I can't read the files, in a meaningful way at least. From all of the developers you mentioned I am really interested into CATTLEYA, Miel and Lilith Soft. Especially CATTLEYA, they have some insanely good artists! I will need to check if I can extract and read the script files from their VNs! If I am not wrong, they are all using KiriKiri?

Edit: I have just remembered, .xp3 is associated with KiriKiri, so yeah, they are definitively in KiriKiri ... I will need to check them out all.

Edited September 24, 2016 by Infernoplex