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For the conversion process, we need the following tools:

• 3D software (Blender/3ds Max/Maya)
  
• M2CharMC v0.7 (model extractor from *.sds) Author: Tosyk download[cgig.ru]
  
• M2ObjMC v2.6 (model extractor from *.sds) Author: Tosyk download[cgig.ru]
  
• OpenCOLLADA (3ds Max plugin to open *.dae files) github[github.com]
  
• ExSDS v0.3 (*.sds unpacker) Author: CJay download[cgig.ru]
  
• Gibbed Illusion Tools (tool kit) Author: Gibbed download[cgig.ru]

WARNING! If the link does not automatically download the files, try copying the link and pasting it into your browser.

Install Mafia II. If the installation is done by Steam, then on the hard drive should already be unpacked steam-archives. Before using the disk versions of the game, you must first extract the files.

Game archives are located at:

<install path>\Mafia II\pc\sds\

and they have the *.sds extension. In these archives are all resources.

Game models are in:

<install path>\Mafia II\pc\sds\hchar\ — characters
<install path>\Mafia II\pc\sds\cars\ — cars
<install path>\Mafia II\pc\sds\fmv\ — objects and characters (from the cutscenes)
<install path>\Mafia II\pc\sds\traffic\ — peds
<install path>\Mafia II\pc\sds\wardrobe\ — objects in the closet
<install path>\Mafia II\pc\sds\weapons\ — weapons
<install path>\Mafia II\pc\sds\player\ — main characters
<install path>\Mafia II\pc\sds\city\ — objects of the city

It is quite possible that the models are also present in other archives. To convert the models and textures, we needed two tools. Each of the two programs extracts the model from *.sds files and converts it into a format *.dae.

Tools:

• M2CharMC v0.5 (character converter)
  
• M2ObjMC v2.5 (game object and car converter)

For example converting I took two files:

<install path>\Mafia II\pc\sds\hchar\joeciv.sds
<install path>\Mafia II\pc\sds\cars\shubert_taxi.sds

joeciv.sds contains the character Joe (the summer version).
shubert_taxi.sds contains a model of the car Shubert (version of a taxi).

So, drag-and-drop joeciv.sds (or several files) on the M2CharMC (m2char_mc_v0.5.exe) and after a short conversion process near the source file (in my case it joeciv.sds) will be a two files:

joeciv.JOECIV.Hips.L0.dae — high-poly model
joeciv.JOECIV.Hips.L1.dae — low-poly model

Note: You can open *.dae files in Blender/3ds Max/Maya using the built-in importer, but on older versions of 3ds max I recommend using the OpenCOLLADA importer.

Note: If you use Blender and import *.dae file of the model, it will be divided into several parts, when you try to connect them instead of UV coordinates will simply disappear, to avoid this, export the whole model in *.obj/*.fbx format and import it again in Blender, then you can connect all the separate parts and UV coordinates will be fine

After importing joeciv.JOECIV.Hips.L0.dae in 3ds Max you will see:



In the same way, but the with M2ObjMC program convert shubert_taxi.sds. Import model in 3ds Max. In viewport you’ll see:

Textures are packaged in *.sds files along with the model and the extracting with ExSDS tool.



Files extract with command Operations > Extract All. Recoverable files are in *.dds format

For this game currently released 8 DLC:

• Vegas Pack
  
• War Hero Pack
  
• Renegade Pack
  
• Greaser Pack
  
• Made Man Pack
  
• The Betrayal of Jimmy
  
• Jimmy's Vendetta
  
• Joe's Adventures

Format of archives in the DLCs is the same as in the original *.sds, but these files are encrypted. From them we can extract a model, but can not extract texture. To decrypt files, use Illusion DecompressSDS, part of the Illusion Tools from Gibbed. The program is console only and does not have an interface. To decrypt the *.sds you need to drag the source *.sds file on Gibbed.Illusion.DecompressSDS.exe.

For cars as well as for the characters were used shared textures, as well as models (wheels), they are placed in the archives:

<install path>\Mafia II\pc\sds\cars\cars_universal.sds
<install path>\Mafia II\pc\sds\cars\cars_universal2.sds

For some files *.sds can find a copy, but with «_z» suffix, for example, for file shubert_taxi.sds this copy is called shubert_taxi_z.sds. Suffix «_z» means «winter», most likely this file contains the variations of winter textures.

In the end, we learned how to work with Mafia II game archives and export 3D models!

Thank you all for your attention and feel free to ask questions in the comments if you have any difficulties!

Maybe one time this guide will be updated later and I will complete the Ultimate Guide to modding in Mafia II, but for now - this is my first guide in this genre.

I remind you that all rights to the models belong to the authors of the game Mafia II and the paid distribution of these models will have unpleasant consequences.