Option Tuning Car Battle Research

This page documents research into the game from the perspective of someone new to game modification.

Game Background

Option Tuning Car Battle: Spec-R is a street-racing driving game released for the PlayStation on May 11, 2000 in Japan, developed and published by MTO. It is the third and final entry in the Option Tuning Car Battle series.

Many popular tuning companies are featured such as Veilside, Mines, Re-Amemiya amongst others. The game includes both visual and mechanical damage systems.

Sound Files

The sound files are located in the SE folder and use .SHB and .VHB formats. .SHB contains audio data, while .VHB contains metadata such as loop points.

Extracted audio archive:

Option Tuning Car Battle Sound Files

Car Models

The car models are stored in the C0-C5 folders as .car files. These files contain 3D model data, textures, and other information related to the cars.

Research into the .car file format is ongoing, and tools for editing these files have been attempted with some success at extracting textures, as seen below.

Game File Structure

ROOT
├── C0 - .car files
├── C1 - .car files
├── C2 - .car files
├── C3 - .car files
├── C4 - .car files
├── C5 - .car files
├── C6 - empty
├── CS - track files
├── EV1 - .VOI files
├── EV2 - .VOI files
├── EV3 - .VOI files
├── OTHER - OTHER1.BIN
├── RACE - CAMERA.BIN & RACE.BIN
├── SE - .SHB & .VHB audio
├── SUB - menu images stored in .BIN files *can be extracted with the bin2tim tool*
├── WHEEL - .TIM images
├── X_STR - video files
├── Z_DA - data archives
├── SLPS_025.87
└── SYSTEM.CNF

Extended File Structure

    
C0: 
    E_101_D.CAR
    E_101_N.CAR
    E_34N1_D.CAR
    E_34N1_N.CAR
    E_753_D.CAR
    E_753_N.CAR
    E_A86L_D.CAR
    E_A86L_N.CAR
    E_DAI2_D.CAR
    E_DAI2_N.CAR
    E_DAI_D.CAR
    E_DAI_N.CAR
    E_DRAG_D.CAR
    E_DRAG_N.CAR
    E_DS15_D.CAR
    E_DS15_N.CAR
    E_FFDR_D.CAR
    E_FFDR_N.CAR
    E_GALT_D.CAR
    E_GALT_N.CAR
    E_GR8_D.CAR
    E_GR8_N.CAR
    E_KOMA_D.CAR
    E_KOMA_N.CAR
    E_MINI_D.CAR
    E_MINI_N.CAR
    E_NM15_D.CAR
    E_NM15_N.CAR
    E_NOM2_D.CAR
    E_NOM2_N.CAR

C1:
    E_NOMU_D.CAR
    E_NOMU_N.CAR
    E_O86T_D.CAR
    E_O86T_N.CAR
    E_OTBR_D.CAR
    E_OTBR_N.CAR
    E_R348_D.CAR
    E_R348_N.CAR
    E_RS15_D.CAR
    E_RS15_N.CAR
    E_RWGN_D.CAR
    E_RWGN_N.CAR
    E_SEVE_D.CAR
    E_SEVE_N.CAR
    E_SIL8_D.CAR
    E_SIL8_N.CAR
    E_SROC_D.CAR
    E_SROC_N.CAR
    E_TRZN_D.CAR
    E_TRZN_N.CAR
    E_VLS7_D.CAR
    E_VLS7_N.CAR
    E_VLSR_D.CAR
    E_VLSR_N.CAR
    E_VMAP_D.CAR
    E_VMAP_N.CAR
    E_VMAX_D.CAR
    E_VMAX_N.CAR
    E_VOPT_D.CAR
    E_VOPT_N.CAR

C2:
    N_AE86_D.CAR
    N_AE86_N.CAR
    N_AP1_D.CAR
    N_AP1_N.CAR
    N_DC2_D.CAR
    N_DC2_N.CAR
    N_EK9_D.CAR
    N_EK9_N.CAR
    N_EP91_D.CAR
    N_EP91_N.CAR
    N_EVO4_D.CAR
    N_EVO4_N.CAR
    N_EVO5_D.CAR
    N_EVO5_N.CAR
    N_EVO6_D.CAR
    N_EVO6_N.CAR
    N_FD3S_D.CAR
    N_FD3S_N.CAR
    N_GC8_D.CAR
    N_GC8_N.CAR
    N_J100_D.CAR
    N_J100_N.CAR
    N_JZ80_D.CAR
    N_JZ80_N.CAR
    N_NB8C_D.CAR
    N_NB8C_N.CAR
    N_R32_D.CAR
    N_R32_N.CAR
    N_R33_D.CAR
    N_R33_N.CAR

C3: 
    N_R34_D.CAR
    N_R34_N.CAR
    N_RS13_D.CAR
    N_RS13_N.CAR
    N_S13_D.CAR
    N_S13_N.CAR
    N_S14_D.CAR
    N_S14_N.CAR
    N_S15_D.CAR
    N_S15_N.CAR
    N_SW20_D.CAR
    N_SW20_N.CAR
    N_SXE1_D.CAR
    N_SXE1_N.CAR
    N_Z32_D.CAR
    N_Z32_N.CAR
    N_ZZ30_D.CAR
    N_ZZ30_N.CAR
    T_AE86_D.CAR
    T_AE86_N.CAR
    T_AP1_D.CAR
    T_AP1_N.CAR
    T_DC2_D.CAR
    T_DC2_N.CAR
    T_EK9_D.CAR
    T_EK9_N.CAR
    T_EP91_D.CAR
    T_EP91_N.CAR
    T_EVO4_D.CAR
    T_EVO4_N.CAR

C4: 
    T_EVO5_D.CAR
    T_EVO5_N.CAR
    T_EVO6_D.CAR
    T_EVO6_N.CAR
    T_FD3S_D.CAR
    T_FD3S_N.CAR
    T_GC8_D.CAR
    T_GC8_N.CAR
    T_J100_D.CAR
    T_J100_N.CAR
    T_JZ80_D.CAR
    T_JZ80_N.CAR
    T_NB8C_D.CAR
    T_NB8C_N.CAR
    T_R32_D.CAR
    T_R32_N.CAR
    T_R33_D.CAR
    T_R33_N.CAR
    T_R34_D.CAR
    T_R34_N.CAR
    T_RS13_D.CAR
    T_RS13_N.CAR
    T_S13_D.CAR
    T_S13_N.CAR
    T_S14_D.CAR
    T_S14_N.CAR
    T_S15_D.CAR
    T_S15_N.CAR
    T_SW20_D.CAR
    T_SW20_N.CAR

C5: 
    T_SXE1_D.CAR
    T_SXE1_N.CAR
    T_Z32_D.CAR
    T_Z32_N.CAR
    T_ZZ30_D.CAR
    T_ZZ30_N.CAR

C6: Empty folder

CS: 
    CIRCU_A1.BIN
      CIRCU_A1.TIX (TEXTURES)
    CIRCU_A2.BIN
      CIRCU_A2.TIX
    EBISU_A3.BIN
      EBISU_A3.TIX
    EBISU_A4.BIN
      EBISU_A4.TIX
    SHUTO_H1.BIN
      SHUTO_H1.TIX
    SHUTO_H2.BIN
      SHUTO_H2.TIX
    TOUGE_C1.BIN
      TOUGE_C1.TIX
    TOUGE_C2.BIN
      TOUGE_C2.TIX
    TOUGE_C3.BIN
      TOUGE_C3.TIX
    TOUGE_C4.BIN
      TOUGE_C4.TIX
    WANGA_H3.BIN
      WANGA_H3.TIX
    WANGA_H4.BIN
      WANGA_H4.TIX

EV1:
    AE86MF0.VOI
    AE86MF1.VOI
    AE86MF2.VOI
    AE86MF3.VOI
    BJZ80MF0.VOI
    BJZ80MF1.VOI
    BJZ80MF2.VOI
    BJZ80MF3.VOI
    EK9MF0.VOI
    EK9MF1.VOI
    EK9MF2.VOI
    EK9MF3.VOI
    EP91MF0.VOI
    EP91MF1.VOI
    EP91MF2.VOI
    EP91MF3.VOI
    ER33MF0.VOI
    ER33MF1.VOI
    ER33MF2.VOI
    ER33MF3.VOI
    EVOMF0.VOI
    EVOMF1.VOI
    EVOMF2.VOI
    EVOMF3.VOI
    GC8MF0.VOI
    GC8MF1.VOI
    GC8MF2.VOI
    GC8MF3.VOI
    JZ100MF0.VOI
    JZ100MF1.VOI

EV2:
    JZ100MF2.VOI
    JZ100MF3.VOI
    JZ80MF0.VOI
    JZ80MF1.VOI
    JZ80MF2.VOI
    JZ80MF3.VOI
    MR2MF0.VOI
    MR2MF1.VOI
    MR2MF2.VOI
    MR2MF3.VOI
    R33MF0.VOI
    R33MF1.VOI
    R33MF2.VOI
    R33MF3.VOI
    RV1.VOI
    RV2.VOI
    RV3.VOI
    RV4.VOI
    RX7MF0.VOI
    RX7MF1.VOI
    RX7MF2.VOI
    RX7MF3.VOI
    S13MF0.VOI
    S13MF1.VOI
    S13MF2.VOI
    S13MF3.VOI
    S14MF0.VOI
    S14MF1.VOI
    S14MF2.VOI
    S14MF3.VOI

EV3:
    ZZ30MF0.VOI
    ZZ30MF1.VOI
    ZZ30MF2.VOI
    ZZ30MF3.VOI

OTHER: OTHER1.BIN - unknown purpose

RACE: 
    CAMERA.BIN
    RACE.BIN

SE: 
    GAME0.VHB
    RACE0.VHB
    SEQ00.VHB
    SEQ01.SHB
    SEQ02.SHB
    SEQ03.SHB
    SEQ04.SHB
    SEQ05.SHB
    SEQ06.SHB
    SEQ07.SHB
    SEQ08.SHB
    SEQ09.SHB
    SEQ10.SHB
    SEQ11.SHB
    SEQ12.SHB
    SEQ13.SHB
    SEQ14.SHB
    SEQ15.SHB
    SEQ16.SHB
    SEQ17.SHB
    SEQ18.SHB

SUB0: 
    ARCMENU.BIN
    CAR.BIN
    CARLG.BIN
    CARSELE.BIN
    CHAMENU.BIN
    COMPLET.BIN
    COUSELE.BIN
    COUVIEW.BIN
    CTITLE.BIN
    GETEXTR.BIN
    PARSELE.BIN
    PARVIEW.BIN
    REPAIR.BIN
    RESULTN.BIN
    RIVAL.BIN
    RIVSELE.BIN
    SBRSIDNT.BIN
    SETING.BIN
    SHOPLG.BIN
    SHPSELE.BIN
    SHPVIEW.BIN
    TITLE.BIN
    TMAINMENU.BIN
    TUNMENU.BIN
    WHEEL.BIN
    WHLSELE.BIN

SUB1:
    MC_CAR.BIN
    MC_SYS.BIN
    
SUB2:
    CONFIG.BIN
    RECODES.BIN
    STAFF.BIN
    VICTORY.BIN

SUB3:
    AMBG.BIN
    CHMBG.BIN
    CTTLBG0.BIN
    CTTLBG1.BIN
    CTTLBG2.BIN
    CTTLBG3.BIN
    RIVBG.BIN
    TMABG.BIN
    TTLBG.BIN
    TUNBG.BIN

WHEEL1:
    AE86W.TIM
    AM_FD3SW.TIM
    AM_NB8CW.TIM
    AS_32RW.TIM
    AS_S13W.TIM
    CEL_TIRE.TIM
    CN9AW.TIM
    CP9AW.TIM
    CZ32W.TIM
    DAIS14.TIM
    DC2W.TIM
    EK9W.TIM
    EP91W.TIM
    FD3SW.TIM
    GA_SW20W.TIM
    GA_ZZ30W.TIM
    GC8W.TIM
    HK_CN9AW.TIM
    HK_CP9AW.TIM
    J100W.TIM
    JA_AE86W.TIM
    JA_EP91W.TIM
    JZ80W.TIM
    J_GC8W.TIM
    MI_34RW.TIM
    NB8CW.TIM
    R32W.TIM
    R34W.TIM
    RS13W.TIM
    S13W.TIM

WHEEL2:
    S14W.TIM
    S15_TIRE.TIM
    SIL8_TIR.TIM
    SW20W.TIM
    TAZ_TIRE.TIM
    TF_DC2W.TIM
    TF_EK9W.TIM
    TS_JZ80W.TIM
    TS_S14W.TIM
    TYRE_AN7.TIM
    TYRE_BLT.TIM
    TYRE_DGR.TIM
    TYRE_MIN.TIM
    TYRE_NMK.TIM
    TYRE_SRC.TIM
    TYRE_VMP.TIM
    TYRE_VMX.TIM
    TYRE_VXH.TIM
    VE_CZ32W.TIM
    VE_RS13W.TIM
    W_AKIRA.TIM
    W_ALTEZ.TIM
    W_DAIS15.TIM
    W_E101.TIM
    W_EVO6.TIM
    W_EXR34.TIM
    W_GALT.TIM
    W_KOMA.TIM
    W_NMKN2.TIM
    W_ORIDO.TIM

WHEEL3:
    W_R384.TIM
    W_RS15.TIM
    W_RWGN.TIM
    W_RX7.TIM
    W_S15.TIM
    W_S15TU.TIM
    W_S2000.TIM
    W_S2T.TIM
    W_TALTEZ.TIM
    W_TEVO6.TIM
    W_VEIL.TIM
    ZZ30W.TIM

X_STR:
    END.STR
    MTO.STR
    OPEN.STR

Z_DA:
    DA00.DA
    DA01.DA
    DA02.DA
    DA03.DA
    DA04.DA
    DA05.DA
    DA06.DA
    DA07.DA
    DA08.DA
    ZZZZ.DA