How to unpack an RPG Maker .exe file?

Preface

Here's a question: What if you need to unpack an RPG Maker .exe file? If you try to understand how something in a game works, or you need to debug, you may want to unpack the .exe file.

Disclaimer

The motive I wrote the article is to understand how programs work. Before doing the following steps, make sure you have the right to do it.

TL;DR Steps

  1. You need to have:
    • A .exe file you have rights to unpack.
    • An RPG Maker MV editor.
  2. Create an empty project in RPG Maker MV editor, then close it.
  3. Delete files in the empty project except for the Game.rpgproject file.
  4. Copy files under the www directory in the unpacked project, and paste them to the empty project directory.
  5. Open the Game.rpgproject file in the editor again.
  6. Explore the game.

How do I know it?

At first, I tried to search "RPG Maker exe to project", but it doesn't have any useful information because of legal reasons, like users of Reddit suggested.

Then I found a site that describes how did he unpack files. He uses Petschko's RPG-Maker-MV File-Decrypter and EnigmaVBUnpacker to do it.

But I made a mistake: I downloaded an old version of EnigmaVBUnpacker (Tips: make sure the version you downloaded is correct). As a result, the program unpack failed. Therefore, I tried to find the other programs.

"Enigma Virtual Box, right?"

Later I found that UniExtract can unpack EnigmaVB. UniExtract is a tool to unpack installer files. It is useful when I don't want to install anything on my computer. I haven't known that the program unpacks an EnigmaVB file, but the manual said so, so why not?

"Archive...Exact...OK...!" Then the program has unpacked. I can't believe it.

Here's another issue: How do make it works in RPG Maker MV?

I tried to find "rpg maker deployed exe to proj". Fortunately, a user wanted to the same action, and the other replied some useful steps. I did it, and the whole game is now showing in front of my eyes.

So my journey ends here. But I found that the EnigmaVBUnpacker was updated when writing this article.

References