QuickBMS vs Source 2 Viewer

QuickBMS is a free, open-source tool for extracting files from archives and other formats, with options to put modified files back into archives. It is aimed at reverse engineers and power users and runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS. Its dynamic BMS language handles archives and file formats, while reimport and reimport2 modes support reinserting changed files. The maker lists more than 700 compression algorithms, along with encryption and hashing algorithms. QuickBMS runs from the command line; its Windows executable also opens a minimal graphical interface when double-clicked. For examining formats, verbose mode shows file-format tests, and HTML output colors and labels parsed fields. Other listed capabilities include network sockets, SSL, HTTP and HTTPS, processes, audio, video, and Windows messages. The maker lists Win32, static Ubuntu 32-bit Linux, and MacOSX El Capitan downloads, plus a source archive. The first three sections of its text documentation are intended for general users; later sections are for developers and advanced users. The ZenHAX forum is identified as its official support forum.

Source 2 Viewer is a free, open-source tool for browsing VPK archives and inspecting or exporting assets from Source 2 games. It can search, extract, and create archives, including VPK versions from Source 1. Its renderer displays maps, models, physics, and particles with real-time lighting and animation playback. The tool also inspects textures, audio, shaders, and other Source 2 resources. Maps, models, physics, and animations can be exported to glTF 2.0, with material conversion and batch export; maps, models, and materials can be decompiled into editable formats for Hammer, ModelDoc, and Source 2 Workshop Tools. Texture tools cover channels, depth layers, mip levels, cubemaps, and HDR, with image export. Its audio player supports WAV, MP3, and Source 2 formats. The graphical interface is Windows-only, though the guide describes running it on Linux and macOS through Wine; the command-line utility is available for Windows, Linux, and macOS. The GUI is portable and requires no installation. Some data may be lost during export, and reverse-engineered format support is incomplete. The project is volunteer-built and says it is not affiliated with Valve.