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Updating the Database

data/game_database.json is built from Marvel Rivals' localization file (Game.json) using the script at scripts/build_database.py. Run this after each game update to pick up new heroes and skins.

Prerequisites

  • FModel — free UE asset browser: https://fmodel.app
  • Python 3.11+ with the project's venv active (pip install -r requirements.txt)

Step 1 — Export Game.json with FModel

  1. Open FModel and load Marvel Rivals.
  2. In the Archives tab, make sure the game AES key is entered.
  3. Navigate to: 
    Marvel/Content/Localization/Game/en/
  4. Right-click the most recent Game.uasset → Save Properties.
  5. FModel will write Game.json to its output folder.

Step 2 — Run the build script

If Game.json is in one of the default locations, just run:

python scripts/build_database.py

Otherwise pass the path explicitly:

python scripts/build_database.py "C:\path\to\Game.json"

The script will print a summary and overwrite data/game_database.json.

Step 3 — Verify the output

Open data/game_database.json and spot-check:

  • New heroes appear with the correct display name.
  • New skins are listed under the right hero.
  • No obviously wrong names (e.g. raw key strings like CHAR_NAME_1055).

Fixing wrong or missing names

Wrong hero name

Add an entry to CHAR_NAME_OVERRIDES near the top of build_database.py:

CHAR_NAME_OVERRIDES: dict[str, str] = {
    "1055": "Daredevil",   # example: localization stored an unexpected string
}

The char_id is the 4-digit ID visible in the JSON (e.g. "char_id": "1055").

Missing hero

If a brand-new hero's name isn't picked up yet, add a temporary override:

CHAR_NAME_OVERRIDES: dict[str, str] = {
    "1065": "New Hero Name",
}

Remove the override once the localization catches up.

Missing skin

For skins not yet in the localization, add to HARDCODED_SKINS:

HARDCODED_SKINS: list[tuple[str, str, str]] = [
    ("1055", "1055800", "Born Again Season 2"),
]

Tuple format: (char_id, skin_id, display_name).

Blacklisted skin names

Skins whose names contain any string in SKIN_NAME_BLACKLIST are excluded from the output. Add substrings there if a cosmetic variant should be hidden:

SKIN_NAME_BLACKLIST = ["Cosmic Invasion", "some other variant"]

After updating

Re-run the app. On first launch it will re-export textures from the game paks and rebuild the image cache automatically.

If skin images look stale, delete data/images/ to force a full re-cache.