There used to be a really crappy dive pool hall located at 60 Celina.
Does anyone remember it? We used to hang out there pretty much every day in 95 - 97.
Got robbed a few times?
[removed]
They managed to get my post removed from r/wwegames, but apparently the amazing mods here at r/WrestlingMods have more balls — or other bodily parts. :)
Yeah, as the title says.
I was banned from the TRIBUTE Discord on August 10th, 2026, before I even got a chance to answer Robert's DM.
Robert makes TRIBUTE. I'm now banned from the Discord, blocked by Robert and Fred, and my Patreon membership was cancelled.
The funny part? I'd just released a 100% FREE .CAK extractor.
Because I think it's bullshit that people have to pay $6/month to extract files from a game they already own on their own PC.
So I made my own.
It's built into Aurora Forge and also exists as a standalone tool.
Aurora Forge wasn't created because of TRIBUTE. I've been building it for months. I needed tools for my own WWE 2K workflows, so I built them.
DDS conversion was annoying? I built a recursive DDS ↔ PNG converter.
Need something else automated? I build it.
That's the entire philosophy:
If something is tedious, automate it.
>
I never got to answer.
So here's the answer:
I write my own code.
I use AI as a rubber ducky. I explain what I'm doing, ask questions, troubleshoot, and occasionally have it clean up my UI.
AI didn't build Aurora Forge for me.
And no, I am NOT reverse engineering CakeView, CakeHook, TRIBUTE, or repackaging someone else's extractor.
My source code is distributed with my tools and is available for anyone to inspect. If anyone is claiming that I directly copied or reverse-engineered someone else's code, they're welcome to identify the specific code in question and provide the source they're claiming I copied.
I've been programming for decades. I spent 15 years teaching at the University of Toronto's computer sciences department.
I'm old as bones, but I keep up with modern technology.
Assuming someone can't build something because you can't is hubris.
I got tired of converting textures one at a time.
So I built a recursive converter.
When I tried to explain it, the response was basically:
>
Okay.
I needed it, so I built it.
That's how Aurora Forge works.
The CAK extractor is only one part of the application.
Aurora Forge includes workflows and tools for:
I didn't build all of this because I got banned.
I was already building it.
I tried explaining what I was making multiple times. I even tried offering code.
It was laughed at.
So I stopped explaining and kept building.
The next release will include fixes to the extractor, which I discovered today doesn't currently handle every CAK correctly, plus the repackager. I wasn't going to include " Baking " as they were already doing a great job but....
The goal is WWE 2K19 through WWE 2K26, with as few button presses as possible.
I'm also working toward 2K19–2K25 entrance/victory motion importing into 2K26.
I tried explaining what I was building.
I even tried offering code.
It was laughed at.
So I'm done explaining.
Fuck TRIBUTE.
Fuck PWM.
I'll just keep building.
Aurora Forge is being built anyway.
I’ve been building Aurora Forge as a free, portable Windows app for WWE 2K26 modders. It is meant to put useful everyday tools and beginner-friendly workflows in one place without making people dig through a dozen folders first.
Aurora Forge currently includes:
You extract the ZIP and run the app. No install, Node, PHP, or Electron setup is needed for normal use.
The first thing I want to highlight is the free CAK extractor.
I made it after discovering that PWM was charging for basic extraction—even though extraction is a required first step for modding. In my opinion, that is bullshit.
For years, I’ve defended the creators of modding programs because real work deserves to be rewarded. I still believe that. But locking a basic, required feature behind a paywall goes too far.
I probably would not even have noticed when I did if my phone had not broken and stopped me from logging into Discord to verify my Patreon.
So now Aurora Forge includes a free, read-only extractor for WWE 2K26 CAK archives. It extracts files to a folder you choose and leaves the source archive alone.
I have not made a CAK repackager/baker. CakeView still provides that for free, and there is no reason for me to duplicate it right now. If that changes in the future, we can come back to it.
If you want the full Aurora Forge app, grab it through the Patreon. If you only want the extractor, there is also a standalone copy available there.
I’m not paying for file hosting. 🙂
If you feel the need to bitch and moan about why or how I made this, come to my Discord and get ignored. If you have an actual question, need help, or are not sure about something, hop in and I’ll try to answer.
Discord: https://discord.gg/pBuHF4mugQ
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/dgranletmwo/posts/aurora-forge-now-166341257?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link
I’ve been building Aurora Forge as a free, portable Windows app for WWE 2K26 modders. It is meant to put useful everyday tools and beginner-friendly workflows in one place without making people dig through a dozen folders first.
Aurora Forge currently includes:
You extract the ZIP and run the app. No install, Node, PHP, or Electron setup is needed for normal use.
The first thing I want to highlight is the free CAK extractor.
I made it after discovering that PWM was charging for basic extraction—even though extraction is a required first step for modding. In my opinion, that is bullshit.
For years, I’ve defended the creators of modding programs because real work deserves to be rewarded. I still believe that. But locking a basic, required feature behind a paywall goes too far.
I probably would not even have noticed when I did if my phone had not broken and stopped me from logging into Discord to verify my Patreon.
So now Aurora Forge includes a free, read-only extractor for WWE 2K26 CAK archives. It extracts files to a folder you choose and leaves the source archive alone.
I have not made a CAK repackager/baker. CakeView still provides that for free, and there is no reason for me to duplicate it right now. If that changes in the future, we can come back to it.
If you want the full Aurora Forge app, grab it through the Patreon. If you only want the extractor, there is also a standalone copy available there.
I’m not paying for file hosting. 🙂
If you feel the need to bitch and moan about why or how I made this, come to my Discord and get ignored. If you have an actual question, need help, or are not sure about something, hop in and I’ll try to answer.
Discord: https://discord.gg/pBuHF4mugQ
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/dgranletmwo/posts/aurora-forge-now-166341257?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link
Aurora Forge v1.6.0a is now available.
This is a major organizational and beginner-accessibility update for the portable WWE 2K26 PC creation and modding companion.
The app has been reorganized into seven main sections:
All creation workflows now live under Creative Studios, including complete characters, face textures, tattoos, luchador masks, gear, entrance gear, materials, normal maps, logos, belts, arenas, factions, and reference cleanup.
The Tools section contains the Character Viewer, Face Calibration, and read-only Mod File Inspector. Game folders, external-program locations, preferences, and CakeHook checks are now combined under Setup.
The biggest expansion is the new Tutorials section. It includes:
Each lesson explains what you need, what to do, what the correct result should look like, and when to stop because something may be wrong.
Aurora Forge remains a portable Windows x64 app:
Aurora Forge.exeNormal users do not need to install Node.js, npm, PHP, Electron, or a web server.
The app does not bundle extracted game models, copyrighted game assets, or third-party modding programs.
Download Aurora Forge v1.6.0a:
https://www.patreon.com/dgranletmwo/posts/1-6-major-164828452
Feedback and bug reports are welcome, especially from beginners using the new tutorial system.
Created by VikingStudios.
Aurora Forge is an independent community project and is not affiliated with or endorsed by WWE, 2K, Visual Concepts, or the developers of third-party modding tools. Always back up original files before modifying anything.
Hey everyone,
I wanted to share a project I’ve been working on for WWE 2K PC modding.
The app is called Aurora Forge, created under VikingStudios.
It started as a small workflow tool for WWE 2K texture prompts, but it has grown into a much larger portable desktop app for organizing custom wrestler creation workflows.
The main idea is simple:
Aurora Forge helps modders plan, prompt, organize, preview, and export texture workflow packs for WWE 2K custom content.
It does not replace Photoshop, DDS conversion, modding tools, or in-game testing. It is meant to sit before those steps and make the creative / planning side cleaner.
A lot of AI-assisted texture work can be messy.
You can ask for a tattoo, face texture, mask, logo, or gear design, but the output often has problems like:
Aurora Forge is meant to reduce that chaos.
Instead of treating every asset like a random image request, the app breaks modding projects into actual workflows.
This is the larger “master planning” tool.
The idea is to guide a full wrestler build from concept to handoff.
It helps organize:
The goal is to eventually let someone plan a complete original wrestler from start to finish instead of creating each asset separately with no structure.
Face Texture Studio is for face-related texture work.
It supports planning for:
One of the newer additions is the Original Face Builder, which helps define actual original wrestler face textures, not just overlays.
That includes details like:
The app also has face profile logic, prompt generation, preview tools, project save/load, presets, output target guidance, and handoff packs.
This is one of the most developed workflows.
It is built around creating luchador / facemask texture projects for WWE 2K.
The workflow is split into:
The goal is to make mask generation less random by using mapping profiles earlier in the process.
The app can keep track of things like:
There is also an approximate preview system to help catch obvious placement issues before testing in game.
The tattoo side is designed to help avoid common AI tattoo problems.
It focuses on generating better prompts for game-ready tattoo textures instead of poster art or skin mockups.
The workflow is built around:
main_tattoo.png
design_mask.png
design_blur.png
The idea is to help users create transparent tattoo art with clean edges and support files that make sense for the game workflow.
Aurora Forge recently started expanding into more full CAW creation tools.
For planning:
This is meant to help plan custom ring gear before jumping straight into image generation or Photoshop.
For planning:
This is useful because AI-generated logos often come out as messy poster graphics instead of clean transparent assets.
For planning:
Belt designs need symmetry and readability, so this workflow gives the design a better structure.
For planning:
This is for building the full character presentation, not just the in-ring attire.
This was added to help plan reusable material surfaces.
It supports things like:
This can support gear, masks, entrance gear, belts, and future texture workflows.
This is the newest active workflow.
It is designed to help plan support maps and shader-related texture notes.
It supports planning for:
This should be useful for modders who understand the color texture but need help planning what should be raised, metallic, matte, glossy, worn, stitched, embossed, or textured.
A big part of Aurora Forge is the handoff system.
Many sections can export organized packs containing things like:
prompt.txt
project-brief.txt
checklist.txt
project.json
README_HANDOFF.txt
This makes it easier to move between:
The point is to avoid losing context every time a project moves to the next step.
Just to be clear:
Aurora Forge is not:
It is a workflow and planning app.
It helps make the process cleaner before the actual texture editing and in-game testing stage.
I started this because WWE 2K modding workflows can get confusing fast.
A tattoo is not the same as a face texture.
A face texture is not the same as a mask.
A mask is not the same as gear.
Gear is not the same as a logo.
A full CAW needs all of those things to work together.
Aurora Forge is my attempt to build a more organized system around that process.
The long-term goal is for it to become a full Create-a-Wrestler workflow suite for PC modders.
Something like:
character concept
→ face texture
→ tattoos
→ mask
→ gear
→ logo
→ entrance gear
→ materials
→ shader notes
→ final CAW handoff
The current roadmap is focused on turning the remaining planned pages into real workflows.
Planned path:
v1.5.1 — Roadmap + Material / Fabric Studio
v1.5.2 — Normal / Shader Helper
v1.5.3 — Reference Cleanup Pipeline
v1.5.4 — Arena / Ring Branding
v1.5.5 — Faction Pack Builder
v1.5.6 — Complete CAW Builder Integration
v1.5.7 — Preset + Template Packs
v1.5.8 — Unified Export System
v1.5.9 — Polish + Tutorial Pass
v1.6.0 — Creator Suite Beta
The app currently includes active workflow foundations for:
More sections are still planned.
I’m mainly sharing this to get feedback from other people interested in WWE 2K PC modding and custom content creation.
I’d love to hear what workflows people would actually find useful.
For example:
Any feedback is welcome.
— VikingStudios
so the plex api had a couple crashes over the last weeks.
During the first one my PLEX ONLY email suddenly started recieving a bunch of spam email.
at the time I made a NEW PLEX ONLY email and changed my account over, reset teh passwords etc.
A few days later the second API crash happened and I made a joke in another post https://www.reddit.com/r/PleX/comments/1stzr37/plex_authentication_issue_is_back_within_a_week/ that if my NEW email started getting spam it had to be plex....... so of course my second email started getting spam. and then today it's listed on known compromised lists.
So, did plex get hacked and they just are not telling us?
