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File Formats

Tutorial for 8-Bit Armies 8BA, 8-Bit Hordes 8BH, 8-Bit Invaders 8BI, Empire at War EAW, Forces of Corruption FOC, Grey Goo GG, Universe at War: Earth Assault UAW

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Banshee

Category: Coding
Level: Beginner
Created: Thursday September 4, 2008 - 15:35
Updated: Sunday December 25, 2016 - 5:32
Views: 6546
Summary: This tutorial describes the file formats used by the games from Petroglyph.

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Coding

* .XML- The config files for EaW. All the units, buildings and much more are defined in the XML files. Editable in notepad, but if your looking for syntax highlighting I recommend Notepad ++.
* .LUA- Lua files will give you much more control over the game than simply modifying the XML files. The original LUA files can be modified with NotePad++ and similar, however, compiled scripts requires you to dissassemble them with the Lua Dissassembler.
* .DAT- Language files. All text in the game is defined here. Similar to Command and Conquer Generals csf file. Editable using the DAT Editor
* .RC- Defines all the dialogs in the game. Editable in Microsoft Visaul C++.
* .H- Defines the symbol names and their values used in GUIDIALOGS.RC
* .MTD- Points to specific areas on a texture. Editable with the MTD Editor
* .TXT- Defines alternate names for some space units. Also used for dialog scripting in maps. A third use is for assigning sound effects to specific frames of animation. Editable in Notepad.

Modeling

* .ALO- Proprietary format used for models. You can export 3dsmax models with this plugin.

Animation

* .ALA- Proprietary format used for animations. Use the 3ds max plugin to export them.

Skinning/Artwork

* .DDS- Unit textures are saved in the .dds format. Multiple .dds file are used for each object, including reflection maps, normal maps, and color maps. [Download Photoshop Plugin] [Download DDS Viewer]
* .TGA- The one and only .TGA used in EaW contains all the 2-D Ingame Art. There is also a dds version of this file. It may be possible to use the tga format for skins as well, but I don't know for sure.[Download Photoshop7 Plugin] [ Download Thumb Plug TGA]

Mapping

* .TED- The maps. Use UAW/FOC Map Editor.

Audio

* .MP3- Used for ingame speech and music.
* .WAV- Used for sound effects.
o Most sound editing programs can save to both these formats.

Video

* .BIK- The file format used for movies in the game such as the opening logos and holograms from the droid advisor. You can view the current movies and create your own using the Rad Tools

Misc

* .MEG- Almost all the files necessary to mod the game are included in .MEG files. To mod the game you must extract these files. No official tool has been released yet, but the community has made some of their own. [Final Big] [OS BIG Editor]
* .TEC- These have somthing to do with cinematics, as they came out of cinematics.meg. No editors have been released as of yet.
* .FXO- Has something to do the shaders for the Alamo Engine. Not yet editable.

Credits

Article written by Lord of Gifts

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