Elite Force II Modding - File-types



Introduction

Important: This document is neither supported by the publisher nor the developer of this game.

Use at your own risk!


This document contains information about the file-types used by the game

STAR TREK: ELITE FORCE II, released 2003 by Ritual Entertainment.

The information includes details such as:



Required Tools

To modify Star Trek: Elite Force II, you need some tools. The list below contains the software which I prefer for modding.


Do NOT use Microsoft Word or Microsoft Wordpad, please use a real text editor like Notepad!


Program-type

Name

Description

Web

Level-Editor

ÜberRadiant

Used to open *.map and *.prf files

Ritual's ÜberRadiant is the Official World-creation Software for STEF2. ÜberRadiant allows you to build, edit and compile Worlds/Levels for STEF2, a compiled World has the extension .bsp

Effiles.com

moddb.com

Text-Editor

Text-Editor

Notepad++

Used to open all text/script files.

The program offers Syntax Highlighting, which is very handy, especially with scripts

notepad-plus.sourceforge.net

Image Viewer

Irfan View

Used to view TGA and DDS images.

STEF2 uses TGA and DDS images as painting for surfaces. These images are called Textures.

Irfanview.com

Converter

DDS Converter (2.1)

Used to convert images into 'textures'

Converts images into the formats used as textures.

Effiles.com

Audio-Editor

Audacity

Used to edit Audiofiles


http://audacity.sourceforge.net/?lang=en

Archiver

7-Zip

Used to create and open compressed Archives

We will use it to open and create *.pk3 files

http://www.7-zip.org


File Types


Format

description

Used Open/Edit with

.bsp

The 3d-World you play on, in the game

It is a compiled map-file, this means it includes all calculations, for example lighting and visual(what you can see from each location of the map, the rest will not be shown and calculated by your computer).


Will be read by the game-engine(this is the level loadad when starting/joining a game) and can be edited with a Hex-Editor

Game-Engine

Hex-Editor

.map

The 3d-World Source file

This is the raw 3d-World created in Radiant.

Can be read and edited with a Level-Editor or a Text-Editor(this is your source file, do not lose it!)

It's basically a renamed *.txt file.

Level-Editor

Text-Editor

.bak

A Backup file, created by ÜberRadiant each time you change your *.map file.

Can be read and edited with a Level-Editor or a Text-Editor(this is a copy of your source file, renamed .map-file)

Text-Editor

.scr

Level Scripts, adding or controlling (interactive) events

SCR-files are used as Screensaver by Windows.

You can change this in Controlpanel->Folder Options, in the Tab file-types.

Can be read and edited with a Text-Editor

(this is Script/Programming code)

http://www.ritualistic.com/games/ef2/gdkdocs/content/allclasses_g.html

Game-Scriptmaster

Text-Editor



.shader

Graphic/Texture controll/effect commands files, used to generate different effects on textures.

For example: (reflecting) water, lava, reflections, and surface-animations like waves or scrolling textures to simulate moving water.

Can be read and edited with a Text-Editor

Game-Engine

Text-Editor

.st

Animation State definition files

Tells the game when to use which animation for the actor, it's AI behavior and AI events.

Can be read and edited with a Text-Editor

Game-StateManager

Text-Editor

.cfg

Configuration/Settings file

Stores settings for the game client and server, can also contain console scripts to automate commands

Can be read and edited with a Text-Editor

Game-Engine

Text-Editor

.gpf

Formula definitions

Contains formulas defining the game-play.

Can be read and edited with a Text-Editor

Game-Engine

Text-Editor

.txt

Text file, in ASCII charset

Contains definitions and settings for: the game, mission-objectives, graphic, sound, precaching, surfaces and more.

Can be read and edited with a Text-Editor

Game-Engine

Text-Editor

.gdb

Game Data Base file, definies the game

Contains all configurations for the game, like weapons, ammo type, information for special mission items, and more.

Can be read and edited with a Text-Editor

Game-Engine

Text-Editor

.roq

Video File

Details can be found here on Moddb.com (http://www.moddb.com/tutorials/how-to-create-a-roq-video-file1)

Game-Engine

Quake Video Maker

.dds

Game Texture Image (Direct Draw Surface-file)

A format for game graphics, it combines the properties of JPEG-files (high compression) and TGA-files (transparency).

Can be viewed and edited with Image-Viewer/Graphics Editor.

Game-Engine

Inage-viewer

Image-Creator

.tga

Game Texture Image(Truevision Advanced Raster Graphics Array)

Used in many games, is now outdated. Games use now DDS instead. TGA-Files are able to save information about the alpha-channel, gamma and metadata.

Can be viewed and edited with Image-Viewer/Graphics Editor.

Game-Engine

Picture-viewer

Image-Creator

.cam

Camera path definition

Spawns and defines a path for the cameras used in cinematic sequences.

Can be read and edited with a Text-Editor

Game-Engine

Text-Editor

.kfc

Cinematic/Camera file

No description available.

Can be read and edited with a Text-Editor

Game-Engine

Max CameraExport plugin

.cin

Cinematic definition

Contains information about cinematic video sequences, which use the ingame-engine to animate characters and entities. Spawn Cameras and play the cinematic sequence.

Can be read and edited with a Text-Editor

Game-Engine

Text-Editor

.aas

Contains path and information for the bots; where to walk where to find items, etc.

Game-Engine

.mni

Level Menu definition

Defines the map parameters such as supported game-types and modifiers, bots and recommended players. It also defines the map preview image.

Can be read and edited with a Text-Editor

Game-Engine

Text-Editor

Tempest MNI-Editor

.snd

Sound definition file

Contains information for the sound-manager, concerning where to spawn sounds and music/sound-triggers. Also adjusts the sound effects of a level, like volume, channel, position and audio-file to use.

Can be read and edited with a Text-Editor

Gamesoundmanager

Text-Editor

.pth

Path file

Generated file, for the Ai(not bots) to find a path.

Game-Engine

.tik

Model Definition and Setup file

Defines a model and character properties, for example: scaling, size, mass, archetype, AI-Includes, etc.

Can be read and edited with a Text-Editor

Game-Engine

Text-Editor

.skb

Skeleton Model (TIKI Model file component)
Contains the (visible) Model itself and its Skeleton.

The skeleton can be thought of as the bones for the model and it's animations.


Game-Engine Modeling-Programm

.ska

Skeleton Animation (TIKI Model file component)

Contains the motion and rotation information for each frame for the Model Skeleton (.skb)

Game-Engine

Modeling-Programm

.mus

Soundtrack/level Music Definition file

Sets a mp3 for each event, like: action, normal, suspense, failure, success, aux<int>. Can be controlled via scripts.

Can be read and edited with a Text-Editor

Game-Soundmanager

Text-Editor

.wav

Raw Audio

An uncompressed audio-format, used for fast overlapping playback of sounds without delay, like effects/loopsounds.

Can be read and edited with a Audio-Editor

Game-Soundmanager

Audio-Player

Sound-

.mp3

A compressed Audio-Format, very practical for playback of longer audio, for example music or speech–records.

Can be read and edited with a Audio-Editor

Game-Soundmanager

Audio-Player

.pk3

Media library of ID-Tech3 engine based games

It's a renamed zip-archive.

Can be read and edited with a Archiver

Game-Engine

Archiver

.dll

Dynamic Link Library File

Contains the compiled game code, which can be read by many applications simultaneously.

Game-Engine

Applications

.lst

List

Contains a listing of a model group

Can be read and edited with a Text-Editor

Text-Editor

.log

Log (from the Game or Server - console)

Contains records of the gameplay, for example, console messages. To activate the logging: seta logfile “1”

Can be read and edited with a Text-Editor

Game-Engine

Text-Editor

.dm3

Demo (ingame record file)

The following commands are needed to:

Start recording

set com_passthrough 0;

set g_syncronousClients 1

record;

set com_passthrough 1;

set g_syncronousClients 0;

Stop recording

stoprecord;

set com_passthrough 1;

set g_syncronousClients 0;

Can be created and viewed with within the Game

Game-Engine


.urc

User Interface / Menu-file

Graphical-Interface between the player and the game console.

Can be read and edited with a Text-Editor

Game-Engine

Text-Editor

.loc

Local-file

Contains, mission-objectives and Language translations of game text.

Can be read and edited with a Text-Editor

Game-Engine

Text-Editor

.RitualFont

EF2 Game Font

Developed by Ritual Entertainment.

Can be read and edited with a Text-Editor

Game-Engine

fontgen.exe

.dlg

Dialog-file

Contains the text string for a dialogue.

Can be read and edited with a Text-Editor

Game-Engine

Text-Editor

.vlp

Voice Lip-file

Used for synchronous lips animations for dialogues(mp3).

Can be read and edited with a Text-Editor

Game-Engine

Text-Editor

lipsync.exe

.c

C Code

Contains the game source code.

Can be read and edited with a Text-Editor

Game-Engine

Level-Editor

Text-Editor

.h

C++ header Code

Contains the game source code.

Can be read and edited with a Text-Editor

Game-Engine

Level-Editor

Text-Editor

.cpp

C++ Code

Contains the game source code.

Can be read and edited with a Text-Editor

Level-Editor

Text-Editor

.inf

Setup Information-file

Contains the game version information.

Can be read and edited with a Text-Editor

Text-Editor

Credits

Thanks to all who helped me to create this tutorial:

Avenger

[dM]Rico

[dM]Modboy

Merl!n

Marvelman

Badman

Brush Baron

Shakaar

Albert Dorn

GSIO01

Chris Parker (GDev-RP)

Evil

Pollywog


//Eof @Chrissstrahl