GTAMods Wiki - User contributions [en]

Item Placement

2015-04-01T11:35:37Z

Nick7: /* Sections */

{{IplSection
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'''Item placement''' files, usually identified by the file extension <code>.ipl</code>, are a part of the [[map system]] and used to create and place (for example) different objects, zones of special behaviour or paths in the world. All games support standard item placement files which are mostly stored in plain text format that can be opened and edited using any text-editing program (like [[Wikipedia:Notepad|Notepad]]), but there are tools to simplify editing. [[GTA SA|San Andreas]] is the first game to introduce a binary format for item placement files. Most of the placement information in [[GTA IV]] is stored inside of binary files (see [[WPL]]).

== Overview ==

The structure and format of the ''item placement'' file is similar to the format of the [[item definition]] files.

=== Format and syntax description ===

Just like definitions, placement information files are split up into sections. Each section is indicated by a section identifier specifying the way the section gets parsed by the game. The sections themselves are filled with the entries containing the placement information. Each entry must be placed on a separate line. This is important for line-dependent entries, like the [[INST#GTA_SA_format|San Andreas LOD system]]. The end of every section is indicated by the terminating string "end". Both (identifying and terminating strings) are not case sensitive, but by default they are written in lower case.

Comments are usually indicated by the character <code>#</code> (number sign). It is possible to add comments to the end of a line, but breaking the line format for the current section using comments may cause the game to crash during loading. It is recommended that a comment should be placed on a separate line. Comments can also be placed outside of sections.

Lines itself are always formatted in the same way differing only in the number of their parameters describing the semantical content of the line. Parameters are usually separated by the character <code>,</code> (comma). [[wikipedia:Whitespace_character|Whitespace characters]] at the beginning or the end of an parameter get trimmed but they are usually used to give the content a more clear structure to make it more easier to read for human. Strings can be encased by the character <code>"</code> (quotation mark), but this is optional and rarely used by default. Also the games' parser uses an invariant culture to parse numerical values and strings. Which means strings are [[Wikipedia:ASCII|ASCII]] encrypted and the decimal separator is <code>.</code> (period).

==== Section example ====

inst
...
end

=== Binary format ===

''San Andreas'' introduced an simple binary format of item placement files. They are stored as ''"streaming files"'' inside the [[IMG|archive files]]. Editing them requires an special editor (see [[IPL#Tools|below]]). The format is pretty simple and their possibilities are not completely used by ''Rockstar''. By default they do only support ''INST'' and ''CARS'' sections. It is unconfirmed if other sections also can be used or if they are just stubs which are not implemented. Anyway their binary format is completely unknown.

{{Incomplete}}


==== Header ====

Each binary placement information file starts with an 4-Byte identifier followed by a header containing information about the files content.

4b - CHAR[4] - Always "bnry"
4b - INT32 - Number of [[INST|item instances]]
4b - INT32 - Number of unknown 1 (''CULL'' ?)
4b - INT32 - Number of unknown 2 (''GRGE'' ?)
4b - INT32 - Number of unknown 3 (''ENEX'' ?)
4b - INT32 - Number of [[CARS|parked cars]]
4b - INT32 - Number of unknown 4 (''PICK'' ?)
4b - INT32 - Offset of item instances (0x4C by default)
4b - INT32 - Size of item instances (unused - always 0)
4b - INT32 - Offset of unknown 1
4b - INT32 - Size of unknown 1 (unused - always 0)
4b - INT32 - Offset of unknown 2
4b - INT32 - Size of unknown 2 (unused - always 0)
4b - INT32 - Offset of unknown 3
4b - INT32 - Size of unknown 3 (unused - always 0)
4b - INT32 - Offset of parked cars
4b - INT32 - Size of parked cars (unused - always 0)
4b - INT32 - Offset of unknown 4
4b - INT32 - Size of unknown 4 (unused - always 0)

The header is followed by the arrays of the entries. For more information about their format see the articles about the sections.

=== Sections ===

The following table contains basic information about all known sections. For additional information read the articles itself.

{|{{Prettytable}} class="collapsible"
!width="120px"|Identifier
!width="100px"|Supported games
!Description
|-
|<center>[[INST]]</center>||<center>{{Icon|3}} {{Icon|VC}} {{Icon|SA}} {{Icon|4}}</center>||Most important section: places objects defined in [[OBJS]], [[TOBJ]], [[ANIM]] or [[TANM]] in the world.
|-
|<center>[[CULL]]</center>||<center>{{Icon|3}} {{Icon|VC}} {{Icon|SA}} {{Icon|4}}</center>||Creates zones with special behaviour and influences to e.g. [[wikipedia:Non-player_character|NPC's]] or [[timecyc.dat|weather]].
|-
|<center>[[PATH]]</center>||<center>{{Icon|VC}}</center>||Creates waypoints for random ''NPC'' spawns.<br>Note: this section is also present in ''San Andreas'' and ''GTA IV''. It is used as a base for ''Rockstar's'' paths compiler, but gets ignored by the games. For more information see: [[Paths]].
|-
|<center>[[GRGE]]</center>||<center>{{Icon|SA}}</center>||Creates zones for ingame garages.
|-
|<center>[[ENEX]]</center>||<center>{{Icon|SA}}</center>||Creates entrace and exit markers.
|-
|<center>[[PICK]]</center>||<center>{{Icon|SA}}</center>||Creates [[WEAP|weapon]] pickups.
|-
|<center>[[JUMP]]</center>||<center>{{Icon|SA}}</center>||Creates unique stunt jumps.
|-
|<center>[[TCYC]]</center>||<center>{{Icon|SA}}</center>||Apparently custom weather.
|-
|<center>[[AUZO]]</center>||<center>{{Icon|SA}}</center>||Creates zones playing an [[Stream|audio stream]] if the user enters it.
|-
|<center>[[MULT]]</center>||<center>{{Icon|SA}} {{Icon|4}}</center>||–
|-
|<center>[[CARS_(IPL_Section)|CARS]]</center>||<center>{{Icon|SA}}</center>||Creates parked [[CARS_(IDE_Section)|car]] spawns
|-
|<center>[[OCCL]]</center>||<center>{{Icon|VC}} {{Icon|SA}} {{Icon|4}}</center>||Creates occlusion zones for seperated rendering.
|-
|<center>[[ZONE]], [[MZON]]</center>||<center>{{Icon|3}} {{Icon|VC}} {{Icon|SA}} {{Icon|4}}</center>||Creates ingame regions. ''MZON'' is only used for ''GTA IV'' and contains one type of zones.
|-
|<center>[[BLOK]]</center>||<center>{{Icon|4}}</center>||Apparently ignored by the game – appears to be used to allocate responsibilities during the development stage of ''GTA IV'', but also could be used to place [[Ped_Event|decision makers]].
|-
|<center>[[VNOD]]</center>||<center>{{Icon|4}}</center>||Extented format of ''PATH'' – apparently only used for [[Multiplayer#GTA_4|multiplayer]] mode.
|-
|<center>[[LINK]]</center>||<center>{{Icon|4}}</center>||–
|-
|<center>[[MLO+]]</center>||<center>{{Icon|4}}</center>||MLO placement – Used to place offsets for ''GTA IV's'' [[interior]]s. The ''interiors'' themselfes get placed inside the [[IDE]] file section [[MLO]].
|-
|<center>[[RTFX]]</center>||<center>{{Icon|4}}</center>||–
|-
|<center>[[LODM]]</center>||<center>{{Icon|4}}</center>||–
|-
|<center>[[SLOW]]</center>||<center>{{Icon|4}}</center>||Unknown for what it is responsible, used very rare and only in two extended .WPL. Section contains a box.
|-
|<center>[[2DFX_(IPL_Section)|2DFX]]</center>||<center>{{Icon|4}}</center>||Used to make many game effects, for example - Particle.
|}

== Tools ==

* [[KEd]] – By {{U|JernejL}}
* [[MEd]] – By {{U|Tonywob}}
* {{GTAF|315944|IPL Helper}} – By {{U|Xmen}}
* [http://www.gta.ocram-net.de/index_all.php?downloadsa=11 Binary (De-)Compiler] – By {{U|ocram88}}
* {{GTAF|429526|SA Binary IPL Exporter for 3DS Max}} – by {{U|Gforce}}

== See also ==

* [[Item definition]]
* [[WPL]] – Major ''GTA IV'' item placement file.

== External links ==

* {{GTAF|118193|GTA3/VC Map File Documentation and Troubleshooting}} - Topic by {{U|Opius}} covering general features of IPL files in GTA3 and GTA VC.
* {{GTAF|202532|GTA SA IPL Documentation}} - Topic by {{U|spaceeinstein}} covering details of the IPL format in GTA SA.

{{N|4|SA|VC|3}}

[[Category:Map Formats]]

File:Vcs.png

2012-08-20T15:56:56Z

Nick7: uploaded a new version of "File:Vcs.png"

VCS Icon (by pdescobar)

RenderWare binary stream file

2011-08-25T16:29:07Z

Nick7: /* Texture Archives PS2 (TXD) */

{{File-stub}}
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'''RenderWare binary stream files''' are hierarchically structured binary data files used by the [[Wikipedia:RenderWare|RenderWare]] 3.x graphics engine utilized by [[Wikipedia:Rockstar North|Rockstar North]] for their GTA III trilogy (only on PC, [[Wikipedia:PS2|PS2]] and [[Wikipedia:XBOX|XBOX]], not [[Wikipedia:PSP|PSP]]!) and related games (Manhunt, Bully).

GTA's [[model file]]s use the [[Wikipedia:file extension|file extension]] <code>.dff</code> and [[texture archive]]s use <code>.txd</code>. Other possible extensions, not used by the GTA games, are <code>.rws</code>, <code>.bsp</code> and <code>.dma</code>. GTA3 does use <code>.anm</code> for some of its cutscene animations, but it is the only GTA to do so.

==File Format==

RW streams are split up into sections. Each section has a 12 byte header and can either be empty, contain data or more child sections. Section content, especially of data sections, is determined by an ID in the header.

There is only one data structure common to all RW streams - the '''section header''':

4 byte - DWORD - section identifier
4 byte - DWORD - section size, including child sections and/or data
4 byte - DWORD - RW version ID

The RW version ID varies depending on the RW engine version used for exporting the files. It must be the same for all headers within one file. Backwards compatibility is very limited.

===Valid RW Section IDs===

See the [[list of RW section IDs]].

===Rockstar's Custom Section IDs===

Rockstar added several vendor specific RW plugins, which have their own ID range (0x0253F2F*).

* [[Pipeline Set (RW Section)|Pipeline Set]] ''(0x0253F2F3)''
* [[Specular Material (RW Section)|Specular Material]] ''(0x0253F2F6)''
* [[2dfx (RW Section)|2dfx]] ''(0x0253F2F8)''
* [[Night Vertex Colors (RW Section)|Night Vertex Colors]] ''(0x0253F2F9)''
* [[Collision Model (RW Section)|Collision Model]] ''(0x0253F2FA)''
* [[Reflection Material (RW Section)|Reflection Material]] ''(0x0253F2FC)''
* [[Mesh Extension (RW Section)|Mesh Extension]] ''(0x0253F2FD)''
* [[Frame (RW Section)|Frame]] ''(0x0253F2FE)''

===Common RW Version IDs===

The following is an (incomplete) list of plain text RW versions commonly used in GTA and their encoded equivalent:

3.0.0.3 - 0x0003FFFF
3.?.?.? - 0x0800FFFF (GTA III)
3.1.0.0 - 0x00000310 (GTA III)
3.3.0.2 - 0x0C02FFFF (GTA VC)
3.4.0.3 - 0x1003FFFF (GTA VC)
3.6.0.3 - 0x1803FFFF ([[GTA SA]])

==Common File Structures==

===Model Files (DFF)===

* [[Clump (RW Section)|Clump]]
** [[Struct (RW Section)#Clump|Struct]]
** [[Frame List (RW Section)|Frame List]]
*** [[Struct (RW Section)#Frame_List|Struct]]
*** [[Extension (RW Section)|Extension]] *
**** [[Frame (RW Section)|Frame]]
**** [[HAnim PLG (RW Section)|HAnim PLG]]
** [[Geometry List (RW Section)|Geometry List]]
*** [[Struct (RW Section)#Geometry_List|Struct]]
*** [[Geometry (RW Section)|Geometry]] *
**** [[Struct (RW Section)#Geometry|Struct]]
**** [[Material List (RW Section)|Material List]]
***** [[Struct (RW Section)#Material_List|Struct]]
***** [[Material (RW Section)|Material]] *
****** [[Struct (RW Section)#Material|Struct]]
****** [[Texture (RW Section)|Texture]] - optional
******* [[Struct (RW Section)#Texture|Struct]]
******* [[String (RW Section)|String]] - diffuse texture name
******* [[String (RW Section)|String]] - alpha texture name
******* [[Extension (RW Section)|Extension]]
******** [[Sky Mipmap Val (RW Section)|Sky Mipmap Val]] **
****** [[Extension (RW Section)|Extension]]
******* [[Material Effects PLG (RW Section)|Material Effects PLG]] - optional
******** [[Texture (RW Section)|Texture]] - optional ''(See [[Material Effects PLG (RW Section)|Material Effects PLG]] for more information)''
********* [[Struct (RW Section)#Texture|Struct]]
********* [[String (RW Section)|String]] - environment map name
********* [[String (RW Section)|String]] - alpha texture name
********* [[Extension (RW Section)|Extension]]
********** [[Sky Mipmap Val (RW Section)|Sky Mipmap Val]] **
******* [[Reflection Material (RW Section)|Reflection Material]] - optional
******* [[Specular Material (RW Section)|Specular Material]] - optional
******* [[UV Animation PLG (RW Section)|UV Animation PLG]] - optional
**** [[Extension (RW Section)|Extension]]
***** [[Bin Mesh PLG (RW Section)|Bin Mesh PLG]]
***** [[Native Data PLG (RW Section)|Native Data PLG]] (on Xbox and PS2)
***** [[Skin PLG (RW Section)|Skin PLG]]
***** [[Mesh Extension (RW Section)|Mesh Extension]] - optional
***** [[Night Vertex Colors (RW Section)|Night Vertex Colors]] - optional (static objects only)
***** [[Morph PLG (RW Section)|Morph PLG]]
***** [[2dfx (RW Section)|2dfx]] - optional
** [[Atomic (RW Section)|Atomic]] *
*** [[Struct (RW Section)#Atomic|Struct]]
*** [[Extension (RW Section)|Extension]]
**** [[Right To Render (RW Section)|Right To Render]] - optional
**** [[Particles PLG (RW Section)|Particles PLG]] - optional
**** [[Material Effects PLG (RW Section)|Material Effects PLG]] - optional
**** [[Pipeline Set (RW Section)|Pipeline Set]] - optional
** [[Extension (RW Section)|Extension]]
*** [[Collision Model (RW Section)|Collision Model]] - vehicles only

===Texture Archives (TXD)===

* [[Texture Dictionary (RW Section)|Texture Dictionary]]
** [[Struct (RW Section)#Texture_Dictionary|Struct]] - 4 byte, 2x word, first one is the texture count
** [[Texture Native (RW Section)|Texture Native]] *
*** [[Struct (RW Section)#Texture_Native|Struct]] - header and actual image data
*** [[Extension (RW Section)|Extension]] - empty
** [[Extension (RW Section)|Extension]] - empty

===Texture Archives PS2 (TXD)===
* [[Texture Dictionary (RW Section)|Texture Dictionary]]
** [[Struct (RW Section)#Texture_Dictionary|Struct]] - 4b - Texture count
** [[Texture Native (RW Section)|Texture Native]] *
*** [[Struct (RW Section)#Texture_Native|Struct]] - 4b - Platform, 4b- Filter Flags
*** [[String (RW Section)|String]] - Texture name
*** [[String (RW Section)|String]] - Alpha name
*** [[Struct (RW Section)|Struct]]
**** [[Struct (RW Section)|Struct]] - 4b- Width, 4b - Height, 4b - Bits per pixel, 4b - Raster flags, unknown
**** [[Struct (RW Section)|Struct]] - 80 bytes unknown, pixels/indices (80 bytes unknown, palette)
*** [[Extension (RW Section)|Extension]]
**** [[Sky Mipmap Val (RW Section)]] - 4 bytes unknown
** [[Extension (RW Section)|Extension]] - empty

''* These sections (and their child sections) can appear multiple times.

''** Not always present, effect also unknown.

''*** Require [[Pipeline Set (RW Section)|Pipeline Set]] to work for static objects, by default only for vehicles.

A byte may contain two indices, if bpp == 4.

16 bit images are in 1555 ARGB format or 565 (used by VC only on ancient hardware such as Riva TNT2 when you choose 16 bit color mode and game builds non-dxt version of txd files on disk).

The indices are swizzled and saved in a PS2 friendly format (CLUT).

Note: There are slight differences between GTA: III and VC formats concerning the raster/image format.

==Tools & Scripts==

* [http://www.steve-m.com/downloads/tools/rwanalyze/ RW Analyze] – by {{U|steve-m}}
* various [[model file]] and [[texture archive]] related tools

==See also==
* {{GTAF|128451|RW Analyze discussion thread}}
* [http://www.chronetal.co.uk/gta/index.php?page=dff Original DFF format description] by KCow
* [http://www.renderware.com Official RenderWare Site]
* [http://wiki.multimedia.cx/index.php?title=TXD MultimediaWiki TXD]

{{SA-navi}}
[[Category:3D File Formats]]