Tagged Questions

The structure of data files and how they are stored.

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13
votes
3answers
700 views

Why would some PNG files extracted from games display incorrectly?

I've noticed extracting PNGs from some game files that the image becomes distorted part-way through. For example, here are a couple of PNGs extracted from the Textures file in Skyrim: Is this some ...
8
votes
1answer
229 views

What are the pros and cons of these voxel data file formats?

.VXL .VOX .KVX .KV6 .V3A .V3B I am trying to decide whether it's worth going with any of the above, or some other, or if I should roll my own. The deciding factors in order of importance are: ...
19
votes
6answers
670 views

What is a good file format for saving game data?

I need to save some custom game data. Map, player, etc. All of them will have "sub objects". For example, a map and map will have an "array" of tiles. ie, hierarchical data. Hopefully nothing ...
0
votes
1answer
472 views

Convert Autocad DWG to OBJ, FBX or similar

I know this is only partially game development related, but couldnt find another place to ask. How can i convert an autocad dwg or dxf file to a more 'common' format like OBJ, FBX, 3DS, etc. ? i ...
5
votes
1answer
162 views

Are there any open source Source engine VTX/VVD viewers?

I've been playing with loading and displaying Source Engine models (TF2, specifically) and have had mild success, but there are some aspects of it that are eluding me still. I've been primarily ...
6
votes
1answer
295 views

How to create a game save file format in c++ using STL

Hey so i just learned about the i/o part of the STL, more specifically fstream. Although I can now save binary info and classes i've made to the hard drive, i am not sure how to define how the info ...
3
votes
3answers
94 views

Loading resources in a portable manner

I've been looking at ways to load data into a game. I even asked a question on stack overflow about reading binary data in a portable manner . The gist of the answer seemed to be that you can use ...
2
votes
1answer
135 views

How can I convert .X files from text to binary form?

Is there a tool for Linux (preferably a command-line tool) that can convert from the .x text format to the binary format? I wish to use this format with Irrlicht but the text format is loading very ...
0
votes
2answers
359 views

C++ SDL, Opengl 3D Game

I have been learning C++ for long time (but only learning game development for eight days) and I have made a simple game using 2D textures. I was thinking of starting on 3D game development. I wanted ...
6
votes
1answer
268 views

Which 3D file format should my engine use if I don't want to have to change it later?

Is there a de facto format for exporting a 3D model from modeling software to a game engine? I know it varies by engine and situation, but what is the general idea that comes to a skilled game ...
0
votes
1answer
305 views

Understanding .obj file

I downloaded a 3d model of a car. By judging by the skins and images available model treats wheels and car body as separate nodes. I want to access its child nodes (wheels) to specify animation. But ...
1
vote
1answer
133 views

Why hasn't OBJ been extended to support skinning?

Out of every format I know, the only one that works accross all applications perfectly is OBJ. I think it is an excellent format and I would use it for everything - except it does not support ...
6
votes
4answers
403 views

Loading data for an RPG

I'm creating a small text RPG as a way to practice python and I'm running into a question about how to load data. The game is a wild west game, though that isn't too relevant, and I need to store ...
1
vote
2answers
340 views

A good beginers' game engine to run on linux

I am involved with a research that deals with 3D graphics. I am very new to 3D graphics. In my research I have to move a 3D object based on some information queried by processing a video. Viewer's ...
0
votes
0answers
215 views

How to load .max files to Panda3D [closed]

Possible Duplicate: How to convert .max files to .egg on linux Is there a way to load .max files directly to Panda3D engine? I am running Panda3D on linux so converting them using 3ds max ...
0
votes
3answers
298 views

How to convert .max files to .egg on linux

I am very new to 3d graphics and game engines and panda3d and python. I followed few panda3d tutorials and now I want to test them with few new models. High majority of 3d models in the internet are ...
3
votes
2answers
397 views

How do you structure a 2d level format with collisions etc. in Java(Slick 2d)?

I am developing a game in Java. 2D Fighter, Kind of like the 2d flash game Raze(http://armorgames.com/play/5395/raze). I currently am using the Slick 2D game library and am researching how to ...
2
votes
1answer
208 views

Animation file format

I'm trying to make a simple 2D animation file format. It'll be very rudimentary: only an XML file containing some parameters (such as frame duration) and metadata, and some images, each representing a ...
4
votes
1answer
298 views

Whats the point of all these Surface Formats

I am relevantly new to Graphics Programming. I have written some basic games in xna in the past but I am trying to understand what the point of all these surface formats is. For instance Xna and DDS ...
3
votes
1answer
1k views

iPhone image asset recommended resolution/dpi/format

I'm learning iPhone development and a friend will be doing the graphics/animation. I'll be using cocos2d most likely (if that matters). My friend wants to get started on the graphics, and I don't ...
4
votes
4answers
432 views

Custom mesh format - yea or nay?

In the process of writing my game prototype, I have found the OBJ format to be insufficient for my needs - it does not support any sort of animation, it doesn't support triangle strips (I'm targeting ...
41
votes
11answers
2k views

How to design a replay system

So how would I design a replay system? You may know it from certain games like Warcraft 3 or Starcraft where you can watch the game again after it has been played already. You end up with a ...
9
votes
2answers
520 views

Examples of TIN-based terrain formats in FPS games

Do you know of any terrain formats for FPS games that use a triangulated irregular network (TIN) instead of a grid for elevation representation? Or at least a game whose development tools accept a TIN ...
2
votes
1answer
329 views

Converting a Google Sketchup file to 3DS?

I have a couple models that I've made or found in Google Sketchup, and I want to be able to use them in some programs I have that only support 3DS. What is the best way to convert, without paying for ...
0
votes
1answer
607 views

What external 2d animation formats can I use in android?

For an artist who won't be dealing directly with the code, what formats for 2d animation could they use that would be portable into an android game? In my particular case there are no collision ...