RE: File format changes

Rene Post (renep@xs4all.nl)
Tue, 25 Jun 1996 08:12:12 +-200

From: Rene Post <renep@xs4all.nl>
To: "'quake-dev@gamers.org'" <quake-dev@gamers.org>
Subject: RE: File format changes
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 1996 08:12:12 +-200

Hi Jim,

>----------
>From: Jim Bucher[SMTP:jim@gcchem.com]
>Sent: dinsdag 25 juni 1996 3:29
>To: quake-dev@gamers.org
>Subject: File format changes
>
>The format for the MDL files looks like it has
>changed slightly. My MDL viewer breaks on the
>new format. After a brief analysis it looks like
>only the frame info has changed. They now store
>a description of each frame in the file. Before
>I dig further, I was wondering if anyone has
>already figured it out.

Along with some minor changes there seems to be a different frame type
used in flames.mdl and in some other MDLs.

I have QuakeMe working for the frame type present in the QTest and I think I
have almost found the format of the second frame type.

Following are the changes I have found in the MDL format:

Header:
Version changed from 3 to 6
At the end of the header there are 2 extra 32bit values.
A long and a float, I don't know yet what these are.

Textures:
Nothing changed

Triangles:
OnSeam was indicated with 0x00, now is indicated with 0x20

Frames:
Every frame starts as before with the 32 bits value that I now think is the frame type.
Followed as before by the lowerbounds vertex
Followed as before by the upperbounds vertex
New are the 4 vertices that follow. I have yet to understand what they do.
? Could it have something to do with the direction of lightsources ?
The rest of the frame consists of the actual frame vertices.

Normally the frame type is 0x0 and then the frame vertices are made up out of four
8 bits values.

Some MDLs use a different frame types. e.g. flames.mdl
When the frame type contains 0x01000000 a vertex is made up out of four 32 bits values
instead of the normal 8 bits value.
I think the frame type number is in little endian (motorola) format. Because that would
make it frame type 1.

Rene Post

renep@xs4all.nl