The CAR files are used in Carnivores, Carnivores 2, and Carnivores Ice Age as 3D model files for the animals and hunter, weapons, dropship, and wind indicator, and are located in the \HUNTDAT folder (in Carnivores 2 and Ice Age, the weapon CAR files are instead located in \HUNTDAT\WEAPONS). The 3DF format is a simplified version of this format.
"CAR" may be short for "character"; note that it is not short for Carnivores, since the extension was used for a similar (though presumably slightly simpler) format in Chasm: The Rift, several years before development on Carnivores would have begun.
Code[]
There are several parts of the source code that handle CAR files.
Resources.cpp[]
This code loads CAR files.
void LoadCharacterInfo(TCharacterInfo &chinfo, char* FName)
{
ReleaseCharacterInfo(chinfo);
HANDLE hfile = CreateFile(FName,
GENERIC_READ, FILE_SHARE_READ,
NULL, OPEN_EXISTING, FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL, NULL);
if (hfile==INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE) {
char sz[512];
wsprintf( sz, "Error opening character file:\n%s.", FName );
DoHalt(sz);
}
ReadFile(hfile, chinfo.ModelName, 32, &l, NULL);
ReadFile(hfile, &chinfo.AniCount, 4, &l, NULL);
ReadFile(hfile, &chinfo.SfxCount, 4, &l, NULL);
//============= read model =================//
chinfo.mptr = (TModel*) _HeapAlloc(Heap, 0, sizeof(TModel));
ReadFile( hfile, &chinfo.mptr->VCount, 4, &l, NULL );
ReadFile( hfile, &chinfo.mptr->FCount, 4, &l, NULL );
ReadFile( hfile, &chinfo.mptr->TextureSize, 4, &l, NULL );
ReadFile( hfile, chinfo.mptr->gFace, chinfo.mptr->FCount<<6, &l, NULL );
ReadFile( hfile, chinfo.mptr->gVertex, chinfo.mptr->VCount<<4, &l, NULL );
int ts = chinfo.mptr->TextureSize;
if (HARD3D) chinfo.mptr->TextureHeight = 256;
else chinfo.mptr->TextureHeight = chinfo.mptr->TextureSize>>9;
chinfo.mptr->TextureSize = chinfo.mptr->TextureHeight*512;
chinfo.mptr->lpTexture = (WORD*) _HeapAlloc(Heap, 0, chinfo.mptr->TextureSize);
ReadFile(hfile, chinfo.mptr->lpTexture, ts, &l, NULL);
DATASHIFT(chinfo.mptr->lpTexture, chinfo.mptr->TextureSize);
GenerateModelMipMaps(chinfo.mptr);
GenerateAlphaFlags(chinfo.mptr);
//ApplyAlphaFlags(chinfo.mptr->lpTexture, 256*256);
//ApplyAlphaFlags(chinfo.mptr->lpTexture2, 128*128);
//============= read animations =============//
for (int a=0; a<chinfo.AniCount; a++) {
ReadFile(hfile, chinfo.Animation[a].aniName, 32, &l, NULL);
ReadFile(hfile, &chinfo.Animation[a].aniKPS, 4, &l, NULL);
ReadFile(hfile, &chinfo.Animation[a].FramesCount, 4, &l, NULL);
chinfo.Animation[a].AniTime = (chinfo.Animation[a].FramesCount * 1000) / chinfo.Animation[a].aniKPS;
chinfo.Animation[a].aniData = (short int*)
_HeapAlloc(Heap, 0, (chinfo.mptr->VCount*chinfo.Animation[a].FramesCount*6) );
ReadFile(hfile, chinfo.Animation[a].aniData, (chinfo.mptr->VCount*chinfo.Animation[a].FramesCount*6), &l, NULL);
}
//============= read sound fx ==============//
BYTE tmp[32];
for (int s=0; s<chinfo.SfxCount; s++) {
ReadFile(hfile, tmp, 32, &l, NULL);
ReadFile(hfile, &chinfo.SoundFX[s].length, 4, &l, NULL);
chinfo.SoundFX[s].lpData = (short int*) _HeapAlloc(Heap, 0, chinfo.SoundFX[s].length);
ReadFile(hfile, chinfo.SoundFX[s].lpData, chinfo.SoundFX[s].length, &l, NULL);
}
for (int v=0; v<chinfo.mptr->VCount; v++) {
chinfo.mptr->gVertex[v].x*=2.f;
chinfo.mptr->gVertex[v].y*=2.f;
chinfo.mptr->gVertex[v].z*=-2.f;
}
CorrectModel(chinfo.mptr);
ReadFile(hfile, chinfo.Anifx, 64*4, &l, NULL);
if (l!=256)
for (l=0; l<64; l++) chinfo.Anifx[l] = -1;
CloseHandle(hfile);
}
Format[]
// header (52 bytes)
0x0000
byte
32
ModelName
texture name (often the same as the name of the CAR file, but not always - e.g. the texture name in ALLO.CAR is "Rapt73")`; the last 12 bytes are normally
msc: #, where # is a number; see notes for more details0x0020
uint32
4
AniCount
number of animations
0x0024
uint32
4
SfxCount
number of sounds
0x0028
uint32
4
VCount
number of vertices
0x002B
uint32
4
FCount
number of faces
0x0030
uint32
4
TextureSize
texture length in bytes
// for each face (64 bytes)
uint32
4
v1
vertex 1
uint32
4
v2
vertex 2
uint32
4
v3
vertex 3
uint32
4
tax
v1 texture U coordinateuint32
4
tbx
v2 texture U coordinateuint32
4
tcx
v3 texture U coordinateuint32
4
tay
v1 texture V coordinateuint32
4
tby
v2 texture V coordinateuint32
4
tcy
v3 texture V coordinateuint16
2
flags
bit
1
sfDoubleSide
0x0001
marks face as textured on both sides
bit
1
sfDarkBack
0x0002
marks face as having a dark back side
bit
1
sfOpacity
0x0004
marks face as transparent
bit
1
sfTransparent
0x0008
marks face as non-solid (bullets pass through harmlessly)
bit
1
sfPhong
0x0020
marks face as Phong mapped
bit
1
sfEnvMap
0x0040
marks face as Environment mapped
bit
1
sfNeedVC
0x0080
bit
7
unused
bit
1
sfDark
0x8000
marks face as having a dark front side
uint16
2
DMask
appears to be unused by the games, possibly editor/tool-specific
uint32
4
Distant
unused in-game; the game sets its own
Distant flags during tree sorting of facesuint32
4
Next
unused in-game; the game sets its own
Next flags during tree sorting of faces, where it points to the next faceuint32
4
group
appears to be unused by the games, possibly editor/tool-specific
byte
12
reserv
0x00
unused; reserved for future use
// for each vertex (16 bytes)
float
4
X coordinate
float
4
Y coordinate
float
4
Z coordinate
uint16
2
owner
bone to which vertex is attached
uint16
2
hide
whether the vertex is hidden in Designer 2; has no effect in-game
// for each animation (40 + (
FramesCount * VCount * 6) bytes)uint32
4
aniKPS
keyframes per second
uint32
4
FramesCount
number of frames
// for each frame (
VCount * 6 bytes)// for each vertex (6 bytes)
int16
2
X coordinate
int16
2
Y coordinate
int16
2
Z coordinate
// for each sound (36 +
length bytes)// animation/sound cross-reference table (256 bytes)
// for each entry (4 bytes)
int32
4
sound index (-1 if no sound mapped)
Notes[]
ModelNamealways consists of two parts: the first is the name of the model's texture, and the second is almost alwaysmsc: #.- In many models, the texture name has an additional character(s) after the first null character(s); for example, PAR2.CAR in Carnivores and Carnivores 2 has the name
Par2\x00e. - While in most models, the
msc:string starts at 24 bytes (and is thus 8 bytes long), it instead starts at 20 bytes in many Carnivores Ice Age models (making it 12 bytes long); for example, Bear.car has the valuemsc: 4\x00: 5. In some cases it has embedded null bytes, similar to the texture name; for example, WEAPON2.CAR in Carnivores and X_BOW.CAR in Carnivores 2 (both for the X-Bow) have the valuemsc: 4\x006. EXPLO.CAR has the hex value\xfa\x0f\x00\x00D\x02instead of any "msc" string.
- In many models, the texture name has an additional character(s) after the first null character(s); for example, PAR2.CAR in Carnivores and Carnivores 2 has the name
- The
sfPhongandsfEnvMapflags are actually assigned values of0x30and0x50in the game source, meaning models with these flags will also setsfMortalon the same faces. Fortunately, weapons are the only objects to use thesfPhongandsfEnvMapflags. Furthermore, the code will still work correctly if these flags are set butsfMortalis not. Animator uses the correct values of0x20and0x40for these flags. - The alpha channel in the image is unused; instead, the game engine uses the alpha flag to determine which triangles are transparent on a model.
- Each entry in the animation/sound cross-reference table corresponds to an animation. Because of this, sounds are assigned to the animations sequentially, only one sound can be assigned to each animation, and the order of animations in the table cannot be changed.
MAXScript[]
Rexhunter99 wrote a MAXScript for importing CAR files into 3ds Max.
--(c) RexHunter99 2009
utility GeomExp "Carnivores MAXScript"
(
group "Import"
(
button carImport "Import CAR" toolTip: "Import the entire scene"
)
group "Export"
(
button x3dfExport "Export 3DF" toolTip: "Export the entire scene"
button vtlExport "Export VTL" toolTip: "Export the animated scene"
)
group "About"
(
label lab1 "Carnivores MAXScript"
label lab2 "Version 1.2"
label lab3 "Made by Rexhunter99"
)
fn ReadCAR fname =
(
--Define some variables
cname = "NULL"
msc = "msc: 0"
num_tris = 0
num_verts = 0
num_anims = 0
num_sounds = 0
num_bones = 0
tri_list = #()
vert_list = #()
tex_list = #()
tc_x = #()
tc_y = #()
tex_size = 256*256*2
--Read the damned file >_<
f = fopen fname "rb"
--Read the header
cname = ReadString f
fseek f 24 #seek_set
msc = ReadString f
fseek f 32 #seek_set
num_anims = ReadLong f #signed
num_sounds = ReadLong f #signed
num_verts = ReadLong f #signed
num_tris = ReadLong f #signed
tex_size = ReadLong f #signed
for t=1 to num_tris do (
v1 = ReadLong f --Vert 1
v2 = ReadLong f --Vert 2
v3 = ReadLong f --Vert 3
tx1 = ReadLong f --U1
tx2 = ReadLong f --U2
tx3 = ReadLong f --U3
ty1 = ReadLong f --V1
ty2 = ReadLong f --V2
ty3 = ReadLong f --V3
flags = ReadLong f --Flags
fseek f 4 #seek_cur
par = ReadLong f --Parent
fseek f 4 #seek_cur
fseek f 4 #seek_cur
fseek f 4 #seek_cur
fseek f 4 #seek_cur
append tri_list ([v1+1,v2+1,v3+1])
append tc_x ((tx1/256.0) as float)
append tc_x ((tx2/256.0) as float)
append tc_x ((tx3/256.0) as float)
append tc_y ((ty1/256.0) as float)
append tc_y ((ty2/256.0) as float)
append tc_y ((ty3/256.0) as float)
)
for v=1 to num_verts do (
x = ReadFloat f --X
y = ReadFloat f --Z
z = ReadFloat f --Y
b = ReadLong f --Bone
if b>num_bones then
num_bones = b
append vert_list ([-x,z,y])
)
fclose f
mat = multiMaterial numsubs:1 name:cname
m = mesh name:cname position:[0, 0, 0] scale:[1, 1, 1] \
faces:tri_list vertices:vert_list material:mat
setNumTVerts m (num_tris * 3)
for f = 1 to (num_tris * 3) do
(
setTVert m (f+0) tc_x[f+0] tc_y[f+0] 0
)
-- Create our texture vertice faces
buildTVFaces m
for f = 1 to (num_tris-1) do
(
v1 = ((f - 1) * 3) + 1
v2 = ((f - 1) * 3) + 2
v3 = ((f - 1) * 3) + 3
setTVFace m f [v1,v2,v3]
)
)
fn Save3DF fname =
(
if fname == undefined then exit
obj = 0
obones = #()
numbones = 0
format "$objects.count = %\n" $objects.count
for o=1 to $objects.count do
(
if $objects[o].name[1]=="#" then
(
append obones $objects[o]
numbones += 1
format " % %\n" $objects[o].name $objects[o].parent
)
else
obj = $objects[o]
)
if $selection[1] == undefined then
(
obj = $objects[1]
)
else
(
obj = $selection[1]
)
format "BoneCount = %\n" numbones
numbones = 0
fp = fopen fname "wb"
WriteLong fp obj.numverts #unsigned
WriteLong fp obj.numfaces #unsigned
WriteLong fp numbones #unsigned
WriteLong fp (256*512) #unsigned
for i=1 to obj.numfaces do
(
f = getface obj i
t = gettvface obj i
tx = gettvert obj t.x
ty = gettvert obj t.y
tz = gettvert obj t.z
WriteLong fp (f.z-1) #unsigned
WriteLong fp (f.y-1) #unsigned
WriteLong fp (f.x-1) #unsigned
WriteLong fp (tz.x * 256) #unsigned
WriteLong fp (ty.x * 256) #unsigned
WriteLong fp (tx.x * 256) #unsigned
WriteLong fp (tz.y * 256) #unsigned
WriteLong fp (ty.y * 256) #unsigned
WriteLong fp (tx.y * 256) #unsigned
WriteLong fp 0
WriteLong fp 0
WriteLong fp -1
WriteLong fp 0
WriteLong fp 0
WriteLong fp 0
WriteLong fp 0
)
for i=1 to obj.numverts do
(
v = getvert obj i
WriteFloat fp (-v.x)
WriteFloat fp v.z
WriteFloat fp v.y
--Get the bone if the mesh is Skinned
WriteLong fp 0
)
for i=1 to numbones do
(
for c=1 to 32 do
(
if c >= obones[i].name.length then
WriteByte fp 0
else
WriteByte fp obones[i].name[c]
)
WriteFloat fp obones[i].x
WriteFloat fp obones[i].y
WriteFloat fp obones[i].z
WriteShort fp -1
WriteShort fp 0
)
texfp = fopen obj.material.diffuseMap.fileName "rb"
fseek texfp 18 #seek_set
for i=1 to 256*256 do
(
pixel = ReadShort texfp #unsigned
WriteShort fp pixel #unsigned
)
fclose texfp
fclose fp
)
fn SaveVTL fname =
(
if $selection[1] == undefined then
(
obj = $objects[1]
)
else
(
obj = $selection[1]
)
if fname == undefined then exit
num_frames = ( 1 + animationRange.end - animationRange.start )
fp = fopen fname "wb"
WriteLong fp obj.numverts #unsigned
WriteLong fp 20 #unsigned
WriteLong fp num_frames #unsigned
--Animation
sliderTime = animationRange.start
for i=animationRange.start to animationRange.end do
(
for j=1 to obj.numverts do
(
v = getvert obj j
WriteShort fp ((-v.x*16) as integer)
WriteShort fp ((v.z*16) as integer)
WriteShort fp ((v.y*16) as integer)
)
sliderTime+=1f
)
sliderTime = animationRange.start
fclose fp
)
on carImport pressed do
(
clearListener()
--Find a file
fname = getOpenFileName "Open a CAR file" \
types:"CAR (.car)|*.car|"
ReadCAR fname
)
on x3dfExport pressed do
(
clearListener()
--Find a file
fname = getSaveFileName "Save a 3DF file" \
types:"3D File (.3DF)|*.3DF|"
Save3DF fname
)
on vtlExport pressed do
(
clearListener()
--Find a file
fname = getSaveFileName "Save a VTL file" \
types:"Vertex Transformation List (.VTL)|*.VTL|"
SaveVTL fname
)
)
External links[]
- The .car files on La saga de Carnivores
- Carnivores 1, 2 and Ice Age .car files thread on The Carnivores Saga
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