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how do you make sur files ?!!!

The general place to discuss MOD''ing Freelancer!

Post Wed Jun 18, 2003 12:31 pm

all the surface programs i have tried create an Ascii type text file(filled with numbers). so the problem i have is either the sur file is coded(like every other bloody file in this game) or i am totally missing something program wise.i have opened probably all the sur files in the game with a hex editor.they all have few common themes (of how this helps i have no idea).

they all start with the char's VERS about 25 Characters int they have the word "fxdext".then about 5-6 characters later the word "surf". that is the common bit in ship_shield.sur. if you open the ship.sur it is the same but has the word "surf" thought the file (this i think signifies it is a more complex surface made up of bits, where as the sheild one is to all intents and purposes is a encasulating bubble).

the latest program i have tried to solve this with produces a surface "bubble" of a 3ds file.the file structure it saves seems similar to what i think an uncoded sur file should look like. but i maybe heading totally in the wrong direction and the sur file is not coded in any way.

HCl where are you and how are you getting on decoding the sur files?

American Scientists spent millions developing the perfect writing utensil; It writes in Zero-gravity, upside down, under water, in space... The Russians used a Pencil.

Post Wed Jun 18, 2003 11:45 pm

Mucking around with google, I stumbled across this, and it *seems* relevant (at least to me). I didn't look too closely at it, but it looks like it deals with creating wireframe models and turbulence (ok, I really didn't look at it much at all). Here is a link to it: http://elsa.onera.fr/ExternDocs/user/MDEV-99105.ps.gz (Google has a link that translates it to HTML, but the formatting is screwed).

Basically I stumbled across it by searching for "fxd extension surf file structure". I figure fxdext = fxd extension... I could be wrong, but anyways... I hope this helps someone!

Post Tue Jul 01, 2003 7:11 pm

Well, I was down for about a week with ISP problems. So looks like we haven't made any headway yet, eh? **grins** Well, now that I have net access again finally, I'll keep plugging away at things.


Shannon Bentley
AKA LordDrow
AKA Marcus Santistivan in Narfell (Neverwinter Nights Server)
AKA Viperious (Freelancer Servers)
MTS Dev Lead
Freelancer Super-Universe Dev Lead

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