Hard Light Productions Forums

Modding, Mission Design, and Coding => FS2 Open Coding - The Source Code Project (SCP) => Topic started by: mikhael on March 20, 2004, 11:15:33 pm

Title: POF Format Question
Post by: mikhael on March 20, 2004, 11:15:33 pm

My question is simple: is there a description of the POF format somewhere that's written in terms that an idiot (IE: me) can understand?

I'm working on a small side project that will eventually involve the handling of packed data files, and I figure I might as well start with screwing about with something like POFs (that way I might be able to eventually contribute here as well).

Title: POF Format Question
Post by: Bobboau on March 21, 2004, 12:56:35 am

eh, description of a binary data file, specificly a binary split partition tree, in a form that an idiot can understand...
...
no

there is however this (http://www.descent-freespace.com/ddn/specs/pof/), and if you want the BSP data that is held within the submodels you want  this (http://www.descent-freespace.com/ddn/specs/idta)

Title: POF Format Question
Post by: Kazan on March 21, 2004, 09:44:04 am

you can always read the PCS source

Title: POF Format Question
Post by: mikhael on March 21, 2004, 11:28:46 am

Actually, I need something an IDIOT can understand Kaz. ;)

I find that reading source is good for seeing how one person solved a problem, but not so good at describing things in an abstract way for general comprehension. Call it a learning disability on my part.

Bob, I'll check out those specs. I dont' know if they'll help me much. I'm not very good with this sort of thing. *heh*

Title: POF Format Question
Post by: Flipside on March 21, 2004, 11:37:22 am

You *might* do better looking at .obj files or the like, there is a lot of documentation on the Web about how these are constructed, and, when saved as ascii, they are moderately easy to figure out once you get the terminology. Pof files aren't all that heavily documented, so it might be better to come to terms with a simpler format first, and then you'll know what you are dealing with when you approach pofs?

Of course, I could be completely off-base ;)

Flipside :D

Title: POF Format Question
Post by: mikhael on March 21, 2004, 07:05:38 pm

I can already tear apart an OBJ file and display it in 3d, Flipside. They're painfully easy to deal with. :D

I'm interested in screwing with POFs because, hey, it might, you know, benefit more than just me. :D

Title: POF Format Question
Post by: Bobboau on March 21, 2004, 07:21:23 pm

well if you need any help I did build a POF editor/viewer

Title: POF Format Question
Post by: mikhael on March 21, 2004, 11:31:36 pm

Actually, it might do me good to look at Aurora AND PCS. Unless you're both using the same basic approaches.

Title: POF Format Question
Post by: Bobboau on March 22, 2004, 01:45:01 am

the source for Aurora is up somewere, look at it if you dare