Resource file format

HerrNove — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 17:56:22 GMT

Stressed

HerrNove — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 17:31:32 GMT

Stressed GPC edition

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:31, 7 September 2026
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	'''stressed''', short for '''STunts RESource EDitor''', is an application developed by [[dstien]] as part of the stuntstools project, first released on 19/04/2008. The natural follow up to dstien's pioneering efforts in [[Resource file format\|resource file]] [[compression\|decompression]] and analysis, stressed is remarkable for being the first application to allow for edition of Stunts' graphical files at a level above raw hex editing. it aims to provide access to all kinds of resource files, providing integrated edition or import and export features whenever appropriate. As of March 2009, stressed's capabilities as an editor of bitmap and 3D shape resources are quite mature, allowing for the extensive modifications necessary for the graphical design of the current generation of [[Cheat cars\|custom cars]]. The latest version of stressed is made available through a Google Code Mercurial repository (see External Links section); pre-compiled Windows builds are also available.		'''stressed''', short for '''STunts RESource EDitor''', is an application developed by [[dstien]] as part of the stuntstools project, first released on 19/04/2008. The natural follow up to dstien's pioneering efforts in [[Resource file format\|resource file]] [[compression\|decompression]] and analysis, stressed is remarkable for being the first application to allow for edition of Stunts' graphical files at a level above raw hex editing. it aims to provide access to all kinds of resource files, providing integrated edition or import and export features whenever appropriate. As of March 2009, stressed's capabilities as an editor of bitmap and 3D shape resources are quite mature, allowing for the extensive modifications necessary for the graphical design of the current generation of [[Cheat cars\|custom cars]]. The latest version of stressed is made available through a Google Code Mercurial repository (see External Links section); pre-compiled Windows builds are also available.

			An updated fork made by [[HerrNove]], called '''Stressed GPC Edition''', allows to also open EGA resources (<code>.ESH</code>), both of ''Stunts'' and of earlier games like ''Grand Prix Circuit'' and ''The Cycles''.

	==See also==		==See also==
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	* [http://forum.stunts.hu/index.php?topic=2224.0 Links to Windows binaries of stressed]		* [http://forum.stunts.hu/index.php?topic=2224.0 Links to Windows binaries of stressed]
	* [http://forum.stunts.hu/index.php?topic=1137.0 The "Dissecting" thread on Stunts Forum, which provides historical background on stressed development]		* [http://forum.stunts.hu/index.php?topic=1137.0 The "Dissecting" thread on Stunts Forum, which provides historical background on stressed development]
			* [https://marnetto.net/projects/grand-prix-circuit#stressed--gpc-edition Stressed GPC edition]

	[[Category:Tools]]		[[Category:Tools]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:56, 7 September 2026
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	===VGA Bitmap images===		===VGA Bitmap images===
	[[Image:Stunts-pal-vga.png\|128px\|right\|thumb\|VGA palette used by bitmap images. Value 255 is transparency.]]		[[Image:Stunts-pal-vga.png\|128px\|right\|thumb\|VGA palette used by bitmap images. Value 255 is transparency.]]
	VGA Bitmaps are images with 8-bit color depth using a [[:Image:Stunts-pal-vga.png\|fixed palette]] in VGA mode. Special bitmaps using the naming scheme <tt>!cg_</tt> and <tt>!eg_</tt> ~~provides~~ color mapping for graphics modes with fewer available colors.		VGA Bitmaps are images with 8-bit color depth using a [[:Image:Stunts-pal-vga.png\|fixed palette]] in VGA mode. Special bitmaps using the naming scheme <tt>!cg_</tt> and <tt>!eg_</tt> provide color mapping for graphics modes with fewer available colors.

	<span class="hlP">uint16</span> width		<span class="hlP">uint16</span> width
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	<span class="hlP">uint16</span> positionX		<span class="hlP">uint16</span> positionX
	<span class="hlP">uint16</span> positionY		<span class="hlP">uint16</span> positionY
	<span class="hlP">uint8</span> ~~unknown~~<span class="hlB">[</span><span class="hlN">4</span><span class="hlB">]</span>		<span class="hlP">uint8</span> planar<span class="hlB">[</span><span class="hlN">4</span><span class="hlB">]</span>

	<span class="hlP">uint8</span> image<span class="hlB">[</span>width <span class="hlB">*</span> height<span class="hlB">]</span>		<span class="hlP">uint8</span> image<span class="hlB">[</span>width <span class="hlB">*</span> height<span class="hlB">]</span>
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	Width and height correspond, of course, to the image dimensions. CentreX and centreY refer to the coordinates of the axial centre for moving images, as is the case of the gear knob and the steering dot. These coordinates set the point in the image that will move along the path established for it to go along.		Width and height correspond, of course, to the image dimensions. CentreX and centreY refer to the coordinates of the axial centre for moving images, as is the case of the gear knob and the steering dot. These coordinates set the point in the image that will move along the path established for it to go along.

	Parts of this structure are not fully understood. <tt>~~unknown~~</tt> seems to affect how image pixels are organized in compressed resource files, likely to gain more effective [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Run-length_encoding run-length compression]. Modifying these values randomly for all images in a car does not appear to have any effect, which suggests ~~this~~ might not have importance for PVS/VSH (~~= VGA graphics~~) ~~files~~. The only exceptions are the 5th and 6th bit of the 3rd element: ~~the former~~ one determines whether the image is stored in transposed (column-major) order, the ~~second~~ whether it's in interlaced order.		Parts of this structure are not fully understood. <tt>planar</tt> seems to affect how image pixels are organized in compressed resource files, likely to gain more effective [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Run-length_encoding run-length compression]. Modifying these values randomly for all images in a car does not appear to have any effect, which suggests they might not have importance for PVS/VSH files, and are a legacy from the PES/ESH format (see below). The only exceptions are the 5th and 6th bit of the 3rd element: one determines whether the image is stored in transposed (column-major) order, the other whether it's in interlaced order.

	Due to the internal resolution of Stunts (which uses [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mode_13h VGA Mode 13h]), non-square pixels are used for screen display. [[Aspect ratio]] corrections should be accounted for to avoid unwanted results.		Due to the internal resolution of Stunts (which uses [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mode_13h VGA Mode 13h]), non-square pixels are used for screen display. [[Aspect ratio]] corrections should be accounted for to avoid unwanted results.
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	* The image data is stored as 4 vertically stacked 1-bpp images, representing the color channels.		* The image data is stored as 4 vertically stacked 1-bpp images, representing the color channels.
	* The ~~unknown~~[4] determines how such channels are mapped into the EGA palette color bits. The most common value is <code>{ 0x1, 0x2, 0x4, 0x8 }</code>, where each channel naturally maps into the corresponding bit ([https://moddingwiki.shikadi.net/wiki/Raw_EGA_data ~~Planar~~]). However, there are many exceptions. Also, some channels might be stored in transposed order (column first): the high nibble of the third element (don't ask) determines which channels are transposed.		* The planar[4] determines how such channels are mapped into the EGA palette color bits. The most common value is <code>{ 0x1, 0x2, 0x4, 0x8 }</code>, where each channel naturally maps into the corresponding bit ([https://moddingwiki.shikadi.net/wiki/Raw_EGA_data planar format]). However, there are many exceptions. Also, some channels might be stored in transposed order (column first): the high nibble of the third element (don't ask) determines which channels are transposed.
	* The resource is not guaranteed to contain all the four channels entirely. E.g. if the last channel has an unknown of `0` it may be omitted.		* The resource is not guaranteed to contain all the four channels entirely. E.g. if the last channel has an unknown of 0 it may be omitted.
	* The image width is given in bytes. The pixel width is obtained by multiplying such value by 8.		* The image width is given in bytes. The pixel width is obtained by multiplying such value by 8.

	===3d shapes===		===3D shapes===

	Shapes are composed of a vertex list and a list of primitives. Primitives are basic shapes that can have different types, such as polygons or wheels. Depending on the type it contains a number of indices into the vertex list needed to draw the shape, color variations and some rendering hints. Stunts' [[coordinate system]] use 16-bit signed integers, making the resolution relative to the scale of the model. Shapes presented in the car selection screen are more detailed than in-game shapes, thus requiring larger scaling. Experiment has shown that 1 foot in-game corresponds to 5 units, making each track tile roughly 205 feet (or 62.5 meters) wide.		Shapes are composed of a vertex list and a list of primitives. Primitives are basic shapes that can have different types, such as polygons or wheels. Depending on the type it contains a number of indices into the vertex list needed to draw the shape, color variations and some rendering hints. Stunts' [[coordinate system]] use 16-bit signed integers, making the resolution relative to the scale of the model. Shapes presented in the car selection screen are more detailed than in-game shapes, thus requiring larger scaling. Experiment has shown that 1 foot in-game corresponds to 5 units, making each track tile roughly 205 feet (or 62.5 meters) wide.

	Due to the counter header fields being stored in single bytes, the total amount of vertices and primitives are limited to 255 per shape.		Due to the counter header fields being stored in single bytes, the total amount of vertices and primitives are limited to 255 per shape.

	'''Main ~~strcture~~'''		'''Main structure'''
	<span class="hlP">uint8</span> numVertices		<span class="hlP">uint8</span> numVertices
	<span class="hlP">uint8</span> numPrimitives		<span class="hlP">uint8</span> numPrimitives

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Resource file format

Stressed