Battlezone Forums

Modifying .MSH files
There is not much knowledge on the .MSH format. It is a compressed and/or binary format of the XSI file. The .MSH file is autogenerated by the bzone.exe as soon as the engine has to interprete the XSI file(s).
Now, Black Manatee found a way to modify the .MSH file so that alternate skins are possible. I'll explain it on an example: You have a file, lets say evtank00.msh (the Hadean Xares). You want to create a mod where the EDF steals the blueprints and is able to recreate this fabulous tank. But the EDF Xares will not have the same color (orange!) then the Hadean Xares. What now? Is the whole mod project in danger?

No. First, create your orange skin by modifying the original Hadean skin (evtank00.pic).
Then open up the evtank00.msh in a Hex Editor program and find all the references to the Hadean skin (evtank00.pic).
Then replace the word evtank00.pic with the name of your new (orange) skin. Make sure both file names have the EXACT same length. best is to replace evtank00.pic with evtank99.pic or similar.
Then save the .MSH file in the HEX EDITOR. Rename the newly saved .MSH file to evtank_edf.msh or something and make sure the reference is correct in the corresponding evtank_edf.odf file!
So now you have a different .MSH file for your EDF version of the Xares tank.

regards SUB-0

You can also hex edit the mesh flags to apply effects that are normally attained by adding X__h, X__2, X__e, X__g, and hp_X and so on. I did it a few times but sadly I don't have the details written out.

With MSH files you basically do the same thing all those minor modders for Garrysmod do when they 'hex' a model. Only difference is unlike Source engine stuff BZ2's MSH files don't have their filename and location encoded into the file (thank god).

OvermindDL1 has the ability to convert MSH files to XSIs, but this only works well on MSHs made on later versions of 1.3, thus models from 1.2 come out mangled in some way. But combining his mangled convert with a capture from 1.3's DX9 pipeline, with a good bit of effort you can restore an XSI from an MSH, mostly.

One interesting side note about trying to use X models in BZII is that the X format is not really compatible with the BZII MSH converter utility. This is apparently due to differences between the X and XSI text based layout. I've gotten X converted MSH models into the map editor, but never with any textures applied on the model. The models themselves worked fine operationally though.

When I opened the MSH files to view the texture name information the file extension for the texture name was not present. I made one attempt to do a global replace operation to readd the texture filename extensions to the MSH model, saved the file and the game itself crashed afterwards. I came to the conclusion that as other modders have said in the past; the X format is not directly compatible with BZII. However, X models converted to XSI with 3DEX are one way to get models into BZII.

I think all X models in BZ2's data.pak turned out as untextured models in game. The old daywrecker was a .x IIRC.

Remember This? http://imageshack.us/f/169/ph34rus7.jpg/

Lost all my source files besides the msh when my HDD went dead. Shame, since I wasn't done with it.

After a trip through the OM exporter...


Behold, the remains of my one creation

I think X is the only one that I sent the source file to, but he doesn't have it anymore.
Anyone wanna take a crack at it is fine by me. Link

Zax wrote:Remember This? http://imageshack.us/f/169/ph34rus7.jpg/

The horror...

Somehow, I think the fact that all that remained were 3 pyramids which I assume were HPS, and only the frame data survived is more horrifying.