Network Specs/INI Network & Bridges

This file covers items related to the Network INI file and Bridge RUL files. Not all aspects of these files will be covered though.

• INI Network file – 0x00000000/8A5971C5/8A5993B9
• Bridge RULs – 0x0A5BCF4B/AA5BCF57/00001000 to 0x0A5BCF4B/AA5BCF57/000010##

• Note: The game originally only came with five Bridge RUL files. Other Bridge RULs other than the original five have been known to be valid though, hence where there is '##' at the end.

Remapping

Paths

[UK path remapping]
; Format:
;
; <anything> = <match-id>, <match-mask>, <new-id>, <add-mask>
1 = 0x09201000,0xFFFFF000,0x09209000,0x00000FFF
1 = 0x09209000,0xFFFFF000,0x09201000,0x00000FFF

This section is mostly used in conjunction with the IntersectionOrdering RUL file. Basically, this section is used to replace particular path file or sets of path files at run-time for any given in-game tiles. Each line contains 2 main parts.

1 = 0x09201000,0xFFFFF000,0x09209000,0x00000FFF

This says that any Path files with IDs of 0x09201### be replaced with the Path files that exist in 0x09209###, for UK (or left hand side) driving orientated games. The "F"s denote masking of an ID. These, as too the IIDs, can be changed and/or shifted over, but in practice are not. The following would also be a valid and work (assuming the Path files are in place for these):

1 = 0x09210000,0xFFFF0000,0x0929000,0x0000FFFF

Texture Remapping

This particular section controls the texture remapping of an item when the network is being drawn. Or in other words, the Preview of an ordinary in-game tile of the network before you release the mouse button. This does not cover Bridges and interchange items.

Bridges

Exemplar Files

Bridges are a little different from other network items in the game. Unlike normal network aspects, Bridges are first called from the network INI file.

[RoadBridgeExemplars]

0x2821ED93

1 = 0x6534284a, 0xa82ca30f, 0x00000001, level road bridge
2 = 0x6534284a, 0xa82ca30f, 0x00000002, raised road bridge
3 = 0x6534284a, 0xa82ca30f, 0x00000003, undertruss road bridge
4 = 0x6534284a, 0xa82ca30f, 0x00000005, wooden covered road bridge
5 = 0x6534284a, 0xa82ca30f, 0x00000006, medium suspension road bridge
6 = 0x6534284a, 0xa82ca30f, 0x00000007, stone arch road bridge
7 = 0x6534284a, 0xa82ca30f, 0x00000008, small steel arch road bridge
8 = 0x6534284a, 0xa82ca30f, 0x00000009, cantilever truss road bridge
9 = 0x6534284a, 0xa82ca30f, 0x0000000a, overdeck truss road bridge

This section here is the starting point for bridges. Each of the different networks that have bridges contains entries similar to this.

Format

[RoadBridgeExemplars]

This is the header for this section, and the network names are engine specific.

1 = 0x6534284a, 0xa82ca30f, 0x00000001, level road bridge
Number = TypeID, GroupID, InstanceID, Name

• Number – These should be unique, as they can and are used as a point of reference in the Bridge RUL files.
• Name - insignificant. Name can be anything.
• Type/Group/Instance IDs - this is an actual Bridge Parent-Exemplar file that this is pointing to. This referenced Bridge Parent-Exemplar file then follows on to reference Child-Exemplar files. These Child-Exemplar files not only fall under the Group ID specific format, but also a specific Instance ID format as well (which is believed to subsequently be controlled by the INI file itself, namely the section under Shadow Remappings).

If you have a look at the Level_Road_Bridge Exemplar file (find the Exemplar file using the above referenced TGI ID, level road bridge), you’ll notice it contains many properties, among them the following properties:

• 0x482CB443
  
• 0x482CB445
  
• 0x482CB449
  

Not all of these three will be in every Bridge Exemplar.

These properties contain the pointers, or InstanceIDs, of the Child-Exemplar files mentioned above. Essentially, the INI Network file and the referenced Bridge Parent-Exemplar file, controls the "ability" to actually build a bridge (Hint: A bridge can be built, carry commuters, & still not be visible. This would indicate a GroupID and/or InstanceID problem with the files involved, and/or possibly a S3D file problem). The Bridge RUL files are only supplementary after this; most of the bridges work this way.

RUL files

Bridge RULs have a format all to themselves, and are very different from all the other RULs. The Bridge RULs have their format within them.