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Help on SKA Files
Posted: Mon 14. Apr 2025, 18:14
by Maxxxel
Hi there,
I'm not a Spellforce 2 player or user, but I am the developer of the Battleforge Import/Export tool for Blender. As many of you might know, Phenomic used the DRS format for several games (including both Spellforce and Battleforge) and even shared classes (like CDspMesh) and SKA files across these titles.
We have successfully reversed-engineered most of the values to enable importing and exporting content to the game. However, one major challenge remains: the animations and the way they are interpolated. I am looking for any resources or exported examples of the SKA format that I can reference or get in contact with. Any help with this would be invaluable.
On a related note, Iād like to ask whether there is interest in a similar plugin within this community. If the format differences are minimal, Iād be happy to work on developing a tool that could benefit all of you in my free time (no promises).
Thanks in advance for any input!
Re: Help on SKA Files
Posted: Mon 14. Apr 2025, 20:40
by NeoX
Hi,
I don't know if this may be of relevance to you, but we do extract that data via "DragonUnpacker" out of the pak-files in SF1 and 2.
For the Blender files we have an own import tool that a user created years ago:
https://github.com/leszekd25/spellforce_blender_plugins
Mayber this will be of use to you.
Code: Select all
spellforce_blender_plugins
all blender plugins i came up with regarding import/export of 3D stuff from spellforce 1
all of those should work with blender 2.78, probably some earlier versions too
new: there's also a set of plugins for 2.8, they are much better than the plugins below, so i recommend using those; read the readme file in the 2.8 directory above
everything below only applies to plugins in this directory, not to the 2.8 plugins
how to install plugins
open blender -> User Preferences... -> Add-ons -> Install add-on from file... -> choose plugin file (.py extension) -> enable plugin by checking the checkbox
read further for specific usage of each plugin
spellforce_import.py
you can choose any .msb file to import (and edit) in blender
requirements:
-textures have to be in the same directory as the .msb file (pulling htem from spellforce data is enough, look for texture names that are suspiciously similar to the .msb file name)
usage: File -> Import...
spellforce_export.py
any edited model can be exported to .msb file
requirements:
-all faces must be triangles
-no two points on any single UV map may overlap (edges and faces can intersect alright though)
usage: File -> Export...
spellforce_import_with_skeleton
if you have .bor file to associate with the .msb mesh file, you can import both as a mesh and skeleton
requirements:
-skeleton file (.bor) is in the same folder as mesh file (.msb)
-both files have the same name (except file format)
-mesh is in original, unedited form (as in, exact same mesh as it was bundled with spellforce)
same requirements as with base mesh import plugin
usage: File -> Import... (only select .msb file)
WARNING: meshes loaded with skeleton are no longer editable due to mesh transformations required for animations to work (more work on it in the future)
NOTE: bone orientations do not look properly in blender for now, but the model and skeleton receive transformations properly
spellforce_import_animation
you can choose any .bob file to open and edit in blender
requirements:
-selected object in blender is armature (skeleton)
-number of bones in skeleton and animation must match
for obvious reasons, animations only work with skeleton files imported with the spellforce_import_with_skeleton plugin
usage: File -> Imoprt...
spellforce_export_animation
any edited animation can be exported to .bob animation file
for same reasons, this will work properly only if animation was first imported using the plugin mentioned above
requirements:
-selected object in blender is armature (skeleton)
usage: File -> Export...
Greetings: NeoX
Re: Help on SKA Files
Posted: Mon 14. Apr 2025, 23:32
by Maxxxel
I took a look.. unfortunately it seems that the Spellforce Animation files seem to be a lot simpler that Battleforge ones.
Guess I won't find any hints here.. thanks anyway for the support.
Re: Help on SKA Files
Posted: Tue 15. Apr 2025, 08:37
by Maxxxel
Just saw the plugin is only for SF1 files? SF1 should be different to SF2 as far as I now.
Re: Help on SKA Files
Posted: Tue 15. Apr 2025, 09:08
by NeoX
hi,
Maxxxel wrote: āTue 15. Apr 2025, 08:37
Just saw the plugin is only for SF1 files? SF1 should be different to SF2 as far as I now.
Its quite familiar and seems to work just fine.
Greetings: NeoX
Re: Help on SKA Files
Posted: Tue 15. Apr 2025, 18:01
by Maxxxel
Well, are the Spellforce 2 files DRS and SKA? Can you provide me some examples please. I have some drs from SP2 found on the internet, but i dont know how old they are and i also miss ska files for my tests.
The DRS files tho are pretty much the same as in Battelforge i can instantly read them and make my Blender Plugin import them:

Re: Help on SKA Files
Posted: Tue 15. Apr 2025, 18:02
by Maxxxel
BTW it should also be no Problem to export them back into game compatible format, if you guys lack such an solution?
Re: Help on SKA Files
Posted: Tue 15. Apr 2025, 23:51
by Xian
Wow this is cool! Please keep up the good work!
The question you asked. I think SF2 was just on the technological edge when it came to that model design. Do you have a copy of SF2 to take a look yourself or do you want one of us to provide some files for you? For analysing.
Re: Help on SKA Files
Posted: Wed 16. Apr 2025, 06:24
by Maxxxel
Hey there
Sadly I don't have a copy, I would need to look at gog or somewhere else.
I will also try the game. I love Battleforge and maybe I will also like SF2

Re: Help on SKA Files
Posted: Wed 16. Apr 2025, 13:23
by Maxxxel