GoldBox .DAX graphic file format

[Ishad Nha]

I have been decrypting Geo# files in Gold Box games generally, not just CAB. I am currently finishing up Treasures of the Savage Frontier, which can be pretty irregular, different to the way the other games work.

[Ishad Nha]

I figure that Gold Box games have set wall slots like FRUA, but I am not sure of this. In SSB, I thought this was the case, but I did not have time to play through it properly.
Now that Geo#.dax files are properly understood, you can rewrite the record for a town so that slots 0 thru 15 are shown in sequence, then you can make screen captures of all 16 slots. Then you can compare terrain types from town to town and see whether there any common patterns.
Run Length Encryption might be a minor annoyance, you might have three of the type 1 wallset, followed by a single type 2 and so on, but it won't be an obstacle.

[manikus]

As I understand it, the 8x8****.dax files contain the wall graphics in 8 pixel by 8 pixel squares, and the walldef*.dax files tell the engine how to put those squares together to make up the walls.

I haven't looked into this at all to verify yet, but I will.

[Simeon Pilgrim]

As I understand it, the 8x8****.dax files contain the wall graphics in 8 pixel by 8 pixel squares, and the walldef*.dax files tell the engine how to put those squares together to make up the walls.

I haven't looked into this at all to verify yet, but I will.

The walls are stored as 8x8 blocks you are correct, the CotAB code has the index to 8x8 block needed to draw the scene correct hard coded.

It draw three stages of the blocks far, mid, near (and then sprites), based on the actual walls for that zone. So if you want the walls as a single picture, capture is the simplest way, unless you want to pull the 8x8 chunks and combine them in the correct order.

Failing that it would be possible to write a tool todo this using the CotAB code as a base to just extract the walls textures.

[manikus]

So, I'm wasting my time with the walldef files?

For me the easiest way would be to have a utility do it for me, of course. , But, I would be content with knowing the block order to make the walls. It is definitely quicker to just screencap some of the walls, but there are some bits of walls that I spent a lot of time looking for, for example looking for an hour for the far , left/right-angled wall.

Thanks to Dan Autery's DAXVIEW and DAXVGA utilities we can already see the 8x8 blocks, so knowing the order would help get me the rest of the way.

[Ishad Nha]

The best way is to decrypt the walldef files, that will tell you exactly what the game is doing. Is it defining wall sets in groups of five for instance?
As for the theory that TSF might have FRUA-style wall slots, I can test this by altering the Geo1.dax file so each town displays the wall types in order. I whipped up a list of the wall graphics with the command: dir /b /oE. I can use this list to figure out lists of wall types occuring in each town and see if there are common patterns.
I recall the Caverns under Waterdeep having a red cave wall set that I don't see in the batch prepared by Manikus. (Or was that in the Amiga version?)
Edit:
I am altering the Geo1.dax file to show the wall types. So far I have looked at Llorkh and Lord Geildarr's Keep. What I see looks like three wall slots exist, each with five wall types.
I use the DosBox screen capture function, then I use the Windows Picture and Fax Viewer to look at each capture one at a time.
Here is my guess as to what the wall slots are for the first five towns:
Llorkh       A   B   C
Lord G's Keep       D   B   -
Loudwater       E   C   F
Secomber       C   D   F
Leilon       G   -   -

-  no wall slot exists
A   red
B   tan
C   water
D   green grey
E   grey, mausoleum
F   house
G   blue

[manikus]

The caves under Waterdeep are brown in the PC version.

[Ishad Nha]

So I have noticed.
Now I am working on the town record for Smugglers' Dock. It does look like the game uses the FRUA-style three wall slots of five walls each.
Edit:
Latest figures on the wall slots,
16   Llorkh       A   B   C
17   Lord Geildarr's Keep       D   B   -
18   Loudwater       E   C   F
19   Secomber       C   D   F
20   Leilon       G   -   -
21   Smuggler's Dock       H   C   A
22   Waterdeep and the Caverns       I   J   -
23   Yartar       G   C   -
24   Triboar       K   L   M
25   Longsaddle       F   -   -
26   Mintarn       H   C   -
27   Orlumbor       B   C   -
28   Neverwinter       C   B   E
29   Port Llast       B   C   -
30   Mirabar       O   C   -
31   Luskan       H   B   C
32   Ruathym       A   C   -
33   Fireshear       D   -   -
34   Fireshear Mines       I   J   -
35   Aurilssbaarg       P   O   C
36   Bjorn's Hold       P   O   C
37   Icewolf       P   O   C
38   Freezefire's Lair       P   O   D
39   Daggerford       G   C   -
40   Way Inn       K   L   M
47   Farr Windward       B   C   E
48   Trackless Sea Tours        F   C   E
49   Tower of Twilight       D   -   -
50   The Crossroads       H   A   -

A   red   
B   tan   
C   water   
D   green grey
E   grey, mausoleum
F   house   
G   blue   
H   green   
I   cavern
J   cavern
K   adobe   
L   adobe   
M   adobe
N   cavern, only two graphics, other three are blank
O   stone
P   stone

Sets O and P appear to be identical, apart from type P having some ice or snow patches on the top.
Here is my understanding of the graphics found in each slot:
http://ishadnha.webs.com/TSFWallSlotsA-P.png

[Simeon Pilgrim]

So, I'm wasting my time with the walldef files?

Started looking into a wall draw program, and noticed it uses the walldef data to pick the symbols, therefore, I may have lead you astray..

[manikus]

So, I'm wasting my time with the walldef files?

Started looking into a wall draw program, and noticed it uses the walldef data to pick the symbols, therefore, I may have lead you astray..

No worries. I haven't done anything with this ina while, waiting to get fresh eyes for it.

Not to mention that I don't really know what I'm doing - recognizing a pattern is different from being able to do something about it.

[Simeon Pilgrim]

Not sure where else to place them but here's the buck matrix sprit1.dax and pic1.dax artwork.

[Simeon Pilgrim]

Here's the Buck Rogers countdown to Doomsday sprit*.dax and pic*.dax art work

[Nol Drek]

These are awesome collections of graphics. It's nice to have a complete set. 

[manikus]

Not sure where else to place them but here's the buck matrix sprit1.dax and pic1.dax artwork.
...
Here's the Buck Rogers countdown to Doomsday sprit*.dax and pic*.dax art work

Thank you Simeon! I was going to start  a "Buck Rogers Hub" thread today and ask you to do this very thing.
As Nol said, it is nice to finally have a full set.