RA2 File Structure

So, you would like to start making some cool stuff for Robot Arena 2? Well, before that, you want to learn the basics of the RA2 filestructure.

We will first discuss the most important data stored in the main RA2 directory:

\AI\

This is where all the scripts and opponent bots are stored.

Inside, you'll find all the Teams folder, corresponding to the AI teams in the game (Team0 (RED ZONE) to Team15 (The Scrappers) in stock RA2). You will also have the teams.txt file, which contains the summary of the teams, their mottos, names and logos.

You will also find .py python scripts, which are the algorithms used by the bots ingame. Clever programmers might try to write their own files for specific behaviour.

\Arenas\

This where all the arenas and scripts corresponding to them are stored.

In the subdirs inside it, you will find the GMF, preview and texture files of different in-game arenas, plus the practice and end event arenas.

In the root, you will find .py python scripts corresponding to arenas, but also .py files with different programming classes, eg. Hazards.py

\Components\

This is the nitty-gritty of modding is stored - component data! Inside, you may find .TXT files describing component, and for sure directories containing GMF files and preview images corresponding to different components.

\Teams\

This is the folder conatining data about the player's teams.

Inside it, you will find TeamX folders corresponding to the player's teams, and a Teams.txt file describing the current teams in use.

You will also find images for default, pre-made team logos.

Robot Arena.exe

The main executable of the game, AFAIK built in VC++ 6.0, with built-in havok game library. To play online, you must have the same version of this file as your opponent(s).

It can be one of these versions:

• 1.00 - The original executable released on CD.
• 1.20 - Adds cheatbot2 parts and minor fixes. It was released on 03/19/03 which is 32 days after RA2's initial launch.
• 1.30 - The official nVidia fix released by Infogrames on 10/12/06. It adds several new features including a FPS window (F9), a tourney cam (F10), and a wireframe mode (F12). It also allows you to play without using the CD.

Warning 1: If you are patching your game, you need to apply both the 1.2 and 1.3 patches respectively to get all the updates.

Warning 2: Having the same version doesn't necessary mean that you will be able to play online against someone. You can only use components that are also installed in all of your opponents' games.

max_sphere.gmf

GMF file containing a visual representation of the max size a robot can possess. Can be variously hacked to increase this size.

Components.cfz

A CFZ file containg all the standard and stock .TXT files defining the components. In Stock RA2, all the component TXT's are compiled in it and as such are not in the Components folder. To decompile it and access the files, you will need Lu-Tze's CFZ compiler : http://gametechmods.com/Robot_Arena2/Tools/CFZ_Compiler.exe