Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned Technical

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General Information

Graphics

Sound

Requirements


Windows

Minimum OS: Windows 95
Minimum CPU: Intel Pentium
Minimum RAM: 32 MB
Minimum Video RAM: 4 MB
Graphics Modes: SVGA, Direct3D
Audio Hardware: Digital Audio,Windows Sound CardDigital Audio, Windows Sound Card
Input Devices: Keyboard, Mouse
Media: 3 CD discs


Exploring Game Resources


Resources Used

  • *.GAS — Script resources; G-Engine Auto Scripting language. Location: "*.brn".
  • *.SIF — Contains all of the data required to create a scene for GK3. Location: "*.brn".
  • *.SCN — Scene definition file. Location: "*.brn".
  • *.NVC — Specifies the actions available to the player in a specific location during a specific time or range of times. Location: "*.brn".
  • *.ACT — ACT animation file. Location: "*.brn".
  • *.ANM — Animation script. Location: "*.brn".
  • *.BMP — Bitmap image. Location: "*.brn".
  • *.BSP — Room geography file. Location: "*.brn".
  • *.CUR — Cursor file. Location: "*.brn".
  • *.FON — Font file. Location: "*.brn".
  • *.MOD — Model geometry file. Location: "*.brn".
  • *.MOM — MOM animation script. Location: "*.brn".
  • *.MUL — Room light map file. Location: "*.brn".
  • *.SEQ — Sequence file? Location: "*.brn".
  • *.SHP — Sheep script. Location: "*.brn".
  • *.STK — Sound track file. Location: "*.brn".
  • *.WAV — Standard PCM encoded audio WAV file. Location: "*.brn".
  • *.YAK — YAK dialog file. Location: "*.brn".


External Resources

  • *.AVI — Microsoft AVI video file. Location: external, /Data folder
  • *.BIK — RAD Game Tools' game video format[1]. Location: external, /Data folder


Resource Tools

The game's console (Ctrl+Shift+Tilde) has an "extract" command that allows you to extract the resources from the barn (*.BRN) files. Type extract after invoking the console followed by the name of the resource will extract it from the barn file where it was stored. Extracting the file called "!!!README.TXT" will yield the following document: 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    GABRIEL KNIGHT 3
    Resources Readme
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GK3 is a data-driven game, meaning that very little of it is hard coded,
requiring changes to the EXE. The majority of its scenes are completely run
by scripts and configuration files. For the player, this means that much of
GK3 can be customized or even rewritten... Interested?

We never exactly planned to officially release any of this stuff to the
public, given time, money, and sanity constraints. So most the docs you are
about to read are in many cases unfinished, out of date, outright lies, or
perhaps written by somebody's fourth grade son. So experiment at will! GK3 is
not going to reformat your hard drive or give your dog the flu. The worst that
will happen is the game will lock up. No big deal, happens to us in development
all the time. :)

Given that you can read this file, you've already figured out the Extract()
command. Use this command to find these other key GK3 documents:

  ClothesAnm.doc              DataUsage.doc
  Footstep.doc                GAS.doc
  GK3 Fonts.doc               NVC.doc
  Official Eggs.doc           Persistence.doc
  Registry Spec.txt           Sheep Engine.doc
  SIF.doc                     Sound Track Files.doc
  TimeBlockBible.doc

The .brn files that you see on the CD's and installed on your hard drive are
"barn" files - spindled and mutilated resources packed into large volumes for
efficiency. There are over 27000 resources as of this writing, which you'll
find in gk3.log (created during your Extract("","") call). You can extract
those files out and modify them if you like. Or you can add your own. To get
GK3 to use them, you must tell it where they are, and that they are of higher
priority than the barn resources so they will override. To do this, add a
"Custom Paths" entry to your INI file or registry. See the "Registry Spec.txt"
file to find out how to do this.

Enjoy!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         
Scott Bilas
GK3 Technical Lead

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One of the files, "gk3.log" has a list all the stored resources that can be extracted with this command.

within the game's barn (*.BRN) files are some developer notes and documents.


Non Resource Items

Other files found in the barn files includes several development documents listed in the "!!!README.TXT" file, Sierra's resource viewer for the game's resources and a player ("BINKPLAY.EXE")[2] to play the "*.bik" video files found in the game's Data folder.


GK3 Tools

A collection of fan developed tools and utilities[4] to view and modify Gabriel Knight 3 data files.

Patches

This batch file will automatically rename the file mpeg2dmx.ax located in your windows\system32 folder to mp3g2dmx.old and rename it back when done playing. Unzip into your GK3 folder. Use it every time to start GK3.


New Installer

New GK3 Installer for XP/Vista. Bilingual (English and Spanish.) Addresses issues some have with the original installer under XP/Vista. Installs all three discs to the hard drive for CD-less play.


Debug Modes

Developer Console

A simple developer console can be accessed using Ctrl+Shift+Tilde. [10]

Debug Build

An debug build of the game is bundled in the game's assets. Use the Extract command to extract "GK3R.EXE".

This version of the game is fully functional, but with a debug mode.

  • A full developer console can be accessed simply by pressing the Tilde key. This console has many more features than the one in the release version of the game. The release console is still available through the usual method.
  • The CD checks performed by the release game are disabled.
  • The Tab key opens "Construction Mode," which is a fairly simple built-in level editor. It is capable of visualization several scene elements (pathfinding walker map, light locations, named positions, etc), but not very useful for actually editing the level significantly.
  • Some loading icons and debug numbers are occasionally visible onscreen.

References

  1. ↑ https://wiki.multimedia.cx/index.php?title=Bink_Video
  2. ↑ Bink Video player
  3. ↑ http://www.radgametools.com/bnkmain.htm
  4. ↑ https://sourceforge.net/projects/gk3tools/
  5. ↑ https://sourceforge.net/projects/gk3tools/files/Barn%20Browser/
  6. ↑ https://sourceforge.net/projects/gk3tools/files/Scene%20Viewer/
  7. ↑ https://sourceforge.net/projects/gk3tools/files/Sheep%20Compiler%20and%20VM/
  8. ↑ http://gk3tools.sourceforge.net/launcher.php
  9. ↑ https://sourceforge.net/projects/gk3tools/files/obj2mod/
  10. ↑ https://tcrf.net/Gabriel_Knight_3:_Blood_of_the_Sacred,_Blood_of_the_Damned#Debugging_Material


Related Links

 

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