Quake 1 (idtech2) model format (MDL version 6): Perl parsing library

Quake 1 model format is used to store 3D models completely with textures and animations used in the game. Quake 1 engine (retroactively named "idtech2") is a popular 3D engine first used for Quake game by id Software in 1996.

Model is constructed traditionally from vertices in 3D space, faces which connect vertices, textures ("skins", i.e. 2D bitmaps) and texture UV mapping information. As opposed to more modern, bones-based animation formats, Quake model was animated by changing locations of all vertices it included in 3D space, frame by frame.

File format stores:

"Skins" — effectively 2D bitmaps which will be used as a texture. Every model can have multiple skins — e.g. these can be switched to depict various levels of damage to the monsters. Bitmaps are 8-bit-per-pixel, indexed in global Quake palette, subject to lighting and gamma adjustment when rendering in the game using colormap technique.
"Texture coordinates" — UV coordinates, mapping 3D vertices to skin coordinates.
"Triangles" — triangular faces connecting 3D vertices.
"Frames" — locations of vertices in 3D space; can include more than one frame, thus allowing representation of different frames for animation purposes.

Originally, 3D geometry for models for Quake was designed in Alias PowerAnimator, precursor of modern day Autodesk Maya and Autodesk Alias. Therefore, 3D-related part of Quake model format followed closely Alias TRI format, and Quake development utilities included a converter from Alias TRI (modelgen).

Skins (textures) where prepared as LBM bitmaps with the help from texmap utility in the same development utilities toolkit.

Application

Quake 1 (idtech2)

File extension

mdl

KS implementation details

License: CC0-1.0

Minimal Kaitai Struct required: 0.1

This page hosts a formal specification of Quake 1 (idtech2) model format (MDL version 6) using Kaitai Struct. This specification can be automatically translated into a variety of programming languages to get a parsing library.

Perl source code to parse Quake 1 (idtech2) model format (MDL version 6)

QuakeMdl.pm

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# This is a generated file! Please edit source .ksy file and use kaitai-struct-compiler to rebuild

use strict;
use warnings;
use IO::KaitaiStruct 0.009_000;
use Encode;

########################################################################
package QuakeMdl;

our @ISA = 'IO::KaitaiStruct::Struct';

sub from_file {
    my ($class, $filename) = @_;
    my $fd;

    open($fd, '<', $filename) or return undef;
    binmode($fd);
    return new($class, IO::KaitaiStruct::Stream->new($fd));
}

sub new {
    my ($class, $_io, $_parent, $_root) = @_;
    my $self = IO::KaitaiStruct::Struct->new($_io);

    bless $self, $class;
    $self->{_parent} = $_parent;
    $self->{_root} = $_root || $self;;

    $self->_read();

    return $self;
}

sub _read {
    my ($self) = @_;

    $self->{header} = QuakeMdl::MdlHeader->new($self->{_io}, $self, $self->{_root});
    $self->{skins} = ();
    my $n_skins = $self->header()->num_skins();
    for (my $i = 0; $i < $n_skins; $i++) {
        push @{$self->{skins}}, QuakeMdl::MdlSkin->new($self->{_io}, $self, $self->{_root});
    }
    $self->{texture_coordinates} = ();
    my $n_texture_coordinates = $self->header()->num_verts();
    for (my $i = 0; $i < $n_texture_coordinates; $i++) {
        push @{$self->{texture_coordinates}}, QuakeMdl::MdlTexcoord->new($self->{_io}, $self, $self->{_root});
    }
    $self->{triangles} = ();
    my $n_triangles = $self->header()->num_tris();
    for (my $i = 0; $i < $n_triangles; $i++) {
        push @{$self->{triangles}}, QuakeMdl::MdlTriangle->new($self->{_io}, $self, $self->{_root});
    }
    $self->{frames} = ();
    my $n_frames = $self->header()->num_frames();
    for (my $i = 0; $i < $n_frames; $i++) {
        push @{$self->{frames}}, QuakeMdl::MdlFrame->new($self->{_io}, $self, $self->{_root});
    }
}

sub header {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{header};
}

sub skins {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{skins};
}

sub texture_coordinates {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{texture_coordinates};
}

sub triangles {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{triangles};
}

sub frames {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{frames};
}

########################################################################
package QuakeMdl::MdlVertex;

our @ISA = 'IO::KaitaiStruct::Struct';

sub from_file {
    my ($class, $filename) = @_;
    my $fd;

    open($fd, '<', $filename) or return undef;
    binmode($fd);
    return new($class, IO::KaitaiStruct::Stream->new($fd));
}

sub new {
    my ($class, $_io, $_parent, $_root) = @_;
    my $self = IO::KaitaiStruct::Struct->new($_io);

    bless $self, $class;
    $self->{_parent} = $_parent;
    $self->{_root} = $_root || $self;;

    $self->_read();

    return $self;
}

sub _read {
    my ($self) = @_;

    $self->{values} = ();
    my $n_values = 3;
    for (my $i = 0; $i < $n_values; $i++) {
        push @{$self->{values}}, $self->{_io}->read_u1();
    }
    $self->{normal_index} = $self->{_io}->read_u1();
}

sub values {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{values};
}

sub normal_index {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{normal_index};
}

########################################################################
package QuakeMdl::MdlTexcoord;

our @ISA = 'IO::KaitaiStruct::Struct';

sub from_file {
    my ($class, $filename) = @_;
    my $fd;

    open($fd, '<', $filename) or return undef;
    binmode($fd);
    return new($class, IO::KaitaiStruct::Stream->new($fd));
}

sub new {
    my ($class, $_io, $_parent, $_root) = @_;
    my $self = IO::KaitaiStruct::Struct->new($_io);

    bless $self, $class;
    $self->{_parent} = $_parent;
    $self->{_root} = $_root || $self;;

    $self->_read();

    return $self;
}

sub _read {
    my ($self) = @_;

    $self->{on_seam} = $self->{_io}->read_s4le();
    $self->{s} = $self->{_io}->read_s4le();
    $self->{t} = $self->{_io}->read_s4le();
}

sub on_seam {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{on_seam};
}

sub s {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{s};
}

sub t {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{t};
}

########################################################################
package QuakeMdl::MdlHeader;

our @ISA = 'IO::KaitaiStruct::Struct';

sub from_file {
    my ($class, $filename) = @_;
    my $fd;

    open($fd, '<', $filename) or return undef;
    binmode($fd);
    return new($class, IO::KaitaiStruct::Stream->new($fd));
}

sub new {
    my ($class, $_io, $_parent, $_root) = @_;
    my $self = IO::KaitaiStruct::Struct->new($_io);

    bless $self, $class;
    $self->{_parent} = $_parent;
    $self->{_root} = $_root || $self;;

    $self->_read();

    return $self;
}

sub _read {
    my ($self) = @_;

    $self->{ident} = $self->{_io}->read_bytes(4);
    $self->{version} = $self->{_io}->read_s4le();
    $self->{scale} = QuakeMdl::Vec3->new($self->{_io}, $self, $self->{_root});
    $self->{origin} = QuakeMdl::Vec3->new($self->{_io}, $self, $self->{_root});
    $self->{radius} = $self->{_io}->read_f4le();
    $self->{eye_position} = QuakeMdl::Vec3->new($self->{_io}, $self, $self->{_root});
    $self->{num_skins} = $self->{_io}->read_s4le();
    $self->{skin_width} = $self->{_io}->read_s4le();
    $self->{skin_height} = $self->{_io}->read_s4le();
    $self->{num_verts} = $self->{_io}->read_s4le();
    $self->{num_tris} = $self->{_io}->read_s4le();
    $self->{num_frames} = $self->{_io}->read_s4le();
    $self->{synctype} = $self->{_io}->read_s4le();
    $self->{flags} = $self->{_io}->read_s4le();
    $self->{size} = $self->{_io}->read_f4le();
}

sub skin_size {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{skin_size} if ($self->{skin_size});
    $self->{skin_size} = ($self->skin_width() * $self->skin_height());
    return $self->{skin_size};
}

sub ident {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{ident};
}

sub version {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{version};
}

sub scale {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{scale};
}

sub origin {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{origin};
}

sub radius {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{radius};
}

sub eye_position {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{eye_position};
}

sub num_skins {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{num_skins};
}

sub skin_width {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{skin_width};
}

sub skin_height {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{skin_height};
}

sub num_verts {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{num_verts};
}

sub num_tris {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{num_tris};
}

sub num_frames {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{num_frames};
}

sub synctype {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{synctype};
}

sub flags {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{flags};
}

sub size {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{size};
}

########################################################################
package QuakeMdl::MdlSkin;

our @ISA = 'IO::KaitaiStruct::Struct';

sub from_file {
    my ($class, $filename) = @_;
    my $fd;

    open($fd, '<', $filename) or return undef;
    binmode($fd);
    return new($class, IO::KaitaiStruct::Stream->new($fd));
}

sub new {
    my ($class, $_io, $_parent, $_root) = @_;
    my $self = IO::KaitaiStruct::Struct->new($_io);

    bless $self, $class;
    $self->{_parent} = $_parent;
    $self->{_root} = $_root || $self;;

    $self->_read();

    return $self;
}

sub _read {
    my ($self) = @_;

    $self->{group} = $self->{_io}->read_s4le();
    if ($self->group() == 0) {
        $self->{single_texture_data} = $self->{_io}->read_bytes($self->_root()->header()->skin_size());
    }
    if ($self->group() != 0) {
        $self->{num_frames} = $self->{_io}->read_u4le();
    }
    if ($self->group() != 0) {
        $self->{frame_times} = ();
        my $n_frame_times = $self->num_frames();
        for (my $i = 0; $i < $n_frame_times; $i++) {
            push @{$self->{frame_times}}, $self->{_io}->read_f4le();
        }
    }
    if ($self->group() != 0) {
        $self->{group_texture_data} = ();
        my $n_group_texture_data = $self->num_frames();
        for (my $i = 0; $i < $n_group_texture_data; $i++) {
            push @{$self->{group_texture_data}}, $self->{_io}->read_bytes($self->_root()->header()->skin_size());
        }
    }
}

sub group {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{group};
}

sub single_texture_data {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{single_texture_data};
}

sub num_frames {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{num_frames};
}

sub frame_times {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{frame_times};
}

sub group_texture_data {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{group_texture_data};
}

########################################################################
package QuakeMdl::MdlFrame;

our @ISA = 'IO::KaitaiStruct::Struct';

sub from_file {
    my ($class, $filename) = @_;
    my $fd;

    open($fd, '<', $filename) or return undef;
    binmode($fd);
    return new($class, IO::KaitaiStruct::Stream->new($fd));
}

sub new {
    my ($class, $_io, $_parent, $_root) = @_;
    my $self = IO::KaitaiStruct::Struct->new($_io);

    bless $self, $class;
    $self->{_parent} = $_parent;
    $self->{_root} = $_root || $self;;

    $self->_read();

    return $self;
}

sub _read {
    my ($self) = @_;

    $self->{type} = $self->{_io}->read_s4le();
    if ($self->type() != 0) {
        $self->{min} = QuakeMdl::MdlVertex->new($self->{_io}, $self, $self->{_root});
    }
    if ($self->type() != 0) {
        $self->{max} = QuakeMdl::MdlVertex->new($self->{_io}, $self, $self->{_root});
    }
    if ($self->type() != 0) {
        $self->{time} = ();
        my $n_time = $self->type();
        for (my $i = 0; $i < $n_time; $i++) {
            push @{$self->{time}}, $self->{_io}->read_f4le();
        }
    }
    $self->{frames} = ();
    my $n_frames = $self->num_simple_frames();
    for (my $i = 0; $i < $n_frames; $i++) {
        push @{$self->{frames}}, QuakeMdl::MdlSimpleFrame->new($self->{_io}, $self, $self->{_root});
    }
}

sub num_simple_frames {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{num_simple_frames} if ($self->{num_simple_frames});
    $self->{num_simple_frames} = ($self->type() == 0 ? 1 : $self->type());
    return $self->{num_simple_frames};
}

sub type {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{type};
}

sub min {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{min};
}

sub max {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{max};
}

sub time {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{time};
}

sub frames {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{frames};
}

########################################################################
package QuakeMdl::MdlSimpleFrame;

our @ISA = 'IO::KaitaiStruct::Struct';

sub from_file {
    my ($class, $filename) = @_;
    my $fd;

    open($fd, '<', $filename) or return undef;
    binmode($fd);
    return new($class, IO::KaitaiStruct::Stream->new($fd));
}

sub new {
    my ($class, $_io, $_parent, $_root) = @_;
    my $self = IO::KaitaiStruct::Struct->new($_io);

    bless $self, $class;
    $self->{_parent} = $_parent;
    $self->{_root} = $_root || $self;;

    $self->_read();

    return $self;
}

sub _read {
    my ($self) = @_;

    $self->{bbox_min} = QuakeMdl::MdlVertex->new($self->{_io}, $self, $self->{_root});
    $self->{bbox_max} = QuakeMdl::MdlVertex->new($self->{_io}, $self, $self->{_root});
    $self->{name} = Encode::decode("ASCII", IO::KaitaiStruct::Stream::bytes_terminate(IO::KaitaiStruct::Stream::bytes_strip_right($self->{_io}->read_bytes(16), 0), 0, 0));
    $self->{vertices} = ();
    my $n_vertices = $self->_root()->header()->num_verts();
    for (my $i = 0; $i < $n_vertices; $i++) {
        push @{$self->{vertices}}, QuakeMdl::MdlVertex->new($self->{_io}, $self, $self->{_root});
    }
}

sub bbox_min {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{bbox_min};
}

sub bbox_max {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{bbox_max};
}

sub name {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{name};
}

sub vertices {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{vertices};
}

########################################################################
package QuakeMdl::MdlTriangle;

our @ISA = 'IO::KaitaiStruct::Struct';

sub from_file {
    my ($class, $filename) = @_;
    my $fd;

    open($fd, '<', $filename) or return undef;
    binmode($fd);
    return new($class, IO::KaitaiStruct::Stream->new($fd));
}

sub new {
    my ($class, $_io, $_parent, $_root) = @_;
    my $self = IO::KaitaiStruct::Struct->new($_io);

    bless $self, $class;
    $self->{_parent} = $_parent;
    $self->{_root} = $_root || $self;;

    $self->_read();

    return $self;
}

sub _read {
    my ($self) = @_;

    $self->{faces_front} = $self->{_io}->read_s4le();
    $self->{vertices} = ();
    my $n_vertices = 3;
    for (my $i = 0; $i < $n_vertices; $i++) {
        push @{$self->{vertices}}, $self->{_io}->read_s4le();
    }
}

sub faces_front {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{faces_front};
}

sub vertices {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{vertices};
}

########################################################################
package QuakeMdl::Vec3;

our @ISA = 'IO::KaitaiStruct::Struct';

sub from_file {
    my ($class, $filename) = @_;
    my $fd;

    open($fd, '<', $filename) or return undef;
    binmode($fd);
    return new($class, IO::KaitaiStruct::Stream->new($fd));
}

sub new {
    my ($class, $_io, $_parent, $_root) = @_;
    my $self = IO::KaitaiStruct::Struct->new($_io);

    bless $self, $class;
    $self->{_parent} = $_parent;
    $self->{_root} = $_root || $self;;

    $self->_read();

    return $self;
}

sub _read {
    my ($self) = @_;

    $self->{x} = $self->{_io}->read_f4le();
    $self->{y} = $self->{_io}->read_f4le();
    $self->{z} = $self->{_io}->read_f4le();
}

sub x {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{x};
}

sub y {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{y};
}

sub z {
    my ($self) = @_;
    return $self->{z};
}

1;