Animation Naming conventions

Technicalities

A critter consists of many FRM files. The engine does not store most critter art as direct paths in PRO or MAP data; it builds paths from an art FID, the base name in art\critters\critters.lst, the animation code, the weapon animation code, and sometimes a directional suffix.

For example, a base name such as hmjmps can become hmjmpsaa.frm for stand/no-weapon art. Directional knockdown/death art can become hmjmpsba.fr0, hmjmpsba.fr1, and so on. See LST File Format and FID Resolution for the packed FID fields, critter alias metadata, and exact filename construction rules.

Basically, there are 2 different types of this format, each of them with unique extension:

*.FRM extension - a single *.frm file containing up to 6 directions of a sprite.
*.FR0-*.FR5 extension - *.frm animation divided to 6 different frm files, usually used for 6 sprite directions of death animations.

Each of the frm/fr0-fr5 files represents a kind of animation. Name of the frm files designate the type of animation, as shown below.

Note: in Fallout 2 CE, most non-death critter animations are forced to the normal .frm path. Directional .fr0-.fr5 lookup is mainly used for the knockdown/death animation range, with fallback behavior if the requested direction is missing.

Basic Animations

Animation	Filename suffix
`stand`	`*aa.frm`
`walk`	`*ab.frm`
`magic_hands_ground`	`*ak.frm`
`magic_hands_middle`	`*al.frm`
`dodge_anim`	`*an.frm`
`hit_from_front`	`*ao.frm`
`hit_from_back`	`*ap.frm`
`throw_punch`	`*aq.frm`
`kick_leg`	`*ar.frm`
`throw_anim`	`*as.frm`
`running`	`*at.frm`

Knockdown and Death

Animation	Filename suffix
`fall_back`	`*ba.frm`
`fall_front`	`*bb.frm`
`big_hole`	`*bd.frm`
`chunks_of_flesh`	`*bf.frm`
`dancing_autofire`	`*bg.frm`
`electrify`	`*bh.frm`
`sliced_in_half`	`*bi.frm`
`burned_to_nothing`	`*bj.frm`
`electrified_to_nothing`	`*bk.frm`
`exploded_to_nothing`	`*bl.frm`
`melted_to_nothing`	`*bm.frm`
`fire_dance`	`*bn.frm`
`fall_back_blood`	`*bo.frm`
`fall_front_blood`	`*bp.frm`

Change Positions

Animation	Filename suffix
`prone_to_standing`	`*ch.frm`
`back_to_standing`	`*cj.frm`

Single-Frame Death Animations

The last frame of knockdown and death animations.

Animation	Filename suffix
`fall_back_sf`	`*ra.frm`
`fall_front_sf`	`*rb.frm`
`big_hole_sf`	`*rd.frm`
`chunks_of_flesh_sf`	`*rf.frm`
`dancing_autofire_sf`	`*rg.frm`
`electrify_sf`	`*rh.frm`
`sliced_in_half_sf`	`*ri.frm`
`burned_to_nothing_sf`	`*rj.frm`
`electrified_to_nothing_sf`	`*rk.frm`
`exploded_to_nothing_sf`	`*rl.frm`
`melted_to_nothing_sf`	`*rm.frm`
`fire_dance_sf`	`*rn.frm`
`fall_back_blood_sf`	`*ro.frm`
`fall_front_blood_sf`	`*rp.frm`
`targeting picture`	`*na.frm`

History

2020-01-16 - Updated information and moved from readme.txt to html.

2007-07-22 - Written by Lisac2k.