TXTD

In the context of Tomba! 2: The Evil Swine Return, a TXTD file is a data structure embedded within the game's resource files (like the DAT file). It contains text data used for in-game dialogues, descriptions, or other textual elements. This text is stored in a compressed or encoded format and is often accompanied by metadata that determines how the text is organized, displayed, or interacted with in the game.

Structure of a TXTD File

1. Header Section

• The file begins with a header containing the following fields:
  • Master Root Pointer: Offset to the start of the master table.
  • Master Entry Count: Number of entries in the master table.
  • Additional padding or unused bytes.

2. Master Table

• A list of pointers to entry tables.
• Each pointer is represented by a relative address (offset from the start of the file or current context).

3. Entry Table

• For each master entry, there is a corresponding entry table.
• Contains metadata for individual text strings:
  • Pointer to Text Data: Offset of the text string relative to the start of the table.

4. Text Strings

• Binary-encoded text data begins at the offsets specified in the entry table.
• Uses a custom encoding scheme to represent characters (as seen in the letters dictionary of the script).
• Ends with a terminator byte (0xFF).

TXTD Encoding Scheme

1. Character Representation:
   • Characters are stored as byte values, with each byte mapping to a specific character or control code.
   • Example:
     • 0x41 → A
     • 0x42 → B
     • 0x43 → C
     • 0x44 → D
     • 0x45 → E
     • 0x46 → F
2. Control Codes:
   • Non-alphanumeric bytes are often used for special formatting or commands.
   • Examples:
     • 0xFA → Line break (\n)
     • 0xFC → Pause ({$PAUSE})
     • 0xF1 → {$COLOR_F1}: Changes text color.
     • 0xC1 → {$END}: Marks the end of a text block.
3. Termination:
   • Each text string ends with the byte 0xFF, signaling the end of the string.

Tomba! 2 TXTD File Extraction Script

The script (which can be viewed here: main script, dictionary) is used for extracting and interpreting TXTD files from the DAT file in Tomba! 2: The Evil Swine Return. TXTD files often contain text data, such as in-game dialogues, descriptions, or other textual assets. The script decodes this data using a custom character set and formats it for readability or modification.

Script Details

Key Functions

1. preview(DAT, offset):
   • Main function for extracting text from the specified DAT file.
   • Takes two arguments:
     • DAT: Path to the DAT file.
     • offset: Offset where the TXTD data begins.
   • Processes the data in two hierarchical layers:
     • Master Entries: Top-level pointers directing to specific text blocks.
     • Entry Headers: Sub-pointers within each master entry that direct to individual text strings.
   • Calls prepareText and getText to decode and format the text.
2. prepareText(ptr, who, real, par1, par2, num):
   • Formats and retrieves text from a given pointer.
   • Skips entries if the pointer is invalid (0xFFFF).
3. getText(real):
   • Converts a sequence of binary data into readable text using the letters dictionary.
   • Iterates until it encounters the terminator byte (0xFF), which signals the end of a text block.
4. getB(number=1):
   • Helper function to read a specified number of bytes from the file and convert them into integers (little-endian format).

Dictionary: letters

The letters dictionary maps hexadecimal values to their corresponding characters or control sequences. Key highlights include:

• Alphabet and Symbols: Maps standard alphanumeric characters (A-Z, a-z, 0-9) and punctuation.
• Special Characters: Supports extended characters such as Ä, ¥, and ….
• Control Codes:
  • {$END}: Signals the end of a text block.
  • {$PAUSE}: Inserts a pause in the text.
  • {$COLOR_F1}: Changes text color (with {$END_COLOR_F0} to revert).

Workflow of the Script

1. Initialize:
   • Define the path to the DAT file and the offset of the TXTD data.
   • Load the DAT file in binary mode.
2. Read Master Entries:
   • Extract master root and the number of master entries.
   • Use pointers in the master headers to locate the start of each text block.
3. Process Entry Headers:
   • For each master entry, extract sub-pointers (entry headers).
   • Use these sub-pointers to locate individual text strings.
4. Decode Text:
   • Convert binary data into readable text using the letters dictionary.
   • Handle special formatting codes and ensure proper string termination.
5. Output:
   • Structure and output the extracted text for further use or modification.