Re: Please help me document parameters in Spore's PROP files

by XJDHDR
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Please help me document parameters in Spore's PROP files

★ Novice

One idea I had a while ago was to start writing lists of the various parameters that can be found in Spore's PROP files with a description of what those parameters do. This was partially motivated by me not being able to find info like this anywhere. To this effect, I created a wiki with the aim of making these lists available online. I have already added a little bit of data to it so far. I have been dabbling a bit in Spore modding since the start of the year and I plan to continue adding to this wiki as I discover more things.

 

I would greatly appreciate it if anyone that knows can tell me where I can find any additional information on those PROP file parameters that I can add to the wiki. Alternatively, if anyone that knows what any parameter does, you are welcome to add it to the wiki yourself. I have this wiki stored on four websites. To edit or add pages, you just need a SourceForge, GitHub or Bitbucket account.

You can find the editable versions of my wiki here:
https://bitbucket.org/XJDHDR/xjdhdr-random-code/wiki/Spore%20modding

https://github.com/XJDHDR/xjdhdr-random-code/wiki/Spore%20modding

https://sourceforge.net/p/xjdhdr-random-code/wiki/Spore%20modding/

 

I also have this wiki stored on GitLab but, unlike the three above, I don't see a way of giving anyone editing access to the wiki without giving them access to the entire repository. Until this changes, this will be a read-only archive of the above three:
https://gitlab.com/XJDHDR/xjdhdr-random-code/wikis/Spore%20modding

 

Finally, I just want to be clear that, as much as I would love it, I don't expect my wiki to ever record anywhere remotely close to a description of every parameter. This might possibly have happened if I started this project close to Spore's release but not now, a decade later.
As for longevity, I don't plan on ever deleting whatever gets added to the wiki. The wiki is currently stored in 5 places (the 4 websites above and a personal server that syncs the contents of those wikis) so the wiki will still be there if one of those services disappear. Finally, the wiki is a Git repository so the entire repository can be copied and uploaded to another Git service.

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Re: Please help me document parameters in Spore's PROP files

★★★ Novice

I would be really interested in seeing more information about PROP files too!

Message 2 of 4 (645 Views)

Re: Please help me document parameters in Spore's PROP files

★ Guide
This is really great! I don't know anything about how to view the PROP files, but will follow this documentation and ask for people who can help you more to check it out!
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Re: Please help me document parameters in Spore's PROP files

★ Novice

Thank you for helping. My wiki doesn't have instructions for opening PROP files (maybe I should add some) but there are instructions here: https://violetguard.wordpress.com/2013/12/06/removing-pirates-and-ecodisasters-from-spore-2014/comme...

 

I've adapted the instructions from that blog here with a few changes:

First, download this pack of four modding tools I’ve put together. It’s always nice to have fresh links leading to old stuff, eh? http://www.mediafire.com/download/u5u7yzwwy0hl60i/Spore+Modding+Tools.zip

Or alternatively, considering the questionable future of file sharing websites, I have posted the file as .jpg to WordPress. This is so that the file can be ensured to stay in existence as long as the blog exists. You must change the extension from .jpg to .zip for it to function. https://violetguard.wordpress.com/?attachment_id=57

Secondly, you MUST take a backup copy of your Spore data files. You’re not stupid, you know where your Spore data folder is, I’m not going to babysit you. Back it up and stick it somewhere safe, so that if things go wrong you can just go from the start.

Now, open SpView from the Spore Modding Tools. Go to Tools –> Unpack DBPF|DBBF (v2)

Navigate to your Spore data folder and unpack “Spore_Game.package”. It will take some time, but computers are better than they were in 2008 – this won’t be a problem for you, future reader!

In your Data folder, there should be a folder called “Spore_Game”. Within this folder, you will find a number of PROP files”

Take a copy of the .prop file to your desktop. In your Spore Modding Tools folder, go to Rick’s Tools and take note of the “prop to xml” executable.

Drag the file on your desktop on top of this .exe file. This will produce an .xml file on your desktop of the same name.

You may now open the XML file in any text editor.

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