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This article covers the layout of the file; for the default contents, see Appearance.2da (contents).The appearance.2da file is the .2da file that defines the appearances available for creatures.
Columns of appearance.2da
Name Description
ID (no actual name) Row numbers for the benefit of human readers. The game engine ignores the value in this field, instead generating sequential row numbers as the file is read. It is good practice to keep the entries in this field sequentially numbered to avoid confusion.
LABEL The name of the appearance, for the reference of the human reader. Can be used as the name in the Toolset if the "STRING_REF" column is blank (****).
STRING_REF A StringRef referring to the name of this appearance as reported in the Toolset.
NAME Another reference for a human reader.
RACE Either the name of the (single) model used for this appearance, or a single uppercase letter that indicates which part-based models are possible choices — the letter in this column is the third letter of the name of those models.
ENVMAP
BLOODCOLR Indicates the color of blood produced when a creature with this appearance is hit in combat. Valid values are "G" (green), "N" (none), "R" (red), "W" (white), and "Y" (yellow).
MODELTYPE Indicates the type of model (and animations) used by this appearance. Valid values are "P" (part-based), "S" (simple), "F" (full), and "L" (large). In addition, the latter three can have "W", "T", or "WT" appended to indicate if this appearance can have wings and/or a tail. (Part-based appearances are always allowed wings and a tail.)
WEAPONSCALE A numeric value indicating the scaling factor applied to weapon models when a weapon is wielded by a creature with this appearance. A value of 1 represents no scaling. This can be blank (****) for appearances that should not have their weapons rendered visually.
WING_TAIL_SCALE A numeric value indicating the scaling factor applied to wing and tail models when these are given to a creature with this appearance. A value of 1 represents no scaling. This value is only relevant if the appearance can have wings or a tail.
HELMET_SCALE_M A numeric value indicating the scaling factor applied to helmet models when a helmet is worn by a male creature with this appearance. A value of 1 represents no scaling. This value is only relevant for part-based appearances.
HELMET_SCALE_F A numeric value indicating the scaling factor applied to helmet models when a helmet is worn by a female creature with this appearance. A value of 1 represents no scaling. This value is only relevant for part-based appearances.
MOVERATE The "2DAName" column of the row in creaturespeed.2da that defines the actual movement rates of creatures with this appearance, in meters per second. (This is also the default speed category when a creature with this appearance is created in the Toolset.)
Valid standard values are NOMOVE, VSLOW, SLOW, NORM, FAST, and VFAST.
WALKDIST The distance in meters a creature having this appearance will have to traverse in order for it to complete one complete cycle of its walk animation. Larger values make the creature appear to move more slowly.
RUNDIST The distance in meters a creature having this appearance will have to traverse in order for it to complete one complete cycle of its run animation.
PERSPACE The appearance's required "personal space", i.e., the minimum amount of space in meters from the creature's center to non-creature objects. Used to determine if the creature will fit through an opening.
CREPERSPACE The appearance's "creature personal space," i.e., the minimum amount of space in meters from the creature's center to other creature objects. Used to determine if the creature will fit through an opening.
HEIGHT
HITDIST How close an attacker must be in order to hit creatures having this appearance in melee, not counting the attacker's reach. The distance is measured from the centers of the two creatures. In combat, this value is subtracted from the actual distance in meters between the creature and its attacker before comparing the result to the attacker's PREFATCKDIST. If the result is less than or equal to the attacker's PREFATCKDIST, then the creature is within reach of the attacker.
PREFATCKDIST The creature's preferred attack distance in meters from which to attack a target in melee. The creature's 'reach'.
TARGETHEIGHT The height at which creatures having this appearance attack their targets. Valid values are :
  • H - The creature strikes high
  • L - The creature strikes low
ABORTONPARRY "1" if the creature's attack animation aborts when its enemy parries its attack, "0" otherwise.
RACIALTYPE The index number in racialtypes.2da of the race this appearance type should be associated with.
HASLEGS Indicates whether or not this appearance has legs, which affects the use of called shot against creatures with this appearance. Valid values are "1" (has legs) and "0" (does not have legs).
HASARMS Indicates whether or not this appearance has arms, which affects the use of called shot against creatures with this appearance. Valid values are "1" (has arms) and "0" (does not have arms).
PORTRAIT The name of the default portrait selected by the Toolset when a creature is given this appearance.
SIZECATEGORY An index into creaturesize.2da indicating the size of this appearance. (By default: 1 = tiny, 2 = small, 3 = medium, 4 = large, 5 = huge)
PERCEPTIONDIST
FOOTSTEPTYPE An index into footstepsounds.2da indicating what sort of sounds a creature with this appearance should make while moving. A value of -1 indicates that no movement sounds should be played for this appearance.
SOUNDAPPTYPE An index into appearancesndset.2da.
HEADTRACK
HEAD_ARC_H
HEAD_ARC_V
HEAD_NAME
BODY_BAG An index into bodybag.2da indicating the visual appearance of the remains left by a creature with this appearance upon fading out after death.
TARGETABLE