ifo-file.md

Ifo File

To work with .ifo files a simple text editor can be sufficient, especially when you just want to delete an entry or resize the BuildBlocker for example. However for everything else Blender + Anno Addon is recommended to avoid going crazy.

In Blender:

• Cuboids: do not Ctrl A All Transforms before export
• Planes: do Ctrl A All Transforms before export

Cuboids

Cuboids mostly appear as <Dummy> which only distinguish by their <Name> (see exceptions) and are fully determined by their <Position>, <Rotation> and <Extent> (related to their center point).

Click to expand: Code Example

<Dummy>
		<Name>transporter_spawn</Name>
		<Position>
			<xf>1.189299</xf>
			<yf>0.000000</yf>
			<zf>3.588088</zf>
		</Position>
		<Rotation>
			<xf>0.000000</xf>
			<yf>0.703321</yf>
			<zf>0.000000</zf>
			<wf>-0.710925</wf>
		</Rotation>
		<Extents>
			<xf>0.100000</xf>
			<yf>0.100000</yf>
			<zf>0.100000</zf>
		</Extents>
</Dummy>

• All names with an appended _ usually have consecutive digits starting at 0
• All names with an appended _01 continue with 02, 03 and so on
• Names with 01, 02 but without _ are fixed names, so sth like railroad03 would not work

Name	Tag	Usage	assets.xml
BoundingBox	BoundingBox	includes the whole cfg
MeshBoundingBox	MeshBoundingBox	includes the mesh geometry
HitBox	IntersectBox	asset is highlighted during mouse-over and considered being selected for tool-bar actions
infolayer	Dummy	position of InfoLayerIcon such as 'Missing Workforce'	enable with <Infolayer />; template: InfoLayerIcon
transporter_spawn	Dummy	position of factory transporters in idle mode / before first move	HideTransportersBeforeTheyMove=1
quest_spawn_	Dummy	position where QuestObjects are spawned (for special quests like campaign there are other names like campaign_demolition_quest_spawn	enable with <QuestObject />; Quests: Name can be used in ContextMarkerName
DamageImpact	Dummy	when damaged (incidents or weapons) but not ruined: area where mesh shows damage
harbourblock01	Dummy	blocks harbour area infront of buildings; minimum size is 5x5 tiles: x/z axis => 0 to 0.49 == 5 tiles; 0.5 to 0.99 == 6 tiles etc.
docklandsmodule01	Dummy	blocks harbour area infront of buildings; minimum size is 3x3 tiles x/z axis => 0 to 0.49 == 3 tiles; 0.5 to 0.99 == 4 tiles etc.
loadingpier01	Dummy	docking position for ships; use loadingpier02 for a 2nd pier	configure in <LoadingPier>
loadingpier_air	Dummy	docking position for airships	configure in <LoadingPier>
hit_metal_	Dummy	when hit by weapons: trigger metal sound / visuals	linked in projectile assets
hit_wood_	Dummy	when hit by weapons: trigger wooden sound / visuals	linked in projectile assets
hit_bricks_	Dummy	when hit by weapons: trigger brick sound / visuals	linked in projectile assets
hit_concrete_	Dummy	when hit by weapons: trigger concrete sound / visuals	linked in projectile assets
expl_01	Dummy	when hit by weapons: area with explosion effects	can be defined in <ExplosionEffects>
warflag	Dummy	a war flag is spawned at this position when island is at war
hpbar	Dummy	when being attacked: position of current hitpoints bar
FireDummy	Dummy	position of fire (if no .fc file)
railroad01	Dummy	connection to rails; use railroad02 for another one	HasBuildingBaseTiles=1 to remove them after asset was destroyed / moved; AllowCodeToControlRotation=0 if they are not centered relative to the building
railroadbase01	Dummy	mandatory use with railroad01 / railroad02
mining_ground	Dummy	WorkAreaPath starts here	<WorkAreaPathSnapDummy>
mining_mountain	Dummy	WorkAreaPath ends here	<WorkAreaPathSnapDummy>
irrigation_connector	Dummy	for water source: connection to irrigation canals
watersupply_connector	Dummy	for water consumer: connection to irrigation canals
slot_station	Dummy	start position for river channel	BezierPath / StartPositionDummyName
turret_	Dummy	position of a turret	configure in <Turrets>
shootTurret_	Dummy	turrets: position of muzzle effects / projectile	configure in <MuzzleEffectAssets> / <ProjectileAsset>
shootLeft_	Dummy	cannons: position of muzzle effects / projectile	configure in <MuzzleEffectAssets> / <ProjectileAsset>
shootRight_	Dummy	cannons: position of muzzle effects / projectile	configure in <MuzzleEffectAssets> / <ProjectileAsset>
shootFront_	Dummy	cannons: position of muzzle effects / projectile	configure in <MuzzleEffectAssets> / <ProjectileAsset>
WorkforcePier	Dummy	connection for workforce transfer ships	enable with <WorkforceConnector />
VisitorPier	Dummy	connection for tourist ships	enable with <VisitorPier />
ShipEntrance	Dummy	? some kind of anchor for incoming visitor / workforce ships ?
SpecialistSpawn	Dummy	should spawn a clickable specialist on arrival (not used anymore?)
BoardingDummy_	Dummy	on ship arrival: feedbacks walk towards island	configure in HarborWaterConfig
DisembarkDummy_	Dummy	on ship arrival: feedbacks walk towards ship	configure in HarborWaterConfig
TouristIdleDummy_	Dummy	visitors gather here until ship arrival if the "Tendency" is negative
special_feedback_loading	Dummy	spawn point for fishing ship	configure in <FisheryConfig> (per region)
nextFloor	Dummy	indicates position of the next floor level for skyscrapers
backside_rect	Dummy	indicates the backside of a train wagon; important for directional coupling
frontside_rect	Dummy	indicates the frontside of a train wagon; important for directional coupling
bird_land01	Dummy	birds can land here
speaker_	Dummy	? Anarchist loudspeaker audio ?
joint_back	Dummy	? used in several vehicles with trailers ?
GeneratedItemSlot	Dummy	? does nothing; used for coastal_01, food_01, factory_06, workshop_06; institution_02 ?
EventPier	Dummy	? does nothing; used for visitor piers ?
HarborFrontBuilding	Dummy	? does nothing; used for visitor piers and workforce pier ?
fire_	Dummy	? only used for man_of_war and campaign queen ship; leftover with no function ?

Planes

Planes can consist of as many vertices as you want to achieve quite complex blockers. Each vertice is translated into a pair of x and z coordinates related to the center point of your MAIN_FILE [should be (0/0/0)]. Therefore Ctrl A All Transforms on all planes is highly recommended if you work with Blender.

Note that 1 tile in Anno corresponds to |x| = 0.5 / |z| = 0.5

Click to expand: Code Example

<BuildBlocker>
		<Position>
			<xf>6.000000</xf>
			<zf>4.000000</zf>
		</Position>
		<Position>
			<xf>6.000000</xf>
			<zf>-4.000000</zf>
		</Position>
		<Position>
			<xf>-6.000000</xf>
			<zf>-4.000000</zf>
		</Position>
		<Position>
			<xf>-6.000000</xf>
			<zf>4.000000</zf>
		</Position>
</BuildBlocker>

• For most entries you can have as many as you want, their names stay the same, no consecutive digits.
• UnevenBlocker can be used only once per .ifo file.

Tag	Usage	assets.xml
BuildBlocker	the (logical) footprint an asset has ingame (== usually blocked tiles)	almost all properties of <Blocking/> only work within this blocker
FeedbackBlocker	dynamic feedback is allowed to walk here (includes first person mode)
PriorityFeedbackBlocker	dynamic feedback is not allowed to walk here (includes first person mode)
UnevenBlocker	mesh within and above this plane is always above terrain. Usually used for assets with AdjustToTerrainHeight=0
WaterBlocker	blocks area for ships
QuayArea	area where a quay is constructed automatically (by default: with fence)	configure in GroundDecalAsset
InvisibleQuayArea	area where a quay is constructed automatically (by default: without fence); if overlapping with QuayArea: overwrites QuayArea	configure in GroundDecalInvisible
PathBlocker	? probably some kind of feedback blocker; rarely used; is not imported into Blender ?
ExtraBlocker	? rarely used (e.g. calamari fishery); is not imported into Blender ?

MeshHeightMap

Dynamic feedback adapts to this heightmap instead of terrain. Usually used for assets with AdjustToTerrainHeight=0.

Guide on how to create this map: MeshHeightMap

Sequences

One entry for each sequence used in the corresponding cfg. For all possible sequence IDs look at <SequenceIDs> in >GlobalBalancing< (Guid: 2001270).