The X-Files Game

The X-Files Game
First release	1998
Also known as	agrippa
Developed by	HyperBole Studios
Published by	Fox Interactive
Distributed by	Fox Interactive
Platforms	Windows 95, Mac, Playstation 1
Resolution	640x480, 256 colors
Engine	VirtualCinema
Support	Not supported
Available for Purchase	Not available

The X-Files Game is an interactive movie point-and-click adventure video game developed by HyperBole Studios and published by Fox Interactive. The game was released for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS and PlayStation in 1998, and is based on the television series The X-Files.

Versions

• PC: 7 CD \ 1 DVD (not sold seperatly)
• PS1: 4 CD

Languages

• English (Voice + Subtitles - multiple tracks)
• French (Voice)
• German (Voice)
• Italian (Voice)
• Spanish (Voice)
• Japanese (?? English Voice + Subtitles ??)

Gameplay

Virtual Cinema and X-Files use a combination of game flags, called UberStates/UberVariables, where each of the decision interactions has a different reward value troughout the game and affects certain game's path. There are 3 flags, Paranoid, Loss, X-Track which translate to in-game emotion decisions Funny, Indifferent, Paranoid, Casual, Serious, Mean. The game's path is also affected by certain questions asked to certain NPC which contribute to the final reward value.

• Some Gameplay Docs

Technical Details

• Folder Structure:
  • xg: UberVariables video sequences
  • xn: Navigation with animation sequence
  • xs: Music and Samples
  • xt: Text Files, content from Willmore's computer and Mobile phone.
  • xv: FMV and Hotspots

• Game's Metadata: .hdb, .gam, .x
  • Embedded database files using NeoAccess Database from NeoLogic Technology.
  • Used for game's logic metadata and saved game

• FMV: .xmv
  • QuickTime mov container
  • Various streams: video, audio, subtitles
    • Video: cvid Cinepak | jpeg JPEG | rpza Quick Time Road Pizza
    • Audio: ima4 ADPCM | qdmc QDesign Music 2
    • Subtitles: text Timed Text (rsrc)

• FMV DVD version: .vob
  • Video Object container file
  • DVD Format only for the dvd version
  • Small selection of FMV in a higher quality

• Audio: .amv, .dmv, .mus
  • QuickTime mov container
    • Audio: ima4 ADPCM
  • Music: .mus file
  • Ambient and Sound Effects: .amv
  • Phone, Computer, Doors : .dmv

• Navigation Images: .nmv
  • QuickTime mov container
  • 2 JPEG video Stream: 1-higher quality, 2-lower quality
  • Used for player naviation through the scenes

• Picture File Format: .pff
  • JFIF (JPEG) Apple Mark jpeg files bundled into one PFF file
    • Images has 8BIM additional resources from Photoshop file format (https://www.adobe.com/devnet-apps/photoshop/fileformatashtml/)

• Hotspots: .hot
  • Click Regions/Rects around the scene
  • Multiple rects per video. Not all videos have hotspots but they share the same id
    • Format:
      • Header: 4 bytes (HSPT) follow by 4 bytes uint32 (number of Hotspots)
      • Content: for each hotspot -> 4 bytes uint32 (script id) 2 bytes uint16 (left) 2 bytes uint16 (right) 2 bytes uint16 (top) 2 bytes uint16 (bottom) 4 bytes uint32 (start time) 4 bytes uint32 (end time)

• Text Files: .xtx
  • Plain text files with in-game text (e-mails, phone, computer files, etc.)

• Font Files: .ttr
  • True Type Font

ScummVM Missing Codec

• Audio Codec: qdmc QDesign Music 2
• Subtitle Stream: text Stream

External Links

• The X-Files HyperBole Web Site
• HyperBole Games
• Virtual Cinema Authoring Tool
• The X-Files Game Streaming Web Version