dat2lta85

dat2lta85 is a converter from DAT → LTA map format for games built on the Lithtech Jupiter v85 engine (Crossfire, Combat Arms, NOLF2, Face of Mankind, Tron 2.0, Contract Jack, DOB and others).

The project is written in Python and inspired by:

I am not a professional programmer, so the code is kept in a single file. My goal was simply to make it possible to convert DAT maps into LTA. I hope this tool helps other developers create more advanced converters and supports the Lithtech community.

Usage

Extract resources from the game (rez) and place them into the Game folder of the DEdit editor.
Copy maps into the Worlds folder.
Place the converter itself into the Worlds folder as well.
Open a console and navigate to this folder.
Run:

If using the exe build:

dat2lta85 %mapname%.dat -v1

If using the Python script:

python dat2lta85.py %mapname%.dat -v1

-v1 — use this for DAT maps with tangent and binormal (Combat Arms, Crossfire, NOLF2, etc).

-v2 — use this for DAT maps without tangent and binormal (Contract Jack, Tron 2.0, etc).

Output

After conversion, three files will appear in the folder:

mapname.lta — main triangulated map with UVs. This is the primary file for editing and compiling.
mapname_PhysicsDATA.lta — contains the WorldTree section. It is a non-triangulated version of the original with proper brush properties but without UVs. Ideally, brush properties should be copied from here into the main LTA manually.
mapname.txt — debug information about the world, useful for identifying conversion issues.

Important details

mapname.lta preserves TextureEffect for each brush if present.
mapname_PhysicsDATA.lta contains other brush properties.
All RenderNode and WorldModel objects are automatically assigned Detail 0 and AmbientLight 0 0 0. For more accurate values, refer to the original JUNK_FLEA map which is available in open form. <img width="882" height="570" alt="13" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/26ce72f5-ee19-4e55-9c20-4585195c293c" />

Working with FX

For proper FX handling, place additional files into the Game folder of DEdit.

For Combat Arms

This repository provides example FX files and maps to illustrate proper usage:

JUNK_FLEA.7z — original map file for Combat Arms.
Download JUNK_FLEA.7z
CAclassic_DEdit.7z — DEdit project files for Combat Arms.
Download CAclassic_DEdit.7z

Place these files into your DEdit project folder to test and convert maps.

For Crossfire

This repository provides example FX files and maps to illustrate proper usage:

MEXICO.lta — example map file for Crossfire. This is not the original map, but a version adjusted by me to serve as a reference for usage and testing in DEdit. Download MEXICO.lta
Crossfire_Dedit.7z — DEdit project files for Crossfire.
Download Crossfire_Dedit.7z

Place these files into your DEdit project folder to test and convert maps.

For Other Lithtech Jupiter Games

For other Lithtech Jupiter games, place the corresponding files from your game into the DEdit project, for example:

ClientFX.fxd
CShell.dll
Object.lto
Folders ClientFX and Attributes (if present)

All files must be in decrypted form to work correctly.

If CLIENTFX.FXF and CLIENTFX.FCF contain valid FX, you can safely click Yes when opening the map in DEdit.
If those FX are missing, choosing Yes will make DEdit delete all FX names from the map.
If you choose No, the FX names will remain untouched.

Dynamic Occluders

The converter can also detect Occluder names.

If the occluder is named "Occluder", it is a regular occluder.
If the name differs, it means it is used by a DynamicOccluder object.

I hope this tool will be a helpful step for modders and bring new life into projects built on Lithtech Jupiter.

DAT2LTA85

Install / Use

README