What is a .TEXTURE file?
A .TEXTURE file is a special kind of computer file used in some train simulation games, like those in the Trainz series. These games let you experience driving and managing trains in a 3D world. The .TEXTURE file helps make this world look more real by storing pictures and information about how surfaces of objects (like trains, buildings, or trees) should look. It's like giving a 3D model its skin or outer appearance.
These files are made in a specific way that the Trainz games can understand, using something called the binary Auran texture format. This format can include different types of picture files, such as .JPG (a common photo file), .BMP (a type of image file that stores pictures in a simple way), or .TGA (a file that's good for detailed images with lots of colors).
To make a .TEXTURE file, someone creating a new object for the game (like a new type of train car or a building) would start with a text file that describes the texture and the original picture files. They put these in a special folder for the game to use. Then, using a tool that comes with the Trainz games, these files are combined into the .TEXTURE file. This process makes the file smaller and helps the game load faster.
You can open and work with .TEXTURE files using certain programs like PEVSoft Images2TGA or the Trainz Railroad Simulator games from different years (like 2006, 2009, 2015's A New Era, and 2019). These games have been around since 2000, and the way .TEXTURE files are made and used has been pretty much the same since then, thanks to how the game developers keep making sure new versions of the game can still understand the old files.
Most people who play Trainz games might never see a .TEXTURE file directly because they are usually packed away inside another file used by the game. But, if you're interested in changing how things look in the game or creating new objects, you might work with these files to make your ideas come to life in the Trainz world.
Verification
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