The file "formation.txt" contains the list of formations for the game. Presumably (not yet confirmed) during startup, its data is loaded in order to create the database of formations.
Therefore, only formations which are defined in this file can be used in the game! Those not listed here will not function, even if their data is otherwise complete.
This file is also used to create the formation numbers. Basically, formations are numbered according to their place in the list starting with 0 without the possibility for any further modification. Since you usually access the IDs via shorthands and or the damage names themselves anyway, however, during the normal programming, you will not really need this information.
Basically, the relevant content of this file is a list of formation names, one name per line. In addition, you can add comments by adding a semicolon (';') to a line or starting a line with a semicolon. Everything AFTER a semicolon will be considered a comment and will be ignored.
The following conventions apply to the names:
* Names can only contain alphanumeric ASCII characters, that is 'a' - 'z', '0' - '1', and 'A' - 'Z'. NO SPECIAL CHARACTERS ALLOWED! So, you can't use underscore, for instance.
* After a name, you can use TABS, SPACE, and semicolons (';'), the latter in order to start comments.
Besides the comments mentioned above, it seems to be possible to leave completely blank lines without any adverse effects.
The current release version of the game includes the following executed data in this file (the comments with the Japanese formation names are also included to add identification of the formations. Note that these comments are not executed code):
Freefight ; フリーファイト Freefight2 ; フリーファイトR DesertGuard ; デザートガード LifeForce ; ライフフォース BackGuard ; バックガード AssaultShift ; アサルトシフト ArrowStrike ; アローストライク HolyCross ; ホーリークロス stuck ; はさみうち1 stuck2 ; はさみうち2 stuckR ; はさみうちR help ; 救出 separated ; はなればなれ deathmatch ; デスマッチ BackAttack ; バックアタック backtoback ; 背中合わせのピンチ
Some of the English names are misleading, Therefore, I am giving the following additional information.
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