How To: Modify FaceFx files

Introduction

In Mafia II and Mafia II: Definition Edition, the game utilizes two FaceFx formats. "FaceFx Actor" and "FaceFx AnimSet". I will attempt to explain what both of these formats do and how to edit them down below.

File Types

Actor (FxActor_X.fxa) - This file contains one or more FaceFx 'actors' which are used by the enging to setup the face for lip syncing against spoken audio. The understanding about how the data is applied at runtime so it can be moved with the audio is yet to be solved. The only understand is that 'Phonemes' are used and can influence parts of the face. Currently, the only really use for this file right now is to allow modders to move actors between files (for examples like moving an NPC to a playable character).

AnimSet (FxAnimSet_X.fxs) - This file contains one or more FaceFx 'animations'. This data is what is generated from a spoken audio file. We cannot generate these files from audio, but still feel free to experiment with the data. Just like with FaceFx 'actors', the only real reason to edit this file is to changes names - FxAnimSets include the actor name the AnimSet should be applied too, so a modder may want to copy the FxAnimSet, then set the actor name to their new actor name (as seen in FrameResource_X.fra), so they can see their new NPC use facial animations.

How Can I Edit These Files?

To edit these files, you need to use the Toolkit. You need to unpack an SDS, navigate to its extracted folder inside the 'Game Explorer' window and then double click on the type of file you want to edit. Either the FxActor or FxAnimSet file.

(More detailed guide on the window is TODO)