11 file types use the .scn file extension.

What is an SCN file?

Game file used by OpenTTD, the open source follow-on project to Transport Tycoon; saves a game scenario, which defines the starting conditions for a map played by the user; may include the landscape, buildings, cities, train tracks, and other features.

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Category: Game Files

Age of Empires / Mythology Scenario

An SCN file may also be a scenario file used by Age of Empires, Age of Empires II, or Age of Mythology, which are real-time strategy games developed by Microsoft. It contains a scenario map and a list of players' starting units, players' starting positions, and the scenario's victory conditions. Multiple SCN files can be combined into .CPN (Age of Empires / Mythology Campaign) files.

Age of Empires and Age of Mythology are real-time strategy games in which players attempt to conquer rival cities and civilizations. Both games allow players to create and play scenarios that have specialized start and victory conditions. These scenarios are saved as SCN files.

Multiple scenarios can be linked together into a campaign, which is saved as a CPN file. Age of Empires, Age of Empires II, and Age of Mythology players often share CPN and SCN files with each other, so they can play each other's custom scenarios and campaigns.

How do I create an Age of Empires / Mythology scenario?

To create your own Age of Empires / Mythology scenarios, use the games' Scenario Editors, which are accessible from the games' main menus. In Age of Empires, the Scenario Editor is called the Scenario Builder. In Age of Empires II, the Scenario Editor is called the Map Editor. In Age of Mythology, the Scenario Editor is called Editor.

You can open SCN files in Microsoft Age of Mythology, Age of Empires, and Age of Empires II (Windows) and use them as in-game scenarios. To open an SCN file, you must place the file in your game's Scenario directory. Then, you will be able to select the scenario your SCN file describes in-game. Note that, if your scenario references custom animations, sounds, or images, you must also place those files in the correct game folders.

How do I link multiple Age of Empires / Mythology scenarios into a campaign?

If you want to link multiple SCN files into a single CPN file, you can do so using the CPNBuild command-line utility (Windows). CPNBuild allows players to add scenarios to campaigns, remove scenarios from campaigns, and extract scenarios from campaigns for use in other campaigns.

Programs that open or reference SCN files

Updated: April 30, 2021

Godot Engine Binary Scene File

An SCN file contains a scene created by Godot Engine, a free and open source game engine used to create 2D and 3D games. It stores binary data about a single scene tree inside Godot Engine, which includes paths to any external resources, and information about internal resources, connections, and nodes.

To open a scene in a SCN file in Godot Engine, select Scene → Open Scene... or Open Recent . To create a scene and save it as a SCN file in Godot Engine, select Scene → New Scene or New Inherited Scene... . Then, select Scene → Save Scene or Save Scene As... .

Programs that open or reference SCN files

Updated: June 4, 2019

SimCity 2000 Scenario

An SCN file may also be a scenario that can be loaded in SimCity 2000, a popular city-building video game. It includes a starter city and specialized rules that define the scenario. SimCity 2000 contains 18 official SCN files, used to load the game's 18 included scenarios.

In SimCity 2000, players act as a hybrid mayor/urban planner who must shepherd a city to success. Players can design their own cities in the game's free-play mode, or they can attempt to complete one of the game's specialized scenarios.

Each scenario includes a starter city, often modeled on a real-world city, challenging circumstances the player must overcome, and one or more victory conditions. If the player completes the scenario, the city's residents name the player mayor, and the player can continue playing in free-play mode.

Scenarios are saved as SCN files. SimCity 2000 contains 18 official SCN files. Additionally, custom SCN files, created by SimCity 2000 modders, are available for download online.

You can open an SCN file in SimCity 2000 (Windows, Mac). To do so, place the file in the game's Scenario directory. Then, open the game and select File → Load Scenario to load your SCN file.

Programs that open SCN files

Updated: June 29, 2022

Pinnacle Studio Scene File

An SCN file contains information about multiple scenes within a single video file created by Pinnacle Studio, a video-editing software for amateurs. Data saved in SCN files describe the scenes and specify when they begin and end. Pinnacle Studio no longer supports SCN files.

Pinnacle Systems initially developed Pinnacle Studio in the 2000s. During this period, the software saved projects as .STX files by default and organized scenes by saving them as SCN files along with an .AVI file bearing the same filename.

However, Corel eventually acquired Pinnacle Studio in 2012 and replaced the STX format with the .AXP format and removed support for SCN files. Now, SCN files are obscure.

Pinnacle Studio no longer supports SCN files. Only older versions of the software, such as version 7, support the files. You can also open SCN files with Paul Glagla's DVdate and ImageGrab programs.

Programs that open or reference SCN files

Updated: August 11, 2023

Leica Whole Slide Image

An SCN file may also be a slide specimen image created by a Leica Microsystems microscope or other slide scanning device. It contains a collection of TIFF images, and its ImageDescription tag contains an XML document that defines the slide's structure. SCN files also contain metadata specifying the device that created the file ( leica.device-model and leica.device-version ), the date the file was created ( leica.creation-date ), and the aperture, illumination source, and objective of the file's main image ( leica.aperture , leica.illumination-source , and leica.objective ).

Scientific microscopes scan and save slide specimen images in a variety of image formats. Some Leica microscopes save images in the SCN file format, which contains a number of different specimen images saved at different sizes and resolutions .

Programs that can open SCN files combine the various images the file contains into one image, which can be zoomed in and out upon. In this way, scientists can view the specimen a slide contains at various resolutions in slide viewing software.

Windows users can open SCN files (Leica Whole Slide Images) in Aperio Technologies ImageScope, OpenSlide, ImageJ, or NetScope Viewer. Mac and Linux users can open SCN files in OpenSlide or ImageJ.

Programs that open SCN files

Updated: April 28, 2021

Orbiter Scenario File

Data file used by Orbiter, a free space browsing and simulation program; used for creating automated space simulations; includes information about the space scraft, the space travel route, camera angles, and the space environment; saved in a plain text format.

Programs that open SCN files

Updated: May 14, 2012

Bio-Rad Gel Image

An SCN file may also be an image created by a Bio-Rad gel imaging system. It contains a digital copy of a gel electrophoresis result. SCN files are used to analyze results and share them with other Bio-Rad users.

Biochemists use Bio-Rad gel imaging systems to record and analyze the results of gel electrophoresis tests. For example, a biochemist may use a Bio-Rad system to record and analyze the result of a western blot, which is a test that detects specific proteins in a tissue sample. Bio-Rad systems save copies of biochemists' electrophoresis results as SCN images.

You can open an SCN file (Bio-Rad Gel Image) in Bio-Rad Image Lab (Windows, Mac). The standard version of Image Lab can be downloaded for free from Bio-Rad's website, after you register for a Bio-Rad account.

Those who do not want to register for a Bio-Lab account can use ImageJ and its accompanying Bio-Formats library (cross-platform) to view SCN images.

Programs that open SCN files

Updated: April 29, 2021

TreePaint Image

Image file created by TreePaint Plus, a program used to create print designs for photoengraving, silk-screen processes, and other types of print mediums; supports 256 color, 65,536 color, or 24-bit true color formats; may contain colorway and silk-screen separation information; used for textile and fashion solutions.

Programs that open SCN files

Updated: February 28, 2012

TD Scan Data File

An SCN file may also be a data file created by TD Scan, a software suite used to view, analyze, and create reports of ultrasonic data. It contains a scan of ultrasonic data from industrial components such as pipeline welds, forgings and castings, and pressure vessels welds.

TD Scan is used for monitoring and analyzing the performance industrial facilities such as nuclear power plants. It offers real-time data collection, video tracking, and Time-of-Flight-Diffraction (ToFD), Pulse Echo, and corrosion mapping capabilities. The program stores scans in the SCN file, which is used for complete scans or for split scans that can be joined together when the data size becomes too large.

NOTE: To open an SCN file in TD Scan, select File → Open Scan File .

Programs that open SCN files

Updated: January 3, 2017

Behringer X32 Scene

An SCN file contains audio setting parameters that comprise a scene created by the Behringer X32 digital mixing console. It stores a list of parameters for console settings in ASCII plain text, such as the fader position or EQ value. Audio professionals using the Behringer X32 console to mix audio for concerts, church services, etc., save parameters for performance as SCN files to preserve and load them in the console.

Behringer is an audio equipment company that develops various instruments for recording, mixing, and broadcasting audio. The Behringer X32 console allows you to mix multiple instruments with different settings to attain your desired sound and then save them to preserve your settings.

For example, a church may have various services with different instrument setups. You could save a setup for each service as a scene (SCN file) you can load and close when needed. You can also share the SCN file with different Behringer X32 users via a USB drive who can load the file with another Behringer X32 console to load the settings.

You can load SCN files with a Behringer X32 digital mixing console. Typically, the console stores SCN files on its local storage (select Load in the "scenes" slot). You can also transfer an SCN file from or to a console via a USB storage device.

Since SCN files store parameters in ASCII plain text, you can also open and modify them with a plain text editor, such as Microsoft Notepad (Windows) or Apple TextEdit (Mac). However, you may need to rename the .scn file extension to .txt for the text editor to recognize it. Remember that if you incorrectly edit the file, you may inadvertently corrupt the scene.

Programs that open SCN files

Updated: January 11, 2024