Just Solve the File Format Problem - User contributions [en]

Game data files

2026-02-24T20:05:22Z

Adrmcr: +PAK (Starbound)

{{FormatInfo
|formattype=electronic
|thiscat=Game data files
|image=Arcade-game-boy.png
}}

==Overview==
Many popular games use proprietary file formats to store their assets. These include custom image, sound and video formats and custom archive formats. There is no way that all of these can be enumerated here in some way or another. And as long as the games can still be run by an [[Emulation_Software|Emulator]] it's not that much of a deal. However, a lot of work has been put into deciphering, decrypting and hacking these files, and that work should be preserved.

See also: [[Interactive Fiction]] for data formats related to text adventure games, [[Puzzles]] for puzzle-game files, and [[Saved Games]] for data saved by games to store a player's game status.

==References==
* [http://wiki.xentax.com Xentax Wiki]
* [http://rewiki.awiki.org ReWiki]
* [http://aluigi.altervista.org/quickbms.htm QuickBMS], a tool suite to describe archives in an abstract BASIC-like language, and lots of scripts for even more games

==General Game Formats==

This section details formats such as [[Interplay ACM]] and [[Unreal Music Format]] which are used in a number of games.

=== Archiving / Compression ===
* [[CFL]]
* [[Electronic Arts LIB Game Archive]]
* [[FAR (The Sims)]]
* [[HMM Packfile]] (.PAK)
* [[Remedy Archive System]]
* [[Unity package file]]

===Audio / Music===
(see also [[Audio and Music]])

* [[BAKA]] (PCM 16 bit)
* beatmania / IIDX simulation
** [[BMS]]
* [[BH2PCM]] (extracted from [[Doom WAD]] by eXtendable WAD Editor)
* [[BNSF]] (IS14)
* Commodore Amiga
** [[AC1D-DC1A Packer]]
** [[AMOS Music Bank]]
** [[Channel Players]]
** [[Digital Illusions]]
** [[Game Music Creator]]
** [[Jason Page]]
* Electronic Arts
** [[Electronic Arts MUS]]
* [[Epic Megagames MASI]]
* id Software
** [[Doom MUS]]
** [[id Software Music Format]]
* [[Interplay ACM]]
* [[Inverse Frequency Sound format]]
* [[Ken's Adlib Music]]
* [[Sierra AGI]]
* [[Sierra SCI]]
* [[Westwood Studios ADL]]
* [[Westwood Studios AUD]]
* [[Xbox IMA ADPCM]]
* Nintendo GameCube / Wii
** [[Nintendo GameCube / Wii AST]]
** [[Nintendo GameCube / Wii BRSTM]]

=== Game programming languages ===

* [[Blitz3D]]
** [[Blitz3D Model]]

(see also [[Programming Languages]])

=== Other ===

* Allegro (game programming library)
** [[Allegro packfile]]

* Atari
** [[STOS memory bank]] (.mbk)

* Bitsboard
** [[Bitsboard board]]

* Blizzard Entertainment
** [[BLP]]
** [[MDX (Blizzard)|MDX]]
** [[MoPaQ]]

* Build Engine
** [[ART (Build Engine ART)]]
** [[DAT (Build Engine Palette)]]
** [[GRP (Build Engine Group Archive)]]

* [[D3TV]]
* [[DIV Games Studio]]

* Electronic Arts
** [[Electronic Arts CMV]]
** [[Electronic Arts INF]]
** [[Electronic Arts MAD]]‎
** [[Electronic Arts MOV]]
** [[Electronic Arts MPC‎]]
** [[Electronic Arts TGV]]
** [[Electronic Arts WVE]]

* Free Hero Mesh
** [[Free Hero Mesh class definition file]] (.class)
** [[Free Hero Mesh class resource file]] (.xclass)
** [[Free Hero Mesh level file]] (.level)
** [[Free Hero Mesh solution file]] (.solution)
** [[Free Hero Mesh code page file]]
** [[Free Hero Mesh composite puzzle set]]

* Hero Mesh
** [[Hero Mesh puzzle set]] (.mb)

* id Software
** [[BSP]] (map format used in Quake)
** [[Doom WAD]]
** [[Quake PAK]]
** [[Quake PK3]] (actually [[ZIP]])
** [[Quake WAD]]

* Infinity Engine
** [[BAM]]

* [[MegaZeux]]

* NetImmerse / Gamebryo Engine
** [[KF]]
** [[NIF]]

* Nintendo GameCube
** [[Nintendo GameCube Opening.bnr]]

* Nintendo GameCube / Wii
** [[DOL (Nintendo)]]
** [[RARC]]
** [[Yaz0]]

* Nintendo Wii
** [[BootMii NAND Dump]]
** [[BRFNT]]
** [[Mii Data]]
** [[Nintendo Wii BRLAN]]
** [[Nintendo Wii BRLYT]]
** [[Nintendo Wii BRRES]]
** [[Nintendo Wii Content.bin]]
** [[Nintendo Wii Data.bin]]
** [[Nintendo Wii Opening.bnr]]
** [[Nintendo Wii PAC]]
** [[Nintendo Wii PCS]]
** [[Nintendo Wii REL]]
** [[Nintendo Wii Savegame]]
** [[Nintendo Wii SEL]]
** [[Nintendo Wii Ticket]]
** [[Nintendo Wii TPL]]
** [[Nintendo Wii U8]]
** [[Nintendo Wii Update.inf]]
** [[Nintendo Wii VFF]]
** [[Title metadata]]
** [[Virtual Console CCF]]
** [[WAD (Wii)]]
** [[WiiConnect24 file]]

* [[OHRRPGCE]]

* [[Outerra engine]] (.otx) (used in Anteworld game)

* Raven Software game engine
** [[GLA]] - Ghoul animation (.gla)
** [[GLM]] - Ghoul mesh (.glm)

* [[RES (Gromada)]]

* Sokoban
** [[Softdisk Publishing UDF files]] (used for Softdisk's version of Sokoban)
** [[SOK (Sokoban)]]
** [[Sokoban XML]]

* Terminal Reality [https://github.com/jopadan/termpod/wiki/Terminal-Reality]
** [[POD1]] (.pod) [https://github.com/jopadan/termpod/wiki/Pod-1-Format-Reference] (no CRC)
** [[POD2]] (.pod) [https://github.com/jopadan/termpod/wiki/Pod-2-Format-Reference] (CRC=[[CRC-32#CRC-32/MPEG-2|CRC-32/MPEG-2]])
** [[POD3]] (.pod) [https://github.com/jopadan/termpod/wiki/Pod-3-Format-Reference] (CRC=CRC-32/MPEG-2)
** [[POD4]] (.pod) [https://github.com/jopadan/termpod/wiki/Pod-4-Format-Reference] (CRC=CRC-32/MPEG-2)
** [[POD5]] (.pod) [https://github.com/jopadan/termpod/wiki/Pod-5-Format-Reference] (CRC=CRC-32/MPEG-2)
** [[POD6]] (.pod) [https://github.com/jopadan/termpod/wiki/Pod-6-Format-Reference] (no CRC)
** [[EPD]] (.epd) [https://github.com/jopadan/termpod/wiki/Epd-Format-Reference] (CRC=CRC-32/MPEG-2)

* Tiled
** [[Tiled JSON]]
** [[Tiled TMX]]
** [[Tiled TSX]]

* Torque 3D game engine
** [[DTS]] (.dts)

* Valve Source Engine
** [[Valve Model Format]] (.mdl) [https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/MDL Source Code]
** [[Valve Collision Model]] (.phy)
** [[Valve Map Format]] (.vmf)
** [[Valve Material Type]] (.vmt)
** [[Valve Vertex Data]] (.vvd)
** [[Valve Texture Format]] (.vtf)

* Xtremeworlds
** [[Xtremeworlds PWX]]
** [[Xtremeworlds map]]

* [[ZZT]]
** [[ZXT/ZAX]]

* [[ZZ Zero]]

==Individual Game Formats==

This section details formats which are specific to a single game (or perhaps a game series), such as [[God of Thunder Music Format]].
* 7 Days to Die
** [[TTS Prefab]] (.tts)
** [[7DTD Map File]] (.map)
* Age of Empires
** [[Data Resource File]] (.drs)
** [[Age of Empires Graphics File]] (.slp)
* Age of Mythology
** [[BAR (Age of Mythology)]] (.bar archive)
* Alter Ego (1986)
** [[Alter Ego Vignette Script format]]
* Arma
** [[Arma PBO]] (.pbo)
* Barony
** [[Barony Voxel]] (.vox)
* Blur
** [[BAF]] (Blur ADPCM)
* BVE, OpenBVE, Boso View Express (railroad simulator)
** [[BVE object formats]]
** [[BVE route formats]]
** [[BVE train.dat file]]
* Carnivores
** [[CAR (Carnivores)]] (.car)
* Cartooners
** [[Cartooners actor file]] (.act)
** [[Electronic Arts INF‎]] (.inf)
** [[Electronic Arts MOV]] (.mov)
** [[Electronic Arts MUS]] (.mus)
* Chasm: The Rift
** [[CAR (Chasm: The Rift)]]
* Cities Skylines
** [[Cities Skylines CRP]] (.crp)
* Commander Keen 1
** [[Commander Keen 1 Level format]] (.ck1)
* Core Wars
** [[RBJ (Redcode oBJect)]] (.rbj)
* Crystal Caves
** [[Crystal Caves Sound format]] (.snd)
* Dance With Intensity
** [[Dance With Intensity simfile]] (.dwi)
* Dangerous Dave
** [[Dangerous Dave level format]]
** [[Dangerous Dave tileset format]]
** (also uses [[Inverse Frequency Sound format]])
* Dark Reign
** [[FTG (Dark Reign)]]
** [[PAL (Dark Reign)]]
* Dofus
** [[Dofus localization]]
* Donkey Konga 2
** [[Donkey Konga 2 DSP]]
* Doom
** [[Doom cheat code encryption]]
** [[Doom MUS]] (.mus)
** [[Doom WAD]] (.wad)
** [[Doom DWD]] (.dwd)
** [[DeHackEd patch]] (used by the Doom modding community)
* DTX Mania
** [[DTX Mania simfile]]
* Duke Nukem
** [[ART (Duke Nukem 3D)]]
** [[DAT (Duke Nukem 3D)]]
** [[Duke Nukem level format]]
** [[Duke Nukem graphics format]]
** [[GRP (Duke Nukem 3D)]]
* Fallout
** [[Fallout character description]] (.gcd)
* Friday Night Funkin
** [[Friday Night Funkin mod]]
* Garry's Mod
** [[Garry's Mod Addon]] (.gma)
* God of Thunder
** [[DAT (God of Thunder)]]
** [[God of Thunder Music Format]]
* Grand Theft Auto
** [[RAGE Package Format]] (.rpf)
** [[RenderWare binary stream file]] (.dff)
* In the Groove
** [[In the Groove PCK]] (.pck)
* Jack Nicklaus Golf & Course Design: Signature Edition
** [[JNSE golf course]]
* Kick It Up
** [[Kick It Up simfile]] (.ksf)
* Lego Island
** [[Lego Island World Database]] (.wdb)
* Magic & Mayhem
** [[Magic & Mayhem sprites file]]
* Mario Kart Wii
** [[Wii BTI]]
* Mario Paint
** [[Mario Paint Composer]]
** [[SHI]]
** [[SHO]]
* Mass Effect
** [[AFC]] (AFX audio file; Mass Effect 2)
* MegaZeux
** [[MegaZeux Property List]]
* Minecraft
** [[Minecraft Alpha level format]]
** [[Minecraft Anvil format]]
** [[Minecraft Bedrock Edition level format]]
** [[Minecraft chunk format]]
** [[Minecraft classic level format]]
** [[Minecraft classic server protocol]]
** [[Minecraft generated structures format]]
** [[Minecraft Indev level format]]
** [[Minecraft Java Edition level format]]
** [[Minecraft loot table]]
** [[Minecraft map item format]]
** [[Minecraft model]]
** [[Minecraft NBT format]]
** [[Minecraft player format]]
** [[Minecraft raids.dat format]]
** [[Minecraft Region format]]
** [[Minecraft server_level.dat]]
** [[Minecraft server list format]]
** [[Minecraft structure block file format]]
** [[Minecraft scoreboard format]]
** [[Minecraft sounds.json]]
** [[Minecraft villages.dat format]]
** [[Schematic file format]]
* Mortal Kombat 4
** [[Mortal Kombat 4 filesys.dat]]
* Pokémon
** [[Pokémon Mystery Dungeon]]
** [[Pokémon ROM]]
** [[RMC]]
* Quake
** [[MD2]] - Quake 2 model format (.md2)
** [[MD3]] - Quake 3 model format (.md3)
** [[MD4 (Quake)|MD4]] - Quake MD4 model format (used in later Quake 3 versions) (.md4)
* Rise of the Triad
** [[Rise of the Triad level format]]
** (also uses [[Doom WAD]])
* RobotWar
** [[RobotWar|RobotWar programming language]]
* Sims, The
** [[CFP]] (Compressed Floating Point)
** [[CMX/BCF]]
** [[FAR (The Sims)]]
** [[IFF (The Sims)]] (.iff, .flr, .wll, .spf, .stx)
** [[SKN/BMF]]
* Starbound
** [[PAK (Starbound)]]
* StarCraft
** [[StarCraft group file]] (.grp)
* StepMania
** [[StepMania simfile]] (.sm)
** [[StepMania 5 simfile]] (.ssc)
** [[StepMania AMX simfile]] (.sma)
* Stronghold
**[[Stronghold GM1]] (.gm1)
**[[TGX Graphics]] (.tgx)
* Supaplex
** [[Supaplex Level format]] (.dat)
* Super Mario Galaxy
** [[Super Mario Galaxy savefile]]
* Super Paper Mario
** [[BRSTMPSM]] (music data)
* Total War
** [[Total War ESF]] (.esf)
* Vinyl Goddess From Mars
** [[Vinyl Goddess From Mars Instrument Format]]
** [[Vinyl Goddess From Mars Music Format]]
* Warcraft
** [[Warcraft II PUD]] (.pud) (custom maps)
* Wiggle Planet
** [[Wiglet]]
* Wii Fit / Wii Fit Plus
** [[Wii Fit BMG]]

== Game hints ==
* [[UHS]]

== Board/card games ==
* [[Magic Set Editor]]
** [[Magic Set Editor card set]] (.mse-set)
** [[Magic Set Editor export template]] (.mse-export-template)
** [[Magic Set Editor game definition]] (.mse-game)
** [[Magic Set Editor include package]] (.mse-include)
** [[Magic Set Editor installer]] (???)
** [[Magic Set Editor style sheet]] (.mse-style)
** [[Magic Set Editor symbol font]] (.mse-symbol-font)
* [[REKO Cardset]]
* [[TeXnicard]]
** [[TeXnicard card database]]
** [[TeXnicard template]]
* [[Wiz Solitaire]]

== Uncategorized ==

* [[RBPACK]]

== External links ==

* [http://www.osti.gov/accomplishments/videogame.html Possibly the first video game, in 1958]
* [https://archive.org/details/Nintendo_Ultra64_Programming_Manual Nintendo Ultra64 Programming Manual]
* [http://ukvac.com/forum/topic335921.html Sega Pengo: bug found in maze generating algorithm]
* [http://www.stavros.io/posts/winning-candy-crush/ How to 'hack' Candy Crush]
* [http://www.glitchthegame.com/public-domain-game-art/ Glitch game files, released into the public domain]
* [https://github.com/jmechner/Prince-of-Persia-Apple-II Prince of Persia source code (Apple II)]
* [http://sourceforge.net/projects/dice/ DICE: emulator of early discrete-circuit video games]
* [http://www.polygon.com/2014/4/22/5640114/maze-invaders-atari-arcade-source-code-strong-museum-icheg Museum acquires 'virtually complete' source code from Atari's arcade heyday]
* [https://archive.org/details/pdp1_spacewar Spacewar! for the PDP-1 (1962)] (with in-browser emulation)
* [http://tcrf.net/Category:Games_with_hidden_developer_messages Games with hidden developer messages]
* [http://www.loc.gov/preservation/resources/rfs/softgame.html Library of Congress Recommended Format Specifications: Software/Gaming]
* [https://github.com/keendreams/keen Keen Dreams Source Code (open-source release)]

PAK

2026-01-11T12:38:31Z

Adrmcr: added starbound pak file

{{FormatInfo
|formattype=electronic
|subcat=Archiving
|extensions={{ext|pak}}
}}
'''PAK''' has been used as a name and file extension for a number of archiving formats, primarily connected with computer games. There is no consistent specification, and the various versions are not always compatible with one another. Some are openable with common archive utilities such as WinZip, and may even just be [[ZIP]] files which have been renamed.

'''PAK''' might refer to:
* [[PAK (ARC extension)]]
* [[Quake PAK]]
* [[PAK (Resident Evil 1997)]]
* [[oPAQue]] - A utility originally named PAK
* [[LzwPak]]
* PKPAK - See [[PKARC/PKPAK]]
* [[PAK (Starbound)]]

See also the [[Pack]] disambiguation page.

== Information about various PAK formats ==
=== Software ===
* [http://www.aegidian.org/gqt/depak/index.html DePacker]
* [http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-2379.html TMPak Tool]
* [http://sdk.crydev.net/display/modsdk/PAK+Manager PAK Manager Tool] (Crysis 2)
* [http://www.leinensoft.com/bz2/pakexplorer.htm PAK Explorer] (Battlezone II)

=== Other Links ===
* [http://www.fileinfo.com/extension/pak FileInfo page]
* [http://menofwarwiki.referata.com/wiki/Handling_with_PAK_files Handling Men of War PAK files]
* [http://www.katsbits.com/tutorials/idtech/how-to-make-pk3-pak-files.php Tutorial on creating PAK files]
* [http://fluffynukeit.com/2013/01/reading-the-tl2-pak-file/ Reading TL2 PAK file]

{{disambiguation}}

PAK (Starbound)

2026-01-11T12:37:57Z

Adrmcr: add

{{FormatInfo
|formattype=electronic
|subcat=Game data files
|extensions={{ext|pak}}
|magic=SBASSET6
}}

'''PAK''' is the container file format for storing game assets in the game Starbound.

== Description ==
A Starbound PAK file starts with "SBASSET6", then eight bytes of a pointer to an index table. That index table starts with "INDEX", and then is followed up with metadata about the file in a compressed json format used by this file format and other similar storage files in the game. This compressed format depends on using variable-length integers to store length information, and then the information itself. Frequently, but not necessarily a dynamic "data type" byte is used before the length to specify what data type the following data is, with 1 being null, 2 being 8 bytes, 3 being a boolean, 4 being a signed variable-length integer, 5 being a string in utf-8 format, 6 being a list, and 7 being a map. A list consists of the amount of list elements followed by the elements in dynamic format, while a map consists of the amount of key-value entries in the map, starting with a string as a key and then the value in dynamic format. The metadata format continues as such until the end of the key-value list, after which a file listing starts, with a variable-length integer stating the amount of file entries. A file entry consists of the file name in length-string format, then eight bytes of a pointer to the file and eight bytes of the file's length.

Baba Is You saved game

2022-01-26T10:58:35Z

Adrmcr: added info about SettingsC.txt

{{FormatInfo
|formattype=electronic
|subcat=Saved Games
|extensions={{ext|ba}}
}}
'''Baba is You saved game''' files save various pieces of metadata about levelpacks that are played, most notably of which the bonuses, level wins, and world clears of each levelpack. The main four files used by the game are ba.ba, 0ba.ba, 1ba.ba, and 2ba.ba, although with a bit of hacking, the game can load 3ba.ba and beyond. Additionally, the game uses SettingsC.txt to store other metadata, such as general settings, controls, save file names, and data about the level editor.

Baba Is You saved game

2022-01-26T10:54:59Z

Adrmcr: added file names that the game uses

Baba Is You saved game

2022-01-26T10:50:34Z

Adrmcr: added article skeleton, may add more info later

Mark McIntyres Soko

2022-01-17T15:24:29Z

Adrmcr: Redirected page to SOK (Sokoban)

#REDIRECT [[SOK (Sokoban)]]

SOK (Sokoban)

2022-01-17T15:23:28Z

Adrmcr:

{{FormatInfo
|formattype=electronic
|subcat=Game data files
|extensions={{ext|sok}}
}}

'''SOK''' (also called '''Mark McIntyres Soko''' by [https://www.joriswit.nl/sokoban/ Sokoban++]) is an all-purpose Sokoban file format, which stores packs of Sokoban levels along with some metadata and the solutions to those levels.

== Examples ==
* A few of these files can be found bundled with [http://www.sourcecode.se/sokoban/levels Sokoban YASC].

Kallmarks XML format

2022-01-17T15:21:38Z

Adrmcr: Redirected page to Sokoban XML

#REDIRECT [[Sokoban XML]]

Kallmarks XML Format

2022-01-17T15:21:16Z

Adrmcr: Redirected page to Sokoban XML

#REDIRECT [[Sokoban XML]]

Kallmarks XML format

2022-01-17T15:21:02Z

Adrmcr:

{{Delete|moved a page here for naming, blanked the now-redirect page to avoid double redirect, but now can't move back because of that blanking}}

Kallmarks XML Format

2022-01-17T15:18:01Z

Adrmcr: blanked

Kallmarks XML Format

2022-01-17T15:17:49Z

Adrmcr: Adrmcr moved page Kallmarks XML Format to Kallmarks XML format: allcaps original title

#REDIRECT [[Kallmarks XML format]]

Kallmarks XML format

2022-01-17T15:17:49Z

Adrmcr: Adrmcr moved page Kallmarks XML Format to Kallmarks XML format: allcaps original title

#REDIRECT [[Sokoban XML]]

Sokoban XML

2022-01-17T15:16:55Z

Adrmcr:

{{FormatInfo
|formattype=electronic
|subcat=Game data files
|extensions={{ext|slc}}
}}

'''Sokoban XML''', also called the '''Kallmarks XML format''' by [https://www.joriswit.nl/sokoban/ Sokoban++], is an XML-based file format used to store Sokoban levels.

== Examples ==
* A collection of these files can be found at [http://www.sourcecode.se/sokoban/levels sourcecode.se].

[[Category:XML based file formats]]

Kallmarks XML format

2022-01-17T15:15:38Z

Adrmcr: Redirected page to Sokoban XML

#REDIRECT [[Sokoban XML]]

SOK (Sokoban)

2022-01-17T15:10:16Z

Adrmcr: skeleton done

{{FormatInfo
|formattype=electronic
|subcat=Game data files
|extensions={{ext|sok}}
}}

'''SOK''' is an all-purpose Sokoban file format, which stores packs of Sokoban levels along with some metadata and the solutions to those levels.

== Examples ==
* A few of these files can be found bundled with [http://www.sourcecode.se/sokoban/levels Sokoban YASC].

Sokoban XML

2022-01-17T14:35:34Z

Adrmcr:

{{FormatInfo
|formattype=electronic
|subcat=Game data files
|extensions={{ext|slc}}
}}

'''Sokoban XML''' is an XML-based file format used to store Sokoban levels.

== Examples ==
* A collection of these files can be found at [http://www.sourcecode.se/sokoban/levels sourcecode.se].

[[Category:XML based file formats]]

Sokoban XML

2022-01-17T14:35:13Z

Adrmcr: very basic page skeleton

{{FormatInfo
|formattype=electronic
|subcat=Game data files
|extensions={{ext|slc}}
}}

'''Sokoban XML''' is an XML-based file format used to store Sokoban levels.

== Examples ==
* A collection of these files can be found at [[http://www.sourcecode.se/sokoban/levels]].

[[Category:XML based file formats]]

Google Takeout

2022-01-17T14:22:08Z

Adrmcr: fixed typo

A google account is an account on all google services like Gmail, Google Drive, YouTube, and more.

ArchiveTeam HIGHLY recommends taking out your primary school (Elementary, middle, high) when you complete it.
# Nostalgia - checking your old work
# '''Future use - Collages and businesses might need old work.'''
# Personal data - Sometimes you store non-school files on school services, or you do non-school things during school.

==Takeout==
Google Takeout offers a near complete backup of your data straight from the cloud. Please send feedback to google if you realize something’s missing.

https://takeout.google.com/

Note: please enable: Access log activity and click the gear icon in google drive and tick the 2 boxes for the maximum amount of data.

==Services NOT included in takeout==
*[[Android Google Drive Backup]]s
*Feedburner data (go to the feedburner website to export it yourself)
*[[Google drive WhatsApp backup]]s, pretty much the same deal as [[iCloud WhatsApp Backup]]s
*Chrome canvas data
*[https://www.google.com/tools/feedback/reports?hl=en Feedback made by the icon]
*Google custom search engine data
*Google 9-square launcher icon configuration
*Google drive "private app data"
*Ad personalization data
*Recently permanently deleted data
*Possibly more…