Fallout 2 File Structure

Fallout 2 File structure

File Types

Type	Description
AAF	fonts.
ACM	music, speech and special effects.
BIO	biographies for premade characters.
CFG	in master.dat\art\cuts, it is a configuration file for videos; in the game directory it is game settings (fallout2.cfg).
DAT	in this game directory it contains resources; save.dat (in \savegame) contains saved game data; worldmap.dat (see below) has information on the world map.
FON	proportional? fonts.
FRM	animated images. FR0, FR1, FR2, FR3, FR4, FR5 - critter animation in one of the six directions.
GAM	files containing information about the game variables.
GCD	premade characters.
INT	compiled scripts.
LIP	files required for synchronizing speech and facial expressions for talking heads.
LST	a list of files in the relevant directory, we need to assign a number to each file.
MAP	location maps.
MSG	text files.
MSK	world map tile masks.
MVE	videos.
PAL	palette.
PRO	prototypes of game objects.
RIX	loading images.
SAV	city maps stored in savegames.
SVE	subtitles for the videos.
TXT	text files of information (description of each format separately), or plain text.

The structure of the game Resources

Core resources are in the .dat files master.dat and critter.dat. Patch data is in the files patchXXX.dat (see p. 3). Saved games, modified files and music are in the directory \FALLOUT2\DATA\. There is a standard directory structure, in which the game is looking for its files (it is similar for master.dat, critter.dat, patchXXX.dat and directories \FALLOUT2\DATA\):

\ - in the root directory are fonts and Palette game. 
| 
+ART\ -in this directory is a picture-game graphics, animation and video.
        | 
        +BACKGRND\ - image background for "talking head" for various locations. 
        +CRITTERS\ - game animation characters (see critter.dat). 
        +CUTS\ - videos. 
        +HEADS\ - animation for "talking head". 
        +INTRFACE\ - picture interface games. 
        +INVEN\ - images of objects in the inventory. 
        +ITEMS\ - images of objects on the ground. 
        +MISC\ - picture "other" facilities. 
        +SCENERY\ - images of objects entourage. 
        +SKILLDEX\ - image characteristics (PIPboy). 
        +SPLASH\ - boot images. 
        +TILES\ - tayly floor and ceiling buildings. 
        +WALLS\ - wall buildings. 
| 
+DATA\ - game directory data. 
+MAPS\ - terrain maps. 
+PREMADE\ - files that describe the standard characters start the game. 
+PROTO\ - prototypes (profile) games following facilities:
        | 
        +CRITTERS\ - being. 
        +ITEMS\ - items. 
        +MISC\ - "other" facilities. 
        +SCENERY\ - facility environment. 
        +TILES\ - tile (tayly) floor and ceiling. 
        +WALLS\ - Wall. 
| 
+SCRIPTS\ - compiled scripts. 
+SOUND\ - speech and special effects. 
| 
        +SFX\ - special effects (the sound of things, weapons, etc.). 
        +SPEECH\ - it "talking head". 
                | 
                +BOSSS\ - Frank Horrigan. 
                +ELDER\ - elder. 
                +HAKU2\ - Hakunin (dying). 
                +HAKUN\ - Hakunin. 
                +HRLD2\ - Harold. 
                +LYNET\ - Lynette. 
                +MRCUS\ - Marcus. 
                +MYRON\ - Mayron. 
                +NARRATOR\ - Narrator. 
                +POWER\ - Enclave troopers. 
                +PRESI\ - President. 
                +SULIK\ - Sulik. 
                +TNDI2\ - Tandi. 
        | 
| 
+TEXT\ENGLISH\ - text files (files communications). 
        | 
        +CUTS\ - subtitles for the videos. 
        +DIALOG\ - dialogues and communication. 
        +GAME\ - text relating to the interface games.

Notes:

Paths to the music are stored separately in fallout2.cfg (it is not stored in DAT- files).

Those files also include worldmap.dat games, which creates the game itself and writes in the first accessible roots (see p. 3).

Save games are put in [master_patches]\SAVEGAME\SLOTXX , where XX - room slots (01-10). In slots are SAV files, file SAVE.DAT, file AUTOMAP.SAV and in the folders proto\items\, proto\critters, are PRO files.

The order game files are loaded

Note: The path to the resources is listed in the file fallout2.cfg. The game will download their files in the following order (from Red's research):

1. SAVEGAME (saved games usually are at .. \FALLOUT2\DATA\)
2. patchXXX.dat (patch file)
3. critter_patches (usually ..\FALLOUT2\DATA\)
4. critter_dat (usually ..\FALLOUT2\DATA\critter.dat)
5. master_patches (usually ..\FALLOUT2\DATA\)
6. master_dat (usually ..\FALLOUT2\DATA\master.dat)
7. current directory (usually the directory games, that is ..\FALLOUT2\)
8. if it fails to find the data, engine tries to continue without it as elegantly as it can.

Pay attention to a very important fact, the next on the list: if you load a saved game, the first files are pulled out of it! Then, and only then patchXXX.dat of DATA directory. As modified in the process moddinga files it is usually stored in the directory DATA to see your changes, you will most likely have to first start a new game, and secondly, to get rid of patchXXX.dat, for example, unpack it to the same pre - DATA directory. More on preparations Fallout2 to modding can learn from the FAQ.

Title patchXXX.dat means that the engine actually searches for files in the current directory with the names of patch000.dat to patch998.dat in steps of 2, or only the even-numbered - patch000.dat, patch0002.dat, ..., patch998.dat. As soon as the first file found, engine stops and the subsequent patches are not looked for.

Remember that you can continue, critter_patches and master_patches should indicate to the same directory!

Another unpleasant feature of the game is that the game removes all [master_patches]\proto\items\*.pro and [master_patches]\proto\critters\*.pro! Solution to this problem, as well as details of the engine with resources and ways to optimize their boot, you can see from the research Red 'and' How engine Fallout2 looking for their resources. "