questshock/modding/ss-specs/fileFormat/index.md

File Overview

Variants

Not considering any re-releases, System Shock 1 was available in the following variants:

• For DOS
• Demo: HD and CD
• Release: HD and CD
• For MAC
• Release: CD

Unless otherwise noted, this documentation considers only the DOS CD release.

The main difference between HD and CD releases is the CD releases contain audio files for the voice logs and provide a high resolution option.

Locations

Data files described in this documentation are available at the following locations:

• CD-ROM (System Shock 1 CD)
• /cdrom/data
• /hd/data (will be copied to HD)
• HD (System Shock installation directory)
• /data

File Types

Data files come in the following variants:

• Resource files, which are structured archives
• Property files, containing one or more serialized tables

Resource files are the majority. All files with filename suffix .res are resource files. Savegame files have the same format, including the "starter" savegame file archive.dat. These files contain one or more "resource" entries. Resources are identified and contain one or more data blocks. A resource with more than one data block is called a "compound resource".

The property files are "flat" files containing one or more serialized tables.

List of Files

The following table shows an overview of the known files, across the different releases.

For resource files, resources may share the same identifier. In this case they represent the alternatives available through configuration. The options are:

• Language. Available are: "English", "French" and "German"
• Cutscene resolution (MOVI format). Available are: "low" (320x150) and "svga" (600x300)

The "bitmap" based cutscenes have a resolution of 320x200 and have their own identifier.

Content	Languages			Location HD Release		Location CD Release
	ENG	FRN	GER	Demo	Release	Demo	Release
Startup and Cutscenes
Splash screens	```splash.res```			HD	HD	CD	CD
Splash screen palette	```splshpal.res```			--	HD	--	CD
Palette for low-res bitmap cutscenes	```cutspal.res```			--	HD	--	CD
Low-Res bitmap intro cutscene	```start1.res```			--	HD	--	CD
Low-Res MOVI intro cutscene	```lowintr.res```	```lofrintr.res```	```logeintr.res```	--	--	--	CD
High-Res MOVI intro cutscene	```svgaintr.res```	```svfrintr.res```	```svgeintr.res```	--	--	--	CD
Low-Res bitmap end cutscene	```win1.res```			--	HD	--	CD
Low-Res MOVI end cutscene	```lowend.res```			--	--	--	CD
High-Res MOVI end cutscene	```svgaend.res```			--	--	--	CD
Low-Res bitmap death cutscene	```death.res```			--	HD	--	CD
Low-Res MOVI death cutscene	```lowdeth.res```			--	--	--	CD
High-Res MOVI death cutscene	```svgadeth.res```			--	--	--	CD
Main menu screens	```intro.res```			HD	HD	CD	HD & CD
In-game Resources
New Game Template	```archive.dat```			HD	HD	CD	CD
In-game palette	```gamepal.res```			HD	HD	CD	CD
Texts	```cybstrng.res```	```frnstrng.res```	```gerstrng.res```	HD	HD	HD	HD
HUD resources	```mfdart.res```	```mfdfrn.res```	```mfdger.res```	HD 1)	HD	HD 1)	HD
Trigger audio	```citbark.res```	```frnbark.res```	```gerbark.res```	--	--	CD 1)	CD
Log Audio	```citalog.res```	```frnalog.res```	```geralog.res```	--	--	CD 1)	CD
Video Mails	```vidmail.res```			--	HD	--	CD
???	```objart.res```			HD	HD	CD	CD
???	```objart2.res```			HD	HD	HD	HD
???	```sideart.res```			HD	HD	HD	HD
Level textures	```texture.res```			HD	HD	HD	HD
???	```citmat.res```			HD	HD	HD	HD
Sound Effects	```digifx.res```			HD	HD	HD	HD
???	```gamescr.res```			HD	HD	HD	HD
???	```handart.res```			HD	HD	HD	HD
???	```obj3d.res```			HD	HD	HD	HD
???	```objart3.res```			HD	HD	CD	HD
Property Files
Object properties	```objprop.dat```			HD	HD	CD	HD
Texture properties	```textprop.dat```			HD	HD	CD	CD

1) Only the English files available