FF8/FileFormat DAT

By Mirex, JWP and myst6re.

Header

DAT file is divided into 11 sections (except for c0m127.dat, which contains only 2 sections : 7th and 8th).

Offset	Length	Description
0	4 bytes	Number of sections (always =11, except for c0m127.dat)
4	nbSections * 4 bytes	Section Positions
4 + nbSections * 4	4 bytes	File size

Section 1: Skeleton

Offset	Length	Description
0	2 bytes	Number of bones
2	14 bytes	Unknown
16	Number of bones * 48 bytes	Bones

Bone struct

Offset	Length	Description
0	2 bytes	Parent id
2	2 bytes	Bone size
4	44 bytes	Unknown (often empty)

Section 2: Model geometry

Header (data sub table)

Offset	Length	Description
0	4 bytes	Number of objects
4	nbObjects * 4 bytes	Object Positions

Object Data

Offset	Length	Description
0	2 bytes	Number of Vertices Data
2	Varies * NbVerticesData	Vertices Data
Varies	absolutePosition % 4	Padding (0x00)
Varies	2 bytes	Num triangles
Varies	2 bytes	Num quads
Varies	8 bytes	Padding (0x00)
Varies	numTriangles * 16 bytes	Triangles
Varies	numQuads * 20 bytes	Quads
Varies	4 bytes	Total number of vertices (may be not visible)

Vertice Data

Offset	Length	Description
0	2 bytes	Bone id
2	2 bytes	Number of vertices
4	nbVertices * 6 bytes	Vertices (nbVertices * 3 shorts)

Useful structures

typedef struct {
     sint16	x, y, z;
} vertice;

(sizeof = 6)

typedef struct {
     uint16	vertex_indexes[3];
     uint8	texCoords1[2];
     uint8	texCoords2[2];
     uint16	textureID_related;
     uint8	texCoords3[2];
     uint16	u; // textureID_related2
} triangle;

(sizeof = 16)

typedef struct {
     uint16	vertex_indexes[4];
     uint8	texCoords1[2];
     uint16	textureID_related;
     uint8	texCoords2[2];
     uint16	u; // textureID_related2
     uint8	texCoords3[2];
     uint8	texCoords4[2];
} triangle;

(sizeof = 20)

Section 3: Model animation

Header (data sub table)

Offset	Length	Description
0	4 bytes	Number of animations
4	nbAnimations * 4 bytes	Animations Positions