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ReadMe.md

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Data Configuration File

Data configuration files (data.cnf) are used by derivatives of the MGS engine to determine what files to load in a given data set of non-streamed data (stage, face, slot). Although always present when the files are left unpacked, data.cnf files are excluded when the .dir/.dat archives are built; the relevant information is included in the binary header of each stage/subdirectory.

Table of Contents

Syntax & Examples

One file is listed per line. In most cases, LF (Unix-style) linebreaks are used.

Lines beginning with a single period (".resident", for example) are used to set flags regarding into which portion of memory the following files are to be loaded.

.resident
resident_file1.txt
resident_file2.txt
.cache
cache_file1.txt
cache_file2.txt

The following table details known flags and their general usage.

Flag Description
.nocache Typically used for overlays
.resident Resident area, persists between stages
.cache Work area, renewed upon loading a stage
.sound MGS1-specific, sound data
.face MGS2-specific, used for codec face data
.delayload MGS4-specific, used for .dld/.dlz files
.delayload_w MGS4-specific, used for .dld/.dlz files
.vram PW-specific, used for .vrd/.vram pairs

Slot References

Beginning with the introduction of the slot system in Metal Gear Solid 3, groups of files within a slot archive are referenced using the following command.

.resident
resident_file.txt
.slot example_slot 1 12345
.endslot
.cache
cache_file.txt
.slot example_slot 3 56789
.endslot

This would instruct the program to load the first group of files (found at offset 12345) from "example_slot.slot" into the resident area, and the third group (found at offset 56789) to the work area.

@ Prefix (Textures)

For a currently unknown reason, texture archive (.qar) entries are prefixed with the "@" character like so.

.cache
@cache.qar
cache.dar

It's possible this has something to do with texture units needing to be copied to VRAM via DMA many times during the frame rendering process.

? Prefix (MG Arcade)

Also for an unknown reason, the "?" character is used to prefix the following file in Metal Gear Arcade.

?afp_loadinfo_0000.afp

Samples

Metal Gear Solid: Integral (Windows)

Sample: stage.mgz/stage/init/data.cnf

Sample: stage.mgz/stage/s00a/data.cnf

Sample: stage.mgz/stage/s01a/data.cnf

Note: Most data.cnf files in this port have timestamps that date several months before the release of Integral for the PlayStation. They're likely unmodified from KCE Japan's originals as the PC port started development in December of 1999.

Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance (Windows)

Sample: cdrom.img/face/f00a/data.cnf

Sample: cdrom.img/stage/r_tnk0/data.cnf

Sample: cdrom.img/stage/w00a/data.cnf

Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes

Sample: shared/stage/preview/data.cnf

The Twin Snakes uses a stage.dat archive. This is the only file remaining in the shared/stage directory on the disc (North American and Japanese versions). This file is not present on either disc for debug build v099.1 or the European release. It's highly likely the rest followed the same rules as Metal Gear Solid 2.

Metal Gear AC!D

Sample: stage/init/_zar/data.cnf

Sample: stage/st00/_zar/data.cnf

Sample: stage/st01/_zar/data.cnf

Metal Gear AC!D2

Sample: stage/init/_zar/data.cnf

Sample: stage/st0000/_zar/data.cnf

Sample: stage/st0100/_zar/data.cnf

Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops

Sample: stage/r_main01/_zar/data.cnf

Sample: stage/st01/_zar/data.cnf

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Sample: mgs/stage/init/data.cnf

Sample: mgs/stage/mg_setup/data.cnf

Sample: mgs/stage/mg_setup1/data.cnf

Sample: mgs/stage/title/data.cnf

Sample: mgs/stage/r_sna01/data.cnf (MGS4 Demo Version)

Sample: mgs/stage/s01a10l/data.cnf (MGS4 Demo Version)

Note: The same flags tend to appear multiple times.

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

Sample: STAGEDAT.PDT/r_main01/data.cnf

Sample: STAGEDAT.PDT/w00s01a/data.cnf

Metal Gear Arcade

Sample: cdrom.img/stage/init_n/data.cnf

Sample: cdrom.img/stage/n001a/data.cnf

Sample: cdrom.img/stage/r_sna01_n/data.cnf

Metal Gear Arcade's system is set up with a special case to detect .afp and .xml files and retrieve them from cdrom.img/afp instead of interpreting the entry as a file in the current directory.

Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D

Sample: romFS/stage/r_sna01/data.cnf

Sample: romFS/stage/s000a_0/data.cnf

Anubis: Zone of the Enders HD Edition

Sample: ZoE2/stage/init/data.cnf

Sample: ZoE2/stage/vr01/data.cnf

Sample: ZoE2/stage/zakat/data.cnf

ZOE2 HD used a stage.dat archive equivalent to the original release. It's currently unknown what use these are to the game.