Simcity_1.dat?

[GeneralEtrius 78]

I've been seeing a few discussions about the Simcity_1.dat file and its so called secrets? What's all that about? From what I understood it was just a block of code that was part of the game files.

[The Avatar 1,088]

I'm curious about this too...

[BIWDC 2,296]

The sim city.dats not just simcity_1.dat are the files that hold the model files,texture files,

ect for the game & can be opened & viewed using ilives reader or another program similar

to that.

[Ganaram Inukshuk 906]

I've done my own analysis of DAT-1 from time to time and can give a more elaborate description of its contents. It's the file that contains all the S3Ds, path files, exemplar files, UI files, default RULs, sound files, cursor files, icon files, hotkey files, and other things needed for the game's functionality of its features; S3Ds for the models, paths for the transit networks, exemplars for props and such, UI for the interfaces, RULs for how the networks work, and so on. Every other DAT (2 to 5) has all the FSHs (textures, for example) for everything needed for the game's models, lots, and networks.

Ever wanted to find the exemplars for a specific lot? It's in there.

[GeneralEtrius 78]

Okay, thanks for explaining that. I've heard that there was some cut content that somehow was left in there?

[Tarkus 6,931]

Having looked over all the dats in some detail, I can tell you that SimCity_2.dat all the way up to SimCity_5.dat contain pretty much nothing but textures, and there's not really much substantive in there.

All the real meaty stuff is in SimCity_1.dat. Back in the early days (mainly 2003-early 2004), before we had figured out external .dat files, mods were patched into SimCity_1.dat using a tool called RPatch. And yes, there are pieces of content in there that weren't enabled in the released game. Some of it has proven useful--other items only hold interest as curiosities.

-Tarkus