I cannot find most of the .dat files

[Nerik]

Ok, this is a bit of a puzzle,  works fine (installed on Windows XP), however Character Tool 2 doesn't work as it cannot find the powers.dat file, and FFedit shows all panes as read only, except for sound and fx - and the only .dat files I can find are sound.dat and fx.dat. I have examined both the CDs, but I haven't found the files there either.

Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong please?

Thanks,

Charles

[Nerik]

Ok, I managed to fix this by installing FFX3 and using the .dat files from that. Nothing has exploded so far, so I think I'm ok. I'd still like to know where the game had put the files though, as it's obviously getting the data from somewhere! 

[stumpy]

Normally, the DAT files for the base game (as shipped by IG) will be in the Data folder, under the base game folder. However, I think it is possible to install without unpacking some of the DATs from the FF files (which are just ZIP files) on the CD, or to install so that the game loads by just reading the DATs from the CD.

For a mod, the the game uses the DATs in that mod's folder, if they are present, or uses the base game DATs if a given DAT file isn't in the mod's folder.

If you are looking to modify a DAT for the base game and its DATs aren't in the Data folder, then you should be able to copy them there from the CD.

[Nerik]

Well, I've looked in the data folder, and the game CD, and I still can't find them - but they must be there somewhere - as  works without a problem, I've got Character Tool 2 working, but cannot use it to edit skins (the 'edit' button remains greyed out). I've got the version of  with the bonus DVD, (was there a version without?). I am thouroghly confused by this  . Anyway, thanks for the help.

[Previsionary]

Well, I've looked in the data folder, and the game CD, and I still can't find them - but they must be there somewhere - as  works without a problem, I've got Character Tool 2 working, but cannot use it to edit skins (the 'edit' button remains greyed out). I've got the version of  with the bonus DVD, (was there a version without?). I am thouroghly confused by this  . Anyway, thanks for the help.

The dats are on the first cd in the "DATA" folder... or should be. The "edit" button only works on custom meshes and it relies on certain setups from time to time (US vs. UK; IG vs. DJ vs. the current distributors). And yes, copies of the game came without a bonus dvd.

[Nerik]

Ok, I've had another look at the CD (no. 1), there is no Data folder, but there is a Data1.cab archive file which contains a number of .dll files, a ffvt3r.exe and a resource1.dat file (which I think is continued on CD 2).

I am in the UK, also, from reading the documentation of various mods, meshes, etc. it seems that the common install path is "Program Files\Irrational Games\..." while the installer on mine put it in "Program Files\Digital Jesters\...".

So the plot thickens....

[GogglesPizanno]

Ugh.
If i remember correctly the digital Jesters distribution moved files all over the place and was generally a pain to deal with (especially trying to install the mod tools and editor).

Try going to the game's install folder.
Then do a windows search for *.dat. This may find those files hidden in some other location.
One other thing may be to look at the *.ff files in the Game's data directory. Its possible they bundled the dats up in one of those archive files like the art assets are....

[Nerik]

Of course, now I cannot find most of the .ff files that should be there - at least, I can't find art.ff or data.ff. 

Thanks anyway,

Charles