Guide to Game Development/Data file types

Data file types/formats

Text based file types

• .xml

Easy for humans to read, levels of indentation, can take up a lot of space. Standard used for storing general data.

• .json

Compact data file, better for humans not to see, levels of indentation.

• .txt

Text file used for miscellaneous things.

• .ini

Easy to read, usually used to store game options.

Binary based file types

• .dll

• .xnb

Used with XNA programming

Geometry

• Wavefront .obj

Used for storing 3D models

• • Wavefront .mtl

Material template library, used to store one or more materials within one file. Used with Wavefront .obj.

• .fbx

File type owned by Autodesk

Image types

Bitmapped

• .png

Loss-less compression, good compress

• .jpg or .jpeg

Uses lossy compression

• .bmp

Loss-less compression, not so amazing compression, but easier to read with code

• .gif

• .tga and TGA 2.0

• .pnm.bz2

Texture formats

• .mat

• .dds

Used for DXTC (Desktop platforms: OS X, Linux, Windows & Tegra) and ATC (Andreno GPUs) textures .

• .pvr

Used for PVRT textures (PowerVR GPUs).

• .pkm

Used for ETC1 textures(All OGLES 2.0 devices compatibles).

Vector

• .svg

Scaled vector graphic

Audio

• .mp3

• .wma

• .wav

• .ogg

• .midi

• .cda

• .rm

• .asf

• .bik

Animation

• .anim

Fonts

• .ttf

Other

• .prefab

External links

Audio files

• Recommendations about audio files and APIs used with them
• Descriptions of audio files