The interfac.drs Reference
Published on 12-19-2014; updated on 12-28-2016
Tags: AOE2, Data Modding, Interface, Reference
Short Introduction
The interfac file is a .drs data file and is most of all used for user interfaces in “Age of Empires II” and “Age of Empires I”. It consists
out of slp files (graphics), bina files (data) and wav files (sounds). There has been some documentation created for this in the past but
incomplete and sometimes even false. Daniel Pereira and I decided to explore this file further, more thoroughly, and did some extensive research
to get to know more about the meaning of each file. This revealed several things that were as far as we know formerly not known yet. Even though
many new things have been uncovered by us even now there are still resources we can’t find an explanation for. We suspect some of them might be
unused or were used in alpha or beta versions of the game. Still we hope in the future to be able to clarify all the files within the file and if
you can help with this we’d very much appreciate it.
You can also view documentation for the interfac.drs file here on Google Drive: link
(I will not talk much about the sound files as they’re already pretty well documented in turtle packs’ csv files)
General Structure
397 files
Binary Files
126 in total, of which:
- 66 screen and dialogue data
- 11 campaign button location data
- 30 palettes
- 12 lists of numbers (purpose unknown)
- 7 various files (not plain text)[/ind]
Graphic Files
221 in total, of which:
- 54 civilization interfaces
- +- 20 background screens
- 24 campaign maps, buttons and other related to campaigns
- Buttons
- Dialogue screens
- Icons
- Various
Sound Files
50 in total
- Both for menus and in game
Data File Formats
Screen Data Format
Used for background screens and dialogues screens.
Type: Binary
ID: 50000 + id
Length: 1 KB
background1_files slp-name none slp-reference -1 background2_files slp-name none slp-reference -1 background2_files slp-name none slp-reference -1 palette_file palette-name palette-reference cursor_file cursor-name slp-reference shade_amount type amount button_file button-name slp-reference popup_dialog_sin dialogue-name bina-reference background_position number background_color palette-index bevel_colors palette-id palette-id palette-id palette-id palette-id palette-id text_color1 RGB-color text_color2 RGB-color focus_color1 RGB-color focus_color2 RGB-color state_color1 RGB-color state_color2 RGB-color
slp-name/palette-name/cursor-name/…: the name of the referenced file (optional)
slp-reference: reference id to a slp file
bina-reference: reference id to a binary file
palette-refence: reference id to a binary palette file
palette-index/palette-id: a number indicating the index of a color in the palette
RGB-color: three numbers determining the red, green and blue values of a color
background1_files: background image for 800×600 resolution
background2_files: background image for 1024×768 resolution
background3_files: background image for 1280×1024 resolution
palette_file: binary file containing the palette for this screen
cursor_file: cursor name and image(s) used for this screen or dialogue
shade_amount: amount of shading used (txt, bevel or button?)
button_file: button image(s)
popup_dialog_sin: popup screen used
background_position: ??
background_color: color used in the background if image is missing or doesn’t fill the screen
Bevel is a generated button and not made from an image
bevel_colors: two colors for the bevel border of buttons, first one is the top and right side, second one is the bottom and left side of
the button
text_color1: color of the text (does not always include all the text on the screen, some can be hard-coded)
text_color2: color of the text’s shadow
focus_color1: color of the text when hovered over
focus_color2: color of the text’s shadow when hovered over
state_color1: color of the text when selected
state_color2: color of the text’s shadow when selected
Campaign button location data
Defines where campaign button images and text on the map are placed. The numbers are examples
Type: Binary
ID (AoK): 50344 + campaign id
ID (TC): 53020 + campaign id
Length: 1 KB
id x-position y-position width height x-position_text y-position_text width_text height_text 1 167 110 89 80 137 195 150 20 2 532 446 89 74 526 521 150 20 3 637 187 96 112 603 305 150 20 4 387 203 83 76 370 279 150 20 5 0 0 1 1 -1 -1 -1 -1 6 0 0 1 1 -1 -1 -1 -1 7 0 0 1 1 -1 -1 -1 -1 8 247 015 74 80 142 95 400 40
First column: id of the button
Second column: X-position of the button
Third column: Y-postion of the button
Fourth column: width of the button
Fifth column: height of the button
Sixth column: X-position of the text
Seventh column: Y-position of the text
Eight column: width of the text
Ninth column: height of the text
Palette data
Stores 256 colors which are used throughout the game. Every screen and dialogue can have a different palette.
JASC-PAL
0100
256
256 * RGB-colors
Line 1: file format header
This is the part of the file that identifies the file as a Paint Shop Pro palette file.
Line 2: file format version
The version of the file format used in this palette file.
Line 3: number of colours in the palette
Old rules state that a JASC-PAL palette file can only contain either 256 or 16 colours. (16-color is not used in aoe)
Line 4 and onwards: palette data
Each line defines a standard RGB value for a single palette swatch.
Interfac List
Binary files (incomplete)
ID Type Name Description 50001 Screen data - Dialogue 1n screen data 50002 Screen data - Dialogue 2 screen data 50003 Screen data - Wooden dialogue screen data 50004 Screen data - Dialogue 4n screen data 50005 Screen data - Dialogue 5n screen data 50007 Screen data - Wooden dialogue screen data 50010 Screen data - Dialogue 7 screen data 50011 Screen data - Dialogue 8 screen data 50012 Screen data - Dialogue 9 screen data 50013 Screen data - ?? 50014 Screen data - Dialogue Diplomacy screen data 50015 Screen data - Dialogue Menu screen data 50016 Screen data - Dialogue Objective screen data 50017 Screen data - - 50018 Screen data - - 50019 Screen data - - 50020 Screen data - - 50021 Screen data - - 50051 Screen data - - 50052 Screen data - - 50053 Screen data - Setup menu single/multiplayer 50054 Screen data - Background Scenario Editor and Dialogue (repeats) 50055 Screen data - Scenario Editor screen 50056 Screen data - - 50057 Screen data - - 50058 Screen data - - 50059 Screen data - - 50060 Screen data Screen9 - 50061 Screen data - Victory screen data 50062 Screen data - AoK history screen 50063 Screen data - - 50080 Screen data - - 50081 Screen data - - 50082 Screen data - - 50083 Screen data - - 50084 Screen data - - 50085 Screen data - - 50086 Screen data - - 50087 Screen data - - 50088 Screen data - - 50089 Screen data - TC Main menu screen data 50090 Screen data - TC Main menu dialogue data 50243 Palette cam1 Palette used for Joan of Arc campaign screen 50244 Palette cam2 Palette used for Saladin campaign screen 50245 Palette cam3 Palette used for Genghis campaign screen 50246 Palette cam4 Palette used for Barbarossa campaign screen 50247-50249 - - None-existent can be used as palette for new campaign screens 50250 Palette cam8 Palette used for Wallace campaign screen 50251 Screen data - Joan of Arc campaign screen data 50252 Screen data - Saladin campaign screen data 50253 Screen data - Joan of Arc campaign screen data 50254 Screen data - Barbarossa campaign screen data 50255-50257 - - None-existent but can be created to add more campaigns 50258 Screen data - Wallace campaign screen data 50268 Palette cam Palette used for AoK campaign screen 50344 Buttons - AoK campaign button data 50345 Buttons - Joan of Arc campaign button data 50346 Buttons - Saladin campaign button data 50347 Buttons - Genghis campaign button data 50348 Buttons - Barbarossa campaign button data 50349-50351 Buttons - Unused campaign button data can be used to add more campaign buttons 50352 Buttons - William Wallace campaign button data 50500 Palette - AoKTC main palette 50501 Palette - - 50502 Palette - - 50503 Palette - - 50505 Palette - - 50506 Palette - - 50507 Palette - - 50508 Palette - - 50509 Palette - - 50519 Palette - - 50520 Palette - - 50521 Palette - - 50530 Palette - - 50531 Palette - - 50532 Palette - - 50533 Palette - - 50534 Palette - - 50563 Palette - - 50588 Palette - - 50589 Palette - Palette for the main menu 50910 Number list - ?? 53020 Buttons - TC campaign button data 53021 Buttons - Atilla campaign button data 53022 Buttons - El Cid campaign button data 53023 Buttons - Montezuma campaign button data 53024 Buttons - Battle of the Conquerors campaign button data 53111 Palette xcam1 Palette used for Atilla campaign screen 53112 Palette xcam2 Palette used for El Cid campaign screen 53113 Palette xcam3 Palette used forMontezuma campaign screen 53114 Palette xcam4 Palette used for Battle of the Conquerors campaign screen 53121 Screen data - Atilla campaign screen data 53122 Screen data - El Cid campaign screen data 53123 Screen data - Montezuma campaign screen data 53124 Screen data - Battle of the Conquerors screen button data ID Type Name Description
SLP files (complete but missing)
ID Palette Related Bin Name Description 50100 50532 Several files scr2 Single/Multiplayer Game Setup Screen 800x600 50101 50503 Several files scr2B Single/Multiplayer Game Setup Screen 1024x746 50102 50503 Several files scr2C Single/Multiplayer Game Setup Screen 1240x1024 50103 50503 50084 scr2p Background / Use? 50104 50503 50053 scr3 TC Single/Multiplayer Game Setup Screen 800x600 50127 50500 50055 SCR5B Background Scenario Editor and Dialogue (repeats) 50131 50505 - - Background / Use? 50137 50506 - - Background / Use? 50145 50507 50060 scr9b Background Custom Campaign 50149 50531 50057,50058,50061(real one) scr10B Aftermath Screen 50150 ? - - Unused (?) 50155 50519 50059 credits1 AoK Credits screen 1 50156 50519 - - AoK Credits screen 2 50157 50519 - - AoK Credits screen 3 50161 50530 50062 scr_hist History Screen 50162 50530 - - AoK History SLPs 50163 50563 50063 scrstart Conquerors loading screen 50188 50588 50088 xcredits TC Credits screen with images 50189 50589 50089 xmaindlg TC Main menu 50190 50521 50090 xmaindlg TC Main menu Dialogue ? 50200 - - dlg1n Only exists in binary files, there's no slp that matches 50202 - - - Unused (?) 50204 - - - Unused (?) 50206 - - dlg4n Only exists in binary files, there's no slp that matches 50208 - - dlg5n - 50212 50500 - dlg_woo Wooden panel (TC) 50213 50500 - - Wooden panel (AoK) 50221 50500 - dlg_dip Diplomacy screen (AoK) 50222 50500 - dlg_men Menu screen (AoK) 50223 50505 - dlg_obj Objectives screen (AoK) 50224 50500 - dlg_cha1 Chat/Taunt screen (AoK) 50225 50500 - dlg_gam Diplomacy Screen (TC?) 50226 50500 - dlg_cha2 Chat/Taunt screen (TC) 50230 50500 50080 psel Blue Screen - Unused (?) 50231 50521 50081 main AoK Main Menu 50232 50268 50344 - AoK Campaign Map and Buttons 50233 50521 50083 maindlg AoK Main menu dialogue 50235 50243 50345 - Joan of Arc campaign map + imagebuttons 50236 50244 50346 - Saladin campaign map + imagebuttons 50237 50245 50347 - Genghis Khan campaign map + buttons 50238 50246 50348 - Barbarossa campaign map + buttons 50242 50250 50352 - William Wallace campaign map + buttons 50259 50243 50251 btncam1 Buttons Joan of Arc campaign screen 50260 50244 50252 btncam2 Buttons Saladin campaign screen 50261 50245 50253 btncam3 Buttons Genghis campaign screen 50262 50246 50254 btncam4 Buttons Barbarossa campaign screen 50263-50265 - - - None-existent can be added to add buttons to the missing campaigns 50266 50250 50258 btncam8 Buttons William Wallace campaign screen 50269 50268 50267 btncam Buttons AoK campaign screen 50270 50532 50086, 50087 maindlg2 TC Main menu dialogue ? 50339 50500 - - -Tech tree boxes 50340 50500 - - -Tech tree boxes small 50341 50500 - - -Tech tree background right side filler 50342 50500 - - Tech tree background left side 50343 50500 - - Background dropdown menu Tech Tree Screen 50400 - - - Sound recording copyright icon small 50403 - - - Sequential numbers (?) 50404 - - - Sound recording copyright icon 50406 - - - Sound recording copyright icon 50601 - - - Buttons (unused?) 50602 - - - Buttons (unused?) 50603 - - - Buttons (unused?) 50604 50500 50055 btn5 Buttons Scenario Editor 50606 50500 50021,50057,50058,50061 btn6 Buttons used in tech tree, achievements and the TC
ingame dialogues50609 - - - Buttons (unused?) 50610 - - - Buttons (unused?) 50611 50507 50060 btn9 Buttons used in screen 9 50612 - - - Buttons (unused?) 50613 50530 - - History screen slider 50688 50589 50089,5009 xmainbtn Buttons used in the main menu, its dialogue and right side setup
menu50705 50500 - - Building icons (unused), this is a left over from aoeI 50706 50500 - - Building icons 50707 50500 - - Building icons (unused), this is a left over from aoeI 50708 50500 - - Building icons (unused), this is a left over from aoeI 50713 - - - Buttons (unused?) 50714 - - - Buttons (unused?) 50715 - - - Buttons (unused?) 50716 - - - Buttons (unused?) 50717 - - - Buttons (unused?) 50718 - - - Buttons (unused?) 50719 - - - Buttons (unused?) 50720 - - - Buttons (unused?) 50721 50500 - - Unit interface icons 50725 50500 - - Advanced buttons (minimap, statistics etc) 50726 50500 - - Buttons from upper right corner (chat, diplo, tech tree etc) 50727 50500 - - Advanced buttons (minimap, statistics etc) similar to #50725 50728 50500 - - Advanced buttons (minimap, statistics etc) similar to #50725 50729 50500 - - Technology icons 50730 50500 - - Unit icons 50731 50500 - - Unit attribute icons 50732 50500 - - Resource icons used in the tribute screen 50745 50500 - - Health bar 50746 50500 - - Blue flag used in chat screen (?) 50747 - - - Buttons (unused?) 50748 - - - Buttons (unused?) 50749 - - - Buttons (unused?) 50750 - - - Buttons (unused?) 50751 50500 - - Beta interface icons 50752 50500 - - Beta advanced buttons (?) 50753 50500 - - Buttons from upper right corner (chat, diplo, tech tree etc) same as 50726 (?) 50754 50500 - - Buttons from upper right corner (chat, diplo, tech tree etc) (?) 50760 50500 - - Resource icons Unused(?) 50761 50531 - - Achievements icons 50762 50531 - - Victory screen Flags 50763 50531 - tml_bck Texture victory screen (?) 50764 50500 - - Research/creation progress bar 50765 50531 - - Tab pane victory screen 50766 50531 - - Achievements icons similar to #50761 50767 - - - Unused (?) 50768 - - - Button (?) 50769 50531 - - Team shields victory screen 50788 50500 - - Advanced buttons (minimap, statistics etc) similar to #50725 50789 - - - Advanced buttons (minimap, statistics etc) similar to #50725 50790 - - - Advanced buttons (minimap, statistics etc) similar to #50725 50791 - - - Mute button in the chat/taunt screen 50792 50500 - - Player color stripe chat/taunt and diplo screen 51000 50500 - 60 hits mcursors Cursor used while playing 51001 - - - Cursor 51002 - - - Cursor 51003 - - - Cursor 51004 - - - Cursor 51005 - - - Cursor 51007 - - - Cursor 51008 - - - Cursor 51009 - - - Cursor 51010 - - - Cursor 51101 50500 - - briton interface 800x600 51102 50500 - - frank interface 800x600 51103 50500 - - goth interface 800x600 51104 50500 - - teuton interface 800x600 51105 50500 - - japanese interface 800x600 51106 50500 - - chinese interface 800x600 51107 50500 - - byzantine interface 800x600 51108 50500 - - persian interface 800x600 51109 50500 - - saracen interface 800x600 51110 50500 - - turkish interface 800x600 51111 50500 - - viking interface 800x600 51112 50500 - - mongol interface 800x600 51113 50500 - - celtic interface 800x600 51114 50500 - - spanish interface 800x600 51115 50500 - - aztec interface 800x600 51116 50500 - - mayan interface 800x600 51117 50500 - - hunnic interface 800x600 51118 50500 - - korean interface 800x600 51121 50500 - - briton interface 1024x768 51122 50500 - - frank interface 1024x768 51123 50500 - - goth interface 1024x768 51124 50500 - - teuton interface 1024x768 51125 50500 - - japanese interface 1024x768 51126 50500 - - chinese interface 1024x768 51127 50500 - - byzantine interface 1024x768 51128 50500 - - persian interface 1024x768 51129 50500 - - saracen interface 1024x768 51130 50500 - - turkish interface 1024x768 51131 50500 - - viking interface 1024x768 51132 50500 - - mongol interface 1024x768 51133 50500 - - celtic interface 1024x768 51134 50500 - - spanish interface 1024x768 51135 50500 - - aztec interface 1024x768 51136 50500 - - mayan interface 1024x768 51137 50500 - - hunnic interface 1024x768 51138 50500 - - korean interface 1024x768 51141 50500 - - briton interface 1280x1024 51142 50500 - - frank interface 1280x1024 51143 50500 - - goth interface 1280x1024 51144 50500 - - teuton interface 1280x1024 51145 50500 - - japanese interface 1280x1024 51146 50500 - - chinese interface 1280x1024 51147 50500 - - byzantine interface 1280x1024 51148 50500 - - persian interface 1280x1024 51149 50500 - - saracen interface 1280x1024 51150 50500 - - turkish interface 1280x1024 51151 50500 - - viking interface 1280x1024 51152 50500 - - mongol interface 1280x1024 51153 50500 - - celtic interface 1280x1024 51154 50500 - - spanish interface 1280x1024 51155 50243(?) - - aoe icon 51156 50243(?) - - aoe icon 51157 50500 - - aztec interface 1280x1024 51158 50500 - - mayan interface 1280x1024 51159 50500 - - hunnic interface 1280x1024 51160 50500 - - korean interface 1280x1024 52064 - 50530,50532,50533,50563 10 hits btn main Button used in several screens like game setup screen 52065 50521 50081,50083 mainbtn Button used in AoK main menu and dialogue 53001 - - - Hourglass button 53002 - - - Button (unused?) 53003 - - - Box (?) 53004 50500 - - Arrow buttons used in tech tree screen 53005 50500 - - Tab pane objective screen 53006 50500 - - Dialogue screen (pop-up) 53007 50500 - - Dialogue screen (pop-up) Big 53008 50500 - - Recorded game buttons 53009 50500 50056 btn6 Buttons (unused) 53010 50500(?) - - Food icon 53011 50500 - - Buttons, arrows and lag symbols 53012 50505(?) - - MS and ES logo 53014 53016 53015 xcam TC campaign buttons 53017 53016 53015 xbtncam Buttons used in TC campaign menu 53101 53111 53121 xcam1 Attila campaign imagebuttons 53102 53112 53122 xcam2 El Cid campaign imagebuttons 53103 53113 53123 xcam3 Montezuma campaign imagebuttons 53104 53114 23124 xcam4 Battle of the conquerors campaign imagebuttons 53131 53111 53121,53141 xbtncam1 Buttons used in Attila campaign screen 53132 53112 53122,53142 xbtncam2 Buttons used in El Cid campaign screen 53133 53113 53123,53143 xbtncam3 Buttons used in Montezuma campaign screen 53134 53114 53124,53144 xbtncam4 Buttons used in Battle of the Conquerors campaign screen 53161 53111 53141 xcamdlg1 Dialogue screen Attilla 53162 53112 53142 xcamdlg2 Dialogue screen El Cid 53163 53113 53,143 xcamdlg3 Dialogue screen Montezuma 53164 53114 53,144 xcamdlg4 Dialogue screen Battle of Conquerors 53171 50243 53151 camdlg1 Dialogue screen Joan of Arc 53172 50244 53152 camdlg2 Dialogue screen Saladin 53173 50245 53153 camdlg3 Dialogue screen Genghis 53174 50246 53154 camdlg4 Dialogue screen Barbarossa 53200 50589 - - Microsoft logo in "About" (Menu one) 53201 - - - Microsoft logo in "About" (Ingame one) 53202 50589 - - ES logo in "About" (Menu one) 53203 - - - ES logo in "About" (Ingame one) 53204 - - - Microsoft/ES title 53206 - - - Tech tree frames for units, buildings and researches similar to #?? 53207 - - - The Conquerors title logo 53208 50500 50021 dlg_objx TC Dialogue screen objectives 53209 50530 - - TC History Slides 53210 - - - Sound recording copyright icon 53211 50500 - - Unit not available icon tech tree ID Palette Related Bin Name Description
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