Saves (GTA 3)

This article deals with the format of a save game file for the PC version of GTA 3.

Location

By default, the game places its save game files into the folder "GTA3 User Files" which is located in the current user's Documents folder. The location of this folder varies depending upon the version of Windows installed.

The save files themselves are named in the format GTA3sfX.b where X represents the in-game slot number. There are 8 slots available in the game (1-8).

Format Details

• Save files are ALWAYS 0x3145C (201820) bytes long.
• Byte order is little endian. For example, the number 3452 (0x0D7C) is represented as as 0x7C 0x0D.
• File is divided into 20 blocks, followed by padding and then ending with a 4-byte checksum

Data Blocks

There is a DWORD value preceding any block of data which is equal to the size of the block.

Block 0: Miscellaneous

Game "meta-information" giving the overall state of things. Also includes 'TheScripts' sub-block.

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	wchar_t[24]	save name (long names are truncated on the save/load screen)
0x0030	word	SYSTEMTIME wYear
0x0032	word	SYSTEMTIME wMonth
0x0034	word	SYSTEMTIME wDayOfWeek
0x0036	word	SYSTEMTIME wDay
0x0038	word	SYSTEMTIME wHour
0x003A	word	SYSTEMTIME wMinute
0x003C	word	SYSTEMTIME wSecond
0x003E	word	SYSTEMTIME wMilliseconds
0x0040	dword	unknown
0x0044	enum	current island (1=Portland; 2=Staunton; 3=Shoreside Vale)
0x0048	float[3]	camera coordinates (x,y,z)
0x0054	dword	length (ms) of in-game minute
0x0058	dword	last clock tick (weather timer)
0x005C	byte	game hour
0x005D	byte[3]	(align)
0x0060	byte	game minute
0x0061	byte[3]	(align)
0x0064	word	current pad mode
0x0066	byte[2]	(align)
0x0068	dword	time in milliseconds (global timer)
0x006C	float	time scale (opcode 051D)
0x0070	float	time step (frame delta time)
0x0074	float	time step (not clipped)
0x0078	dword	number of the frames processed from the beginning of the game
0x007C	float	time step #2 (constant 1.0, unused)
0x0080	float	frames per update (constant 1.0, unused)
0x0084	float	time scale (constant 1.0, unused)
0x0088	word	old weather type
0x008A	byte[2]	(align)
0x008C	word	new weather type
0x008E	byte[2]	(align)
0x0090	word	forced weather type
0x0092	byte[2]	(align)
0x0094	float	weather interpolation value
0x0098	byte[24]	compilation date and time (unused, always 0)
0x00B0	dword	weather type in list
0x00B4	float	(unknown, camera related)
0x00B8	float	(unknown, camera related)
0x00BC	dword	block size
0x00C0	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	char[4]	'SCR\0' signature
0x0004	dword	block size
0x0008	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	script global variable space size (n)
0x0004	dword[n/4]	script global variables dump
0x0004 + n	dword	block size (always 0x03C8)
0x0008 + n	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	$onmission offset in global variable space
0x0004	ContactInfo[16]	8 bytes each, contact info

ContactInfo

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	mission flag (opcode 0181)
0x0004	dword	base brief (opcode 0182)

0x0084	Unknown[4]	(unknown)
0x0184	dword	last mission passed time
0x0188	BuildingSwap[25]	16 bytes each, building model replacements

BuildingSwap

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	type
0x0004	dword	building handle
0x0008	dword	new model
0x000C	dword	old model

0x0318

InvisibliltySetting[20]

8 bytes each, invisible objects

InvisibilitySetting

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	type
0x0004	dword	handle

0x03B8	byte	already running a mission script flag (0 = false, 1 = true)
0x03B9	byte[3]	(align)
0x03BC	dword	size of the MAIN section in the main.scm
0x03C0	dword	size of largest mission
0x03C4	word	number of exclusive mission scripts
0x03C6	byte[2]	(align)

0x03D0 + n	dword	number of active scripts (n2)
0x03D4 + n	CRunningScript[n2]	136 bytes each, active scripts

CRunningScript

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	CRunningScript *	next script pointer
0x0004	CRunningScript *	previous script pointer
0x0008	char[8]	name
0x0010	dword	current ip
0x0014	dword[4]	return stack
0x0024	dword	(unknown)
0x0028	dword	(unknown)
0x002C	word	stack counter
0x002E	word	(unknown)
0x0030	dword[16]	local variables
0x0070	dword	timerA
0x0074	dword	timerB
0x0078	byte	if result
0x0079	byte	(unknown)
0x007A	byte	(unknown)
0x007B	byte	(align)
0x007C	dword	wake time
0x0080	word	if number
0x0082	byte	(unknown)
0x0083	byte	(unknown)
0x0084	byte	(unknown)
0x0085	byte	(unknown)
0x0086	byte	(unknown)
0x0087	byte	(unknown)

Block 1: Player peds

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	players count (n)
0x0004	PlayerPed[n]	player peds array

PlayerPed

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	unknown
0x0004	word	unknown
0x0006	dword	(unknown) ped reference
0x000A	CPed	CPed dump (0x05F0 bytes)

CPed

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	byte[52]	unknown
0x0034	float[3]	position (X, Y, Z)
0x0040	byte[1456]	unknown

0x05FA	dword	max wanted level
0x05FE	dword	max chaos level
0x0602	char[24]	model name
0x061A	byte[2]	(align)

Block 2: Garages

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	garages count (n)
0x0004	dword	free bombs (opcode 021D)
0x0008	dword	free resprays (opcode 0335)
0x000C	dword	(unknown)
0x0010	dword	(unknown)
0x0014	dword	(unknown)
0x0018	dword	Portland IE status (bitstring) (opcode 03D4)
0x001C	dword	Shoreside IE status
0x0020	dword	unused IE status
0x0024	dword	time when 'GA_21' was last shown
0x0028	StoredCar[18]	40 bytes each, stored cars

StoredCar

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	model ID
0x0004	float[3]	position (X, Y, Z)
0x0010	float[3]	vector rotation
0x001C	dword	immunities (bitstring) (see below)
0x0020	byte	primary color ID
0x0021	byte	secondary color ID
0x0022	byte	radio station ID (see below)
0x0023	byte	model variation A
0x0024	byte	model variation B
0x0025	byte	bomb type ID (see below)
0x0026	byte[2]	(align)

0x02F8

Garage[n]

140 bytes each, garages

Garage

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	byte	garage type ID (see Garage)
0x0001	byte	(unknown)
0x0002	byte	(unknown)
0x0003	byte	(unknown)
0x0004	byte	(unknown)
0x0005	byte	(unknown)
0x0006	byte[2]	(align)
0x0008	dword	(unknown)
0x000C	dword	(unknown) pointer
0x0010	dword	(unknown) pointer
0x0014	byte	(unknown)
0x0015	byte	(unknown)
0x0016	byte	(unknown)
0x0017	byte	(unknown)
0x0018	byte	(unknown)
0x0019	byte	(unknown)
0x001A	byte	(unknown)
0x001B	byte	(align)
0x001C	float[6]	position (x1, x2, y1, y2, z1, z2)
0x0034	float	door open start (z coord) (how far door is open when garage is loaded into view)
0x0038	float	door open (z coord) (how far door can open)
0x003C	float	(unknown) x coord
0x0040	float	(unknown) y coord
0x0044	float	(unknown) x coord
0x0048	float	(unknown) y coord
0x004C	float	door A position (z coord)
0x0050	float	door B position (z coord)
0x0054	dword	(unknown)
0x0058	byte	(unknown)
0x0059	byte[3]	(align)
0x005C	dword	(unknown)
0x0060	dword	(unknown)
0x0064	dword	(unknown)
0x0068	float	(unknown)
0x006C	float	(unknown)
0x0070	float	(unknown)
0x0074	float	(unknown)
0x0078	float	(unknown)
0x007C	float	(unknown)
0x0080	dword	(unknown)
0x0084	byte	(unknown)
0x0085	byte	(unknown)
0x0086	byte	(unknown)
0x0087	byte	(unknown)
0x0088	byte	(unknown)
0x0089	byte	(unknown)
0x008A	byte[2]	(align)

Vehicle immunities:

• 0b00000001 = bulletproof
• 0b00000010 = fireproof
• 0b00000100 = explosion-proof
• 0b00001000 = collision-proof
• 0b00010000 = ?

Radio stations:

• 0 = Head Radio
• 1 = Double Clef FM
• 2 = Jah Radio
• 3 = Rise FM
• 4 = Lips 106
• 5 = Game FM
• 6 = MSX FM
• 7 = Flashback 95.6
• 8 = Chatterbox 109
• 9 = User track player (if user tracks loaded, random station otherwise)
• 10 = Police radio
• 11 = Radio off

Bomb types:

• 0 = no bomb
• 1 = timer bomb
• 2 = ignition bomb
• 3 = remote bomb
• 4 = timer bomb (armed)
• 5 = ignition bomb (armed)

Block 3: Vehicles

TYPE	OFFSET	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

TYPE	OFFSET	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

TYPE	OFFSET	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	number of vehicles (n)
0x0004	dword	number of boats (n2)
0x0008	Vehicle[n]	1458 bytes each, vehicles array

Vehicle

TYPE	OFFSET	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	unknown
0x0004	word	model ID
0x0006	dword	unknown
0x000A	CVehicle	CVehicle dump

CVehicle

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	byte[52]	unknown
0x0034	float[3]	position (X, Y, Z)
0x0040	byte[1384]	unknown

0x0000 + (1458 * n)

Boat[n2]

1166(?) bytes each, boats array

Boat

TYPE	OFFSET	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	unknown
0x0004	word	model ID
0x0006	dword	unknown
0x000A	CBoat	CBoat dump

CBoat

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	byte[52]	unknown
0x0034	float[3]	position (X, Y, Z)
0x0040	byte[1092]	unknown

Block 4: Objects

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	number of objects (n)
0x0004	CObject[n]	Objects

CObject

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	word	model id
0x0002	dword	object reference
0x0006	float[3]	pos
0x0012	byte[12]	unknown
0x001E	float	unknown
0x0022	float[3]	unknown
0x002E	byte[12]	unknown
0x003A	byte	unknown
0x003B	byte	unknown
0x003C	byte	unknown
0x003D	byte	unknown
0x003E	byte	unknown
0x003F	byte	unknown
0x0040	byte	unknown
0x0041	byte	unknown
0x0042	float	unknown
0x0046	byte	unknown
0x0047	byte	unknown
0x0048	dword	unknown
0x004C	dword	unknown
0x0050	dword	unknown

Block 5: Path find

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	number of entries (n)
0x0004	byte[n]	unknown flags

Block 6: Cranes

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	number of cranes (n)
0x0004	dword	cars collected by military crane (opcode 03EC)
0x0008	Crane[8]	Crane data

Crane

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	index in static objects pool
0x0004	dword	unknown
0x0008	dword	unknown
0x000C	float[25]	unknown
0x0070	dword	unknown
0x0074	dword	unknown
0x0078	byte[7]	unknown
0x007F	byte	(align)

Block 7: Pickups

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	Pickup[336]	pickups structures -- each is 0x1C bytes in size; see details below

Pickup

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	byte	type
0x0001	byte	unknown
0x0002	word	ammo (for weapon pickups)
0x0004	dword	index in objects pool
0x0008	dword	regeneration time
0x000C	word	model id
0x000E	word	flags
0x0010	float[3]	x,y,z position

0x24C0	word	number of pickups collected
0x24C2	byte[2]	(align)
0x24C4	CollectedPickup[4]	exact meaning is unknown -- each is 0x14 bytes in size; see details below

CollectedPickup

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	unknown
0x0004	dword	unknown
0x0008	dword	unknown
0x000C	dword	unknown
0x0010	dword	unknown

Block 8: Phone info

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	number of phones (n)
0x0004	dword	number of active phones
0x0008	PhoneInfo[n]	52 bytes each, phone info structs

PhoneInfo

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	float[3]	position (X, Y, Z)
0x000C	dword[6]	phone text (?)
0x0024	dword	(unknown)
0x0028	dword	static index
0x002C	dword	status (3 = idle, 9 = ringing)
0x0030	byte	(unknown)
0x0031	byte[3]	(align)

Block 9: Restarts

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size (constant 0x128)
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size (constant 0x124)
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	char[4]	'RST\0' signature
0x0004	dword	block size
0x0008	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	RestartPoint[8]	restart point after wasted
0x0080	RestartPoint[8]	restart point after busted
0x0100	word	wasted restart points count
0x0102	word	busted restart points count
0x0104	byte	override next restart flag (opcodes 016E, 0255)
0x0105	byte[3]	(align)
0x0108	RestartPoint	overriden restart point (opcodes 016E, 0255)
0x0118	byte	fade in after next death flag (opcode 040F)
0x0119	byte	fade in after next arrest flag (opcode 040E)
0x011A	byte	override hospital level flag (opcode 041F)
0x011B	byte	override police level flag (opcode 0420)

RestartPoint

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	float[3]	x,y,z coordinates
0x000C	float	z_angle

Block 10: Radar

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	char[4]	'RDR\0' signature
0x0004	dword	block size
0x0008	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	RadarBlip[32]	radar blips structures -- each is 0x30 bytes in size, see below

RadarBlip

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	color (opcode 0165)
0x0004	dword	type
0x0008	dword	entity (car, actor, object) handle
0x000C	float	(unknown)
0x0010	float	(unknown)
0x0014	float[3]	position x,y,z
0x0020	word	(unknown)
0x0022	byte	brightness (opcode 0166)
0x0023	byte	(unknown)
0x0024	float	(unknown)
0x0028	word	scale (opcode 0168)
0x002A	word	display (opcode 018B)
0x002C	word	blip sprite
0x002E	word	(align)

Block 12: Gangs

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	char[4]	'GNG\0' signature
0x0004	dword	block size
0x0008	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	Gang[9]	gang structures -- each is 0x14 bytes in size, see below

Gang

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	car model id
0x0004	byte	ped model override flag (opcode 0410)
0x0005	byte[3]	(align)
0x0008	dword	primary weapon id
0x0010	dword	secondary weapon id

Block 13: Car Generators

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	char[4]	'CGN\0' signature
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size (constant 0x0C)
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	car generators count (n)
0x0004	dword	active car generators count
0x0008	byte	process counter
0x0009	byte	generate even if player is close counter
0x000A	byte[2]	(align)

0x0010	dword	size of car generator structs
0x0014	CarGenerator[n]	72 bytes each, car generator structs

CarGenerator

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	model ID
0x0004	float[3]	position (X, Y, Z)
0x0010	float	z angle
0x0014	word	primary color ID
0x0016	word	secondary color ID
0x0018	byte	force spawn
0x0019	byte	alarm (percentage)
0x001A	byte	locked (percentage)
0x001B	byte	(align)
0x001C	word	min delay
0x001E	word	max delay
0x0020	dword	timestamp (time last stolen?)
0x0024	dword	(unknown)
0x0028	dword	(unknown)
0x002C	float	(unknown)
0x0030	float	(unknown)
0x0034	float	(unknown)
0x0038	float	(unknown)
0x003C	float	(unknown)
0x0040	float	(unknown)
0x0044	dword	(unknown)

Block 15: Audio script objects

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	char[4]	'AUD\0' signature
0x0004	dword	block size
0x0008	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	number of audio script objects (n);
0x0004	AudioScriptObject[n]	audio script object structures -- each is 0x18 bytes in size, see below

AudioScriptObject

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	index?
0x0004	word	sound index?
0x0006	byte[2]	(align)
0x0008	float[3]	position x,y,z
0x0014	dword	(unknown)

Block 17: Stats

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword[102]	different statistics values
0x0198	char[8]	last mission passed GXT key

Block 18: Streaming

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	byte[200]	unknown

Block 19: Ped types

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	block size (constant 0x2E8)
0x0004	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	char[4]	'PTP\0' signature
0x0004	dword	block size
0x0008	-	start of block, data below

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	PedType[23]	PedType structures -- each is 0x20 bytes in size, see below

PedType

OFFSET	TYPE	DESCRIPTION
0x0000	dword	unknown
0x0004	float	unknown
0x0008	float	unknown
0x000C	float	unknown
0x0010	float	unknown
0x0014	float	unknown
0x0018	dword	unknown
0x001C	dword	unknown

Padding

Following the last data block is a variable amount of padding. Since every save file is exactly 0x3145C bytes in length this padding is necessary to fill the space between the data blocks which start the file and the checksum value which ends it. There could be up to 4 padding blocks, each one is up to 55,000 bytes in length.

Checksum

The final four bytes of a save file are an unsigned integer checksum value. This checksum is simply the sum of all the preceding 0x3145C bytes. If the checksum value does not match the calculated sum of those bytes, the game will consider the save file to be "corrupted" and refuse to load it. Thus, any time you make any changes to a save file you must remember to update the checksum when you are finished.

External links

•  GTAForums: GTA III Save File Documentation
• 010 template for gta 3 save file