The "root" directory of DBTS is the path specified during the install process. This is usually /Program Files/Tantrum/Die by the Sword. Within this directory are:

1. The moves directory: Contains all of the "custom moves."
2. The data directory: Contains all of the data subdirectories covered below.
3. The saves directory: Contains all of the user's save games.

4) Files: Like the executables for the game and move editor.

This document is concerned with specifying the structure and content of the various files contained under the data directory.

Each .atd file contained in the data directory represents a single subdirectory under the data directory, all "wadded" up. Since one would have to "un-wad" these .atd files before one edited any of the files contained therein, this document will refer to the data as it would appear in its "un-wadded" form.

Many of the subdirectories contain the data for the character races that appear in the game. Each different type of character has its own subdirectory, the contents of which is discussed in detail in the "Characters" document. Examples of a creature directory are: kobold, ogre, the_hero.

A setting is a location in the game, whether it is an arena or one of the levels in the quest. Each setting has its own subdirectory, the contents of which is discussed in detail in the "Settings" document. Examples of a setting directory are: game_lv1, arena3, lavapit.

The subdirectories under the data directory which are neither a character directory nor a setting directory shall be individually explained in the following pages.

This is the subdirectory where the cut-scenes are kept. These are short movies which are played between levels, specified in the load_scene event that loads the next level. The load_scene event only takes the name of the cut-scene as a parameter, and the program will expect that cut-scene to be in the \cuts subdirectory. These movies have the extention .mve, and are in a format that is proprietary to Interplay.

In the localized versions of the game, a subdirectory with the name of the language is created that facilitates the playing of localized sounds when appropriate. For example, in the french installation, a \french subdirectory is created that has French voicings in it. Whenever a sound is to be played, the program checks in the language subdirectory first to see if a sound of that name is in there. If not, the program uses the sound file from the \sounds directory. The \english subdirectory is empty, since all the sounds in the \sounds directory are in English.

This is for art for the game shell. By far, most of the files in this subdirectory are bitmaps for the shell art. The files with the extension .ban are text files that contain information for animating bitmaps. The .ban files are pretty well self-documenting. Primarily, a .ban lists the .bmps that should be played (or cycled through) in order to produce the animating effect.

This directory does not exist on install, but must be added by the user if he wants to do any movie shooting or frame-capturing. The game dumps all such frames into the movies directory.

The music tracks.

The bitmaps used for the options menu. The subdirectories contain the same art "crunched" the different palettes used for each setting.

Contains the .off that describes the physical geometry of the compass, as well as subdirectories for the compass textures, "crunched" to the palette of each setting.

Contains the .off that describes the physical geometry of the rope, as well as subdirectories for the rope texture, "crunched" to the palette of each setting that the rope can appear in.

Contains the event scripts for each setting, as well as a .scn file for each level of the Quest. The .scn file lists which creatures will appear, and what ID number each creature is assigned. See "Scripting" for more information on the script language used in the .evt files.

Every breakable object has to be assigned a shard type, which determines how the item breaks. The shards directory contains a number of subdirectories, one for each type of shard. Each shard type has:

1. A .lst file, which indicates what sound this type of thing will make when broken as well as the list of .off files that represent the geometry of the pieces.
2. The aforementioned .off files.

Mostly .wav files. There are two files which need explanation. The file sounds.lst contains a table that specifies what sound should be launched when two materials collide. The file soundinf.lst gives the following data for certain sound files:

2. Volume adjustment. 1 is full volume, anything less makes that sound play softer each time it is called.
1. Number of variants. If a sound file has more than 1 variant, then the program will randomly select one each time it is time to play that sound. A sound can have a maximum of 4 variants. The variants on a sound file named sound_name.wav that had 4 variants would be sound_name-a.wav, sound_name-b.wav, and sound_name-c.wav.