Game data

Firestaff reads original media supplied by the player. The launcher identifies editions by content hash, not by a filename or folder convention, and it does not include any game data itself.

Start with Game-data setup when preparing a data folder. It explains the required paired media, supported archive and disc containers, and the role of optional presentation and save files.

Runtime-media ownership

The scan cache contains only local hash inventory metadata. It is never a game-data source. At launch, Firestaff retains the selected original archive or disc image as the media owner and reads required members in bounded memory. It does not expand game data beside the source, in a temporary directory or into an asset cache. An unsupported container is rejected instead of being silently extracted or paired with a neighbouring edition.

For example, CSB FM Towns uses the selected CUE to select the raw CD member; the image, ISO files and CDDA layout remain tied to that original container for the session.

The detailed game-data format reference is the technical companion to that guide. It covers the current implementations of:

• DM1 and CSB IMG3, IMG1, DMCSB1/LZW and FM Towns IMG2 graphics;
• DM1/CSB dungeon data, platform program media, campaign files and save families, including the distinct FM Towns and CSBWin boundaries;
• DM2 GDAT, G1 dungeon records, GDAT PCM and platform media;
• DM2 Macintosh retail media reads directly from authentic ZIP/BIN content in RAM, including HFS DMFiles, big-endian dungeon data, QuickTime/MooV resources and the retail application’s resource fork; Mac Resume and dynamic pointer/drag ownership remain closed;
• Nexus DGN/DMDF, MNS, PRS3, BGR555, SAL and MAP evidence; and
• Theron’s Quest raw MODE1/2352 Track 02, record framing and SRM saves.

The format reference labels each path as read, runtime-bound, opaque or closed. A parsed file does not automatically mean a playable route. The project status records the current runtime boundary for each game.

For the complete per-platform boundary, including the supported English DM2 Mac retail version, see Platform status.