Data Types
The Data Types section of the 57 Studios™ Modding Knowledge Base documents the complete set of data types that appear in Unturned™ .dat and .asset file authoring. Every field in a .dat file has a specific data type that determines what values the field accepts, how the parser interprets the value, and what happens when an invalid value is supplied. Understanding the data type system is essential for writing correct .dat files and for diagnosing field-related errors.
The articles in this section are organized from the simplest types (booleans, integers) to the most complex (arrays, dictionaries, GUIDs, asset pointers). Each article covers one data type with its C# equivalent, valid value range, parsing behavior, common mistakes, and worked examples from shipped game files.
Start with the simplest types (booleans and integers) and work upward to the compound types (arrays, dictionaries, GUIDs). Each article builds on the concepts introduced in the previous ones.
Articles in this section
The articles are listed in the recommended reading order.
- C# Built-in Types Reference - The foundational C# types used across all asset definitions: bool, int, float, string, and their Unturned-specific behaviors.
- GUID Type Reference - The 32-character hexadecimal GUID format used throughout Unturned asset definitions.
- Enumerated Types Reference - The complete catalog of enum types with all named values used in .dat and .asset files.
- Color Format Reference - Hexadecimal and named color formats used in asset definitions.
- Vector3 Type Reference - XYZ coordinate and size vectors used for object dimensions, positions, and scales.
- Structs Type Reference - Nested object and dictionary structures within asset definitions.
- Rich Text Formatting Reference - Markup formatting used in NPC dialogue, item descriptions, and localization.
- Asset Pointer Type Reference - GUID-based and path-based references that link asset definitions together.
- Master Bundle Pointer Type Reference - References that point into Unity master bundle files to locate prefabs and assets.
- Bitmask Type Reference - Flag-based field types used for multi-option configuration in asset definitions.
- Flag Type Reference - Presence-only key flags that enable or disable features in .dat files.
How to use this section
Read the articles in order on first pass. The later articles (GUID, Asset Pointer, Array, Dictionary) reference concepts from the earlier type articles. After completing the full read, use the individual articles as reference material when encountering unfamiliar fields in .dat file authoring.
Cross-references to related sections
- Data File Format Reference - the syntax reference for
.datand.assetfiles, covering how values of these types are structured in files. - Item Asset Property Reference - the property reference for item asset types, showing which data types each field uses.
Document history
| Version | Date | Author | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | 2026-07-26 | 57 Studios | Initial publication. Section index for the Data Types reference collection. |