The Sims 3 — Package, Audio & Script Formats
Source: XeNTaX forum knowledge extraction (2009–2012).
Covers DBPF v2 package format, audio streams, and scripting.
The Sims 3 package files are DBPF v2 files, similar to those used in Spore and well understood by the community.
Key Characteristics
- Standard zlib compression for most content
- Exception:
scripts.package did not use standard zlib — contents appeared compressed/encrypted with no repeating bytecode/text strings
- All such files shared the same ~5-byte starting header
- Scripts suspected to be LUA (hinted in executables), compiled or uncompiled, or homebrew bytecode similar to TS1/TS2 — later resolved by community
Common Package Files
| Package | Description |
|---|
JazzData.package | Jazz script data |
scripts.package | Core scripts (non-standard compression) |
ZoneObjects_Pet_World_9.package | Pets expansion world objects |
| Tool | Purpose | Notes |
|---|
| S3PE | PC package editor (DBPF v2) | Community tool |
2. FullBuild1.package — Music/Audio (PC vs Xbox 360)
On PC, FullBuild1.package stores the music. On Xbox 360, the same file exists but could not be opened with the PC tool (S3PE).
- Xbox 360 version = big-endian variant (360 runs on big-endian hardware)
- Hex Workshop cannot trivially convert endianness for whole file — custom program required
- 360 audio files are EAlayer3 encoded
3. Audio Streams — audiostr.arc / FSB
audiostr.arc
- U8Tool failed on this
.ARC file
- Contains FSB streams
FSB Streams
FSBext reported only one .WAV; VGMstream / in_cube played them (after initial hiccup)- Format: Stereo, hw2d, GC_ADPCM, 44100Hz, 2 Channel, 16 Bits
- Output
.genh files have no WAV header; VGMstream can play them
- Note: SimCity-era games commonly use EAlayer3; Sims 3 Xbox 360 music is EAlayer3 while container is DBPF v2
| Tool | Purpose | Notes |
|---|
| FSBext | FSB/audio stream extraction | Community |
| VGMstream | Play extracted audio streams | Community |
| U8Tool | U8 archive tool | Did NOT work on audiostr.arc |
| Aspect | PC | Xbox 360 |
|---|
| Package Format | DBPF v2 (little-endian) | DBPF v2 (big-endian) |
| Compression | zlib (standard) | zlib (standard) |
| scripts.package | Non-standard (encrypted?) | Non-standard |
| Music Container | FullBuild1.package | FullBuild1.package |
| Music Codec | Various | EAlayer3 |
| Audio Streams | FSB (GC_ADPCM) | FSB (GC_ADPCM) / EAlayer3 |
| Tool | Purpose | Author |
|---|
| S3PE | PC package editor (DBPF v2) | Community |
| FSBext | FSB/audio stream extraction | Community |
| VGMstream | Play extracted audio streams | Community |
| U8Tool | U8 archive tool (failed on audiostr.arc) | Community |
Key Facts
- Sims 3 uses DBPF v2 packages (like Spore)
- Most content is zlib-compressed;
scripts.package is the odd one out
- Xbox 360 packages are big-endian variants; PC tool (S3PE) can't read them
- Xbox 360 music is EAlayer3 encoded inside
FullBuild1.package
audiostr.arc contains FSB streams (GC_ADPCM, 44100Hz)