Keys Configuration Format

The Populous Keys configuration file remains mostly unknown. It contains a 4 byte header, and each key appears to be a 15 byte chunk. The first byte (global offset 0x0) of the header indicates the number of 15 byte blocks that follow (starting at global offset 0x4).

Introduction

The Populous Key configuration file is located in ./saves/Key def.dat (Key def download) after you use the built in keys editor inside the game. The keys configuration file uses the systems keycode map to determine what keys are available to use. This website has the key codes that seem to work wit most US QWERTY keyboards keycode list for US QWERTY.

Inside the key blocks contains a modifier and a key. The modifier is optional and can be removed by setting it to 0. The modifier keys have no particular pattern associated with them, it could very well be hard coded.

All numbers are stored in big-endian format!

Block Format
Data Type	Length	Position (DEC)	Description
INT32	4	0	Header, first byte is number of keybindings in file
	15	4
	15	19
	15	34
	15	49
	15	64
	15	79
	15	94
	15	109
	15	124
	15	139
	15	154
	15	169
	15	184
	15	199
	15	214
	15	229
	15	244
	15	259
	15	274
	15	289
	15	304
	15	319
	15	334
	15	349
	15	364
	15	379
	15	394
	15	409
	15	424
	15	439
	15	454
	15	469
	15	484
	15	499
	15	514
	15	529
	15	544
	15	559
	15	574
	15	589
	15	604
	15	619
	15	634
	15	649
	15	664
	15	679
Total	709 Bytes