Caution

some files in the release archive might be detected as malware by some A/V (eg: Windows Defender). The exact reason is unclear but this is probably because it use Win32 API calls such as ReadProcessMemory and WriteProcessMemory. If you know how to fix this, please let me know.

Requirements

You need to install .NET Desktop Runtime 9.0 (requires Windows 10 or newer) to run the tools. Unless you are a developer, you don't need the SDK, the runtime Windows x64 version is enough.

LifeDISA

This is a disassembler for LIFE scripts in Alone in the Dark series.

Supported

• Alone in the Dark 1 / 2 / 3 (CD-ROM, floppy, demo)
• Jack in the Dark
• Time Gate: Knight's Chase (CD-ROM, demo)

Command-line arguments

LifeDISA -version {AITD1|AITD1_FLOPPY|AITD1_DEMO|AITD2|AITD2_DEMO|AITD3|JACK|TIMEGATE|TIMEGATE_DEMO}
         [-raw]  
         [-verbose] 
         [-output FILENAME]

Instructions

1. Create a new folder named "GAMEDATA" (located in same folder as the LifeDISA executable).
2. Copy the following files from game to GAMEDATA :
   • LISTLIFE.PAK
   • ENGLISH.PAK (or FRANCAIS.PAK)
3. Copy the file OBJETS.ITD (from AITD folder) into GAMEDATA folder.
4. Start LifeDISA executable with appropriate arguments. A file named output.txt will be created.

TrackDISA

This is a disassembler for TRACK scripts in Alone in the Dark series.

Supported

Same as LifeDISA

Command-line arguments

TrackDISA -version {AITD1|AITD1_FLOPPY|AITD1_DEMO|AITD2|AITD2_DEMO|AITD3|JACK|TIMEGATE|TIMEGATE_DEMO}
          [-verbose] 
          [-output FILENAME]

Instructions

Copy file LISTTRAK.PAK into a folder named GAMEDATA, then run TrackDISA executable.

MemoryViewer

Allow to view DOS memory in realtime. Each pixel is a byte. Current VGA palette is automatically loaded.

Supported :

• Most DOS games (even non AITD related)

Command-line arguments

MemoryViewer [-width WIDTH]
             [-height HEIGHT]
             [-zoom ZOOM]

Commands

Key	Description
ctrl + mouse wheel ctrl + + or -	increase / decrease zoom
ctrl + 0	reset zoom
page up / page down / mouse wheel	increase / decrease memory offset by 640KB
space	display DOS memory control blocks (MCBs) green = free blue = used red = current executable yellow = not current executable
p	show palette

VarsViewer

Supported

• Alone in the Dark 1 (CD-ROM, floppy, demo)

Command-line arguments

VarsViewer [-view {vars|cache|actor|object}]
           [-width WIDTH]
           [-height HEIGHT]

Commands

Key	Description
F1 / F2 / F3 / F4	vars / cache / actor / object view
control + mouse wheel	zoom in/out
f	freeze capture

Vars

Key	Description
s	save state
c	compare current state with saved state

Cache

Key	Description
s	change sort mode (default, memory, lru)
space	display cache entries timestamp / name
F5	clear all cache entries

Actors / objects

Key	Description
space	show/hide inactive actors/objects
tab	compact/full view
page up / page down / mouse wheel	scroll
mouse click on column header	hide column
r	reset columns visible state

PAKExtract

Extracts files from PAK files.

Supported

Same as LifeDISA

Instructions

• Copy some PAK files to GAMEDATA folder
• Run PAKExtract : all PAK files in GAMEDATA folder are extracted to new folders (eg: LISTLIFE)

You can also drop files (or folders) to be extracted into PAKExtract executable.

Command-line arguments

PAKExtract [background]
           [svg [-rotate {0|90|180|270}] [-zoom] [-room <rooms>] [-trigger] [-camera]]
           [archive [-timegate] [<files>]] 
           [info [<files>]]
           [<files>]

Converting backgrounds as PNG files

Extract necessary PAK files (CAMERAxx.PAK, ITD_RESS.PAK) into their respective folders, then run PAKEXtract again :

PAKExtract background

Files will be exported to BACKGROUND folder.

Rendering floors as SVG files

Extract necessary PAK files (ETAGExx.PAK) into their respective folders, then run PAKEXtract again :

PAKExtract svg -rotate 90 -room 1 4 5 

Files will be exported to SVG folder.

Creating a new PAK archive (or editing some entries)

Extract some PAK archives, edit them in their respective folders (eg: LISTLIFE), then run PAKExtract again :

PAKExtract archive LISTLIFE

Displaying archive information only (eg: compressed size, flags, ...)

PAKExtract info LISTLIFE.PAK