PER File – What is .per file and how to open it?
PER File Extension
Age of Empires Personality File – file format by Microsoft
PER (Age of Empires Personality File) is a file extension developed by Microsoft for Age of Empires. It stores player’s game progress, including statistics, achievements, and customization settings.
Definition and Usage of PER Files
A PER file is an Age of Empires Personality File that stores the characteristics, abilities, and behaviors of a specific character or unit within the Age of Empires video game series. These files are commonly used in custom campaigns, scenarios, and mods to define unique and varied personalities for non-player characters (NPCs).
PER files contain a set of XML-formatted data that specifies various attributes and parameters for the character, including their appearance, voice, dialogue, combat preferences, and relationships with other units. They allow players and modders to customize the behavior and interactions of NPCs to create more immersive and engaging gameplay experiences. These files are typically created using specialized modding tools provided by the game developers.
Opening PER Files with Age of Empires Tools
The primary method to open PER files is through Age of Empires, a popular real-time strategy game series developed by Microsoft. Within the game, PER files serve as personality files that contain data defining the AI behavior of non-player characters (NPCs), such as their aggression, resource management, and combat strategies. To open a PER file in Age of Empires, simply load the game and navigate to the “Scenario Editor.” From there, select “File” > “Open” and browse to the desired PER file. The file’s contents will then be incorporated into the scenario, enabling you to customize NPC behavior for custom campaigns or maps.
Converting PER Files for Compatibility
If you need to open PER files outside of the Age of Empires environment, you can convert them to a more accessible format. One recommended tool is the AoE2HD Converter, which can convert PER files to XML, an industry-standard markup language. XML files are human-readable and editable, making them suitable for analysis or compatibility with other applications. After converting the PER file to XML, you can use a text editor or dedicated XML viewing software to open and explore the file’s contents.
PER File Format
A PER file is a binary file format that stores personality data for characters in the Age of Empires game series. It contains information about the character’s appearance, animations, sounds, and dialogue. PER files are used by the game engine to load and display characters during gameplay.
The PER file format is a proprietary format developed by Microsoft, and its exact structure is not publicly available. However, it is known that PER files are divided into several sections, each of which contains a specific type of data. The first section of a PER file contains a header that identifies the file format and version. The remaining sections contain data such as character models, animations, sounds, and dialogue.