WOW! Thanks for all the help. I hadn't forgotten this post. Had 2 migraines and to top it off, the hubby's sugar(just found out he's diabetic in Mar.) keeps spiking for no reason...so been having to deal with that.

@That Wrascally Wabbit: Thanks for the offer. I may take you up on that when things settle around here.

@2-SHEDS: It wasn't text. I have just enough program knowledge to get myself in trouble. My programming technique is usually trial and error...mostly errors.

@Goody: I have Aptedit Pro. Since I was using my trial and error method....."Error! Error! That does not compute."

@GMMan, A+ Certified Tech (and Game Hacker): First of all, Congrats! And then, Thank You.I kept telling him the game was probably too old to do that. But he kept insisting to ask "my buddies" on GOTD. If it could be done, they would find away to guide me through it. I really didn't expect you to actually try to do it.. Thank you once again.

I really appreciate all the suggestions and help. Thanks.... all of you.

I've downloaded all four Magic Ball games and did a quick analysis. Here are the results:
Magic Ball 1's .dat files are standard ZIP files. They contain non-structured (plain mapping) level data.
Magic Ball 2's .pak files are encrypted, using one of the available ciphers from MCrypt. Decrypting is difficult because game EXE is obfuscated.
Magic Ball 3's .dat files are also obfuscated, using unknown encryption (potentially a function stripped from MCrypt). Similar to above, EXE is obfuscated.
Magic Ball 4's .dat files are standard ZIP files. However, the level data are in a different format than of the ones used in Magic Ball 1. Those data files are clearly marked as using the MB4 level format.

Verdict: Because all the level formats are different (the encrypted ones are presumed different), it'll take a lot of work to get them all to work with MB1. Also, because of different advances between the games, you'll have lots of trouble converting everything to work with any specific Magic Ball game.

It's past Friday now, so if you want me to look at it, now's the time.

(I think you can tell whether or not I passed the exams :) .)

There are way too many file formats using the .dat extension. Really, a .dat could be anything. It usually indicates a arbitrary binary file, but there are no rules what could be in a .dat file.

has anyone tried Universal Extractor 1.6.1 on it? who knows, might help. I agree with hating IE. Then there's Aptedit Pro for giveaway, gives several angles of view w edit; allmedia grabber might give some files to pattern match for... Hmmm...

I can probably check it out for you if you give me some links to the different packages and maybe a key (if I can't bypass the DRM). I did it with Hyperballoid, so I probably can do it with Magic Ball, if it's not too heavily comfuscated (is that a word?). However, you'll have to wait till after Friday, after I've taken my CompTIA A+ exams (wish me luck).

(I hate IE. There's no spellchecking.)

Not an easy answer really. .dat files are different than regular file extensions. There's really no ONE program that can open or edit them. They can be text (ascii) or hexidecimal files. It's usually a trial and error thing with me but sometimes you can open them with "Microsoft Access" or "Open Office Base". If that doesn't work, try "Notepad" that comes with Windows or use NotePad++ like I do. This will work if the .dat is just text but then again it may have errors with symbols not recognized. If you have programming knowledge, you can use a hex editor if it's hexidecimal (but that doesn't fall into the "easy" part you asked for).

You can try opening the file by right clicking on the file and select "Open with", and then the file that created it (however; you can't always edit the file this way). Also many programs do a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) on the .dat before it loads, and an edited .dat file may not load for ya at all depending on the program that runs it. Like I said, not an easy answer for ya and it's usually a trial and error thing.

Good Luck to ya.

Hi Delenn, I have a game called X-Ray Ball that I purchased from alawar many years ago.
It was released around the same time as the first Magic Ball and is very similar. The blocks look the same and the levels are similar; though it has three different modes of play. I played it out many years ago and will probably never play it again, so you can have it if you wish.

PM me or email me and I'll sort it out for you. :)

See this is what I mean...I left info out...DUH!

What I need it for: The hubby constantly plays the game "Magic Ball". He has ALL the different ones but he only plays the first one. He is bored with it now and he really doesn't like the other games but he would like to take some of the levels from the other games and add it to the first one. Is there a way to do that in the .dat files?

Thanks!

Sorry I haven't been on much. Between the bouts with my migraines and it being summer...taking advantage of the heat, I just haven't been on much.

I need a program that will edit .dat files and right now, I just can't think straight. I, probably, have one ON my PC that I got from GOTD or it's right in front of my face but for the life of me, I just don't know.

So please....hit me with some links or names of programs I should have.