Help:Game Files

Dota 2 Wiki uses icons and values extracted from Dota 2's game files. This is also a useful way to get attributes of newly released or hard-to-get cosmetic items.

Tools needed
To open Dota 2's .vpk game files, all you will need is GCFScape.

Locating and opening Dota 2's game files
The default installation for Dota 2 will place files at C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\dota 2\dota (or C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\dota 2 beta\dota if the game was installed during the beta). Navigate there in GCFScape and open pak01_dir.vpk. Once you have opened the vpk file, you can see directories and files. Once you have found what you want inside GCFScape, right-click and extract to the desired location on your computer.

Cosmetic item data

 * /scripts/items/items_game.txt

This is where all the cosmetic item attributes are defined&mdash;rarity, slot, hero, associated custom animations or effects, default gems, etc. You can also see contents of sets and treasures.


 * C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\dota 2\dota\resource

This one is not actually inside the .vpk file. Item names and descriptions can be found here.

Cosmetic item icons

 * /resource/flash3/images/econ

Most cosmetic item icons. Loading Screen icons are the same icon as the set icon


 * /resource/cursor/workshop

Custom cursor item icons.

Interface customizations

 * /materials/console/loadingscreens

.vtf files of loading screens in their original resolution. Use VTFEdit to view/convert.


 * /resource/flash3/images/hud_skins

Image files for HUD skins.


 * /resource/flash3/images/emoticons

Emoticon image strips.

Game assets

 * /resources/flash3/images/

Hero icons, item icons, and ability icons can be found in their respective folders. Custom ability and item icons can be found here too.


 * C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\dota 2 beta\dota\resource\dota_english.txt

Another one that is not actually inside the .vpk file. Game strings

Using -override_vpk
The launch option -override_vpk is a way to use your own modified copies of any file found inside Dota2's VPK files. To use, navigate to the Dota 2 install directory outside of GCFScape and place your modified files inside the dota folder, mirroring the directory structure where the originals were located inside the .vpk file, creating folders if necessary (see the below example). Launch the game, join a private lobby (-override_vpk disables you from matchmaking) and see your modifications. These changes are only visible to yourself.

Example
I want to change Disruptor's hero icon (the small one at the top of the screen near the game clock).


 * Navigate to pak01_dir.vpk and use GCFScape to open it
 * Inside GCFScape, navigate to resource/flash3/images/heroes/disruptor.png, right-click, and export it.
 * Find the image where it was exported and edit it
 * Move the edited file to C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\dota 2\dota\resource\flash3\images\heroes\disruptor.png. Create folders if they don't exist
 * Launch Dota 2 with the launch option -override_vpk