.VOL File Extension
Video Game Archive
| Developer | N/A |
| Popularity |
3.8 | 23 Votes |
What is a VOL file?
A VOL file is an archive used by various video games, including Tribes and Earth Siege 2, to store game data in a single, compressed package. It may contain textures, sounds, maps, models, scripts, and other assets needed by the game. Game developers use VOL files to organize and compress game resources, which helps reduce loading times and simplifies file management.
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No single developer standardized the VOL game archive format. Instead, several game development studios used and implemented the format in various forms during the 1990s and early 2000s. Most notably, it was used by Dynamix, a game studio under Sierra On-Line, in titles such as EarthSiege 2 and the Tribes series. Later, Planet Moon Studios used a variation of the format in Giants: Citizen Kabuto.
Each developer typically implemented a custom version of the VOL format tailored to their game engine's needs, so while the .vol file extension remained the same, the internal structure could differ significantly between games. As a result, VOL files from different games are often not interchangeable and may require game-specific tools to extract or modify.
How to open a VOL file
VOL files are not meant to be opened. Instead, the game packaged with the VOL file references it to load its contents.
However, players or modders sometimes extract the contents of a VOL file to modify or replace game assets. For example, you can use Dragon UnPACKer to unpack assets in VOL files in Windows. However, not all games using VOL files support modification, and editing these files may corrupt them.
Programs that open or reference VOL files
Volfs File System Directory
| Developer | Apple |
| Popularity |
3.2 | 6 Votes |
A VOL directory is a virtual system directory used by early versions of macOS (Mac OS X) as part of the Volfs file system. It acts as a mount point that provides an alternate way to access files on the system. Instead of storing actual file data, the directory serves as a virtual layer for managing file references.
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The Volfs file system was designed to support older applications that relied on Carbon APIs, which were used in classic Mac software. It allowed these applications to access files using a consistent interface, even as macOS transitioned to a Unix-based system. The .vol directory maps file identifiers to actual file locations, helping maintain compatibility with legacy software.
Developers and advanced users working with older macOS systems may encounter the .vol directory, typically located at /.vol. It acts as a bridge between legacy Carbon-based file handling and the underlying BSD file system used by macOS.
NOTE: Volfs and the .vol directory are now largely obsolete. As Apple phased out the Carbon framework and moved fully to modern technologies like Cocoa, the need for this compatibility layer disappeared (most modern macOS systems no longer rely on or expose Volfs functionality).
How to open a VOL file
To access the Volfs file system directory (/.vol), you can use a macOS system that still supports it. Open the Terminal application (located in the "Utilities" folder within "Applications"), then navigate to the directory by entering cd /.vol. This directory provides a virtual view of files based on internal file identifiers rather than standard file paths.
The .vol directory is intended for advanced use and is primarily relevant to legacy software that relied on Carbon APIs. It does not function like a typical folder and may not be accessible or present in modern versions of macOS. Most users do not need to interact with it directly.
Programs that open or reference VOL files
Gran Turismo Game Archive
| Developer | Polyphony Digital |
| Popularity |
3.7 | 3 Votes |
A VOL file may also be a game archive used by various games in the Gran Turismo racing series, including Gran Turismo 2 and 3. It contains resource files for the game, including music, sound effects, car models, and textures compressed with a proprietary compression method. Most Gran Turismo players will never encounter VOL files unless they attempt to extract files from the archives, alter them, and re-package them to modify gameplay.
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Polyphony Digital develops games in the Gran Turismo series, and Sony Interactive Entertainment distributes them. The games are only available for PlayStation systems (1-5 and Portable).
Since various versions of Gran Turismo use VOL files, the VOL format may differ slightly from game to game. For example, a VOL file packaged with Gran Turismo 2 differs from a VOL file packaged with Gran Turismo 5. Additionally, VOL files are typically large, often around 10 GB.
Common VOL Filenames
GT.vol - Common name for the VOL archive included with various versions of Gran Turismo, including version 5.
How to open a VOL file
You should not attempt to open VOL files. Instead, the Gran Turismo game references the VOL file to load the resource files in the archive for gameplay purposes.
However, game modders may use tools to extract resource files from VOL files, alter them, and then re-package them with the game. For example, GTVolTools is a popular modding tool for extracting VOL files from various Gran Turismo versions, including Gran Turismo 2, 2000, and 3.