An area is a distinct section of the game that is loaded separately from all other sections. There are two files for each area: a SAV file and an ARE file. Both have the same name/tag but different file extensions. The SAVs are embedded in the player's savegames. The AREs are not. Once a player has entered an area for the first time, changes to the AREs will still have an effect, but changes to the SAVs seemingly will not. That's because the game engine uses the SAV that's in the save and no longer the SAV in the override folder. Saves that were made before the player entered the area are not affected by this "little" problem of course.
Both file types are GFF files and can be edited with K-GFF.
data in the SAVs:
area name
creatures
placeables
sound effects
stores
triggers
waypoints
data in the AREs:
ambient sounds
ambient music
scripts
Note that the rewards for quests and the contents of placeables are in neither of these types of files but in the Area Reward 2das.
Complete List of Areas[]
This list is ordered chronologically - or as chronologically as possible. See Chapters for info about internal numbering of areas.