Source 2 Viewer

Appearance

Download Source 2 Viewer

Extract Dota 2 Hero Models, Cosmetics and Files ​

This page shows where Dota 2 keeps its files, and how to find a hero or an item. To open a package and browse it, see Finding Game Files.

Where the Files Are ​

Dota 2 installs into steamapps/common/dota 2 beta/, with its files in game/dota/.

WhatWhere
Heroes, items, particles, sounds, scriptsgame/dota/pak01_dir.vpk
The mapgame/dota/maps/dota.vpk
Custom games from the Workshopsteamapps/workshop/content/570/<item id>/

What's Inside pak01_dir.vpk ​

FilesPath inside the package
Hero modelsmodels/heroes/<hero>/
Cosmetic itemsmodels/items/<hero>/<item>/
Couriersmodels/courier/ and models/items/courier/
Creeps and Roshanmodels/creeps/
Hero particlesparticles/units/heroes/hero_<hero>/
Cosmetic particlesparticles/econ/items/<hero>/
Hero iconspanorama/images/heroes/icons/
Hero imagespanorama/images/heroes/ and its selection/ folder
Item iconspanorama/images/econ/items/<hero>/
Loading screenspanorama/images/loadingscreens/
Voice linessounds/vo/<hero>/
Announcerssounds/vo/announcer/ and sounds/vo/announcer_dlc_<name>/
Musicsounds/music/<pack>/
Hero scriptsscripts/npc/heroes/
Item definitionsscripts/items/items_game.txt
Hero namesresource/localization/abilities_english.txt
Item namesresource/localization/items_english.txt

Hero Names ​

Each hero has an internal name, such as nevermore for Shadow Fiend, and its folders can use other spellings:

HeroInternal nameModel folder in models/heroes/Voice lines in sounds/vo/
Clockwerkrattletraprattletraprattletrap
Iowispwispwisp
Shadow Fiendnevermoreshadow_fiendnevermore
Templar Assassintemplar_assassinlanayatemplar_assassin
Wraith Kingskeleton_kingwraith_kingskeleton_king
Zeuszuuszeuszuus

Finding a Hero's Model ​

For a hero not in the table:

  1. Open resource/localization/abilities_english.txt and search for the hero's name. Its id is on the left, such as npc_dota_hero_nevermore for Shadow Fiend.

    abilities_english.txt open in Source 2 Viewer, with the Find window searching for Shadow Fiend and the line "npc_dota_hero_nevermore:n" "Shadow Fiend" found

  2. Open the hero's script, such as scripts/npc/heroes/npc_dota_hero_nevermore.txt. Its Model line is the hero's model.

    npc_dota_hero_nevermore.txt open in Source 2 Viewer, with the line "Model" "models/heroes/shadow_fiend/shadow_fiend.vmdl" near the top

  3. Type the model's folder, such as models/heroes/shadow_fiend, into the box above the tree and press Enter.

    The box above the tree reading models/heroes/shadow_fiend, with shadow_fiend.vmdl_c selected among the models of the folder

Hero Models and Their Parts ​

Most heroes wear their default items as separate models in the hero's folder, such as axe_armor.vmdl_c and axe_weapon.vmdl_c next to axe.vmdl_c.

To use a hero in Blender, see Exporting Models and Posing Characters in Blender. Export the parts too, and attach them as described in Attaching Items in Blender.

Cosmetic Items ​

Cosmetic items are in models/items/<hero>/, one folder per item. To find an item by its name:

  1. Open scripts/items/items_game.txt and search for the item's name, such as Carnage of the Endless Hunt - Belt.

    The entry of item 18546 in items_game.txt, with the Find window searching for Carnage of the Endless Hunt - Belt and its name line found, above its image_inventory, item_name, item_slot and model_player lines

  2. Its model_player line is the model. Type its folder into the box above the tree and press Enter.

    The box above the tree reading models/items/axe/aghsbp_2021_axe_belt, with aghsbp_2021_axe_belt.vmdl_c selected in the folder

The image_inventory line names the item's icon in panorama/images/.

Attaching Items in Blender ​

Each hero, part and item has its own armature. To make an item follow the hero:

  1. Import the hero and the item into the same scene.

  2. Select the item's mesh, and in its Armature modifier (the wrench), set Object to the hero's armature.

    The Modifiers tab of Axe's weapon in Blender, with the Object list of its Armature modifier open and the hero's armature axe highlighted above axe_armor and axe_weapon

  3. Delete the item's own armature.

    The Outliner with the item's armature axe_weapon selected and its context menu open, with Delete highlighted

The item now moves with the hero. Bone names must match exactly, and some items name bones in lowercase, such as clavicle_r for Axe's clavicle_R. Rename those under Vertex Groups in the Object Data properties.

Particles ​

Hero effects are in particles/units/heroes/hero_<hero>/, and cosmetic effects in particles/econ/items/<hero>/. Double-click a .vpcf_c file to preview it.

The particle tab of axe_battle_hunger.vpcf_c, with the burning skull of Battle Hunger, and the sidebar listing the functions of the effect, some of them in red

Functions in red are not simulated by the viewer, so the preview can differ from the game.

Icons, Portraits and Loading Screens ​

  • Hero icons are in panorama/images/heroes/icons/, wide images in panorama/images/heroes/, and tall portraits in panorama/images/heroes/selection/.
  • Item icons are in panorama/images/econ/items/<hero>/.
  • Loading screens are in panorama/images/loadingscreens/.

The Grid view shows them as thumbnails. To save them as PNG, see Exporting Textures.

The package tab at panorama/images/heroes/selection in grid view, scrolled to thumbnails of hero portraits, and the heroes folder in the tree with its icons, large and selection folders

Voice Lines, Announcers and Music ​

Voice lines are in sounds/vo/<hero>/, announcers in sounds/vo/announcer/ and folders such as sounds/vo/announcer_dlc_glados/, and music in sounds/music/. To save sounds, see Exporting Sounds.

Maps ​

The map is maps/dota.vmap_c in game/dota/maps/dota.vpk. The other dota packages hold older versions and seasonal terrains. See Exporting Maps.

This project is not affiliated with Valve Software. Source 2 is a trademark and/or registered trademark of Valve Corporation.