VTA File Format (.vta)
A VTA file is Valve's vertex animation companion to SMD, storing per-vertex position deltas, most often a face's expressions, that studiomdl compiles alongside a skeletal SMD into the same model's shape-key data.
VTA at a glance#
| Full name | Valve vertex animation |
|---|---|
| File extension | .vta |
| Category | 3D Models |
| Developer | Valve |
| Compression | Uncompressed |
| FileFlip support | FileFlip reads this format but does not write it |
What a .vta file can hold#
These are the things a VTA file either supports or does not, and they are what decides whether a conversion keeps everything or quietly drops something.
| Animation | Yes |
|---|---|
| Human readable | Yes |
Strengths and limitations of VTA#
What VTA does well
- Uses the same plain text block syntax as SMD, so the same tools and scripts that write one can write the other
- Stores per-vertex position deltas rather than joint transforms, which is exactly what shape-key style facial expressions need and a skeleton alone can't give
Where VTA falls short
- Meaningless without a matching SMD skeleton and mesh for the vertex deltas to apply to
- Like SMD, only ever an intermediate file; the compiled model is what a game actually loads
- Narrow purpose, mainly facial flex shapes, so it's rarely encountered outside Source engine character pipelines
Export VTA alongside a skeletal SMD when a character needs shape-key style vertex animation, such as facial expressions, compiled into a Source or GoldSrc engine model.
Convert a VTA file's vertex deltas when moving a character's facial rig into a DCC tool or engine that expects blend shapes instead of Valve's flex system.
How to open a .vta file#
A .vta file opens in the programs below, grouped by the platform you are on. If you would rather not install anything, FileFlip converts VTA into a format your machine already opens, and it does it in the browser tab rather than on a server.
| Platform | Programs that open it |
|---|---|
| Windows | Blender (Blender Source Tools), Crowbar |
| macOS | Blender (Blender Source Tools) |
| Linux | Blender (Blender Source Tools) |
| Web | FileFlip |
VTA questions people ask#
What is a VTA file?
A VTA file is Valve's vertex animation format, storing per-vertex position deltas, most commonly a character's facial expressions, that pair with a skeletal SMD file. Studiomdl compiles the two together into the shape-key data of a GoldSrc or Source engine model.
How is VTA different from SMD?
SMD describes a skeleton, its skinned mesh, and joint-based animation, while VTA describes shape-key style vertex deltas, most often for facial expressions, that move vertices directly rather than through a bone. Both share the same text syntax and are compiled together by studiomdl.
What opens VTA files today?
Blender, through the community-maintained Blender Source Tools add-on, reads and writes VTA files as part of Source engine character workflows, and the Crowbar tool works with VTA data outside Valve's own SDK as well.
Converting VTA files#
Convert VTA to another format
FileFlip does not write .vta files, so nothing on the site converts into this format. It works as a source only.
Every conversion runs inside your browser. The file is read from your disk, the work happens on your own machine, and nothing is uploaded. How FileFlip works names the engine behind each family and how to verify that for yourself.