Extract text from Map and game areas (ARE)
To convert ARE Map areas to another format, you need AlpineQuest or other GIS software.
To convert other file formats to the "Map Region Data" file type, you need software like AlpineQuest or a similar tool.
The .ARE file extension usually represents an AlpineQuest Map Area or region file. These files store specific geographic boundaries and coordinate data used by the AlpineQuest GPS application and OfflineMaps+ for Android devices to cache map tiles for offline navigation. Alternatively, in the game development and modding community, .ARE files are Game Area Description files used by BioWare games built on the Infinity Engine or Aurora Engine (such as Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights). They define the collision geometry, spawn points, and triggers of a specific game level.
The main disadvantage of .ARE files is their highly specialized, proprietary nature. An AlpineQuest .ARE file cannot be opened directly in standard GIS desktop applications like QGIS or Google Earth. It traps your region boundaries inside a specific mobile ecosystem. Similarly, BioWare .ARE files require specific, outdated modding tools to view or edit, making modern game modifications incredibly difficult and tedious.
To make this data accessible, conversion is strictly required. For mapping data, convert .ARE to GPX or KML for broad compatibility with web viewers, Google Earth, and dedicated GPS hardware like Garmin devices. For game modding, developers often need to convert the binary data to JSON or XML to easily read or edit the parameters.
Convert.Guru analyzes your ARE file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted STF, SCORE and IMS files.
If you want to convert ARE file to , you can use AlpineQuest or similar software from the "Map region & level geometry" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert files to ARE, try AlpineQuest or another comparable tool in the "Map region & level geometry" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our ARE converter.