Extract text from Game maps and layouts (MLK)
To convert MLK Game files to another format, you need Stronghold or other Game software.
To convert other file formats to the "Game Campaign Map File" file type, you need software like Stronghold or a similar tool.
The .MLK file format is a proprietary data container primarily used by PC video games. Most often, it functions as a campaign map file for Stronghold, a real-time strategy game developed by Firefly Studios. In the modding community, it is also recognized as a configuration or data file for Mount & Blade. A secondary, non-gaming use case is the MasterCook Look File by ValuSoft, which stores visual settings for recipe databases.
Working with .MLK files presents significant real-world challenges. They are closed-source binary or tightly formatted files that lack native support in modern operating systems. You cannot simply open an .MLK file to view a map or recipe layout; it requires the specific, often outdated, host software to parse the data. Sharing these files directly on modding forums or via email frequently triggers security blocks because the uncommon file signature is flagged by strict firewalls. Furthermore, attempting to modify raw map data in a standard word processor will irreversibly corrupt the file encoding.
To safely inspect or share these files, conversion is highly recommended. For modders attempting reverse engineering, convert the file to TXT or XML to expose readable plain-text strings or hexadecimal data. For archiving or sharing online without triggering file-type blocks, convert it to a standard archive format like ZIP. Drop your file here to view and convert it securely right in your browser.
Convert.Guru analyzes your MLK file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted FMF, WF1 and TTT files.
If you want to convert MLK file to INI, CFG, CONF, CONFIG, JSON, XML, YAML, YML, TOML, ENV, PROPERTIES or RC, you can use Stronghold or similar software from the "Game Map and Mod Data" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert ZSHRC, CONF, RCFILE, GITCONFIG, RC, PLIST, BASHRC, CONFIG, PROFILE, INI, PREFS or CFG files to MLK, try Stronghold or another comparable tool in the "Game Map and Mod Data" 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 MLK converter.