PALLETTE.DTA is a file in Creatures 1 which maps from 8-bit colors to 24-bit RGB pairs. The format seems simple: The file is simply a 256-entry array of 24-bit B-G-R values; Each color component having one byte. However, each colour byte needs to be multiplied separately by 4 to reach the full 0-255 range - initially it is just 0-64. In addition, this format is: BB GG RR BB GG RR . . . Most programs will want something more like this (padding to 32 bits): RR GG BB 00 RR GG BB 00 . . .