Overview

Encoded data are packed bits of information, such as a piñata's name, its variant color, or the cost to use (scan) the card.

Some of this data is optional. For example, cards that are freely reusable do not have a use cost encoded on the card. Likewise, piñatas that aren't named do not have an encoded name on the card.

Other data only exists on certain types of cards. For example, a date-locked card would have date data. Likewise, a card which wasn't date-locked would not have an encoded date at all.

Organization of encoded data

If a card can contain all different kinds of data (some optional, some not), how does the game recognize what specific type of information is encoded on a particular card?

It does this by encoding the type of data (referred to as the payload type), in addition to the data itself. For example, this illustration shows a card with three types of information -- ID, name, and use cost -- each followed by a value for that particular payload type:

ID

Cluckles

Name

Claudia

Use cost

500

Each card, regardless of how little (or how much) is encoded on that card, uses that same payload type:data payload type:data format. The game can easily identify each piece of information on the card, first by examining the payload type (to learn what type of data follows), then processing the payload (the actual encoded data).

Precedence of payload types

Beyond the Start of data and End of data information, it's unknown if the remaining order matters or not.

The general order (for PlaceTag) cards seem to be:

• Start of data
• ID
• Accessory (optional)
• Start date (optional)
• End date (optional)
• Name or cost (optional)
• Wildcard (optional)
• Variant (optional)
• End of data

Encoded data

Payload type

Payload type
Optional:	No
Parent:	N/A
Offset:	Varies
Size:	5 bits
See also
?

The payload type indicates the type of data that immediately follows.

A card can contain several payload types (such as for a pinata that's both a variant and a wildcard).

Decoding

• ?

Encoding

• ?

The payload type is a 5-bit value.

Payload type	Payload size	Payload	Description
00000	4	0000	End of data. No further encoded data follows. Remaining bits pad the data to a barcode row boundary. Padding is filled with specific bits copied from the encoded data, to help obscure what little data may be encoded within the last row.
		0001	Start of data. This payload marks the start of the encoded data. It's also found later in certain cards, such as date-locked cards. (They drop a special pinata on that date, or a normal pinata if scanned on any other day. E.g., Start of data, Date, Special pinata, Start of data, Normal pinata, End of data.)
00001	12	ID data
00010	12?	Trick stick reskin
00011	12	(Starting) date data
00100	12	(Ending) date data
00111	5+	Name data, variable-length. Each character in the name takes 5 bits, plus 5 trailing 00000 bits that (NUL) terminate the name, making the payload size 5 x (name length + 1).
01000	24	Gamertag data
01001	2	Wildcard data
01010	4	Variant data
01011	3	? (3 cards)
10000	?	? (4 cards - Pester, Pester2, Helpers, Winter)
10001	4	Timewarp data
10010	3	Weather type data
10011	8	Weather duration data
10100	?	Sparse callback data? (Actions like learn/perform trick, unlock art, view tag in journal, view cutscenes)
10110	5	00000	?
		00001	?
11000	10	Use cost data
11001	4?	Related to romance music track?
11010	38?	Romance music (jukebox) track
11011	?	? (1 card - Coupon)
11101	3+	Accessory data, variable-length. 3-bit accessory count (followed by 8-bit accessory items), making the payload size 3 + 8 x accessory count.

Sample encoded data

The encoded data for the 02-GoobaaPV card looks like this:

Payload type	Payload
00000	0001 (Start of data)
00001 (ID)	108 (Goobaa)
11101 (Accessory)	3 (items) 43 103 80
00111 (Name)	Bigsheep
01010 (Variant)	2
00000	0000 (End of data)

Card type

Card type
Optional:	No
Parent:	None
Offset:	8?
Size:	6 bits?
See also
?

The card type data identifies what general type of card follows.

It's not certain if the leading bits are a part of this field.

Decoding

•  ?

Encoding

•  ?

Card type	General type	Specific types
100001	PlaceTag	Vision_Single_PlaceTag; Vision_Single_Blackariants; Vision_Single_GoodVariants; player-created cards
100010	UnlockTag	Vision_Single_UnlockTag_ZZTrickStick
110000	?	PesterPV, Pester2PV, HelpersPV, WINTER_CARD
110100	Reference	Vision_Single_View_Appear_Cutscene_Forced; Vision_Single_View_Mate_Cutscene_Forced; Vision_Single_ViewTagInJournal_Animal; Vision_Single_UnlockArt_Animal; Vision_Single_UnlockArt_Helper; Vision_Single_UnlockArt_All; Vision_Single_Learn_Primary_Trick; Vision_Single_Learn_Secondary_Trick; Vision_Single_Perform_Primary_Trick; Vision_Single_Perform_Secondary_Trick; Vision_Single_View_House_Interior_If_Present; Vision_Single_View_House_Interior_Forced
110110	Callback	Vision_Single_LockedDinoCard; Vision_Single_SparseCallback; Vision_Single_TimeWarp; Vision_Single_Weather; terrain; romance music
111011	?	CouponPV

001 PlaceTag

Accessory

Accessory
Optional:	Yes
Parent:	PlaceTag
Offset:	Varies 36 (?) ?? (?)
Size:	Varies 3 + 8 x count
Accessory count Optional: No Parent: Accessory Offset: 0 Size: 3 bits Accessory item 1, 2, 3, ... Optional: No Parent: Accessory Offset: 3 Size: 8 bits
See also
Accessory flag

This optional accessory data is present if the accessory flag is set.

Its offset appears to vary, based on other optional data such as pinata name.

The accessory items are 8-bit values, but do not match up with (normalized) PlaceTag accessory IDs.

Decoding

• Read the accessory count, then read that number of 8-bit values that follow to determine what accessories a pinata is wearing.

Encoding

• ?

A sample of encodings for accessory items. More cards need to be scanned (or generated) to identify all the possible accessory item values.

Item	Description
24	Yee-Haw Spurs
91	Cook Hat
122	Reading Glasses
167	Tail Bow

Accessory flag

Accessory flag
Optional:	No
Parent:	PlaceTag
Offset:	30
Size:	1 bit
See also
Accessory

The accessory flag indicates whether or not optional accessory data is encoded on the card. The accessory flag is present for all PlaceTag cards, even if the item being placed is not a pinata.

Decoding

• If the accessory flag is clear, no optional accessory data is encoded on the card

• If the accessory flag is set, accessory data is encoded on the card. The inclusion of this optional data appears to shift offsets for fields that follow.

Encoding

• If the pinata will be wearing accessories, set the accessory flag, and encode the accessory details.

• If the pinata won't be wearing accessories, clear the accessory flag. No further encoding needs to be done, as the optional accessory data will not be present.

Date

Date
Optional:	Yes
Parent:	Payload type
Offset:	0
Size:	9
Day Optional: No Parent: Date Offset: 0 Size: 5 bits Month Optional: No Parent: Date Offset: 5 Size: 4 bits
See also
Payload type

This optional date data is present if the card is date-locked.

Two sets of dates are encoded -- a start date and an end date -- to provide a date-locked interval when the card will scan as a special pinata. Both sets of dates appear to be required, even if the start date and end date are for the same date.

The card appears to scan with options (e.g., name, accessories, wildcard trait, variant color) if the game date is within the date-locked interval, and without options (i.e., a normal pinata) if the game date is outside the date-locked interval.

Decoding

•  ?

Encoding

• Day is encoded as a 5-bit value from 1 to 31.
• Month is encoded as a 4-bit value from 1 to 12.

Name

Name
Optional:	Yes
Parent:	PlaceTag
Offset:	Varies 41 (AF=0) ?? (?)
Size:	Varies 5 x (length + 1)
Name character 1 Optional: No Parent: Name Offset: 0 Size: 5 bits Name character 2 Optional: No Parent: Name Offset: 5 Size: 5 bits Name character 3, 4, 5, ... Optional: Yes Parent: Name Offset: 10, 15, 20, ... Size: 5 bits
See also
Name flag

This optional pinata name data is present if the name flag is set.

Its offset appears to vary, based on other optional data such as accessories.

Unlike the accessory data, it does not contain a count (length) preceeding the name characters. The name is null-terminated (NUL).

Decoding

• ?

The game likely auto-capitalizes the name, by capitalizing the first letter of the name and any letter that follows a space (SP) character.

Encoding

• ?

The name character set is 5-bit, with no shift bit to distinguish between upper and lower case.

Char	Bits	Char	Bits	Char	Bits	Char	Bits
NUL	00000	G/g	01000	O/o	10000	W/w	11000
SP	00001	H/h	01001	P/p	10001	X/x	11001
A/a	00010	I/i	01010	Q/q	10010	Y/y	11010
B/b	00011	J/j	01011	R/r	10011	Z/z	11011
C/c	00100	K/k	01100	S/s	10100	?	11100
D/d	00101	L/l	01101	T/t	10101	?	11101
E/e	00110	M/m	01110	U/u	10110	?	11110
F/f	00111	N/n	01111	V/v	10111	?	11111

Name flag

Name flag
Optional:	No
Parent:	PlaceTag
Offset:	Varies 39 (AF=0) ?? (?)
Size:	1 bit
See also
Name

The name flag indicates whether or not a pinata name is present.

Its offset appears to vary, based on other optional data such as accessories.

Decoding

• If the name flag is clear, no optional name data is encoded on the card.

• If the name flag is set, name data is encoded on the card. The inclusion of this optional data appears to shift offsets for fields that follow.

Encoding

• If the pinata will have a name, set the name flag, and encode the name data.

• If the pinata won't have a name, clear the name flag. No further encoding needs to be done, as the optional name data will not be present.

Use cost

Use cost
Optional:	No
Parent:	PlaceTag
Offset:	Varies 41 (AF=0) ?? (AF=1)
Size:	10 bits
Use cost value Optional: No Parent: Use cost Offset: 0 Size: 7 bits Use cost magnitude Optional: No Parent: Use cost Offset: 7 Size: 3 bits
See also
Use cost flag, accessory flag

The use cost holds the cost to scan the card (if the card is not flagged as free to scan).

Its offset appears to vary, based on other optional data such as accessory information.

Decoding

• If the use cost flag is clear, the card is free to scan, and the (non-zero) use cost data should be ignored.

• If the use cost flag is set, use the encoded use cost as the cost to scan the card.

To obtain the use cost, multiply the value by the order of magnitude (power of 10). For example, a use cost value of 18 and a use cost magnitude of 2 would be a use cost of 18 x 10² = 18 x 100 = 1800.

Encoding

• If the card has a cost to scan, ensure that the use cost flag is set, and encode the use cost value and magnitude.

There does seem to be some variance on how a use cost of 1000 is encoded. Some cards have it stored as 100 x 10, while others have it encoded as 10 x 100. It's uncertain whether the representations are interchangeable or not, although a particular representation may affect other fields such as a checksum.

• If the card is free to scan, ensure that the use cost flag is clear, and store an ID-derived non-zero value in the use cost to possibly help mask a noticable barcode pattern due to a run of 0s occurring within the encoded data.

Bit(s)	Value to encode
V6 to V3	0
V2	1
V1	!ID11
V0	!ID10
M2	ID9
M1	ID8
M0	ID7

Use cost flag

Use cost flag
Optional:	No
Parent:	PlaceTag
Offset:	35
Size:	1 bit
See also
Use cost

The use cost flag indicates whether or not there is a cost to scan the card.

Decoding

• If the use cost flag is clear, the card is free to scan (and the non-zero encoded use cost should be ignored).

• If the use cost flag is set, the cost to scan the card is encoded in the use cost.

Encoding

• If the card will have a cost to scan, set the use cost flag, and encode the use cost.

• If the card will be free to scan, clear the use cost flag, and store an ID-derived non-zero value in the use cost.

It's uncertain whether the game ignores the use cost data for free cards, or checks it to see if it was encoded properly.

Variant

Variant
Optional:	Yes
Parent:	PlaceTag
Offset:	Varies ?? (NF=1) ?? (AF=1) 56 (UF=1)
Size:	4 bits
See also
Use cost flag, accessory flag, name flag

This optional variant data is present if the pinata is a variant. Its presence appears to be indicated by a 5-bit value of '01010' (10) preceeding the variant data.

The variant identifies the variant color of the pinata being scanned.

Its offset appears to vary, based on other optional data such as pinata name, accessories, or use cost. It appears to start 5 bits after the name, accessory, or use cost data.

Decoding

• Outside of value 15, which is always black, it's not possible to determine whether a value is a specific in-game variant color, or even distinguish between in-game and other variant colors. (E.g., 2 may be a GoodVariants color for one species, but in-game variant color 1 for another species.)

Encoding

• Lookup the value for the color to be encoded onto the card.
  • Known GoodVariants have a variant value between 2 and 10 (but values vary between species).
  • In-game variants have a (non-conflicting) variant value between 2 and 9 (and values also vary between species).
  • Known Blackariants have a variant value of 15.

Variant values for the Quackberry

Description	Color	Encoded value
GoodVariants	Orange	2
GoodVariants	Red	3
GoodVariants	Purple	4
GoodVariants	Light blue	5
In-game variant 1	Blue	6
In-game variant 2	Pink	7
In-game variant 3	Orange	8
GoodVariants	Light pink	9
Blackariants	Black	15

• Note that GoodVariants colors and in-game variant colors differ (slightly) so Quackberry variant color 2 is not the same orange as Quackberry variant color 8.

Wildcard

Wildcard
Optional:	Yes
Parent:	PlaceTag
Offset:	Varies ?? (NF=1) ?? (AF=1) 56 (UF=1)
Size:	2 bits
See also
Use cost flag, accessory flag, name flag

This optional wildcard data is present if the pinata is a wildcard. Its presence appears to be indicated by a 5-bit value of '01001' (9) preceeding the wildcard data.

The wildcard identifies the trait of the pinata being scanned.

Its offset appears to vary, based on other optional data such as pinata name, accessories, or use cost. It appears to start 5 bits after the name, accessory, or use cost data.

Decoding

•  ?

Encoding

• Known wildcards have a trait value between 1 and 3.

100 Reference

Appear Mate subtype

Appear Mate subtype
Optional:	No
Parent:	Reference (AM)
Offset:	36
Size:	1 bit
See also
?

The Appear Mate subtype differentiates between View Appear Cutscene and View Mate Cutscene cards (which both share the same card type).

Decoding

• If the Appear Mate subtype is 0(?), the card is a View Appear Cutscene card.

• If the Appear Mate subtype is 1(?), the card is a View Mate Cutscene card.

Encoding

•  ?

Journal UnlockArt subtype

Journal UnlockArt subtype
Optional:	No
Parent:	Reference (JU)
Offset:	45
Size:	1 bit
See also
?

The Journal UnlockArt subtype differentiates between ViewTagInJournal and UnlockArt cards (which both share the same card type).

Decoding

• If the Journal UnlockArt subtype is 0(?), the card is an UnlockArt card.

• If the Journal UnlockArt subtype is 1(?), the card is a ViewTagInJournal card.

Encoding

•  ?

110 Callback

Dinosaur color

Dinosaur color
Optional:	No
Parent:	Change dinosaur
Offset:	37?
Size:	3 bits?
See also
?

The dinosaur color identifies what reskin color will be applied to the Choclodocus.

Decoding

•  ?

Encoding

•  ?

Type	Description
000	Color 0 (blue)
001	Color 1 (green)
010	Color 2 (red)

Terrain type

Terrain type
Optional:	No
Parent:	Terrain
Offset:	37
Size:	3 bits
See also
?

The terrain type identifies what type of terrain will be applied to the entire garden surface.

Decoding

•  ?

Encoding

•  ?

Type	Description
000	Dirt
001	Grass
010	Long grass
011	Snow
100	Sand

Weather type

Weather type
Optional:	No
Parent:	Weather
Offset:	37
Size:	3 bits
See also
?

The weather type identifies what type of weather will go into effect.

Decoding

•  ?

Encoding

•  ?

Type	Description
000	Clear sky
001	Stormy
010	Misty
011	Rainbow
100	Cloudy