FF8/WorldMap wmsetxx

Info

WMSETxx.obj (where xx may refer to gr,us,it,fr,sp) is a multi-data world map file containing many core functions and 3D objects. This file contains almost everything: sounds, scripts, dialogs, texts, textures, models- all contained in one file. Main differences between en/it/gr/sp/fr are localized dialogs, so next sections have different offsets. Offsets before this are all the same. Wmset.obj is probably never used in-game and is leftover. Dialogs in lang-en/wmset.obj are in english, but the file is different from wmsetus.obj.

General structure

WMSETxx.obj is made from 48 sections. File starts with header, that has 48*4 bytes. Every offset is 4 bytes long.

Offset	Length	Description
0	4 bytes	Section 1
SectNmbr * 4	4 bytes	Section SectNmbr

The last section is offset 188.

Section 1: World map encounter data supplier

Offset	Length	Description
0	4 bytes	FileSize (this+4)
4 + (entryID * 4)	4 bytes	EncounterIdSupplierDataProvider_Entry

EncounterIdSupplierDataProvider_Entry:

Offset	Length	Description
0	Byte	regionID
1	Byte	groundID
2	Byte	ESI*
3	Byte	unused

• ESI is the name of the register that holds the third byte parameter of section1. It is used later to determine the encounter. When the character makes a step on worldmap, the game loops through whole section1 data and tests:

if the character is walking on groundID and regionID, if yes, then ESI is our multiplier to section4 containing encounters. Example entry:

00 06 00 00:

If Squall is in region = 0 and walks on ground with ID 6 (as far as I remember it's Balamb Plains or forest) then get encounters from section4 that start at 0*8; Other example:

04 1B 24 00:

If Squall is in region = 4 and walks on ground with ID 0x1B, then get encounters from section4 that starts at 0x24*8 = 288

That way the engine can play encounter based on place you are, because if you're walking on Balamb beach, then engine should play encounter with beach, not snow plains. That's why if you change the for one map portion you can totally erase encounters in this region, because in example region 4 that may be Centra regions does not contain any BalambPlains, so there is no entry in section1 and therefore the engine finds the region encounters, but doesn't find the encounter entries for BalambPlainsGround in Centra ruins (this is totally an example).

Section 2: World map Regions

Nothing much to write here. 32x24 world map. Just open it via hexEditor. It's just bitmap (you can even convert bytes to image and mini worldmap will show) Every single byte is regionID used for example in section1 for encounters.

Section 3: UNKNOWN

UNKNOWN

Section 4: World Map Encounters

Offset	Length	Description
section1.ESI * 8	8 bytes	8 bytes of encounters from scene.out

It's as simple as that: Squall makes step on worldmap, game gets Squall position and tests it with section2 containing region, then loops through section1 and tests groundID and regionID to find ESI multiplier, if random number generates battle, then game gets to section4 using ESI determined earlier with Squall step on world map and plays randomly one of the eight encounters (because one ESI/encounterEntry is 8 bytes, where first four are the most common, other 2 medium and last 2 rarest)

Section 5: UNUSED

Unused in-game

Section 14: Side quests texts/tialogs

This section provides dialogs on world map used in side quests.

This section starts with header pointing to relative offsets to dialog/text portions.

Dumped data from wmsetus.obj:

…+-1 Airstation5 … 7  Get off…YesNo5 + 7  Get off…YesNo5 - 7  Get off…YesNo”Bound for 5 4 7“Pay 4111 Gil to rideDon't ride”
Bound for 5 3 7“Pay 4111 Gil to rideDon't ride”Bound for 5 ! 7“Pay 4111 Gil to rideDon't ride7 ”You don't have enough money“
Selphie ”C'mon?  To the 5Missile Base7?“ n Soldier”Give it up“ n Soldier”I'm busy“ n Soldier”There's no way you're getting 
through?“ n Soldier”This is our duty“ n Soldier”Just like always“ n Soldier”How 'bout a date…“Found a draw point?But no one 
can drawFound a draw point?Nothing thereFound a draw point? foundCan't carry anymoreYou do not have DrawWho will draw…Don't 
draw  stocked 1+-=*&??()·.71Out of/  …?3  7remaining …YesNo#‘2 How to drive 7          4!Back  7!Forward          6!Get on
:off Steer with directional button 1!Change POV2 Garden Controls 7          4!Back  7!Forward  5!To cockpit          6!Get on
:off Steer with directional button 1!Change POV2 How to ride a Chocobo 7 6!Get off Run with directional button 1!Change POV2
 Spaceship Controls 7          4!Back  7!Forward  5!To cockpit          6!Get on:off Directional button to go up:down:steer 1!
Change POV)This place looksfamiliar·It looks abandonedand run=down”Huh?…“Nida”The gauge is going berserk?…“)Shouldn't be getting
 off·This must be Obel LakeThrow a rockTry hummingIt's Obel LakeThrow a rockTry hummingA black shadow rose to the surfaceThrow
 a rockTry humming againThe black shadow disappearedThe rock sank .The rock skipped once . .The rock skipped twice . . .The 
rock skipped 4 times . . . .The rock skipped 5 times . . . . .The rock skipped 6 times . . . . . .The rock skipped 7 times . 
. . . . .The rock skippedmany many timesBlack Shadow”Hello human  What a lovely tune“A black shadow rose to the surface”Hello?“)
There's something large there·”Thanks for speaking to me again?“”Umm“”Can you do me a favor…“)What is it·)I don't want to hear 
it·”It's my friend Mr Monkey Can you find him for me…“”Please“”“”Mr Monkey should be in a forest somewhere Keep walking around 
and I'm sure you'll find him“”Oh yeah do you know what…“”Oh yeah“”What a beautiful day“”I wonder what it means…“”Mysterious 
writing on the rock“”Mr Monkey had a rock like this I think“”Take a break at the railroad bridge“”Take some time off at Eldbeak
 Peninsula“”I bet it's a wonderful place“Relayed the whereabouts of Mr Monkey”Thank you?“There's the monkey?Throw a rockSing”
You suck?“The monkey disappeared into the forestThe monkey told you off and disappeared into the forest”Ahhh?  Darn it? 
Y=You're just a big loser?  I'm able to skip the rock as many times as I want? So there? Ha=Ha? Loser? Dork? Idiot? Your mom 
wears combat boots?“”OUCH? D=Darn it? You're gonna pay for that?“The monkey threw a rock at you and ran?Upon inspecting the 
rockit looks man=made andhas some carving on itYou found the monkey”You big dork???“Almost?The monkey ran awayWhat's this?…You
 found a piece of rock by your footIt looks man=made andhas some carving on itBut it was just a rockA bird is warming an egg
Check it outLeave it aloneIt seems that the birdwent to go look for foodYou found a piece of rock thereNothing there1  
S T S L R M 1  U R H A E O 1  R E A I D R 1  E A S N P D 1  S T S L R M 71  U R H A E O 71  R E A I D R 71  E A S N P D 7”
At the beach in 2 something special washes ashore at times“”You'll find something on an island east of 4 too“”There's also 
something on top of a mountain with a lake and cavern“”Back in the day south of here there used to be a small but beautiful 
village surrounded by deep forests Everyone lived a happy life there“There is a stone pillarIf you look closelythere's something
 written on it”TRETIMEASUREAT MINOFFDEISLE“)…·Found 9?Found L?Found ?Found 1?That sound disappeared into the lakeThere are many
 multicoloredrocks with faces all over the placeThe black=faced rock tells you sternly”The treasure is probably in the direction
 of the North Star“The white=faced rock tells you coldly”It's east“The white=faced rock tells you coldly”It's west“The white=
faced rock tells you coldly”It's south“The white=faced rock tells you coldly”It's north“The red=faced rock tells you angrily”
The blue one's a liar?“The red=faced rock tells you angrily”The treasure's to the east?“The red=faced rock tells you angrily”
The treasure's to the west?“The red=faced rock tells you angrily”The treasure's to the south?“The red=faced rock tells you angrily
”The treasure's to the north?“The red=faced rock tells you angrily”The treasure's not here?“The blue=faced rock whispers”
I don't know where the treasure is“The blue=faced rock whispers”People call us ‘The Liar Rocks'“The blue=faced rock whispers”
Some of us just repeat the same thing“The blue=faced rock whispers”Some of us just talk nonsense“The blue=faced whispers”
Some of us just say the opposite of what we mean“This place just has rubble lying among the grassAbsolutely nothing)
Is thispart of something…·)Seems like the same rock     I picked up before·)This must be all of them·”This must be all the rocks““
If he's not around perhaps he took a train towards Dollet…“)I remember now This is Edea's house I get the feeling there's something
nearby Something hugenearby·

Section 15: NULL

4 Bytes NULL

Section 16: World map objects data

Offset	Length	Description
0	4 bytes	Relative offset to Model structure (below)
Various	4 bytes	'00 00 00 00' - offset list end
Offset pointed by header	Various	Models (see below)

Researched by: Vehek (http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=13799.msg193791#msg193791)

struct
{
u16 triangle_count;
u16 quad_count;
u16 texture_page;
u16 vertex_count;
triangle triangleData[triangle_count];
quad quadData[quad_count];
vertex verticeData[vertex_count];
} model

struct
{
u8 vertexIndices[3];
u8 semitransp; //Sets semitransparency if bit 0x01 is set
u8 texcoords1[2];
u8 texcoords2[2];
u8 texcoords3[2];
u16 CLUT_ID;
} triangle

struct
{
u8 vertexIndices[4];
u8 texcoords1[2];
u8 texcoords2[2];
u8 texcoords3[2];
u8 texcoords4[2];
u16 CLUT_ID;
u8 semitransp;//Sets semitransparency if bit 0x01 is set
u8 unknown
} quad

struct
{
s16 coordinates[3];
u16 unknown;
}vertex

Section 17-19: UNKNOWN

UNKNOWN

Section 20: UNKNOWN

Bunch of AKAO frames headers packed

Section 21: AKAO

Starts with AKAO header

Section 22-28: NULL

4 Bytes NULL

Section 29: World map "water block"

Section 29 is a duplicate segment from "full" water block (not segment!) used in world map (wmx.obj).

Usage

Whenever landing or entering ragnarok, the engine does not load segments from wmx.obj until the transition is done. Whenever transforming viewport at certain speed, the engine can't keep up with loading the new segments/blocks. The areas that are not loaded but should be rendered in the same time are filled with this block. This can be seen when the camera view is set so that it rotates during ragnarok entering/exiting transition or placing character to different area.

Section 30: NULL

4 Bytes NULL

Section 31: UNKNOWN

UNKNOWN

Section 32: Text- Location names

This section provides location names (probably for Ragnarok landing?)

This section starts with header pointing to relative offsets to dialog/text portions.

Dumped data from wmsetus.obj:

?2344 Forest  Garden  Garden: Station!9Missile Base7WinhillEdea's House%:
51 Seaside Station1 City1: AirstationLunatic Pandora Laboratory=1
Sorceress MemorialTears' Point1 Seaside Station=Tears' PointTears' 
PointLunatic Pandora Laboratory1:Airstation1 Sorceress Memorial

Section 33-37: UNKNOWN

UNKNOWN

Section 38: World map textures archive

This section starts with header pointing to relative offsets to .TIM textures. When engine reads offset as 0 (00 00 00 00) then ends reading offsets (so 0 is end of offset list). This is one of the larger sections in file. THIS section is responsible for 1/2 world map textures (Those are really used in-game). There is 36 textures inside as of original release. Also, sea, beach and special effects texture is present.

Offset	Length	Description
0	4 bytes	Relative offset to texture
Various (144 originally)	4 bytes	'00 00 00 00' - offset list end
Offset pointed by header	Various	.TIM texture (10 00 00 00 08)

Section 39: Textures - roads, train track, bridge

This section starts with header pointing to relative offsets to .TIM textures. When engine reads offset as 0 (00 00 00 00) then ends reading offsets (so 0 is end of offset list). THIS section is responsible for train track textures, road textures, bridge train track texture (the one that gets through FH).

Offset	Length	Description
0	4 bytes	Relative offset to texture
Various (52 originally)	4 bytes	'00 00 00 00' - offset list end
Offset pointed by header	Various	.TIM texture (10 00 00 00 08)

Section 40: One world map texture/NULL

This section starts with header pointing to relative offsets to only one .TIM texture. This is the first texture that is in texl.obj or wmsetxx.obj/Section 38.

Offset	Length	Description
0	4 bytes	Relative offset to texture
4	4 bytes	'00 00 00 00' - offset list end
8	Various (16384 originally)	.TIM texture (10 00 00 00 08)
After Texture	Next offset-(header+TIM texture)	NULL data

Section 41: UNKNOWN

UNKNOWN

Section 42: Vehicle and object textures

This section starts with header pointing to relative offsets to .TIM textures. When engine reads offset as 0 (00 00 00 00) then ends reading offsets (so 0 is end of offset list). THIS section is responsible for vehicles, world map objects textures (Balamb mobile, Galbadia mobile, Balamb halo ring, cactuar statue, lunatic pandora...)

Offset	Length	Description
0	4 bytes	Relative offset to texture
Various (132 originally)	4 bytes	'00 00 00 00' - offset list end
Offset pointed by header	Various	.TIM texture (10 00 00 00 08)

Section 43-47: UNKNOWN

UNKNOWN

Section 48: AKAO frame

Starts with AKAO