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bzw - BZFlag world file format
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Description
The BZFlag world file format describes a world environment that is used by the BZFlag game server, bzfs.
XBZWfileformat
The BZFlag world file format describes and environment that includes the game map, physical world
attributes, and automatic world weapons. The map may contain a variety of "obstacles" like buildings,
pyramids, and meshes. These obstacles make up the world that the BZFlag tanks will drive around in. Map
attributes may be set to create worlds of various sizes, the default size is 800x800.
Here is small example world:
# simple world containing a box, pyramid, and mesh
worldname Simple World
size 100.0
endboxposition -20 -20 0
size 10 20 10
endpyramidposition 20 20 0
size 10 10 20
endmeshvertex -10 0 0
vertex 10 0 0
vertex 0 10 0
facevertices 0 1 2
endfaceend
The .bzw file is a plain text file with a relatively simple file format. The format of this text file
consists of any number of objects listed in any order (except that physics, textureMatrix, dynamicColor,
and material must come before they are referenced) separated by newlines and grouped into blocks of
types. The list of world types consists of:
worldoptionswaterLeveldynamicColortextureMatrixtransformmaterialphysicsdefinegroupmeshmeshboxmeshpyrarcconespheretetraboxpyramidlinkteleporterbaseweaponzone
Each object is described by placing the type on one line, the word end on a following line, and a list of
attributes for that object, one per line, in between. The exceptions to the rule are define and face,
which are concluded with enddef and endface. Attributes may be listed in any order. Attributes have
default values, and if that is good enough, the attribute need not be listed.
Words are always specified in lowercase. Line comments can be specified by placing a # sign at the start
of the line.
For documentation purposes, you can tag each object by adding a name attribute. There is no set limit to
the number of times you may use any of the objects except for the world, options, and waterLevel objects,
they can only be specified once. The options object contains command line arguments that are used to
configure the server's game mode, but can not contain server specific options such as -p, -passwd, and
-conf.
In the following examples, the values are the defaults.
TheWorldobject
Header for the world.
worldname example_world
size 400.0
flagHeight 10.0
endTheOptionsobject
A world file interface for setting command line options for BZFS.
options
-set _tankSpeed 36
-j +r -ms 3
+f GM{5} +f SW{5}
endTheWaterLevelobject
Sets how high the water is, in a matter of units.
waterLevelname example_waterlevel
height -1.0 # anything below 0 turns it off
endTheGroupDefinitionobject
Defines a group, which may include other group instances
This does not place any objects into the world, a group instance must be used to generate world objects
from a group definition.
define <example_groupdef>
# You can add any object to a group definition,
# except for the following types:
# textureMatrix
# dynamicColor
# material
# physics
# links
# weapon
# zone
enddefTheGroupInstantiationobject
Instantiates a group, and possibly modifies subobjects
group <example_groupdef> # a valid group definition reference
shift 0 0 0 # (repeatable)
scale 1 1 1 # (repeatable)
shear 0 0 0 # (repeatable)
spin angle nx ny nz # (repeatable)
# angle degrees about vector n
team 0 # change all base colors within group
tint 1 1 1 1 # hierarchically tints objects within this group
drivethrough # make all subobjects drivethrough
shootthrough # make all subobjects shootthrough
ricochet # make all subobjects ricochet
phydrv example_phydrv # reassign any valid physics drivers
matref example_material # set material properties
# (except for the color)
matswap oldMat newMat #replace a given material in the instance
endTheDynamicColorobjectdynamicColorname example_dyncol
# there are 4 channels that can be modified:
# red, green, blue, alpha
# there are 5 types of commands per channel:
# limits, sinusoid, clampUp, clampDown, sequence
# except for "limits" and "sequence", the commands are repeatable
# if a sequence is used, then clampUps and clampDowns have no effect
# sequences can use three states (0, 1, 2).
# 0 - equivalent to an active clampDown
# 1 - equivalent to no clamps
# 2 - equivalent to an active clampUp
# if both clampUp and clampDown are active, the value is (min+max)/2
# the sinusoid function starts at the max value
# the sum of a channel's sinusoids is clamped between 0 and 1
redlimits 0 1 # min/max limits
greensinusoid 0.1 0 0.25 # period, offset, weight
blueclampUp 0.1 0 0.75 # period, offset, width
alphaclampDown 0.2 0.5 0.5 # period, offset, width
redsequence 0.0 0.0 2 0 1 1 2 0 ... # period, offset, list of states
endTheTextureMatrixobjecttextureMatrixname example_texmat
scale 0.0 0.0 1.0 1.0 # u/v freqs, u/v scales
spin 0.0 # rotation freq
shift 0.0 0.0 # u/v freqs
center 0.5 0.5 # dynamic u/v center (for spin and scale)
fixedscale 0.0 0.0 # time invariant u/v scale
fixedspin 0.0 # time invariant rotation
fixedshift 0.0 0.0 # time invariant u/v shift
endMaterialProperties
Material properties may be set on several types of objects, including meshes, mesh faces, arcs, cones,
spheres, and tetras. Here are the properties:
materialname example_material
resetmat # restore default values
matref material_name # copy another material's properties
ambient 0.2 0.2 0.2 1.0 # ambient color
diffuse 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 # diffuse color (maincolor)
color 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 # synonym for 'diffuse'
specular 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 # specular color
emission 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 # emission color
shininess 0.0 # shininess (0.0 – 128.0)
texture filename # set working texture
# - non-interlaced PNG
# - http:// or ftp:// hyperlinks can be used (no spaces)
# - BZFlag default texture names can be used (.png not required)
addtexture filename # add texture
notextures # specify that no textures are to be used
notexalpha # don't use the texture's alpha channel
notexcolor # the color is not applied to the texture
# if a texture is specified, but not found, the default texture
# will be used. if the default texture is also not available, then
# the color will be used (untextured)
spheremap # use spherical texture coordinate mapping
texmat -1 # texture matrix (-1 for none)
dyncol -1 # dynamic color (-1 for none)
noradar # do not display on radar (except normal mode)
noshadow # do not render shadows
noculling # do not cull by face winding (double-sided)
nosorting # do not do front-to-back alpha sorting
nolighting # disable lighting
alphathresh0.0 # alpha thresholding value
groupalpha # sort translucent faces as a group
occluder # faces with this material will occlude
endThePhysicsDriverobjectphysicsname example_phydrv
linear 0.0 0.0 0.0 # x/y/z linear velocities
angular 0.0 0.0 0.0 # rotation freq, x/y coordinates
slide 0.0 # time until max velocity (> 0.0 enables)
death Message goes here.
# the 'death' property requires a non-blank message
endTheMeshobjectmeshname example_mesh
# Material properties applied to a mesh apply to all faces
# that follow the setting. Mesh faces will alter their own
# properties without affecting the state of the mesh properties.
# The same pattern is used to apply physics drivers.
vertex 100 200 300 # add a vertex (repeatable)
normal 1.0 0 0 # add a normal (repeatable)
texcoord 0.1 0.75 # add a texture coordinate (repeatable)
inside 5.5 4.5 1.2 # add an inside point (repeatable)
outside 0 0 1000 # add an outside point (repeatable)
shift 0 0 0 # (repeatable)
scale 1 1 1 # (repeatable)
shear 0 0 0 # (repeatable)
spin angle nx ny nz # (repeatable)
phydrv example_phydrv # assign a physics driver
smoothbounce # ricochets use normals
noclusters # render each mesh face individually
face # start a face (repeatable)
# the front-face winding is counter-clockwise
vertices 1 4 0 3 5 # list of vertices (requires at least three)
normals 2 6 0 4 7 # list of normals (optional)
texcoords 0 3 2 4 9 # list of texture coordinates (optional)
phydrv example_phydrv # assign a physics driver
endface # end the face
#
# This next element can be added to increase the rendering speed
# of the mesh object. If the client is capable of using this data,
# then it is used to draw the mesh instead of the face information.
#
drawInfodlist # display list for all material sets
decorative # older clients with not see this mesh
angvel <degrees/sec> # rotation about initial Z axis
extents <minX> <minY> <minZ> <maxX> <maxY> <maxZ>
sphere <x> <y> <z> <radiusSquared>
corner <v> <n> <t> (repeatable)
vertex 0.0 0.0 0.0 (repeatable)
normal 0.0 0.0 0.0 (repeatable)
texcoord 0.0 0.0 (repeatable)
lod (repeatable)
lengthPerPixel <value>
matref <name> (repeatable)
dlist # display list for this material set
sphere <x> <y> <z> <radiusSquared>
points 0 (repeatable)
lines 0 1 (repeatable)
lineloop 0 1 (repeatable)
linestrip 0 1 (repeatable)
tris 0 1 2 (repeatable)
tristrip 0 1 2 (repeatable)
trifan 0 1 2 (repeatable)
quads 0 1 2 3 (repeatable)
quadstrip 0 1 2 3 (repeatable)
polygon 0 1 2 (repeatable)
end # matref
end # lod
end # drawInfo
end # mesh
TheArcobjectarcname example_arc
divisions16 # number of subdivisions
flatshading # flat shading (smooth is default)
angle360 # the sweep angle
ratio1 # (outrad - inrad) / outrad
position 0.0 0.0 0.0
size 10 10 10
rotation 0.0
shift 0 0 0 # (repeatable)
scale 1 1 1 # (repeatable)
shear 0 0 0 # (repeatable)
spin angle nx ny nz # (repeatable)
phydrv example_phydrv # assign a physics driver
smoothbounce # ricochets use normals
endTheConeobjectconename example_cone
divisions16 # number of subdivisions
flatshading # flat shading (smooth is default)
angle360 # the sweep angle
position 0.0 0.0 0.0
size 10 10 10
rotation 0.0
shift 0 0 0 # (repeatable)
scale 1 1 1 # (repeatable)
shear 0 0 0 # (repeatable)
spin angle nx ny nz # (repeatable)
phydrv example_phydrv # assign a physics driver
smoothbounce # ricochets use normals
endTheSphereobjectspherename example_sphere
divisions4 # number of subdivisions
flatshading # flat shading (smooth is default)
position 0.0 0.0 10.0
size 10 10 10
radius10 # sets all size values to this value
rotation 0.0
shift 0 0 0 # (repeatable)
scale 1 1 1 # (repeatable)
shear 0 0 0 # (repeatable)
spin angle nx ny nz # (repeatable)
phydrv example_phydrv # assign a physics driver
smoothbounce # ricochets use normals
endTheTetrahedronobjecttetraname example_tetra
# there must always be 4 vertices
vertex -10.0 -5.0 0.0
vertex +10.0 -5.0 0.0
vertex 0.0 10.0 0.0
vertex 0.0 5.0 10.0
shift 0 0 0 # (repeatable)
scale 1 1 1 # (repeatable)
shear 0 0 0 # (repeatable)
spin angle nx ny nz # (repeatable)
endTheBoxobject
Adds a simple block.
boxname example_box
position 0.0 0.0 0.0
size 30.0 30.0 9.42
rotation 0.0
endThePyramidobject
Adds a triangular shaped object.
pyramidname example_pyramid
position 0.0 0.0 0.0
size 8.2 8.2 10.25
rotation 0.0
endTheTeleporterobject
Adds an object that places a tank at another teleporter in a different area when ran through.
teleporter [name]
# the [name] tag is used for linkage
name example_teleporter
position 0.0 0.0 0.0
size 5.06 4.48 20.16
rotation 0.0
border 1.12
endTheLinkobject
Adds a route to teleport a tank between two teleporters.
# Teleporter names are terminated with either :f (forward)
# or :b (backwards). The forwards link points to 0 degrees,
# and the backwards link points to 180. Links are made by
# pattern matching the teleporter names. The '*' and '?'
# globbing characters can be used to make multiple matches.
# If there are multiple matches for the "to" link, then the
# destination will be selected randomly between the matches.
# in-game.
# NOTE: bzfs -d -d -d -d will print the linkage table.
linkname example_link
# this will link all teleporters randomly to all other teleporters
from *
to *
end
# or, to link between known teleporters examp_tele1(front) and examp_tele2(back)
linkname example_realLink
from examp_tele1:f
to examp_tele2:b
endTheBaseobject
Creates a team base where the corresponding team's flag is stored. The oncap option will fire a world
weapon of the specified type when the team flag for this base is captured.
basename example_base
position 0.0 0.0 0.0
size 60.0 60.0 0.0
rotation 0.0
color 0
oncap V
endTheWeaponobject
Creates a world weapon, or a weapon fired automatically by the world. The weapon can either be timed or
be event driven. Timed weapons should use the initdelay and delay fields. Event driven weapons need to
use the trigger option to define what the trigger event is. Valid trigger events are; OnCap, for flag
capture events. OnSpawn, for player spawn events. OnDie, for player death events. If the weapon is to
be triggered only for a specific team then the eventteam option should be used with a team number (1 to
4). An eventteam value of -1 will trigger this weapon for any team. -1 is the default eventteam value.
weaponname example_weapon
position 0.0 0.0 0.0
rotation 0.0
tilt 0.0
initdelay 10.0
delay 10.0 3.0 5.0 3.0
type V
trigger flagcap
eventteam V
endTheZoneobject
Specifies a certain range in the world, and what attributes that range has.
zonename example_zone
position 0.0 0.0 0.0
size 1.0 1.0 1.0
rotation 0.0
# where players may spawn
team 0 1 2 3 4
# where flag may spawn
flag GM SW good bad
# dropped team flags will fly to the closest safety zone
safety 1 2 3 4
# attach a flag to this zone (always spawn in this zone)
zoneflag GM 3 # type, count (type can be a team flag, ex: R*)
end
File Syntax
The symbol '?' means that the item is optional.
The notation {a..b} means that the number of times the item can be present must be between 'a' and 'b',
where '*' mean infinity. ('?' is equivalent to {0..1})
angle := <float>
2dpoint := <float> <float>
3dpoint := <float> <float> <float>
rgbColor := <float> <float> <float>
alpha := <float>
rgbaColor := rgbColor alpha? | <color_name> alpha?
channel := "red" | "green" | "blue" | "alpha"
(BZWReader.cxx/parseNormalObject)
allObjects :=
"box"
| "pyramid"
| "base"
| "link"
| "teleporter"
| "mesh"
| "arc"
| "meshbox"
| "cone"
| "meshpyr"
| "sphere"
| "tetra"
| "weapon"
| "zone"
| "waterLevel"
| "dynamicColor"
| "textureMatrix"
| "material"
| "physics"
| "transform"
(BZWReader.cxx/BZWReader::readWorldStream)
Note: Blank lines and lines starting with # are discarded.
worldStream :=
"end"
| allObjects
| "define" <group_name>
| "enddef"
| "group" <group_name>
| "teleporter" <name>?
| "options"
| "include" <filename>
| "world"
(ParseMaterial.cxx/parseMaterials)
material :=
object
| "matref" <material_name>
| "resetmat"
| "dyncol" <dynamic_color_name>
| "ambient" rgbaColor
| ("diffuse" | "color") rgbaColor
| "specular" rgbaColor
| "emission" rgbaColor
| "shininess" <float>
| "texture <texture_name>
| "notextures"
| "addtexture" <texture_name>
| "texmat" <matrix_name>
| "notexalpha"
| "notexcolor"
| "spheremap"
| "noradar"
| "noshadow"
| "noculling"
| "nosorting"
| "nolighting"
| "alphathresh" <value>
| "groupalpha"
| "occluder"
| "shader" <shader_name> # NOT IMPLEMENTED
| "addshader" <shader_name> # NOT IMPLEMENTED
| "noshaders" # NOT IMPLEMENTED
(WorldFileObject:.cxx/WorldFileObject::read)
object := "name" <name>
(WorldFileLocation.cxx/readWorldFileLocation::read)
location :=
("pos" | "position") 3dpoint
| "size" 3dpoint
| ("rot" | "rotation") <float>
| "shift" 3dpoint
| "scale" 3dpoint
| "shear" 3dpoint
| "spin" angle 3dpoint
| "xform" <transform_name>
| object
(WorldFileObstacle.cxx/WorldFileObstacle::read)
obstacle :=
"drivethrough"
| "shootthrough"
| "passable"
| "ricochet"
| location
(CustomArc.cxx/CustomArc::read)
meshbox :=
"divisions" <integer>
| "angle" angle
| "ratio" <float>
| "texsize" <float> <float> <float> <float>
| "phydrv" <physics_driver_name>
| "smoothbounce"
| "flatshading"
| material
| ("top" | "bottom" | "inside" | "outside" | "startside" | "endside") material
| obstacle
arc :=
"divisions" <integer>
| "angle" angle
| "ratio" <float>
| "texsize" <float> <float> <float> <float>
| "phydrv" <physics_driver_name>
| "smoothbounce"
| "flatshading"
| material
| ("top" | "bottom" | "inside" | "outside" | "startside" | "endside") material
| obstacle
(CustomBase.cxx/CustomBase::read)
base :=
"color" <integer>
| obstacle
(CustomBox.cxx)
box := obstacle
(CustomCone.cxx/CustomCone::read)
meshpyr :=
"divisions" <integer>
| "angle" <float>
| "texsize" <float> <float>
| "phydrv" <physics_driver_name>
| "smoothbounce"
| "flatshading"
| material
| ("edge" | "bottom" | "startside" | "endside") material
| "flipz"
| obstacle
cone :=
"divisions" <integer>
| "angle" <float>
| "texsize" <float> <float>
| "phydrv" <physics_driver_name>
| "smoothbounce"
| "flatshading"
| material
| ("edge" | "bottom" | "startside" | "endside") material
| obstacle
(CustomDynamicColor.cxx/CustomDynamicColor::read)
dynamicColor :=
object
| channel "limits" <float> <float>
| channel "sinusoid" <float> <float> <float>
| channel "clampup" <float> <float> <float>
| channel "clampdown" <float> <float> <float>
| channel "sequence" <float> <float> ("0" "1" "2"){1..*}
(CustomGate.cxx/CustomGate::read)
teleporter :=
"border" <float>
| "horizontal" # NOT IMPLEMENTED
| obstacle
(CustomGroup.cxx/CustomGroup::read)
group :=
"team" <integer>
| "tint" rgbaColor
| "phydrv" <physics_driver_name>
| "matref" <material_name>
| obstacle
(CustomLink.cxx/CustomLink::read)
teleporter_spec :=
<integer>
| <teleporter_name_with_wildcards> (":f" | ":b")?
link :=
"from" <teleporter_spec>
| "to" <teleporter_spec>
| object
(MeshDrawInfo.cxx/MeshDrawInfo::parseDrawCmd)
drawInfoCmd :=
"points" <integer>+
| "lines" <integer> <integer> <integer>{2}*
| "lineloop" <integer> <integer>+
| "linestrip" <integer> <integer> <integer{2}*
| "tris" <integer> <integer> <integer> <integer>{3}*
| "tristrip" <integer> <integer> <integer>+
| "trifan" <integer> <integer> <integer>+
| "quads" <integer> <integer> <integer> <integer> <integer>{4}*
| "quadstrip" <integer> <integer> <integer>{2}+
| "polygon" <integer> <integer> <integer> <integer>{3}*
(MeshDrawInfo.cxx/MeshDrawInfo::parseDrawSet)
drawInfoSet :=
"matref" <material_name>
| "dlist"
| "sphere" 3dpoint <float>
| drawInfoCmd
(MeshDrawInfo.cxx/MeshDrawInfo::parseDrawLod)
drawInfoLod :=
"lod"
| "lengthPerPixel" <float>
| drawInfoSet
(MeshDrawInfo.cxx/MeshDrawInfo::parse)
drawInfo :=
"drawInfo"
| "dlist"
| "decorative"
| "angvel" <float>
| "extents" 3dpoint 3dpoint
| "sphere" 3dpoint <float>
| "corner" <integer> <integer> <integer>
| "vertex" 3dpoint
| "normal" 3dpoint
| "texcoord" <float> <float>
| drawInfoLod
(CustomMesh.cxx/CustomMesh::read)
mesh :=
"face"
| face
| "endface"
| "inside" 3dpoint
| "outside" 3dpoint
| "vertex" 3dpoint
| "normal" 3dpoint
| "texcoord" <float> <float>
| "phydrv" <physics_driver_name>
| "smoothbounce"
| "noclusters"
| drawInfo
| material
| obstacle
(CustomMeshFace.cxx/CustomMeshFace::read)
face :=
"vertices" <integer>{3..*}
| "normals" <integer>{3..*}
| "texcoords" <integer>{3..*}
| "phydrv" <physics_driver_name>
| "smoothbounce"
| "noclusters"
| "drivethrough"
| "shootthrough"
| "ricochet"
| "passable"
| material
(CustomMeshTransform.cxx/CustomMeshTransform::read)
transform :=
"shift" 3dpoint
| "scale" 3dpoint
| "shear" 3dpoint
| "spin" angle 3dpoint
| "xform" <transform_name>
| object
(CustomPhysicsDriver.cxx/CustomPhysicsDriver::read)
physics :=
"linear" 3dpoint
| "angular" <float> 2dpoint
| "radial" <float> 2dpoint # NOT IMPLEMENTED
| "slide" <float>
| "death" <string>
| object
(CustomPyramid.cxx/CustomPyramid::read)
pyramid :=
"flipz"
| obstacle
(CustomSphere.cxx/CustomSphere::read)
sphere :=
"divisions" <integer>
| "radius" <float>
| ("hemi" | "hemisphere")
| "texsize" <float> <float>
| "phydrv" <physics_driver_name>
| "smoothbounce"
| "flatshading"
| material
| ("edge" | "bottom") material
| obstacle
(CustomTetra.cxx/CustomTetra::read)
Note: At most 4 vertices can be specified.
Note2: material will apply to all vertices when specified first, otherwise like "normals" and
"texcoords" they apply to the previous vertex.
tetra :=
"vertex" 3dpoint
| "normals" 3dpoint
| "texcoords" 2dpoint
| material
| obstacle
(CustomTextureMatrix.cxx/CustomTextureMatrix::read)
textureMatrix :=
"fixedshift" 2dpoint
| "fixedscale" 2dpoint
| "fixedspin" angle
| "fixedcenter" 2dpoint
| "shift" <float> <float>
| "spin" <float>
| "scale" <float> <float> <float> <float>
| "center" 2dpoint
| object
(CustomWaterLevel.cxx/CustomWaterLevel::read)
waterLevel :=
"height" <float>
| material
| object
(CustomWeapon.cxx/CustomWeapon::read)
weapon :=
"initdelay" <float>
| "delay" <float>{1..*}
| "type" <flag_short_name>
| location
(CustomWorld.cxx/CustomWorld::read)
world :=
"size" <float>
| "flagHeight" <float>
| object
(CustomZone.cxx/CustomZone::read)
zone :=
"team" <integer>{1..*}
"flag" ("good" | "bad" | <flag_short_name>){1..*}
| "safety" <integer>{1..*}
| "zoneflag" <flag_short_name> <integer>?
| location
Name
bzw - BZFlag world file format
See Also
bzflag(6), bzadmin(6), bzfs(6)
BZFlag 2.4.30 2025-03-31 BZW(5)
PNG Icons
