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WLU Format (World Location Unit)

Status: Early RE by FrankMK04 (Open Dogs project, April 2026). Format details below are from community analysis, not full spec.

WLU files handle all world coordinates in the Disrupt engine — object placement, lights, shadows, action checkers, and spatial triggers. They were originally XML files that got compiled into binary for retail builds.

Purpose​

Every physical object in the game world has a WLU entry defining its position, rotation, and associated metadata. This includes:

  • Buildings, props, vegetation
  • Light sources and shadow casters
  • Trigger volumes (action checkers)
  • Spawn points and navigation nodes
  • Environmental effects

Known facts​

  • Binary compilation of what were once XML files (like most Disrupt formats)
  • Editable and modifiable to a certain extent (FrankMK04, April 2026)
  • No hard memory limit on world size — patch3.fat/dat is the known modification route
  • Terrain generation data exists but interpretation is unknown

Implications​

WLU parsing enables a World Map Editor for WD2 — the next step in the Open Dogs project (FrankMK04). This would allow:

  • Moving/replacing objects in the world
  • Adding new objects (buildings, props)
  • Potentially extending the map (San Jose, Liberty City test)

Open questions​

  • Exact binary layout (header, entry format, coordinate system)
  • How terrain atlas data relates to WLU
  • Whether new entries can be added or only existing ones modified
  • Navigation mesh / traffic path integration
  • Camera limit removal for out-of-bounds areas

Source​

Discord: FrankMK04, WD2 modding server, April 22-23 2026.