What is .WAD File Format and How to Open it?
A .WAD file is a data archive used by many video games, such as those released for the Doom, Quake, and Wolfenstein 3D game engines. WAD stands for “Where’s All the Data?” and the files contain the game’s levels, graphics, music, and other data. WAD files can be opened using various game editors, such as Doom Builder and Slade.
WAD files are divided into three parts: the header, the directory, and the data. The header contains information about the WAD file, such as its type, size, and version. The directory contains a list of the data contained in the file, including the offset and size of each piece of data. Finally, the data section contains the actual game data, such as textures, levels, and music.
Using a game editor, you can view and edit the contents of a WAD file. You can also create new WAD files using the editor. This can be done by creating the necessary directories and data, then saving the file as a WAD.
In addition to editing existing WAD files, some game editors can also extract files from a WAD file. This can be useful for extracting graphics or music from a game to be used in other projects.
When transferring WAD files between computers, it is important to note that some WAD files are stored in different formats. For example, some WAD files are stored in Microsoft’s RIFF file format, while others are stored in the ID software’s BEX format. You will need to use the correct editor for the correct file type.