Map file

Map files are stored in directory id_low = 0xd710, id_high = 0x9305 in the Master file table. They contain the gameplay relevant details of a map. This includes heights, collision data, event triggers, and so on. They do *not* include graphics (tile sets, tile maps, palettes, etc.), those are stored elsewhere (TODO: Where?).

Most (all?) maps are stored LZ77 (swi 0x11) compressed. When loading a map, the game checks if the map file starts with the ASCII characters "HP" (hex: 0x48, 0x50). If it does, then the map file is not compressed, and used by the game as-is. If it does not start with these characters, the game will LZ77 decompress it to EWRAM (in Boktai 1: to 0x0202a400).

File format

Type	Description
char[4]	Magic number ("HP\0\0")
u32	Offset from start of file to #Tile data
u32	Offset from start of file to #Zones
u32	Offset from start of file to unknown block 1 (maybe related to enemy patrolling?)
u32	Offset from start of file to unknown block 2 (maybe related to enemy patrolling?)
	Tile data
	Zones
	Unknown block 1
	Unknown block 2

Tile data

struct tile_data {
  u32 unknown_1;
  u16 width;
  u16 height;
  u32 unknown_2;
  tile[height*width] tiles;
};

// Note how stairs and height are packed into a single byte, making this struct 4 bytes long.
struct tile {
  tile_effects effect;
  u8 obj;
  u8 stairs_and_height;  // top 4 bits = stairs, bottom 4 bits = height
};

// Bitmask, multiple effects per tile are supported
enum tile_effects : u16 {
  wall = 0x0002,    // an always inaccessible tile
  unknown = 0x0004  // sometimes used directly on loading zone tiles
  noise = 0x0020,   // alerts enemies when stepping onto the tile
  ice = 0x0040,
  lava = 0x0080,
  void = 0x0100,    // fall down and die
  unknown = 0x0400, // wall-ish
  unknown = 0x0800, // sometimes used near loading zones pointing NW
  unknown = 0x1000, // sometimes used near loading zones pointing NE
  // other bits unknown
};

enum tile_stairs : u8 {
  none = 0x00,
  vertical = 0x10,   // from south -> north
  horizontal = 0x20, // from east -> west
};

• tile.obj: This determines the sprite that is used to occlude Django when he should be covered by the tile. Purely visual. 0 = default, other values need to be documented.
• tile.height: A tile is only accessible to Django if he's either coming from a tile at the same height, or coming via a suitable stair tile.

Zone data

Zones are triggers for events (cutscenes, loading zones, etc.). The map file only defines the geometry of each zone. Behaviour is linked to zones by scripts (using the ctrl 0xd4cb instruction). Zone boundaries are more precise than tile boundaries: A tile is 256x256 units in size, and zone boundaries can start/end at any point within a tile).

struct zone_data {
  u8 count;
  u8 unknown_1;
  u16 unknown_2;
  zone[count] zones;
};

struct zone {
  // X/Y coordinates: 1 tile = 256 units
  i16 start_x;
  i16 start_y;
  i16 end_x;
  i16 end_y;
  // Z coordinate: 1 tile = 16 units
  i8 start_z;
  i8 end_z;
  // Used by scripts to link behaviour to a specific zone using its ID
  u16 id;
};