BSP (file format)

.BSP is a map file extension used in games such as the Quake series, and games that use Quake-derived engines, such as the Half-Life series and Call of Duty series. .BSP files use binary space partitioning to generate levels that can be rendered quickly while minimizing the number of polygons that need to be redrawn every time the screen refreshes. One of the biggest problems with the .BSP file format is that large open areas do not work well due to the nature of the partitioning algorithm used.

Unlike the maps used in Unreal Tournament, .BSP files work by defining the edges of the map objects, as opposed to defining the hollow areas. .BSP files can be produced by compiling .MAP files using tools such as Q3Map2. .MAP files can be generated using exporters for such modelling tools as 3D Studio Max or using game-specific tools, like GtkRadiant. A .BSP file includes everything necessary to display the map, except the textures (with the exception of Quake and, optionally, Half-Life, BSP versions 29 and 30, respectively). Games such as Quake 3, Nightfire and Call of Duty series store the textures in separate assets files, contained in archive files such as .PAK, .PK3, .007, .IWD, etc.

Lumps

Lumps are chunks of data, the offsets and lengths (in bytes) of which are defined in the file header, which may also contain the version of the BSP. The number of lumps in a BSP differs from version to version, and the version used differs from game to game. For example, Quake II uses...
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