Closes the JSON round-trip gap on the loading screen catalog
format shipped last batch. --export-wlds-json emits all 11
scalar fields plus a dual int + name form for
expansionRequired so hand-edits can use either representation.
--import-wlds-json accepts either form, defaulting minLevel
to 1 and maxLevel to 80 when omitted (full level range).
Verified byte-identical round-trip on all three preset
emitters (starter / WotLK instances / raid intros with
isWideAspect=1). 856 documented CLI flags.
63rd open format — replaces LoadingScreens.dbc plus the
per-zone background-image tables. Defines the loading-screen
images shown when the client crosses into a new map /
instance, with optional level-bracket gating and expansion
gating (TBC art only shown if expansion installed).
When multiple screens match the player's current map + level
+ expansion, displayWeight selects randomly between them — a
zone with 3 weighted variants gets a different image roughly
proportional to weight.
4 expansion gates (Classic / TBC / WotLK / TurtleWoW),
isAnimated flag for screens with subtle animation,
isWideAspect flag for 16:9 raid intro art (vs 4:3 standard).
Cross-references with prior formats — mapId points at
WMS.map.mapId (which map triggers this loading screen);
mapId=0 is the catch-all sentinel for screens shown when
no map-specific screen matches.
CLI: --gen-lds (3 base screens — Elwynn level 1-30, Orgrimmar,
GenericFallback level 31-80 catch-all), --gen-lds-instances
(5 WotLK dungeon screens with mapId+expansion cross-refs:
Halls of Lightning/Stone, Utgarde Pinnacle, Violet Hold,
Old Kingdom), --gen-lds-raid (3 raid intro screens —
Naxxramas/Ulduar/ToC at isWideAspect=1 with weight=3),
--info-wlds, --validate-wlds with --json variants. Validator
catches id+name+texture required, expansion 0..3, level range
valid, weight=0 (in pool but never picked), and the practical
catch-all overlap warning when multiple mapId=0 screens share
overlapping level brackets (random pick becomes
non-deterministic).
Format graph: 62 → 63 binary formats. CLI flag count: 847
→ 854.
