What is a .XAN file?
A .XAN file is a type of computer file used by certain video games in the Worms series, like Worms 3D and Worms Mayhem. These games are about cartoon worms who battle each other on different maps. The .XAN file contains a map where these battles take place. It's not just a flat picture; it includes 3D shapes that make up the ground, buildings, water, and other parts of the map's landscape.
To open or use a .XAN file, you need to have one of the Worms games that support it, such as Worms Mayhem or Worms 3D. These games are made by a company called Team17. When you play the game, it can read the .XAN file and show you the map inside it, so you can play on that map.
There's something extra cool about these maps. They can look different depending on the time of day, like morning, evening, or night. This is done with additional files called shader files, which have the extension .csh. These files need to be in the same folder as the .XAN map file. For example, if there's a map file named DEMO_Mission.xan, there might be three shader files named DEMO_MissionDAY.csh, DEMO_MissionEVENING.csh, and DEMO_MissionNIGHT.csh. Each one changes the look of the map to match the time of day it represents. So, when you play, you can choose if you want your battle to happen during the day, in the evening, or at night, making the game more fun and varied.
Verification
Our goal is to help people find the most up-to-date information about file extensions for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iOS. We researched over 10,000 file extensions and their respective programs that open those files. If you want to suggest edits or updates about .XAN file formats, example files, or programs that are compatible. Please contact us.