Tilema mapmaking for n00bs, manually?

BlitzMax Forums/BlitzMax Beginners Area/Tilema mapmaking for n00bs, manually?

pappavis(Posted 2006) [#1]
I've noticed that there are a bunch of tilemap map making utils available such as mappy, FishEd (to name just 2) for use with BM.

Most of these tileditors have a nice quantity of pre-created maps.

My question is..must i place each tile individually on the tilemap?

Example:
Tiles across = 22
Tiles top to bottom = 200
Total tiles = 22 * 200 = 4000 tiles!


Some questions:
1. Must i place 4000 tiles individually by hand?!? Thats one heck of a manual labor job!
2. Which tileengine will allow me to transform a JPG/GIF image to a (single) layer of a tilemap? Make tiles of the imported JPG/GIF?
3. How do you guys typically do collision detection in tilemaps, for example that a player cant walk through walls?
4. How to place animated enemys on a tilemap which can shoot at your player? Something of a list of known x,y position of a enemy at which tile X/Y it is at?
5. Handle, or allow me to create animations?
6. Out of research purposes, are there anywhere any examples of collision detection with the http://mapeditor.de.vu proggy? (i use mappy).

Which tilemap editor is best for a n00b who wanna learn the idea of tilemaps?
ATM i am experimenting with Mappy http://mappy.co.uk, though it seems for a big map mappy will cause huge manual labor.

TIA for the advice.


H&K(Posted 2006) [#2]
On a good tilemap, I would expect to spend upwards of 3hrs, which makes the 4000 tiles not seem that much. (Its like 20 a minute)

I suppose it is a lot just for a knock about level tho.


tonyg(Posted 2006) [#3]
You need a Map Editor which allows brushes/masks/multiple selection or maps created via script.
The first simply allow you to select a number of tiles in a pattern (e.g. the 6-7 tiles which make up a bridge), store them and paste them as one.
In addition, other than the base layer, you will not have objects on every tile. Map Editor tools come with a floodfill.
Some Map Editors have collision data saved for each tile otherwise you need a walkability grid. This does not have to be the same size as the tilegrid or simply YES/NO but rather a value to cross the tile.
Most Map Editors will not use enemy placement (unless it's a fix emplacement). Personally, I would position and animate these seperately.
Many Map Editors allow you to define a list of tiles which make up and animation along with framerate.
I couldn't get the hang of UME.
I am looking at World Artist which seems simple to use, powerful and has Bmax code.


pappavis(Posted 2006) [#4]
@H&K:
Thanx for the tip, though a editor such as tonyg suggest with brushes and collision detection look more what i want to have.