Discussion for a LOVE Tile Map Editor

[cag]

@retroman: Well, I mean, technically, they did exist back in the 'old days.' After all, even Super Mario Bros. had a sophisticated physics engine (for its time, anyways). But physics engines have evolved to a state where they don't make assumptions like 'we're only gonna have these kinds of obstructions' or 'we're gonna have sprites with this shape' to a deal like 'here's this arbitrary mass in this arbitrary system filled with other masses of random polygonal shapes and joints and things and we'll simulate this physical system ok? ok!'

It's really all kinda cool...

@rude: Of course, if the filesystem support was to be extended...
but yeah, it is kinda a security risk...

@all: I'm looking into Qt (which is really nice). Hopefully, after a bunch of personal obligations have past, I will be able to sit down and code this fabled tiled map editor with polygon obstructions and cool things... since I was alway lacking one of these things.

Anyways, onto a file format proposal:

Code: Select all

[Header]
    [MapName]
    [Author]
    [DateModded]
    [StartupScript]
    [ExitScript]
    [Other header blabla?]
[/Header]

[Tileset]
    [PathToTilesetImage]
    [TileWidth]
    [TileHeight]
    [TilesPerRow]
    [TotalTiles]
    [NumAnimations]
    [Animation(s)] - So, I was thinking of using negative numbers to represent animation indices starting at -1, to distinguish them from static tiles
        - Suggestions? Should it be a continuous sequence of tiles, or should it be a bunch of arbitrary tiles? Animation by frames or by seconds? Static or dynamic frame times? Blahblah?
    [/Animation(s)]
[/Tileset]

[NumRooms]
[Room(s)]
    [RoomName]
    [NumLayers]
    [Layer(s)] - from bottom to top, I guess
        [LayerName]
        [Lucency]
        [TileWidth]
        [TileHeight]
        [TileXOffset]
        [TileYOffset]
        [TileXParallax]
        [TileYParallax]
        [LOTSA TILE/ANIMATION INDICES]
    [/Layer(s)]

    [CollisionData]
        [NumPolygons]
        [Polygon(s)]
            [CollisionMask]
            [NumPoints]
            [PointsXY] - By pixel... subpixel, even
        [/Polygon(s)]
    [/CollisionData]

    [Zones]
        [NumPolygons]
        [Polygon(s)] - Box2D supports callbacks... right?
            [EntranceCallback]
            [InsideCallback]
            [ExitCallback]
            [CheckMask]
            [NumPoints]
            [PointsXY]
        [/Polygon(s)]
    [/Zones]
[/Room(s)]

DISCUS.

[mystadio]

The filesystem limitation issue can be solved!
Take a look at my suggestions.

[muku]

You know, you don't have to use Box2D. Many of the retro platformers out there would feel wrong with sophisticated physics like that, and actually are very fun the way they are, with only basic physics.

[cag]

Well, I mean, we don't know whether or not retro platformers would feel wrong with sophisticated physics because it's not a very well-explored area. Or you know, they wouldn't be retro platformers, anyways.

Anyways, I figured since Box2D is there, why not give it a whirl? I imagine a retro game with sophisticated physics can be fun if pulled off right. If I don't use Box2D, then there wouldn't be much reason to code a map editor, so I would use any of the ones already out there, and you know, actually make a game. Or something... (and should I be making a game right now? yes... hmm...) Anyways, I figure it's a worthwhile venture, if not for myself, for other game devs.

But of course, I still love retro platformers any way you slice it.

[Green_Hell]

Talking about tile map editors I was searching for multiplatform, extensible, GPL ones and I found these two:

Tiled - http://www.mapeditor.org/
TaT Tile Map Editor - http://kotisivu.dnainternet.net/ttilli/ ... r/main.htm

Both in Java + Tiled has export (plug-in) to Lua table.

It's off topic but it could help somebody.

[GandalftheGray]

Is this not actually going to hapen or?... Haha I'm just saying

[Jeeper]

Is this not actually going to hapen or?... Haha I'm just saying

Well, you just bumped a 6 year old thread. There are plenty of solutions for this nowdays. Some people have made their own and other people (me included) use Tiled. One of the things that makes Löve great is that it is not bloated with a bunch of crap that a majority of people would not use and I hope it stays that way.