Tileset Optimization - Filling the 600x240 Screen

Recently, I was working on a vortex maze design that would require every tile on the 600x240 screen to be unique and playable (level 3 contact layer) . Not easy to do.

This picture shows how you can map the 600x240 playable screen area onto two tilesets. The top rectangle in the picture is the game screen and the bottom two are the tilesets.

This is the only way I can find to fill the entire screen with unique tile squares.

(BTW, in the tilesets shown here, here would be 4 unused tiles that need to be covered or the level editor will reject them)

For those using Photoshop CS3 or above, I made a *.ATN file (an Action file) that automatically does this mapping. However, I haven't totally tested the process yet. Anyone want to give it a try?

Thx,
Dave

Just use a background gradient.  You get to use a single image instead of two tilesets, and building the screens won't be such a pain in the butt.

It's a good idea. Unfortunately, I need something that Juni can touch (layer 3) and I don't think she can make contact with the background layer.

I've attached an image to give you a better idea what I'm doing. This is a 5 screen by 2 screen level. The black is the contact layer (3) which is really hard to do with traditional tilesets because of the curves etc.

So I've built a macro that takes this 5x2 (with any content) and maps it onto 20 different tilesets (2 per screen). That part actually works really well now.

I build the whole 5x2 as a single image in Photoshop, with a background layer, a contact layer, and a foreground layer. My macro chops up each each layer and separates the contact layer into two tilesets. The background becomes 600x240 gradient files, the foreground becomes 600x240 custom objects that I will put on layer 7.

My new issue is with wallswims. Curved surfaces seem to invite a lot of wallswims.

Advice would be awesome if anyone has ideas...

That's really impressive. To the best of my knowledge, a wallswim occurs if Juni intersects with a "solid" object. When the screen shifts, Juni's Y-position is preserved so you need a space for her to stand at the same height as the platform ends on the previous screen. That's why there are frequently wallswims between two screens using different tilesets.

The only solution I can think of for your situation is to manually edit each custom  object to ensure there's a small, flat section across every screen transition 

Thanks, Widget. I think you've got the right idea. And the problem is with the X axis as well as the Y axis. For example, if Juni makes a jump, she can end up wallswimming on the screen above.

I guess this type of design, with a lot of curved surfaces, might be impossible to make using the Knytt editor.

There's a way to make sure juni spawns in the center of the tile you transpart her too. That should prevent most cases of wallswim.

I guess this type of design, with a lot of curved surfaces, might be impossible to make using the Knytt editor.

It's definitely not. You just have to settle for some abnormalities- basically, as long as you make sure that the edge of each screen behaves like straight walls (we'll say 10 or so pixels at edge, but I'm not sure of the exact amount). Your curved maze could work under these circumstances if you give it a more broken, irregular feel... that just happens to comply with these specifications.

There's also the matter of fine tuning upward slopes so that Juni can run / climb on them without it looking very strange. You've come very far, I believe you can pull it off!

I used this level-development method to produce a small level. I think it has a few cool additions to the Knytt gaming style.

I'm still looking for testers. Take a look at the preview.

http://nifflas.lpchip.nl/index.php?topic=4592.msg50458#new

Here's a level release using this editing style:

http://www.knyttlevels.com/levels/DaveGermainGames%20-%20The%20Sky%20Garden%201.1.knytt.bin

Here's another level, Enemy Mine, also made with this style:

http://nifflas.lpchip.nl/index.php?topic=4614.0