Out of curiosity, what's the way games that only scroll screen by screen (or don't scroll at all and simply switch to the next screen) usually store their level data/meta tiles?
I know in "The Legend of Zelda", each screen is made up of 16 "stripes"/columns of graphics data. Each stripe has a one-byte ID, so there are up to 256 possible stripes and therefore, each screen occupies exactly 16 bytes as far as the pure background graphics are concerned.
Hence, the way tiles can be placed vertically is severely limited.
I've also heard of level data that is made up of meta tiles that are 16 x 16 or 32 x 32 pixels.
So, my question: Are all of these screen-by-screen games made up like puzzles, where the meta tiles all have a global size and you simply list all meta tiles one after another?
Because in my game, I'm using a slightly different approach:
My meta tiles can have an arbitrary tile size (as long as the width and height each is a multiple of 2 because the NES can only assign colors to 2 x 2 tiles).
Each meta tile is assigned to only one palette.
And when putting the meta tiles on screen, you have to set the x and y position (0-15 for x, 0-14 for y, both stored in the same byte) and the meta tile ID.
So, games who always use, for example, 32 x 32 pixel meta tiles are like a puzzle: They know their screen consists of 8 x 8 puzzle pieces and they simply list all pieces one after another, without the need for an x and y coordinate.
My version works like stamps: The screen is first filled with the background pattern. And then I can put objects (like a house or a tree or a stone) at any location I want.
I can put stones in any formation I want. I'm not limited to a bunch of meta tiles that have stones in certain formations in them and for every new formation, you would need to waste another meta tile.
So, I don't need to store meta tiles for:
Three sand floor tiles and one stone tile.
Two sand floor tiles and two stone tiles.
Three rocky floor tiles and one stone tile.
Two rocky floor tiles and two stone tiles.
I simply place the stones (which is one meta tile) wherever I feel like on a screen.
Also, if my stone is 32 x 32 pixels, it doesn't need to be aligned to 32 x 32 pixels, it can still be placed on any 16 x 16 pixel position.
Are there any other games that use my approach? Or what other alternatives are there?
Also, how do games like "Link's Awakening" and "Final Fantasy Adventure" store their screens?
I know in "The Legend of Zelda", each screen is made up of 16 "stripes"/columns of graphics data. Each stripe has a one-byte ID, so there are up to 256 possible stripes and therefore, each screen occupies exactly 16 bytes as far as the pure background graphics are concerned.
Hence, the way tiles can be placed vertically is severely limited.
I've also heard of level data that is made up of meta tiles that are 16 x 16 or 32 x 32 pixels.
So, my question: Are all of these screen-by-screen games made up like puzzles, where the meta tiles all have a global size and you simply list all meta tiles one after another?
Because in my game, I'm using a slightly different approach:
My meta tiles can have an arbitrary tile size (as long as the width and height each is a multiple of 2 because the NES can only assign colors to 2 x 2 tiles).
Each meta tile is assigned to only one palette.
And when putting the meta tiles on screen, you have to set the x and y position (0-15 for x, 0-14 for y, both stored in the same byte) and the meta tile ID.
So, games who always use, for example, 32 x 32 pixel meta tiles are like a puzzle: They know their screen consists of 8 x 8 puzzle pieces and they simply list all pieces one after another, without the need for an x and y coordinate.
My version works like stamps: The screen is first filled with the background pattern. And then I can put objects (like a house or a tree or a stone) at any location I want.
I can put stones in any formation I want. I'm not limited to a bunch of meta tiles that have stones in certain formations in them and for every new formation, you would need to waste another meta tile.
So, I don't need to store meta tiles for:
Three sand floor tiles and one stone tile.
Two sand floor tiles and two stone tiles.
Three rocky floor tiles and one stone tile.
Two rocky floor tiles and two stone tiles.
I simply place the stones (which is one meta tile) wherever I feel like on a screen.
Also, if my stone is 32 x 32 pixels, it doesn't need to be aligned to 32 x 32 pixels, it can still be placed on any 16 x 16 pixel position.
Are there any other games that use my approach? Or what other alternatives are there?
Also, how do games like "Link's Awakening" and "Final Fantasy Adventure" store their screens?