How do autotiles work?

[Chaosgod_Espér]

Hi there..

I'm working with Rpg Makers since Rm95 was out. Since RmXP i ask myself, how do autotiles work?

Now, this Question is really important for me, cause i'm creating my own tilemap system with my own engine. The Problem now is, how are autotiles calculated?

i split the autotiles (XP Format) into 16*16 pieces, and rearrange them into 48 new 32*32 Tiles, like the XP is doing.

Now, how is the rpg maker calculating, which tile needs to be placed according to surrounding tiles of the autotile?

 

[Kes]

The simplest thing to do is to export an example of each type of autotile (i.e. A1, A2 etc.) and open them up in your graphics program (GIMP/PhotoShop/whatever) and see how they are arranged.  You will notice that A1 tiles work differently from e.g. A3 tiles.  Each slot on the A tab must have its tiles as per the default layout, you cannot put e.g. wall tiles on A1 or water on A2 and expect them to work.

 

[Andar]

http://blog.rpgmakerweb.com/tutorials/anatomy-of-an-autotile/

 

[Chaosgod_Espér]

yeah... uhm...

i'm using the XP Autotile graphics

and i've no problem with the graphic itself.. but withe the tilemap formula to calculate which autotile ID i need to draw, according to the 8 surrounding tiles...

I mean.. i don't think the rpg maker uses thousands of If-clauses to check for the tile IDs to place a fitting autotile ID in...

means.. the actual autotile mechanic in script

so.. the anatomy of an autotile isn't what i'm searching.

 

[Sharm]

Soooo, you want us to tell you how the engine works when making auto tiles so you can make a competing engine? Um, no. Not going to do that.

 

[Chaosgod_Espér]

It´s easy to do a Runtime with Static Tiles only.


But the mapping is time consuming as hell. That´s the reason i want to implement Autotiles. Cause it makes big maps faster and easier to map.


All i need to to know, how Rpg maker XP is doing that. It´s algorithm...


And please remember - No one is perfect and can do everything.. Not me, not you!

 

[Shaz]

Nobody knows exactly how it's done, as that's part of the engine and not the scripts.


ARE you making a competing engine?

 

[Chaosgod_Espér]

no

my engine is just for usage in future 2D Projects.

 

[Galenmereth]

Here's a discussion about different solutions to auto-tiling, with algorithms and different solutions. Auto-tiling is a common function in many game engines (even text-based roguelikes often use an offshoot off of it), so it's not unique to the RPG Makers: http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=21237.0

However, keep in mind that using the RPG Maker XP RTP (and any other RM RTP) in your own engine is illegal; you can't do that

 

[Shaz]

i'm creating my own tilemap system with my own engine.

Okay, the question has been asked multiple times, and your answers are very vague. I'm not sure if you just don't understand the information that's being requested from you, or if you're deliberately beating around the bush.


What is "my own engine" and "my own tilemap system"? Are you making a NEW engine that you are going to use to create games? Or are you making a new map editor that will make it easier for you to create maps, which will then be used in RPG Maker to build your game?


In short, are you using this new engine of yours instead of RPG Maker, to build your game?

 

[Chaosgod_Espér]

Interesting Topic - thanks Galen

I won't use rtp graphics.. but i want to use the tile system and sprite layout. Cause i think it's really powerful and gives more freedom than the vx one. But i will break the autotile limit - so there's no macimum amount of autotiles, layers or gridsize.

@Shaz:

I'm working with Unity 3D Pro as Base. Althought it has 2D Features, they are not made to be used with topdown Games in the way a RPG needs it.

So i weote my own interpreter, Eventeditor, tilemap, mapeditor, database and WYSIWYG Editors.

Now i need the autotiles to complete the editors and tilemap.. But autotiling is a heavy task

I currently call it Uni RPGToolkit.

 

[Andar]

Just for your info:


IIrc, in one other topic about her tileswap script, Tsukihime stated that to get the correct autotile after changing a tile, you'll need to change the surrounding tiles and the autotile will be selected automatically.


I don't remember the context of that comment and I could be wrong, but to me that means that the autotile selection is part of the internal engine/DLL and not available from outside - so no one here can tell you how it works.

 

[Sharm]

Thank you for being more clear Chaosgod_Espér. I'll attempt to do the same. This is an official site for RPG Maker products, we don't support any other engines here and it would be bad business for us to help you create another engine.

 

[Chaosgod_Espér]

bad business?

why?

i make this editor being able to support XP Tiles/Autotiles, VX Tiles and other rpg maker resource formats and layouts (except rgss scripts).

so i can use resources bought here - so i gave my part into the business of rpgmakerweb

(i'm working with the 75$ future tilesets right now).

and this editor is currently JUST FOR ME.

I'm thinking about the option, to make it public ... but only for free in Rpg maker forums (cause of the resources, it wouldn't make much sense to post it elsewhere). But this option is a unlikely task.

 

[Sharm]

The tilesets here aren't actually the main focus though, it's the engines. The graphic packs are all made by third parties working through Degica with the permission of Enterbrain because they support the sales of the engine. Think of it this way, if you went to an official Playstation forum run by Sony and asked them how the codec works so you could make your own console that could run Playstation games, what kind of response do you think you'd get?

 

[Shaz]

It's bad for business because your MAKING a Unity editor that works with RM tiles is encouraging people to use Unity rather than RM.


While we provide some resources that can be used in other engines for those who really don't want to use RM, we PREFER people to use RM, and don't allow advertising or provide support for other engines.


It would be like asking Apple to help you write a game for an Android device


Closing