I have several levels designed at the moment as a png file.
they are all different, 8200 x 1000 , 5400x4300 etc
If I want to build this into MF, would you use the 1 png as a whole background
or would you use object (64x64) and build with that the whole level? (So you end up with like 40-50 objects for a part of the level.
(Everything else get's copied)
What would be preferred, and is better for memory etc.
If the graphics have a lot of repetition break it up into tiles to conserve memory.
Also mobile devices have difficulty with large images so tiles help here too.
If you're going to do crazily sized levels, I'd recommend storing the level design (the position of the tiles) in multiple files and load them in with the binary object, then draw them / destroy them as you need them. There's an extension called tilemap that can handle huge levels too.
What I did with my levels, since they are huge as well, was create one large image using photoshop, then I broke it into smaller, equal parts, and pasted them into the level as backdrop objects.
If you use one large backdrop, like I originally tried to do, I ran into the issue of the backdrop object being so large that it was unable to render the image, so I split the image into fours...however at certain X-Y coordinates on the level, particularly towards the center of the level where the four backdrop objects touch, the performance choked...and I mean it went from 60 fps way down to 1 or even 0 and ate up all my system resources....and this was even with the usage of fast loops.
I had no choice but to split the image into 16ths and, while there is a very minute chug here and there...it only does so the first time the character collides with the edge of certain backdrop objects and then never again as long as the level was loaded, and it only lasts a half second at most (and on a windows XP machine with poor specs....for compatibility reasons ofc).
I might consider breaking it down even further, but I think I am satisfied with it. The only other issue you will have to think about is application size. Currently my game has just 2 completed maps, and the application is around 62 MB
In short, be mindful when using backdrop objects in levels when their size is past a couple thousand pixels....it's best to use many smaller objects that split the image rather than fewer larger or one gigantic which will slow performance--ESPECIALLY ON A MOBILE DEVICE
Thank you for the response.
I'll have to check about that Tilemap.
idk, if that's also for IOS and Android.
Since it's going to be for mobile, I would be probably better of then, using 64x64 tiles as a backdrop. (Think I started using them as Active object)
Since everything is colorful, I don't have transparency, so I would run into problems then right?
Am I better of then, making the whole layout and to the background part (and skip the walls etc (it's a 2d platformer game)
and make a layer with the wall only, so I can use my character to work with the main layer (the one that I left the walls out)
Hope I am explaining it a little bit logical..
I'm re-reading you message again ffomega, and it's better to use the backdrop object, instead of active object right?
I use active objects for repetitive tiles, but for maps that require a more detailed look, I use the backdrop objects...in my opinion it's better to use backdrop objects because of the sheer size of the level
Ok Thanks.
Yes, the ground it probably 1/3 of the level, so I can use an active object for that then..
Have to play with it, so that my character doesn't fall / go through it lol.. forgot what I had to change for it.
it's been a while that I was working on my project...
Other things keeps popping up
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