Quick check in about map sizes in UFO

[Keth01]

So, after reading through UFOpedia and poking at files etc, my understanding is that a map may contain a maximum of ten thousand items and may refer to a maximum of 255 different tilesets.

If I'm understanding this correctly, the fact that Alien Bases are 50 x 50 x 2 (5000 units) is a design decision by the original developers rather than imposed by the engine, and alien bases (and rules for generating them) could be made bigger, by making them 'deeper' through redesigning map tiles or just generating a bigger 'flat' base with the existing tilesets? With a practical cap of 50 x 50 x 4 or equivalent like terror missions.

Just checking I haven't missed an obvious hurdle before I settle in for what could be a fair amount of work, though definitely entertaining.

[Amoebka]

Yes, you can make maps bigger. In fact, most TFTD crash recovery sites and the second stages of alien bases are 60*60*4. The map doesn't have to be square either, you can make it 40*70*4, for example (TFTD shipping lane terror sites). Also, the 255 MCD limit only applies to a single map chunk, from what I understand. You can abuse the addUFO command to create maps that have way more than 255 unique tile types (somebody more knowledgeable will hopefully explain the limitations of this method).

edit: By the way, are you remaking alien bases to be 4 floors deep? I'm asking because I'm doing the same thing, pretty much - remaking alien bases to be 60*60*4, like in TFTD. So far I have compiled an MCD set with some new graphics and made like 6 map chunks, maybe we can collaborate?

[Keth01]

I was thinking of doing so as part of a larger mod I'm doing, yeah. Fair warning though, I'm very new at this. Working through redesigning UFOs at the moment, which is a good way to figure out nodes etc.

---- posts merged - Solarius Scorch ----

While I have you here, could you run through how the game 'crops' the edge walls out of terrain tiles when assembling a map? I'm a little fuzzy on that one.

[Amoebka]

While I have you here, could you run through how the game 'crops' the edge walls out of terrain tiles when assembling a map? I'm a little fuzzy on that one.

I don't seem to understand the question, what do you mean exactly? The tunnel cutting algorithm for alien bases specifically? IIRC the game doesn't actually crop anything when combining map chunks together for "normal" terrains.

[Hobbes]

So, after reading through UFOpedia and poking at files etc, my understanding is that a map may contain a maximum of ten thousand items and may refer to a maximum of 255 different tilesets.

If I'm understanding this correctly, the fact that Alien Bases are 50 x 50 x 2 (5000 units) is a design decision by the original developers rather than imposed by the engine

On the original, it's imposed by the engine, rather than design: the Alien Base maps are also used on the Cydonia Final Assault mission, whose dimensions are 60x60x2 = 7200 'units', so that's the reason why alien bases can only have 2 levels on the original.

[Keth01]

Ah, makes sense! Thanks.