<![CDATA[Faldon Forums - Development Forum]]> https://www.faldon.org/ Thu, 16 Apr 2026 22:49:58 +0000 PunBB <![CDATA[2026/4/16 Update]]> https://www.faldon.org/topic/7811/new/posts/ The client now uses the new map file format.

The new map file format is about 10X smaller, will patch more quickly, and no longer needs a separate file for versioning.

It allows an arbitrary number of properties on tiles (and properties can contain more data), so HSV/RGB colorization can be done on ground, walls, etc. at the same time.

It supports Ground 1-4 and Wall 1-2 on all Z levels. (The previous format supported Ground 1-3 on Z=0 and Ground 1-2 on Z>0, but if you had a property on the same tile, it only supported Ground 1-2 and Ground 1.)

Long term, the file format is also more extensible and maps do not have to be 512x512 (though the rest of the code does not yet support this). The way it is laid out also allows the map to be loaded one sector at a time, but I load it all at once right now.

Next week I'll add File->Save. Saved files won't be playable directly for now, but you'll be able to load/save them inside the editor.

Technically, there is one another change. Much of the map patching code, and some other network code, has been moved out of the Visual Basic code into the C code.

If this all works correctly, you won't notice any difference.

Have a good weekend!

God bless.

James


April 16, 2026:
The client now uses the new map file format.  If this change works correctly, you won't notice any difference.

]]> Thu, 16 Apr 2026 22:49:58 +0000 https://www.faldon.org/topic/7811/new/posts/ <![CDATA[2026/4/9 Update]]> https://www.faldon.org/topic/7810/new/posts/ This week's update is server-side only.

The server previously stored map files in per-sector Map Patch .MPT files.
It now stores them in Faldon Map .FMP files.

Right now, it re-encodes the map sectors before sending them to the client (or when the client uploads a map sector), because the client still uses the old format.

You'll notice this change because the client will want to repatch every sector, despite no visible change. If there IS any noticeable change let me know, because there should not be.

If there are no problems, this coming week I will move the client over to the new map file format as well.

Have a good weekend!

God bless.

James

]]> Thu, 09 Apr 2026 10:42:45 +0000 https://www.faldon.org/topic/7810/new/posts/ <![CDATA[2026/4/4]]> https://www.faldon.org/topic/7809/new/posts/ No update this week.

I have been redoing the map file format. It's now slightly slower to load, 2X slower to save, and 1/10th the size. It supports Ground 1-4 on all Z levels and allows multiple properties on the same tile.

It also supports map sizes other than 512x512 (though the server won't for some time) and stores sectors in such a way that (long term) they can be loaded individually instead of loading the entire map, and it tracks them with hashing instead of version numbers.

Before I can make an update, I will need to change the map patching code on both the client and the server, as well as the server's map loading code (it uses special per-sector files, not even .MAP files right now).

So, no update this week, but hopefully one next week.

Have a happy Easter!

God bless.

James

]]> Mon, 06 Apr 2026 16:09:37 +0000 https://www.faldon.org/topic/7809/new/posts/ <![CDATA[2026/3/27 Update]]> https://www.faldon.org/topic/7808/new/posts/ Small update this week.

March 27, 2026:
Added in Master Wu's 4K art update for the short forge and the teleport gates.
Ground and wall tiles can now be colorized. (With the current map format, this only works for one piece of art per tile, and only where no other properties are present.)
Holy Aura and Teleport will no longer when using the old client.

]]> Sat, 28 Mar 2026 00:15:47 +0000 https://www.faldon.org/topic/7808/new/posts/ <![CDATA[2026/3/20]]> https://www.faldon.org/topic/7807/new/posts/ Due to real life, I have had no time to make an update this week. I hope you are all doing well.

God bless.

James

]]> Thu, 19 Mar 2026 20:10:52 +0000 https://www.faldon.org/topic/7807/new/posts/ <![CDATA[2026/3/13 Update]]> https://www.faldon.org/topic/7803/new/posts/ March 13, 2026:
Added many tilesets to "Wall Sets", including some roofs.
Added number field support to NPC conversations.
Fixed a pixel alignment issue with status text.
Fixed form icons all being missing.
Fixed Arrakeen's random NPCs. Their random player names (possibly a very bad idea) did not apply the vulgarity filter.
"Ground Sets" now have a priority level, so that (for example) water is placed underneath tall grass, even if it is placed afterward.
Single-layer "Wall Sets" no longer connect themselves to trees and other decorations.
Tilesets now support variations. For now, the map editor chooses them randomly. (The only tileset with variations right now is the forest grass "Ground Set". However, because it recognizes all the grass variations, the map editor can now transition water tiles correctly in many more cases.)

]]> Wed, 18 Mar 2026 19:23:22 +0000 https://www.faldon.org/topic/7803/new/posts/ <![CDATA[2026/3/6 Update]]> https://www.faldon.org/topic/7798/new/posts/ There are still some problems with the map editor -- Ground Sets need a 'priority' so that they are placed in the correct order, instead of "newest-placed tile always on top", as things like the grass tiles need to be on top to not draw incorrectly.
That said, today's update gets it a *lot* closer to usable. The Line tool actually works correctly now, even for double-sided tilesets (though these are still somewhat difficult to work with).

This coming week I'll take a break from coding the map editor to see what else I can improve.

March 6, 2026:
*** It has been one year (off-and-on, mostly off due to life circumstances) since I started on the new map editor!
*** There are still some improvements needed, but it will be nice to start working on the actual *game* soon.
*** Thank you all!
*** God bless.
*** James
The map editor now has Cut, Copy, and Paste.
The map editor now has a Spray tool.
The map editor now color-codes the highlighted tile when using double-sided Wall Sets.
The map editor's Box tool now maintains alignment in double-sided Wall Sets. (If you want an unaligned box, you can always make one with the Line tool.)
The map editor's Line tool now maintains alignment in double-sided Wall Sets.
The map editor's Line tool now connects segments when editing Wall Sets.
The map editor's Pencil and Spray tools now have a shape option.

]]> Sat, 07 Mar 2026 20:16:56 +0000 https://www.faldon.org/topic/7798/new/posts/ <![CDATA[2026/3/3 Update]]> https://www.faldon.org/topic/7794/new/posts/ March 3, 2026:
Improved the "No death or bleeding animations" Parental Controls option.
- Thanks to Beet for this suggestion!
The map editor would sometimes not update the screen when removing tiles from higher Z levels.
- Thanks to Mr Spy for reporting this bug!
The map editor's variant picker no longer zooms in.

]]> Tue, 03 Mar 2026 11:08:11 +0000 https://www.faldon.org/topic/7794/new/posts/ <![CDATA[2026/2/26 Update]]> https://www.faldon.org/topic/7792/new/posts/ February 26, 2026:
Double-layer "Wall Sets" now work. Those lacking corners only work in a limited fashion.
"Ground Sets" place the full tile at a time now, instead of just corners.

]]> Thu, 26 Feb 2026 23:07:29 +0000 https://www.faldon.org/topic/7792/new/posts/ <![CDATA[2026/2/25 Update]]> https://www.faldon.org/topic/7790/new/posts/ Most of our wall sets are double-layer -- they have different walls for the negative and positive sides, so that their corners are at the sides of tiles, instead of in the middle. Today I got single-layer wall sets working in the map editor. This is a start. Double-layer will be more complicated.

February 25, 2026:
Single-layer "Wall Sets" (Anthill, Fortification, Mine) now work.

]]> Thu, 26 Feb 2026 23:04:35 +0000 https://www.faldon.org/topic/7790/new/posts/ <![CDATA[2026/2/24 Update]]> https://www.faldon.org/topic/7789/new/posts/ Some "Ground Sets" are missing parts and so don't work well with this, but many do, so I've put those in.
This will save a ton of time when editing areas. I'm hoping to add "Wall Sets" in not too long as well.

February 24, 2026:
The map editor now supports "Ground Sets". These are the start of tile auto-selection.

]]> Tue, 24 Feb 2026 14:34:51 +0000 https://www.faldon.org/topic/7789/new/posts/ <![CDATA[2026/2/13 Update]]> https://www.faldon.org/topic/7786/new/posts/ February 13, 2026:
The map editor now has a button for hiding other Z levels.
The map editor no longer resizes the MRU list on first click. This was very annoying.

]]> Tue, 17 Feb 2026 21:09:09 +0000 https://www.faldon.org/topic/7786/new/posts/ <![CDATA[2026/2/11 Update]]> https://www.faldon.org/topic/7784/new/posts/ The next thing will be to make the map editor more usable. It has a lot of irritating problems.
After that I need to change the map file format so that revision numbers are inside the map file itself and can't get lost. This is also important for making save/load useful. (It would make the editor able to tell what parts of the map have actually been changed.)

February 11, 2026:
The map editor can now upload. Right now, it can only do so for maps loaded online and not those loaded from disk.

]]> Thu, 12 Feb 2026 14:19:18 +0000 https://www.faldon.org/topic/7784/new/posts/ <![CDATA[2026/2/5 PayPal bug]]> https://www.faldon.org/topic/7782/new/posts/ I found a minor bug in the code that receives payment notifications from PayPal.
We'll see if it will make any difference to the general unreliability there. smile

]]> Sun, 08 Feb 2026 00:14:27 +0000 https://www.faldon.org/topic/7782/new/posts/ <![CDATA[2026/2/6 Update]]> https://www.faldon.org/topic/7781/new/posts/ Next is deciding how "upload maps" shall work. smile

February 6, 2026:
Lighting and Particles properties can now display in the map editor.
Most properties can now be edited in the map editor.
When you open the map editor, it now goes to your current location.

]]> Thu, 05 Feb 2026 12:40:40 +0000 https://www.faldon.org/topic/7781/new/posts/