Ok, I think (after experimenting a bit with the U4PART2 map and poking around the data files a little) that I have a better handle on how this works now.
'Normal' worldmaps and 'custom' worldmaps appear to be stored the same internally (as 16x16 cells); the difference between the two is how the worldmap is created and viewed.
When you create a normal worldmap, ACK populates the cells of the map starting from the lower right corner and increasing right to left in each row, sweeping from the bottom to the top of the map. So if you create a 64x64 worldmap (4 cells x 4 cells) the cell numbers will be set as shown.
Code: Select all
16 15 14 13
12 11 10 9
8 7 6 5
4 3 2 1
In the 'normal' worldmap viewer, the cell numbers are hidden, but they still exist. If you create a custom worldmap and then hit Alt+W to 'convert' it to a standard worldmap, the cell numbers do not appear to change; everything remains the same, but you can no longer view/edit the cell numbers directly.
Similarly, if you create a 'normal' worldmap and then switch over to custom mode by hitting Alt+C, you will see the default cell numbering as shown above.
This also means that it is possible to change a map's size after it has been created. Switch over to custom mode, add new cells as needed, and then switch back. All worldmaps are stored with a maximum internal size of 512 x 512 (32 cells by 32 cells), but as the documentation indicates, only 255 of those cells may be unique.
When creating a 256x256 normal worldmap, ACK populates the cells as described above, and then leaves the top-left cell undefined (as indicated in the docs and the editor). However, this is only the default setting. You can change this cell to a defined cell number, which causes it to mirror the contents of the other cell. This is what was done in the U4PART2 map; the upper left cell was set to point to cell 81.
When editing the map in the normal scrolling mode, if you move the cursor into an undefined cell, it will wrap around to the next defined area.
In the data files, the Ax file appears to contain the actual cell data (so for region 3, it would be <game>.A3). The <game>.RGN file appears to hold the ordering of the cells for all regions (along with the region names).
Ok, I think (after experimenting a bit with the U4PART2 map and poking around the data files a little) that I have a better handle on how this works now.
'Normal' worldmaps and 'custom' worldmaps appear to be stored the same internally (as 16x16 cells); the difference between the two is how the worldmap is created and viewed.
When you create a normal worldmap, ACK populates the cells of the map starting from the lower right corner and increasing right to left in each row, sweeping from the bottom to the top of the map. So if you create a 64x64 worldmap (4 cells x 4 cells) the cell numbers will be set as shown.
[code]
16 15 14 13
12 11 10 9
8 7 6 5
4 3 2 1
[/code]
In the 'normal' worldmap viewer, the cell numbers are hidden, but they still exist. If you create a custom worldmap and then hit Alt+W to 'convert' it to a standard worldmap, the cell numbers do not appear to change; everything remains the same, but you can no longer view/edit the cell numbers directly.
Similarly, if you create a 'normal' worldmap and then switch over to custom mode by hitting Alt+C, you will see the default cell numbering as shown above.
This also means that it is possible to change a map's size after it has been created. Switch over to custom mode, add new cells as needed, and then switch back. All worldmaps are stored with a maximum internal size of 512 x 512 (32 cells by 32 cells), but as the documentation indicates, only 255 of those cells may be unique.
When creating a 256x256 normal worldmap, ACK populates the cells as described above, and then leaves the top-left cell undefined (as indicated in the docs and the editor). However, this is only the default setting. You can change this cell to a defined cell number, which causes it to mirror the contents of the other cell. This is what was done in the U4PART2 map; the upper left cell was set to point to cell 81.
When editing the map in the normal scrolling mode, if you move the cursor into an undefined cell, it will wrap around to the next defined area.
In the data files, the Ax file appears to contain the actual cell data (so for region 3, it would be <game>.A3). The <game>.RGN file appears to hold the ordering of the cells for all regions (along with the region names).