TerrainGraphicsWML
For information about the multi-hex tiling system, see MultiHexTutorial
In terrain graphics, all images are assumed to be relative to images/terrain/. For example, writing 'image=grassland.png' means that the image file is images/terrain/grassland.png.
The multi-hex tiling system adds a new top-level element to WML, [terrain_graphics]. A building rule is used to specify images to place when terrains are in a certain formation. When a building rule is applied to a map, it is applied once to each coordinate on the map; when it is applied to a coordinate then that coordinate is considered the base. All locations in [terrain_graphics] are relative to the base.
Contents
The toplevel [terrain_graphics] tag
The following keys/tags are recognized:
- x,y: constrains the rule to given absolute map coordinates. Primarily useful to place map-specific features.
- mod_x,mod_y: (Version 1.13.1 and later only) constrains the rule to absolute map coordinates which are multiples of the given values. For example, mod_x=4 would only match locations with an x coordinate of 4, 8, 12, 16, etc.
- [tile]: whenever a building rule is applied, each [tile] tag corresponds to a tile on the map. The corresponding tile must match each condition contained in [tile] for the [tile] tag to match. All [tile] tags must match in order for a rule to match. If the rule for a [tile] tag is applied, each action within [tile] will be executed on the tile corresponding to that [tile] tag. See below for details.
- [image]: image may also be used directly in the rule, to specify multihex images. The following additional attributes are recognized for multihex images (as well as all the ones for images within [tile]). See below for details.
- probability: the percent probability for each position that if the position matches, then the rule will be applied. Default is 100(%).
- rotations: 6 comma(,) separated input strings. A rule that contains this key is not actually checked against the terrain; it instead is used as a template to create 6 new rules, each corresponding to a rotated version of the current rule. Whenever a rotated version is applied, instances of @(at-sign)R0, @R1, ... @R6 in attributes in the [terrain_graphics] tag will be adjusted by the corresponding amount and replaced with the letters specified by that numbered rotation in the rotations list. Each value corresponds to the rotated version that is -Pi/3 (60° clockwise) from the previous version; the first value corresponds to the unrotated version.
For example, if rotations=n,ne,se,s,sw,nw and it is being rotated 120°, then "@R0"->"@R2"->"se", "@R1"->"@R3"->"s", ... "@R6"->"@R1"->"ne".
Basically the important thing is that this lets the rule be applied in any of the six hex-directions, allowing you to adjust the name of the image files automatically. - set_flag,has_flag, no_flag: shortcuts to putting these in the [tile] subtags; unbound attributes will apply to all [tile] subtags.
- map: a shortcut for defining [tile] tags with type conditions. This is a multiline string of comma-separated values that visually represents the hexagonal map. Odd-numbered lines begin with a comma (representing even-abscissa tiles) and even-numbered lines begin with a value (representing odd-abscissa tiles). The values can be an anchor (decimal digit) or a wildcard (period . or asterisk *). An anchor matches the pos= attribute in a [tile] tag.
The [tile] subtag
- x,y: standard coordinates - the location of the corresponding tile relative to the base.
- pos: a shortcut to specifying coordinates. Used in combination with map
- type: a comma-separated list of terrain codes (See TerrainWML, data/terrain.cfg). In order for a tile to match this condition, it must be one of the terrains specified. However, if the string is preceded by "!", the terrain must not be listed in order to match. If the string is '*', or if it is empty, any tile matches.
- name: for animated terrain this takes the form of a comma separated list of image names with durations specified after a colon. For the image name also see Progressive Strings and ImagePathFunctions.
- no_draw (default: no): (Version 1.13.5 and later only) whether to actually draw images of this rule onto this hex.
- set_flag: a comma-separated list of normal or progressive strings. Attaches flags from that list to the corresponding tile if the rule matches. The only difference a flag makes is being detected by has_flag and no_flag in [tile]. This is determined by the order of the [terrain_graphics] tags; a tag after another one cannot influence it. See also has_flag, no_flag
- has_flag: a comma-separated list of normal or progressive strings. Matches if all flags in that list are attached to the corresponding tile. Flags are attached using the set_flag key.
- no_flag: a comma-separated list of normal or progressive strings. Matches if none of the flags in that list are attached to the corresponding tile. Flags are attached using the set_flag key.
- set_no_flag: helper combining set_flag and no_flag. Same effect as using them with the same flags. Added because it's the most common use; set_flag or no_flag can still be used to add flags in one group only.
- [image]: images specified as a subtag to [tile] sets the images for a single tile.
The [image] subtag
- name: for animated terrain this takes the form of a comma separated list of image names with durations specified after a colon. For the image name also see Progressive Strings and ImagePathFunctions.
- variations: A semicolon separated list of strings used to replace every occurrence of @V in name and extend the list of image names with these variations.
- random_start (default: yes): Tells engine to start animation at random point instead of at the beginning for every tile (Version 1.13.9 and later only) If given a positive integer, limits the range of the random shift of the start time to the given amount of milliseconds. For example, if the animation duration is 700ms, then random_start=yes and random_start=700 are equivalent, whereas random_start=100 limits the start times of different instances of the animation to be at most 100ms apart.
- layer: an integer, usually negative. The more negative it is, the earlier it is drawn, and thus the farther "back" it is when compositing the terrain images together.
- base: specifies the point at which the image is considered to be for layering purposes. base is specified as x,y where x and y indicate distances in pixels from the top-left corner of the image. This is translated to a certain pixel on the map, and all images with the base attribute are drawn from top-to-bottom in terms of these specified pixel positions on the map.
- center: (multihex images only) specifies the point which the image will be centered on. If it is not specified, the image will instead be aligned with the top left corner of the tile.
- [variant]: an alternate image to use for differing times of day
- name: Same as in the parent tag.
- random_start: Same as in the parent tag.
- tod: the time of day for which this variant applies. Accepts a comma separated list of times of day.
- has_flag (Version 1.13.1 and later only) comma-separated list of flags that the tile must have for this variant to apply.
Examples
To define a north-south 2-tile mountain, the following syntax can be used:
[terrain_graphics]
[tile]
x=0
y=0
type=Mm
set_no_flag="base"
[/tile]
[tile]
x=0
y=1
type=Mm
set_no_flag="base"
[/tile]
[image]
name="mountain-n-s.png"
[/image]
[/terrain_graphics]
This represents a tile 1, and its six adjacent tiles 2, in the map notation.
. , . , . , . , . , 2 , . , . . , 2 , 2 , . , . , 1 , . , . . , 2 , 2 , . , . , 2 , . , .
To define an animated campfire at coordinates (4,5) with files "misc/fire-A01.png" to "misc/fire-A08.png" with an inter-frame transition time of 140, the following can be placed at the scenario top level (adapted from the CAMPFIRE macro):
[terrain_graphics]
x,y=4,5
[tile]
x=0
y=0
[image]
layer=0
name="misc/fire-A[01~08].png:140"
[/image]
[/tile]
[/terrain_graphics]
See Also
- MultiHexTutorial
- ReferenceWML
- ImagePathFunctions
- TerrainMacrosWML - The macros that most terrain graphics are defined with
- TerrainGraphicsReference - Second (partial) half of Ayin's document, wikified
- TerrainMacros - Some somewhat old documentation of macros that can be used for terrain graphics