Technique suggestions for Area maps?

Questions
1

I’m looking for some techniques to model area-based maps. See attached.

Area maps are common in board wargames. Think Risk or games made by Slitherine.

I think I could do this with object and image layers.

  1. The image layer displays the map image, which I create in Illustrator/Photoshop. The map image is just a visual reference for the player to plan and conduct operations.

  2. I will use an object layer to create the map areas. My idea is to create each map area as a separate object using polylines. I would then assign custom properties to these areas that are used by the game to affect what units are doing. For example a units ability to move, or it may have an affect on a units combat abilities.

  3. Regarding the modeling, I figure all I need to do is to determine what area a unit is in, then apply the appropriate custom properties. I don’t need to do line-of-sight calculations, and it makes path-finding much easier (I think).

I’m thinking object layers could be useful in creating triggers for a scripted AI as well as modeling terrain.

Does anyone see any gotchas in what I’m proposing?

Has anyone implemented an area-based map? I looked for examples using Tiled, but most of the stuff is for platformers or endless runners.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

TJ

2

Your proposal sounds fine. I heave heard of multiple people who use Tiled only to draw objects over a otherwise pre-generated image in order to add annotations…

Even if it is not the usual use case of Tiled: “if it looks stupid but works it isn’t stupid” :stuck_out_tongue:

Regards,
Ablu