Creating walls 'top down view'

Getting Started Newbie Questions
#1

Hello all,

Just started developing with Corona and Lua and am finding everything extremely well documented and easy to work with. The community and staff have created a wonderful environment to work within.

I am still new at this and have run into a question that I cannot find a tutorial or answer to in existing threads. I am creating a top down view game and am wondering how I can most effectively create walls for the scenes?

Should I simply create the size/location of the walls and use an image as the background texture, or create custom images for each house and use that as a background?

Any insight is appreciated! [import]uid: 135255 topic_id: 24185 reply_id: 324185[/import]

#2

I personally like to use a nice, layering graphics program to work my statics and then use rects or circle collision bounds. If your going to produce a full size BG image anyway, might as well save the tex mem and just bake everything in… But certain cases call for different techniques…

Only my 2 cents. :slight_smile: [import]uid: 21331 topic_id: 24185 reply_id: 97631[/import]

#3

Welcome!

I am glad you have found the environment a pleasant one.

I would agree with Tony here, am more just posting to say welcome :slight_smile:

Peach [import]uid: 52491 topic_id: 24185 reply_id: 97650[/import]

#4

Thank you for your replies, and your presence is greatly appreciated peach!

What would be an example of a layering graphics program? Pardon my ignorance but as I said I am fairly new to iPhone development and corona. [import]uid: 135255 topic_id: 24185 reply_id: 97751[/import]

#5

Most really, Paint Shop Pro, Photoshop, even inkpad on the iPad. So many to choose from… inkscape, it’s free!

Just a graphics prog with layers to work on your individual pieces seperately. [import]uid: 21331 topic_id: 24185 reply_id: 97752[/import]

#6

Ah, I think I understand. So you use one of head programs to easily create your level, while using the layers to control the separate layers which will be used as the backgrounds, objects, etc?

Do I have the right idea? Sounds like a good way to organize the separate entities of your level. In my example of a top down view of a house, is it most effective to create image rects the same size and position of the house walls to control boundaries and assign properties? [import]uid: 135255 topic_id: 24185 reply_id: 97768[/import]

#7

Not exactly.

I’m just giving my two cents about:

  1. using an external program to create your assets, keeping them in layers so they can be easily re-modified, and
  2. if your assets are static (not moving) and you are already loading a large background image, you can save a lot of memory by just exporting the background WITH the house in a single image and use physics boxes for collision.

This is not the only way. You can also export every element in your scene and give them physics as well…you have to look at what is easiest and most efficient for you or your target platform.

I wrote a reader for inkscape SVG files. It has the ability to attach XML data to each element. I use rectangles and circles on a “physics” layer and generate my collision bounds from them. I save a lot of memory along the way by working my static images in a separate graphics program and then bake them into a single image which is then attached as a “link” in the SVG file.

There are many different 3rd party programs on here as well that provide great functionality to help with some different methods of level, object, and collision bounds creation. check them out as well, one may click as logical to you. :slight_smile: Good Luck! [import]uid: 21331 topic_id: 24185 reply_id: 97777[/import]

#8

Hah, I’m flattered, thank you :slight_smile:

Tony - wow. I remember Paint Shop Pro from the old days, long time since I’ve heard it mentioned but I recall it was quite good!

I agree the easiest way is using something like Photoshop (I use Photoshop Elements 8, it’s great and is cheap compared to alternatives) where you can have layers when you are working.

Reason being you can see everything together while working.

That said if you are wanting to simplify things just make one image at a time in any graphics program and totally forget about layers for now if it’s a sticking point :wink:

(Again, just my two sense - I do think Tony’s explanation here is great.)

Peach :slight_smile: [import]uid: 52491 topic_id: 24185 reply_id: 97859[/import]