Mapping idea: Arbitrary images in maps.

[Jp]

Suggestion: Allow us to embed arbitrary images (probably .bmp or .png) in maps, along with layering information (So we can say "Draw this over/under planets/ships"). Additionally, optional density - I guess we'll have to specify size as well. Might look something like this:

Code:

[entity]
icon="sun.png"
layer = top
density = true
xsize = 200
ysize = 200

You could also give no icon to just have an 'invisible barrier' sort of entity - could be useful when trying to match actual density with a nonrectangular image.

[Chris]

Looks like a nice general way to implement some of the graphics features I've thought about but never implemented (suns, black holes, ...other stuff).   I'll keep it in mind.

[Jp]

Thinking about this a bit more, it might be a good idea to add a "Don't display this" option to rifts - so you can use rifts to handle complex density on some image you want to do interesting things. The most obvious example is a diagonal line that you want to be dense, which would be pretty annoying as a series of rectangles.

[Kumlekar]

Both of these suggestions are excellent and would probably save some headaches in the future.