ID:91955
 
Resolved
A new map_format, SIDE_MAP, can be used for 3/4 projections. This format is very similar to TOPDOWN_MAP, except that tiles further down on the map are considered closer to the viewer and will be in front of anything further up. Layering behavior is similar to that used by ISOMETRIC_MAP.
Applies to:DM Language
Status: Resolved (482)

This issue has been resolved.
Duplicates:id:111904
Copied from BYOND Features forum by Lummox JR

Right now in order to make a simple tree we have to cut the trunk and leaves into two separate objects. The bottom section usually is on the same layer as the ground while the top is a layer above. This is done so when a player walks behind the tree, the tree is drawn above him.

This is somewhat acceptable for large objects, but with small ones which don't need to be split there exists a problem.



On the top left corner you have the player standing one tile above a box. Since his layer is higher than the box, his foot is drawn on top of it. This is a side-effect of the bottom left panel where the player's layer is set high so his head doesn't slide under the box.

If there were some sort of vertical layer variable, you would see something more like what's in the top right panel. Even though the player is a layer above the box, the box knows to be drawn over him because it is below him. When the player is a tile below the object, the default behavior continues.
It's like isometric mode, but without the sideways camera angle. I like it.
More good illustration of this request is on the duplciate issue 2959.
I also believe this would be a really nice thing to have but I believe in some cases it may become needed to over-ride this behavior for certain objects, like you want some objects to do this, but maybe an object is meant to be "flying" above you so you always want to appear under it for example & never over it.

---Right now OK'ish work-arounds have been found like changing layers & some items kinda splitting them up in the same tile & have 2 different layers for the item itself, regardless of how you make it work, it's quite a pain considering if thought about after you created quite a bit, it's so much to try & re-do to make it work good that it's just crazy.
We have EFFECTS_LAYER already so it should be possible in such a map format to maintain the expected behavior for both. It would be ideal to be able to have a number of different meta-layers so you could have something like an overhead catwalk or whatnot, but currently the language doesn't support that concept.
"except that tiles further down on the map are considered closer to the viewer and will be in front of anything further up."

How is this supposed to work? Reliant on big-icons/overlays? Or does it only work with pixel offsets?
Yep, big icons are the key here. Like if your floor tile is 32x24, you could have a wall icon that's 32x32. However you could use overlays with pixel_z if you like.