Saving map data in a 2d ORPG

Question

I'm trying to figure out how I can best save the map data for a 2d ORPG engine I am developing, the file would contain tile data (Is it blocked, what actual graphics would it use, and various other properties).

I am currently using a binary format but I think this might be a bit too limited and hard to debug, what alternatives are there, I was thinking about perhaps JSON or XML but I don't know if there are any other better options.

It has to work with C++ and C# and preferably also with Python.

Answer 1

Lua is also a possibility which can be used as a config file with tables. It's been a while since I worked with Python but doesn't it also support a AJAX style data structure? You could simply use Python files if you are already using it.

Answer 2

XML is well supported across basically every language. It may become verbose for large maps, however, depending on how you encode the map data in XML.

JSON might not be a good choice, simply because I don't think it supports multiline strings, which would be helpful (although not really necessary)

YAML is another alternative, though it's not as well-known.

You could just stick to binary - most maps would be a pain to edit by hand, no matter what format you pick (though I've heard of Starcraft maps being edited with hex editors...) Just use whatever seems easiest for you.

Additionally, check out the Tiled map editor (http://www.mapeditor.org/), which lets you edit maps (with custom tile properties, I think) and save it in an XML based format, including optional GZip for compression.

Answer 3

Personally, I would stick with a binary format. Whatever method you choose, it's going to be a pain in the ass to edit by hand anyway, so you may as well stick to binary which gives you a size and speed advantage.

You're also going to want a map editor anyway so that you do not have to edit it by hand.