What's the best way to save a map?

[Bacchus]

As the title states: "What's the best way to save a map?", as in for an RPG if I'm making the map. As a JPG, BMP, or a text file that has numbers representing which tiles to use in it?

[Delos]

I'd opt for the text file. This way you can not only save the tile, but other information such as travsersability, action calls, and anything else you like.
The only fall back here is that you have to invest extra time in your programme building up the map from the text file, importing the pictures. I still prefer this method to having a single bg_pic file and another bg_data file.

By the way, if you're saving as .bmp or .jpg from Turing, then you'll not have any difference in the files. Both sizes are exactly the same, despite .jpg having compression. My guess is that OOT doesn't actually compress the file. Either that, or the allocated space for the two files is the same. Ever tried writing a file with a single character in it? The total size comes up to...umm...I think about 4 kB. Obviously way more than the file actually is, but OOT has a way of doing that. Methinks that if you used read/write instead of get/put it might solve this...not positive though.

[MysticVegeta]

I would have to agree with Delos, with a text file with 0's and 1's, you can easily edit the map to make it flexible with any type you want, you can also enable the user to edit the txt file and change the map so they can have a long time of fun with it (they wont get bored) since they will try new combinations every time.

[wtd]

Using single characters to represent spaces on the map you have a lot of flexibility. You have just with letters and numbers 36 different options.

[[Gandalf]]

Yes, 1's and 0's would limit you to something like a snake game. 1 is somethig solid and 0's are empty spaces.

For an RPG, you can have even 2 digits of number/letter combinations like B9 or K4 then the possibilities are huge. Also, when you are making the tiles (or using someone elses) then keep in mind their size.

[wtd]

Storing as text aso opens the possibility for people to create different graphical representations of the maps, without having to change the maps themselves.

[[Gandalf]]

Yeah, I never thought of that... Amazing! That opens up even more possibilities. Not only can you have a wide range of tiles, but things like:
-graphical and movement maps
-day/night representations of the tiles in different map files
-monster-range maps
-even different weather condition maps
and pretty much for anything else you need. If I take a break from C++ one of these days I might make a Turing RPG .