This feature is for experienced mappers, so if you are a beginner.... Do a map without automapping first, that helps you understanding what problems might occur, and what we are talking about in here.

What is the Automapping feature?

Guess you want to make a map, which looks this:

So you have an idea how the form of the cave is. Now you must create this map. How long does it take? maybe an hour?

With the automapping feature you just draw the outline of the cave which looks like this:

What are the advantages?

- just one layer to edit
- just draw what you mean there should be (cave in the middle with a little sea)
- no need for drawing and combining many tiles for the wall. This is done automatically

So this feature generates from the given draft the cave. How long does it take to make such an one-layer draft? 10 minutes?

Quickstart

- get a version of tiled, which supports automapping feature

- get this data here: User:Argul/automapping/data

- unzip that file.

- open example_cave.tmx in the maps folder.

- edit the set layer with the existing tileset as you want.

- click automap

- have fun

Theory behind the automapping feature

The automapping feature needs to know how the tiles have to be setup, to create such an cave-wall. So we got to create some rules how these walls are generated.

Create a new map

Create a new map. Save this map where ever you want. I suggest the tmwdata/maps folder of the "tmwdata" project from our Git repository.

setup rules.txt

Within the same folder of your map there needs to be a textfile "rules.txt", which contains pathes to rulefiles.

Example: Media:Automapping_example_rules.txt

Each line give a path to rules. This path can (should) be relative to the directory with rules.txt and your map. The rules will be applied in that order as in this file. So at first the rules in the very first line are applied. At last the very last line rules are applied.

setup the rules.tmx

Now we need to make the rules with tiled and these rules need to be saved to the path given in the textfile of step 2.

But first we need to identify these rules:

structure of rules files

Let us have some theory first:

These Tilelayers are needed in rule-defining maps:

- "ruleRegions"
In this layer you define regions, where the rules are found.
One coherent region describes one rule.
It does not matter which tiles are used for describing where the region is, but these tiles must be all the same. 
(decision is boolean: either there are tiles or not)

- "ruleSet"
Here you put the information, which condition must be matched, that this rule is applied.

- layers describing the terrain in the rule.
These layers have the prefix "rule_"
In the "rule_XXX" layer you put the information how the terrain is 
in the usual XXX layer.

Example of rules: Rule_cave_002

The rules which are used in the example can be found here:

User:Argul/automapping/data

In the future maybe they can be found in out git repository as well.

These rules are chosen by chance. They can explain most of the stuff very well.

some pictures

File:Example cave.png‎

This is what you might want to have. The lower border is in the Over-layer of course, The rest of the walls are in Ground-layer. The walls are unwalkable: The collision Layer must be set properly.

File:Example cave set.png‎

This is what you have to draw with automapping feature. All in one Layer, the special "Set" layer. and of course you need the proper rules.

After the very first rules we have the Ground set.

After the next rules we have the standard straight walls. You can see that the position, where the lower wall is, is touched again: There was already a Ground tile in Groundlayer, now there is added a wall tile in the Over Layer.

explanation of the file, describing the rules

In this section we will have a closer look to the Layers of the file Rules_cave_002.tmx:

The RuleRegions is always shown for better orientation.

File:Rule cave 002 ruleregions.png‎

This is the RuleRegions Layer. We can see there are 4 rules defined within this file. (There are four coherent Regions). In the other Layers we can see how the rules are setup.

File:Rule cave 002 ground.png‎

This is the rule_Ground Layer. Here we see, where tiles will be placed within the Ground Layer.

File:Rule cave 002 ruleset.png‎

This is the RuleSet Layer. Any Tiles outside the Regions defined by the RuleRegions Layer will be ignored. This Layer describes which condition must be matched, to apply the specific rule: For the most left rule: There must be a 3 black RuleTiles north of a RuleTile. (Note: the most south Tile is an empty Tile. This Tile can be anything except all used Tiles. So Here is allowed every Tile except the black RuleTiles.)

File:Rule cave 002 over.png‎

This is the rule_Over Layer.Here we see, where tiles will be placed within the Over Layer.

File:Rule cave 002 collision.png‎

This is the rule_Collision Layer.Here we see, where tiles will be placed within the Collision Layer.

This picture shows the map after applying the described rules. Of course more rules are needed, to complete the map. (have a look at the rules given by the link above). In the next rules, corners will be faced.