Stendhal:Tileset specifications

Any new map graphics should comply with these specifications.[1] (Yes, there are several old images that do not comply; Those will be fixed eventually).

General

The tilesets used for the maps are in tiled/tileset directory in the stendhal source. Give your image a descriptive name in lowercase letter and use underscore between words. You don't need to repeat information in the image name that's already given by the directory name. The current directory hierarchy is here.

• Tile size is 32x32 pixels. Therefore, the dimensions of all tilesets must be some multiple of 32.
• File format is PNG, 8 bits/color.
• Use only fully opaque, or fully transparent pixels. Currently the client treats any semitransparent pixels as fully transparent, for performance reasons.
• unlike items, tile images do not use border lines

Perspective

The position of the viewer is directly in the south, in 45°angle to the ground plane. There's no distance effect. Interiors walls are an exception to this.
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/2368/viewanglevk3.png
The effect of the view angle is that lengths in north-south direction are scaled by 1/√2 (≈0.71). Likewise for all heights.
http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/6199/wellexamplede6.png Example of scaling north-south length in the well.

Interior walls

Interior walls are viewed directly from above, and with faked distance effect. See the current wall images for examples.

Light

Light comes slightly from the left (roughly south south west), and above of the viewer.
Because semitransparent pixels can not be used, shadows outside the main shape of the image must be done with opaque color. RGB color #353535 is fairly common, but you can use something else too.

Other

• Try to use existing patterns and colors, when that's reasonable. It makes the job of the map makers easier when the images can be easily combined.
• Consider making your images resizable. While an individual image can often be made look better without the limitation of tiling parts of it at 32 pixel boundaries, resizable ones can add more variety to the maps.
• Animate images that should move, like fire or water.

Notes

[1] There are valid reasons to break most rules, but do not break a rule unless you understand the reason for it (and, by extension, the reason why it does not apply to your particular image).