One-to-One Interior Size Ratio

[EmuMaster2002]

I'm going to discuss a certain map-making style that I have adopted, which I believe is the best way of presenting maps, and makes for that extra amount of realism that just makes people go, "Huh. Cool." I am talking, of course, of the one-to-one interior size ratio.

First, I should of course explain what it is. Rather, what it isn't.
Let's take a very basic, standard-sized post-town house:
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d130/ ... 2/Pic1.png[/IMG]
Looks sorta crappy, but I spent a total of two minutes on it, so what can you expect?

Anyway, there it is: Extremely small house, vertical facing, claustrophobic picket fence.

Here's the average-sized interior for a house this size:
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d130/ ... 2/Pic2.png[/IMG]
Notice how bad it looks. I can't even do wide open spaces :P

Also notice how the interior is 18x13 tiles. Awfully large for a house that was obviously much smaller.

Finally, notice one more thing:
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d130/ ... 2/Pic3.png[/IMG]

Take a look at the original house again. Horizontally, it's five tiles across. Vertically, it isn't so easy to tell. This can be remedied easily, however. Let's strip the map down a bit, and add a horizontally-facing house.

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d130/ ... 2/Pic4.png[/IMG]
From this, we can make a few discoveries:
First, notice how, vertically, the horizontal house is roughly one tile shorter than the vertical? Now, we can make the assumption that the horizontal is 3x5 tiles large, due to the fact that it's essentially identical to it's neighbor, except that it's been rotated 90 degrees. (and it's not as long horizontally, but meh.

Anyway, this makes the vertical house 5x6, due to the fact that it's a tile taller than the other. Now to get to the map to go with it.

Always take into consideration that the roof tile counts as a floor tile, in that it makes up a portion of the walkable space, as a single tile buffer. Thus:

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d130/ ... 2/Pic5.png[/IMG]
I always create a shell of the house before decorating, but that's just my thing.

Anyway, notice how the walkable area of tiles matches that of the house's: 5x6, counting the one you can't see under the roof tile. Also notice the staircase, leading up to that second floor. You don't necessarily have to sculpt this second floor, either. In a store, simply place the staircase behind the counter, out of the player's reach. If anybody's home, make them warn the player not to go upstairs if they try. If nobody's home and your character is morally upright, he should warn himself and refuse to go upstairs.

Anyway, that is 1:1 interior size ratio in it's most basic form. Naysayers may say that that size house is too difficult or cramped to be realistic. To that I say:

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d130/ ... 2/Pic6.png[/IMG]
Plenty of space to walk. This house is tiny, an would belong to a large but poor family (poor people have more children in the hopes that more survive.) Thus, the dining room and kitchen are sort of mixed together and actually quite spacious, due to a lack of possessions to decorate. The upstairs would likely consist of several beds and MAYBE an armoire. Possibly a picture, just to make the place more homish.

Anyway, a larger house, preferably one with a T-shaped roof would require an appropriate shape, but allow for more room, and maybe even allow for things like a chimney (don't forget to add one to the house's exterior in the right spot.)

This is already long-winded, so I'll end it here with this:
Mi estilo de casa es su estilo de casa.

 

[Isopaha]

Yeah, that is nice thing man. I am too trying to map like this.

 

[PeteD2S]

Yeah, it does feel better when we use the real sizes. But then again, when someone makes a small building outside and then bigger in the inside, its just to save some space. It's a game!
Oh well, its a nice tutorial.

 

[EmuMaster2002]

Bah! Suck it up and make a bigger house! :P

Also, I'd like to point out that this concept can be applied to dungeons of all kinds. I created the first major dungeon in my major project, which is something of a mine or cave in a mountain, and the cave actually conforms to the exterior that I built. The entryways and exits also line up (The characters have to exit a few times to get to the end; I figured it's be a nice touch between battles and puzzles.)

I plan on keeping with this trend for the entire project, though obviously some things will be easier to do than others.

Oh, and one last thing: If you have any questions or ideas relating with this concept, don't hesitate to ask. I find tutorial-writing to be pretty fun, actually.

 

[BlueScope]

Nice tutorial, though I like... I think Prexus' (not sure though, as it's kinda long ago) attempt better.

Also, I have some critique points: You apparently go for more realism and try to get away from the RPG standarts that're set by the old-style eastern RPGs - nothing wrong with that, but you should stay realistic then. For example, your stairs go into the blue, they'd simply lead anyone out of the house and the character could maybe get into the second floor by climbing the outer wall and get back in through a window. The second thing I noticed is that your room looks larger in height than it should be according to the outside. If I can tell that correct from your roof, the house is 6x5, while the room is something like 6x7...

 

[Reives]

Well ultimately I think it's enough as long as things make somewhat of a relative sense. E.g. a big house shouldn't have a bigger interior than a small house, and the size shouldn't be obscurely out of proportion. I really do appreciate it when people take time to put a decent amount of effort into realism, though. But I got lazy after a while, heheh.

 

[EmuMaster2002]

I only count one roof tile because only one is passable, thus, the room is 5x6.

Also, well, the stairs seem designed to go that way, and the only real alternative is ugly as hell. I do the best I can with what I'm given.

I suppose you could just assume there's a balcony that you can't see on the far wall of the house, and just have a door on the north wall of the interior that leads back downstairs.

Besides, with this style, I'm going more for "this is all the space you really need in a house, see?" rather than "This is highly realistic to the point that it's nauseating!" Notice there's nothing even resembling a bathroom (which would likely have to be on the bottom floor, if anywhere inside the house, because of the possibility of... *shudders* leaks.)

Either way, the stairs thing is my style. I was mostly trying to get across the idea of keeping your houses the same size inside as out.

 

[PeteD2S]

Actually the stairs take you to the wall...

 

[Kraft]

Actually the stairs take you to the wall...

I was about to comment on that as well. ^_^

Basically, with that map, if you were to walk up the stairs (and actually end up upstairs) then you would hit the wall of the upstairs room.

----------
I have actually tampered with this way of mapping, and found it extremely annoying :D

But to eaches own... I am sure that a lot of people like doing this, especially if they are making a real-ish type game.

 

[EmuMaster2002]

It's magic!
MAGIC!

:|

Let's try this: I challenge someone to use that same room format (same size, no protruding walls) to make a staircase that doesn't look like crap.

 

[Tdata]

Keeping the same size as your ex.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/ ... xhouse.png[/IMG]

I added a second floor to show how it fits...

 

[Kest]

That's good, I remember similar discussions for building immersive NWN maps.

'Course, those windows don't necessarily indicate a second floor - it could be like a converted barn...



Re: "certain map-making style" is more like common sense. Although it doesn't seem very common for RPGs.

 

[Toffee]

I think i'll use a 1:1 size ratio in my game now. I think it'll be hard to fill the inside with things though.