Introduce

Every map zone has its own representative ASCII art, that adds more depth to the game UI. In this guide, you'll learn how these ASCII arts get displayed by the game engine, and how to make them the best way possible. You can and should use yaml data color codes, to add color to your ASCII art. Note that as any artwork, you need to copyright it in the plugin's copyright file. Note that you can find many examples at the data/zone.yaml file.

Explanation

First, you need to define your map zone, and as an example, I'm gonna create a brand new map zone:

Paradise Coasts:
  name: "Paradise Coasts"
  description: > 
    Explorers have discovered these coasts only a few decades ago,
    while searching for gold veins. People say that elves used to live here,
    and that would explain why it is beautiful.
  type: beach
  map:
    map full: |
      x__________x
      |          |
      |          |
      |          |
      |          |
      x__________x
   map raw: |
      x__________x
      |          |
      |          |
      |          |
      |          |
      x__________x
  enemy spawning: beach raids

Unlike items ASCII art, map zones ASCII art are pretty small, so you have to make it the more simple and clean possible. But map zone ASCII arts tend to be easier. First, we imagine what this map zone looks like. In this case, it's a sandy beach, with the sea in background. So let's do that!

Paradise Coasts:
  map raw: |
      x__________x
      |≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈|
      |;;;;≈;;;≈;|
      |;;;;;;;;;;|
      |;;;;;;;;;;|
      x__________x

Then we add some random stuff on the sand, to diversify it.

Paradise Coasts:
  map raw: |
      x__________x
      |≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈|
      |.;;;≈;;;≈;|
      |;;;;;,;;;;|
      |;;,;;;;.;;|
      x__________x

After finishing the raw ASCII art, we can copy what we've done to the map full key, so we can add colors! The map raw key is used to keep an idea of the ASCII art, and the map full key is the one that's actually used in-game, that has color codes.

Paradise Coasts:
  map full: |
      x__________x
      |$CYAN≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈$WHITE|
      |$YELLOW.;;;$CYAN≈$YELLOW;;;$CYAN≈$YELLOW;$WHITE|
      |$YELLOW;;;;;,;;;;$WHITE|
      |$YELLOW;;,;;;;.;;$WHITE|
      x__________x
  map raw: |
      x__________x
      |≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈|
      |.;;;≈;;;≈;|
      |;;;;;,;;;;|
      |;;,;;;;.;;|
      x__________x

After adding some color codes, we're basically done! Hint: find every possible color codes here. Here's how it looks in-game: