Hi Pete - if you've downloaded my demo then you can test out if the level zmaps are done correctly by editing the data files, fairly easy to do. I'll give an example:
Open the file level1.gme in the levels directory, it should look like this:
Changing the above file will cause the first level to be changed, useful for testing. I do have an editor for placing things in the levels and may send it if you want it.
Although I don't want to make use of this feature in this particular game it is possible to have animated backgrounds which also animate the zmap (such as when door swings/slides open so as to correctly occlude sprites when the background changes), animated lightmaps (such as when lighting changes in points on the scene), and animated collision maps (once again useful for things like doors or other points you may imagine. And these animations can be a small section of the scene if desired (usually so).
Open the file level1.gme in the levels directory, it should look like this:
Scene Settings backdropimage=Levels\Tiles\SceneColorMap1.png <--- Change this to the path to your new scene render gamesizex=1024 <--this must be the same size as your renders which should all be the same size gamesizey=768 <--as for gamesizex lightmap=Levels\Tiles\SceneLightMap1.png <--if you leave this blank the sprites are rendered full bright otherwise they are colored according to the color of the point where their 'feet' are on the lightmap. The lightmap can be at a lower resolution so in this case I think I used 256x192 backdropzbuffer=Levels\Tiles\SceneZMap1.png <--this is the zmap for the whole scene backdropfootzbuffer=Levels\Tiles\SceneFloorZMap1.png <--this is the zmap for the floor / walkable area zbufferbitdepth=4 <--leave this as 4. backdropwalkablearea=Levels\Tiles\SceneCollisionMap1.png <--this is the map which shows where the player can walk, 2 color white=walkable, black = impassable.
Changing the above file will cause the first level to be changed, useful for testing. I do have an editor for placing things in the levels and may send it if you want it.
Although I don't want to make use of this feature in this particular game it is possible to have animated backgrounds which also animate the zmap (such as when door swings/slides open so as to correctly occlude sprites when the background changes), animated lightmaps (such as when lighting changes in points on the scene), and animated collision maps (once again useful for things like doors or other points you may imagine. And these animations can be a small section of the scene if desired (usually so).