sf::VertexArray for multiple Tilesets.

[deadmau5]

Hi all,

After reading the documentation on the VertexArray class and textures I seem to be stuck.
It all works great.. for one tileset texture.
I have multiple tilesets which consists of 5 by 10 tiles (each tile is 32x32).

Positioning the x and y for both the screen (VertexArray.position) and the tileset (VertexArray.texCoords) is working fine.
I just need some help with how to handle multiple tilesets, I can't put my finger around this issue.

I am using SFML 2.0.
Any help or tips is highly appreciated!

[Laurent]

You can't, you must have one vertex array for each tileset (texture).

But 5x10 tiles of 32x32 is not a lot, can't you group your tilesets into a single bigger texture?

[deadmau5]

You can't, you must have one vertex array for each tileset (texture).

But 5x10 tiles of 32x32 is not a lot, can't you group your tilesets into a single bigger texture?

I suppose it's possible to put them into a bigger texture. But I'm not sure what the maximum dimensions are for sf::RenderTexture (assuming it could be done with this) as I have a lot of tilesets.

[Nexus]

It should be sf::Texture::getMaximumSize(), of which the result depends on the hardware. But most computers that are a few years old support 1024 and more...

[deadmau5]

On my system this value is 16384, but I have no idea what this value is on other systems (will be released).
So I don't think this is much of a solution (I have read sf::RenderTexture had some problems on intel graphic drivers also, no idea where I have read that or what the problems were exactly).
Ill try to create a std::vector of sf::VertexArrays and tileset textures then. Thanks :-)

[Laurent]

You can safely use 512x512 textures (I don't know how large you need the tileset to be, if there's only one).

You can avoid sf::RenderTexture, since you basically just need raw pixel copy. Use sf::Image::copy.

[deadmau5]

Faced another problem, the mapdata (tileIDs) are ofcourse spread out over the tileset textures so it wouldn't be possible to use sf::VertexArrays in the first place (I think?).

It seems the only possible solution in my case is either drawing all tile sprites individually (bad performance) or using sf::RenderTexture which is not optimal.

You can avoid sf::RenderTexture, since you basically just need raw pixel copy. Use sf::Image::copy.

Not sure what you mean by this. Could you elaborate?

[FRex]

The idea is that you'd load all Images(not Textures) and then compose them into big Image and load that Image into Texture using loadFromImage(). You can also use few vertex arrays, one for each Texture.

[Laurent]

Faced another problem, the mapdata (tileIDs) are ofcourse spread out over the tileset textures so it wouldn't be possible to use sf::VertexArrays in the first place (I think?).

It seems the only possible solution in my case is either drawing all tile sprites individually (bad performance)

What problem is there? Sprites are vertex arrays internally, so if you can do it with a sprite you can do it with a vertex array.

[deadmau5]

Faced another problem, the mapdata (tileIDs) are ofcourse spread out over the tileset textures so it wouldn't be possible to use sf::VertexArrays in the first place (I think?).

It seems the only possible solution in my case is either drawing all tile sprites individually (bad performance)

What problem is there? Sprites are vertex arrays internally, so if you can do it with a sprite you can do it with a vertex array.

The problem is putting it all in one draw call in the end.

[Laurent]

The problem is putting it all in one draw call in the end.

Can you be more specific about what's blocking you?

[deadmau5]

The problem is putting it all in one draw call in the end.

Can you be more specific about what's blocking you?

My situation:
Multiple tilesets loaded into std::vector<sf::Texture>;
Not being able to put these into one big texture as it is way too much.
No idea how to reference VertexArrays to these tileset textures (std::vector) as each tileID (loaded from a file) is spread out over those textures and thus no idea how to get it so I only have to call draw (VertexArray, multiple textures) once for the entire map.

I hope its a bit more clear now.

[Laurent]

Not being able to put these into one big texture as it is way too much.

As I said in my first answer, you have to use one vertex array per texture. But it's still a lot better than one sprite per tile.

Not being able to put these into one big texture as it is way too much.

You still haven't said how much you would need

[deadmau5]

As I said in my first answer, you have to use one vertex array per texture. But it's still a lot better than one sprite per tile.

Yeah I get this.. however I don't know how to link my tileIDs (which are loaded from a file) with those VertexArrays as each tileID could be only be used in one tileset texture.

Not being able to put these into one big texture as it is way too much.

You still haven't said how much you would need

500+ tilesets. 5 by 10 tiles (each tile is 32x32). Which is too much to cram into a single texture.

[Laurent]

however I don't know how to link my tileIDs (which are loaded from a file) with those VertexArrays as each tileID could be only be used in one tileset texture.

But what are these tileIDs, and what do they mean at the vertex array level? Is it just another way to refer to specific texture coordinates inside a specific tileset?

500+ tilesets. 5 by 10 tiles (each tile is 32x32). Which is too much to cram into a single texture.

That's a lot, indeed.