LVL Format

Most .lvl files in current use follow this format. Some .lvl files, however, are Extended LVL maps. The format is reverse compatable, so there's no way to tell if you have a regular or extended .lvl file from inside the game. The way you can tell the difference is:

If the map does not have a tileset bitmap appended to it (first two bytes are not 'BM') and the first four bytes are 'elvl' then you have an Extended LVL file.

If the map does have a tileset bitmap (first two bytes are 'BM') then check the bfReserved1 field of the BITMAPFILEHEADER. If it is 49720, and the bfSize is not 49718, you are guarenteed to either have an eLVL file, or a corrupt file. For more information see the ELVL Format.

This regular format is also described in http://www4.ncsu.edu/~rniyenga/subspace/old/lvlformat.html

Basically it is a bitmap with tile data appended to it. Each tile is represented in this format: (little endian)

struct
{
	unsigned long x : 12;
	unsigned long y : 12;
	unsigned long tile : 8;
};

The x and y must not exceed 1023.

Tileset

This is an uncompressed bitmap image (typically 256-color) 304x160 pixels, making each tile 16x16 pixels.

When editing maps with a tileset, there are different types of tiles, outlined below:

Note that although you might have a good looking soccer goal or flag tile, it will not show up in the game. This is because there is a custom animation for these two tiles. You can find and edit these tiles by looking at Continuum\graphics\goal.bm2 and Continuum\graphics\flag.bm2. You can have other users use your custom goal or flag animation by including your new animations in a LVZ File.

Special Objects

These are special animated objects. The most popular map editor, SSME, calls these 'Special Objects' and changes the mouse pointer to a stamper.

There are five objects available:

• A small asteroid.
• A medium asteroid (2x2 tiles).
• Another small asteroid (was originally a large asteroid).
• A space station (6x6 tiles).
• A worm hole (5x5 tiles).

Extra Tiles

There are some types, which are not meant to be part of typical mapmaking programs, but have been discovered and may have uses.

Tile: Description

• 191: Invisible on screen, Visible on radar, Ships can go through them, Items bounce off it, Thors go through it. (If you "launch" an item while in it, the item will float suspended in space).
• 192-215: Invisible on screen, Visible on radar, Solid block (like any other tile).
• 216: A small asteroid, nothing special about this.
• 217: A medium asteroid, nothing special about this.
• 218: Another small asteroid, just the same as the other one, except the graphics are a little different(?)
• 219: A spacestation, nothing special about this.
• 220: A wormhole, nothing special about this.
• 221-240: Invisible on screen, Visible on radar, Solid block (like any other tile).
• 241: Invisible on screen, Visible on radar, Ship can go through it but Items disappear when they touch it.
• 242: Invisible on screen, Invisible on radar, Warps your ship on contact, items bounce off it, Thors disappear on contact!
• 243-251: Invisible on screen, Invisible on radar, Solid block (like any other tile).
• 252: Visible on screen (Animated NME brick), Invisible on radar, Items go through it, your ship gets warped after a random amount of time (0-2 seconds) while floating on it.
• 253: Visible on screen (Animated Team brick), Invisible on radar, Items go through it, so does your ship.
• 254: Invisible on screen, Invisible on radar, Items go through it, So does your ship. Not sure what its used for, but it seems you cant brick while on/near it. Possibly the internal representation of fly under tiles.
• 255: Visible On screen (Animated Prize), Invisible on radar, Items go through it, So does your Ship. This is a prize, but it doesn't show up on radar, and no matter how many times you fly over it, you will never pick it up, ever.