Applications of Tile-Based Scrolling

Naturally, the favorite application of this scrolling technique concerns games above all else. You should realize that no game containing 2D scrolling uses any technique other than this one—which has therefore largely proven its advantages up to now.

This technique is popular in many game genres: platform games, shoot 'em-ups, beat 'em-alls, strategy games, puzzles, and so on. It also appears in a variety of visual representations, including isometric 3D, Mode 7, trigonometric scrolling, and others.

Isometric 3D

Instead of a representation in profile, the landscape is shown in a three-quarter view, which gives a feeling of depth (see Figure 3).

Figure 3. "Zaxxon," from Sega, the first game using isometric representation

The tiles aren't square-shaped anymore but diamond-shaped or cube-shaped. This is how I created "Click Club: Escape from Detention" and "AfterSchool Snowdown."

Mode 7

With Mode 7 you apply a 3D deformation to the scrolling created with the tile-based technique (see Figure 4).

Figure 4. "Super Mario Cart" using Mode 7

This is how I could make this small test, or the effect on this cube. The clouds on the cube surface scroll relative to the cube's rotation, and are then quaded.

Trigonometric Scrolling

In "Drift Out," the whole level rotates at the slightest movement of the wheel. Here a real-time rotation is applied to the bitmap which scrolls relatively to the direction (see Figure 5). This is how I created "On the Ball."

Figure 5. "Drift Out," an example of trigonometric scrolling

In addition to isometric 3D, Mode 7, and trigonometric scrolling, there are several other ways to use this tiling technique to good effect. Maybe you'll even create a new one!

This technique is quite versatile once you master it, and it can be used on many applications other than games, of course. Tile-based scrolling is particularly applicable to Shockwave because it allows you to use very large images while keeping downloads small.

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