optionally provide more versatile tile-map functionality

[mattdm]

I see in

bevy_mesh_terrain/assets/shaders/terrain.wgsl

Line 4 in 85eccf1

// see https://github.com/ethereumdegen/bevy_terrain/blob/main/assets/shaders/advanced.wgsl

the link to bevy_terrain's advanced shader, which uses a function to find the individual tile texture. The RGBA hack this plugin uses currently is very clever, but it'd be nice to have some more versatile options:

• N-bit grayscale image indicating tile number in a larger atlas
• N-bit RGBA but use R and B for tile number and G and A for alpha respectively
• Multiple ordered layers, with alpha channel the tiles in the atlas in "higher" layers (so the lower ones show through)
• For any of the above, plus the current RGBA blend approach, a seeded randomization (to pick, say, one of 16 variant grass tiles).
• automatic selection of edge/corner transition tiles
• load tiled-format maps (as bevy_tiled can in 2D (example: https://github.com/StarArawn/bevy_ecs_tilemap/blob/main/examples/tiled.rs)

What do you think?

[mattdm]

If you're interested, this looks like something I could experiment with....

[mattdm]

Oh, here's another one, keeping the "splat map" idea: 5 tile options, with the fifth an implied "background layer". That is, 1-(R+B+G+A).

[ethereumdegen]

I experimented with this and figured out how to support 255 textures ! check it out and let me know what you think .

[mattdm]

Cool — I've been busy with other things but will look when I get a chance.