5 replies to this topic

[astickinthegrass]

Hi, I'm new to this forum [forums in general] and zquest and im trying my best to learn with the documentation already out there but some small ideas and questions just seem to slip thru due to alot of posts being before the current update and youtube only has full tutorials from ever a decade ago.

My main desire is to basically double the classic nes map to make it a square essentially. I know it adds alot more to fill in but i really enjoy the building aspect and want to make a map that can be replayed alot without the need of a second quest.

If this isn't doable i saw stuff about the map layers but again all the info is seemingly for older version so if anyone could help explain the how in a more digestible way that would mean everything.

[Moosh]

Hi! Welcome to PureZC. It's always cool to see new people getting into the program.

 

ZQuest allows up to 255 maps all locked to the size of Zelda 1's overworld (16x8 screens). This is generally more than any designer will need. Making a 16x16 overworld is pretty simple since you can use scrolling side warps to connect any screen in the game to any other. So all you'd need to do is assign all the side warps going off the top of one map to lead to the bottom of the other. This has been how it's done since the earliest days of ZC. Some of the more superficial details will still give away that your world is made up of two maps. The spacebar map and minimap are still locked to the size of one map, so without rescripting those systems you'll only be able to view the current region of the larger overworld you're in with those. 

 

Layer screens (and layer maps) are a bit more complicated. Every screen in the game holds 6 references to other screens to be used as layers. If one of these references is blank, that layer is unused and you can't edit it. When you edit a layer, you're actually editing another screen in the quest file. Layer "maps" are sort of just a shortcut. There's a button in the layer data menu labeled "Auto". Pressing that auto assigns every screen on that map to be layered over the current map so you don't have to do it all manually. Then you never use that map for anything but layers. It's a bit wasteful, but like I said ZC gives more than enough maps so it's a worthwhile time save in all but the most expansive quests.

 

Something else worth mentioning that's not always immediately apparent is the reason 255 maps is more than enough. One map does not necessarily represent just one playable area. You've likely seen those images of how Zelda 1's dungeon shapes fit together like a puzzle. In the same way you can fit multiple areas in the same block of map data in ZC and each of these is a "DMap" (also known as data map or "dungeon" map). This is a lot more useful once you start making dungeons but it's good to keep in mind. DMaps allow a bunch of customization and so many quests slice up their overworlds into DMaps too allowing for different regions of the world with their own music and palettes. These can be stitched together the same way I described for the two overworld maps, with side warps connecting them at the boundaries.

 

Hope this helps. Feel free to ask any questions you have if you get stuck figuring out the editor.

[Hergiswi]

welcome to pzc! let me affirm your frustration in not being able to find proper documentation. we, as a community, haven't made a concerted effort recently to make sure our documentation, tutorials, guides, etc. are up to date and accessible. you're not even the first person in the past few months to make a post like this. i will say that the users of this site who are active in zquest are generally pretty helpful and willing to provide assistance in any aspect of the program, so don't be afraid to ask.

 

i hope that those of us who have been on pzc for a while can start seeing posts like this as a sign that we're not making it easy for people to join the community or even start using the program that our entire website is based around.

[astickinthegrass]

Hi! Welcome to PureZC. It's always cool to see new people getting into the program.

 

ZQuest allows up to 255 maps all locked to the size of Zelda 1's overworld (16x8 screens). This is generally more than any designer will need. Making a 16x16 overworld is pretty simple since you can use scrolling side warps to connect any screen in the game to any other. So all you'd need to do is assign all the side warps going off the top of one map to lead to the bottom of the other. This has been how it's done since the earliest days of ZC. Some of the more superficial details will still give away that your world is made up of two maps. The spacebar map and minimap are still locked to the size of one map, so without rescripting those systems you'll only be able to view the current region of the larger overworld you're in with those. 

 

Layer screens (and layer maps) are a bit more complicated. Every screen in the game holds 6 references to other screens to be used as layers. If one of these references is blank, that layer is unused and you can't edit it. When you edit a layer, you're actually editing another screen in the quest file. Layer "maps" are sort of just a shortcut. There's a button in the layer data menu labeled "Auto". Pressing that auto assigns every screen on that map to be layered over the current map so you don't have to do it all manually. Then you never use that map for anything but layers. It's a bit wasteful, but like I said ZC gives more than enough maps so it's a worthwhile time save in all but the most expansive quests.

 

Something else worth mentioning that's not always immediately apparent is the reason 255 maps is more than enough. One map does not necessarily represent just one playable area. You've likely seen those images of how Zelda 1's dungeon shapes fit together like a puzzle. In the same way you can fit multiple areas in the same block of map data in ZC and each of these is a "DMap" (also known as data map or "dungeon" map). This is a lot more useful once you start making dungeons but it's good to keep in mind. DMaps allow a bunch of customization and so many quests slice up their overworlds into DMaps too allowing for different regions of the world with their own music and palettes. These can be stitched together the same way I described for the two overworld maps, with side warps connecting them at the boundaries.

 

Hope this helps. Feel free to ask any questions you have if you get stuck figuring out the editor.

This helps so so much you have no idea thank you!! My test idea before i make my custom quest is to try and just add more of hyrule to the bottom of the mountain, in a similar layout to alttp just cutting it off at the border of the haunted grove and the faerie cave.

I've been using aseprite to create the layout then just copying tile for tile, im still figuring out everything else but the map was my major want/issue since for as much as the og map is really fun it just feels a bit smooshed. But again thank you, I hopefully can figure it out from here but it's great to knowi can ask more question if need be.

welcome to pzc! let me affirm your frustration in not being able to find proper documentation. we, as a community, haven't made a concerted effort recently to make sure our documentation, tutorials, guides, etc. are up to date and accessible. you're not even the first person in the past few months to make a post like this. i will say that the users of this site who are active in zquest are generally pretty helpful and willing to provide assistance in any aspect of the program, so don't be afraid to ask.

 

i hope that those of us who have been on pzc for a while can start seeing posts like this as a sign that we're not making it easy for people to join the community or even start using the program that our entire website is based around.

For a game that's coming up on 40 years old and a program half that age I'd say you guys have done great with what you have, The fact you were both so responsive and this place doesn't feel gatekeepy at all just really makes me smile cause there is very few places like this online and even if the documentation and other stuff could use tweaking, it could be worse.

But I'd rather wade thru decade old forums and 480p tutorials then have some know-it-all on a discord talk down to me, so thank you for the warm welcome and I hope pzc can get back to it's glory days, I'd love to help how I can even if I'm new.

 

[Edit: typos, I haven't slept]

Edited by astickinthegrass, 21 April 2026 - 05:01 PM.

[Emily]

But I'd rather wade thru decade old forums and 480p tutorials then have some know-it-all on a discord talk down to me, so thank you for the warm welcome and I hope pzc can get back to it's glory days, I'd love to help how I can even if I'm new.

The actual developers of the program (hi, I'm one of them) as well as most of the community is most active on discord these days. Hopefully no one should be acting like "some know-it-all" or be "talking down to you", the community is generally quite helpful.

[astickinthegrass]

The actual developers of the program (hi, I'm one of them) as well as most of the community is most active on discord these days. Hopefully no one should be acting like "some know-it-all" or be "talking down to you", the community is generally quite helpful.

Hi! I did end up joining since I didn't see the discord link at first so I'll make sure to ask there when needed! and no one has been like that at all I've just had more negative than positive interactions on discord in the past.