# Side-view maps

Source: https://ref.dm-lang.org/notes/side
Added in BYOND 482.

The side-view map format is used for 3/4 perspective, where the map is basically similar to a top-down view but is usually foreshortened. Just like with isometric projection, tiles that are closer to the bottom of the screen are considered to be closer to the viewer. This is a form of pseudo-3D in which the 2D icons used by BYOND can be arranged in a way to give the appearance of three dimensions.

It is important to remember that this is an illusion of 3D, not real 3D.

The `layer` var behaves much the same way it does in `ISOMETRIC_MAP` mode.See [isometric maps](https://ref.dm-lang.org/notes/isometric.md) for more information.

When using this mode you may want to use a foreshortened `world.icon_size`, like a 32x24 format instead of 32x32 for example, and use taller icons for any vertical structures like walls or buildings. If you set `world.icon_size` to use foreshortening, then `pixel_y` (or `pixel_x`, depending on the orientation of client.dir) will be adjusted for you; the same applies to `step_x` and `step_y`. For example, with `world.icon_size` set to `"64x32"`, the *physical* tile—what you would see if you were to look at it straight down from above— is considered to be 64x64, so you would need `pixel_y=64` or `step_y=64` to offset by a whole tile. This adjustment does not apply to screen objects, `pixel_w`, or `pixel_z`.

### See also
- [map_format var (world)](https://ref.dm-lang.org/world/var/map_format.md)
- [icon_size var (world)](https://ref.dm-lang.org/world/var/icon_size.md)
- [dir var (client)](https://ref.dm-lang.org/client/var/dir.md)
- [pixel_w var (atom)](https://ref.dm-lang.org/atom/var/pixel_w.md)
- [pixel_z var (atom)](https://ref.dm-lang.org/atom/var/pixel_z.md)
- [screen_loc var (movable atoms)](https://ref.dm-lang.org/atom/movable/var/screen_loc.md)
- [Big icons](https://ref.dm-lang.org/notes/big-icons.md)
- [Isometric maps](https://ref.dm-lang.org/notes/isometric.md)
- [Topdown maps](https://ref.dm-lang.org/notes/topdown.md)
- [HUD](https://ref.dm-lang.org/notes/HUD.md)
- [BACKGROUND_LAYER](https://ref.dm-lang.org/notes/BACKGROUND_LAYER.md)
- [EFFECTS_LAYER](https://ref.dm-lang.org/notes/EFFECTS_LAYER.md)
- [TOPDOWN_LAYER](https://ref.dm-lang.org/notes/TOPDOWN_LAYER.md)