Creating Maps

Maps are the foundation of your game world. In Pokémon Essentials BES, maps are created using RPG Maker XP and wild encounters are defined in PBS/encounters.txt.

Using RPG Maker XP Editor

Opening the Map Editor

Launch your project in RPG Maker XP
The main editor shows your current map in the center
Use the left panel to navigate between maps
The tileset panel on the right shows available tiles

Pokémon Essentials BES requires RPG Maker XP (not VX, VX Ace, or MV/MZ). Make sure you have the correct version installed.

Map Basics

Creating a New Map

Right-click in the map list

In the left panel, right-click the map tree and select “New Map”.

Configure map properties

Name: Display name (e.g., “Route 1”, “Pallet Town”)

Width/Height: Map dimensions in tiles (multiples of 16 recommended)

Tileset: Choose appropriate tileset (Town, Cave, Route, etc.)

Design your map

Use the tileset panel to place tiles:

Layer 1: Ground tiles (grass, floor, water)

Layer 2: Objects (trees, rocks, buildings)

Layer 3: Decorative overlays (shadows, roofs)

Map Layers

RPG Maker XP has three tile layers:

Layer 1 - Base terrain (always passable unless marked)
Layer 2 - Objects and obstacles (trees, buildings)
Layer 3 - Overhead elements (roof tops, canopies)

Use Layer 3 for elements that should appear above the player character, like tree canopies or building roofs.

Map Properties

Double-click a map to access its properties:

Name

string

The internal name of the map. Also used as the display name unless overridden.

Width/Height

number

Map dimensions in tiles. Standard sizes:

Small: 20×15
Medium: 30×20
Large: 50×35+

Tileset

string

Determines which tiles are available:

Outdoor - Routes, towns
Indoor - Houses, buildings
Cave - Caves, dungeons
Dungeon - Special areas

BGM

string

Background music file (from Audio/BGM/).Leave blank to inherit from parent map.

BGS

string

Background sound (from Audio/BGS/).Examples: “Waves”, “Birds chirping”

Encounter Step

number

Steps between wild encounters. Standard: 25Lower = more frequent encounters.

Wild Encounters

Wild encounters are defined in PBS/encounters.txt:

Encounters File Structure

#########################
005 # Ruta 1
25,10,10
Land
RATTATA,1,4
PIDGEY,1,4
...

Let’s break this down:

Map ID and Name

005 # Ruta 1

005 - The map ID from RPG Maker XP

# Ruta 1 - Comment (optional) for reference

Encounter Configuration

25,10,10

First number: Encounter chance (25 = standard)

Second number: Minimum steps between encounters

Third number: Maximum steps between encounters

Encounter Type

Land

The terrain type. Available types:

Land - Walking in grass

LandMorning - Morning encounters (6am-12pm)

LandDay - Day encounters (12pm-6pm)

LandNight - Night encounters (6pm-6am)

Cave - Walking in caves

Water - Surfing

OldRod - Fishing with Old Rod

GoodRod - Fishing with Good Rod

SuperRod - Fishing with Super Rod

RockSmash - Using Rock Smash

HeadButt - Using Headbutt on trees

Pokémon Slots

RATTATA,1,4
PIDGEY,1,4

Each line defines a Pokémon slot:

Species internal name

Minimum level

Maximum level (optional - if omitted, uses minimum level)

Real Example: Route 1

#########################
005 # Ruta 1
25,10,10
Land
RATTATA,1,4
PIDGEY,1,4
RATTATA,1,4
PIDGEY,1,4
RATTATA,1,4
PIDGEY,1,4
RATTATA,1,3
PIDGEY,1,3
RATTATA,1,3
PIDGEY,1,3
RATTATA,4
PIDGEY,4
LandNight
RATTATA,1,4
HOOTHOOT,1,3
RATTATA,1,4
HOOTHOOT,1,3
SPINARAK,1,2
SPINARAK,1,2
RATTATA,1,4
HOOTHOOT,1,4
RATTATA,1,4
HOOTHOOT,1,4
RATTATA,1
HOOTHOOT,1

This route has:

Day encounters (Rattata and Pidgey)
Night encounters (Rattata, Hoothoot, and Spinarak)
12 slots per encounter type
Level ranges from 1-4

Encounter Slot Probabilities

The 12 slots have different encounter rates:

Slot 1:  20%
Slot 2:  20%
Slot 3:  10%
Slot 4:  10%
Slot 5:  10%
Slot 6:  10%
Slot 7:  5%
Slot 8:  5%
Slot 9:  4%
Slot 10: 4%
Slot 11: 1%
Slot 12: 1%

Place your most common Pokémon in slots 1-2, uncommon in slots 3-6, and rare Pokémon in slots 11-12.

Water Encounters

010 # Route 24
21,10,10
Water
GOLDEEN,10,15
GOLDEEN,15,20
GOLDEEN,10,15
GOLDEEN,15,20
GOLDEEN,10,15

Surfing encounters work the same way as land encounters.

Fishing Encounters

OldRod
MAGIKARP,5,5
MAGIKARP,5,5
MAGIKARP,5,5
MAGIKARP,5,5
GOLDEEN,5,5
GoodRod
MAGIKARP,10,20
GOLDEEN,10,20
GOLDEEN,10,20
MAGIKARP,10,20
GOLDEEN,10,20
SuperRod
GOLDEEN,15,25
SEAKING,25,35
GOLDEEN,15,25
SEAKING,25,35
GOLDEEN,15,25

Fishing typically uses only 5 slots instead of 12.

Time-Based Encounters

Use different encounter types for time of day:

LandMorning
PIDGEY,2,5
RATTATA,2,5
LandDay
PIDGEY,2,5
RATTATA,2,5
SPEAROW,2,5
LandNight
RATTATA,2,5
HOOTHOOT,2,5
SPINARAK,2,5

Map Events

Creating an Event

Double-click on the map where you want the event
Set event properties:
- Name: Descriptive name for organization
- Graphic: Character sprite or object tile
- Move Route: Movement pattern (if any)
- Trigger: How the event activates

Event Triggers

Action Button

trigger

Activates when player presses the action button (Enter/Space) facing the event.Use for: NPCs, signs, items

Player Touch

trigger

Activates when player walks into the event.Use for: Trainers, wild encounters, warps

Event Touch

trigger

Activates when event walks into player.Use for: Moving NPCs that approach player

Autorun

trigger

Runs immediately when player enters map (if conditions are met).Use for: Cutscenes, one-time events

Parallel Process

trigger

Runs constantly in background.Use for: Weather effects, animated objects

Common Events

NPC Dialog

Kernel.pbMessage("Hello! Welcome to our town!")

Item Pickup

Kernel.pbItemBall(:POTION)

Trainer Battle

pbTrainerBattle(:YOUNGSTER,"Joey")

Warp/Door

Kernel.pbTransferPlayer(10, 15, 20)
# Map ID 10, X position 15, Y position 20

Healing Event

Kernel.pbMessage("Let me heal your Pokémon!")
pbFullHeal
Kernel.pbMessage("Your Pokémon are fully healed!")

Map Connections

To connect maps seamlessly:

Using Map Edges

Create events at map edges with Player Touch trigger
Use transfer player command to adjacent map
Ensure coordinates align between maps

Example Edge Transfer

# Event at top edge of Route 1
Kernel.pbTransferPlayer(6, 15, 28)
# Transfers to Pallet Town (Map 6) at bottom edge

Make sure X/Y coordinates match when connecting maps, or players will appear in wrong positions.

Grass Patches

For wild encounter areas:

Paint grass tiles on Layer 1
Set terrain tag to Grass in the Tileset editor
Define encounters in encounters.txt for that map

Making Tall Grass

Use Layer 2 or 3 for grass that covers the player:

Layer 1: Ground
Layer 2: Tall grass base
Layer 3: Tall grass top (appears over player)

Indoor Maps

Creating a Building Interior

Create new map

Use “Indoor” tileset.

Set smaller dimensions

10×8 for small house, 20×15 for large building.

Add entrance/exit events

Place warp at door to transfer back outside.

Set BGM

Use indoor music or leave blank.

Building Entrance (Outside)

# Event on outside door
Kernel.pbTransferPlayer(15, 7, 12)
# Transfers to interior map

Building Exit (Inside)

# Event on inside door
Kernel.pbTransferPlayer(5, 10, 8)
# Transfers back outside

Cave Maps

For cave/dungeon areas:

Use Cave tileset
Add rock walls and obstacles
Create multiple floors with stairs
Define cave encounters in encounters.txt

020 # Dark Cave
30,8,12
Cave
ZUBAT,8,12
GEODUDE,8,12
ZUBAT,10,14
GEODUDE,10,14

Weather Effects

Set weather in map properties or events:

# Rain
pbSetWeather(1)

# Storm
pbSetWeather(2)

# Snow
pbSetWeather(3)

# Clear weather
pbSetWeather(0)

Testing Your Maps

Playtest mode

Press F12 or use “Game > Playtest” in RPG Maker.

Debug commands

Press F8 in-game for debug menu:

Teleport to any map

Toggle wild encounters

Test trainer battles

Check connections

Walk through all exits to ensure they lead correctly.

Test encounters

Walk in grass to verify Pokémon and levels.

Map Design Tips

Keep routes linear: Use obstacles to guide players without making it feel restrictive.Vary terrain: Mix grass, water, and obstacles for visual interest.Place trainers strategically: Don’t block required paths with too many trainers.Add rest spots: Include houses or Pokémon Centers before difficult areas.Use ledges: One-way jumps let players skip back through cleared areas.

Performance Optimization

Keep maps under 100×100 tiles when possible
Avoid excessive parallel process events
Use conditional branches to disable unused events
Don’t place too many events on one map (150+ can lag)

Common Issues

Wild encounters not appearing

Check map ID matches in encounters.txt
Verify terrain tag is set to “Grass”
Ensure encounter rate is not 0

Player falls through floor

Check passability settings in Tileset editor
Verify Layer 1 has ground tiles

Events don’t trigger

Check event trigger type
Verify conditions are met
Ensure priority is set correctly

Next Steps

Creating Pokémon - Add Pokémon to your encounters
Creating Trainers - Place trainers on your maps
Creating Items - Hide items in your maps for players to find

Getting Started

Core Concepts

Game Development

PBS Data Files

Scripting

Tools & Utilities

​Creating Maps

​Using RPG Maker XP Editor

​Opening the Map Editor

​Map Basics

​Creating a New Map

​Map Layers

​Map Properties

​Wild Encounters

​Encounters File Structure

​Real Example: Route 1

​Encounter Slot Probabilities

​Water Encounters

​Fishing Encounters

​Time-Based Encounters

​Map Events

​Creating an Event

​Event Triggers

​Common Events

​NPC Dialog

​Item Pickup

​Trainer Battle

​Warp/Door

​Healing Event

​Map Connections

​Using Map Edges

​Example Edge Transfer

​Grass Patches

​Making Tall Grass

​Indoor Maps

​Creating a Building Interior

​Building Entrance (Outside)

​Building Exit (Inside)

​Cave Maps

​Weather Effects

​Testing Your Maps

​Map Design Tips

​Performance Optimization

​Common Issues

​Wild encounters not appearing

​Player falls through floor

​Events don’t trigger

​Next Steps

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Creating Maps

Using RPG Maker XP Editor

Opening the Map Editor

Map Basics

Creating a New Map

Map Layers

Map Properties

Wild Encounters

Encounters File Structure

Real Example: Route 1

Encounter Slot Probabilities

Water Encounters

Fishing Encounters

Time-Based Encounters

Map Events

Creating an Event

Event Triggers

Common Events

NPC Dialog

Item Pickup

Trainer Battle

Warp/Door

Healing Event

Map Connections

Using Map Edges

Example Edge Transfer

Grass Patches

Making Tall Grass

Indoor Maps

Creating a Building Interior

Building Entrance (Outside)

Building Exit (Inside)

Cave Maps

Weather Effects

Testing Your Maps

Map Design Tips

Performance Optimization

Common Issues

Wild encounters not appearing

Player falls through floor

Events don’t trigger

Next Steps