Wang Tiles

Block and Space

The simplest way to create a tiled maze is to use a single block tile. We can ignore edge matching altogether. However, with a random scattering, large areas of open space or solid blocks form. Also we get blocks touching at their corners which doesn't look good.

Tileset 0 1 Only two are tiles needed, a block and a space.

6x4 block and space

'Tidy Tiling' Method

In the above image, all tiles are selected at random. However, there is some clumping and corner touching of box and space tiles. By being a bit more selective, we can reject tilings that form clumping or corner touching.

In the 'tidy tiling' method, four conditions are detected:

? = box

? = space

? = box

? = space

In each case, the current block is not chosen at random but set as to prevent corner touching or a clump of four similar tiles. The result is more maze like. The other four conditions are left as random tile selection.

? = random

? = random

? = random

? = random

You can select 'tidy tiling' by ticking the Stage checkbox by 'Block2' menu.

Diagonal Gates

These allow use of all the floor, whereas with block mazes you can't walk over half the floor area.
Diagonal gate tiles can create quite a good random maze. Any added wandering sprites need to also move diagonally. Small enclosed rooms easily form, but none with the less random method (Stage checkbox ticked).

Tileset 0 1 And a variation with an added seamless background.

6x4 diagonal gate tiles

See Stage to create your own layouts.

Thin Wall Tiles

These also allow use of all the floor area. There is no tile edge matching. So some walls can be double thickness where North and South or East and West meet. This adds to the random appearance. But, some unreachable enclosed rooms are also formed.

Tileset 0 1 2 3 A four set of thin wall tiles. No shadow effect can be added because tiles 2 and 3 will extend beyond the tile edge.

6x4 thin wall tiles

North West Wall Tiles

These also allow use of all the floor area.
Walls are only to the top (North) and left (West) of each tile. This produces consistent wall thickness and also allows a shadow effect to be added within the tile. There is no tile edge matching. The tileset is again four tiles but a different arrangement to 'Thin Walls' above.

Tileset 0 1 2 3 A variation with a seamless background and added shadow for a more 3d effect.

6x4 North West tiles

3d Wall Tiles

By expanding beyond the tile edges, we can draw the walls in a fixed 3d perspective.

Tileset 0 1 2 3

At first glance, these might look like 2-edge Wang tiles. But they're not. The wall between the pillars, is fully contained within the tile. However, as the pillars straddle the tile edges, these are more single side tiles than block tiles.

See Stage to create your own layouts.