====== Areas ======

In Questies, an **Area** is a larger location within the game [[create:start|World]] that can encompass other locations, including [[create:points|Points]] and smaller nested Areas. Areas represent broad spaces like cities, forests, or regions and often have less defined boundaries than Points.

==== Key Features of Areas  ==== 

  * **Larger Spaces**: Areas are broader regions, such as cities, forests, or kingdoms.  
  * **Boundaries**: Defined by coordinates: **x1, x2, y1, y2**, along with a **[[create:z levels|Z-Level]]** to represent their height or depth. Characters are considered to be within an Area if their coordinates fall within its boundaries.  
  * **Contain Nested Locations**: Areas can hold multiple [[create:points|Points]] or even smaller nested Areas, creating a layered World structure. For example, a city Area might contain districts as nested Areas and individual Points like taverns or shops.  
  * **Examples**: Planets, cities, villages, forests, districts, clearings, regions, and kingdoms.  

==== Additional Features  ==== 

  * **Map Image Overlay**: Areas can have a **Map Image** set, which adds an overlay to the minimap, showing where the Area is located. This visual aid enhances navigation and helps [[:Players]] understand the layout of the World.  
    * **Map Image Coordinates**: Separate from the Area's boundaries, these coordinates (x1, x2, y1, y2) define the size and placement of the **Map Image** on the minimap. This allows the Map Image to include additional details, like city outskirts, while the Area’s actual boundaries can represent specific regions, such as city walls.  
  * **Walled Toggle**: When **Walled** is enabled, the Area is treated as having solid boundaries that can only be entered or exited through specific [[create:points|Points]] designated as **[[create:gateways|Gateways]]**. These Points serve as doorways or gateways and must be placed along the Area’s border.  
    * **Gateway Pathing**: If an Area is walled, pathfinding will automatically use Gateways to navigate in and out of the Area when traveling to destinations. This ensures logical movement between areas and enhances immersion.  

==== Nested Areas  ==== 

Areas can contain other Areas, creating hierarchical structures. For example:  
  * A **Kingdom** Area may contain **City** Areas.  
  * A **City** Area may contain **District** Areas, which in turn might contain Points like individual buildings or landmarks.