What are Map Layers for?

[gaveitatry]

What are Mask, Mask 2, Fringe, and Fringe 2 used for?  How are they useful?

Also does it affect game lag any?

For example:

World 01 - Nine maps of just nothing but ground stone textures.

World 02 - Nine maps of ground grass textures with mask stone textures on top.

In both worlds, the players would see the same exact thing in the game.  They would see stone textures.  But would World 02 be using up more resources?

[jcsnider]

yeroC described uses for the various map layers -- to simplify just a bit they are just ways to allow you to place tiles over each other. (Floor on ground, Table on Mask, Table Items on Mask 2)

Fringe and Fringe2 work the same way but those layers are to far up they actually render above the player in-game. Fringe and Fringe2 are good for building roofs or tree tops you want the player to walk behind.

[Giligis]

No, that's not how it works. Ground should be used for the ground tiles, anything that goes over that should be mask, anything that needs to go over mask (like a poke all on a table) should be mask 2, fringe and fringe 2 is the same except fringe 2 appears over fringe 1 they are used for roofs, fringe appears over a character. Lemme be clear here: You should NOT being using only one layer.