Overlay

The overlay is a graphical layer in MegaZeux that is normally used for graphics that are drawn over the main playing area. These graphics can't be directly interacted with by the player, and only contain color and character data.

All instances of character 32 (space) on the overlay allow the board to show through. Any character on the overlay with color palettes 0-15 inherits the background component of the board palette directly behind it. These properties provide a rudimentary "transparency" effect.

Common uses for the overlay include creating scenery that the player can walk "behind", such as trees or houses. The overlay is also often used to create special effects that can be copied onto the visible board as necessary and then removed. More complex games may use the overlay as a buffer area for graphics, though the introduction of dynamically loadable MZMs and the vlayer have somewhat supplanted this in more sophisticated code.