title: Database Design - 2d tile grid
body: <p>I played a web game a while back called racewarkingdoms.  It used a 2d text based system.  What interest me is the map.  The map is made up of 255 tiles in X direction, and 255 in Y direction.  There are 5 of these maps total.  But what is amazing is that each one contains so much data.  Each one contains its own 'kingdom' which would be about 50 variables per tile.  Then each one contains 'monsters' with health bars and data that is remembered permanetly.</p>
  
  <p>How would something like this be designed.  I doubt each tile was a table.  I would assume you would have a map1_table with the different elements that would be found in any, but I am just not sure.  I am approaching a situation where I need a similar design, but don't know where to start.</p>
  
  <p>Thanks!</p>