At the API level, maps are more than static layouts. They are the containers that make traversal, placement, and local interaction coherent.
Triggers are the reactive layer on top of that space. They decide when a chest opens, when a transfer occurs, when a dialogue begins, or when a battle should start. Together, the map and trigger systems form the core contract for exploration gameplay.
When documenting your own project conventions, it helps to keep those concerns distinct:
- maps describe where play happens
- triggers describe what happens when the player crosses a condition
That distinction keeps authored spaces easier to reason about as projects scale.