0 = not on the map 1 = red 2 = yellow 3 = green 4 = blue 5 = white 6 = black 7 = brown 8 = blank Make the 2d array the size of the map. Your .json file goes in the map folder. linux: /usr/local/share/color_game/maps Start of .json. { "size": {"w": 8, "h": 9}, "map": [ [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 8, 8], [0, 0, 4, 3, 2, 0, 8, 4], [6, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 0], [0, 8, 0, 8, 0, 8, 8, 0], [0, 1, 8, 8, 8, 8, 0, 0], [0, 0, 8, 0, 8, 8, 8, 8], [0, 8, 8, 0, 8, 8, 8, 5], [0, 0, 8, 0, 8, 0, 0, 0], [0, 0, 2, 7, 8, 0, 0, 0] ] }