Yes, have one HUGE bitmap for each tileset, then you can pick out various chunks and place them where you want them. Work on getting the basic program down, so you can make some kind of junky little map like a bunch of grass with a tree in the middle (or something), then figure out how you're going to save these maps, and how you're going to load them into your game.
Once you get around the technical design, one thing you should seriously look at is style. When I first read your though of making a 2d rpg I instantly thought of something Final Fantasy style, then when zircher provided a sample scripting command,
bugbear,x,y,u,v, my mind jumped to a Dungeons and Dragons theme like Eye of the Beholder.
This might be a little too early, but what I've seen in a lot of little games made in DB is a lack of consistent style. Don't get me wrong, there are some beautiful ones out there--but what makes a game cool is that consistent style introduces you to how the game will feel/look/etc., and then by using a consistent style through the game it will immerse you in it and you will become more and more familiar, and eventually "at one" with the game. Those are the games people keep coming back to. Think Mario, Zelda, Final Fantasy, Halo, Secret of Mana, Unreal, Medal of Honor......
Immersiveness is the word.
Crazy Donut Productions
Current Project: KillZone
