Does RM2003 support scripts?

[sabao]

That has nothing to do with age - why should Enterbrain offer support for pirated versions?


This is the first time a legal version is available outside Japan, and while you can't expect a complete reprogramming of it, now there is support for those that paid for the program - and there also has been the first tileset product released where RM2K3-formatted versions of the tiles are provided as a bonus.

 
What I meant to say was it's older software, I wouldn't bank on radical changes to how the software functions (say, a built-in script editor). Given how this is being pushed back into the market, however, support in the form of distributed assets and software fixes  wouldn't be out of the question.

There's a lot of tutorials out there to create specific event systems (and in some cases: downloadable versions of said systems), though. Wouldn't it also be tacky to event the exact same thing as someone else did?

Moving through a step-by-step guide may be a different experience altogether. It's the same as school, essentially. You're walked through the process, not handed it outright. A lot of inquiries in the custom RGSS scripts section usually come from people who either didn't read the documentation or just want someone else to do it for them entirely. At least in this process, one learns through emulation.

 

[dungeon diver]

I make it a point to look through and dissect any scripts I download, looking for ways to tweak them to better fit the game I'm making. RGSS coders from what I've seen tend to be very good at comment-documenting their code so it's really not that difficult to do so, especially if all you need is to move elements around, change window sizes, or customize gauges to fit the feel of your game.

There's definitely a "fire and forget" tendency among script downloaders and I think that's unfortunate, breaking down user scripts can help you learn extremely fast once you make it to the intermediate level and can translate what you're looking at.

Its been years since I used 2k3's robust eventing system but it was definitely fun building up a system from webs of conditionals, where it was incredibly easy to learn the eventing but very difficult and intensive work putting it into practice and finding lateral solutions to brainstormed concepts. I have a bit of nostalgia for it, even if I've mentally moved on to scripting. I don't think having scripting would feel like a good fit for this old but persistent engine that's already perfectly capable.

 

[FM77]

I'd actually have to hope they don't add Ruby scripting to 2k3.  Ruby is very intimidating, so the lack of it makes 2k3 more appealing for folks like myself.

You hope?

You are not required to write any scripts in "any" of the engines...

What in the world? Why would you go out of your way to say not to add improvements on "anything"?

Your suggestion is along the same lines reading the following:

I HOPE they don't add a color blind mode to (random game) because I am not color blind even though other people would love it and not effect me whatsoever to add it because it would be an "option"!

Would you quit playing a game if it got an update and this happened? Would it bother you that much?

 

[- Aërendyll -]

I hope a lot of cool things end up being allowed.

Like a way to use a normal cursor and not a box.

A way to use image blending options maybe even for animations.

Maybe a way to make MP3s have loops like you can add in Ace.

I just know that 2K3 in it's current form is less than desirable to use.

I went back to making a game i was making in Ace, just cause i miss the cool things i can do in Ace.

You can make a cursor image for selecting options in your game's system graphic, but it can't be bigger than 8x8 pixels and would require you to put a space before all menu options. (So instead of e.g. "New Game" you'd have to put " New Game" or " Yes" instead of "Yes". The " here are used to mark the full term in the choice windows, so the spaces before the terms are visible.)

Example:

In-game:

Spoiler

Just try using this windowskin and putting spaces before your menu options/choices. It should work just fine!

 

[Erika Fuzzbottom]

FM77, to answer your question, if 2k3 had the Ruby system implemented, that means my games would be worthless unless they used custom scripts.  It's like how people frown upon games that use the default graphics.  (Or that's the impression I'm under.)

 

[- Aërendyll -]

FM77, to answer your question, if 2k3 had the Ruby system implemented, that means my games would be worthless unless they used custom scripts.  It's like how people frown upon games that use the default graphics.  (Or that's the impression I'm under.)

I personally don't think that the availability of scripting would invalidate the use of events at all. In fact, because so many people just plug scripts into their games without understanding them (I'm guilty of this, though I usually at least look up how to configure them and read their documentation), I'd say eventing is the more respectable route to go, as understanding how and why your game works the way it does is essential to preventing bugs and being able to provide good support to players in general.

The big problem with newer RPG Maker versions is that their eventing features simply are not as diverse and optimized as the ones in RM2k3 are. You need to jump through a lot more hoops to be able to e.g. event your own battle system in XP or Ace than you'd have to in 2k3, assuming you're not relying on scripts or the Script... event command.

So no, scripting in RM2k3 would not make your eventing worthless at all. Most of the scripters I personally talk to actually advocate for eventing as the first solution to the things you want to implement in your game. I also heavily suspect that eventing will teach you the basics of how to think in order to be better at scripting, if you wished to pick up some scripting skills. (Switches, conditional branches, variables, etc. are all fundamental for scripting too, even if the way you use them is a little different.)

I understand that some people will instantly write off a game that uses the default battle systems of any RPG Maker version, but there are plenty of RPG Maker games that are incredible despite their lack of custom scripts for such things. Also, a lot of non-RPG games made in RPG Maker don't even rely much on scripts or complicated evented systems, if at all. Just look at games like Ib, Yume Nikki or The Witch's House. The former two don't use very complicated eventing at all (though Yume Nikki's seems a bit more complicated than Ib's) and the latter only seems to use scripts for the game's menu. For RPGs that use default battle systems, but are still regarded as good, I find it harder to find names of games created in the legal versions of RPG Maker, but trust me, they are definitely out there!

Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but most projects that rely heavily on scripts without the author being a scripter seem to rarely get finished in the first place.

 

[Seriel]

I usually event most things that I want to do, or Script them myself, although I mainly use Scripts for things Events cannot possibly do like Title Screens and customizing the Menu.
 
In fact, I even wanted to make my own Game Over screen, but instead of Scripting it, I made a Script that calls a Common Event, which is then my Custom Game Over screen.
 
So even if 2K3 had a Scripting system, I would just use it for the Hardwired stuff , and event the rest.
 
Edit:

Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but most projects that rely heavily on scripts without the author being a scripter seem to rarely get finished in the first place.

Yes, that does seem to be the case. Mainly.