Editor function to display RPG_core version number

[Andar]

Description of the Feature:
A function in the editor menu (perhaps below "open project folder") that reads out the title line of the rpg_core.js file and displays the version number at its end.


Why is this feature good?
There are a lot of Plugins that require specific versions of the core, and several bugs in earlier core versions that have already been fixed.
But not all users update their projects, and even less users that know how to read the project version with notepad.

In fact several support cases on this forum have had their solution delayed because the people didn't even understand the question about the project version.

Having a menu point to get the project core version of the currently loaded project would help a lot with those cases.

 

[Poryg]

As long as this supports cases when there are no rpg_*.js scripts, I'm all in for it.

 

[Andar]

As long as this supports cases when there are no rpg_*.js scripts, I'm all in for it.

and what would those cases be? those are the core engine files, removing them would remove the engine....

 

[LTN Games]

It's already available for plugin developers and my core plugin already displays the version in the console automatically, so when people send bug reports to me I see the version every time Anyways this is the function

Utils.RPGMAKER_VERSION

I know that's now what you're speaking of, you want it in the MV Editor itself but I figure I'd throw in my 2 cents and the currently available ways of showing the version of MV through the console. I vote yes because it makes it much easier for newbies to find out the version of the core scripts.

 

[Poryg]

@Andar If I remove the engine/rename the files, I don't want rpg maker to crash from it due to not being able to find rpg_core.js in my game.

 

[LTN Games]

@Poryg That should be easily solved by only displaying the version when a project is loaded. If you're loading the project it should probably not be a project without the core files.

 

[Poryg]

If you're loading the project it should probably not be a project without the core files.

This doesn't make sense, since MV gives you the possibility of completely ditching the engine.

 

[LTN Games]

If you're ditching the engine why are you using the MV Editor?. I don't see a use case for ditching all core script files and using the MV Editor without them. Not sure what games people are making without them but if you're planning on ditching the core scripts then you're most likely going to ditch the entire software itself. Although I could be missing something here, not sure.

 

[Poryg]

MV editor is a very easy to use editor and a very viable alternative to other game making apps in terms of 2D game making (it's also way more lightweight). Thanks to the fact that you can import literally any engine (even from other programming languages if you use your own exe file), you can still use the simplicity of MV, an already built editor, for your game. So of course for some cases there are way better alternatives, but MV by itself offers a very solid base.

Nevertheless, it's very important that there can be cases (custom engine build for example) where the header may show a custom version number or even may not show any at all, either because the file is either not present (doesn't matter if it's due to renaming or even delete), the file may be present, but the header may not, or the header might be showing a completely custom rpg.core version due to a person renaming it.

 

[Shaz]

If you delete all the core files, then it should simply say "not found".

I like this idea, but it might be better under the Help menu (where you can already go to find the editor version), and would need to look at the specific project core files, not the NewData core files, as you could have a dozen different projects, all with different core versions.

 

[cyanic]

Sounds like something fun to implement, I might give it a shot the next time I'm messing with the editor's QMLs.

and what would those cases be? those are the core engine files, removing them would remove the engine....

A project I'm involved in is using RPG Maker as the editor only. The data files are translated for use with another engine better suited for the game's genre. While the project currently retains the engine scripts, I could do without them as well.

 

[LTN Games]

The last I heard about rewriting the engine and legal issues, they pretty much said if what your using is no longer the engine then you can't make a game with it.

In other words if you remove all core scripts then you're no longer using RPG Maker MV and can't legally sell a commercial game. I remember this discussion, it was a huge one before MV was even officially released.

So pyorg your right to say that people can remove the core scripts and have a custom one that fine as long as the custom scripts are written from MV but when using only the MV editor like cyanic then you will run into legal issues most likely.

 

[cyanic]

I only remember such a restriction on using assets that came with the engine, not the data files. Unless "company material" also includes the structure of the files generated.

 

[LTN Games]

It's been a long time since that discussion but I remember people talking about it being in Javascript and wanting to buy the engine to use the editor but change all the core to their own. I remember the result of the discussion was pretty much "If the core is no longer RPG Maker MV then you can't make commercial games". It's been a long time I could be wrong but it does make sense to me, if people plan on removing the core of RPG Maker MV, it's not RPG Maker MV anymore and you should not be able to use the Editor or assets provided. The data.json files are something different, I don't think that will cause any issues as it's just a basic structure anyone could use. Maybe someone else can chime in who remembers this conversation from years ago.

 

[cyanic]

I just implemented this. Here's a screenshot:

It's been a long time since that discussion but I remember people talking about it being in Javascript and wanting to buy the engine to use the editor but change all the core to their own. I remember the result of the discussion was pretty much "If the core is no longer RPG Maker MV then you can't make commercial games". It's been a long time I could be wrong but it does make sense to me, if people plan on removing the core of RPG Maker MV, it's not RPG Maker MV anymore and you should not be able to use the Editor or assets provided. The data.json files are something different, I don't think that will cause any issues as it's just a basic structure anyone could use. Maybe someone else can chime in who remembers this conversation from years ago.

From https://forums.rpgmakerweb.com/index.php?threads/what-does-made-with-rmmv-mean.53137/:

If the mods are done to such an extent that MV is not needed at all, then it can no longer be called a "mod". It's a separate piece of software that's not related to RPG Maker and it cannot be allowed to use any resources that come with MV, nor can it use the resource packs we have for sale in the store.

Doesn't say anything about data files, just resources.

 

[LTN Games]

Great job on the version number.
Well, like I said its been a while since I was reading that discussion but It seems like a grey area to me, resources could be everything shipped with MV, I honestly don't know but like I said in previous post the data.json files are sort of standalone anyways, as anyone can come up with the same structure as MV's JSON files. So I don't think you have to worry about the data files.

Anyways, as a side note, would love to chat about hacking the MV editor like you did there, I would love to add my own little menu or icon so I can include my own external editor. If you're up to it I would love to chat in PM's about it.

 

[cyanic]

Anyways, as a side note, would love to chat about hacking the MV editor like you did there, I would love to add my own little menu or icon so I can include my own external editor. If you're up to it I would love to chat in PM's about it.

Have you checked out this? It's much more accessible than patching the QMLs if the only thing you're looking for is to launch an external program to process things.

 

[ChampX]

If you delete all the core files, then it should simply say "not found".

I second this.

Though one could argue that people ditching the default engine are also probably technical enough to not care about the core number anyway. The other edge case to look at would be if rpg_core was one version but perhaps rpg_objects was a different version. There is probably a developer somewhere who is doing that for whatever reason.

 

[cyanic]

The other edge case to look at would be if rpg_core was one version but perhaps rpg_objects was a different version.

So an entire dialog box when clicking the menu item?

 

[ChampX]

@cyanic

Maybe. But it would also be extra noise for most users and we shouldn't flood them with information that won't pertain to probably 99% of them just because of an edge case. Ideally, you could react normally if the versioning is in sync then if one rpg_* file is different, then you can handle special cases there.