Flexible and Powerful Tile Map Editor

[Archeia]

@Lithalean I would actually want a redesign of RPG Maker MV's UI. But I'm not sure if I want Dockable UI and Monochromatic Icons for various reasons. With Dockable UI in the same way GIMP does it (I am personally not a fan of that design), accidents can happen easily. Monochromatic Icons are problematic to distinguish some commands (ofc it's possible, but for the sake of people with issues reading images, we want it to be clear as well).

I would support dockable UI tabs similar to Photoshop instead of something like GIMP's though.

 

[Kaliya]

Hi @Archeia,

You already know my opinion on this particular subject since we've talked about it extensively internally. I suppose I should publicly endorse it though. Please let me add this already !

Thanks for all the work you do as always,
- Dan

 

[Point08]

I wish I could vote yes on this about 5,000 more times! Someone described mapping as essentially fighting the editor, and I agree with that. It's probably one of the things that causes me the most frustration with MV, or any version of RPG Maker for that matter. I just expected a little more from something as modern as MV. I'd definitely toss out a bit more money for a "Pro" version or whatever you want to call it if it had these features.

On the note of the UI, yes, dockable in the manner of Photoshop tabs would be ideal IMHO.

 

[MikePjr]

I hate bumping topics to add my 2 cents...
And i hate typing, so i made a video, i express myself better in videos >_<
Also at one point i said released a year lol, i meant every 4 years.. >_<

 

[jupitersdaughter]

I'm late to this topic but yeah! The map editor is so...outdated and too simple. You can't even redo!

 

[Kich]

Oh, I haven't seen this thread until now. Of course YES.

Once I read "Unlimited Tileset Tabs and Layers. If there has to be a limit, then 25" I was like WHOOOOOOOA YEEEEEAH.
Sorry for not having a word to express my WHOOOOOOOAness. But I always wanted this.

AND THIS:

• Subdivision Mapping
• Any Tile size and grid.
• Animated Map Previews

YES. YES. YES.

Okay, the whole list is awesome!

It would be a better maper mode even than RPG Maker XP (In my opinion, it is still the best RPG Makers on that issue).

Agreed.

 

[Rukiri]

https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/25657
Another good suggestion, unlimited tilesets and layers, custom tile sizes, each layer can have a custom tile size.

 

[peq42_]

What an amazing tileset map editor!RPG Maker would be a lot better with that.

Also: Would be nice to have it improved, because map editor didn't change mostly nothing since RPG Maker XP...

 

[MikePjr]

XP was a step in the right direction, and rather than evolve past XP, they went backwards with VX and Ace and now MV.
I was hoping MV was going to have more of an XP set up, but it ended up just repeating what VX and VX Ace had.

 

[peq42_]

i have posted here before but only now i noticed:

Why isn't it approved?It has twice the number of "yes" votes, comparing with the last approved suggestion (the "
Add a search bar in image selection")

 

[Sal-O-Mac]

i have posted here before but only now i noticed:

Why isn't it approved?It has twice the number of "yes" votes, comparing with the last approved suggestion (the "
Add a search bar in image selection")

I'm pretty sure it's because most of this is either impossible or so invasive to put in that you might as well create a new engine.

Honestly, if it really came down to it I'd be fine with 25 tabs, XP's layering System and the original 3x3 Autotile format, but even that's asking too much I think.

 

[peq42_]

I'm pretty sure it's because most of this is either impossible or so invasive to put in that you might as well create a new engine.

Honestly, if it really came down to it I'd be fine with 25 tabs, XP's layering System and the original 3x3 Autotile format, but even that's asking too much I think.

Still really necessary/useful. This one that MV has is too much limited/old

 

[wariolandgoldpiramid]

These features all sound nice, but they aren't very beginner friendly.
And I am kind of afraid that if this gets made, everybody will be expected to use these features, and nobody would like your game if you stick with basic mapping...

 

[caladrius]

After crating my first albeit simple project. I am somewhat disappointed by some of the design limitations though the UI. Its not just with the tile editor but also with the Database Editor. Why cant we add more terms to the Basic Statuses though the UI? I am looking to add additional combat mechanics like SP (Stamina Points) I know that I am new, but the more I deal with the editors limitations and look for ways around them. The real solution might be would be to open up to source for the UI. Looking at the plugins from Yanfly and SRDude. They are both on there way to making there companion editor if not a fully editor. Just my 2 cents.

Maybe I am missing something. I am new...

 

[xDGameStudios]

My opinion on this matter is that the map editor is really the weak spot when talking about RPG Maker series. Lets start:

1) If layers have to be limited then I think 10 would be enough (if not 5)!

2) Animated map previews would be awesome!

3) Changing the grid size for map tiles I think would be the massive.

4) Those changes would mean the paradigm for collisions would have to shift somehow, in my opinion collisions with the map could be handled in a separate layer (thus making the need for layers inevitable )... you could paint in a semiopaque color the blocking tiles... this would be less confusing that setting the collisions in a separate tab in the editor database (I know there are region tiles for that but... it's a "workaround" for something that could be the native way to do things).

5) Grid free (Doodads) image placement with scaling, color, rotation... that would be awesome too!! sometimes

6) I would even suggest a... creating paths in the map editor and then assigning them to events!!! this would make the cutscene development much smooth.

The major laking feature in the engine itself is the map editor... I think that if we had custom tile size and layer system and a more "un-blocky" collision system.... RPG Maker could rise above other engines like... Unity and GameMaker Studio for 2D development... and stop to be seen as a kind of game. As of right now there are "RPG games" and then there are "RPG Maker games"... lets change that! ;D

 

[Poryg]

Before implementing these things I'd rather solve the issues with tilemap. Because the amount of extra strain it would put on CPU is too huge.

 

[peq42_]

Before implementing these things I'd rather solve the issues with tilemap. Because the amount of extra strain it would put on CPU is too huge.

Agreed. I heard that MANY things that could use GPU in MV uses CPU(maybe it's because of mobile?If mobile can use the same GPU commands, then it's something that MUST change in the engine).

But in any way: I still want a new editor like this suggested. We're using a too old one.

 

[Joy Diamond]

The real solution might be would be to open up to source for the UI.

That would be really great, if they can do that with their business model.

They have already open sourced the JavaScript code for RPG Maker MV CoreScript (i.e.: the Javascript that runs the games created by RPG Maker MV) so they might be willing to entertain open sourcing the editor also.

• However, from reading the boards --- I get the feeling the real issue with speed is more with RPG Maker MV CoreScript & should be what is fixed before the editor.

• Therefore, it makes sense to open source that first (which they did).

• It appears to be, the response from the community, was underwhelming to their opening sourcing this.

• Thus until they get a better response to this -- I suspect it does not make sense to Open Source the editor.

I would also imagine whether they can open source the UI depends on what their business model is. I don't think it's selling RPG Maker MV as their main income stream (which they could still do); but I imagine it is selling the whole working package together (including support, customer relations, reputation, their connections with other vendors) and also especially including all the resource packs.

On the other hand there is real risk someone could take the open source editor & make a clone of RPG Maker MV ... tough decision they have ...

But yes, one way or another, I would love to see the editor improved. Still -- for what it does (easy to use by non programmers) -- I think it already does a great job.

Looking at how they are going to do the editor in Visual Novel Maker:

"Perhaps even more interesting than the Script Editor is the Extensions Editor. This is something new to Visual Novel Maker that wasn’t found in RPG Maker; it allows you to actually fiddle around with how the editor works, either by customising its existing features or adding new ones. This helps get around the issues that RPG Maker had with plugins, which often had to rely on peculiar workarounds such as “notetags” — parameters stored in comment fields for maps, characters, enemies and items — to pass information to the new code. With the addition of this Extensions feature, anyone who creates a plugin for Visual Novel Maker games can also add interface elements to the editor itself. Pretty cool."
​

Then applying the same concepts to the RPG Maker MV editor is probably quite sufficient & no need to open source it. Hopefully that is their plan

Edit History:

2017-11-16 1:00 PM UTC: Added section on low response to open sourcing the JavaScript engine & fixed a few spelling errors.
2017-11-17 1:15 PM UTC: Added section on the editor in Visual Novel Maker.​

 

[Poryg]

From what I've heard it is because PIXI loader was less powerful than they needed. Whatever the reason is, they made the CPU load images.
The game also wastes quite a lot of cpu power on updating the scene and redrawing the tilemap. I know my PC is not powerful, but come on, VXAce games work without lag and on MV I can't get a stupid 17x13 grass map working on 60 FPS? (well, okay, I can, eventually it stabilizes. But a 50x30 map with water already drops frame rate to 52 periodically. If you introduce flipping tiles, more than 5 tile sheets, a flexible autotiling system, tile sizes and grid, collision mapping and togglable half movement, that is going to break havoc on even decent mid range PCs (maybe not in empty maps, but add plugins and stuff and boom) if the optimization stays as it is now.

 

[caladrius]

That would be really great, if they can do that with their business model.

They have already open sourced the JavaScript code for RPG Maker MV CoreScript (i.e.: the Javascript that runs the games created by RPG Maker MV) so they might be willing to entertain open sourcing the editor also.

• However, from reading the boards --- I get the feeling the real issue with speed is more with RPG Maker MV CoreScript & should be what is fixed before the editor.

• Therefore, it makes sense to open source that first (which they did).

• It appears to be, the response from the community, was underwhelming to their opening sourcing this.

• Thus until they get a better response to this -- I suspect it does not make sense to Open Source the editor.

Thanks for the relpy:

I know I was being overly simplistic when I made the suggestions. Reading others comments it seems like RPG Maker is suffering from some of the same issues in performance that web browsers suffer from in that you can have the most perfect piece of js possible, but if the underlying engine is poorly coded or using an obsolete language/compiler for modern hardware, it really does not matter how good the js is. This is why in recent news FireFox 57 is now using rust for the underlying language and dropped XUL in favor of web extensions.

From a business model I assume they want to focus on the engine and assets.

To use an older parable. No one at Microsoft liked working on the OS, because its precision grunt not really adding functionality and defiantly not a lot of prestige, but it was critical to the success of other projects. The flip side was MS Office. Everyone wanted to work on Office because it fun and they got to add a lot of new feature. That sort of how I see the issue with the CoreScripts and the UI.