Happy Holidays 2015

[AvalonMelody]

Hello~ ^.^ 

Another year nearly gone by! Somehow this year feels like it went by really fast.

Tips though! Gotta think of tips...

- Google is your friends. Forum searches too! If you have a certain thing you want to happen in RPG Maker but you have no clue how to do it, try searching it up. "How to ____ in RPG Maker" or even "Battle Scripts for RPG Maker ___". You'll find a lot of help and it might even save you the trouble of posting on forums and waiting for replies. (Not that people on forums don't want to help!)

- Another is to do your best in getting the hang of Variables, Switches, and Common Events. With just those three under my belt, I thought up quite a lot of special events and generators. You'll find lots of great tutorials for them on Youtube, RPG Maker Forums, and just asking another RPG Maker member can get you some insight.

- Though you may nto want to or have the time to spare for it, it helps to make a super-short project before starting your main one. Even something as simple as "Rescue a princess from the castle six maps away." You'll find that doing so, you gain a bit if knowledge on how to get some basic functions of RPG maker down, such as map transfers, events, quest systems, etc. That way you won't go in completely in the dark when you start your main project. It actually saves you a bit of headache, and can even get you ahead in the mapping department. (Since you do have to at least map out a  castle, no? )

- Don't be afraid to ask for help or share a snippet of your ideas. The community is really kind and gave me some great ideas that helped further my story or threw in some suggestions for gameplay that I would never have thought of before. 

Have fun with it though and do your best~ 

Happy Holidays and have a great New Year~

-Ava

 

[Fubukio]

I'm here! :3

 

[michael.galefire]

Enjoy the Battleback everyone!  I was very pleased with how it turned out!

 

[Jay_NOLA]

Some more additional tips.:

1.) Use Inspiration Pad Pro  3 (IPP), a free program, to help with generating plots, names, etc.

You can get more info on it at:

http://www.nbos.com/products/inspiration-pad-pro

And you can download some additional  IPT files for it at:

http://www.rpginspiration.com/

2.) Take advantage of sales, special deals, and Member+ when you go to buy stuff.  Don't be afraid to wait for a good sale to buy resources.  Certain times of the year sales can be expected to run so if you know you are getting close to one that has run in the past on a frequent bases at a certain time it most likely wil run again and your better holding off buying the product you want for a short time as you can get it on sale.

3.) Understand that certain genres  and settings have certain "rules" and " conventions" and your players are going to expect certain things because of this and this restrictions can also limit your freedom.

4.) Get your science correct in a sci fi game.  One thing I hate about some modern episodes, movies, etc. of long running established franchise is that they get basic science wrong and the science they introduce is often contradictory made up garbage, one thing that made such things popular is that the older stuff often got or made a good effort to get the science correct.

5.)Your game needs to have a logical flow and not be a bunch  constant a non-sequitur scenes and storytelling.  Your world needs a constituent story and things in it need to operate on a logical basis.  Don't retcon and jump the plot around in a confusing non-logical manner as is often the case with most movies and TV shows.

6.) Br careful if you put in any events that require time limits or a person hitting certain keys in order or at a certain time.  Not all of your players nay have the hand eye ordination to do that and they may not be able to play your game or finish it because of this.  They will also be less likely yo play another one of your games if they had this problem and they know your other game has it. 

 

[Risa]

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

I just picked up RPG Maker XP 80% off!

Here's hoping I'll fit in around here. I'm not used to using forum websites.

I'll be off making my first game now, see you all soon!

 

[TheBaxes]

My tip for the giveaway is this one:

If you are starting with RPG Maker, try to begin with small proyects, that way will be more easy to complete your first one, and you will feel better while learning better tricks until you can manage to start that big project you always wanted to do.

 

[Scythuz]

I hope everyone enjoys the track I made, sorry I didn't have time to make more stuff!

 

[Marquise*]

Woah I think I will have a year to go trough all this. Thanks everyone Happy New Year and MERRRRY Christmas!

 

[Alkorri]

Seasons Greetings, everyone! Not sure if it's too late to give feedback, but I was going through the folders and organizing the resources when I felt I had to say something to our awesome contributors

Happy Holidays 2015 Feedback

Spoiler

Avery - Strange, I know, but I love skulls and skeletons, so that face is wonderful. Best of all, it's easy enough to edit that skeleton and give him Marsha's hat! Thank you also for the modern beds and lockers. These would fit right in for a futuristic game too. Those donuts also look tasty. You always make the best looking food :> 

 

Caz - Thank you for a darker carpet color! And I love that you made a rounded dinner table. Now to get some badass princesses up those grand stairs

 

Michael - New battlebacks are always welcome, especially ones in multiple sizes! Would have liked a darker sky but that's easily remedied through an image editor. Can't wait to see what MV backgrounds you'll have next for us!

 

Ms Littlefish - Omg these sound effects were exactly what we need for a modern/future project. Thank you! I need to figure out a way to cut short some of them, like Dizzy and Sliding Door. I'm also a little puzzled about Meg's Noisy Neighbor, but much appreciated for the hard work ^_^

 

Palladinthug - Those are the most adorable mushrooms ever. All you need is for some of them to wear glasses or smoke a pipe

 

Pandamaru - This winter tileset goes perfect with your spring and autumn ones! I almost expected you to add a tree with Christmas lights to it, but beautiful work as always.

 

Scythuz - An exciting theme, with hints of regret and determination. Really suits a scene where a fallen hero redeems himself against the last boss! Don't ever worry about giving so 'little'.

 

Slimmmeiske2 - No Christmas is complete without your Santa characters! Are those zombie santas? Man, talk about an apocalyptic Christmas

 

Tyler Warren - Now THAT is a Grinch I think he just needs a hug.

 

VexedEnigma - Darnit! Now I have to get Pop! Horror City to go with these amazing tiles XD Those snowmen and Christmas trees are too cute. And although I haven't got your pack yet, I'm sure that toilet is needed. Now all we need are bloodsplattered snow How thoughtful to provide two versions too. 

Thank you, lovely people, for all your hard work. You are my heroes of the holidays, as well as all the staffers We get free stuff! How cool is that?

--

Err, hmm, tips? I can't tell from the first post if you're supposed to offer tips to a particular developer, or in general. Anyway here's some advice from a humble writer.

• If you've already thought up some cool characters but are having trouble thinking up a plot for the entire game, then imagine the ending first. Visualize the very last cutscene, and don't be afraid to make it a sad ending. Because your goal as a game dev is to engage the player, to make them fall in love with your characters...and then throw a fiery mountain at these heroes, again and again. Break their hearts if you have to. But always leave a bit of hope in the end, no matter how bittersweet.

• To get to that ending scene you had in mind, think of a series of cool, badass and dramatic moments featuring the characters you already created in your head. (Eg an epic fight against a giant singing toaster; a furious car chase of a villain in a city struck by a typhoon). Next, create a plot arc where you work on linking those Cool/Dramatic Moments. Work backwards and ask yourself, How do I get these characters to those moments? If you built your characters right, they will come alive and guide you to that point.

• Outlines are useful for plotting your story from beginning to end, so you know where the characters are supposed to be and what they are supposed to be doing. But there will come a time when you're working on the cutscenes of a game that you might realize, "Hmm, this doesn't feel right. Baron Burgerhammer wouldn't go to all this crazy effort to defeat the heroes. He would hire mercenaries to ambush the heroes! Use his money to tarnish the heroes' reputation! Close down the shops of anyone selling supplies to them! Why would he wait for the heroes to come to his castle? Why would he fight them alone?" In other words, follow your instincts and adjust your plot where necessary. Your characters have a mind of their own, so let them guide the story even if it means a change to the outline. Almost always, you will find that the story becomes stronger, and your characters gain more depth. With depth comes engagement.

 

[PandaMaru]

@Alkorri: But I add some trees with christmas lights - a entiry sheet with xmas decoration - to the MeReStaff D:

Thank you for the big feedback.

 

[Alkorri]

@PandaMaru - Whoops! I haven't gone through the MeReStaff folder yet, my bad! XD Much appreciated, I was actually thinking about a giant tree with Christmas lights. Ignore me. Thank you!

 

[Galvin09]

RPG Maker tip:

• Use Variable for continuous/non-single events, use Switch for single event.
• Switch event also useful for puzzle game/dungeon like button or switch (like it's name)
• Save your project for every 30 minutes, specially for low-end PC/laptop that may crashes sometime (MV case)
• Make a flowchart of main events about how your game start to end, then make details before you start your project

 

[Marquise*]

SAVE IS VERY IMPORTANT!


It has been long I didn't made that very important message;


EVERYONE, SAVE NOW!!!


We are never too sure I am sure everyone will thank me!

 

[Seriel]

SAVE IS VERY IMPORTANT!

It has been long I didn't made that very important message;

EVERYONE, SAVE NOW!!!

We are never too sure I am sure everyone will thank me!

What? it's fine, everythings fine.

-project deletes itself-

Ooooohhhh sh**.

 

[Marquise*]

This looks familiar like -> http://www.tenforums.com/general-discussion/9819-lost-desktop-files.html


<.< 0.o >.>


HAPPY HOLLIDAYS!


(And please everyone burn a CD or a USB key to have also back-ups.)

 

[Liak]

It's great that we have more SE and BGS this time around thanks to Ms Littlefish. Great work!

 

[Jay_NOLA]

A few quick more ones.

1.) Use spreadsheets to help in planning out character classes, actors, enemies, etc.

2. ) Some of the music in the Japanese MV samples games is really good, but can't be used without special permission from what is in the read me for the games I've been told   Fortunately Mozell and other artists can be contacted, as they give contact info in the read me I've been told,  and permission can be obtained to us it in other projects. Some of the artists, sells the music for with permissions for use in any game. 

Mozell for instance sells music for use in any video game at:

http://mozeen.com/

And you can get the exact same music of mozell's music that was in the  MV sample game had it now and not even need to have MV or or played the sample game.

So if your looking for some of the new music that was in the MV sample games check out his site,  (Note: The data file projects for the Japanese MV sample games are not available for the English release.  I did ask about getting them in another thread though.)

Note:  Track 3 hisuji  from Mozegaku 4 on Mozell's site is the main catchy bit of music from the Hitsujinoumi sample game, but you can't hear all the awesome piano in it that is in the full version from the sample version on the site.

3.) Bonus one - Never let J. J. Abrams anywhere near your creation.

 

[Rukiri]

Pro tip: work on bits of a game at a time, otherwise you'll set yourself up for failure...

True story bro!

 

[hoadn]

This is so awesome! Thank you

 

[Magus Gar Kan]

Does anyone know how to actually APPLY the discount code?

I've been trying to use it for the last few days but it just keeps taking me to paypal with no visible place to enter it?

I've also tried using the support link on the website to ask this question... but I don't know how to find my unlocking key from steam.