how do i add more tilesets and such when....

[Ruffsta]

How do i add more tilesets and such when you are limited to 1 per map? i am using the "ultimate RTP interior and exterior.. but can only use 1 per map..

so if i wanted to put the following in a room, how can i?

the ultimate rtp maps are big, but they don't have everything i want or need.. i'm seeing things i'd like to have but then again if yer limited one tileset per map..

 

[Poryg]

RPG maker XP has one advantage - it doesn't limit the height of the tilesets. So to add more simply add more to the file.

 

[Ruffsta]

yeah, i'm not a graphics person..

if you can only use 1 tileset per map no matter what version of rpg maker.. that's a major downfall and i can see i won't be interested in this for too long.

 

[Poryg]

You're not a graphics person, but I doubt you can't make simple edits. In gimp this would consist of editing layer dimensions of the tileset and Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V.

Different rpg makers handle tilesets differently.
RPG maker 2000 and 2003 don't allow for more than 1 tileset of a fixed size.
RPG maker XP doesn't allow for more than 1 tileset on a map, but this tileset can have infinite height. And by infinite I don't mean infinite, because it's still only a 32bit maker, I think the limit of the height you can use is 65536 pixels, but that already allows for huge tilesets.
VX is the worst of them. It brings up tileset layers, but doesn'T allow to use any different tilesets.
VXAce and MV use this tileset layer system too. They have A layer, B layer, C layer, D layer and E layer. A layer is the only one that takes graphics and B-E layers are layers that for objects. So you can build any combination of tilesets from A to E having one for the environment and five for objects. The disadvantage is fixed max size.
However, if you have problem with tilesets limiting you, you can always go for parallax mapping. Because it is not important how the software is limiting you, but what can you do with these limitations.

 

[Andar]

if you can only use 1 tileset per map no matter what version of rpg maker.. that's a major downfall and i can see i won't be interested in this for too long.

You forget the disadvantages of large tilesets: they always need to be completely loaded, even if you don't use all of the tiles on a map. And that is a huge problem on devices with limited RAM (you can't work on compressed data either, which means the RAM requirement is usually ten times or more the size of the stored picture on the HDD).

That is why all later makers (VXA and MV) allow you to have different tilesets on different maps, requiring you to "frankentile" exactly those tiles you need for a specific map, without using up RAM for unused tiles.

 

[Shaz]

The ultimate tilesets are bad to use. They will cause lag. I know this because I was asked to fix a game that lagged terribly because it used these tilesets. And because others have said they had the same issues.

The first person who posted after you said you simply need to extend the length. And that is too much effort for you to do? Adding a few tiles to an existing tileset is one of the easier things in making a game. It's going to get a lot tougher than that, and require a lot more effort when you get into adding events and scripts.

XP is more flexible than ANY of the other makers because it DOES allow you to increase the size of your tileset. But you should be smart about it - instead of throwing every single tile you might want to use in the entire game into a single tileset, you should make smaller tilesets with just those tiles you want to use on that map, or in that region. But that requires planning, time, and effort. If you can't spare those right at the start of making your game, I don't think you'll get very far.

 

[Ruffsta]

The first person who posted after you said you simply need to extend the length. And that is too much effort for you to do? Adding a few tiles to an existing tileset is one of the easier things in making a game.

i never said it would be too much effort for me, just saying i'm not a graphics kinda guy. i don't make them or anything.. i wish i could. so to adding/extending or putting together my own custom tileset is something i never did nor do i even know where to begin. i don't use image editing software often.

i use photoshop 6.0 and paintshop pro 7 to fix personal pictures (old wedding photos and such).. as far as coding i have made pc games and software with visual basic 6.0 as well as made DS homebrew games as well as websites.. but the most of the graphics i used or created you can do in paint and transparant them in paintshop pro - those tilesets for DS were easy.. but these tilesets are something new to me altogether.

 

[Poryg]

As I said, in gimp you'd expand the layer dimensions, then simply Ctrl+C and ctrl+V. Not sure what you need for photoshop, but cannot be too different.

 

[Ruffsta]

just installed GIMP.. we shall see how this goes..

 

[dbchest]

it is refreshing to see individuals make the effort to learn a new skill; a ton of people never would have downloaded GIMP. knowing little bit about all aspects of game development will help you a lot. i wish you luck, @Ruffsta.

 

[Ruffsta]

ok, i downloaded and installed it -.. opened the tileset i wanna add to, but i can't seem to grab the bottom of the pic and make it bigger, but i don't see like a hand tool. - i don't know about tileset size to add more tiles to it.. i can see where i can change the size/scale..any help on this?

 

[Poryg]

In the upper menu you choose either view or where it is (I think there's a menu Layers) and then Scale layer/resize layer.

 

[Ruffsta]

meh, i'll stick to paintshop pro 7..

UPDATE:
i did find this tutorial.. i just might give GIMP another try just because..

 

[Shaz]

The only important things are that you use an editor that lets you have a transparent background, has a configurable grid, and preferably let you use multiple layers. MS Paint is not one of those, so avoid it. I use Paint.net - free, very simple interface. Its only problem is that it doesn't have a nice grid system, but there are plugins available to add that. If you feel more comfortable with Paintshop Pro, use it.

I also don't like modifying tilesets. I don't like using graphics programs either. But it's just something you need to learn how to do, and set them up properly to avoid problems later on (like lag with massive tilesets).

Just remember, when you add new tiles to the bottom, you're changing the canvas size, which will give you new, empty tiles at the bottom. You are not resizing the image, which will stretch all the existing tiles out so the new area is filled, and will wreck your tileset. You have to add in multiples of 32 pixels, so the full height of the tileset needs to divide by 32 with nothing left over.