How to make side a scroller RPG?

[Jogabba]

Hello!


I'm trying to make a sidescroller RPG (smilar to Lisa: The Painful), but I'm kinda stuck because I don't know how to manage the tilesets. 


Here is a pic of what I am trying to map.


The thing is that I don't need the autotile system for anything and it's bugging me hard. But the A5 tileset group is not enough to contain all the tiles I need.


Here's a pic of Lisa: the Painful mapping.


What would be the best practises when managing graphics and tiles in sidescroller RPGs?


Thanks!

 

[shiny_mudkip7]

While RPG Maker VX Ace isn't designed for sidescroller RPGs, the map will scroll automatically if the map is larger than the screen (which is something like 17x13).


To get more space for tilesets, you can simply open the database (the icon next to "1/8" on the upper right of the editor) and click "tilesets."  You can use B, C, D, and E for extra space in each map, and if that isn't enough, you could even replace the


A1 tilesets (as long as you know what you're doing).  This will remove the defaults, giving you more space while mapping.   If you want to preserve the default tilesets, click "Change Maximum," increase the number, and add in your tilesets, starting with A1 or wherever you want to start.


When you add new tilesets, don't forget to make sure the direction settings are correct.  For a sidescroller, I'd suggest using the "Passage (4dir)" tab,  since this allows you to restrict or allow passage depending on the direction and will allow you to keep the player from moving up (without a jumping script/common event) or to the side when you need to.  For example, I would disable left/right on a ladder, but enable up/down.


Speaking of jumping scripts, you probably don't need one.  If you want that feature and haven't added it yet, you can probably use a common event.


Hope I could help!


Edit:  If you want a map that is more detailed and uses a background picture rather than tilesets, you can learn a process called "Parallax Mapping," which there is many tutorials for.  It is time consuming, but if your map simply has too many unique designs to effectively use tilesets, it is worth it to put in the time to learn Parallax Mapping.  If your maps are detailed enough, this may even be faster than using tilesets.

 

[Hisao Shou]

For the map, try to use parallax mapping,  it's way easier and more customisable. (at least for me)


And for more platformer / side sroller-like features  you could give a try to this: 

 

[Jogabba]

While RPG Maker VX Ace isn't designed for sidescroller RPGs, the map will scroll automatically if the map is larger than the screen (which is something like 17x13).


To get more space for tilesets, you can simply open the database (the icon next to "1/8" on the upper right of the editor) and click "tilesets."  You can use B, C, D, and E for extra space in each map, and if that isn't enough, you could even replace the


A1 tilesets (as long as you know what you're doing).  This will remove the defaults, giving you more space while mapping.   If you want to preserve the default tilesets, click "Change Maximum," increase the number, and add in your tilesets, starting with A1 or wherever you want to start.


When you add new tilesets, don't forget to make sure the direction settings are correct.  For a sidescroller, I'd suggest using the "Passage (4dir)" tab,  since this allows you to restrict or allow passage depending on the direction and will allow you to keep the player from moving up (without a jumping script/common event) or to the side when you need to.  For example, I would disable left/right on a ladder, but enable up/down.


Speaking of jumping scripts, you probably don't need one.  If you want that feature and haven't added it yet, you can probably use a common event.


Hope I could help!


Edit:  If you want a map that is more detailed and uses a background picture rather than tilesets, you can learn a process called "Parallax Mapping," which there is many tutorials for.  It is time consuming, but if your map simply has too many unique designs to effectively use tilesets, it is worth it to put in the time to learn Parallax Mapping.  If your maps are detailed enough, this may even be faster than using tilesets.

Thank you for the very detailed explanation! I can't even believe the kindness of the RPG Maker community!

 

[Jogabba]

For the map, try to use parallax mapping,  it's way easier and more customisable. (at least for me)


And for more platformer / side sroller-like features  you could give a try to this: 

Thanks! Yeah, I'm using a lot of parallax mapping combined by Yanfly's Region Restrictions plugin to make it work. Seems pretty nice!

 

[tcb2086]

Hi, I'm developing an RPGVX Ace game and have come up with a simple solution for enabling Sidescroller (gravity / jumping) on a per map basis.


There is 3 parts to this, see images.


1. Map tiles: (Sidescroller_Tiles.png)
    a. Light grey: Not passable (walls and floor).
    b. Dark grey: Passable (background).
    c. Ladder: Passable (can walk off the ladder at any point).





2. Regions: (Sidescroller_Regions.png)
    a. 1 - Ground level, can jump in this region.
    b. 2 - In the air, pressing up will act like a jump and fall back down.
    c. 3 - Fall zone, touching this region while not jumping will make the player fall.


3. Event: (Sidescroller_Event_P1.png, P2, P3, P4, P5)


    a. Place onto a map to enable sidescroller mode.


    b. Images show each event page.


    c. Page 1 - main page that determines which action to take and checks if playing hits the jump key. Also handles region 2.





    d. Page 2 - Jumping up (Looking up or down)





    e. Page 3 - Jump right (Look right when jumping)





    f. Page 4 - Jump left (Look left when jumping)





    g. Page 5 - Falling (touch a fall region while not jumping)





4. Description: Allows a single map to be played like a sidescroller. The character can jump forward over a single block or over the gap of a single block. Can also jump up 1 block. The ladders allow players to walk off the side at any point and they will fall down. Simply design the map with passable tiles as the background, non-passable tiles for floor/walls, and passable tiles (set to ladder for effect) for climbing up and down. Place the event somewhere on the map. Set your regions where 1 is the walking area, the character can jump when he is standing on a 1 region. Set the 2 region for any area right above the player jump zones, this is similar to the drop zone. Set 3 for the drop zones, if the player enters this region and is not jumping they will fall, note in the event there is 6 move down in the route, any extra steps will be skipped, but this prevents the playing from moving in the air, you can adjust it to 1 move down and the player could move over 1 block for every block they fall.


5. Improvements: I am planning to add climb and hide. Climb can let a player go up 1 block if standing next to it, where jump will skip over the block preventing the player from landing on it. Hide can be used by setting a region for nooks they player can hide in to let enemies pass. I have experimented with adding a fall sound or player scream in the falling event page. Also I plan to explore fall damage by adding a variable that stores "blocks fallen" and will need to check the player's current Y before falling and then after landing and multiply that by a fall damage variable. I will update this post once making those changes.


Enjoy! ~tcb2086