Is it worth buying all the different RPG Makers...if money isn't a factor?

[ZombieKidzRule]

As the title states, if money isn't a factor, is there value in buying all of the RPG Maker versions or at least some of them?

I understand that most people wouldn't actually use all the versions to make games, unless you started a long time ago and switched from version to version as they came out. And while I am having fun learning MZ, which is my first RM version, I know that I would never have the time or energy to learn them all.

However, is there other aspects of value in owning all the versions?

I saw mention that you might be able to get more free assets with older versions that also might help you with Scripts in more recent versions.

I have also seen posts about being able to convert some assets from one version to another and references to needing to own the older version to do some of that. Even if you aren't the one making the conversion.

If you think there is value in owning all or just some of the different versions, it would help me greatly if you could just summarize what you perceive as the value points and which versions you think could have value to own together.

I am also starting to watch tutorials on other engines besides RM. I am completely new to this with no coding/programming experience. Java what?

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and opinions!

 

[IvanForever]

I own all of the RPG Maker versions, but I personally prefer MV/MZ and VXA together. I also have experience playing many RPG Maker games and testing them. Sometimes some people's games are not encrypted, and say if I'm playing a game made in RPG Maker XP or RPG Maker 2000, I have the engine to open their project files and study them. What I can learn from this may be helpful to projects I work on using later RM versions. It's also very useful when I playtest people's games and offer technical, engine-side feedback/advice. Having all of the versions also means I have the legal rights to use the RTP (Run Time Package, which is basically the default assets, like music and images, that come with the engine); it's legally OK for me to use an RPG Maker 2003 RTP inside an MV/MZ or VXA project, whereas it wouldn't have been otherwise if I didn't own all versions. Maybe some people don't use all of the engines they bought but want full legal rights to the usage of certain files, into the one-and-only engine version they only actually use.

 

[AkiraKotatsuhime]

Since 1992 there were 26 different iterations of "RPG Maker" / "RPGツクール" (not even counting all the re-releases in) branded tools for a big range of platforms, that might be a big challenge even for a collector going full bonkers to gotta catch'em all™, I guess.

In terms of getting the versions for Windows PC, I'd say it's okay to ignore RPG95 (not available in english at all) entirely, skip VX in favor of Ace and skip MV to just buy MZ instead, because in these cases there is nothing relevant enough to miss out (except when you try to understand and document the entire series' history first-hand).

～炬燵あ

 

[Spaske]

As the title states, if money isn't a factor, is there value in buying all of the RPG Maker versions or at least some of them?

I understand that most people wouldn't actually use all the versions to make games, unless you started a long time ago and switched from version to version as they came out. And while I am having fun learning MZ, which is my first RM version, I know that I would never have the time or energy to learn them all.

However, is there other aspects of value in owning all the versions?

I saw mention that you might be able to get more free assets with older versions that also might help you with Scripts in more recent versions.

I have also seen posts about being able to convert some assets from one version to another and references to needing to own the older version to do some of that. Even if you aren't the one making the conversion.

If you think there is value in owning all or just some of the different versions, it would help me greatly if you could just summarize what you perceive as the value points and which versions you think could have value to own together.

I am also starting to watch tutorials on other engines besides RM. I am completely new to this with no coding/programming experience. Java what?

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and opinions!

Tbh, no.
The rpg makers work mostly the same so i see no reason why to downgrade, except maybe you like the graphics from the VX better, or XP and so on... or ruby is easier for you to programm...
Other then that, i really see no reason to buy multiple or even all of them.
I also own a few and tbh, i cant remember when i turned on last time the MV, XP and others... i can only remember... but then on the other hand, im not a developer, im just making some stuff (events mostly) and hope it helps someone in the process.^^

 

[Trihan]

With money being no object, I would absolutely pick up all of the officially-localised RMs just for the sake of having a complete collection. I wouldn't use anything but MZ these days for serious game dev but it can be fun to play around with the tools we used to have and see what you can create with them.

 

[TeiRaven]

I got my Makers in a humble bundle years ago--2k/3, XP, VX/Ace, and MV for the same price as MV by itself (this was before MZ came out). There was no reason to not spend the same amount of money for that many more options, since it came with all manner of other resources as well.

And yes, as previously mentioned, the RTP assets (and things edited from the RTP assets) can be used in any Maker, provided that you own the one it came from. For example, I can use a resource edited from the MV RTP in an XP project if I'm so moved--but I can't use one edited from the MZ RTP. If you have all the Makers, you don't have to sigh and pass up a resource you really like just because it was edited from an RTP you don't have rights to use.

 

[Frostorm]

In terms of getting the versions for Windows PC, I'd say it's okay to ignore RPG95 (not available in english at all) entirely, skip VX in favor of Ace and skip MV to just buy MZ instead, because in these cases there is nothing relevant enough to miss out (except when you try to understand and document the entire series' history first-hand).

I actually wouldn't skip MV. I'm definitely biased in this regard because the battle system I use is only available for MV, and not MZ. It's also no longer being developed, so there will never be an MZ version of LTBS. Basically, MV has a larger plugin library than MZ, at least at the time of this writing.

 

[fugahagen]

I actually wouldn't skip MV. I'm definitely biased in this regard because the battle system I use is only available for MV, and not MZ. It's also no longer being developed, so there will never be an MZ version of LTBS. Basically, MV has a larger plugin library than MZ, at least at the time of this writing.

Row formations user here. After seeing all the compantiabily issue Yanfly had to solve I can see why it wont be ported or even supported.

 

[pawsplay]

MV gets you a better generator, in case your game calls for generating a few dozen characters. But you could alternatively buy software that does the same thing, and purchase art asset packs individually.
Depending on what you are doing mechanically, MV has a wider and more robust plugin library, especially free plugs. That can be helpful if you need a lot, or contrariwise, if you have a straightforward design and you just need a handful of specific things.

 

[ZombieKidzRule]

Thanks for all these responses and thoughts! As a follow up, for those who own multiple versions or are otherwise knowledgeable, would it be true to say that certain assets could be used between versions without modification?

For instance, would the BGM and BGS files be simply transferable because they are in the same audio format? Are they significantly different or are they mostly the same between versions.

Are any of the visual assets transferable without modification or do they all have to be resized?

I have read that MV assets like sprites have to be resized for MZ, but is that true for all visual assets like icons, battlegrounds, pictures, enemies, etc.? I am still trying to figure out the whole 32x32 and 64x64 and whatever thing.

Thanks for helping me with this!

 

[Trihan]

Thanks for all these responses and thoughts! As a follow up, for those who own multiple versions or are otherwise knowledgeable, would it be true to say that certain assets could be used between versions without modification?

For instance, would the BGM and BGS files be simply transferable because they are in the same audio format? Are they significantly different or are they mostly the same between versions.

Are any of the visual assets transferable without modification or do they all have to be resized?

I have read that MV assets like sprites have to be resized for MZ, but is that true for all visual assets like icons, battlegrounds, pictures, enemies, etc.? I am still trying to figure out the whole 32x32 and 64x64 and whatever thing.

Thanks for helping me with this!

MV and MZ resources are mostly interchangeable because they use the same tile and character sizes, but you do have to upscale if you want to use VX Ace stuff in MV/MZ or downscale if you want to use them the opposite way. Audio files are never an issue if they're the same file type; the default assets for each maker do have different music/sound effects, so it can be worth it for the extra options.

 

[AkiraKotatsuhime]

I actually wouldn't skip MV. I'm definitely biased in this regard because the battle system I use is only available for MV, and not MZ. It's also no longer being developed, so there will never be an MZ version of LTBS. Basically, MV has a larger plugin library than MZ, at least at the time of this writing.

Well, not big surprise it has.

But while we are at it, I forgot to exclude RPGXP in my previous post as well. To anyone who wants to read my warnings and why you should not use it, open the spoiler. If not, don't, it will waste your time.

Spoiler: A Hot Take on RPGXP that you can ignore

RPGXP was the second disaster in a row (RPG2003 started being horrible as well and somehow managed to improve in stability etc later while the default battle-system stayed unpopular, forcing you into sideview with ATB was way too much for beginners; And yes, RPGVX was third in row) with problems of which some can be seen as "fixed" as of today only because computers got so much more efficient and faster since 2004.

Besides powerful mapping-features (and still there are questionable design decisions like not showing the background while editing and why it's tied to the tileset instead of map) in the smoothest editor ever it had absolutely nothing good to offer, cutting almost every good function in half or less of what was there before, forcing users into half-baked Ruby-code mixed into events to achieve anything more complex (not that I would ever suggest anyone to use events for complex stuff if there is also a programming interface, but come on!).

Ruby 1.8.1 was way too slow for PCs back then to manage a renderer without hardware-acceleration and running a game-loop on it, the first RGSS-engine, being programmed not very good, had obviously to be dumped-down in development to even run at all without exploding. The 20 FPS base itself and a "smooth" mode running at ugly 40, and everything starting to feel more like it was intended if you increase gameplay speed to 60 is speaking volumes. And then the ugly scripts included in new projects... nothing in comparison to how great RGSS3 was in Ace.

Did I already mention this is a hot take? To break it down, I just think it's not worth to start lumbering a forest using fifteen saws that were manufactured broken by design and one shiny-sparkle axe on top. That, to me at least, sounds like a toolset you should skip.

RPG2000 performed way better before (the only reason I'm not excluding RPG2003 from my buyworthy-list as well is because it got hella better over (a very looong) time) and Ace improved the technical base of what XP started so heavily that XP&VX became fully obsolete. Except that - now we're going back to where my post started - large library of existing stuff made by others to stuff into a game.

For me that's just not a fitting argument here, especially since this is not a debate on the question if anyone should shift development from one program to another, just about what we think about even getting your hands on some of them and which.

～炬燵あ

 

[FighterBlade]

Switched to MV this weekend, it's the best.

 

[AeroPergold]

Audio files are never an issue if they're the same file type; the default assets for each maker do have different music/sound effects, so it can be worth it for the extra options.

Yes, but don't a lot of the older RPGMs have midi sound files that wouldn't be able to be used in newer versions that require .ogg?

 

[Trihan]

Yes, but don't a lot of the older RPGMs have midi sound files that wouldn't be able to be used in newer versions that require .ogg?

That's why I said "if they're the same file type". Obviously the older makers that used midi aren't included in that unless you're using a different older maker or use a converter.

 

[JohnDoeNews]

Yes, but don't a lot of the older RPGMs have midi sound files that wouldn't be able to be used in newer versions that require .ogg?

That can be converted, with the right tools.

 

[AphoticAmaranth]

I started with VX Ace before switching to MV later, and while I don't really use VX Ace anymore, having it is useful because VX Ace's default iconset is so much better than MV's.

Yes, but don't a lot of the older RPGMs have midi sound files that wouldn't be able to be used in newer versions that require .ogg?

Probably, but converting them isn't hard

 

[Avery]

For the graphics, yes.
I would still use MZ, as I love the mapping layers, but with MV I would have virtually double the amount of default resources and a much larger pool of community edits to utilize.
XP animals and monsters still work well in MV/Z if adjusted a bit (deleting one row and adjusting the colors a little), and some Ace tiles work very well for those as well.
Here are two tutorials about that that:
https://forums.rpgmakerweb.com/inde...from-older-makers-for-mv-no-upscaling.121077/ (I should really do a more in depth for that at some point...)

Upcycling VX Ace Tiles for MV/MZ | The Official RPG Maker Blog

Sometimes, we are looking for resources for our games and then we find the perfect things… but they were made for VX or Ace. A lot of people give up at that point or try to just use an algorithm to upscale said tiles. Both are not really the go to solutions - either you end up without the tiles...

www.rpgmakerweb.com

VX might be a pass, unless you want the few special tiles and the exclusive battlers.

2k and 2k3 on the other hand can be upscaled by 300% and adjusted and work fine for MV/MZ, so they would give you with some converting work a whole new retro graphic style for your game with everything you need to make a full game, plus: community edits again. That maked 2k/3 one of the "richer" retro styles, since people can make and posts edits and expansions for it.

 

[Arthran]

If you own MZ, there is still potential value in grabbing MV and VX Ace. Buying MV will immediately double the graphic and sound assets that you have. As others have mentioned, aside from generator parts, you don't need to do any conversions to use most MV assets in MZ.

It would also allow you to legally download/purchase MV or VX Ace assets and use them in MZ. There is a treasure trove of free MV assets here on the forum, and they would work just fine in your MZ, but in a lot of cases, you can't legally use them without owning MV. There are also some (though not a lot) DLCs that can be purchased for MV but not for MZ.

The value of owning VX Ace is a bit more debatable, but it has come in handy for me a few times. I've come across some music pack DLCs that are way cheaper for VX Ace, even though they're essentially the same contents as the versions that exist for MV/MZ. But you can't actually buy VX Ace DLCs on Steam without owning VX Ace. There are also a few decent tilesets for VX Ace that either never got converted for MV/MZ, or they did get converted but the conversions suck.

For example, I once bought Ancient Dungeon Base Pack for MZ (it was originally a VX Ace pack), and discovered that when they resized it for MV/MZ, they did a terrible job, and it was basically a big pile of doodoo-butter. So I then bought the VX Ace version, and resized it myself, and it wound up much nicer. But I was only able to do that because I did own VX Ace.

 

[Beewo]

Im still hoping that MV and VX Ace will go for sale on Degica shop now that we are in the lunar new year sales, cause those extra assets are tasty. Dont like having it on steam, but time is running out !_!