Merging projects in RPG Maker VX Ace

[Sodalis]

Hello everyone...

My immediate question concerns merging projects in ACE.  Can two or three people (or more) on separate computers work on the same game?  For example, I'm working on a world map, another is laying out a town, and yet another is bringing it all together with events, dialogue and music.  Is this possible, easy or difficult?

Thank you in advance, RPG MAKER COMMUNITY!

 

[Andar]

Yes, it is possible as long as you work in different parts as defined by the file structure.

Look at the data folder of a project - the filenames indicate which parts there are, and you need to simply copy those files together to merge them into a single project.

In the case of maps, you'll have to create the files first by adding empty maps to the master project before copying the map files into that structure

 

[Sodalis]

What a simple answer, thank you!  Makes complete sense to me.

I'm wondering if a good ongoing topic would be something along the lines of "Best Practices for Collaborating"...  though I don't believe this particular forum is the best place.  Where do you think it would go best?

Thank you again, Andar!

 

[Shaz]

I would not have one person work on mapping and another on eventing on the same map. Not unless you want to write a script to merge them. When you make changes to a map and save, the whole thing is replaced - map AND events.

 

[Sodalis]

I think I understand.  Would it be possible to have someone create the map, then someone add that map into their project before they begin eventing on that map?

 

[Engr. Adiktuzmiko]

Yes... But doing it that way, you might need to finish creating all maps first before starting on eventing any of them...

 

[Sodalis]

all maps... The entire world map first... all locations... all interiors?  I wouldn't be able to add in another map after I start eventing?

 

[Andar]

I think I understand.  Would it be possible to have someone create the map, then someone add that map into their project before they begin eventing on that map?

Yes... But doing it that way, you might need to finish creating all maps first before starting on eventing any of them...

all maps... The entire world map first... all locations... all interiors?  I wouldn't be able to add in another map after I start eventing?

The map events are stored with the map file (otherwise they wouldn't revert on reentering the map). If someone works on the map itself, he can work on the events - but no one else can make events on that map.

It is possible for several people to work on map events as long as they work on different maps.

And no, you can start on eventing even before your first map is completed - the only condition is that a single map file is not modified by several people before merging.

But it is difficult to complete a map without placing a single event on it, because you need events as a additinal tile layer for decorations and for anything animated on that map, so of course your mapper should learn those parts of eventing and do them before your quester places the NPCs and the questing events.

 

[Sodalis]

Let me beat this to death by laying out my uneducated fantasy:

I've written an outline and a dialogue script for my "epic."   I have three people who are interested in seeing it as a traditional turn-based rpg, and want to contribute labor.  My thought was to have them build villages, houses, shops, interiors... in great variety.

I would then build a world map, and  populate it with these ready made villages, towns, etc.  Modify them, add events, and going forward into a full game.

As I need them, they would build additional villages, towns, interiors and I plug them in and continue to connect the dots.

How realistic is this?

 

[Shaz]

If you have one person working on mapping and another on eventing, let the person doing the mapping create the maps. The person doing the eventing would need to copy the Mapxxx.rvdata2 file (for each map) as well as the mapinfos.rvdata2 file into their own project. Then they could work on eventing. While it's okay for others to LOOK at the map, nobody else should make changes to it while the eventer is working, otherwise you'll get two versions of it, both with valid changes.


So you don't have to finish mapping on ALL the maps before the eventer gets to work. You can do one map and pass it on to the eventer, then get to work on mapping the next map.


Just have one person in charge of adding new maps in the editor - their mapinfos file will be the one that everyone else will need to copy.


If you are all sharing a repository, like ALL working on the same project on dropbox or something, you should be even more strict with this - if anybody changes the wrong thing and saves, that's going to give EVERYONE an incorrect version. And whenever you save your project, ALL the database files (Actors, Enemies, Items, Skills, States, etc) are replaced, even if you didn't touch any of them. I'd much prefer to have a central repository that's only updated when you choose to, and only with the files you specify, and for anyone working on the project to have their own copy separate to the central one.


Edit: in response to your last post (which wasn't there when I started)


YOU insert the maps into the project and name them. Then save your project and give the others the files. Then allocate which maps they will each work on. They can each work on 3 different maps and give them back to you when done, and you can just copy them back into your project. The reason YOU have to insert and name the maps, then give them the mapinfos and the Mapxxx files is so they all have the same list of maps with names and parent/child relationships, and so you won't have two people working on Map001 thinking they're different things.

 

[Sodalis]

So keep the master files on my computer... have people send me "files" that I add myself.  I would be the only person adding events to these raw maps.  Correct?

 

[Shaz]

No - anybody can add events to them, but only one person should be changing a map at any given time.


If you want, you can send it off to one person for mapping, when it's done send it to someone else for eventing, and when they're done send it back to the mapper again.


The big thing is ... all events on a map are saved as part of the Mapxxx file. So you can't have two people working on it, making changes, at the same time.


And have someone in charge of the database, and have everyone else copy that person's files whenever they're updated. This could be you, or it could be the person doing the eventing, since that's usually when you need to make changes to the database.

 

[Sodalis]

That completely makes sense.  Thank you for the answers!

And let me further say, this is the first time I've posted in a forum where I wasn't humiliated for being a newbie and asking a stupid question.  For myself, I've always answered questions when I can wihout pointing out my superiority.  Everyone has got to start somewhere, and in this case, I AM a newbie.  Several people have been involved in answering my question, and in each case have shown the quality of this forum.

Thanks again.

oh, and many more questions on the way!