Newbie - what game am i making 2D or 3D - im confused

[shanevan]

Hi people 

well im a newbie and know really nothing and im looking to make a game and been playing a couple of programs but kinda settling on RPG

Games i like is (as referral to my question

Fall OUT 1 and 2 ---- Not Fall Out 3 (New Vegas) thats like 3D first person shooter and hated it)

Men of WAR (assault Squad)

As another referral to what i want to develop) The Sims (castaway) along those lines

Now Question one are these games Top View 2D or 3D

Question Two - where is the database ect located in RPG on the computer (looked in the program files directory but only see , but not the database etc -- or are those built in because i DONT want to use the animation pics or what RPG offers - i want to import my own maps etc human forms and faces, weapons  etc 

if i can i want to delete the RPG animated stuff

Question Three  how does one import - eg maps weapons, objects etc or does one just paste it in your project folder 

i am busy looking through the forums and hope to also download all the help files etc 

Do have  - Beginners Guide to RPG Maker VX Ace  - but that only helps you make a first game with the RPG default characters etc

now i may be jumping so yes i realise that bit for any wanting to try convince me otherwise what i want to try do is follow the guide to make my first game but using my own characters, scripts, sprites maps tiles etc - i reason i believe even if i fail i will learn a lot more than just parroting the first game and well i can always parrot after a couple of failures but i will still have learned more 

 

[Celianna]

RPG Maker is obviously 2D, and its perspective is top-town, ala Zelda or Pokemon style.


The database can be found in RPG Maker itself - I have no idea why you're browsing program files here. Just start a new project, and click the button at the top that says 'database' or press F9. You set up the database for each new project, and yes, you can completely ignore and not use the default graphics and replace it with your own. Find some importing guides or read the help file, as you do have to adhere to some image specifications.


That said, RPG Maker isn't really suited to make the kind of games that you listed. First and foremost, it's for RPGs (turn based battle system by default). You can do other genres such as visual novels, puzzle games or even farming games, but anything else would probably require you to start using scripts so that you can bend RPG Maker into doing what you want. I really only recommend this for more intermediate users, definitely not for beginners.

 

[Andar]

1) RPGM is basically 2D and will stay that way. you can give it the appearance of something isometric by replacing the artwork (look into the shop, the High Fantasy Packs are an example).

2&3) Go take a few hours to explore the editor - one of the menu options is the resource manager that can be used to import sprites, tilesheets, pictures, music and other forms of resources to be used in a game project.

I strongly advice you to follow the link in my signature and work through the info, tips and tutorials linked here. Your post is very confusing because you're mixing nomenclature that is used in other games with some that is used in RM, and you need to get a bit more knowledge in the basics of using RM before you can even try to make a game like your examples.

 

[shanevan]

Hi thanks for response 

ok - i was on game maker but was kinda told that it would not make a character interface - eg. shoot run crouch kneel, lay down throw aim etc, similar to FALL OUT AND MOW 

also please what are those games - the sims - Fall OUT< MOW are they 2D or 3D top view 

and if im going to have problem with RPG then what game maker do you suggest 

should i be back looking at game maker or unity 

RPG Maker is obviously 2D, and its perspective is top-town, ala Zelda or Pokemon style.

The database can be found in RPG Maker itself - I have no idea why you're browsing program files here. Just start a new project, and click the button at the top that says 'database' or press F9. You set up the database for each new project, and yes, you can completely ignore and not use the default graphics and replace it with your own. Find some importing guides or read the help file, as you do have to adhere to some image specifications.

That said, RPG Maker isn't really suited to make the kind of games that you listed. First and foremost, it's for RPGs (turn based battle system by default). You can do other genres such as visual novels, puzzle games or even farming games, but anything else would probably require you to start using scripts so that you can bend RPG Maker into doing what you want. I really only recommend this for more intermediate users, definitely not for beginners.

 

[Marian Hurricane]

2D. It's a bit hard to understand what you're looking for, but I -assume- what your goal is includes isometric maps and CG rendered sprites. While there are scripts you can use for the former, I wouldn't recommend that for a beginner. If you just want to change the art style, there are packs available, like Andar mentioned, that might be more in line with what you're looking for.

 

[Andar]

and if im going to have problem with RPG then what game maker do you suggest should i be back looking at game maker or unity

Every game maker on this site has either a free trial (time limited) or a lite version (no time limit, but limited number of objects).

So simply test everything for a week and see how you can use them.

Game making is something that requires months for even a simple game, so it should not matter if you add another four weeks to test four different engines before deciding which one to use.

Even the people on this site change which maker they use (if they own several makers, what some of them do) depending on what game they want to make - because each and every engine has it's advantages and disadvantages. Add to that the fact that different people are comfortable with different ways of solving problems, no one can really tell you which maker would be best for you on such limited data of what you want to make.

Either you can give us a complete game concept (something at least three or four pages long and better written in a PDF, not a forum post) - then we can tell you what maker would be best to make that game based on available options and scripts.

Or you simply take the weeks to test with which maker you're more comfortable.

 

[shanevan]

Hi

i wanne make a game along (Fall Out & Fall Out 2) lines 

Every game maker on this site has either a free trial (time limited) or a lite version (no time limit, but limited number of objects).

So simply test everything for a week and see how you can use them.

Game making is something that requires months for even a simple game, so it should not matter if you add another four weeks to test four different engines before deciding which one to use.

Even the people on this site change which maker they use (if they own several makers, what some of them do) depending on what game they want to make - because each and every engine has it's advantages and disadvantages. Add to that the fact that different people are comfortable with different ways of solving problems, no one can really tell you which maker would be best for you on such limited data of what you want to make.

Either you can give us a complete game concept (something at least three or four pages long and better written in a PDF, not a forum post) - then we can tell you what maker would be best to make that game based on available options and scripts.

Or you simply take the weeks to test with which maker you're more comfortable.

 

[Andar]

i wanne make a game along (Fall Out & Fall Out 2) lines 

That is not a complete 3-4 pages long game concept ;-)

Seriously?

One of the basic advices in my starting point topic is NOT to make your first game project your "dream game".

Instead of that, select any crap idea and use your first project to simply learn the engine you want to use - in most cases that first project will never be completed anyway, but what you learn in those first weeks or months is extremely valuable when later starting your "dream game project".

If you try to shortcut that or if you tell me that you don't have the time to waste on a "crap project", then my answer to that is that you will never complete your "dream game", because game developing is always a lot of work - fun work, but work none the less.

There is no single perfect answer for everything - we can only help with specific cases after you started to put in the time and work to make a game.

 

[shanevan]

HI

ok its not a dream project and obviously its going to be nowhere near what those games are its going to be a very basic - just like the first game project in RPG all im going to do is use my own graphics and try add a couple of scripts etc sure i will fail but then i will start over and i will make slow progress, anybody newbie can follow the tutorial and make their first game, thats exactly what im going to do 

- i not looking to conquer the world maybe only a small little modern town and maybe 100 zombies and instead of turn based i want to use time based as im also not a fan of action points 

shortened concept version is survival (like Sims) eat sleep and collect supplies -completing some quests, being able to fight, shoot, jump, run, throw grenades, etc

being able to barricade a building or garage to make a base for protection 

being able to collect various objects needed to create a solar power system or whatever

being able to once you have all thats needed taking a bus or vehicle and reinforcing it - like grills on windows etc

bing able to control NPC characters to join you or help you or to give commands like go out and forage or collect etc

all im trying to do is actually find out if RPG can be used to make a game with fall out type movement and being able to do the above

That is not a complete 3-4 pages long game concept ;-)

Seriously?

One of the basic advices in my starting point topic is NOT to make your first game project your "dream game".

Instead of that, select any crap idea and use your first project to simply learn the engine you want to use - in most cases that first project will never be completed anyway, but what you learn in those first weeks or months is extremely valuable when later starting your "dream game project".

If you try to shortcut that or if you tell me that you don't have the time to waste on a "crap project", then my answer to that is that you will never complete your "dream game", because game developing is always a lot of work - fun work, but work none the less.

There is no single perfect answer for everything - we can only help with specific cases after you started to put in the time and work to make a game.

 

[Celianna]

shortened concept version is survival (like Sims) eat sleep and collect supplies -completing some quests, being able to fight,

Default in RPG Maker; it comes with a completed battle system ready to be used. If you don't like it, there's scripts out there that can give you a different battle system.

shoot,

Define 'shoot'. Guns? Bows? Do you see the bullet/arrow on the screen hit a target?

jump, run,

Default in RPG Maker.

throw grenades,

You would need a grenade graphic, and an explosion graphic, pretty simple actually.

being able to barricade a building or garage to make a base for protection

If I break this down into simple RPG Maker terms, you want to make events (NPCs) not pass through a certain point. Yup, definitely possible.

being able to collect various objects needed to create a solar power system or whatever

You can create any item you want, and this item can be collected, and you can use this item as a condition for many, many things.

being able to once you have all thats needed taking a bus or vehicle and reinforcing it - like grills on windows etc

Same as before, just simple switches. So yes, you can. You'd need the graphics to pull it off though.

bing able to control NPC characters to join you or help you or to give commands like go out and forage or collect etc

Sure, you can. But it would be difficult to actually see them doing it (so you see the NPC walk around trying to find a flower). Making them disappear and appear with the requested item in X amount of seconds is definitely possible though.

all im trying to do is actually find out if RPG can be used to make a game with fall out type movement and being able to do the above

Try it out (there's a 30 day trial), and learn some game logic. A lot of 'features' that you describe, can be made with RPG Maker because it's all just logic. So instead of calling it 'throwing a grenade' you'd say 'move an event away from the player over X amount of tiles, and then change its event page'.

 

[shanevan]

Thankyou on Studio game maker i was advised to rather try the RPG as it would give more options - because after making the first tutorial game on game maker i was looking at apples, bombs, bananas, cherries etc clicking them with my mouse and scoring pints while bombs accumulated on the screen, and after that i sat there and thought OK that took me no where near the direction i want to play in and i was even more in the dark 

Another Question will i be able to have a eat sleep sought of interface - i know i could probably adapt the health bar and other bar to count  down over time and when they reach certain levels to create events for teh character - BUT what about the character interface or menu bar or would i need a script 

also been looking on the net for generator (busy downloading MakeHuman at the moment) actually must have about 10 generators but cant find a simplified one --- BUT is there a generator that you know of that can create characters, like children older people with age looks etc as in the Sims 

OH and as for upgrading vehicle i looking at more have vehicle in garage and then adding things to it and then saying complete 

just like in a way equipping your character with various weapons etc, clothing whatever in different pockets etc before mission or going out

Default in RPG Maker; it comes with a completed battle system ready to be used. If you don't like it, there's scripts out there that can give you a different battle system.


Define 'shoot'. Guns? Bows? Do you see the bullet/arrow on the screen hit a target?

Default in RPG Maker.

You would need a grenade graphic, and an explosion graphic, pretty simple actually.

If I break this down into simple RPG Maker terms, you want to make events (NPCs) not pass through a certain point. Yup, definitely possible.

You can create any item you want, and this item can be collected, and you can use this item as a condition for many, many things.

Same as before, just simple switches. So yes, you can. You'd need the graphics to pull it off though.

Sure, you can. But it would be difficult to actually see them doing it (so you see the NPC walk around trying to find a flower). Making them disappear and appear with the requested item in X amount of seconds is definitely possible though.
 

Try it out (there's a 30 day trial), and learn some game logic. A lot of 'features' that you describe, can be made with RPG Maker because it's all just logic. So instead of calling it 'throwing a grenade' you'd say 'move an event away from the player over X amount of tiles, and then change its event page'.

 

[Andar]

Another Question will i be able to have a eat sleep sought of interface - i know i could probably adapt the health bar and other bar to count  down over time and when they reach certain levels to create events for teh character - BUT what about the character interface or menu bar or would i need a script 
also been looking on the net for generator (busy downloading MakeHuman at the moment) actually must have about 10 generators but cant find a simplified one --- BUT is there a generator that you know of that can create characters, like children older people with age looks etc as in the Sims 

1) yes, even with simple events instead of scripting - there is a tutorial on this site (sorry, don't have the link - search for hunger) that describes exactly how you do that with events.

2) Ace has a build-in character generator for sprites and faces. It's more targeted to fantasy at the moment, but more parts can be added - and there is always the request forum to ask for modifications of those faces that don't fit your game idea.

 

[shanevan]

1) yes, even with simple events instead of scripting - there is a tutorial on this site (sorry, don't have the link - search for hunger) that describes exactly how you do that with events.

2) Ace has a build-in character generator for sprites and faces. It's more targeted to fantasy at the moment, but more parts can be added - and there is always the request forum to ask for modifications of those faces that don't fit your game idea.

was just asking about generator because someone had asked that question for specific age - young or older with features and he was having no luck so i went searching on the net and well not much luck either as for help forum already have about 42 pages of screen capture lol, so i will get around to probably another few 100 or so screenshot page advice LOL

Ok thanks a lot for your guidance and help

 

[Shaz]

I've seen scripts that will handle different character poses. But depending on how close to RPG you're after, IG Maker might actually be more suitable for you. Harder to use, imo, but more flexible. Download it (from Enterbrain/Degica as well, so just go to the forum store) and give the 30 day trial a go.