Questions about High Fantasy Resource Packs

[MisterTorgue]

Firstly does this come with completely new everything (new icon sets e.c.t. as well?) - if I buy the big bundle.

Also has anyone had any experience with it, and know what its like to work with / functionalities e.c.t.

As it looks amazing to me, but it's a lot of money to spend to try something!

 

[Susan]

High Fantasy Mega Bundle contains everything from High Fantasy I, II and The Deep (including the remastered tiles for HFI).

It consists of practically everything needed to create a fantasy setting game since it is made with a completely different style.

It doesn't contain sprites from the High Fantasy Main Party Pack I & II or Monster Legacy.

It does not contain any of the resources from Mythos Horror.

Check out some of the free resources made in this style in PVgames's website:

http://www.pioneervalleygames.com/free-resources.html

The sprites are usually larger than the default 32 x 32 limit, so you would need collision scripts and scripts to fix the 'star' graphic issue.

The tiles are pretty big in comparison to the ones you are used to seeing in the store (RTP, DS, Pixel Myth, etc.)

You can still use the map editor to create maps, but it will be better if you can use an image processing software (eg GIMP) to move tiles around so that you can use specific tiles for specific maps.

In my opinion, parallax mapping is the way to go with these tiles considering the size of the tiles.

 

[MisterTorgue]

When people say "parallax Mapping" it always confuses me, I have never done it so not sure on what I need to do, to achieve this!

Learned a lot so far and just always been curious about this, anyone have a link to a tutorial?

 

[AwesomeCool]

The mega bundle has everything for a game with a front view battle system (and it is a lot of resources).

For the side-view, you should also get the main party pack 1 and 2, and the monster legacy pack.

I love the resources, and yes it comes with everything you need.

You do not need to parallax map with the tiles, but it helps.

 

[Susan]

There are quite a few tutorial available online. Even Celianna is creating one (or maybe it's already complete). Here's one that I used previously:

http://www.rpgmakervxace.net/topic/12299-getting-started-with-parallax-mapping/

You will need an image processing software (eg GIMP) to do this.

And yes, AwesomeCool is right, parallax mapping is not a requirement.

 

[Sharm]

I've moved this thread to Product Discussion and Support. Please be sure to post your threads in the correct forum next time. Thank you.

 

[Jesse - PVGames]

I definitely recommend the parallax route for mapping, not just with my tiles, but pretty much any tiles. The default map editor is not very forgiving, limiting you to a 32x32 pixel grid, which makes everything super square. Parallax lets you easily place items wherever you want. You can of course combine the two methods by creating your parallaxed map first in GIMP, Photoshop, or whatever other program you like, and then adding extra details and map elements in the editor afterwards. 

And thank you to the folk who beat me to answering the questions

The Mega Pack is the High Fantasy 1, 2, and The Deep packs. These are the older packs at this point, the first ones I made (though the High Fantasy 1 pack was re-made so has newer stuff in it) and thus don't have quite the variety of animations and such per character as the latest pack that will be released relatively soon, Wild Steam. The older packs contain mostly 3 frame animation characters, with some updates for 8 frame animation characters. By default, RPGMaker VX Ace utilizes only 3 frames of animation for when a character walks. This is fine for chibi sprites, but isn't optimal for more realistic sprites, which is why I made 8 frame animation character sprites as well - you need scripts to use them, but there are a few options for those, including some you can find in the FAQ section of my website, www.pioneervalleygames.com

If you want side-view battlers, along with more characters, and a toooon more monsters, the Main Party Packs 1 and 2, and Monster Legacy Bundle have all that stuff. Each Main Party pack contains 12 characters, each character has a bunch of different animation character spritesheets, along with battlers for front and side view battles, faces, and more. Same goes with the monsters in the Monster Legacy Bundle. The Mythos Horror bundle is not Fantasy-themed, it is inspired more by H.P.Lovecraft and the Cthulu Mythos, but the characters and monsters in that all have front and side-view battlers, faces, multiple spritesheets, etc. 

But if you really want heavy control over your characters, their appearance, and want better walking animations, running animations, idle animations, and much more, then when the Wild Steam pack comes out that might be worth checking out. It is my first pack in about a year, and is the first pack of my 2nd Generation resources which focus far more on giving you control over the resources, to let you make your own characters and other game elements (for Wild Steam, this also includes letting you make your own steam machines and automatons). You can also read up a bit on that on my website as well if you wish.

Anyways, hope some of this information proves helpful in some way. If you have any other questions, you are always free to send me a PM incase I don't see them in a thread.

 

[Matseb2611]

Yes, if you get all the HF packs (High Fantasy Mega Bundle, Main Party I and II, and Monster Legacy), it's enough resources to create an entire game. Stuff like icons and a few other additions can be found on PVGames website (as Susan linked above). I've done a complete 10+ hour game with this style, so it's very much possible.

With scripts, in addition to the star tile issue that Susan suggested, I would also highly recommend one of the scripts that extends movement frames. The 3-frame walking sprites don't look so good, because the sprites are quite big and look rigid when they walk, so I'd highly suggest to make use of the 8-frame ones (which are also included in the packs). There are 2 scripts that I know of that do this (but might be more out there): Modern Algebra's Extra Movement Frames and Victor's Multi Frames

Edit: Also wanted to say that parallax mapping isn't necessary. Sure, it will make maps look nicer and more detailed, but if you have some skill with using GIMP or Photoshop (which you need to for parallax mapping anyway), you can edit/modify the tilesheets too, like by clumping various objects together and so on. That can save you lots of trouble having to parallax each individual map.

 

[MisterTorgue]

I definitely recommend the parallax route for mapping, not just with my tiles, but pretty much any tiles. The default map editor is not very forgiving, limiting you to a 32x32 pixel grid, which makes everything super square. Parallax lets you easily place items wherever you want. You can of course combine the two methods by creating your parallaxed map first in GIMP, Photoshop, or whatever other program you like, and then adding extra details and map elements in the editor afterwards. 

And thank you to the folk who beat me to answering the questions

The Mega Pack is the High Fantasy 1, 2, and The Deep packs. These are the older packs at this point, the first ones I made (though the High Fantasy 1 pack was re-made so has newer stuff in it) and thus don't have quite the variety of animations and such per character as the latest pack that will be released relatively soon, Wild Steam. The older packs contain mostly 3 frame animation characters, with some updates for 8 frame animation characters. By default, RPGMaker VX Ace utilizes only 3 frames of animation for when a character walks. This is fine for chibi sprites, but isn't optimal for more realistic sprites, which is why I made 8 frame animation character sprites as well - you need scripts to use them, but there are a few options for those, including some you can find in the FAQ section of my website, www.pioneervalleygames.com

If you want side-view battlers, along with more characters, and a toooon more monsters, the Main Party Packs 1 and 2, and Monster Legacy Bundle have all that stuff. Each Main Party pack contains 12 characters, each character has a bunch of different animation character spritesheets, along with battlers for front and side view battles, faces, and more. Same goes with the monsters in the Monster Legacy Bundle. The Mythos Horror bundle is not Fantasy-themed, it is inspired more by H.P.Lovecraft and the Cthulu Mythos, but the characters and monsters in that all have front and side-view battlers, faces, multiple spritesheets, etc. 

But if you really want heavy control over your characters, their appearance, and want better walking animations, running animations, idle animations, and much more, then when the Wild Steam pack comes out that might be worth checking out. It is my first pack in about a year, and is the first pack of my 2nd Generation resources which focus far more on giving you control over the resources, to let you make your own characters and other game elements (for Wild Steam, this also includes letting you make your own steam machines and automatons). You can also read up a bit on that on my website as well if you wish.

Anyways, hope some of this information proves helpful in some way. If you have any other questions, you are always free to send me a PM incase I don't see them in a thread.

This helped greatly thank you so much ( I am going to wait for your new pack to come out, and then I might also buy a couple of the others too!)

Thanks everyone for your help

EDIT: also what are the images standard resolution? (by default are they 640x480) ?

EDITEDIT: Your wild pack looks so good, I really can't wait to see it and use it!

quick question on the 'steam machine' pieces, will this be parallax only or again can just be built with tiles?

 

[metronome]

Seems like your questions have been answered!

I am just here to drop by and say:

"I am not a big fan of parallax mapping either!"

I don't hate it. I am quite okay with photoshop and scripting.

Not sure why, but I get this little feeling telling me that this whole parallax mapping defeats the purpose of me buying the whole resource pack at the first place!

I will do parallax mapping if I decide to draw the whole map (and interiors) using my own hand, instead of using it just for "reorganizing" the resource I get from the pack.

But again, that's my opinions and preferences..

And yes, where is that Wild Steam pack? I thought it is done already! Can't wait to grab it off~~

 

[Susan]

@MisterTorgue:

- The battlebacks and overlays image files were designed to work with a game resolution of 640 x 480, since that was the maximum at that time.

@metronome:

- Parallax mapping is not a requirement for this pack. It just helps especially when you're making larger maps, since the tiles are much bigger than the RTP.

- If I have to keep moving around the tiles in each tilesheet to get the images I want for each map, I may as well go with parallax mapping. Just my opinion as well, though. ^^

 

[MisterTorgue]

Parallax Mapping seems like a good choice, I will need to get my head round how to actually do it... well I know how to do it, but from knowledge into practice is a different matter entirely! 

I am guessing you just use the tileset images to make the parallax anyway? but so you can make it look a lot smoother..

 

[Susan]

Normally, I'll set up a 32 x 32 grid on GIMP so that I have a guideline of where I should placing tiles. Even if you are using pixel movement, it helps, at least it does for me.

Yes, you'll use the images from the tilesets for the mapping. Tiles that should be below and at the same level of your character will be on the "parallax background" layer.

Tiles that should be above the character can be added on as a "picture" layer or via the map editor (via edited tilesets that contain only top layer tiles like roofs).

Be sure to leave two empty tiles on your tilesets for setting passability.

When you get used to parallax mapping, and if you like it, you can try using Yami's Overlay Map script for even more layers.

 

[Matseb2611]

- If I have to keep moving around the tiles in each tilesheet to get the images I want for each map, I may as well go with parallax mapping. Just my opinion as well, though. ^^

The good thing about editing tilesheets is that you can use the same edited tilesheets in as many maps as you need, whereas with parallax mapping you're working on each map separately, which in my opinion greatly extends the overall time it takes to work on the game. I think the ratio of completed games mapped in editor vs those parallax mapped certainly speaks for itself. Parallax mapping is extremely pretty, but it's very time-inefficient.

 

[Jesse - PVGames]

This helped greatly thank you so much ( I am going to wait for your new pack to come out, and then I might also buy a couple of the others too!)

Thanks everyone for your help

EDIT: also what are the images standard resolution? (by default are they 640x480) ?

EDITEDIT: Your wild pack looks so good, I really can't wait to see it and use it!

quick question on the 'steam machine' pieces, will this be parallax only or again can just be built with tiles?

640x480 is generally what I go with.

As for the Steam Machine pieces, and all the other customizable items, those will need to be assembled outside of RPGMaker - RPGMaker does not have the tools to do in-editor editing of graphics. I included some basic tutorials with the pack that should help you along, but I am always willing to answer questions and such if you have any should they arise. Just toss me a PM if you do. 

@Metronome - the pack is done, it's just waiting for release - there is a lot of work that goes into setting up the sales pages and such, and the Degica staff generally have a lot on their plates

 

[amerk]

The good thing about editing tilesheets is that you can use the same edited tilesheets in as many maps as you need, whereas with parallax mapping you're working on each map separately, which in my opinion greatly extends the overall time it takes to work on the game. I think the ratio of completed games mapped in editor vs those parallax mapped certainly speaks for itself. Parallax mapping is extremely pretty, but it's very time-inefficient.

To a point, perhaps. But you are still using tilesets when you parallax map, for the most part. The only difference is that you are using them freely in another software without the editor's limitations. You can still edit and create tilesets for use as in parallax mapping in order to re-use the tilesets.

The only real drawback with parallax is you then have to use scripts for overlays and locking, and animated auto-tiles can be tricky, not to mention making sure you are using the right size in order to export / import the maps, and then having to set up your passabilities.

I suppose with practice, it does become less of a chore, though. And to some it's probably as quick and as efficient as using the editor, but it does take time to learn and get used to.

 

[Matseb2611]

^Yeah. Parallax mapping just takes way too much time for the visual improvement that it offers. I find it that editing a tilesheet (like clumping objects together) can achieve pretty much as good visual effect as parallax mapping, but for a much shorter overall time, because the more maps you use that edited tilesheet in, the more time you've cut down on. I honestly don't think I would've completed as many games if I took up parallax mapping.

 

[Susan]

^ These are all very valid points mentioned by everyone. I am aware of them, and I agree with them.

I did say that it was just my opinion that parallax mapping is the way to go, and that it's not a requirement.

When I kept posting about parallax mapping, they were mostly in response to MisterTorgue's questions. They were not meant to harp on 'Parallax mapping is the only good thing to use'.

He is just being provided with options and he can decide in the end which style he wants to use. I already provided a link to a parallax mapping tutorial. Everyone has a different approach on how they like to map. Did this somehow turn into a debate about the good and evil of parallax mapping, 'cause I'm sure that we can create a thread about that if one doesn't already exist...

I happen to love mapping via the map editor. Like what Matseb mentioned, it saves a lot of time, especially when you are clumping. Also, if I needed to change something the map at any time, it was just as easy as choosing a tile and placing it the map. Unless you have hundreds of layers in GIMP, it's not all that easy. Not hard, but not as easy it could have been in the map editor.

If I turn out as many fun and awesome games as Matseb, I wouldn't want to parallax map either. His games are all about the story, gameplay and overall fun, not about participating in a RM Universe 20xx beauty contest. ^^

Spoiler

(Which reminds me that I have to go and play Atonement... if you will all excuse me.) ^^

You know what I think would really solve the problem?

Unlimited tiles like in RPG Maker XP.

 

[Kaelan]

The trade-off between time and quality exists in all areas of a game. This is another instance of that.

Personally, I prefer making one high quality game over 10 decent ones. It's up to you to decide whether you agree or not for your own game.