RPG Maker MZ Academy

[casper667]

RPG Maker MZ Academy
Project by: Casper Gaming
Version 3.0.0
Last Update: April 27, 2021​

The RPG Maker MZ Academy is a learning resource in a school setting. In the game, you progress through grade levels while learning increasingly complex things about the editor as you move up grades. You can also open the project up in the editor to see how things were done. Take a quiz after each lesson to prove your mastery. Can you pass every quiz?

Note: This version contains the first, second, and third grade levels, which provide a basic introduction to the editor and some basic event creation knowledge. Lessons cover how to navigate the editor, event pages, and some simple event commands.

Spoiler: Video

The project can be downloaded from: https://www.caspergaming.com/tutorials/mzacademy/
After download, extract the contents and open it up in the editor. From here you can either playtest or look at how something was done by clicking on events in the editor.

Note: You can also play the game without downloading in browser on my website by scrolling past the screenshots and clicking the play button.

Spoiler: Screenshots

The lobby of the RPG Maker MZ Academy

Learning about the Airship vehicle

A lesson which teaches the player about map properties, including looping and parallax

A lesson that teaches about quick events

Project created by Casper Gaming using Casper Gaming and RPG Maker MZ RTP assets only.

The RPG Maker MZ Academy comes with some non-RTP assets made by Casper Gaming. If you want to use these non-RTP assets in your own project, please follow the terms at: https://www.caspergaming.com/terms-of-use/

 

[casper667]

Hi all, it took me a little bit longer than I would have liked but I finally got to the second grade level for this project in the latest update. The second grade goes over event pages (event image, auto movement, conditions, etc) as well as some simple event commands and a very very basic intro to switches/variables.

 

[Crazya]

Hey! I just came across your project while going through the forums. As someone completely new to the RPGMaker series... this is incredible and a unique way to learn the basics+ of the system! Thank you for sharing this. I think I'll be messing around with this more!

Are you planning to add more to it?

 

[casper667]

@Crazya Glad you found it useful, eventually I plan to have 10 grade levels for everything from the very basics (already there mostly) to the most advanced things the base editor is capable of without getting into plugins. It takes quite a bit of work to make these lessons so it will probably be quite some time before it's all done though.

 

[Trihan]

Just a small sidenote that it might benefit you to consider: just asking "boy" or "girl" in the gender question is potentially going to alienate your project to any non-binary person who's interested in learning how RM works. I'd consider adding at least an "other" choice.

Also, you may want to revisit the "Developer Controls" room; ctrl only works in test play, so the browser version is impossible to complete.

 

[casper667]

@Trihan thanks for the feedback.

For the dev controls room I do have one of the NPCs accessible without using ctrl say something about how they only work when the game is launched from within the editor. I guess I should make it more clear that the whole room is mostly only going to work in the in-editor version, and I can add in something to teleport you to the other side and back so it is still completable in browser even though in-browser won't really be able to actually see the dev controls in action. I originally thought about making these controls work even in the deployed version, but then it might be confusing if I say they only work in-editor and someone is playing the web version and sees them working.

As for the boy/girl choice, I can add in an "other" option.

 

[Trihan]

@Trihan thanks for the feedback.

For the dev controls room I do have one of the NPCs accessible without using ctrl say something about how they only work when the game is launched from within the editor. I guess I should make it more clear that the whole room is mostly only going to work in the in-editor version, and I can add in something to teleport you to the other side and back so it is still completable in browser even though in-browser won't really be able to actually see the dev controls in action. I originally thought about making these controls work even in the deployed version, but then it might be confusing if I say they only work in-editor and someone is playing the web version and sees them working.

As for the boy/girl choice, I can add in an "other" option.

I think the main issue really that I can see is people who decide to do the browser version instead of downloading but do the "dev controls" room last, so they've put in all that effort but can't "pass" grade 1 through no fault of their own.

 

[casper667]

Hi all, update to this project today:

The RPG Maker MZ Academy has been updated to version 3.0.0! This update adds the third grade level, which provides an introduction to many of the simpler event commands and aims at familiarizing you with what each event command covered can do on its own without going into complex examples of combining event commands (will be a later grade level). It also adds some other minor things and fixes the deployed version to allow you to complete the Developer Tools lesson.

Changes:
+ Added the third grade which covers simple event commands
+ Added some NPCs in the lobby of each level to explain mechanics
+ Added a third option when choosing gender
~ Bugfix for some NPCs having inconsistent name colors
+ [Web Version] Added a way to complete the first grade's Developer Controls lesson

 

[Azihayya]

Hey! I played through up to level 4, under construction on the web version! I loved it! I just want to meet someone who will change the background music for me...

I'd love to offer you encouragement to continue developing this; I found this helpful and engaging.

 

[casper667]

@Azihayya Glad you liked it

You can change the background music by talking to the NPC next to the piano in the basement (go to the elevator near the stairs and choose "basement")

 

[Timteamouse]

Why can't I down load this from the site?

 

[casper667]

@Timteamouse Are you getting some kind of error?

 

[Trihan]

One minor correction in grade 2: ! in a character doesn't cause a shift, it *prevents* it. The shift is a default feature to ensure characters line up properly with tile edges. (the NPC who explains this describes it correctly, but the quiz itself accepts the wrong answer as correct)

 

[casper667]

@Trihan good catch, I must have got them mixed up when writing it, will be fixed in next version

 

[FlashMagic]

im sorry to ask, but I can not for the life of me figure out how to get the version with past grade 3.....

 

[casper667]

@FlashMagic The other floors are not yet done, it is a work in progress still.

 

[FlashMagic]

it was super helpful to start off though. I appreciate it!

 

[Arctica]

Before I forget... this had inspired me to buy MZ. Yeah I played your tutorial game and was like "ok im gonna buy this tomorrow".

 

[dm604]

Just want to let you know that I bought MZ during Steam summer sale.
Got pass the tutorial, but I couldn't wrap my head around event pages and switches.

Couldn't even create a gate that closes automatically, so I quit, duh!

However, I started and finished your tutorial about a week ago and I've been making my first game since then.

Your lessons are very very helpful. Thank you!

 

[Timteamouse]

Has this been completed. Or there is more to update.