So, uh, what's this RPG Maker Unite thing?

[Shaz]

I wonder if this is really an issue?

I wonder if "no plugin manager" also means "no plugin command". Are we back to script calls again?

 

[CG-Tespy]

I actually have a good amount of experience with Unity, and there are some things I'd like to address by responding to the posts below.

I wonder if this is really an issue? If this RPG Maker is based on Unity, it should more or less run in Unity itself, right? So one could easily simply import C# scripts into the Unity project?

Yes, one simply could. You just have to double-click the file containing the packaged plugin and go through the quite-simple import process that Unity starts up when you do that. It's far from inconvenient... In fact, I'd say it's more convenient than having to copy-paste scripts into the js folder of your MV project, to then start up the Plugin Manager (PM) to register that script in your project.

the plugin manager made using scripts easier for non-programmers, because the plugins basically are scripts in a wrapping container that allowed the editor to create an easier interface for using that script.

requiring direct edits to the core scripts again (like in VXAce and earlier) to allow adding scripts is a step back for most people.

Indeed, the PM certainly made things easier for non-programmers in the versions of RM that had it... and it's mostly unnecessary for Unite, given how Unity handles scripts. See what I said above in response to retrofiction's question. The only catch is that plugin-creators will have to add in their own interfaces for configuring the settings, but that shouldn't be too difficult (especially if they're good at scripting custom windows in Unity).

It shouldn't be much (if at all) a step back from what we're used to.

I wonder if "no plugin manager" also means "no plugin command". Are we back to script calls again?

I believe that there's a good chance that RMU will have something similar to Plugin Command; naturally, you'd want to be able to execute third-party script functionality in whatever new visual-scripting system this new entry will introduce. Unity doesn't even have anything similar to Script Calls built in, and I'm sure the RMU devs will make the right choice here.


Now, I hope I've eased the worries of the lack of a Plugin Manager in Unite. If you want a tl;dr on it, here:
Unite won't need a PM due to how easy it already is to import custom scripts into Unity. There's a very good chance that the devs will incorporate something like Plugin Command in the future, too.


On another note, when I saw the first devlog, I was pretty worried... It looked like they were going to limit the custom editor-scripting to the Inspector, what with how one of the screenshots had you setting up character details through that. It felt like they didn't have programmers on their team that could handle porting RM features through separate custom windows.

After seeing the second devlog, it seems they indeed did have such programmers; this gave me hope that they'll move character-customization out of the Inspector and into a custom window. And that they'll have something at least as convenient as the one holding the older RMs' Database.

Maybe I'm starting to look at things in rose-tinted glasses... I'll be staying cautiously optimistic.

 

[Andar]

the third devlog is out on steam, containing some asset definitions on pixelsizes and fileformats and so on.
looks very good (grid base 96x96, but the strict framerate is gone for sprites etx).

however some of the numbers look like typo's, as the minimum is sometimes listed as 96x96 and other times as 98x98. @Touchfuzzy can you check if that is a typo or if they really have that form of mixed base numbers?

 

[Touchfuzzy]

the third devlog is out on steam, containing some asset definitions on pixelsizes and fileformats and so on.
looks very good (grid base 96x96, but the strict framerate is gone for sprites etx).

however some of the numbers look like typo's, as the minimum is sometimes listed as 96x96 and other times as 98x98. @Touchfuzzy can you check if that is a typo or if they really have that form of mixed base numbers?

I would guess it is a typo and should be 96x96 throughout, but I'll make sure.

 

[Andar]

I would guess it is a typo and should be 96x96 throughout, but I'll make sure.

I'm not as sure because some of the post mentions a 1-pixel-frame for distancing, and it is nowhere specified if that frame is part of the cell or added to the cell. and that might be the difference between 96x96 and 98x98.

 

[BreakerZero]

I'm not as sure because some of the post mentions a 1-pixel-frame for distancing, and it is nowhere specified if that frame is part of the cell or added to the cell. and that might be the difference between 96x96 and 98x98.

Or maybe it is battlers vs. maps vs. characters. But at least we have an asset converter for anything we already have and they kept the JSON data structure.

 

[nijiko]

Still waiting for them to solve actual issues of Unity. Right now it just looks like a glorified tile mapper, which unity already has like 4-8 of and with playmaker you can basically code the entire game without ever touching code e.g. you can easily add the actor systems, and there is zero need for an animation system -- for battle system you can do playmaker or buy the very well made OTK system and piece it together in an hour.

I really don't see the point of this tool yet (in unity) other than being able to use rpg maker assets?

 

[123edc]

the point is, to prevent us from buying current assets,
(since all the sprites from the mz character packs won't be compatible with the new artstyle ;( )

 

[Sal-O-Mac]

I'm gonna be dating myself here but dammit the 2x2 auto-tile system is such a let down. They first introduced it with VX as if it was an improvement to the 3x3 format and it wasn't. All it did was make autotiles rigid, blocky and far less versatile. Now we're just stuck with it with every Iteration it seems. FML.

RMXP still handles auto-tiles the best.

I'm happy to see that "Unite" gives us the option to circumvent autotiles entirely without having a bunch of unused spots in the tile page so that's good. I'll wait for further mapping details before casting judgement but so far the tiles are MV,MZ but now in HD which I can't help but be a little disappointed by. It almost seems like a style clash in the strangest way...

Probably just me.

 

[Nenen]

I'm glad about this too

"The default assets contained in past RPG Makers can also be modified for RPG Maker Unite’s use, as long as they follow the terms detailed in the EULA."

---

RMXP still handles auto-tiles the best.

It sounds like the new system will allow you to customize at least some parts of it. (as in If you want every tile to be Animated, you can do that)
Hopefully they allow some customizability in how the auto-tiling is done...

 

[BreakerZero]

This. Part. Rocks.

The default assets contained in past RPG Makers can also be modified for RPG Maker Unite’s use, as long as they follow the terms detailed in the EULA.

I was legitimately concerned based on the initial devlog that this would not be happening.

 

[Zeriab]

Can't wait to see what sort of options there are for adding functionality via MonoBehaviors (custom and official alike)
Hoping for many ways to add new configurations via ScriptableObjects.
After using Unity for the past couple of years I have become a fan of being able to edit the editor to support my workflows.

*hugs*
- Zeriab

 

[watermark]

Still waiting for them to solve actual issues of Unity. Right now it just looks like a glorified tile mapper, which unity already has like 4-8 of and with playmaker you can basically code the entire game without ever touching code e.g. you can easily add the actor systems, and there is zero need for an animation system -- for battle system you can do playmaker or buy the very well made OTK system and piece it together in an hour.

I really don't see the point of this tool yet (in unity) other than being able to use rpg maker assets?

Well, I do look forward to it because it is a complete package actually.

I've used packages like Playmaker in the past. Maybe I'm just not that good of a coder, but it's a nightmare to get different packages to work together. This gets even worse when one of them updates. I like the idea of a single unified package that has all the features I'm familiar with that theoretically, should update smoothly.

Of course, if you can piece different packs together great for you! You can save money! But for not-so-great coders like me, it's just not feasible.

I've always liked RM because of it's ease of use and UI design. I am hoping that Unite continues this tradition.

 

[nijiko]

Well, I do look forward to it because it is a complete package actually.

I've used packages like Playmaker in the past. Maybe I'm just not that good of a coder, but it's a nightmare to get different packages to work together. This gets even worse when one of them updates. I like the idea of a single unified package that has all the features I'm familiar with that theoretically, should update smoothly.

Of course, if you can piece different packs together great for you! You can save money! But for not-so-great coders like me, it's just not feasible.

I've always like RM because of it's ease of use and UI design. I am hoping that Unite continues this tradition.

Except now all modifications have to be inside the engine which when it updates will not be possible. So you'll never be able to truly modify the engine, unless someone builds a plugin system. Once again, not solving any issues of Unity only making them worse.

 

[BreakerZero]

Except now all modifications have to be inside the engine which when it updates will not be possible. So you'll never be able to truly modify the engine, unless someone builds a plugin system. Once again, not solving any issues of Unity only making them worse.

I guess that depends on if they use a system like with MZ where you can patch your project on the fly, or if it is like past versions where the initial version used doesn't necessarily matter. I would have to check, but my primary dev machine is in the other room and I am still a few days short of coming out of hibernation due to Covid.

 

[CG-Tespy]

Except now all modifications have to be inside the engine which when it updates will not be possible. So you'll never be able to truly modify the engine, unless someone builds a plugin system. Once again, not solving any issues of Unity only making them worse.

Unless the API is that badly designed or closed-off, you can indeed extend the functionality without some added plugin system; Unity has one built-in and you can use that.

 

[nijiko]

Unless the API is that badly designed or closed-off, you can indeed extend the functionality without some added plugin system; Unity has one built-in and you can use that.

It's not built for this. It's built for making something like what they are making, not third party development onto a unity plugin.

I guess that depends on if they use a system like with MZ where you can patch your project on the fly, or if it is like past versions where the initial version used doesn't necessarily matter.

You'll most likely have to modify the actual plugin source scripts or overload them, which then we will have to have some sort of management system because no management system for overloading will be the wild west.

But we will see. At least we can probably finally get to use the assets in unity games.

 

[CG-Tespy]

It's not built for this. It's built for making something like what they are making, not third party development onto a unity plugin.

I'm not sure what you mean, exactly. Please elaborate

 

[BreakerZero]

Dev log 4 is out. They have made a big number of changes to how game switches are visualized and they reversed course on a successor to the plugin system. Also, editing for existing Unity assets beyond RPG Maker is mentioned as an option. Downside is that there is no plan for a character generator due to the model changes.

 

[123edc]

Downside is that there is no plan for a character generator due to the model changes.

well ... that 100% depends on how well their programm can convert our "old" (mv / mz) parts into their new style ...

if that works well we could re-use them [which would be a realy huge plus, since we probably won't see upgrades of them ... and buying all the character packs again would be a pretty big no-no] ... if that doesn't work it's stupid x.x