Suggestions for the next RPG Maker

[Engr. Adiktuzmiko]

I never said you can't do ABS, I just said that it wasn't the default system that the engine was made for...

 

[Rukiri]

I think it'll come down to, how complex is the said system and can the engine handle it?  

Can RPG Maker handle a faster paced seiken densetsu 3? probably, but some limitations are indirectly due to the editor not rgss/3.

 

[cybrim]

1. If they implement the "side-view" (rm2k3-style, like this



) battle system. And allowed users to choose "Active" or "Turn" system in the system tab of the database, at the bottom of the options category's list (under where it says "Reserve Members' EXP"), if you want to do a custom system just leave out your character's battle sprites. Also have the ability to have different character animation sets for different abilities like "Black Magic", "White magic" and "Technique" could all have different character posses and effects, up to the number of "Skill Types" under the "Terms" tab per character.
-Edit: I found the video on youtube when I was looking up RPG Maker and side view battle system, rm2k3 just happens to have one.

2. Allow for different types of battle transitions, for instance say you want to roulette between more than one transition so battles have different lead-ins, and the ability to choose wipe (the screen is erased from a selected side to the opposite light to dark or vise-versa), fade (the screen filters into the battle), hour-glass (like wipe but it pours like sand to the bottom of the screen), peel (like the turning of a page, first black or white then the other) effects to change how the transition occurs.

3. Plug-ins plus scripts: This way people can make scripts but there would be official support to buy plug-ins that would be updated, to generate more income.

4. A character generator resource section so i can add hair styles, eye shapes... ect.

5. Template Gear. Like when you right click on a map you can load a pre-made map but for classes, items, weapons, armor... ect.

6. Allow creators to set specific EXP per level if they want.

7. Have a "memory" tab in the map editor where I can store event items that i need for easy access, that could tell me every map and coordinate a specific event is when I right click on it, or allow me to drag and drop if I need it.

 

[Engr. Adiktuzmiko]

Uhm, you can add things to the generator right now... there is a tutorial here for that...


Template gears, arent the default items suffice for that???

 

[2d_quest]

File and Edit Menu Additions and Fixes

Exporting and Importing Level Maps (including their tile arrangements and events)

-the map would look the same if the correct tile resources and event graphics are also loaded into the game by you.

            -this would really help 2 people working on a game or if you want to import into another of your own games.

Save As

            -sometimes I want to change something without overwriting my game file

            incase I think something could possibly go wrong.

            -maybe allowing you to save multiple make files that reference the same resource directory as well.

Don't give save prompt on test running game

-right now it runs the last saved version if you don't save, so there's no way to test what you've done and revert to the last save if something goes wrong

                        (it requires a save to test changes after the last save)

-I'd rather it run the game that would be if you had saved, but not save so if something goes wrong in the test you can revert back to the last save. 

Undos

            -about 2 to 3 times as many are needed.

Redos

            -not sure why we don't have these when we've got Undos.

Sound Test (fix)

            -should stop sounds when you click close (why do they keep playing?)

 

[Engr. Adiktuzmiko]

1) technically doable right now, but not as good as that one


2) yeah, maybe... though if your project is huge, this means file size bloating


3) Would be helpful...


4) unlimited if possible


5) my same questions


6) really needed

 

[DS Piron]

Sound Test (fix)


            -should stop sounds when you click close (why do they keep playing?)

So you can listen to your game's soundtrack while you work, methinks.
[...but then again, if that was desired, then one could just play the music files directly...]


EDIT: Yep, it's a feature.

Audio playback continues even after you close the dialog box, allowing you to use this command to play music while you create your game.

 

[Caustic]

So you can listen to your game's soundtrack while you work, methinks.

[...but then again, if that was desired, then one could just play the music files directly...]

Just press "Stop" before exiting.

But yeah, they should just make it stop upon exit, and maybe a checkbox to allow for continuous play post-close.

That would make more sense, in my mind.

 

[Zoltor]

Stop telling us what type of switches/page conditions can be used on a page.

Have it like the original PS RPG Maker, where there is just 6 empty slots(perhaps increase it to 8 slots to be on the safe side, however even with 6, I never ran into limitation issues, so make sure there's atleast 6), and you can put what ever type of switches/page conditions you want(switches, char in your party, items in inventory, ect).

I can't even fathom why the RPG Makers that came after changed that, that's the one thing that was flawless as is, these fixed switch/page condition type layouts that are used in the modern RPG Makers, is a huge step down, as far as setting event requirements go.

 

[DS Piron]

Stop telling us what type of switches/page conditions can be used on a page.

Have it like the original PS RPG Maker, where there is just 6 empty slots(perhaps increase it to 8 slots to be on the safe side, however even with 6, I never ran into limitation issues, so make sure there's atleast 6), and you can put what ever type of switches/page conditions you want(switches, char in your party, items in inventory, ect).

I can't even fathom why the RPG Makers that came after changed that, that's the one thing that was flawless as is, these fixed switch/page condition type layouts that are used in the modern RPG Makers, is a huge step down, as far as setting event requirements go.

I double checked, appearentaly the PS version actually came between 95 and 2000, so, erm... it's not exactly the original, so much as it is a port to the Playstation... So they probably stuck with what was already there...

That said, it does seem like it could be helpful

 

[djDarkX]

@theodoric

It's true, RPG Maker VX ACE is not midi-user friendly. We can't import midi using resource manager in RPG maker VXACE, which is so much a hassle for us.

MIdi also can't loop properly like OGG... But, I love Midi because of its minimum size.

I'd rather have support for module music since it's MIDI with sampled instruments, so the best of both worlds, if done properly.  MIDI is really outdated by this point.  Most people take MIDI files and throw them into a DAW, render and loop.  Done.  Still, for high quality music, you'd need to have experience in doing that kinda stuff.

 

[2d_quest]

New Event Codes

more self switches

            -2 to 3 times as many at least

            -I'm always running out on characters

create/spawn an event

            -could use select event to spawn the same way you select a location to change to

            -instancing can really help in larger projects

            -do 2 crates or flowers really need unique programming?

-this needs to be added

checking if system data is equal to a variable

            -without having to set a secondary variable to the data

            -eg:  gold, hp, mp. tp, level, everything in "get location info"

            -all these we should have easy access to checking against a variable

change priority

-allow you to change whether an event is above, below, or at the same height as a character in a move route inside an event.

-without this you might need several event pages based what angle when player occupies the same space as an object or character.

remember position (on/off)

            -will keep position of event when level is revisited

            -can be turned on and off for individual events

            -running into problems doing moved blocks staying on switches without it

remember state (on/off)

-similar to last idea, but this remember the exact state the event was in last when you return to the map if you've turned it on in the given event.

P.S.  I'm for midi support and you should be able to add them as resources.  Does DAW actually keep the editable notes or not? What opens it?

 

[Engr. Adiktuzmiko]

create/spawn an event

Would be useful...

checking if system data is equal to a variable

Actually, doable right now without any extra scripts (in the script editor) or whatever... why? since you can actually use a script line in the Conditional branch conditions...

change priority

Or direction based priority

remember position (on/off)

yeah

remember state (on/off)

define state... since AFAIK, events do retain their "state", only position is not...

I'm for midi support and you should be able to add them as resources

You COULD add any file as a resource, you just won't be able to use it...

 

[MagicMagor]

I find ACE already being pretty good, especially with RGSS. However the things that bugs me most can be avoided with a simple guideline:

No more hardcoded game-related values, either in the DLL or in RGSS

What i mean with this are things like that Skill#1 is used as the basic attack or that the maximum TP is 100 etc. All these can be changed in the scripts but i always find that odd. Changing for example the maximum TP to be a character-based value involves quite some amount of scripting, when i could be just a simple setting on the actor- (or class)-tab in the database.

There  could be an "advanced"-button on these tabs if incorparting everything at once may look confusing to newbies.

Also the fact that the window-skin and game-over screen can't be easily changed in the database is an odd decision. Instead it is hardcoded what file it looks for and changing can only be done by swapping the file. You could change window-skin and game-over screen in previous maker, so why this step backwards?

 

[Caustic]

@MagicMagor: Again, I think it was for the sake of simplicity and cutting down the size of the DB as a whole. And it's not as if every person is going to edit these things; many would just be happy with cranking out a game with the basics in place, and maybe some additional scripts to change things that aren't normally allowed by the system (ie - changing away from turn-based combat, or allowing for larger portraits rather than just small boxes). Keep in mind that every addition made adds to the price, whether it be profit or loss for EB, so there's a balance between what needs to be added and what can be added but not necessarily as a necessity.

That aside, there is a strong coding base for RM, and  plenty of coders are willing and able to make scripts to change things both minor and major, without asking for anything more than recognition (at least for most free projects). I do agree that it would be nice to be able to more easily edit the code, whether via graphical interface or direct raw code edits, but programming is always a pain for those starting out, no matter the language.

 

[Engr. Adiktuzmiko]

As far as my experience in the other makers is concerned, changing windowskin is the same for all of them, you need to change the file if you want to change windowskin... also, in case you can choose another file, what difference does it bring? it's still just 1 file for the windowskin...


and really, at the end of the day, the core of each game still relies in the codes...

 

[2d_quest]

about: checking if system data is equal to a variable

Actually, doable right now without any extra scripts (in the script editor) or whatever... why? since you can actually use a script line in the Conditional branch conditions...

Really I think it's reasonable to ask that when you check if something's equal to a value in conditional branches you can also select a variable from the variable list to check it against if you want to.   Hunting down the actual system variables is pretty difficult sometimes.  Not being able to check if gold is greater than or equal to a variable without using a script line or secondary variable seems like a major oversight.  It a pretty basic thing.

Also About Variables

variable and switches referenced by name

            -should be linked by name rather than slot number

-if you want to reorganize them in a different order you will break your game and have to fix any references to these variables as it stands now.

                        -If it was by name, order reorganization wouldn't break the game. 

            -Changing the name could be made to not break the reference as well.

            -Only deleting a variable would break the path.

                        -It might say undefined then.

 

[Engr. Adiktuzmiko]

Actually they should stay referenced by Number... Why? Because names are arbitrary... making it not break if you change names is harder to code than just making it via ID... also mainly because the variables are just inside a single array...


Making it reference via name has some performance implications too:


1) Since the name might not be unique, you would need a check to ensure that no two variables can share that same name


2) Since it will probably mean that they will need to pick thru an array of objects then match the name just to obtain the variable, it requires more processing power when using them...


Also, even if they made them reference via a name, there will still exist a unique ID to that variable, so why not just use that unique ID? At the end of the day all of those references, even if the GUI uses names, will still boil down to IDs, so why not just keep it simple and use IDs all the way?

Not being able to check if gold is greater than or equal to a variable without using a script line or secondary variable seems like a major oversight. It a pretty basic thing.

Eh? Remember that the "script line" is also a default feature... why do you people tend to stay away from it like it wasn't part of the engine, when in fact, almost everything that the engine does lies on that very core feature?

 

[Zoltor]

Eh? Remember that the "script line" is also a default feature... why do you people tend to stay away from it like it wasn't part of the engine, when in fact, almost everything that the engine does lies on that very core feature?

Because It's script, just a guess, but not everyone knows it.

Granter a  equation Script is one of the easier things to figure out(especially when there's tons of examples of such even in the RTP's database), It's still script, so people tend to want to avoid it if they can.

 

[2d_quest]

Actually they should stay referenced by Number... Why? Because names are arbitrary... making it not break if you change names is harder to code than just making it via ID... also mainly because the variables are just inside a single array...

Making it reference via name has some performance implications too:

1) Since the name might not be unique, you would need a check to ensure that no two variables can share that same name

2) Since it will probably mean that they will need to pick thru an array of objects then match the name just to obtain the variable, it requires more processing power when using them...

Also, even if they made them reference via a name, there will still exist a unique ID to that variable, so why not just use that unique ID? At the end of the day all of those references, even if the GUI uses names, will still boil down to IDs, so why not just keep it simple and use IDs all the way?

Eh? Remember that the "script line" is also a default feature... why do you people tend to stay away from it like it wasn't part of the engine, when in fact, almost everything that the engine does lies on that very core feature?

There's no way to put two projects together if any variable or switches are in the same slots without horrible game breaking when slots are changed.  At least they should have a way to change a variable's slot and simultaneously change the control variable reference.

(eg.  maybe a "move slot" under the right click menu in the variables, and switches window)

The variables could still be stored in an array, it would just have to be altered the one time you changed it.  It would modify the references to the variable to the new number as well as its slot.  Even without merging projects this would help in organizing variables because you don't always work on things in order of importance or class.  To the user the variable name is less arbitrary than a number, though probably not to the software's designers.

As for the script check, it still requires knowing the name of very buried, oddly named system variables.