Suggestions for the next RPG Maker

[Engr. Adiktuzmiko]

which is really something that shouldn't be... You can't escape it... it's an integral part of any engine... Plus the script line for variable conditions isn't even a full script editor... things you use there are quite just basic equations...


@2d - why would you put two projects together? If you mean coz ur working on a team project, well we all know that the makers wasn't really made as good as possible for team making... Anyway, that problem doesn't warrant the use of names... that can be fixed while retaining the current set-up...

simultaneously change the control variable reference

You mean like all event commands using that variable will change once you shift the variable? Might be nice... but why shift the variable on the first place? If you already know that the slot is already used, then you would of course use another slot for the next variable... so why would you even need to shift variables to another slot? If you would really come to need to, I can only see it as something went wrong on planning...

 

[Zoltor]

Yea I know, but frankly I think It's more of a reflex response, they see the word script, and that's the end of that, they don't even think it over. Most people use RPG Maker for the sole reason, that they can't code, so I imagine the majority of people around here have developed a natural fear of  the mere word Code, and scripting(people see either one of these words, their brain shuts down, and they go into panic mode lol).

I probally have more experience with coding then 95% of the people here, so I don't fear it, I'm just not very good at it(well not good at creating code from scratch anyway). Learning code is a very daunting task, so I doubt many people around here put real effort into learning such, seeing a code string, and the variations between different formats of the coding in a single type of code, no doubt made many people run for the hills.

 

[Engr. Adiktuzmiko]

well, you could still technically build an awesome game just using event commands... I just hope people will not instinctively shy away from scripts...


anyway I don't really see the point in those variable and switches suggestions... they work fine and nice, and those problems are just in case you didn't plan out properly... making it fool-proof will just induce some performance reduction + oh well make it easier... but really, the easier this engine becomes to use, the more people will bash out games made from it and devs that use it...

 

[Zoltor]

well, you could still technically build an awesome game just using event commands...

anyway I don't really see the point in those variable and switches suggestions... they work fine and nice, and those problems are just in case you didn't plan properly...

This is very true.

Yea there Isn't much reason for such.

Now allowing us to choose what kind of switches/page conditions we want to set on a event, is something that needs to be readded to the RPG Maker series

Also am I missing something or did the developers forget about the disable magic option(um out of every system type feature people may want to disable, and only on a temp bases at that, magic would be the system people would be most likely wanting to disable)?

 

[Engr. Adiktuzmiko]

want do you mean by disable magic option?

 

[Zoltor]

want do you mean by disable magic option?

Make magic unusable across the board, until turned back on.

You know how games tend to have certain maps in there, were the developer made it so magic can't be used.

 

[Engr. Adiktuzmiko]

ahhh... well you use states that disable all skill types that are "magic", and add/remove those to the party using event commands

 

[2d_quest]

You mean like all event commands using that variable will change once you shift the variable? Might be nice... but why shift the variable on the first place? If you already know that the slot is already used, then you would of course use another slot for the next variable... so why would you even need to shift variables to another slot? If you would really come to need to, I can only see it as something went wrong on planning...

The reason why I want this is that you might find out you need another variable for your player later when you've used up the slots around already existing player variables with event variables.  With the set slot system you can't move variables that are in different logical categories to different logical categories.  Doing this helps with memorization so you can quickly easily find a variable.  Otherwise it's a needle in a haystack.  The variable/switch system would be more hospitable if it didn't force you into an organizational corner. 

 

[Engr. Adiktuzmiko]

Then something wrong really did happen... Plus it's not really a problem if one variable is in slot 1 while the other is in slot 99 now right? Unless you want to make it look "logically perfect"... but then again, that is why we're using an Organized method, which is via ordered slots...

 

[Zoltor]

ahhh... well you use states that disable all skill types that are "magic", and add/remove those to the party using event commands

So you mean, effectively cast silence on my party(so make a version of sil that can't be cured, and have an event give all party members it)?

 

[Engr. Adiktuzmiko]

@2d:


anyway, I guess they can simply turn it into a Hash instead so you can use strings or symbols as a key... then maybe you'll just type it out rather than clicking from a list...


So if I gotta suggest, it's not simply replacing numbers with names because that won't really change much considering the implications it has on the resulting code... It would actually be removing the whole Clickable List idea and make the user type it out... that way we can use either numbers, strings (names), or even symbols... you won't even need to shift variables ever again since there's no visible list to click with on the first place...


So instead of you choosing a variable from the list, you're gonna type the "key"... as much as we could still use a list, it is actually easier to type them out once you have many pages worth of variables... they could even just add an auto-complete feature so that typing a few letters will show up all of the already made/used variables starting from those letters...


though of course, changing it means removing the capability to use the current "Batch" setting function of the Change variables command... since the list will probably contain lots of blank entries if the resulting ID code of the keys are used...


@Zoltor - yes...

 

[2d_quest]

Plus it's not really a problem if one variable is in slot 1 while the other is in slot 99 now right? Unless you want to make it look "logically perfect"... but then again, that is why we're using an Organized method, which is via ordered slots...

Allowing you to change the organization creates a workflow optimized to the user.  That's a good thing.  Arguing that not allowing reorganization is more organized is silly.  If that were true why even let players change the order of their maps below the tiles?  Without reorganization organization can never be improved.

 

[Engr. Adiktuzmiko]

I think you missed by post just above your current post...

 

[MagicMagor]

@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.

I can understand the need for the DB to be easy and simple to use, so including everything in the DB may be a bit too much ok. Still there is a lot of hardcoded-values somewhere in the scripts, that could be easily have been changed to a more accessable way for the advanced users, that are going to script. And no, this wouldn't put pressure on the price. I'm not talking about new advanced features, that take a lot of manpower to implement and test. I'm talking about clear and accessable coding-style.

Let me give you one example - the maximum TP. Currently it is set in the corresponding method "max_tp"

def max_tp return 100endHowever that method is somewhere in the script for the Game_BattlerBase. That is not easily accessable.

What i propose is instead of using the literal "100" is using a constant and putting this constant into an easily accessable module - like they did with the Vocab::Menu

module SystemTP_MAX = 100end # .. Another scriptdef max_tp return System::TP_MAXendAmount of extra work? Not even 5 minutes. Now obviousy you could say changing the maximum tp is an easy thing for a scripter to do, just overwrite max_tp and you would be right. However if they used the above approach with constants and a global System-Module for the values of these constants throughout the scripts, then you would have only to look at this module and see what values are hardcoded and not taken from the database or calculated otherwise. And people with only a very basic understanding of scripts would be able to change it. Because changing a constant from value to another is a lot easier to understand, than overwriting a method.

The maker advertises itself as being geared towards the beginner with no programming knowledge AND to the developer who wants to meddle with the underlying scripts. The scripts have been improved a lot from the time of the XP, but i still think there is room for improvement. And frankly i never understood the reason for using the literal constants in the scripts instead of using ruby-constants like i did above. Especially since the scripts are meant to be read and modified by (some) end-users.

 

[Selchar]

Even if they did that, I and others would still probably end up aliasing/overwriting the max_tp method anyways.  Tp is used by battlers, and that method is placed within their class, there isn't a need to change it.  On that topic tho I would hope the developers remember to actually use the code they write.  For example that max_tp method was made for convenience, and it is used in the tp= method to reflect that, but it seems they forgot to place it in at least 2 other methods within Game_Battler/Game_BattlerBase.

class Game_Battler < Game_BattlerBase def tp_rate @tp.to_f / 100 end def regenerate_tp self.tp += 100 * trg endendAny script that modifies max_tp in any way needs to remember to fix up these two methods at the very least. There might be more methods that didn't show up on my quick search for the number 100 as well(25 or 50 and tp related). Even Yanfly's scripts forgot to fix tp_rate... actually I just noticed Tsukihime's Max Tp Formula forgot them as well.In any event while Ace is an improvement over it's predecessors, there's still room for improvement, even small stuff like say better built in control over event page conditions. By default you can't have "switch off" conditions, variable equals or below conditions... perhaps it'd be better if they had condition slots and allowed choosing through a window similar to what pops up when making conditional branches.

 

[cybrim]

well, you could still technically build an awesome game just using event commands... I just hope people will not instinctively shy away from scripts...

anyway I don't really see the point in those variable and switches suggestions... they work fine and nice, and those problems are just in case you didn't plan out properly... making it fool-proof will just induce some performance reduction + oh well make it easier... but really, the easier this engine becomes to use, the more people will bash out games made from it and devs that use it...

I fear the Script God...

Edit- I mean you have to put so much work in graphics, characters & Events to even find out if the script is going to work the way you want and if you're tired you are severely limiting your ability to process the information you need, I'd assume that everyone on this forum is a student, works 1 or more jobs, possibly realizing they are getting older and should find a husband/wife, family issues... you know life? There is just a lot of stress involved with everything to be nit picky about something that basically already works, "I'm not a cook so I find someone that has that skill to either teach me or I bring them the ingredients and share with them for their effort."

Excel like function to "Insert" slots between objects in the database in sections "Actors" through "Common Events", or "slide down", "slide up" options requiring a blank data slot to fill previous information into.

Weapons and Armor should have a "Use as Item" check box and effect data section in the blank section below Parameter Changes, in the remake of Dragon Warrior for the Gameboy Color you could use the Flamesword in battle to cast Fireball @ 0MP.

Multiple Currencies with optional currency graphics 2 styles: MMO (Copper, Silver, Gold, Platinum) & Secret of Evermore (SNES) where there were 4 different countries each with unique enemies, areas and currency with different exchange rates about the same as MMO currency exchange rate 100:1.

Different skill Resources rather than just MP, so if I create a character that is a "psychic", I create a skill type "Psy" (Under "Terms"/"Skill Types") then there should be a section right next to it "Skill Resources" with HP in slot 1 (in case you want to FF4 Dark Knight), So I can have "Psy" use "PP" which is short for "Psionic Points" (who wants a little Mother/Golden Sun in their Final Fantasy, anyone? Diablo 3 has 6 Resource types).

FF4 Multiple stacks of same item, "Allow multiple stacks?" (per item, in case you want to FF8 your magic)

Item weight (Default "0"), "Show item weight" check box in system tab of database.

 

[Eschaton]

I don't know if this has been said (even by me), but I think the next RPG Maker should have a tab on the database in which the user can define parameters.  Any parameter.  Almost limitless parameters.  Create them, delete them, whatever.

More flexibility for the non-coders.

 

[Engr. Adiktuzmiko]

@Eschaton - yeah, somebody already said that... and if EB do add that, that will be really awesome... though it's just like making the default engine read/parse and save the notetags value... XD...

I mean you have to put so much work in graphics, characters & Events to even find out if the script is going to work the way you want

Welcome to game development my friend...

 

[2d_quest]

Options for Portrait Faces in Message Boxes

            Face linked to actor graphic

                        -the one in the database actor tab

-allows setting the face graphic to an actor once so that if it's changed in the database or changed with change actor graphic the new face is displayed.

            Same as Last

                        -setting the face graphic to "same as last" for an event

                        -first specified face would change all faces with "same as last" until a second specified face

                        -would allow quick editing and switching out the main character and secondary characters

                        -this could be used in conjunction with Face to Actor Graphic as well.

            Sprite Graphic Too

 -sprite graphic should also have these options so you don't have to pick the same sprite graphic out for several event pages.

                        -honestly "same as last page" should be the default.

 

[Zoltor]

Options for Portrait Faces in Message Boxes

            Face linked to actor graphic

                        -the one in the database actor tab

-allows setting the face graphic to an actor once so that if it's changed in the database or changed with change actor graphic the new face is displayed.

            Same as Last

                        -setting the face graphic to "same as last" for an event

                        -first specified face would change all faces with "same as last" until a second specified face

                        -would allow quick editing and switching out the main character and secondary characters

                        -this could be used in conjunction with Face to Actor Graphic as well.

            Sprite Graphic Too

 -sprite graphic should also have these options so you don't have to pick the same sprite graphic out for several event pages.

                        -honestly "same as last page" should be the default.

That's really nitpicking Isn't it?

Just, these are already super easy things to do, no need for the developers to actually spend time coding that.

There's really no nice way to say this, nut it must be said anyway, stop being super lazy, and just select the sprite/face from the drop down list lol.