Suggestions for the next RPG Maker

[Silent Darkness]

There needs to be a more convenient way to put scripts into a project. It literally takes about 30 min to an hour to load in all the scripts I need, because of the tiring manual method of script adding currently available in Ace. It's not difficult, but it's time-consuming. Some sort of batch-style adding would be splendid.

Not sure what i'm talking about? Okay. Most of my projects are gonna be on Yanfly Engine Ace. That's 107 bloody scripts to add in. Have fun doing that, and nothing else for a long while.

 

[pandadriver]

I would like to see in the next versions support for changing the default game icon.
And an optional export module for android would be nice so we can share our rpg games with lots of more people around the world.

 

[orochii]

Well, if the next RPG Maker installment could have more than a Windows version, it would be cool. Some other parts of the basic engine need to be redesigned too. The options dialog is terrible and too restrictive, for example.

I don't know why this dialog has been there all this time. Just changing 1/2 useless options at the main tab. I've made a mockup. You know, having ideas for anything is free!

Also getting rid of Ruby. It's terrible. Or maybe using a better implementation (if there's any, I'm sorry, IDK). I've heard that mruby is faster than Ruby on Rails. But I know nothing. Outside of RPG Maker I don't care about Ruby.

EDIT:
 

There needs to be a more convenient way to put scripts into a project. It literally takes about 30 min to an hour to load in all the scripts I need, because of the tiring manual method of script adding currently available in Ace. It's not difficult, but it's time-consuming. Some sort of batch-style adding would be splendid.

Not sure what i'm talking about? Okay. Most of my projects are gonna be on Yanfly Engine Ace. That's 107 bloody scripts to add in. Have fun doing that, and nothing else for a long while.

I understand the batch adding. More because most people here use a lot of premade code (that's the spirit behind RPG Maker! or so it seems). But if you know you have this entire set of scripts you ALWAYS use, why don't you make a template instead of adding them every time? Create a project somewhere else, add all Yanfly/Yami/whoever else scripts you love to death, save it. And then every time you want to start a new project, copy and paste that "blank" project, remove the things you think you're not gonna need (or not). And voilà.

You know, deleting scripts is easier than adding them. xD. Delete button is so convenient and reliable.

 

[Tigersong]

Speaking as someone who's currently working on a faceset, allow me to add two cents (how much is that in yen?) It would be nice if, in the character generator, we could load up a pre-existing portrait and/or sprite. That, and it's kind of annoying the way we have "front hair" instead of "bangs" but I don't expect miracles...

 

[CWells]

Haven't been here in ages other than to ask one question. ****ty times. Anyway:

Like in microsoft excel, or any spreadsheet with this option, I would like the option to color code bars for armor, weapons, skills and items.

This way instead of sifting through a wall of text or a potentially large list of items depending on one's game, they can dart to a specific color that represents the kind of item/skill it represents. Like, say I have a skill called cannon blast but it requires an event to call up another skill that  may also be called cannon blast. I can color code Yellow for the event skill while green for the damage dealing skill yet keep them with the same name.

Items, I can color code based on perishable, key item, etc. I think it would be easier to work with colors so that one can quickly catch the kinds of items being created and where they are placed in their lists...

 

[deilin]

I'm going a bit old with this selection, because, what I am going to sugest is a feature from RPG Maker for the PS1.

It's the screenshot/credits buttons from that maker.

The screenshot, of course, took a screen capture of the moment the command is given and saves it.

During the credits, which did text pop-up for roll and names of the devs, would throw the screenshots up between the names. If there were more shots then names, it would show a few shots between them.

 

[Tai_MT]

I'd like the ability to event Character/Class Features into my game.  As in, I can have an event where something happens and then BAM!  A character should get a 10% boost to total MP because of whatever happened in the cutscene.  It would be nice to event this into the game instead of needing a Script or lots of multiple classes set up to do it.

 

[deilin]

Actually, you could event that example fairly easily, or even with a script snippit.

$game_actors[#].mmp += ($game_actors[#].mmp / 10).to_i

in one of my games, all the stat increases per level are based off variables. on level, it activates a switch, which activates a common event that levels stats. The curves on the class tables are all 1s. In your case, it's just how complicated you want to make it.

 

[Tai_MT]

I know there are scripts to do it, but it wouldn't just be for stats.  It would be for anything you could add into the Features tabs of characters or classes.  Currently, it's somewhat impossible to do it without a script because the program just simply doesn't let you "Add Feature" or "Edit Feature".  Whatever you choose on the Database is pretty much all you get.  I'd just like to see something in the next RPG Maker that allows you to do that without needing a script.  It would certainly be useful for games that could allow "class changes" or "character attributes upon level up".  I mean, what if I wanted to have it so that you could select skills/buffs/etcetera from a menu of unlocked things to add to my character or class?  Say, I unlocked "Heal Magic costs 50% less to cast", and I wanted to use it on a Paladin instead of my white mage.  With something like that already in play, it would simply be as easy as eventing the change.

 

[Sharm]

It's been mentioned before but I sure would like support for 2D isometric tiles. With it, you get something that looks a lot more like 3D, could do some camera moving effects like in Breath of Fire 3 (it looks like you're moving the camera, but it's just a map from a different angle), and it'd be a little better for those people who want to do a tactics game. Mostly though, I just want it because I think iso pixel art is pretty, relatively easy to make look good and I think it'd be fun to play with.

 

[SoulPour777]

• In RM Simple Picture Editor - This is a feature in Game Maker that should be also placed in RPG Maker. It is when basic painting functions are added and you can edit pictures in game and directly uploaded to the database once saved.

AVI, MPEG-2, MPG4, XVID, MOV Support - RM should have a compatibility to play other formats of videos for their video player aside from OGV Theora.
Direct Upload - This is a feature in the future RM where, like the Steam Version of Ace, the developer can upload the whole RPG Maker files in a certain connected site manually set up by the developer, such as dropbox, google drive, skydrive and other cloud storage.
Resolution Change - A change in resolution or maybe a choice of resolution for RM gaming and developing such as 800 x 600, 640 x 480, 544 x 416 and others.
Work Log - A feature where a log of all modifications inside the game should be placed on a log for easier review of where the developer last had its working track.

 

[Zio]

Not going to sift through the entire 62 pages so I will just post my thoughts. 

- Option to create any style of game with or without the help of scripts. Like side scroller, FPS, Adventure, Point and Click or iso. 

- Vector image support 

- Output to HTML 5 or mobile devices

- compatibility with big name game development tools like Unity. 

-Less focus on RPG's and more focus on game creation.

I've tried GameMaker and I much prefer the ease of RPGMaker so if basically just add in more features. 

 

[Andar]

AVI, MPEG-2, MPG4, XVID, MOV Support - RM should have a compatibility to play other formats of videos for their video player aside from OGV Theora.

I can't say for AVI or XVID, but I know that all MPG-Formats and probably also Apple's MOV format require payments to their creators when they're used in a commercial program.
Including those formats in any maker will increase those programs by those flat fees even before the needed code is written or tested, and we aren't talking about a few cents here.


You'll find a lot of free programs to convert those formats into the free OGV-format, but are you willing to pay several $ more for the option of converting directly, especially when there are non-commercial, free converters?

 

[Sharm]

Remember Zio we're talking about the next RPG Maker here, so adding in a bunch of stuff to make it work as a general game maker is outside the scope. If you want, you could start a "next IG maker" thread.

 

[SoulPour777]

I can't say for AVI or XVID, but I know that all MPG-Formats and probably also Apple's MOV format require payments to their creators when they're used in a commercial program.

Including those formats in any maker will increase those programs by those flat fees even before the needed code is written or tested, and we aren't talking about a few cents here.

You'll find a lot of free programs to convert those formats into the free OGV-format, but are you willing to pay several $ more for the option of converting directly, especially when there are non-commercial, free converters?

There are free converters online. However, I just see that playing the other formats on video might be somewhat a need in the future. Or if not, maybe Flash outputs, like SWF perhaps?

 

[Andar]

There are free converters online.

Yes, I referred to those - but they are only free because they are non-commercial. As soon as the codecs are used inside a commercial programm like the RM's, Degica and Enterbrain will be required to pay for those codecs that are free in the non-commercial converters.

 

[SoulPour777]

That's really sad, Andar. That means if you really want a commercial game with all supports given, you need to pull out bucks. Anyways, I don't know if this counts as well but:

• Controller Supports - The possibility to use controllers (for example the USB joysticks nowadays)
• Better Script Editor Tool - A separate script editor where you can add more features of highlighted functions to easily determine if it is a method or not, etc. This is similar to gEdit and Notepad++. Maybe a highlight and editor background would be not much of a hurt or load on the rpg maker.

 

[Engr. Adiktuzmiko]

what if RM won't include any codec in itself but will just rely on the user's computer to have a codec for it? though of course it's not the best way even if it's doable

That means if you really want a commercial game with all supports given, you need to pull out bucks. Anyways, I don't know if this counts as well but:

well, IMHO, you do need to be willing to put in money if you want a commercial product, since there are lots of things that you will actually need to pay for

 

[Matombo]

my 3 points:

1. Easy map import

2. be able to sort the map list on the left side by drag and drop or even auto map id renummeration (like adding an intro map after adding 3 other maps and making it map id 001 and all other maps add 1 to their map id)

3. some sort of version controll to make it easy for more than 1 person to work on the same projekt

 

[Engr. Adiktuzmiko]

I understand the batch adding. More because most people here use a lot of premade code (that's the spirit behind RPG Maker! or so it seems). But if you know you have this entire set of scripts you ALWAYS use, why don't you make a template instead of adding them every time? Create a project somewhere else, add all Yanfly/Yami/whoever else scripts you love to death, save it. And then every time you want to start a new project, copy and paste that "blank" project, remove the things you think you're not gonna need (or not). And voilà.

yeah... if you have a set of scripts that you always use, you should really make a template that you just copy-paste when making new projects... For me, it's even faster than a batch import option