Suggestions for the next RPG Maker

[MECM]

The only thing that need a new rpg maker, is more performance and fullHD resolution option. Actually a good programmer can code almost everything in this engine, but the poor performance and optimization of all rpg makers limits this.

 

[Marsigne]

The only thing that need a new rpg maker, is more performance and fullHD resolution option. Actually a good programmer can code almost everything in this engine, but the poor performance and optimization of all rpg makers limits this.

And also export to more formats, specially because .NET being open-sourced now

 

[Tsukihime]

How is .NET related to RPG Maker?

 

[Marsigne]

How is .NET related to RPG Maker?

.NET is not releated to RPG Maker, but since .NET is now open-source and it have an export to a lot of formats, including phones, EB could implement .NET to the next RPG Maker engine and make exports to a lot of formats more easily

 

[Engr. Adiktuzmiko]

I think there is always the conception that the maker uses parts of the .NET framework, which is part of why it's windows only...


@Marsigne - .NET has been windows only ever since as the framework only works in windows. They have open sourced it so that people could possibly now develop ways to make .NET work on other OS in order to counter that problem. So, AFAIK, the export part is something that is only under works right now. Basically, making .NET work on other OS is one of the reasons why MS decided to open source the whole framework. At the very least, I haven't seen a new working exporter of sorts for .NET based programs so far.

 

[AceOfAces_Mod]

If they  release it on Steam, They need to improve the Steamworks implementation. The current implementation is bad, the editor has to hang while uploading, Project Manager has a visual glitch on the download progress, and on big projects, it is painful...

 

[gRaViJa]

Better resolution support, Luna Engine's functions, mobile functions (swipe, tap...), porting functions.

 

[AceOfAces_Mod]

It would be nice to add Collaboration tools.

I think there is always the conception that the maker uses parts of the .NET framework, which is part of why it's windows only...

@Marsigne - .NET has been windows only ever since as the framework only works in windows. They have open sourced it so that people could possibly now develop ways to make .NET work on other OS in order to counter that problem. So, AFAIK, the export part is something that is only under works right now. Basically, making .NET work on other OS is one of the reasons why MS decided to open source the whole framework. At the very least, I haven't seen a new working exporter of sorts for .NET based programs so far.

Assuming that .NET will be availiable as a multiplatform, there is the option to re-write RM to Visual X (replace X with the appropiate language), with a new engine utilising either Windows Presentation Foundation or DirectX or OpenGL (plus intergration with Visual Studio with a plug in), but this will completely break the compatibility with existising scripts (which are Ruby-based). Plus, much like Java, the users have to install .NET Framework (unless if they manage to make it indipendent, which I haven't figured out yet...). Speaking of, it would be nice to have the editor's theme like VS2013 with a bit of Ribbon UI peppered in.

Better resolution support, Luna Engine's functions, mobile functions (swipe, tap...), porting functions.

+1, but also having a visual editor for the menus (drag and drop style, preview, etc.)

 

[Marsigne]

It would be nice to add Collaboration tools.

Assuming that .NET will be availiable as a multiplatform, there is the option to re-write RM to Visual X (replace X with the appropiate language), with a new engine utilising either Windows Presentation Foundation or DirectX or OpenGL (plus intergration with Visual Studio with a plug in), but this will completely break the compatibility with existising scripts (which are Ruby-based). Plus, much like Java, the users have to install .NET Framework (unless if they manage to make it indipendent, which I haven't figured out yet...). Speaking of, it would be nice to have the editor's theme like VS2013 with a bit of Ribbon UI peppered in.

+1, but also having a visual editor for the menus (drag and drop style, preview, etc.)

The compatibility do break between different engines, because they're different RGSS and Ruby versions, except for a few scripts, so I think compatibility wouldn't be the great deal, but the new language, scripters learning the new language. Good suggestions, anyways! DirectX would be nice to implement since that would make the engine make use of the GPU for processing which will make the game MUCH faster

 

[Tsukihime]

It would be nice to add Collaboration tools.


Assuming that .NET will be availiable as a multiplatform, there is the option to re-write RM to Visual X (replace X with the appropiate language), with a new engine utilising either Windows Presentation Foundation or DirectX or OpenGL (plus intergration with Visual Studio with a plug in), but this will completely break the compatibility with existising scripts (which are Ruby-based). Plus, much like Java, the users have to install .NET Framework (unless if they manage to make it indipendent, which I haven't figured out yet...). Speaking of, it would be nice to have the editor's theme like VS2013 with a bit of Ribbon UI peppered in.

Why couldn't they continue to use ruby if they decided to switch to openGL or directX?

 

[AceOfAces_Mod]

Depends on how Ruby will be implemented. Exactly how, it's an interesting story (unless they don't target Android, which will be a lot easier). For multiplatform, I bet that they'll use OpenGLES (assuming that Android ports are possible, if not then OpenGL), as both Linux distros and Windows support it (they may have to use SDL too, since OpenGL unlike DirectX, is only a graphics API, from what I recall).

 

[GraveBusta]

Why not make better animation support so it doesn't require scripts to animate so far?

 

[Tsukihime]

Why not make better animation support so it doesn't require scripts to animate so far?

What animation format do you suggest?


Keep in mind that the current animation system supports sound and lighting effects as well as the ability to modify the animation at runtime using scripts. Want to change the hue? size? opacity? Loop count? Speed? Straightforward.

 

[GraveBusta]

What animation format do you suggest?

Keep in mind that the current animation system supports sound and lighting effects as well as the ability to modify the animation at runtime using scripts. Want to change the hue? size? opacity? Loop count? Speed? Straightforward.

Have tab or 2 in database to put sprite and skill animations removing all that map hassle cut the work in half for ABS systems and yeah I know people will still need to know their IDs

 

[Engr. Adiktuzmiko]

There is already an animation tab though... or do you mean sprite animation? Those could still be evented though, depending on what you need... 

 

[GraveBusta]

There is already an animation tab though... or do you mean sprite animation? Those could still be evented though, depending on what you need... 

Yes,sprite animation tab does no exist and we do not have skill sprite animation.

 

[Onomotopoeia]

Better resolution support, Luna Engine's functions, mobile functions (swipe, tap...), porting functions.

+1, but also having a visual editor for the menus (drag and drop style, preview, etc.)

You know, "better resolution support", though a misnomer, seems to be the number one request, if I read the forums correctly. It's as if people for some reason wanna take advantage of all that screen real-estate.... lol
That aside, I'm not sure how Ruby does this, and haven't really dug into the RGSS, as I'm more familiar in Java (which is why I'm developing an RM in Java). It seems easy to find quite a plethora of "Java game tutorials" on YouTube nowadays, with common beginnings; so I know **exactly** the lines of code to use in a graphical engine to go full-screen. With one or two lines, the engine can easily obtain the list of supported display modes that the graphics card knows about; it would be entirely simple to either iterate through them to choose the largest screen size, or to display a mode-selection screen before the first game, and save it for future reference.


I also have a few thoughts about the menu editing -- after other things are working -- but I'm not sure yet how I would be implementing the drag-n-drop (I haven't tinkered with that part of the Java API to-date...)

 

[Engr. Adiktuzmiko]

@Onomo - the engine somehow has a part in it's code which doesn't allow anything past 640x480... They're developing an updated DLL right now which gets past that limit

Yes,sprite animation tab does no exist and we do not have skill sprite animation.

Ofc... because sprite animations and skill sprite animation would at least need sprite battler support to be useful. And RM by default doesn't even have simple animated sprite battlers.

 

[Foron]

Here's my suggestions:

So this is more of a nit-pick, but its always bugged me how whenever you use a script to add 8 directions, it would still use the other 4 moving animations. So I thought, why not kill 2 birds with 1 stone? Add diagonal movement, and change the spritesheet to support diagonal animations.

It supports this weird 6 button system (think of an older Sega Genesis controller (or an earlier one, but with twice the face buttons)) that most controllers don't use. As a result, the inputs for most controlers are very weird (X on Xbox is confirm, for example). So, I suggest that they either ditch the old controller support, and/or add better support for Xinput (Xbox) and DirectInput (PlayStation) controllers (especially if they add diagonal movement, so the basic support for the L sitck for movement will be more natural). If they did this, it could add more possibilities for more functions. And allow rumble features, if available.

This is more my opinion, but I always disliked the ingame character generator. maybe it's how the faces are staring at the screen, or maybe the front view for the faces instead of the 3/4 view of the defaults. My suggests are to not only have the view angles match, but also add more options (basically take all of the available options (both from the RTP and the character generator) and make dozens of recolors). And also add emoset support, and add behavor and damage sprites (but those last two could be a stretch).

Also some other things, like HD support (I know, it's already been said).

 

[Mister.Right]

I for one believe XML is a great choice of data designs, and think it should be implemented as a possible feature for the future RPG Maker engines as an alternative output, instead of the default database serialized objects.  

This would allow players to write their own data editing tools for things like custom weapons, custom statistics, whatever.  This would ease the process of including new statistics into the database systems currently implemented in the makers, for the more advanced users, without being confined in the construct entirely, but still wanting to make use of many of the provided tools.

I for one believe XML is a great choice of data designs, and think it should be implemented as a possible feature for the future RPG Maker engines as an alternative output, instead of the default database serialized objects.  

<weapon id="0">

 <name>Stupid Sword </name>

 <custom>

   <customElement1 customAttribute="whatever">

      <customChild1>1232</customChild1>

   </customElement1>

</custom>

</weapon>

"whatever" << $game_weapons[0].custom.get("customElement1").attribute("customAttribute")

1232 << $game_weapons[0].custom.get("customElement1").getChild("customChild1").to_i

I personally think implement Javascript and use JSON over XML as scripting is better choice. You can do more with Javascript than XML. If RM is written in Java and Javascript and HTML5 would be easier for developers to port games to mobile platforms.

One thing keeps me away from joining scripter community because in order to scripting for RM requires Ruby knowledge and I don't feel like learning any more programming language atm beside popular ones such as Javascript, Java, HTML, CSS, Pl/SQL. These are popular programming languages which can help you land a job as game developers, is that something everyone here wish for? earn money with something you passionate?