VX (RGSS2) scripting support rant

[PaladinHeart]

Maybe I'm just incredibly impatient, but after the death of rpgmakervx.net it just seems like script writers could care less about anything related to VX.

I'm not sure why, because I prefer VX to Ace, despite owning both.

I guess I just prefer the simplicity of it.

It's a shame it's near impossible to find a simple side view battle system where it ONLY puts the player characters on the right side.

So annoyed at all the battle systems that add this and that and then they cram it all into some overcomplicated demo that'd take a rocket scientist to figure out which scripts they didn't really need. Actually I think even the rocket scientist would be confused...

I "could" use one of these overcomplicated messes, but I'd have to remove the Animated Battler Graphic script by Neonblack that I've been using. Of course that would mean also doing away with all the custom animated battlers I've had to make just to use that script.

It's been really frustrating because Reedo's script is randomly crashing my game (and my tester's games) and I have no idea how to repair scripts that improperly dispose (or don't) sprites. But does anyone notice my pleas? Nope. They're all got their heads stuck inside VX Ace scripting. >.>

Sorry, but I just had to rant. xP  It's really affecting the amount of work I can do on my game. If I'm searching for a replacement for the battle engine or a fix, then I'm certainly not getting any work done... Guess I'll try to go back to working on stuff that doesn't break.

 

[nio kasgami]

erm...first of all  please could you stop assuming facts who are false 

this normal the support for xp or even vx got lowered because simply MOST of vx scripter have decide to abandon to make support (get bored of rpg maker or blabla) OR have decide to just move out to vx ace because of is advantage 

you have saddly expect that from OLD software to get less support because...they are OLD

Also it's a long time vx exist now and with the out of Ace it's normal NEWcomer scripter will not support vx simply because Ace and Vx structure Are HIGHLY different and we not understand it and don't deny Vx script structure is super messy.

They're all got their heads stuck inside VX Ace scripting. >.>

and ? this our choice to choose vx ace because it's the most recent tools who gets the more advantage it's more easier to use and scripting is more stable it's simple like that Vx have nothing to takes advantage comparred to Ace Even Xp is better in a ways of vx 

the only advantage have vx is the script structure is slightly more organised of the xp structure.

and sincerelly you should just  wait like the other who wait to receive support and just complaining about will not get you more faster any support 

 

[Fomar0153]

They've all got their heads stuck inside VX Ace scripting. >.>

In terms of scripting Ace beats VX hands down, so it's little wonder that most/near all the scripters moved on. If it's proving that hard to find help with it then it might be time to either migrate to Ace where you can find help easier or abandon the scripts you can't get support for.

 

[Zak]

I think that the death of RPGMakerVX.net is indeed a indicator that nobody wants to support the VX anymore. And that for good reason. The Ace is much better but that doesn't change the fact that on-going VX-projects are still needing your support and help, guys. Why should I switch f.e. the engine when my current project is that much advanced? Or even better: Why should I port the game to Ace and risking the loss of scripts and no assistance to recover the game as it was before?

RGSS-coder must understand that it would be wise to support RGSS2 and RGSS3 alike when they're is no alternate script for the RGSS2-language. There're still VX-user out there and for the most part we have everything we need - but on the other hand we would need some of the newer scripts when they may be requested.

 

[mlogan]

First off, I might be getting my sites mixed up, but I don't think vx.net's demise had anything to do with interest or not and rather, many issues due to the company who bought it out.

Second, if it's really that difficult to find support for the scripts, perhaps it's time to learn RGSS2 and become the support yourself, rather than complaining about it.

 

[Zak]

Second, if it's really that difficult to find support for the scripts, perhaps it's time to learn RGSS2 and become the support yourself, rather than complaining about it.

To be honest, the argument is rather weak and can be mirrored by anyone as well when RGSS3 becomes obsolete. :/

And regarding VX.net, yes, maybe. Could be but could be not. The main issues are still the missing content and solutions people might had posted there.

 

[mlogan]

No, it's not a weak argument. The fact is, yes a lot of content was lost. So now those still using VX have choices - to move on to Ace; to learn to fill in the gaps themselves; to wait for help or pay someone to do the work. Ranting about it here is likely only to make scripters want to help less, especially considering the OP only posted looking for help 2 days ago.

 

[Wavelength]

As a scripter I can agree that I don't can't really find myself caring about VX with the current state of things.  Sad, perhaps, but Ace is a much better system to create scripts for (it has a more powerful set up premade constructs to work with) and there's a wider audience.  There's almost literally no reason to develop for VX except to cater to a niche (people who need something from VX) of a niche (RPG game makers) of a niche (indie game designers).

I do hope that the next RPG Maker offers a wider array of battle systems, though.  Front-view vs. Side-view options maybe also a 3/4 view, which I'd personally love), as well as Turn-Taking vs. Faux-ATB (think RPG Maker 3) vs. True-ATB (think FF7), would be the two most necessary options to offer the player.  The popularity of these scripts attest to the fact that they'd be very worthwhile features.

 

[Kes]

Just to point out the obvious.

People who offer help, who provide free scripts, graphic resources, general advice, etc do so in their free time, because they want to. They are not obliged to.  This is not a job which they have to knuckle down to.  Ranting at them because they are not giving precisely and exactly what is being asked for, and doing it immediately, is to ignore that reality.  In these circumstances no one has a right to demand support and help, it is a gift which is given.

 

[Lowell]

Much like everyone else says, VX-Ace has a much stronger and easier to use scripting library compared to VX and at the same time, VX-Ace overall is an improvement on the VX Engine. That said, learning RGSS, or programming in general is a skill set you'll want to pick up sooner than later because it will help move your game along without having to wait for a specific script to come out.

Also for a while now, once a new Rpg Maker Engine is released, support for the older versions tends to drop off the radar on a massive scale. It's been like this from Rpg Maker 95 to the current VXA and will likely continue into future engines.

 

[mlogan]

To be honest, the argument is rather weak and can be mirrored by anyone as well when RGSS3 becomes obsolete. :/

And regarding VX.net, yes, maybe. Could be but could be not. The main issues are still the missing content and solutions people might had posted there.

Another point to consider is that this forum was not created until the release of Ace. It is the first official forum and therefore, is not likely to go under in the manner that vx.net did. While it is highly likely the next release might have RGSS4 or whatever, the vast database of knowledge for RGSS3 will still be here for users to refer back to.

 

[PaladinHeart]

My apologies for any offense taken but I just needed to rant. No offense was intended toward anyone in particular.

I was just stating the obvious and voicing my frustrations.

To be 100% honest, I ranted to blow off some steam and make myself feel better. xP

I could delete the thread, but I feel it's brought up good points of discussion and I think the replies are mostly informative.

I would fix the RGSS2 code myself, but I have no idea what I'm doing and I also don't know of any resource that would teach me how to properly dispose of sprites.

I doubt I could learn it myself because it's like trying to guess a password of unknown length on a blank sheet of paper.

I used Mithran's Graphical Object Global Reference script, but while it points out wrong with the script there are no instructions on how to fix the given problems.

Script 099 -- Reedo's Battle System, Line: 383:in `create_actors'
Script 099 -- Reedo's Battle System, Line: 499:in `start'

Nevermind. Just found something. I'll look into it later. 

http://mislav.uniqpath.com/poignant-guide/book/chapter-3.html

Another thing I would consider is transferring the project to VX Ace, but as some have mentioned there is no guarantee that the same thing won't happen to Ace.

A new RPG Maker could be released tomorrow with several integrated battle systems (Battlefield Turn Based like FFT, First Person turn based (like VX), and Side View (like older Final Fantasy)).

I have no doubt that everyone would move on to that.

Of course people who started Ace projects wouldn't have the same misfortune of an inept person buying the single, most popular VXAce website only to mishandle it and let it go belly up.

 

[Shaz]

If you go by that logic you will never get your game made, because if you work on the theory that there will always be a new maker and the current one will become obsolete, you will always worry about that happening.


Ace has been around for what, 3 years now? When did you begin your project in VX - before or after Ace was released? When Ace came out, people flocked to it very quickly and it was apparent that it had a better scripting system. If you started your project in VX after Ace came out, you must have been aware of the risk.


Still, there's usually help around still for VX scripts, especially if they're well known ones.

 

[Galenmereth]

Sometimes game making means you have to put on the hazmat suit and get in there and squash the bugs and fix the piping yourself.

 

[bgillisp]

One thing I've learned in game making is you adapt your game to what the engine can do. If the engine cannot do it, then either make a different game, or change something. For example, my game world always used a tactical, turn based battle system (like say FF tactics or the old Gold Box games), and all my spells and systems were set up around that. In VX Ace, there is no (good) way to do a grid based tactic system (and I didn't want my game to depend on a beta script at the time), so I had to decide early on if I was going to either change engines or change my systems (I chose the second). Took a lot of work, but I like the result now.

So, sometimes we have to adapt our plans for our game to revolve around what the engine can do, instead of saying this is what I want in the game, now let's find a way to shoehorn the feature into the engine.