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Hey GAF, let's make an RPG Maker Game Competition!

Yuuichi

Member
Subbed. And dammit, you're gonna make me dust off my old RMXP skills, aren't ya.

The trouble is, when I get started, I'm a detail freak. So an August deadline is gonna be tough. Does this have to be a full game? Or can it be like a really big demo?

Sounds like length (2-3 hours) is more important, so that it's playable by many.
 
Maybe add a section to the OP of people who are looking to team-up? Preferably people can state what they can do as well.

I can do writing, scripting, some graphics, atmospheric music and sound effects.
 
I know personally, with this sort of contest, I'd rather play a fun 30-60 minute game than a sort of fun 2-3 hour game. Quality over quantity. And if you're the kind of person that can make a 2-3 hour game in about 2 months in your spare time that's really high quality, you might as well go even further and make a game worth selling.
 

esterk

Member
I know personally, with this sort of contest, I'd rather play a fun 30-60 minute game than a sort of fun 2-3 hour game. Quality over quantity. And if you're the kind of person that can make a 2-3 hour game in about 2 months in your spare time that's really high quality, you might as well go even further and make a game worth selling.
This! Remeber that for people to judge accordingly, they are going to have to play each and every game (though maybe recording a playthrough could be a possibility as well), so making a 2-3 hour game is not only going to be time consuming for a lot of us newbies, but it's also going to make the community have to sink a lot more time into it, which depending on the number of submissions can be too high of an expectation.
 

legacyzero

Banned
It's on.

ibhm2w4uPLVBW4.jpg
 
I'm just going to be writing all of the dialogue and choosing accompanying music tracks for the next couple of days or so. I've made really good headway on it so far!

Getting a feel for what's realistically possible with story scope. I'm designing things around my personal limitations and what I can actually accomplish in the short timeline given my full-time job.

For me, the goal is to make a really unique, really addictive story that unravels over time. Going to put a lot of emphasis on the interplay of characters. ;-)
 

gngf123

Member
Hmm, I probably won't be entering. Got a lot of work to be getting on with, and a gamedev project of my own that I really should be working on.

That said, good luck to everyone and I'll be sure to play some of the games that come from this!
 

Dusk Golem

A 21st Century Rockefeller
I have a quick rules question. I actually have an RPGMaker project I've been working on for a few months. I presume that it would be against the spirit of the competition to submit work that wasn't entirely made within the time-frame of the contest?

Against the spirit, I won't -ban- it if you decide to go through with using it, but mention when you submit the game about it. I think I'll actually add that to the rules.
 

Dusk Golem

A 21st Century Rockefeller
I asked what they contained and no one responded.

Did we determine whether the DLC is worth getting?

If you want those sprites for your game or music, basically it's just what you want or need. Some are very good packs, the ones I have I was most impressed by was the Japanaese pack.

Maybe add a section to the OP of people who are looking to team-up? Preferably people can state what they can do as well.

I can do writing, scripting, some graphics, atmospheric music and sound effects.

I have done so~ If anyone wants to join a team, just mention and I'll add you to the OP. PM me if you want to be taken off, though.

I'm just going to be writing all of the dialogue and choosing accompanying music tracks for the next couple of days or so. I've made really good headway on it so far!

Getting a feel for what's realistically possible with story scope. I'm designing things around my personal limitations and what I can actually accomplish in the short timeline given my full-time job.

For me, the goal is to make a really unique, really addictive story that unravels over time. Going to put a lot of emphasis on the interplay of characters. ;-)

Posts like these are fun to read, I'll have some going once done with this music track.
 

Stampy

Member
Since I am new to Steam maybe these questions will be silly. But still, when I redeemed the DLC bundles from humble bundle, how do I download them to the computer. I don't see no DLC option or stuff like that..
 

Verelios

Member
I'd be all for this, but I know myself well, and low drive and all, it wouldn't be pretty.

I wouldn't mind joining a team though, since we would be sharing the work load. It would also give me more incentive to work if I know my progress doesn't only affect me.

I can write, and edit I guess. If you don't mind an RPG maker beginner coding is also good.
 

Dusk Golem

A 21st Century Rockefeller
Since I am new to Steam maybe these questions will be silly. But still, when I redeemed the DLC bundles from humble bundle, how do I download them to the computer. I don't see no DLC option or stuff like that..

It's okay, this one misses many people. Under Library, go to the top of it, and you should see, "ALL GAMES". Click that, and then choose "ALL SOFTWARE" from the drop-down menu.
 

esterk

Member
Is it easy to make your own art assets for these games? I haven't gotten a chance to mess around with it but I know that's one thing I'll want to do.
 

Ourobolus

Banned
I'm debating whether to just create the first chapter of the one I really want to make, or to just create something different as practice...leaning towards the latter.
 

Stampy

Member
It's okay, this one misses many people. Under Library, go to the top of it, and you should see, "ALL GAMES". Click that, and then choose "ALL SOFTWARE" from the drop-down menu.

Thanks, I guess you are talking about lockating the RPG Maker, not the DLC itself. Is the DLC automatically loaded?

Got my crazy, convoluted plot down and three of the bosses are ready to be made into pixel art. Feeling pretty excited about this.

You sure are quick... :D
 

Lissar

Reluctant Member
Good luck to everyone who is participating! I know for many of you this will be your first foray into game dev, I hope you enjoy it! RPG Maker was my first attempts at game dev and I learned a lot from the experience.

Some of you seem concerned that you'll be able to finish anything in two months. I made a short (10~15 minute game) in RPG Maker XP in three days for Ludum Dare 27: http://cuneicorn.wordpress.com/injured-eternity/ It's not the best game, mind. (It was also my first completed game!) But making a game in this time frame is really quite doable.

I would participate but I'm quite tied up with game jams and other game projects. I'll keep watching this thread though!
 

Dusk Golem

A 21st Century Rockefeller
Got my crazy, convoluted plot down and three of the bosses are ready to be made into pixel art. Feeling pretty excited about this.

I still need to think of what I want to do for my game. XD; But intrigued.

Is it easy to make your own art assets for these games? I haven't gotten a chance to mess around with it but I know that's one thing I'll want to do.

If you can art, then yes, pretty easy. Just know a default RPG Maker VX Tile is 32 x 32 pixels, but can be made larger with some modifying (and not just the coding variety). A tilesheet is usually 512x512, and the top-left corner is always a 'blank' tile so don't have any art in that top 32 x 32 square.

For characters, if you put a $ symbole in front of the file name, the sheets can be made any size or with simplicity simply by making an evenly spaced and aligned sheet to allow three character animations and four direction. Or basically, the $ will identify to RPG Maker VX Ace that the image file should be divided evenly by three horizontally and four vertically, and uses the even split dimensions of the sheet to make a sprite of any size with three animation poses per direction.

Also know that RPG Maker VX Ace goes direction wise (from top row to bottom row) Facing down, facing left, facing right, and facing up.
 

Ourobolus

Banned
For characters, if you put a $ symbole in front of the file name, the sheets can be made any size or with simplicity simply by making an evenly spaced and aligned sheet to allow three character animations and four direction. Or basically, the $ will identify to RPG Maker VX Ace that the image file should be divided evenly by three horizontally and four vertically, and uses the even split dimensions of the sheet to make a sprite of any size with three animation poses per direction.

Also know that RPG Maker VX Ace goes direction wise (from top row to bottom row) Facing down, facing left, facing right, and facing up.

Isn't it supposed to be 4 animation poses? Like if you're walking you would have 4 frames:
Standing -> left step -> standing -> right step -> repeat
 

esterk

Member
Isn't it supposed to be 4 animation poses? Like if you're walking you would have 4 frames:
Standing -> left step -> standing -> right step -> repeat
From what I read it's 3 in VX and 4 in XP? Maybe I'm completely wrong though.

Thanks for the info Dusk! I can art, so I may try my hand at some custom stuff!
 

Dusk Golem

A 21st Century Rockefeller
So from Mister_Bubbles' request, I quickly whipped up two short loopable .ogg's for use in RPG Maker VX Ace. Anyone can use them for this project, just PM me if you want me to send a download link for either or both of them for use in your project. I also might tighten them up, they were quickly whipped up things. If anyone else has song requests, feel free to ask me.

The two songs in question (again, PM me if you want them for the project, though they were quick things):
https://soundcloud.com/ryan-stanford-3/stormy-stone-tower-attempt-1
https://soundcloud.com/ryan-stanford-3/stormy-stone-tower-attempt-2

Made with the description to try and make a dark melody for a stormy giant tower. Tried for one more game-like, and one more ominous ambient.

Isn't it supposed to be 4 animation poses? Like if you're walking you would have 4 frames:
Standing -> left step -> standing -> right step -> repeat

I think VX Ace eliminates the need for four animations for that, and just needs three poses as it knows how to use the standing animation again.

However, there again are scripts that'll let you have an unlimited number of animation frames, even with larger sprites. I once animated a beating heart that was 95x96 pixels big and had 10 animation frames with the script.
 

Ourobolus

Banned
I think VX Ace eliminates the need for four animations for that, and just needs three poses as it knows how to use the standing animation again.

However, there again are scripts that'll let you have an unlimited number of animation frames, even with larger sprites. I once animated a beating heart that was 95x96 pixels big and had 10 animation frames with the script.
Yeah, I saw one that allowed up to 8 and was hoping to use that.
 

Mory Dunz

Member
Ahhh, this sounds like fun, but I actually just finished making an RPG Maker game, so I might be kind of burnt out to get up for another one so soon.
 

KingErich

Banned
Nice! I started messing with it last night. Drew up an outline of the first few scenes and sketches of maps. I got my first scene ready. Boy wakes up on an island surrounded by water. I am now unsure how to get him to get in the water and "swim". Is there an easy way to put the guy in the water half submerged?
 

Dusk Golem

A 21st Century Rockefeller
Yeah, I saw one that allowed up to 8 and was hoping to use that.

A good script for use is the Victor Animation Engine. You need two separate script to make it work though.

The Basic Module Victor Script: http://victorscripts.wordpress.com/rpg-maker-vx-ace/basic-scripts/basic-module/
And the Multi Frames Script: http://victorscripts.wordpress.com/rpg-maker-vx-ace/utility-scripts/multi-frames/

It uses eight frames as an example, but I have used it for at least 10, not sure what the cap was.

are the RPG makers compatible with mac?

Not by default, unfortunately. They can be used through Wine, but that takes some poking and meddling around.
 

munchie64

Member
I got a plot, but I think it's a little too complex for the super short game I'm trying to make. But I guess it depends what direction I take it.
Without spoiling too much I guess:

When a family is plagued by a vicious biker gang, their young son (10) travels into the forest to find a legendary warrior hermit to help them. Upon discovering this, his sister (12) goes to rescue him from the dangerous, monster filled woods. What she finds in there is much more dangerous than simple monsters.

Too cliche perhaps? I plan to start out in a post apocalyptic kind of setting, and lead into something else with what is found in the forest. A bit of horror throughout.

EDIT: People getting scenes, maps and music already? Damn! Good work guys.
 

Dusk Golem

A 21st Century Rockefeller
Nice! I started messing with it last night. Drew up an outline of the first few scenes and sketches of maps. I got my first scene ready. Boy wakes up on an island surrounded by water. I am now unsure how to get him to get in the water and "swim". Is there an easy way to put the guy in the water half submerged?

There is, in-fact, a (fairly) easy way. Go to the Database, go to system, and change the graphic of the boat to swimming. To make it look like swimming, you could simply edit the sprite sheet in Gimp (I say gimp as Paint doesn't keep transparency) and erase him from the waist/legs/even shoulders down. Lower the body in each frame down an even amount (not too low though that it cuts into another animation frame, but lower to make it look like he's sunken), and then use that as your boat graphic, and do a boat call when you touch the water (if you need to know how there's a few guides how, or I or someone can explain it).
 

Dusk Golem

A 21st Century Rockefeller
I got a plot, but I think it's a little too complex for the super short game I'm trying to make. But I guess it depends what direction I take it.
Without spoiling too much I guess:

Too cliche perhaps? I plan to start out in a post apocalyptic kind of setting, and lead into something else with what is found in the forest. A bit of horror throughout.

EDIT: People getting scenes, maps and music already? Damn! Good work guys.

It sounds interesting to me. On scope it comes down completely to how you handle it, I can imagine it being something longer and shorter. However, the synopsis was enough to intrigue me at least, and leave me with a few questions, in a good way.

Maybe when I finish building my PC, I will whip something up, is there a difference between RPG maker XP and XV ace?

These links delve into it some:
http://steamcommunity.com/app/235900/discussions/0/630799997244776821/
http://forums.rpgmakerweb.com/index.php?/topic/18209-rpg-maker-xp-or-vx-ace/
http://www.rpgmakervx.net/?showtopic=816
 

Ruruja

Member
I didn't know whether to go with a cyberpunk story or an 80s-style story, eventually I decided on the latter. I think I'll aim for a game that takes about 45-60mins to beat.
 
I actually have a a bit of experience already with RPG Maker, so I'd be interested in teaming up with other people who may already have an idea for a project or who want help developing a concept they might have.

I can do scripting, eventing, map design, writing, pretty much anything that's not art/music. Especially scripting cause my main field is computer science.

If I could get added to the "looking for team" post at the beginning it'd be much appreciated.
 

munchie64

Member
It sounds interesting to me. On scope it comes down completely to how you handle it, I can imagine it being something longer and shorter. However, the synopsis was enough to intrigue me at least, and leave me with a few questions, in a good way.
Thanks. I'll work out the kinks of the story later on and will try figuring out gameplay while I sit on it.
 
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