Will you buy RPG Maker VX Ace if it's above $60? - January 2012 Poll

The January 2012 poll is now closed. The results, out of 16 votes, 19% would buy RMVXA if the price is above $60, but an overwhelming 69% will NOT buy RMVXA if it's above $60. And 13% is still undecided.

For myself, I'm truthfully still undecided. In the beginning, I was resolute that I wouldn't buy RMVXA if it was above $60, but the more I've played around with it the more I like it. So if the price is around $60 I will definitely buy it eventually. Anything above that and I'll wait for awhile longer, continue with the Trial version, until I can raise the money to buy it, but even with that I'd still be more reserved if the price is above $60. Yes, I will eventually purchase RMVXA because, as I've mentioned before, it is way too cool not to!

RPG Maker Comic Book

RPG Maker Rage Comics is a series of comic strips with N00bs in mind. After all, "Nothing brings more rage than noobs". Because my scripting and resource creating skills are shamefully lacking, I could be considered as one, but I'm not a noob to the entire RPG Maker scene, and some of the things outlined in the comic assuredly typifies the kinds of things that RPG Maker newbies would say or do, taking the best (and worst) parts of "newbity" and regarding them almost with contemptuous cynicism. And it is quite funny!

And, while we're on the topic, AlphaWhelp's Comic Book Scenes allows the use of comic strip cutscenes in RMVX. While the post (and probably the script) is old and out-of-date, it will certainly add an extra dimension to the game, plot development and an element of humour to a game. It even has a "page flip" sound effect for when you turn the page.

Tutorials Series - Coming Soon

In March, I'll be starting on a series of tutorials for RPG Maker (and other engines). This will be primarily how-to's, using events and maps, including some already submitted by guestbloggers. This is part of my going through the expanding "To Do" list. So how should they appear?

Would it be better - i.e. preferable - to provide step-by-step guides as a post with pictures or videos? Or perhaps a combinaton of both? Should the tutorials be exclusively RMXP, RMVX or RMVXA, or all three, as well as some of the other makers?

What are your thoughts? Leave feedback in the comments and we'll go from there.

Some More Updates

In between work and play, and catching up on Season 2 of Haven, which has become one of my favorite shows, there have been fewer updates to the blog. That said, however, I've still been busy with RPG Maker.

Support for RMXP

With the imminent release of RMVXA, support for RMXP may dwindle as I'll be focusing more on RMVX and RMVXA. That's not to say that I'll completely abandon RMXP, just that there will be fewer updates for it. Whenever inspiration takes me, I'll probably still post resources and links, etc.

The Gladiator Project Progress

Yesterday, the power went out for 24 hours and subsequently the computer shut down without warning. The Scripts became corrupted, meaning that all prior progress cannot be loaded. Even the backup was corrupted. But I still have the tertiary backup to fall back on, although it's an out-dated version. I don't view this as a negative because, in my experience, any subsequent versions tend to be better. It's comparable to writing: the first is the rough draft, the second is the edited draft, and the third and subsequent versions are the final drafts. And usually the best versions.

RMVXA Scripts

I've been extensively experimenting with RGSS3 (edited in RMVX and ported over). While I'm not a scripter, I have produced a few scriptlets, so maybe in a future post I'll place them here - after a few additional tweaks.

TGP Animated Title Screen Video

A video showcasing the animated title screen for TGP is now available.

This is Version 1.0, where the title is static. In Version 2.0, as development continues, the title and main menu will also be animated.

You can subscribe to my YouTube Channel or keep up to date with the official Gladiator Project Website.

The script can be made available if there's enough demand.

The Gladiator Project Is Back On Track

New day, new hard drive, new installation, so that means that TGP is once again back on track. Thankfully, there wasn't as great a hiatus between redevelopment as the last time. Thanks to my friends for helping me out.

I've learned a lot during the process, and learned a lot more by studying the RGSS3 in RMVXA. So, since TGP is being rewritten virtually from scratch, the system is a lot cleaner and the scripts are less bulky. That means that it's easier to integrate some of the other scripts into the system. I'll be focusing exclusively on TGP over the next few weeks so that finally there will be something substantial to the project, perhaps also including an attempt at my own graphics for it.

I'm looking far into the future here, but I will eventually be buying RMVXA after all. It's just too cool not to. That means that I might port TGP to the new RPG Maker (not really as simple as that, but doable nevertheless), but not until after the RMVX version of TGP is complete.

I'll be updating this blog as soon as there's something of substance and uploading a video shortly thereafter.

Charsets, Sprites and Facesets (RMVX)

If you're looking for some quality sprites, then look no further than Magnus Noctem. Unless otherwise specified, these are RMVX sprites. Note: Unfortunately, this site is no longer being updated, but it still has several resources and resource links on it.

EDIT:You can find some Mack RTP Sprites here.

Or these Sprites With Portraits (includes some for RMVXA).

Alternatively, the Mystical RTP Sprites, which is one of my favourites.

Fewer Updates For A While

Tragedy struck again! I managed to briefly flirt with RPG Maker VX to recommence work on TGP before it struck without warning.

The hard drive containing my Windows died, so I'm forced to exclusively using Xubuntu, thereby disallowing me to use RPG Maker. My computer's old and cranky, and very decrepit. Unfortunately, 2011 was not a good year for me and 2012 is heading the same.

I'll be updating RPG Maker Times only briefly with scripts and resources from other people and related sites of interest until things can seriously get back on track again.

Gender Functions Script (RMVXA)

As the countdown begins for the English version of RMVXA, there are several scripts becoming readily available. I'm not able to thoroughly investigate yet (notwithstanding my scripting abilities, such as they are) so I thought I'd list a few scripts from other people.

I happened across this script, written by Mr. Bubble, completely by accident. As the title suggests, it implements a gender system for Actors and Enemies, using RMVXA's personalised notetags function.

Here's the link to the page. It includes examples and instructions.

Ars Mechanicum & Gladiator Project Update Announcement

I made the decision to abandon Ars Mechanicum Genesis at the start of the New Year in favour of its novels. At the present time I have no interest in returning to the project, but will continue with the novels instead and place the events in the game intended as an interactive continuation of the novel into a trilogy. It's been a tough decision but given that I've had little or no time to actually develop the game, there's no point in continuing its development.

I will, however, be continuing work on The Gladiator Project. This will be redeveloped for RMVX, with many of the features in its original RMXP format ported over. I may also eventually develop an RMVXA version too, depending on how much it is when the English version is released and when I actually purchase it.

On a side note, it looks like most likely the English version will be released in the first quarter of this year. My prediction is February/March. Let's see how close I am. Haha!

Back Online Finally

Well, what can I say? I've been offline since shortly before Christmas, though not necessarily through any fault of my own. Actually, that's not strictly speaking true, since I was able to connect through Xubuntu, but not through Windows.

To cut a long and agonising story short, my computer died the day before Christmas Eve. If it wasn't the (lack of) memory, it was the DVD-ROM and the IDE cable...Let's face it, this beast is old and cranky - just like its owner! - because it was patched together intentionally as a temporary measure to get me online.

Before Christmas, I had it set up to dual-boot Ubuntu and Windows XP. And, after an initial battle of wills, we had reached a mutual agreement. Both OSes worked in tandem for awhile before the Beast decided to rebel again. This time I couldn't log into Windows, although Ubuntu worked fabulously. I was able to do all of the things I regularly do online and offline, except for one thing: RPG Maker. Withdrawals started setting in and I decided to do a fresh install of Windows. Ubuntu was having none of that, however, even after extensive GRUB tweaking and installing a secondary hard drive. It reached a certain point and decided to nosedive.

So, I decided to reinstall Windows, but it would reach a certain point and refuse to acknowledge the partition - even though it was there. I scratched my head baffling over this issue 'til I became practically bald. Various checks revealed that the hard drive was intact, both partitions were valid, GRUB was not corrupted and neither was the MBR. Yet installation ground to an abrupt halt.

After Christmas, and a nice, quiet family get-together, things would be much clearer. Or so I thought. Eventually even Ubuntu wouldn't load the way it should. The MBR had become corrupted and no amount of band-aids could fix it, then the secondary hard drive (where the second attempt of Windows was installed) had a boot sector headache. Not as much of a headache as mine though.

One new hard drive and a repartitioned old drive later, the whole caboodle was reinstalled, after backing everything up, of course (lessons have been learned), my computer is now successfully dual-booting Windows and Xubuntu this time. But, just like rival siblings, they've been separated and, as long as they don't conflict with one another, they won't fight.

I reinstalled RMVXA and have been going through the scripts. RGSS3 is way more complex-seeming than its predecessors, but given the limitations of script editing in the Trial version, the only thing I can do really is study it and continue with the Ruby classes I started beginning of last year.

I've warmed to RMVXA (from what I've seen so far) and will definitely be buying it, although if it's any anything above $75-$80, I will NOT be buying it at all. If it's around $60 for the English version I won't be able to afford it on or around release day, but will get around to saving up for it eventually.