Plugin Update: Social Media Buttons/In-Game Website Plugin (RMMV)

Version 1.6 of the Social Media Buttons/In-Game Website Plugin is available.

What's New?

The Twitter button has more options for when visitors click on it - Screen Name and User ID - which go to the corresponding Twitter account.

I also added a Follow option, enabling players to follow your Twitter account directly from within RMMV.

Other Tweaks

Instead of typing the full URL for Facebook, you now only need the page id/name.

Buttons are now defined in a single array setting, rather than as separate settings for each button.

Development Notes

Although the focus has mainly been on Twitter, I'm still conducting experiments with the APIs of other social media sites, notably Facebook, but also Google+ too.

These are ongoing because of the way their share settings work. They use integrated APIs rather than a few short lines of code. They seem targeted more for website integration.

In order for it to work, JavaScript implementation in RPG Maker MV would rely on their SDKs. While this is probably viable, it's not necessarily as easy as it sounds. Facebook in particular requires embedding their SDK to enable the various share options.

Development on this is on-going, but will continue on and off.

Ready To Go Medieval? New RPG Maker Packs!

RPG Maker Web has released some new DLCs, this time with a medieval theme!

https://t.co/OosfggUsZo Three new packs ready to help you go positively Medieval on your game! pic.twitter.com/oCceMSevkr

— RPG Maker Web (@RPGmakerweb) July 16, 2016

How about some medieval Knights Templar character sets? Pioneer Valley Games has released one, expanding their medieval theme, including interior tilesets.

Or how about some medieval music to match? Joel Steudler has done a very good job on composing 20 medieval pieces (5 Battle, 4 Dungeon, 3 Field, 3 Theme, and 5 Town) using period musical instruments, such as the lute, recorder, and harpsichord. And I do really like this collection.

The final DLC is Sherman3D's Town of Seasons pack, which contains tiles town tilesets for Winter, Summer, Spring or Fall.

They're available for purchase and download directly from RPG Maker Web's site.

Or, if you prefer to buy them on Steam, you'll have to wait. DLCs usually appear there about a month after their release on RPG Maker Web.

How Much RPG Maker Trivia Can You Answer?

RPG Maker Web presented this question on Twitter. And, of course, I tried it, curious to see just how much I know about RPG Maker because I have been involved with it since RM95, after all! (That makes me feel so old now!)

https://t.co/sckhIIQ5aE How much #RPGMaker Trivia can you answer? pic.twitter.com/PZFPoLhRIj

— RPG Maker Web (@RPGmakerweb) July 9, 2016

My Result: 90%

I overlooked just one fine detail. Hint: Forget about transparency!

RT @RPGmakerweb I'm an #RPGMaker Geek! 😊 I got 90%! What's your score?! I started with #RM95, been using it since! https://t.co/52ezkwUIKP

— RPG Maker Times (@CompanionWulf) July 10, 2016

And, so, why not try it? If you want to, post your scores here or retweet them with the hashtag #RPGMakerTrivia or @CompanionWulf. Either way, this was a cool idea!

Where Does Magic Come From In Otherworld And Gaia's Dream?

RPG Maker Web posed an interesting - and valid - question on Twitter about the source of magic in game developers' worlds.

This isn't something I really thought about before, probably because I'm not that far in system development yet. I've focused mainly on story and plot, as well as character development.

So, I started thinking about the subject.

It's one of those important things, after all, and one that merits consideration because in virtually every game there's some kind of "magic" system in place. Most commonly, magic uses Mana or Magic Points (often abbreviated to MP), but some have their roots in spiritual energies or even in technology.

Game Magic Is Wide and Varied

Magic in fantasy comes from many sources. Where does magic in your world come from? #worldbuilding #indiedev pic.twitter.com/DkdIiRBBrS

— RPG Maker Web (@RPGmakerweb) July 6, 2016

In Final Fantasy I, for example, your spells have a limited number of uses, which replenish after resting. Similarly, in Baldur's Gate 2, spells are planned in advance and, after an 8-hour sleep, are learned ready for use the next day. And in others, like Arx Fatalis, you "write" runes in the air to cast spells.

In a number of games, notably many in the Final Fantasy series, learning new spells or skills uses Ability Points (or AP). Once you have enough AP, you can learn new magic or upgrade existing spells.

So what kinds of magic would work in Otherworld and Gaia's Dream?

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