Q-Engine v5.0 In Progress - Improvements

The Q-Engine and its add-ons are undergoing some improvements.

This is primarily to remove the dependency on the UCSM. Instead, the Q-Engine will contain the global settings required for the main scripts and the relevant configuration settings will be placed in the add-ons themselves. This will make it much easier to tweak rather than relying on a single configuration to set them.

I'll also be creating a downloadable demo (finally), which will enable you to install the Q-Engine and all of its available add-ons without having to copy and paste them individually.

I'm making this a priority over the next few weeks to get this done as quickly as possible so I can focus on my other projects, especially Paranormality: Otherworld.

Update: Q-Engine v4.0 Release Notes

The Q-Engine v4.0 is being restructured and rewritten with newer cleaner code before its final release. I'd like it to be perfect first and thoroughly tested before uploading it to the blogsite. This also includes the add-ons:

• Animated Title Screen Add-On
• Equipment Add-On
• Status Screen Add-On
• Game Over Add-On
• Combat Add-On

And also eventually:

• Animated Game Over Add-On
• Character Add-On
• Map Add-On

If you'd like to be a pre-release beta tester, write "BETA TEST" in the comments below. Nearer the time, you'll have exclusive access to the script right before its release to test for errors and/or incompatibilities.

Blog NOT Abandoned, But Here's Why No Updates

This blog has not been abandoned. Most of the content and updates have now migrated to RPG Maker Times & Companion. To keep up-to-date with the latest news and script updates, as well as resources, be sure to visit the site.

While this site will still not be abandoned, it will be used for updates to RPG Maker Times & Companion, as well as other general updates and fun RPG Maker related things. You can still follow me at Facebook.

For the most part, I've been dividing my time between work and writing, and trying to establish an online business. This means that the time I'd like to devote to RPG Maker and the various projects is limited, so when I am able to it's like tasting candy again after a long absence!

Q-Engine/Q-Engine Updates & Complete Chests Tutorial

Q-Engine & Q-Engine Add-Ons

The Q-Engine is ready for upload. I'm on holiday next week, so it'll give me an opportunity to finally update the site. I've also updated/written some Q-Engine Add-Ons.

• Q-Engine v3.0
• Q-Engine CBS Add-On v1.0
• Q-Engine Map Add-On v1.0

They will be available for download on RPG Maker Times Companion. I'll also try and work on a demo, as well as update the manuals.

Q-Engine Requirements

The Q-Engine and its add-ons require the Global Colors Module and the Universal Configurations Settings Module to run.

Complete Chests Tutorial

The Complete Chests Tutorial will also be having an update, including a demo for each RPG Maker (this may take some time).

Q-Engine 3.1 and Q-Engine CBS Add-On Complete

The Q-Engine has been updated to version 3.1, now fully integrated with the Universal Settings and Universal Colors modules. Each script (past and future) has an integrated required modules checker to determine if their required scripts/modules are installed.

The Q-Engine CBS has also been updated, with several new features added, with several bugs fixed, and will be released shortly.

I'll be updating RPG Maker Times Companion on one of my days off from work. (Note: The page/post hasn't been updated yet, but will be when I upload the script. Also, the root website will become a portal page, redirecting to the corresponding pages on the blog.

I'm also hoping to have a video demo, as well as the updated manual, available soon.

Q-Engine Version 3.0 Release Date

The Q-Engine version 3.0 is finally complete. It will be released (replacing the current version on the site) on 20 November 2013, if not sooner. Subsequent add-ons will most likely be included as add-on modules.

The primary aim of the Q-Engine is to extra features and functions to RMVX. It was originally built to incorporate all of the scripts from the Scripts/Addon-Ons Compendium (no longer updated, since it’s been completely integrated into the Q-Engine). It's designed as a plug-and-play script. A comprehensive manual (for RMVX) is available in both DOC and PDF formats. The current version on the site is 1.0, with version 2.0 still cited as a "Release Candidate", which will be updated soon. Version 3.0 is ready and will be fully integrated with the Universal Settings Module, as will all of my scripts.

Scripts Almost Ready

In between work, maintaining a second blog and an online store, as well as a bit of playtime, there aren't enough hours in the day. That said, I have managed to update a few scripts.

The following scripts are almost ready for release:

Universal Configuration Settings

- This is to consolidate all of the settings for my various scripts, all in one convenient place. It also includes a module checker to check if the required modules (predefined in the settings) are present or installed correctly. Currently, this is absorbing the Q-Engine settings. This will eventually be required for all of my scripts.

Q-Engine

- This has been updated to version 2.5, which includes a module checker in case the Universal Configuration Settings module is not installed. I won't now be releasing it - version 1 is still available for download - until version 3.0 is complete. An RMVXA version might follow sometime in the future.

Extra Stats

- This has been updated to version 3.5, which has been completely integrated with the Universal Configuration Settings module. It's undergoing a few more tests before it's uploaded. Version 3 can be downloaded here. The RMVXA version is being updated and will be re-released soon.

For further updates and news, you can visit the brand new RPG Maker Times Companion. (I will try and update something RPG Maker related on this blog every few days as well.)

No Updates For A While

There haven't been any updates on the blog for a while. This is because I've been focusing primarily on my other blog, Paranormal Footprints.

The Q-Engine v3.0 will be uploaded around the end of this month. It's been restructured, with additional features and functions installed. I'll put together a video showcasing the major features.

I've also been deliberating how exactly to proceed as far as writing articles. What I've started doing for Paranormal Footprints is scheduling articles and posts. It might be worth me doing that with this blog, although it does take time to write them. So, if I can employ better time management, this should work out much better.

Scripts and Site Updates

Several scripts, tutorials and demos have been updated. They will also be updated on RPG Maker Times Companion shortly.

Scripts Updates

The following scripts have updates:

• Extra Stats Window v3.0 - Released very soon, pending a few tweaks and bug fixes.
• Q-Engine v2.0 Release Candidate - This has been undergoing a rewrite to make things easier and to address a number of additional conflicts.
• Q-Engine Message System (QeMS) v1.0 - This is a very basic but functional message system, with more added to it as time goes on. (Personal Note: This is more of a personal experiment to apply what I've learnt - am learning - about Regular Expressions; it probably won't be released for awhile in favour of the others.)
• Other Scripts - All other scripts I've written for RMXP and RMVX are being brought up-to-date and will eventually be migrated to RPG Maker Times Companion.

Tutorials/Demos Updates

A number of tutorials are being brought up-to-date as well, including the Complete Chests Tutorial (which has its own section on RPG Maker Times Companion). I'm hoping to concurrently release additional demos for all RPG Makers after the "original" is done. Most of the other demos attached to some of the tutorials will also be brought up-to-date.

Site Updates

All of the windowskins are being migrated to RPG Maker Times Companion. This includes all of the windowskin utilities and the windowskins on this blog, as well as its predecessor Wordpress website. You can find them at the Windowskins RMTC subdomain. They are neatly laid out for ease of use and convenience and on the index page you can preview them before deciding to download them.

Important Notice / Q-Engine Update / QeMS

RPG MAKER TIMES COMPANION - IMPORTANT NOTICE

The RPG Maker Times Companion site is migrating to another web host by the end of the month. The tech support for the current one is the worst I've ever encountered - 3 weeks to answer a "High Priority" problem regarding a potentially serious site security issue IS crap.

That aside, all of the projects (past and present) - The Gladiator Projects and Paranormality: Darkling - will also be migrating to here. Each will have their own projects subfolder.

Windowskins will also have their own subdomain under the Companion umbrella, directly ported from a previous Wordpress blog.

This means I can delete the previous blogs and place them all in one place for convenient editing and updating.

Q-ENGINE UPDATE / Q-ENGINE MESSAGE SYSTEM

The Q-Engine has been updated to fix several bugs and tweak existing sections for improved performance and layout.

I've started working on a simple message system plugin for the Q-Engine, QeMS, which will provide basic message commands to use in message windows. (For a highly evolved, advanced message system I'd recommend Modern Algebra's ATS.)

The main purpose for this is to avoid conflicts and compatibility issues with other messaging or similar scripts.

Paranormality RMVX / Q-Engine Features

Paranormality RMVX Project

I've started working on a new RMVX project, entitled Paranormality: Darkling, which are loosely based on my Jack Urban Chronicles novels (in progress) and will showcase what the Q-Engine is capable of. The project has just entered its embryonic stages, but regular updates will appear on its official website.

Q-Engine Features List

Now that the Q-Engine is at version 1.17.26.3 (cited as Release Candidate 2.0), it's time to showcase some of its major features. All of these are customisable from the Configurations Settings.

• Animated Title Screen - Animated title and author/subtitle graphics, as well as moving layers.
• Menu Information Windows - Provides additional information about each menu command (main menus).
• Game Over Menu - A menu on the Game Over screen to provide options to restart, continue or terminate.
• Actor Ranks/Titles - A feature where a title is given depending on the actors' levels.
• Alternative Layout - An alternative Status Screen layout, replete with titles. This feature has recently undergone a rewrite for improvements and compatibility issues.
• Extra Character Info - A feature to provide extra bio information on the Status Screen, such as gender and age.
• Pretitles/Last Names - Gives options to include a pretitle and last name (surname).
• Actor Options - Displays additional bonuses derived from objects and actor options (set in the Database.)
• Battle Start/End Images - Displays an announcer image at the beginning and end of battles.
• Critical Flash - The screen flashes a certain colour when a critical hit has been struck (actors and monsters).
• Turn Counter - A window is displayed during battle counting the number of combat rounds.
• Extra Stats Window - Shows a window displaying additional stats, such as the number of combats won/lost, the amount of gold collected, etc. This can also be summoned from the map by pressing a (predefined) key.

Q-Engine Release Candidate Version 2.0

Work on the Q-Engine has renewed after a brief pause.

The Release Candidate for Version 2.0 is being reworked, with much of the code being tidied up and reconstructed to iron out several incongruities and compatibility issues. The manual is being rewritten from scratch to make it easier to read and will eventually be available as a downloadable file, which will be in DOC and PDF formats. There may also be a simple HTML-ised version online in time.

Planned additions to the Q-Engine (prior to the release of Version 2.0) include:

• A new Animated Game Over screen
• Greater flexibility for alternative Status Screen layouts, including character profile information.
• Additional stats for the Extra Stats window, including XY coordinates.
• Additional Bitmap methods, including drawing vertical lines and boxes (this is a working idea only at this point).
• A new 3D MMORPG stylised Equipment Screen, also reflected on the Status Screen.

When Version 2.0 is completed, it will be integrated into The Gladiator Project, which will be rewritten from scratch, drawing on the original ideas but the entire plot infrastructure will be re-done as well. Interest was renewed in the project when I found some archived materials for previous projects, including some very old RM2K3 archives.

Event Commands Tutorial Started

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Event Commands Tutorial

Now that I have my new graphics card, the Event Commands Tutorial has begun. This is a complete tutorial for the Event Commands for all RPG Makers, including screenshots. Most Event Commands are based on those in RM2K3, but additional notes have been given corresponding to each RPG Maker. Personal notes and examples have also been given where appropriate.

The section is under heavy construction, with a lot of work yet to do on it. I'm starting with the RM2K3 Event Commands and working through RMXP, then RMVX and finally RMVXA (in that order). It'll take a while but progress is steady.

Q-Engine v1.28.23.8

Work on the Q-Engine. The Alternative Status Screen is undergoing a rewrite to clean up some code and fix layout positioning issues.

Once this has been dealt with, then a second demo video and download will be uploaded.

Resources Migration

The final update is that starting the middle of this month, all of the resources (including windowskins) will be uploaded to RPG Maker Times Companion.

Video Demo - Q-Engine for RMVX

RMT Companion Main Site

Q-Engine Updates Page

A video demo of the Q-Engine has finally been uploaded.

The Q-Engine is an enhancement engine for RMVX comprising a number of scripts/scriptlets and tweaks, all of which are customisable. Note: The version numbers in this video differ to the actual version numbers. Script release date is 15 December, 2012.



Music: The Experiment by Danosongs.

Animated Title Screen Redux RMVX

The Animated Title Screen Redux RMVX 1.6 is an experiment with sprites and layers.

Although it started out as an experiment purely with sprites (showcased in a previous video), it developed into a simple title animation and then into something more complex, with the addition of a message or credits on the Title Screen. It may or may not be integrated into the Q-Engine in the future.

The title itself, "The Chronicles of Yrth", is taken from a novella I wrote in the early '90s, which was completed but never published. This will be a future project, based loosely on that novella.

The background music is Living Voyage by Kevin MacLeod.

Q-Engine Script In Progress (RMVX)

Companion Wulf Presents

The Q-Engine Script was originally going to be named CWEngine, i.e. Companion Wulf's Engine, and is a kind of foundation script for my own scripts, as well as other functions and features.

The Q-Engine Script is based loosely on my Scripts/Addon-Ons Compendium for RMVX, which incorporates my Extra Stats Window and Parameter Equip +/- Icon scripts.

An expansion to the Bitmap class is planned to include additional shapes (circle, semi-circle, square, etc.) and font capabilities (enhanced shadow and text effects), as well as windows and windowskins effects.

There will be enhancements to the menu, including icons, and status windows. I'm also hoping to re-do my MMORPG Styled Status/Equipment script.

It's an ambitious project, but I'll try and post updates and screenshots throughout until the script is finished.