No Updates For A While

As the title says, there won't be updates for a while. It's not out of choice, it's just that I'm relocating and won't have easy access to a computer. These past few months in particular have been stressful - coursework, apartment-hunting, seasonal flu, and a plethora of other things to preoccupy my time - but once I've settled into my new apartment I'm sure that things will return to "normal".

In the meantime, while waiting for the internet, I'll be writing a lot of short stories, articles and tutorials. And will also be continuing with the Ars Mechanicum novel as well.

Bear with me through this "transition". Once I can get going again, there'll be more regular updates than previously (everything's going to start settling down again, I'm sure!).

RPG Maker Times Facebook and Other Updates

RPG Maker Times on Facebook

RPG Maker Times now has its own page on Facebook Page. This is primarily part of the expansion planned for 2012, where there will be regular features and competitions. In the new year, RPG Maker Times will include some of the other RPG Makers as well as MMORPGs, editors and creators. The "official" Facebook page is where these particular updates will regularly go.

RPG Maker Newsletter Launch

The RPG Maker Times Newsletter was launched today and the very first edition was sent to subscribers. Click here to subscribe. You can unsubscribe at any time. Don't worry I'm not going to spam your emails - I absolutely detest the idiots that think sending spam is cool - and will only send the newsletter to you (quite irregularly as it happens).

Beautiful Airship Sequence - RMXP

I'd forgotten how bloody nightmarish moving can be! Been going around in circles for what seems like an eternity, and I admit I got a little too overwhelmed, hence the lack of updates.

Anyway, I happened across this on my Twitter account and thought it was so cool I just had to share it.

Ars Mechanicum Novel Update

Progress on the novel is going at full steam, but progress on the game is virtually at a stop. I'd like to get at least the first novel written before developing the game further, since the two will be a natural progression of one another and will tie up some loose ends.

In the beginning, when I first started writing the novella, it was meant to be a tie-in with the game anyway, with the game literally starting right where the story left off, but as the plot developed it became increasingly more complex. It was apparent that some additional background into the storyline was needed because without it, there were more questions than answers, even with the information being released in the game. So the starting point for the novella was a brief introduction to the characters and how they came to be at the tavern at the very beginning of the game.

As the novella developed, however, it started expanding rapidly. Further plot and story ideas gushed out, new characters and their histories entered into the picture, and the mythos behind the novella was further elaborated upon.

Thus, the novella has developed into a full novel. Depending on how the story evolves, it may become a trilogy. The working titles for the Ars Mechanicum trilogy would be:

Edit: 3 Sep, 2011

• Genesis Legacy - Where it all begins. The prequel to the game.
• Legacy Genesis - The after-shocks of Genesis. The game is loosely based on this one.
• Endgame - The culmination of events and loose ends tie-up.

There is no fixed release date on Genesis, as I'm still writing it. It's about a quarter of the way completed, so we'll probably be looking at sometime next year before anything concrete happens.

That said, I may be releasing a sample chapter earlier than that, depending on the results from RPG Maker Times. If interested in viewing the sample chapter, make your vote count (no closing date yet).

RPG Maker Web RMVX Tutorials

In case you're not aware already - and you should be - the "official" RPG Maker makers are on Facebook or Twitter. I would highly recommend following them there if you have accounts at one or both of these places, as you'll get first dibs on their newest products and add-ons, such as the "critically acclaimed" Samurai add-on pack.

Anyway, I digress. They've been creating a comprehensive list of very useful tutorials for RMVX on their official site, RPG Maker Web (link leads directly to the tutorials page).

So far they have 18 tutorials. I probably won't update this as they'll be "be continuing this series with a new tutorial every Friday". Note: None in the list are linked; this'll just give you a better idea on what tutorials they have (on the website itself all tutorials are in PDF format, including pictures with a step-by-step guide for each).

• Level 1 - Creating a Story Line
• Step 1: Creating a Story Line.
• Level 2 - Drawing Maps
• Step 2: Setting Up a New Project.
• Step 3: Preparing to Draw Maps.
• Step 4: Drawing Maps.
• Step 5: Testing Maps.
• Level 3 - Creating a Castle
• Step 6: Creating the Good King's Castle.
• Step 7: Using Quick Event Creation (Transfer).
• Level 4 - Talking with the King
• Step 8: Talking with the King.
• Step 9: Organize Events with Switches.
• Step 10: Enhancing Events with Event Page.
• Level 5 - Creating a Main Character
• Step 11: Creating an Original Main Character.
• Step 12: Bringing your Initial Party Together.
• Level 6 - Creating a Village
• Step 13: Creating Minato Port.
• Step 14: Using the Map Tree.
• Step 15: Creating Doors with Quick Events.
• Level 7 - Creating Shops
• Step 16: Creating Villagers.
• Step 17: Creating the Inn.
• Step 18: Creating the Weapon Shop.
• Step 19: Creating the Item Shop.
• Level 8 - Recruiting a Team
• Step 20: Creating Villagers.
• Step 21: Recruiting Teammates.
• Level 9 - Getting a Boat
• Step 22: Considering the Flow of Events.
• Step 23: Linking the Boat Event.
• Level 10 - Creating a Dungeon
• Step 24: Using the Terrain to Guide Player Movement
• Step 25: Using the Generate Dungeon Function.
• Level 11 - Placing Treasure Chests
• Step 26: Quick Event Creation - Treasure Chest
• Step 27: Understanding Self Switches
• Level 12 - Creating a Locked Door
• Step 28: Preparing the Locked Door
• Step 29: Creating the Locked Door Event
• Step 30: Placing a Key in a Treasure Chest
• Level 13 - Creating Yes/No Player Options
• Step 31: Constructing the Airship Event
• Step 32: Creating a Yes/No Player Option
• Level 14 - Creating a Dungeon 2
• Step 33: Planning the Lair
• Step 34: Drawing the Dungeon Map
• Step 35: Setting Traps
• Level 15 - Creating a Puzzle
• Step 36: Outlining the Puzzle
• Step 37: Using Variables
• Level 16 - Useful Functions to Remember
• Step 38: Playtest Functions
• Step 39: Using Control Characters
• Level 17 - Creating a Puzzle Part 2
• Step 40: Outlining the Puzzle Part 2
• Step 41: Variables in Use
• Level 18 - Creating Monsters
• Step 42: Monster Settings (Parameter Curve)
• Step 43: Monster Settings (Actions Patterns)

Resource Sites for RPG Maker

I've been using RPG Maker for awhile, as regular visitors will know, so it would be inevitable that I'd have some graphical resource sites at hand. In fact, my collection of bookmarks is huge! Sadly, however, some of the sites have faded into obscurity. These are some of the best resource sites that I know of, and I'll be adding more some time as well.

• Etorie Material (RMXP/VX) - A Japanese resource site with the slant on anime. All resources here are good quality. Windowskins are for RMXP for the most part. — English version (Google Translated)
• Mutation Genes Similation T.D. Lab (RM2K3/XP/VX) - A Japanese site with some stunning graphics for all RPG Maker platforms, from Title/Game Over screens to transitions to message backgrounds. — English version (Google Translated)
• Neo RTP (RMVX) - This Japanese site has very few resources on it, but it's mentioned because it's the only one I know of with "school" themed resources, from characters to windowskins.
• Onirology (RPG-Maker) (RM2K3/XP/VX) - A French site with a few resources, but they are quite good, including Windowskins. The site does not appear to have been updated for a while.
• Zanyzora's RMXP Resources RMXP - Contains a comparatively small amount of resources, but good ones nevertheless. Some are matching sets and some are add-ons too, including ships. It does not appear that the site has been updated for a while.

Another "Still Here" Update

I just realised today that the Flash menu was horrendously out of date, so I'll get a more up to date menu up tomorrow.

The Ars Mechanicum (pseudo-) domain name has gone. Apparently there weren't enough monthly "hits" so it got suspended. Oh well, at this point it doesn't matter. I've not been promoting it actively because the focus right now is still on The Gladiator Project.

As far as Ars Mechanicum itself, it hasn't been abandoned, just placed on the back burner for now. Not completely, however, since I'm also busy writing (rewriting to second draft) the novellas and expanding them, fleshing them out. A few hours a night, except when my head fills up with imagery, then I have to write it all down before my head explodes. Next update, I think I'll try and get some windowskins/resources up. We'll see how it goes though.

Start Menu Screenshot - TGP

This is the start menu for TGP. Click on the image for a larger view (opens in a new window/tab).

A translation of the Latinesque on this menu can be viewed on the Glossary page, under "In-Game Menu".

Game Reviews Coming Soon

I must confess that I should have been working on my own projects, but instead I've been playing a few RPG Maker games over the past few months so now it's time to finally start reviewing them. I did mention a while back about doing this. Now is the time, I guess, so over the next few weeks I'll try and get some reviews up.

Among the games that will be reviewed (in no particular order) are:

• Intelligence by Bizarre Monkey
• Spellbinder by OriginalWij
• The Cartographer by Avadan
• The Lore of Lorewyn by Hard Triangle (Christian Clinton)

To keep things simple, the reviews will contain the following categories:

• Storyline: The actual plot, including story and character development.
• Graphics: The use of graphics and graphical effects.
• Music/Sound: The music used throughout the game and effective use of sound effects (including speech).
• Gameplay: How well the game plays and general ease of use.
• Overall: The final score, based on the overall feel of the gaming experience.

I haven't decided whether to score using percentages or a simple star system - most likely the latter - but that will probably come after the first review has been written. It may mean that I'll have to replay the games as a reminder of what's what, but that doesn't matter too much.

I'll try to get the first review up within the week.

The Gladiator Project - Redux Update #2

Some good news and bad news!

The good news is that TGP has finally found a new host. You can access it still by using its domain name. I'll be balancing between the two versions, RMXP and RMVX, as they will be synchronously developed, not so much the scripts yet, just the maps and storyline.

The bad news is that no thanks to Heliohost, I lost the previous (latest) updates - no time to backup, since I could never access the site! That means that I'll have to redo and redesign it. Not necessarily a bad thing, just annoyingly time-consuming!

Second (or third) time around usually works out better in the end, so I'll be modifying it bit by bit over the next few weeks - time permitting - to get it back on track.