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Post by Plant Feathers on Apr 28, 2013 11:34:40 GMT -5
A few of us are fiddling with the idea of making a some kind of video game using RPG Maker. This thread is for brainstorming ideas and perhaps eventually coordinating work if we decide to move ahead with it. If anyone is interested, please jump right in!
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Jeredu
Junior Member
Breaking hearts with lovely arts
Posts: 98
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Post by Jeredu on Apr 28, 2013 11:39:45 GMT -5
While I've never used RPG Maker before, as a Game Development student who JUST got my Associates Degree (which doesn't really count for much in the grand scheme of things), I am totally on board with this and ready to offer input, ideas, and even help make assets in my free time. I specialize in art, but I know a little of everything else, too. ...I don't even know what RPG Maker IS, I just know I've heard OF it before. I guess I could do a little research, then.
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Post by Plant Feathers on Apr 28, 2013 12:07:01 GMT -5
youtu.be/pdKHAe6StuEHere's a (rather dramatic) video advertizing the latest, greatest version of RPG Maker. That should give you the general idea. You upload all your sprites/music/whatever into the program (there are some freebies that come with it, too) and then the program makes it easy to select what you want and where you want it to go. If I remember right, programming mostly consists of giving RPG Maker simple commands: if the player stands on this tile and presses this button, then this will happen. I've only fiddled with it, but haven't actually MADE anything with it, so I know the basic idea of the program, but I'm definitely no expert.
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karaii
Junior Member
:)
Posts: 91
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Post by karaii on Apr 28, 2013 13:10:36 GMT -5
Okay, so there are a thousand better RPG Maker tutorials out there, so I won't bother on that. But I do have some knowledge of how to modify the pre-existing character models or face sets or background textures to help you create an original game. Here's an example of a default face set (from the game HeroesRealmRTP): Images are 192 x 192 pixels for 16 faces. That makes each face 48 x 48 pixels. This is the little photo that goes to the left or right of the dialogue boxes, to identify who's speaking. You can make a variety of faces for the same character, you just gotta draw 'em! Here's an example of the character walking model (default RPG Maker): As you can see, each character has a 4 x 3 little rectangle, which shows 12 different states a single character sprite can be in. Up, right, forward, left. Left column is one step, right column is another step, middle is standing still. If you set an event to have a character move, the game will automatically cycle through this walk cycle in whichever direction you set the character to move. You can modify pre-existing sprites to make your own (example from the amazing french indie game OFF): As you can see, you can have non-characters like items that you want animated here as well. A box can appear to be opened animated-like by acting like a 'character' walking in place. Here's the default (RPG-maker) dungeon texture: As you can see, you can make lakes and different kinds of floors and walls and gizmos for your dungeon. Like everything else, you can also make your own, to give your game a specific kind of atmosphere or style. Here's an example from HeroesRealmRTP: These are for RPG Maker and RPG Maker 2K3, though. I haven't worked with XP or VX (as they are not free/easily pirate-able), so I have no knowledge of those. If you want to modify prexisting models to make Vash and Wolfwood and Gunsmoke's desert background, I'd make sure to use these or other examples you can get online as a base so you can get the dimensions just right. Once you modify a file, you'd save this new file (with hopefully a different name so as to note override the defaults) onto the appropriate folder. Charset is for the character walking models, Faceset for faces, Chipset for backgrounds, etc etc. They will automatically import into your game so you can use them. ...Uh, but again, I haven't worked on RPG Maker games since I was a preteen (so... 8+ years ago), so things might have changed / I might be misremembering details / I need others to help explain if possible. Hope this helped!
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Post by Plant Feathers on Apr 28, 2013 13:56:53 GMT -5
Jeredu: Those dragons are sweet! (Sand worms are a lot like dragons, just sayin'.) karaii: Thanks! That's helpful! (I'm willing to bet we go with one of the free versions of RPG Maker, btw. Good to know there's someone around who knows a thing or two about the program already.)
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Alnee
New Member
WV all the way <3
Posts: 25
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Post by Alnee on Apr 28, 2013 17:18:00 GMT -5
I'd like to help too I've only ever 'used' RPG maker XP (never got around to really do anything but created some char sets and stuff like that) so I'm not sure how the other versions work. And it's been years too ^^" I don't know anything about code and programming but I'd like to help with the graphics
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theredgunslinger
New Member
This world is made of love and peace! ^_^ (Vash RPer and general fangirl)
Posts: 46
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Post by theredgunslinger on Apr 28, 2013 18:26:59 GMT -5
Woah, this sounds amazing! Any ideas for a plot or anything like that? I'd be more than happy to contribute to the writing of it or something like that. ^_^
My tech skills are pretty limited, but if you want anything like images to use for enemies, or character portraits, I'm willing to join in for that.
Also, this isn't quite the same idea, but I do know there's a program that's really easy to use called Ren'Py for stuff like dating sims and visual novels, if anyone is interested in that sort of thing. ^^; A lot of popular visual novels like Tsukihime and Saya no Uta were made in it. Hahah feel free to ignore this if not interested though, 'cuz I'm just rambling >>;
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Post by BlueWindOfDeath on Apr 28, 2013 19:45:34 GMT -5
So far almost everything I've worked on has been console applications but next month I start windows programming classes so soon I'll be able to implement graphics and stuff. Haven't done much AI work and I'm horrible at memory management but I've got two very thick textbooks I haven't finished yet and I've had a little experience with the directX math library so when it comes to code I can at least get us started.
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Post by Plant Feathers on Apr 28, 2013 20:08:58 GMT -5
Yeah, let's talk about plot. Do we want to try and adapt the existing plotline, or create a stand-alone plot?
When I was playing around with the idea of a Trigun game back in the day, I wanted to adapt the existing plot. On the plus side, it made things easier because I already knew what the story was. All I had to do was figure out how to adapt it. One of the biggest cons that I came across was that I felt like I needed filler. Otherwise it was just traveling from town to town, fighting a Gung Ho Gun in each town and that was it. You could level up on sandworms along the way, but there's not much plot happening. (Then again, that's about how Pokemon is. You battle along the way, and then in each town you have a gym battle. Vash challenges Gym Leader Midvalley to a battle! Wolfwood, I choose you!) Another problem was what to do with backstory. Cutscenes? Having one character tell another? Just leave them out? Similarly, what about the major deaths? Those would just about have to be cutscenes. ("Guys, I didn't finish making the cutscene for Wolfwood's death... my computer crashed... because it got wet... because I cried all over it.")
I'm not saying adapting the existing plot would be a bad idea. Not at all. I'm just saying I've thought about it already and these are some things to keep in mind.
With a new stand-alone plot, we could think about what kinds of things we like to see in video games ourselves, and come up with a plot that caters to those things. But then it also leaves us with the task of, well, coming up with a plot.
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Jeredu
Junior Member
Breaking hearts with lovely arts
Posts: 98
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Post by Jeredu on Apr 28, 2013 20:16:30 GMT -5
I second the idea of a new plot, similar to what Badlands Rumble did- a new story that could take place in either canon, with all the characters we know and love~
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theredgunslinger
New Member
This world is made of love and peace! ^_^ (Vash RPer and general fangirl)
Posts: 46
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Post by theredgunslinger on Apr 28, 2013 20:33:41 GMT -5
I've seen RPG maker type games where images were added in, like Ib, so it is theoretically possible to have cutscenes which are part animated, part original art, if we want to. If we add in code for say, face sprites on the dialogue, that'd add more to our options too, in a way. We could have expression changes for certain scenes, and the like, if we wanted to.
It does seem like it would be difficult to put the story together in a video game format. I can see some really cool ideas happening though, like, say, a segment based on the episode of the anime/chapter of the manga where Vash is running through a city being chased after by ALL of it's inhabitants. XD And it's a timed segment where you have to outrun all the people aiming at you, and dodge bullets/rocket launchers, then a boss fight with the Nebraska family...
Okay I'm rambling again, but you get the point. We could do a lot of interesting game and story sequences if we tried, but it wouldn't exactly be all RPG. It might be like... an adventure game? Maybe an Adventure/RPG hybrid? I know such things are possible in RPGmaker. You can make a LOT of cool things in RPG maker if you try. ^_^ That might mean we would need a lot of different people working on the code and story and stuff though. It'd be a commitment!
Anyway... like, there's a lot of different ways we could go with the story if we made it an adaptation. Which canon do we go by? Anime, manga, a mix of both that makes it sorta more standalone? It's always possible to go the Badlands Rumble route, where this story could just about fit anywhere without issue and be standalone, but that might limit what we can do. @_@
What comes to mind as most easy and versatile would be to sort of take from both the anime and manga and sort of tie it all together. Like, so it would be more than just "pokemon with trigun" or something. Maybe do what the anime did and start out with shorter stories, that gradually tie into the bigger narrative? Or maybe we can shift perspective for some stories to be told. Like, switching between Wolfwood stories and Vash stories once Wolfwood is introduced, or something like that? Ugh, I know I'm not conveying my ideas all that well... D: I'm sorry.
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kwolfwood
Junior Member
So full of mercy!
Posts: 52
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Post by kwolfwood on Apr 28, 2013 20:47:36 GMT -5
I have some experience with Gamemaker (the free version), and have some knowledge of game making since I went to some game design summer programs when I was younger. It's been a while since I've really touched anything game design but I've done a little pixel art: Here's a Gundam I made in Gamemaker about 5 years ago Some animated SD mobile suits, about 4yo and I made this Spike 3 years ago with my non-dominant hand when I was having bad wrist problems and desperately needed to make art (this one was kind of crazy, but I enjoyed it) so I'd be willing to lend a helping hand if there is any need for simple robots (like in murder machine)?? but idk if this stuff really will help especially since i doubt my ability all the timeBut dang so many good ideas here! I'd love to see a Trigun game come to fruition~
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Post by Plant Feathers on Apr 28, 2013 21:19:44 GMT -5
Wow, you guys are blowing me away with your pixel art. *_* I've never even tried pixel art before. I think I'll be one of the people working within RPG Maker and leave the graphics making to you guys. XD (Also, Katie, yes, I definitely think this game needs some robots! :3)
I think you're right, redgunslinger, that drawing from the manga would improve the plot. (Btw, I always thought the bit with the quarters seemed a LOT like something that would be in a video game. XD) So if we decide to go that route, I think we should do that.
And if we decide to do a stand-alone plot, we could draw from things in the anime/manga for inspiration, like your idea of a chase scene.
I also like the idea of switching characters. You could even work that into some kind of side quest or something. For example, maybe the girls have to run an errand for the insurance company and you get to play as them for a while. But that's an idea I'm sure we could fit into any plot we decide to do.
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Post by BlueWindOfDeath on Apr 28, 2013 22:15:29 GMT -5
Speaking of switching characters, in Fur Fighters there are various points throughout the levels that stepping into them switches out your character. Each of them has unique abilities that you need to use to complete the level like the dragon glides and the penguin can swim under water. Maybe something like that could work here. I can totally picture sending Meryl on a rescue mission using her small stature to better hide from enemies.
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