FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

[Brewmeister]

Frequently Asked Questions
Last Updated: September 23rd, 2008

Introduction
This topic is for commonly asked questions conserning RMXP/VX. Please check this FAQ before creating a new thread. If you are directed to this FAQ, your answer can be found in this thread. If you do this repetitively, you will be warned.

If have have anything you would like to add, PM a moderator (preferably, one of the General Support moderators or SephirothSpawn) with your additions or post it below.Do Not post support questions here!.

Authors, Contributors & Sources

• Brewmeister
• 60.25
• Zeriab
• SephirothSpawn
• Aus "ace" Wallace
• Blizzard
• Constance
• deadly_diablo
• kitramos
• Marlune
• Meâ„¢
• zuzagi
• Official English Site - http://www.enterbrain.co.jp/tkool/RPG_XP/eng
• Creation Asylum - http://www.creationasylum.net
• Google - http://www.google.com
• Oxford English Dictionary - http://www.oed.com
• Wikipedia - http://www.wikipedia.org
• Have we forgot you? Let us know

~RMXP~

RMXP Program Information

Spoiler: What is RMXP?

RMXP, short for RPG Maker XP, is a game making tool made by Enterbrain
You can find their english website here: http://www.enterbrain.co.jp/tkool/RPG_XP/eng

Spoiler: What is a script?

The term 'script' have many different meanings (cf. Google and Wikipedia). When used in context with RMXP the general meaning is:
"This is a programming term that refers to a set of instructions (a program) that is executed by another program rather than the computer's processor." - http://www.satellite-tv-hq.com/telecom-glossary-s.htm
This basically means that a script is being interpreted and not compiled.

Spoiler: What is RGSS?

RGSS, short Ruby Game Scripting System, is a set of commands written in an interpreted language to automate certain application tasks or a type of computer code than can be directly executed by a program that understands the language in which the script is written. Scripts do not need to be compiled to be executed.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby_Game_Scripting_System

Spoiler: What is the database?

The Database can be found under Tools\Database (F9). You can also get to this by pressing F9.
The Database is the Menu that contains all the game specific settings, such as:
what imported tilesets are used for what;
what items are in the game, and how they interact with the characters;
what monsters are in the game, how they fight, how strong they are, how they look, what groups they travel in;
it also stores character data such as how they look, what their stats are and how they improve as the char levels.
This is also where you setup common events, and other settings that affect the whole game such as the battle music or the tileset for the menus.
This is also where you set what picture is used for the title screen and game over screen, but this is not where you import graphics, here your just picking which already imported graphic to use.
The Resource Manager is used to import graphics.

Spoiler: What is compile game disk?

It is an option under File in the editor.
It compiles your game into 1 file that you can run on another computer.
If you press it a dialog show appear asking you for an address. For a folder to be more explicit.
This is your output folder where the file will be placed after creation if you accept the dialog. (Click ok)
You have the option to create an encrypted archive.
This means that you can't get access to the game through the editor nor access to your resources when installing the game from the created file.

Spoiler: What is RTP?

RTP means Run Time Package. A package required to run a program, often filled with data used by much programs of the same kind.
For RMXP RTP, look below.

Spoiler: What is RPG Maker XP RTP

RPG Maker XP RTP is a system for reducing the total size of a “game diskâ€

 

[SephirothSpawn]

This FAQ has been updated and moved on to the rWiki.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE FAQ

Spoiler: Forum Version

NOTE: The version on the rWiki contains FAQ entries that are not displayed in this version of the FAQ.

Spoiler: About the FAQ

Straightly copied from .net;

All questions answered below in this topic will be added to the first post for the sake of quick reference.  If there is difficulty understanding any of the explanations, post your questions here, so I can extend upon the FAQ explanation.

Originally created by:Dark Zero
Copied by:The Cry of Fallen Angels
Fixed by: Raziel
Spoiler Hierarchy by: Dark Zero
Entries by: Dark Zero, The Cry of Fallen Angels, Spivurno, g_man_450, and Ccoa.
Special thanks to: Despain for use of his Where can I download RMXP? topic, Ccoa for use of her Distributing your RMXP game topic and her Demystifying the Game Process topic, and Spivurno and Blade (Cresten) for use of their previous RMXP tutorial.

Spoiler: RMXP.org forum issues

Spoiler: How do I post images?

Find an image host as www.imageshack.us or create an account at www.photobucket.com . Then use the [IMG] tag as the board instructs you to.

Spoiler: How do I post screenshots?

psgels:

- Open your game.
- Press Alt + Print Screen.
- Open MSPaint, or another graphics editor. Personally I think MSPaint is best for this.
- Press Ctrl + V.
- Save your image.
- [See "How do I post images?" above.]

Spoiler: How do I post my project?

Find a webhost such as www.rapidshare.de , www.savefile.com , www.megaupload.com. Then use the [URL] tag as the board instructs you to.  Post first in the 'New Projects' forum, then when the topic meets the requirements, it will be moved to the main Project Discussion forum.

Spoiler: Hi, I'm making a game, but I can not do it alone. I'm looking for spriters, scripters, mappers, etc.

psgels:

When you're trying to recruit members to participate in your topic, it helps a lot if you post some info on your game, for example:
- What do you already have?
- What is the story about? (please post a bit more than one sentence)
- Who are the main characters?
- What kind of persons are the main characters?
- What kinds of scripts are you planning to use.
- Post some screenshots of what you have up till now.
- [Etc. (It would confuse too many people :P)]

[- Basically, what's the advantage of them joining your project rather than someone else's, or rather than starting their own? People don't want to put a lot of hard work into a project that fails.

- Also, being able to construct a proper sentence always helps. Otherwise, you seem like a person going into an interview at a large corporation in jeans and a T-shirt.]

Spoiler: How do I get these show/hide boxes?

Use [spoiler] [/spoiler], and include your text between.  You can give them titles by using [spoiler=My Title Here][/spoiler] with your content in between.

Spoiler: Using RPG Maker XP

Spoiler: The Program Itself

Spoiler: WHERE CAN I DOWNLOAD RMXP?

See Despain's download topic.

Spoiler: When running a demo, I get RGSS102E.dll not found. Where do I get this?

The English version of RMXP can be downloaded at download.com. It's a free trial for 30 days, after which you have to buy it.

Spoiler: RMXP: General

Spoiler: How do I connect/link maps together?

Use a transfer player event. For outdoor maps, the usual practice is to map the terrain in such a way as to only have one or two tiles for teleport events (e.g. making cliffs block the rest of the side of the screen). If you would rather not artifically make such narrow paths, you either have to use multiple teleport events (may cause lag), event scripting.

Spoiler: How do I set the transparency for graphics?

Spivurno:

Select Tools | Resource Manager from the main menu. You can also access the Materialbase by the icon between the Script Editor and the Database. This will open the Resource Manager window. Specify the type of resource you will be importing by selecting the corresponding folder name in the left column. Click the Import button and navigate to the resource you will be setting the transparency for. After double clicking on it, a window will pop-up with the graphic displayed. Notice at the bottom there are two buttons. One is labeled "Transparent Color (Set w/ L-click)" and the other is labled "Translucent Color (Set w/ R-click)." Translucency is when the color is partially transparent, meaning it will appear see-through but visible. Go ahead and set the transparency and translucency by left and right clicking on the colors you wish respectively. Click Ok and you're done.

Spoiler: How many frames are there in a second?

Spivurno:

By default, there are 20 frames in a second. However, this number varies noticably from computer to computer.

Spoiler: Events

Spoiler: Message Window

'n' represents the ID for the item you would like to show.

Spoiler: Showing Names

\n[n]

Spoiler: Showing Variables

\v[n]

Spoiler: Changing Text Color

\c[n] where \c[0] is the default color

Spoiler: Showing Gold

\g

Spoiler: I want features other than these!

Find an Advanced Message System (AMS). Use the search function.

Spoiler: How do I erase an event permanently (or operate only once)?

g_man_450:

- Set up a switch for your event.
- After the event is over, set the switch to on.
- Create a new page in the event editor, leave it blank, and set it's start setting as the switch you used at the end of the event.

This will set the event blank after it is finished.

Spoiler: How do I make a treasure chest?

Ccoa:

First, make an event. Set the graphic to one of the closed treasure chest sprites. Under the Options, click the checkbox next to Lock Facing. In the Event Commands, play the Chest sound effect. Next, make a Move Event, and have This Event Face Left, Wait, Face Right, Wait, Face Up. Play a sound effect, if desired, and display a Message stating you received an item or money. Do a Change Items/Armor/Weapons, and add one of the things the player should get. Now do a Local Switch Operation, and turn Local Switch A ON.

Click on New Page, and click the checkbox next to Local Switch in the preconditions. It will be A by default. Put in the graphic of the open chest, and click the Lock Facing Option. Put a message saying "It's Empty" in the event commands, if desired.

Spoiler: Example

http://support.antheasoft.com/chest_1.jpg[/img]

http://support.antheasoft.com/chest_2.jpg[/img]

Spoiler: How do I make the hero go through a door?

Ccoa:

First, make an event. Set the graphic of the event to a closed door character, and make the trigger Action Key. In the event commands, play a Door sound effect, the do a Move Event on This Event, and have the door Face Left, Wait between 4 and 10 frames, Face Right, Wait (4-10f), Face Up. Now do another Move Event, and Move the player like so: Wait(4-10 frames), Phasing Mode ON, Move Up, Phasing Mode Off (you may also make the player semi-transparent here, if desired). Have a short Wait command (15 - 25 frames or so, depending on how long your earlier waits are) or a Proceed with Movement command, then Teleport the player.

Spoiler: How do I make a door to open when a certain switch is pressed (like Zelda)?

The Cry of Fallen Angels:

First make a door event (event door), without any commands, than give it a second page with another graphic and make sure that it's only triggered when a certain switch is turned on (switch door for convenience).
Than make a second event (event switch), a button where you can step on, make sure that it has phasing checked on and is being activated by a parralel proces. Now use variable operation, set (for convenience) variable hero X to sprite player X tile, add a new variable operation command and set variable hero Y to sprite player Y tile. Now do the same with the button (Sprite event).
Conditional branch if variable Hero X is equal to variable Switch X
Conditional Branch if variable Hero Y is equal to variable Switch Y
Switch operation turn switch door on
else
Switch operation turn switch door off
Switch operation turn switch door off

And that´s how it´s done.

Spoiler: How do I push a boulder?

The Cry of Fallen Angels:

Make an event Boulder set activating on hero touch or action key.
[Put a move event command, with the boulder as the subject, and put "Move away from hero"]

You can combine [this with the above question] simply by changing the player part in the first event, into event boulder Make sure you change every part. Else you won't get it to work.

That's it folks.

Spoiler: Scripts

Spoiler: The "enter hero name" script doesn't work!

Download the legal English version of RMXP.  See Despain's download topic for details.

Spoiler: How do I display animation on player and event?

#for Player
$game_player.animation_id = #id of animation

#for event
$game_map.events[event_id].animation_id = #id of animation

Spoiler: Distribution

Spoiler: I have problems when giving my game to other people.

Check Ccoa's distribution topic.

Spoiler: How do I make it so my friends can play my game?

Check Ccoa's distribution topic.

Spoiler: Game Troubleshooting

Spoiler: Why can I walk through everything even if I set the priotity right?

Ccoa:

Your problem most likely was that you "erased" with a blank tile. If you have a passable tile on a higher layer than an impassable tile, even if that tile is blank, that square will be passable. The solution is to only delete with the uppermost left tile, or with the select tool and pressing delete. Or not delete at all, just paint over.

Spoiler: My text won't appear!

Dark Zero:

Make sure you have entered the name of the font you are using correctly (capitalization, symbols, spacing, etc.)  Some fonts appear to simply not work, but most do.

Spoiler: Why is there a large square around my character?

psgels:

[See "How do I set the transparency for graphics?" in 'RMXP: General'.]

Spoiler: Commonly Desired Features

Spoiler: Facesets

Spivurno:

For some reason Enterbrain decided NOT to include any faceset graphics or a command to implement them. Do not worry! There are many skilled scripters out there that have scripted new commands to accomplish this task. One of the most popular is Dubealex's Advanced Message Script. However, in order to use any face graphic script, you'll need face graphics. You can either make your own or download some from [this site, in the User Submitted RGSS Scripts section].

Spoiler: Logo Before Title Screen

Look into the User submitted RGSS scripts.

Spoiler: Cutscenes

Ccoa:

Create an event, and set the Trigger to Auto Start. Within that event, move the other events, the hero, show messages, or do whatever else you want to do for the cut scene. Now do a Local Switch Operation, and turn Local Switch A ON. Make a second page to the event, and have the Precondition be that Local Switch A is ON.

If you're creating an opening cut scene, and you don't want the hero to be visible, then go to the database, click on the System tab, and remove all heros from your starting party. Now create that Autostart event on the opening map, and add your starting party back in after the event is completed.

If you're creating a cut scene in which the hero should not be visible, but that is not an opening cut scene, you can either remove all members from your party, or set the lead character's graphic to blank before the cut scene begins.

Make also sure to look at Demystifying the Game Process.

Spoiler: Full Screen' Mode][b]Dark Zero:[/b] Press ALT + ENTER. If you want your game to do it automatically, use call script to call the following: [code]$showm = Win32API.new 'user32', 'keybd_event', %w(l l l l), ' ' # Recognizes keyboard input $showm.call(18,0,0,0) # ALT down $showm.call(13,0,0,0) # ENTER down $showm.call(13,0,2,0) # ENTER up $showm.call(18,0,2,0) # ALT up[/code][spoiler='Full Screen' Mode Troubleshooting] [spoiler=When to call script][quote]I haven't been able to figure out how to get the automatic fullscreen script displayed in the FAQ to work. All it says is "call the following" which isn't too helpful for us noobs. When do I call it? The only way I know to call a script is through the Script command in an event, but I can't place an event in the title screen. Is it done with common events somehow? Sorry to have to ask about an answer that's already given, but I haven't been able to figure this out on my own.[/quote][quote="Dark Zero":m2owre1d"]You call it whenever you want to. You could use call script, but if you want it to happen before the titlescreen, I suggest actually putting it IN main. You can put it before the comment before the line that says $scene = Scene_Title.new (assuming you have the default main script).[/quote][/spoiler] [/spoiler] [/spoiler] [/spoiler] [spoiler=Creating and Obtaining Scripts or Resources][spoiler=How do I rip graphics from a game?][b]Tana:[/b] Visit [url=http://www.spriters-resource.com/]The Spriter's Resource[/url] Once you have the images, you can set out putting them on RMXP compatible sprite sheets.[/spoiler] [spoiler=I want to make ___ script, but don't know Ruby. Where do I start?]Look at [url=http://www.rmxp.org/forums/showthread.php?t=1868]this topic[/url] to find some good tutorials.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Where can I find a sprite template (for the RTP-style sprites)?]Check the [url=http://"http://www.rmxp.org/forums/showthread.php?t=4142

Template Topic[/url]

 

[Jishdefish]

:P The tutorial link is a '404 Not Found.' Maybe it should be renewed?