I want to learn RGSS!

[Echo Magnum]

I'm constantly frustrated with scripts that I cant customize in depth to my own preferences or fail to understand them ( even with instructions ), or small changes I want to make with the menu that I cant do and I also want to make my own scripts to fit my needs and UI designs exactly. So:

Where can I start learning rgss in depth for rpg maker X.P?

How long will it take me to be able to make my own scripts ranging from
a simple menu system to a complex battle script?

and... Should I bother learning Ruby? Would it help or not?

What compilers out their would you recommend, I found this, not sure if its good or not yet:
Learn Ruby With Hackety-Hack

 

[Draycos Goldaryn]

Where can I start learning rgss in depth for rpg maker X.P?

There are a few tutorials on this and other rmxp communities, as well as the rmxp help file. not to mention looking through the scripts already provided and tinkering with them to see the results. (this is how I learned)

How long will it take me to be able to make my own scripts ranging from
a simple menu system to a complex battle script?

This depends on how determined you are, how quickly you pick it up, and how much time you can dedicate to it.

Should I bother learning Ruby? Would it help or not?

This will definately help as RGSS is Ruby with only a few methods, classes, modules rewritten from the original. Mostly learn the basics of Ruby though, as RMXP uses an old version of Ruby that is no longer officially available for download.

 

[Echo Magnum]

This will definately help as RGSS is Ruby with only a few methods, classes, modules rewritten from the original. Mostly learn the basics of Ruby though, as RMXP uses an old version of Ruby that is no longer officially available for download.

What version is this so I can do some online hunting?

Also how different is rgss2 from rgss(1)? Would it be easy to learn both at the same time or is this confusing and if I was to make a script is it possible to make it compatible for both RPG Maker VX and XP?

 

[Draycos Goldaryn]

It uses Ruby 1.8.1

As for the differences between the RGSS and RGSS2, I don't know exactly, mostly just the default scripts (both hidden and in the editor) They both work the same way as they both use Ruby, so it shouldn't be difficult to learn both together. as for making a script compatible for both, it has been done. unless it relies on the built-in or default scripts, it should work on both, if it does rely on or modifies any built in or default scripts, then you would just need a conditional do determine which rgss is being used and make the appropriate changes. As I said, this has been done, so take a look at a few of the scripts in the submitted scripts section that boast xp/vx compatibility and see how they did it.

 

[BlueScope]

There's quite a variety of ways to learn Ruby/RGSS... personally, I wouldn't really bother with learning RGSS instead of going with plain Ruby, and then switching over. I realized that I hard quite a hard time distinguishing the easiest things such as graphics or whatnot, because I assumed stuff like @sprite.bitmap was just how it works in Ruby, while it's got nothing to do with it... quite obviously, now that I look back at it, of course.

As for the RGSS and RGSS2 differences, the RMVX help file is quite guiding on that. It points out every single change from the previous version to RGSS2 with a red mark, up to the directory it's being installed in. If I remember correctly, there's even a page with all the new methods available in there. All in all, the changes are so little that it really makes no difference... I don't think I've used any of the RGSS2 functions except for the blurring more than to test it out.

 

[Echo Magnum]

This is probably a stupid question but I have very little experience with this so if I want to download a software where I can write code in and then run this code should I look for a compiler or an installer? I got one that I think is meant to use the command prompt but I have no idea how it works? Most of the other downloads I get which I think are supposed to be compilers are just a bunch of "random" files? :

If possible I just want something to program in without having to bug around with a command prompt or some "user-complex" compiler, you know like Visual Basic or something with a friendly UI to compile, run and test/debug code.

Also since RGSS1 and 2 are very similar I will check the help files and try learning both at the same time.

There's quite a variety of ways to learn Ruby/RGSS... personally, I wouldn't really bother with learning RGSS instead of going with plain Ruby and then switching over.

I will try this but since learning Ruby will be more convenient. Do I still learn the old version or the latest even though the old is basically RGSS, the new might help learn ruby better...or not.

 

[Zeriab]

You can try messing around with http://tryruby.org and see if that helps you.
As for picking the right Ruby version I suggest going for a 1.8.x version instead of a 1.9.x version since there are fewer changes with RGSS1/2.

Learning it will take time and somewhat similar to when you are learning a new human language it the fun first really starts when you can piece some sentences together yourself.

*hugs*

 

[Echo Magnum]

:thumb: sweet find Zeirab , I could jump straight into this without having to scratch my head, the tutorials are basic but then they grow more and more in depth.

Also these same codes work with the Ruby Interactive Shell in the command prompt, only I thought ruby was one of those programing languages that is run after a bunch of codes have been written not after each and every code?

I made this asumption becuase rgss code is written as script and then run during play or runtime. Is ruby supposed to be run like a command prompt or is the ruby interactive shell just another means of coding while its also possible to write an entire program and then run it later during run time?

Oh I rember, its called a batch file/process... :huh: ...How do I make batch files?

Anyway, I'll start of with the basics instead of trying to program a batch file first...just curious.

Ruby is an Object-Oriented language, What does "object oriented" mean?

most explanations e.g Wikipedia explain in programmer jargon I don't really get as of now...

And your right this feels like learning a new language, only one you use to talk/communicate with computers.

 

[BlueScope]

(...), only I thought ruby was one of those programing languages that is run after a bunch of codes have been written not after each and every code?

Technically, every language runs one line at the time. If you have a PHP script (to name something pretty damn straightforward), you can also do echo 'Hello World'; at it will be printed. How many lines you need is just a matter of complexity. If you want a battle system, I wouldn't suggest to develop that within tryruby.org ^^ Aside from that, it's a beautiful page, but then again, if you already know you want to learn the stuff, just get the installer right away.

Ruby files are just regular plain text files with .rb extensions. There's nothing easier than that. If you execute that file through a comand line, it will run the code given, just like an RGSS script would. Code is always just code and will work the same whether stored in an RGSS script, a .rb file or in a temporary container on tryruby.org - you got your code, and your code will run.

Object-oriented means that you can reference single objects by their object names. Every object is (likely) connected with others, and together, they form the code. Unlike other structures, you integrate data and code structure with each other, instead of splitting them, hence why it's easier to re-build real life structures with it.
As that tells you nothing if you never worked with it, try reading through some documentation online - there's lots of text on the matter. If you don't get that, well... my personal opinion is "why bother", as knowing what the term means will do nothing for you... spend the time on learning how to code!

And yeah, last but not least... it might be like learning a new language, but in comparison, there's only a split part of the number of words. I'd say you don't need more than 40 or so terms to already know your way around scripting perfectly fine - if you have a library to look the methods and stuff up.
While we're at it, here's one page that will make it to the top of your bookmarks in no-time: http://www.ruby-doc.org/docs/ProgrammingRuby/

 

[e]

From the same creator of Try Ruby, there's Hackety-Hack, which aims to teach programming in general (by using Ruby).

wish _why was still around

 

[Echo Magnum]

e , I have Hackety Hack, its fine for ofline help, I really like the Try Ruby interface more as well as the lessons, the code in Hackety Hack seems to be geared more to their app "shoes", I try run it in a command prompt but I only get error messages probably because their is no built in interface to recognize these codes graphically with a cmd-prompt like the Turtle.draw forward code.

Point taken Bluescope, I'll care less about terms and jargon and care more about codes and ruby, I already have a simple battle system and menu system in mind so I cant wait to get crackin' in RGSS as well as learn a sophisticated and powerfull programming language.

Thanks for the Manual, this is GOLD :heart: .