RMXP - HBGE (0.0.4)

[SephirothSpawn]

RMXP - HBGames.org Edition
Version: 0.0.4

Introduction

The idea of this project is we, the hbgames.org community, come up with our own scripting engine. Now we will still be using RMXP because it does have a database & map editor, and all those neat little hidden classes we can still get use from. Other than that, we are re-scripting anything we want. Think of it as a new MACL and SDK, but the next step.

As of now, we will be working on "core" classes and modules. We will not be working on windows or scenes and such, this will not be "usable" for some time other than serving as a library. The current demo only includes basic layout and documentation. I am currently adding the MACL library and other collectible classes for this.

At this time, feel free to share any thoughts or additions you wish to make. I will be updating this regularly with any additions anyone has added.

The project will utilize loading .rb files making adding new additions even simpler than ever. This also lets us generate a RDoc for our HBGE library. In the demos (0.0.4 or greater) the RDoc will be present.

Latest Update
- Included RDoc in demo
- Moved all library classes into .rb files
- Additions to library (See document heading)

Demo
Version 0.0.4

Credits and Thanks

If you submit anything to the HBGE and it is approved, your name will be listed below and within the documentation.

Terms and Conditions

The engine will be free for non-commercial and commercial projects alike as long as they credit the HBGE Engine. The HBGE cannot be redistributed anyplace. For more, check the Documentation. (Feel free to add anything here guys).

Side Projects

DSG
Along with this, I am creating another database editor, that will allow people to create objects like you could with the RMXP Database editor. It is merely an extension of that, where scripters can create new library classes and the editor will read them and create new tabs with fields for users to create. It is 99% complete and only being fine tuned at this point.

 

[Jason]

I really like the idea of this, and how you're getting the community together to use and make ideas for a new engine, great stuff!

I'd honestly love to help with this, but the problem is that my scripting is very limited. I can, however, offer morale support, if that's anything to go by, maybe share some ideas, but sadly won't be able to put anything to practical use.

 

[Brewmeister]

I'm in. Just downloaded. Will have a good look tonight.

 

[SephirothSpawn]

Not a lot there. I was working on my own re-write but it seems there is just a lack of interest in scripting so I figured make it a community project.

The demo as is is pretty empty and blank. However I plan to throw in lots of parts from what I was working on to get a base going for this. I'll be out of town all weekend, but early next week there should be a couple thousand lines of code in the demo.

 

[Ellie]

Definately loving the idea. I'd started doing this myself but found I didn't have a clue how things such as tilemaps even worked. With a team all working on the things they do best I think this could do wonders.

 

[rey meustrus]

I'll be checking this out. I have been working on a really nice Game module and way awesome Auto and Scene classes that do everything. Also have a rewritten Window class with widgets if you want, but that's not done yet (rewriting it from Netplay+ 2.0 scripts, would have just been easier to start from scratch imho)

 

[kyonides]

Well, I posted an earlier version of my Array class additions, but I guess this could be useful for you if this becomes a community project.

Once an Array is created, it lets you track it's current index position or its respective value (the next or previous one). It makes the use of things like...

@index = 0
for n in some_array
# code
@index += 1
end

...pretty useless in comparison to my methods.

Spoiler: Array class Add-on

[rgss]class Array
  def now; return if @pos.nil?; return self[@pos] end
 
  def now=(value); @pos = value end
 
  def index_now; return !@pos.nil? ? @pos : 0 ; end
 
  def next
    @pos = (@pos.nil? or @pos == self.size-1) ? 0 : @pos+1
    return self[@pos]
  end
  alias :succ :next
 
  def reset_pos!; @pos  = nil if !@pos.nil?; end
 
  def next=(value); return self[@pos] = value; end
 
  def previous
    @pos = (@pos.nil? or @pos == 0) ? self.size-1 : @pos-1
    return self[@pos]
  end
  alias :prev :previous
 
  def prev=(value); return self[@pos] = value; end
end
[/rgss]

 

[Glitchfinder]

Would there be any use in me modifying a short script I had, that inverts colors? I could easily turn it into a method for the Color class, such as colorvariable.invert. Just throwing that out there.

 

[rey meustrus]

Wouldn't that just look like...

[rgss]class Color
  def invert
    Color.new(255 - red, 255 - green, 255 - blue, alpha)
  end
  def invert!
    red = 255 - red
    green = 255 - green
    blue = 255 - blue
  end
end
[/rgss]

Or is it more complicated than that?

 

[Glitchfinder]

Well, yeah. But nobody's bothered to do it, which is why I offered.

 

[BlueScope]

It's a nice idea in general, especially since it seems to be an evolving project, rather than Enterbrain's "out it out and leave it there"-philosophy. The part that I totally don't get is: Why on earth would you name it RMXP? I mean, I definately get the 'RM' part, as it's going to be an RPG Maker. Naming it RMXP suggests that it'll be a slightly enhanced version of the current RPG Maker XP, as well as just as incompatible to VX as the current XP is. In my opinion, that says "We support RMXP, anything else doesn't matter"... which totally collides with "HBgames.org Edition" imho - if you make it anew, make it fucking right, don't do some slightly enhanced version of XP that isn't really worth using for 80% of the users.

Other than some sense of perfectionism, the only things I could contribute are my signature scripts (pun intended ), mainly the Multiple Language and Database Flag Reader script (though you'll probably include the latter some way of your own anyway, I figure alongside the Database customization?). I also have some scripts in the making for VX atm which might be cool to have, as they have some engine character (like my signature's, I guess... only stuff I ever release ^^), so they should fit in a project like that.

So yeah, I guess call me if you need any of my special abilities (which are... finding flaws in perfect scripts, finding bugs in bugtested scripts, making sure perfectly working scripts are rewritten because they're badly scripted, and of course, simplifying (expect some input regarding that whenever I can actually look at the demo ). Other than that, I'll make you a kickass startup splash screen for the price of having my dA account link on it :p )

Good luck with this, and yeah... please get rid of the XP...


EDIT: Btw, I don't really see the necessity of making people who're ('who are', you dirty minds!) using the engine credit everyone who worked on it... You're not crediting anyone working on Enterbrain's when you release a game now, do you? Neither do people credit Enterbrain at all, since it's the engine you bought, and therefore are allowed to use. Since this is a non-commercial project, I see where you're coming from with the credit, but I'd rather say credit the team or something (as in "RM HBGE DevTeam, located at hbgames.org"), but anything else is just overshooting the target IMO... (as people would most likely credit more people working on HBGE than working on the rest, considering the kind of the project - community-developed).

Also, might I be hitting the bullseye when I suppose this is what you are talking about in your signature?

I do not plan on using the current XP mapping system.

If so, I'd be interested in what's planned for this maker's mapping system (other than the infinite-or-at-least-less-restricted layers that you add if you have any sense for usefulness :p ).

 

[SephirothSpawn]

It's a nice idea in general, especially since it seems to be an evolving project, rather than Enterbrain's "out it out and leave it there"-philosophy. The part that I totally don't get is: Why on earth would you name it RMXP? I mean, I definately get the 'RM' part, as it's going to be an RPG Maker. Naming it RMXP suggests that it'll be a slightly enhanced version of the current RPG Maker XP, as well as just as incompatible to VX as the current XP is. In my opinion, that says "We support RMXP, anything else doesn't matter"... which totally collides with "HBgames.org Edition" imho - if you make it anew, make it fucking right, don't do some slightly enhanced version of XP that isn't really worth using for 80% of the users.

I only came up with the name with 3 seconds of effort. It uses the XP game maker so essentially it is a enhanced version of RMXP. Then again, I'm completely up for a new project name, I just wasn't going to sit idle while we came up with something like a name.

...

So yeah, I guess call me if you need any of my special abilities (which are... finding flaws in perfect scripts, finding bugs in bugtested scripts, making sure perfectly working scripts are rewritten because they're badly scripted, and of course, simplifying (expect some input regarding that whenever I can actually look at the demo ). Other than that, I'll make you a kickass startup splash screen for the price of having my dA account link on it :p )

Good luck with this, and yeah... please get rid of the XP...

Of course we will be needing your help. Your's was one of the names that came to mind when I was thinking about making this open forum.

EDIT: Btw, I don't really see the necessity of making people who're ('who are', you dirty minds!) using the engine credit everyone who worked on it... You're not crediting anyone working on Enterbrain's when you release a game now, do you? Neither do people credit Enterbrain at all, since it's the engine you bought, and therefore are allowed to use. Since this is a non-commercial project, I see where you're coming from with the credit, but I'd rather say credit the team or something (as in "RM HBGE DevTeam, located at hbgames.org"), but anything else is just overshooting the target IMO... (as people would most likely credit more people working on HBGE than working on the rest, considering the kind of the project - community-developed).

Fair enough. I just didn't want scripters to dedicate themselves to working on this project, and not feel like they aren't even getting a name in the credits.

Also, might I be hitting the bullseye when I suppose this is what you are talking about in your signature?

If so, I'd be interested in what's planned for this maker's mapping system (other than the infinite-or-at-least-less-restricted layers that you add if you have any sense for usefulness :p ).

Nope. That's a completely separate project. I am not saying I don't plan to share things from it, but that's my baby. lol

 

[BlueScope]

After careful analysis of both of your posts (first and last), I realized what you're talking about really... I figured you were going for a new program to work with, instead of a script library/toolset/thing... which is why XP makes more sense (though I'd heavily suggest supporting both VX and XP scripts natively, still )

Okay, so that means it uses a non-modified version of RMXP as a basis, huh... guess that means no Database Flag Reader (which is the one and only reason I'll stick to RMVX forever XD But of course I'm willing to help you out all I can anyway) Other than that, I guess most people will like XP's mapping system more...


I wonder what other people think about the crediting... to me, it's like this:

bought software - no credit
free software - credit in a way that enables whoever wants to get in contact with the software creator to be able to do so, so that creator person is able to eventually make some money with it, build up a reputation, ...

Personally, whenever I request credit, it's because I think I made something noone else thought of before, which is cool enough to be known for... and because it's fun to see people confuse 'BlueScope' with 'The Third Man', or credit both XD No, but seriously... I've had about 1200 downloads of my multiple language script for XP, and if only 200 of those ended up using it in their game, and 100 actually credit me, there's 100 more chances for people to hear my name from... wouldn't be the first time I'd get an offer about working with someone because of what they saw me do (mostly the .org-regular indie developer, but also one very attractive paid project I unfortunately had to turn down ...but theoretically, it works!!! >_> )... guess you've had a million of those, considering the amount of stuff you've released compared to me ^^"
Bottom line: I think if someone wants to get in touch with you so bad he tracks your eMail address down, he'll input a developer's team name in google to find it. And he wouldn't really have trouble with it, considering that script should have HBgames.org written all over it ^^

Of course we will be needing your help. Your's was one of the names that came to mind when I was thinking about making this open forum.

I feel honored, especially since I'm not really around too much these days. Seriously.

 

[Zeriab]

Nice initiative Seph :3
I will look more closely at this when I get the time ^_^

I can tell you that I would really want a test framework which allows to easily create automated unit tests. I am thinking of something similar to runit just catered to RM XP/VX

*hugs*

 

[SephirothSpawn]

I am considering doing this for VX as well, since they do both use standard libraries, but I just don't see the point personally. I think everything that VX that they did, we the community already did for VX, and I just don't see anything that VX offered that was worth it. Now if someone wants to take the lead of converting this to VX and being responsible for it, I would be more than willing to work with them on it.

I should have a big update done by tonight.

 

[BlueScope]

I'm less talking about a seperate version than a supporting-both-version. I mean, this can't be too hard to do, as I've seen scripts made compatible to both makers (in shitty ways, but it happened), as well as threads being like "how to work with RGSS2 in XP"... while I haven't looked into it too much, I don't think it'd be that much of a troublemaker. In exchange, you'd get a script package where you could worryless add whichever script you wanted... sounds good to me.

And: VX offers Comments in the Database :D (for ages all the database add-on I ever needed...) But yeah, I see where you're coming from.

 

[Glitchfinder]

I just built an Input module, and was wondering if it could be included. It does not break the functionality of the original Input module, as it is a separate module named Keys, however, it IS updated by the original Input module, and it supports a full keyboard. I'm planning to go ahead and build a Mouse module as well.

 

[SephirothSpawn]

Possibly, but I am currently planning on contacting Aleworks and seeing if we can use that rewrite. But feel free to share and we might possibly use it.

 

[rey meustrus]

I am personally very content with the Keyboard module in MACL, and I have a Mouse module already which I made.

 

[SephirothSpawn]

I was as well, but the AWorks Input module has a few more functions built in, and its actually faster from my experience. I even stripped the code in the MACL Keyboard module so it didn't check every key every frame, just independently with the .trigger?/.press?/.repeat? methods. I have already merged the 2 of them together and took what worked best for each of them.

Well, my job took quite a bit of time away from me past couple days (one job, 23 hours in 2 days plus working the other) getting ready and passing a review (97.7% oh yeah) so I am back on track to getting the next update pretty soon.