RPG Breeze (Cancelled)

[xgamexfreakx]

haha!! I've been watching every update on this topic hoping that you'd be back from the depths theory!! nice to see you and to get an update!! Glad to see that you're still working hard as ever (not that we ever doubted you). Well, I cannot wait to finally get some screen shots up of this!! I've been looking foreward to this for a while now! This is also the reason I haven't bought VX yet...I may buy this instead! You better make it great!!! I'll be watching!!

~xgamexfreakx

 

[jaydenfox]

Really glad about the update! Here are my comments on the main chunk of text you "dedicated" to me :tongue:

9 - jayden! You really do exist... - There will be a very limited demo- you can create, test, all functions are there, except for saving. There will be screenshots, as soon as the lead developer gets the interface xml support working so I can pretty things up a bit. The marketplace will have loads of free content- but encourages a living community by allowing premium content developers to request monetary support for things. Such as, for example, a visual equipment script (if it wasn't built in) was released, or something truly revolutionary, like Mode07, the author could set like a $2 fee and slowly recieve something to keep him motivated besides, well, nothing. As for a list, I'm working on a list of objects and their commands, but I'm afraid it changes constantly. This works, adding that breaks it, so it's removed. Added in a different form, changed, renamed, and hidden because we thought of something better. I'll get you a list, but no promises on it matching the release identically. Thanks for the first-page answer, good to know. And there's already a character creator. And *excellent* suggestion on the move route. Although it's done through waypoints now, with a pathfinding algorythm.

1. You thought I didn't exist? How'd THAT happen? o.O
2. Good. I was hoping for a demo. That way I'll know if I want to buy it. I guess it's about as good as the 30-day trial. Instead of having the program for 30 days and be able to do anything, you can have it forever but not save.
3. Glad we'll be getting screenies. The mapping ones are, I'm guessing, out of date, and that isn't enough anyway :tongue:
4. VERY glad to hear there's gonna be free stuff in the marketplace. I'm pretty short on cash these days, and it'll also make it MUCH easier to find good resources, especially scripts.
5. Sounds great that we'll be getting a list. Perhaps instead of the full list, we could have a kind of preliminary one to keep us excited, you might say. Since it always changes, you could just give us the few of them that are set in stone as opposed to the many that are not.
6. It doesn't really matter to me THAT much. It'd be nice, but a few recolors and some horns added, and you have a different race.
7. I have no idea what you mean about the pathfinding algorithm (spelled with an I, not a Y) or waypoints, but I'll trust that they work as well as what I've suggested.

I'm just hoping this comes out soon. Ever since my midterms, everything's been going kinda bad with my project. I couldn't devote much time to it, then my choices boxes stopped working in-game, and I STILL haven't fixed that bug, then we had to reload the operating system, and I haven't used one of my three previous serial numbers to get RMXP back yet, so it's really come to a standstill. I was thinking that, with so many things going wrong, I could just restart the project in RPG::Architect. It just seems like it'll be so much better, which it probably will. It'll be different of course, but still better, probably.

 

[Ricoman]

lol welcome back Theory!

I will send you the template after I fix some things. I have it at home but I'm at school atm

truth be told, I'm doing this for all selfish reasons...I WANNA USE THE FREAKIN PROGRAM lol =)

I am working on breaking the image I made down into a tileset format, once I get the demo I'll know better how to set up the tiles to work in RPG::A

:cheers:

 

[Glitchfinder]

There we go! I know he wasn't just dropping this. Honestly, bickering doesn't solve anything, and all we really want is for this to move forward. Anyway, glad to have you back, Theory! I certainly hope we can get some more info soon. Oh, and I seem to recall that some of the pics you posted were potential default character graphics, which have since been removed. (Incidentally, you can still see them if you click on the links in your sig, which I assume were intended to be images)

Also, has your domain expired? If I remember correctly, it was a forum last time I visited, but now it looks kinda like one of those millions of parked pages certain companies make when they intend to sell the domain. (And I tend to find those to be really annoying) Finally, are you able to point us toward any tutorials on the in-game programming language you'll be using?

 

[aphadeon]

Alright- a few more questions, a few more answers.

First - about the signature.... They were images on SMF- after the change to phpbb, they became broken crap.

Secondly, The website hasn't expired. It's actually more active than ever. It's just behind-the-scenes at the moment. I'll be replacing the front page within a week, with RPG::A coverage.

Screenshots are en-route. By saturday at the latest. I'm trying to get a couple menus the way I like them and then I'll upload some screenies. As for tutorials... the application ships with a complete help file.

http://www.koriolis-fx.com/bvm/doc/index.html - Contains all the official documentation on the scripting language.

 

[jaydenfox]

Hey theory, I just wanted to throw an idea out there. It might end up being meaningless, but I was going through old posts and found a couple of posts about a spell checker. Well, the fact of the matter was that you didn't want to include one because you didn't want to come up with a complete database of words to check from and things. Well, if you could get it set up to be a spell checker with no words yet included, you could do several things:

1. Let people select and add words that they often use and/or misspell and create their own little lists.
2. Take a (couple?) hundred common words (he, she, it, the, enemy, hero, things used in RPGs) and let it go at that.
3. Combine 1 and 2.
4. Contact someplace like Webster (the dictionary people), dictionary.com, or some other people who probably have a full list of words and ask them for the words only, no definitions. They probably have a saved list somewhere, and may give it to you.

 

[aphadeon]

Alright- I'll give the spell check some more thought. It would save a lot of shame for all of us.

 

[Ricoman]

lol just had a thought -

what about doing something like wikipedia? Where in the marketplace there could be a spelling bee or something and people can upload correctly spelled words into a databank that automatically updates when RPG::A starts up?

I have no idea how work or effort that might be, I'm not a programmer. But I tell you what, there's been demos where it literally hurts your eyes to read it because its so bad its illegible!

 

[jaydenfox]

Theory - Sounds good.

Ricoman - Probably not. For one thing, nobody would take the time to do that. For another, there would be lots of duplicates and nothing would get done. Furthermore, it would probably take awhile to update. Lots of words (especially with duplicates) probably would take awhile. Also, if he can just get a big list from someplace else (which he may just be able to do), it'd probably be easier.

 

[Ricoman]

ok, sounds cool. Like I said I have no idea what would be involved in something like that

if you want, Theory, I can start a collection of most commonly used words and send em to you. Might be a good starting place.

and NO LEETSPEAK ALLOWED!! fer crying out frikkin loud people...

 

[jaydenfox]

Of course not. If you allowed "1337sp3@k" then it would basically count for nothing.

 

[aphadeon]

Okay, I do believe I can integrate a spellcheck. No promises, but I think it shouldn't be a problem. I'm also looking at an interesting concept- tile fading. Probably won't make it into the first release, but interesting nonetheless. The other idea I'm looking at is making "water" some kind of dynamic object/layer, rather than a tile. That way, we could animate it much better, and it could actually "flow". Last thing I'm looking into is shaders. Not in a standard sense, but in more of a "scrolling texture overlay" sense. Also, fade in / fade out is supported for objects. Great for making an enemy/hero/reward appear.

Daily coverage of the final run will be listed here. We're still laying the last bit of groundwork before the script-a-thon begins.

 

[Ricoman]

OK theory, I should be finishing up the template thingy today and I'll email it to you. I was wanting to wait and do a few options like different helmets *cough* and armor types, but it's looking like I won't have time for all of that. What I can do is just send the basic template now and the extra stuff later on.

 

[Glitchfinder]

Hey Theory, did you get my PM? Also, I did have a couple of questions about the engine. The first question(s) is regarding the audio. Will it support, fading in, out, changing volume, pausing, resuming, looping, etc? Basically, everything RMXP can do, as well as the looping, resuming from a specified point, and fading in? The next question is about the default scripts. How much of the system will be included, and how much will have to be purchased? As in, will it be like RMXP, where it comes with a completely functional default systems, but with no real options that aren't by other people or released seperately?

 

[jaydenfox]

Theory - Sounds great about the spell check. Tile fading would be kinda nice. You know, you could make things like false walls and stuff. That'd be really nice. The water thing sounds good too. You might be able to, in a future update or something, make it so that you can direct which way the water is flowing? Like, out of left, right, up, or down, you just tell it which to do, and then a 'Change Direction' option, perhaps? That'd also be really awesome. Maybe you could even control it's speed too.

Glitch - As I understand, RPG::A will come with pre-built scripts and graphics just like RMXP. Basically a tool for making games that's completely ready for use.

Theory (again) - This is February 23rd. If you plan to release March 1st, you'll need to basically finish in 5 days, with perhaps a few touch-ups made on the sixth day. That makes this pretty much the last week of the project, right? That's a pretty heavy order if you're still just finishing up the groundwork. If you don't mind a suggestion, I think that you definitely SHOULDN'T bump the release date again. People hate it when that happens. So I suggest that what you do is get it to the point that it's about RMXP's equivalent, and then try to slip in a few more functions, then release it on March 1st or even a day or two before. Then, assuming that the update system is in place (the other thing I strongly suggest you have done by the 1st of March), you'd be able to send out updates that get it closer to what you wanted the first release to be, and in the first week or two. I think that'd be better than having to bump the date back again, even if the bump were only a week. That'd at least give people time to get used to the program, right?

Theory (last time) - I just remembered, you mentioned somewhere that you had some way to make mods to the program and editor itself, right? You also said in your huge update that the 'trial' version would have full functions except you wouldn't be able to save... In theory (little coincidence using that word, eh?), wouldn't you be able to mod the editor to allow you to save? Or is that going to be impossible.

Edit (again): Also, can I steal one of your userbars to help advertise?

 

[Glitchfinder]

Glitch - As I understand, RPG::A will come with pre-built scripts and graphics just like RMXP. Basically a tool for making games that's completely ready for use.

Well, what I was trying to ask was whether or not the default scripts would have more options than those of XP. For example, the ability to choose between a couple different views of the same battle system, or maybe a couple different weather systems. (Or simply a more complex weather system)

 

[aphadeon]

Okay, well we've got a few questions here.

First, about the release date. I won't be releasing a product that's not ready and safe for public use. To do such would cause mass dissappointment, lack of credibility, security hazards for the user, and the possibility of reverse engineering that was improperly protected, as well as a likelihood that a crack can be released as security is not properly implemented.

To be honest, expect a bump. However, what I will promise, is that by the 1st we'll be in the homestretch, and I can offer daily updates of what got done that day, what features were in that update, and an ETA as well as interactivity on what features you'd like to see.

As far as the features themselves go, I'm a scripter. I like things to look nice, and play nice. I can promise that you will love the new game wizard- answer 15 pages of questions, and you're games will pretty much make themselves. There's still New Project from Scratch- this allows the DIY's of you to start with a blank canvas. The editor will come with pretty much standard features of RMXP- though a little better implented, in my opinion. But it comes with, as stated, a wizard program that determines how advanced you'd like to go, and offers a wide selection of advanced scripts and features- rendering not only a unique game, but a customized editor for your exact needs.

It's a very complex system, making it so that over 80 scripts can play nicely with or without each other. For example, if you want Shaders enabled, and you have particles enabled, it will automatically allow you to assign particles to your shader effects. If you have shaders enabled, but not particles, then shaders dialog will be much simpler, and there will be no adverse effects or errors. There's also a choice of battle systems between ABS [zelda-esque], TBS[turn based], or RTAB[which we all know and love. or hate.].

So rather than give you a program that's still inferior to RMXP, it's worth watching and waiting for the program which we initialliy envisioned. For those of you just desperate to play it, come up with something useful to contribute, and you'll have a seat on the beta team. I don't care if it's music, templates, tilesets, or a detailed description of a script.

 

[Ricoman]

Okay, well we've got a few questions here.
So rather than give you a program that's still inferior to RMXP, it's worth watching and waiting for the program which we initially envisioned. [\quote]

I'll second, third, and fourth that!! I'm sick of the Microsoft model of production, shipping half-finished products then relying on people to do mandatory upgrades to fix it.

I am more than willing to wait and see the finished product, because I know it will be worth it!

One question, did the animated .gif's-as-icons make it in, or will that be in a later update? :angel:

 

[aphadeon]

At the very least I'll have some kind of box-animation. I'm studying just how .gif's work between BriskSL and BlitzMax. If it's something that won't require an external library or SDK, then sure, I'll throw it in. If not, I'll at least enable "frames" a la RMXP charsets.

 

[jaydenfox]

I was emailing with you a bit about the program and stuff a bit... Just to confirm a few things about that...

1. I did make it onto the beta team, right?
2. When will you be sending those out (ETA)?
3. How will you be sending them (PM, email, other)?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Another thing, what I was saying, I think you should get it up to the point where it's at least RMXP's equal, and then release it. If you can slip in a few extra features for the first release, great, but with the update system, you'd be able to get it to the point you want pretty quick. You'd have all the bugs fixed already, and it wouldn't be a half-finished product. You'd just add more continuously, and a lot of updates in the first few days/weeks. It'd be nice; a better-than or equal-to RMXP RPG Maker at first release, and then it just keeps getting better as a little time goes on. It'd also give people a little chance to get used to the program before the more advanced stuff comes along. Still, I don't mind waiting; I just absolutely HATE bumps in the date :thumb: