Visual RPG Studio (Beta)

[LastEnd]

Gameguy27,

Right now the battle system with no scripting required is a real time battle system. For turn based and side view scripting is required; however we will be looking into making other zero scripting types, not sure what version these other types will be in yet. I'll keep you updated as I know more information.


News

New Mapping feature page has been add to the project home page.
Feature Explorer: Mapping

 

[LastEnd]

The site has been updated a bit.

The homepage now contains latest news on the LastEnd RPG Maker project. Latest 3 anyhow. I made it to look alot like the new Welcome Screen news.

I also updated the screenshot page. It now shows all the pictures in thubnails. I think it looks alot better.

 

[LastEnd]

Over the past few days I been gold plating the collision system. I add many new cool features. To get more information on these features check out the collision feature page I added today.

Feature Explorer: Collision

P.S. Many thanks to LastEnd forum member [From_Ariel] for pushing this feature along.

 

[LastEnd]

I been working on coverting the video setting page into Lua scripting to allow users to make custom video setting screens. The templates will come with this script for poeple that can't script. So no scripting is needed it will be prebult into your project.

The ET-Lua script bellow is what I have working so far. 99% of the video settings gui is done, but the events are only about 1/3 done.

 

dofile("Scripting\\Base\\Keys.lua")

Scripting_RegisterClass("ui")

Scripting_RegisterClass("engine")

Scripting_RegisterClass("camera")

Scripting_RegisterClass("videosettings")

 

dialogID = nil

CBResolution = nil

CBAdapter = nil

CBDevice = nil

CBAdapterFormat = nil

CBRefresh = nil

 

function loadUI()

    _width = Engine.GetWindowWidth()

    _height = Engine.GetWindowHeight()

    _offsetX = _width - 160

 

    dialogID = UI.Dialog.Add(0, 0, _width , _height )

 

    UI.Label.Add(dialogID, "Display Adapter", 10, 50, 180, 23)

    CBAdapter = UI.ComboBox.Add(dialogID,200, 50, 300, 23)

 

                UI.Label.Add(dialogID, "Render Device", 10, 75, 180, 23);

                CBDevice =  UI.ComboBox.Add(dialogID, 200, 75, 300, 23);

 

    UI.RadioButton.Add(dialogID, 16, 0, "Windowed", 240, 105, 300, 16, true)

    UI.RadioButton.Add(dialogID, 17, 0, "Full Screen",240, 147, 300, 16,  false)

 

                UI.Label.Add(dialogID,"Adapter Format", 10, 180, 180, 23);

                CBAdapterFormat = UI.ComboBox.Add(dialogID, 200, 180, 300, 23);

 

    UI.Label.Add(dialogID,"Resolution",10, 205, 180, 23)

    CBResolution = UI.ComboBox.Add(dialogID, 200, 205, 300, 23)

 

    -- Refresh Rate

            UI.Label.Add(dialogID, "Refresh Rate", 10, 230, 180, 23);

            CBRefresh = UI.ComboBox.Add(dialogID, 200, 230, 300, 23);

 

            -- BackBuffer Format

            UI.Label.Add(dialogID, "Back Buffer Format", 10, 265, 180, 23 );

            backBufferCombo = UI.ComboBox.Add(dialogID, 200, 265, 300, 23 );

 

            -- Depth Stencil

           UI.Label.Add(dialogID,"Depth/Stencil Format", 10, 290, 180, 23 );

            depthStencilCombo = UI.ComboBox.Add(dialogID, 200, 290, 300, 23 );

 

            -- Multisample Type

            UI.Label.Add(dialogID,"Multisample Type", 10, 315, 180, 23 );

            multiSampleTypeCombo = UI.ComboBox.Add(dialogID, 200, 315, 300, 23 );

 

            -- Multisample Quality

           UI.Label.Add(dialogID,"Multisample Quality", 10, 340, 180, 23 );

            multiSampleQualityCombo = UI.ComboBox.Add(dialogID, 200, 340, 300, 23 );

 

            -- Vertex Processing

            UI.Label.Add(dialogID,"Vertex Processing", 10, 365, 180, 23 );

            vertexCombo = UI.ComboBox.Add(dialogID, 200, 365, 300, 23 );

 

            -- Present Interval

           UI.Label.Add(dialogID,"Present Interval", 10, 390, 180, 23 );

            presentCombo = UI.ComboBox.Add(dialogID, 200, 390, 300, 23 );

 

    UI.Button.Add(dialogID, 13, "OK", 0, 24, 150, 20, " OnOK_Clicked()", Keys.Enter)

    

    SetEvents()

    SetControlsData()

end

 

function SetEvents()

    UI.ComboBox.SetChangedEvent(dialogID,CBAdapter , "VideoSettings.OnAdapterChanged(" .. dialogID .. "," .. CBAdapter .. ")")

    UI.ComboBox.SetChangedEvent(dialogID,CBResolution , "VideoSettings.OnResolutionChanged(" .. dialogID .. "," .. CBResolution .. ")")

    UI.RadioButton.SetChangedEvent(dialogID, 17, "OnWindowedFullscreenChanged()") 

    UI.RadioButton.SetChangedEvent(dialogID, 16, "OnWindowedFullscreenChanged()") 

end

 

function SetControlsData()

    VideoSettings.FillResolutions(dialogID, CBResolution)

    VideoSettings.FillAdapters(dialogID,CBAdapter)

    isWindowed = VideoSettings.GetIsWindowed()

    UI.RadioButton.SetChecked(dialogID, 16, isWindowed)

    UI.RadioButton.SetChecked(dialogID, 17, not isWindowed)

    SetControlsEnabled(isWindowed)

end

 

function OnWindowedFullscreenChanged()

    

    _isWindowed = UI.RadioButton.GetChecked(dialogID, 16)

    SetControlsEnabled(_isWindowed)

    VideoSettings.OnWindowedFullscreenChanged(_isWindowed)

    VideoSettings.OnResolutionChanged( dialogID, CBResolution )

    

end

 

function OnOK_Clicked()

    VideoSettings.OnOkClicked(nil,nil)

    UI.Load('MainMenu.lua', true)

end

 

function SetControlsEnabled(isWindowed)

    UI.SetEnable(dialogID, CBResolution, not isWindowed)

end

 

loadUI()

 

 

[LastEnd]

I have added the controls page to the feature explorer. This is a break down of what input devices LRM supports so far. Uses the link bellow to check it out.
http://lastend.com/Features.aspx?p=controls

 

[LastEnd]

The LRM Website now has better support for FireFox. If any other browsers don't support the LRM site design right let me know.

 

[EpE]

looks like great progress, im an artist but not that good with sprite kind of art... at the moment im practicing pixel art for another project that is an alternative mugen fighting system that would be like smash brothers but I like being busy so I might just try it out working with you as well.

 

[LastEnd]

Epe artist is one thing this project does indeed need. Please join me on the LastEnd forum, and we can talk about what tilesets you would like to create. Hope to see you there soon!

.............

As some of you may know or not know if you havn't visited LastEnd forums is that I have been working on the particle system. I would love to upload them to here; however for some reason HBGames says Invalid file. Anyone have any idea why it doing this?

For the mean time check them out here. http://lastend.com/forum/default.aspx?g ... 53#post153
You will have to signup to few content; however you can be fewing them in less than 30 sec for now no email validation is needed to join.

 

[LastEnd]

We have renamed LastEnd RPG Maker to Visual RPG Studio due to legal reasons.

 

[Glitchfinder]

We have renamed LastEnd RPG Maker to Visual RPG Studio due to legal reasons.

If I might ask, who sent you a cease and desist saying to change it or face legal action? I can't seem to find anything on Google that would have that right.

 

[LastEnd]

RPG Maker VX has a US Trademark under the game engine category. Based on trademark rules I could of gotten sued for using the name, and or would have major problems trademarking the old name. Failed application for trademarks are not refundable.

 

[Glitchfinder]

I just checked, and Enterbrain's trademark is specifically for "RPG Maker VX", where the only portion they own exclusive rights to is VX, and only if it appears in that context, in black and gold lettering, as the name of a video game engine. However, if you think you were too close with LastEnd RPG Maker, you might want to search "Visual Studio" here. Microsoft owns the trademark to Visual Studio, and you're much closer to violating their trademark than you ever were with your old name and Enterbrain's trademark.

By the way, you could never have been successfully sued by Enterbrain based on trademark, but brand theft would be a viable option no matter what you do, so long as you release an RPG building engine. As far as I'm concerned, you picked a very dumb reason as your excuse for changing your products name to something that, while sounding a bit more professional, is much, much less original and far more likely to net you a lawsuit, not to mention make your product easier to forget.

 

[OrbitDuke]

Glitch has a point. And theres a lot of different things you could have named the maker.
Visual Studio is NOT a good idea. M$ isn't a company I'd mess with.

RPG Designer, RPG Studio, Custom RPG Maker, LastEnd RPG Builder,
PC RPG Builder,

I don't know, just tossin' some names out there.

 

[LastEnd]

No. For example I could start a company called Microsoft Dry Cleaners and wouldn't be breaking trademarks. This is because trademarks are category based. Microsoft Visual Studio in under Application design. RPG Maker VX was in the same Category I was going for (Game Engine, Game Design). Also Check out how many companys have Visual _____ Studios already as a Trademark, it's not just microsoft.

The name is more fitting for what it is also. Its design looks like RPG Maker and Visual Studio mixed. This allows it to be easy to uses but very powerful.

AS far as EB sueing now. I wish them luck. This engine is far from what EB ever came up with. Never was of fan of the limmitations their system has.

 

[LastEnd]

[[LOOKing FOR]]

Some one to make a Icon set for the sites feature page (32x32). Also these icons will be used in the engine as well (24x24 toolbar, 16x16 treeview)

Best bet to get them to us asap would be to make a post on the LastEnd Forums. If used you will get credit for them and free copys of the engine as long as your work is used.

 

[Glitchfinder]

No. For example I could start a company called Microsoft Dry Cleaners and wouldn't be breaking trademarks. This is because trademarks are category based.

You are correct there. However, if you did do that, Microsoft could easily sue you for brand jacking, because you would be piggybacking on their company name, logo, and public awareness. In fact, you can virtually guarantee a lawsuit if you did that.

Microsoft Visual Studio in under Application design. RPG Maker VX was in the same Category I was going for (Game Engine, Game Design).

You are very, very wrong here. There are no specific categories such as that. Instead, trademarks are based on the goods and services provided. While one of the trademarks on Visual Studio that Microsoft hold is specifically for their website building suite (which was added later), the other trademark covers the following goods and services:

computer programs for developing other computer programs; compiler programs, debugger programs and utility programs for creating graphical applications; computer programs for assisting developers in creating program code for use in multiple application programs; computer programs for running development programs and application programs in a common development environment.

I've bolded the sections of their trademark where Microsoft would be able to make a case in a trademark infringement suit, were you to keep this name. And before you argue the point regarding programs versus games, keep this in mind: as far as the law is concerned, anything written in code is a program.

Also Check out how many companys have Visual _____ Studios already as a Trademark, it's not just microsoft.

Actually, no company other than Microsoft has a trademark with both Visual and Studio in the name, as far as I can tell. While other software may exist, it wasn't trademarked before sale. And that's beside the point as it is. Even if you aren't directly violating their trademark (and they could easily make a case that you were), they could very, very easily sue you for brand jacking, and making money off of the name of a software line they made famous.

 

[LastEnd]

Microsoft's Trademark wrote:
computer programs for developing other computer programs; compiler programs, debugger programs and utility programs for creating graphical applications; computer programs for assisting developers in creating program code for use in multiple application programs; computer programs for running development programs and application programs in a common development environment.

I've bolded the sections of their trademark where Microsoft would be able to make a case in a trademark infringement suit, were you to keep this name. And before you argue the point regarding programs versus games, keep this in mind: as far as the law is concerned, anything written in code is a program.

Funny that you would think that. But it only makes a non-editer version of the engine with resources. So being that the only compiling that is done is when calling a Lua script for the first time that description wouldn't fit.

Actually, no company other than Microsoft has a trademark with both Visual and Studio in the name, as far as I can tell. While other software may exist, it wasn't trademarked before sale. And that's beside the point as it is. Even if you aren't directly violating their trademark (and they could easily make a case that you were), they could very, very easily sue you for brand jacking, and making money off of the name of a software line they made famous.

Look harder
Goto: http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/index.jsp and do a basic search for 'visual studio'

Also I dont see someone mistaking LastEnd For Micorsoft anytime soon.

You are very, very wrong here. There are no specific categories such as that. Instead, trademarks are based on the goods and services provided. While one of the trademarks on Visual Studio that Microsoft hold is specifically for their website building suite (which was added later), the other trademark covers the following goods and services:

[from http://www.trademarkia.com/faq.aspx]
When I search for a name, a lot of results showing registrations for the same name come up. Does that mean I cannot register that name?
Not necessarily. If you plan to use the name for goods and/or services that are distinct from the other registrations, you may still be able to get your name registered. Under the U.S. trademark law, trademarks are separated into classes that indicate what types of goods and/or services those trademarks are being used with. Therefore, if you apply for the same name as a prior registration, but plan to use it in an entirely unrelated field of goods and/or services, registration may still be possible. However, please note that applying for an already registered name always presents greater risks than applying for a name that isn't taken.

Sorry Class not category

For what the engine does this name keeps LastEnd one step from being sued. By description and class EB look to much the same to have the old name.

P.s. Even EGM could have problems by Game maker in a sue happy world. Their class, and description are much the same.

 

[Glitchfinder]

It looks like you completely ignored my major point, so let me reiterate: You aren't likely to be sued based on Trademark infringement. Instead, you're far more likely to be sued for other reasons. In this case, you're making yourself a barn-sized target for a lawsuit claiming that you used Microsoft's brand recognition to sell your product. Now, while you would almost certainly never see such a lawsuit unless you brought attention to yourself by selling your software so much that it makes a significant profit, Microsoft would still be free to send you a cease and desist letter at any time, with no fear of legal repercussions, and with the knowledge that, should you refuse to settle out of court or obey their letter, they can take you to court at any time, and use the fact that they sent you a C&D and you ignored it as a significant piece of evidence in court. And before you say something about Microsoft being too big to bother with you, you might want to read this, this, this, this, and a multitude of similar articles on the subject. Apple, a company whose ads of the past are well known for being about helping the little guy (Apple) stick it to the man (Microsoft). However, at this point, Apple is stomping down on the little guy, purposely targeting any small company they can, usually at a point where funding and progress are critical, and a forced stop would mean ruin. Now, if Apple can get away with something that frivolous and obviously fake (And they are getting away with it, for the most part), what's to stop a company like Microsoft from stomping down on your little company? After all, Microsoft is "the man" that Steve Jobs has been railing against for all these years, and "the man" exists merely to step on the little guy, right?

 

[LastEnd]

Thats evil! I'll make sure I don't call it RPG Pod. If you want you can just call it LastEnd being its first product. I will seek legal advice before the trademark paperwork is sent. Also let me know if Apple wins any of those cases in their POD battle.

We (as in I) are so small that it would be hard to kill this project. Like a virus, to small to kill with that Large Microsoft boot.

Solid RPG Studio, Smarter RPG Studio. Crap even these step on [http://sites.google.com/site/rpgstudio/rpgstudio] - hmm. not sure. God I hate marketing somedays. Sucks when 1/2 the world is using english as their trademarkers. That really my point is that no matter what you pick unless you makeup your own word it is used allready.

------------------------------------------------------------------------Moving on

I now have the particle emitter treeview working with the emitters. My next task is to link emitters to the spell system. This will allow for easy spell setup without any scripting needed; however I am adding collision events to it so it can be controled by Lua scripting system if needed.

 

[OrbitDuke]

LastEnd Builder maybe?

And don't talk about being stepped on by the big M$ boot. The law is the law and theres no way around that. you have to respect the laws of the country and what they do for you and what they do against you.