help?

[Challenger47]

Ok, so I'm starting out small and just playing with RPG maker VX ace, I am really new to this and suck horridly. Basically i'm just looking for someone to kind of mentor me so to speak in this program. I have been a silent lurker for a long time and now i want to give back to the community in anyway I can; so i figure ill make a game with original art and hopefully a good story line. But as i said I am not very good yet programming even in this "dumbed down" form confuses me. Some things im working on right now and getting very stump on are.

1. Switches i just cant get them to work.
2. Cutscenes ( I have tried using auto run but it just freezes after and the PC cant move)
3. Intros.
4. making of normal and fetch quests.
5. Scaling ( from items and weapons to enemy battles)
6. Adding icons to the weapon icon tray.

That's the short list as I imagine the more I do the more will come up. the most complicated thing I have made is a chest that has a three character conversation and two branch both of which change PC level and class on completion of the branch, They also both but a weapon I made in the players inventory. So in short please help I would love to get up to a better level in programming so i can help make better games and move things along on here, I may not be very good now but What I have is time.

[moonblack]

1) Exactly what is the problem? "just cant get them to work" is not very informative
2) An autorun event is an event that keeps repeating for as long as the conditions are met. If there are no conditions it'll repeat forever. You can stop it from repeating in three ways:
- put an Erase Event command at the end - the event will run once every time you visit that particular map
- turn "on" Self Switch A at the end of the event and then add a second, empty, page to the event, with the condition of Self Switch A being "on"
- turn "on" a particular switch at the end of the event and add a second, empty, page to the event, with the condition of that particular switch being "on"
3) I'm not sure what you mean here - you could be referring to at least two - very different - things
4) You need to learn how to use Switches and variables. Exactly what you need depends on the quest
5) Not really sure what you mean, but this is usually done via trial and error
6) Again, not really sure what you mean

[Challenger47]

Well in the order again.

1. I literally cannot get them to work, I remember to but the same graphic for the event but at times the switches makes it just disappear or it would not do the switch at all and entering the area would just freeze the game. Other times it would like for example
Insert text
“Huh"
Switch 002 walking animation
Move down
Move left
Insert text
“The fuck are you doing in my house".
Then after it plays it would say the first line again. But only the first line of text over and over. Or another example is the same line of coding above but after each step the text box of “huh” would show again instead of only once.
2. How do I put an erase command in the tray is it a series of letter and numbers to manually input or is it a selection i am missing.
3. An intro cut scene to the game, meaning like black screen leading to another or a picture all with text possible faded out cut-scenes. and possible character name input I know how to put the name input window up I also know how to insert photos it’s just playing the black background with no player model and having it transition to the game itself is puzzling me
4. Yes i do that is why i am here I don't do this kind of thing often and I am trying to learn.
5. That's what i assumed i literally mean power level of enemies VS classes and weapons. i am doing trial and error but i was just checking if anyone had tips.
6. When you create a skill/item/weapon/armor in the corner there is a tiny blue window for adding an icon that appears next to the item in game. there is a lot of icon in there but there is also a large empty space for you to add your own, however i can not find the image to export so i can edit it.
Hope that clarifies

[AsianP3rsuas10n]

I remember when I asked for RPG Maker help...

Lets remember what I got as replies

1. "I learned myself, so can you"
2. "Go to youtube thats where I learned"
3. *no reply forever

Consider yourself lucky to have someone help >_> some people are just so mean its unbearable. But they're still good people. Have fun!

[moonblack]

First of all, take the time to learn all the event commands available, on ALL THREE PAGES. Many people don't do that, and then wonder "How do I do X?" For example, on page 2 of the Event Commands, there's the command "Erase Event". Guess what it does? You won't believe how many times I have seen people ask how to do something, get pointed to a particular event command, and then feel stupid for not seeing it sooner.

As far the player being invisible when the game starts - that's simple in VX Ace. Database -> System -> Transparent ON -> turn this "on" obviously. Just remember to turn it back off at some point (during or after the intro), or the player will remain invisible.

All the icons for items are in the file IconSet.png If you do not have such a file included in your game, then the default one will be used (the one from the RTP). If you want to export the image so that you can edit it go to Resource Manager -> you'll find the icon set under Graphics/System

As for the first problem: I can't help you because I don't have enough info. Most likely you have an autorun event that repeats forever and that's why the game freezes. Maybe you made it like this:
First page of the event: Autorun, blah-blah, turn on Switch X
Second page of the event: Autorun, empty page - the game keeps waiting for the event to end, and the event keeps repeating, so the game freezes

Without seeing the event's coding I can't guess what the problem is, sorry.

Also, there are two simple and excellent ways to learn the basics:
1) Tutorials
2) Examine the ways things have been done in other games

It's a lot easier to understand how things work if you have an example to look at.

[Challenger47]

so in other words defer to youtube and pay attention... got it

[OwnerOfSuccuby]

I newer work with RPG maker - a lot of humans there too i think ... .
So for a lot of us is impossible to help you some other way then say "youtube"
So sorry So do not keep up injury on us

[Challenger47]

Yeah i know that its kind of old tech, but i need to start somewhere and it seemed to be the safest place to begin/ eventually i would like to learn flash but right now i dount know if its in the cards.

[OwnerOfSuccuby]

Flash is very simple to use. It works on a lot of platforms - just for example AS2 - 9-10 commands and you can make some game. I do not think that you will need to learn it It is hard to make some big projects that work with a lot of users yes - but for example AS2 version of flash was very good for a little games. There a a lot of even source files of games like it - just for example there: http://www.flashkit.com/

AS3 is harder - more futures but for game with one user i do not think that they are usefull.

So think about it too

[AsianP3rsuas10n]

Honestly, if you really want to go somewhere with making games, you start with flash. Start with basic drawings and then animate. Then code.
or whatever order you want.

RPG maker is a good start but it's really not teaching you much besides a bit of coding, and map design, and like story writing-ish (teaches you a bit of everything besides art...well whatever) hahah well in my opinion...which isn't much since I don't do crap on this site besides sit and watch people make stuff I WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO DO........enough about me


but seriously, take up a trial on Flash and see how you like it. or even "youtube" it. (It happens)
If you aren't sure you want to make games then try out RPG Maker.

But let me tell you this. People that are self taught, are 500 times better at a program because they have their own methods of doing things. Where as those who follow the book, follow the book. and we all know that the book lies...and so is the cake but that's not the point.
You may think this isn't even a serious post but it is.

Do what you feel is right. Explore RPG Maker. It's all about trial and error. No one makes a perfect game right away when they get the program so dont worry if things dont work. Keep playin around with it. Thats what I did! (Until it crashed and everything went Japanese and I lost all my data)

And thats how I moved onto flash...

[Challenger47]

NO, i did take your post very seriously you are right on all accords i'm not exactly giving up i was just stuck and went looking for help. a friend of mine is doing the art for inserted pictures in the rpg maker game I am working on. And i know how you feel i have been lurking on here for sometime now watching the games and playing things i could only dream to make, basically i said stop dreaming and try and learn I am not doing to well at the moment sadly but I will keep trying and hopefully one day make a game good enough that it stays on page one lol.

[Thaedael]

Do it for yourself first, the rest will follow. People that are self taught tend to be more creative in how they solve problems, people that are taught via proper curriculum tend to be the balance between problem solvers and the book, and thus can work around things via multiple paths, where as book learned people have a harder time. There is no "better" route, just as there is no better human.

[Challenger47]

Very true, I still haven't given up and right now i'm actually working on the game in question. got the intro down was complicated but its playing atleast.