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RPG Maker VX

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RPG Maker VX
File:Package front cover.jpg
Publisher(s)Enterbrain Inc.
SeriesRPG Maker series
Platform(s)PC
ReleaseJapan: December 27, 2007
Worldwide: February 29, 2008
Genre(s)Game creation software
Mode(s)Single player

RPG Maker VX (RPGツクールVX) is the latest program from the RPG Maker series. It was developed by Enterbrain and is the latest in the PC RPG Maker series, following its predecessor, RPG Maker XP. RPG Maker VX follows the naming pattern present in previous RPG Maker releases by having a suffix based on the Windows versions the software was designed for (in this case, Windows Vista and Windows XP).

RPG Maker VX Trial

A Japanese trial for RPG Maker VX was released on Enterbrain's Japanese VX website and is available for download. It features limited and reduced features, like the inability to save games and limited database functionality.[1] An English version of the program is also available from Enterbrain, with full functionality and a 30-day time limit. Likely an oversight, the English trial of RPG Maker VX does not include an EULA.

RPG Maker VX RTP

The standard runtime package for RPG Maker VX is available for download on the Enterbrain website. This allows users without RPG Maker VX to play games created by others, or try sample games listed on the VX website. It was developed so that games made in RPG Maker VX that used mostly default resources can be distributed to the public with a small file size.

Sample Games

There are a variety of sample games made using the software available for download from the Enterbrain website. These games include:

  • Dragoness Edge 2820
  • Invas ~ Tai Ma Roku<
  • Michiru Service! ~Spirit World Border Tale~
  • Buried Book
  • Futagonokamisama
  • Rector and the Black Lion's Crest
  • Sword of Algus
  • Abyss

The sample games are made by third parties such as Shine Garden, MENCHAN and SAURASUDO. They feature advanced effects such as pseudo-3D battle graphics, custom battle systems written in RGSS2 and more. These games are included in the official disc that comes with the program, as an effort to encourage the purchase of a legal copy of the software.

Features

Many of the features included in previous versions of RPG Makers are making a return.

  • An updated version of the faceset system seen in RPG Maker 2000 and RPG Maker 2003 has made a comeback, and is easier to implement through the "Enter Message"command. This cuts down on an extra line of code that had to be included in every dialog script when working in RPG Maker XP.
  • Making a second appearance is the Random Dungeon Generator from RPG Maker 2003. This feature automatically generated a dungeon map, for those who wanted an old school dungeon crawler feel or for users that just needed a quick map on the fly.
  • The battle system in RPG Maker VX is the updated front-view battle system as seen in RPG Maker 2000.
  • The script editor that was used by many RPG Maker XP users is also making a comeback, this time with an updated language - RGSS2. Users can easily add scripts to the game, edit existing ones and also easily alter the battle vocabulary.
  • A new feature to RPG Maker VX is the "Quick Event Creation" function. It's a very powerful tool that allows less experienced users to easily create doors that move users to different maps, inn commands, and treasure chests. Once the event has been created, more advanced users can open the event and edit as they see fit.

Mapping System

The mapping system in RPG Maker VX differs greatly from the one used in RPG Maker XP. Instead of assigning tile sets to each map, there are five global tile sets which can be used indiscriminately. The layer system used in previous releases has also changed, as RPG Maker VX only has two layers; one layer for Tile set A (which contains tiles for floors, walls, etc.) and another for tile sets B to E. It is possible, however, to create a third layer of sorts assigning tile set graphics to events.

For users to import their own tiles, RPG Maker VX provides a blank, 512*512 tile set. The size of this tile set cannot be changed, unlike in RPG Maker XP where users could import any number of tile sets which could be of any size.

Updates

In late January 2008, Enterbrain of Japan releases an update that included an extra script that improved performance. This release was called RPG Maker VX 1.01 and is available to those who own the full version of the game.

Reception

RPG Maker VX has received mixed reviews amongst the game development community. It has been praised for being much more user friendly than previous RPG Makers and for including a variety of features that otherwise had to be coded manually in previous RPG Maker installments.[1] The addition of RGSS2 has also been received favorably amongst users. However, the battle system has been criticized for having no graphical representation of the actual player characters and for being largely text-based, therefore making some battles quite confusing. It has also been criticized for the tile set limitations, which only allow for a very small amount of custom tiles.

Hacking

Immediately following the release of the game in Japan, a group of fans translated the program to English for non-Japanese readers. Eventually, the game trial was hacked, to remove the boundaries - a modification that was titled the Rubicon.[2] Though illegal, it has turned up on many torrent and "warez" sites.

System Requirements

Minimum

  • Microsoft(R) Windows(R) 2000 / XP / Vista
  • 1.0GHz Intel(R) Pentium(R) III equivalent or higher processor
  • 256MB of system RAM
  • 800x600 or better video resolution
  • 100MB available hard disk space
  • Microsoft(R) Windows(R) XP / Vista
  • PC with 2.0GHz Intel(R) Pentium(R)4 equivalent or higher processor
  • 512MB of system RAM
  • 1280x1024 or better video resolution
  • 100MB available hard disk space

References

  1. ^ RPG Maker VX PC Hands-On Preview @ Gaming Target
  2. ^ http://www.rpgmakervx.net/Crossing-the-Rubicon-t256.html Hacking (Crossing the Rubicon)
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