Active But Not Updated

This blog is still active, but, for the most part, isn't being updated any more. The reason for this is that most of the updates are now taking place on the RPG Maker Times Companion domain.

The problem was that many of the links to software and external websites were disappearing. And with the taking down of Megaupload, where a number of the downloads were, some programs vanished along with it. So, rather than update this site accordingly, I decided (ambitiously perhaps!) to start over, this time with much more up-to-date content.

The RPG Maker Times Companion domain (formerly RPG Maker Times Collection) was originally formed to house my collection of scripts and resources. Instead, it's grown to include all of the software, scripts, resources and FAQs - among other things - on this blog and RPG Maker Times. Some of the software on the site is hard to find nowadays, but you can find it there.

The site is still under heavy construction, but in time it'll be finished. In between various other projects, time is limited and progress on it is slow but steady. What this means is that this blog will no longer be updated, but the other site will be. Please update your bookmarks accordingly.

Some Demos No Longer Available

Several visitors have informed me that they've been unable to download certain utilities. I'm now aware of the problem, so thank you. Anything hosted on Megaupload is obviously gone and it's going to be a hellish task to go through each of the missing links and finding links that work.

I will most likely host some of the rarer software or utilities no longer available for mainstream downloading on my site, RPG Maker Times Collection, along with resources and scripts. This site is uber-up-to-date, so check regularly and subscribe to the newsfeed (when I implement a subscription function).

ALL of the downloads hosted there (and linking to other sites) have been thoroughly checked for viruses, although some virus checkers may well claim false-positives. I've checked them with at least five different checkers, including Comodo and F-Secure, and there are none.

I'll eventually transfer the bulk of RMT Companion to the "Collection" and then leave it as it is, but will probably not be actively updating the blog in favour of RPG Maker Times and RPG Maker Times Collection.

Important Notice About Downloads

It came to my attention recently that some of the download links on RMT Companion leading to certain websites have received complaints that the software contains viruses, so the links from those sites have subsequently been removed. This spoils it for everyone and prevents decent folk from utilising some very useful programs.

Contaminating programs with viruses is unacceptable and disgraceful in the first instance and the people who create and propagate them should be injected with a lethal virus themselves and left to suffer.

I've been on the receiving end of so many viruses within the decade or so I've been involved with computers that I've lost count of the sleepless nights trying to recover valuable data from virus-ridden and worm-choked computers. And I've had so many computers destroyed because of viruses, worms and trojans that no doubt they'd fill a small storage shed.

ALL OF THE TOOS & UTILITIES hosted on RPG Maker Times Collection, as well as the versions that I have downloaded to try, have been THOROUGHLY scanned with Comodo Internet Security Antivirus and contain NO viruses!

Back To Basics

In last week's post, I mentioned about wanting another layout for RPG Maker Times Companion, particularly the Dynamic Layouts.

I absolutely love some of the Dynamic Layouts and am just itching to use one, but after a bit of experimentation I don't know if it'll effectively work for this blog, which is a realy pity. Due to the lack of customization freedom, especially given that the amount of widgets are limited. For instance, I don't think you can implement a Twitter or Facebook feed. At least when I tried, it didn't show up in the nav tab.

There is no doubt that this blog in particular needs a facelift, something more dynamic, so I'll either continue experimenting or sit on it for a while. And until something's been figured out, I won't update with much content. Suggestions, of course, are welcome so if you're of a mind to comment it and I'll take it into consideration.

Layout & Design Blues

In keeping with the update and expansion I've undertaken, as mentioned in a previous entry on the main site, Time For Some Reorganisation, I'd hoped to use one of the Dynamic Templates for Companion, but there are more disadvantages with that route at the moment. You cannot directly edit the HTML or add widgets, although you can modify the CSS. That's no good for the kind of layout I'm ultimately looking for.

So it looks as though, for now at least, the layout here will remain the same, as it will on RPG Maker Times. It's too much hassle to particularize utilities and scripts with a dynamic format, unless and until Google allows these key areas.

Meantime, I've been working on a new navigation menu. Rather than using Flash, which is what the current one is, I'm experimenting with a jQuery/Javascript one; this will allow much easier editing as new sections and utilities are uploaded. Hopefully, I'll have something soon.

Sadly Neglected, Never Forgotten

RPG Maker Times Companion has been sadly neglected of late, so it's time to rectify that. I'll have a look through my archives (bookmarks, old storage CDs/DVDs, etc.) and come up with a few entries. It's intended that the Companion deals with tools and utilities specifically, so updates will only appear here and won't be announced on RPG Maker Times and RPG Maker Times Companion (New) main sites.

In time, I may or may not include resources here (including porting the RPG Maker Times Windowskins, which, incidentally, has also been neglected).

Another thing I'm working on, in between work, play and projects, is scripts. I'll eventually update my scripts here too. Maybe put each of them on separate pages, along with a script(let) index. Any new (or, indeed, old-but-updated) scripts will also be announced on the main RPG Maker Times site.

I don't know how long all this will take, but given that free time isn't free, it's on my ~TO DO~ list for sure.

Hiper RMXP/RMVX Windowskin Maker

DownloadI'm sure that RPG Maker enthusiasts and visitors to RPG Maker Times alike are aware of the Windowskin Generator VX and the Windowskin Maker XP by now. These are two separate programs: the VX one loads via RMVX or separately and the XP one is a standalone program.

Wouldn't it be cool if both windowskin creators were combined, where instead of having to create RMXP and RMVX windowskins separately, you could use a single program to create both simultaneously? If such a program existed, it would certainly make life much easier!

Well, such a program DOES exist, thanks to the superlative talents of one Narvelan, a nonpareil Portugese (sic: Brazilian) programmer, who has created the peerless Hiper WindowSkin Maker (version 1.0 BETA). I tell you, this utility is THE DEFINITIVE windowskin creator! I can't laud this program enough, so I'll outline its rich features instead.

It is in Portugese, but is fairly straightforward and easy to use, although here's a quick rundown nevertheless. EDIT: Now at version 2.0 with Portugese/Brazilian and English language packs. If you receive an "application failed to initialize" error, you need to have .NET Framework installed on your computer too.

Create the windowskins

When first opening the program, the first place to go is Estilo (Styles). This is where the different graphics parts are stored, with seven style categories to choose from - including my favorite, Medieval - but you can create your own. From there, you can choose the different components from the tabs to create the windowskins. As you add the components, they will be added realtime to both RPG Maker templates.

All graphics are dependant on the styles. The Background (Fundo) is the message window background. The Layouts (1, 2 and 3) insert the message window frame, directional arrows and flashing cursor respectively. Sets (Seta) 1 and 2 are RMXP only for the battle cursors. Set 3 is the animated arrows to forward messages. And the Extra tab I have no idea what that's for.

You also have the options to choose a colour (Escholer Cor) for the background transparency or revert to normal transparency (Transparente). You can even overlay templates or create blank templates from the Show Template (Monstrar Template) options.

Once you've created your masterpiece, you can save (salvar) each windowskin in either format, or both. They can then be imported and used in games.

Importing windowskins

The final very useful feature this utility has is the ability to import RMXP windowskins and split them up so you can use them in RMVX windowskins!

It's under Arquivo (File) then Importar (Import). There you will see one option: Windowskin XP (.png), which you can use to import RMXP only windowskins.

Caveat: Do NOT attempt to import RMVX windowskins (either by accident or by design). It will not work and the program will invariably crash.

Conclusion

Now there's absolutely NO excuse not to create more RMXP windowskins. In fact, I will be creating the same versions of both, since the commonest search term is windowskins.

Narvelan, Tiramos o chapéu para você, mano! (Uh...Google-translated since I'm not bi-lingual.)

Character Creator Studio VX

RMXP Unlimited

Just like the Character Maker for RMXP, Character Creator Studio VX allows the creation of RMVX character sets. It does have a lot of resources available to create some decent characters, with the ability to add multiple items.

What I like most about this program though is its simplicity and ease of use, and its features:

• Large Preview - A separate window for a much larger preview of characters, updated "live".
• Undo - Unlimited undo's if something doesn't look right.
• Reset - Resets the character set to its default "naked" state.
• Save - Save your creations as individual charsets. (These can be imported directly into RMVX and used if they are saved with a $ at the beginning of the filename.)
• Import/Export Allows you to import and export additional resources either premade or from existing character sets.

All images are saved as PNG format, including the character building resources, which means that, if you know what you're doing, you can create your own hairstyles, clothes, etc. and use them directly.

Not only that, Character Creator Stuido also comes bundled with another program, called Sprite Stitcher. This allows you to "stitch" individual character sets together (created with the Studio or somewhere else) into a single character set, up to the maximum of eight.

In short, this program is the best one I've come across so far. I know that for myself I'm so glad I stumbled across this program simply because spriting is NOT something I'm good at. And I know that others will find it as much of a boon as I do. Highly Recommended.

RMXP Project Organiser

RMXP Unlimited

This nifty little utility (from Evil Cabbage), just as the title suggests, gives you the chance to easily manage all your RMXP projects.

First off, you can launch or edit projects directly from the program, making it much easier than loading them individually in RMXP first.

Note: You can launch RMVX projects as well, although you can't edit them without receiving an error message.

This application is packed with other very useful features. You can change the game's title, restore the database and scripts in a project to default, delete unwanted save files rather than manually in the project folder itself, and if any RGSS dlls are required it can copy these as well.

There is, however, one very important caveat to be aware of: If you don't highlight a project first, the program will crash! Aside from that, this program is definitely useful, especially as a launchpad for editing and playing projects.

Windowskin Maker XP

RMXP Unlimited

Until now there has only been a Windowskin Generator for RMVX, which is a superlative utility that I use frequently.

Now, there is one for RMXP, created by the talented Evil Cabbage, found on RPG Maker Times Companion and at RMXP Unlimited. Note: Right-click on the "Download" link and Save As for it to work.

Unlike the RMVX version, which runs within RMVX itself or standalone, this utility is just standalone. Its ease of use makes it very useful indeed, but you do have to create your own resources for it - backgrounds, arrows, etc. - as it none are provided with the program. This should not pose too many problems anyway, as long as you know the individual sizes for the different parts. (I should cover this in a later entry for all RPG Makers.)

Aside from manual creation of material parts, this program does have two distinctive disadvantages. The first is that it has no feature to redefine the windowframe, which is displayed as the "default" thin white frame with white scroll arrows. The second is that it can only be exported as BMP format, which means that it would need to be converted to PNG in another graphics program. Notwithstanding that RMXP will quite happily import BMP files, they are much larger in size than PNG files.

Aside from these "flaws", I would still recommend using this, as it's the only windowskin creator available for RMXP. This will still prove to be a valuable asset to any would-be RMXP windowskin creators.

RMTool

Download

This utility scans RPG Maker games for missing files and gives instructions on how to fix it. For example, if a MIDI or particular graphics file is missing from the game's Project folder, this tool will tell you which one is missing.

RMTool - Scan Resources

If any files are missing, you can then import those resources into your project. The program will then "fix" the missing files.

RMTool - Import Missing Resources

Note: The program was specifically made for RM2K, but works as well with RM2K3, except for 2K3-specific folders (i.e. System2, BattleChars, CharSets, etc.); they just won't be scanned.

Windowskin Generator VX

Download

I found this awesome and very useful utility. It's a Windowskin Generator, programmed by Woratana and with graphics by Aindra, for RMVX and it works! The idea behind this is to make Windowskin creation easy by selecting various parts and applying them to the skin. It even has a preview area where you can see what the resultant image will look like! Once you're done, the finished product can be saved and imported into RMVX for use in your games.

Download it directly here, then extract it to the RMVX Projects folder (using WinRar or Winzip) and open it up in the RMVX program.

It can be run directly from RMVX or as a standalone program. If used as standalone, the RGSS2002e.dll may be needed. Information on creating and running standalone games (including downloading the appropriate files) can be found on the RPG RPG Revolution forum.

AnimGet

Download

The primary purpose of AnimGet (or Animation Get) is to extract animation frames for use in RPG Maker (or other animation programs). When activated, it will work in the background, taking snapshots every 10 milliseconds, which can then be rendered in a suitable graphics program, such as Paint Shop Pro.

In the beginning, AnimGet was used in conjunction with various emulators, particularly the NES or SNES ones, to capture sprite or battle animations. These could then be rendered and ported into RM2K/3 for use in games. Copyrights were flouted in those days, but that didn't stop the mass productions of RM2K/3 made Final Fantasy or Zelda fan games!

A much more up-to-date (and perhaps ethical) use for AnimGet is to create still-frame images for animations for tutorials or mini movie clips. But, since the program runs in the background, snapshotting every 10 milliseconds, whatever you do while it is active will be logged.

RM Recker

Download

RMRecker, created by AnomyWare, is specifically designed for "editing resources, such as splash screens, icons, and glyphs, in your RPG Maker games quick and easy".

With it, you can change any of the three logos, the glyphs and icons used in the game with your own, then save them. The way that RMRecker does this is it patches the EXEcutable RPG_RT file, overwriting the "defaults". It certainly is a quick and easy process and, although it was created with RM2K/3 in mind, it can be used with other EXE files as well.

There are some limitations:

• You can only use 8-bit images. It won't accept 24-bit high color images unless you decrease the color depth first.
  
  
• While glyphs can be BMP, PNG or the proprietary XYZ formats, logos can only be PNG or XYZ formats.

The current version is v1.0 Beta 2, but although there have been no apparent updates since 2003, it is still a useful utility nevertheless.

ResHack

Download

ResHack (short for Resource Hack is a great utility that allows modification of games or RM2K/3 settings. Game icons, logos, text, individual settings, etc. can be modified to suit individual needs.

For the most part, ResHack is used primarily to alter the "default" icons and in-game graphics, as well as some information about the game. Other icon files can be used for this purpose and then the EXE file is re-compiled accordingly.

Note: It is against Enterbrain's Terms & Conditions to directly modify the RPG Maker program, Runtime Package (RTP), and resources, but the English versions of RM2K/3 were never "legal" or endorsed by Ascii/Enterbrain. This utility is included here only because of its usefulness and perhaps for posterity.

Dan's RMXP Tool

Download

EDIT (31 May, 2012): Unfortunately, the download link does not appear to be working.

Dan's RMXP Tool is a useful utility for inspiration, which allows you to create names for characters, game titles, and a plethora of other things. The title is something of a misnomer because it can be used for all of the RPG Makers and other game makers also. (I have, on occasion, even used it for inspiration for titles for short stories!)

The screenshot below shows an example of what it can do. (The skill it chose, "Cruel Skill", conjures up quite a few visuals, some of which are just cruel.)

• Random Title Generator: Generates game titles, examples of which are Old Birthright or Deep Spirit. Some humorous ones are Comfortable Tormentor or Shallow Parasite.
• Random Character: Generates names for characters, male and female. There is also an option to choose the character's nationality, which reflects the nature of the name - English, Greek, Japanese, Gaelic and Demon.
• Random Item Name: Generates dynamic names for items. Examples are Crooked Root and Divine Water, with some humorous ones being Nervous Nut or Flat Chance.
• Random Equipment: Generates names for equipment (weapons, armor, etc.). The first few tries yielded the following results: something down-to-earth, Massive Sword; something dynamic, Ghost Shoulder Pad; and something humorous, Ill Shield and Upset Plate.
• Random Skill Name: Generates random skill names, such as Giant Blow, High Rain or Flaky Nebula.

In addition to all this, under "Select Generate Mode" is an NPC Stats Generator, which randomizes the stats for non-player characters, including providing a name. You can also choose the level of difficulty for the NPC.

While this certainly is a nifty utility, sometimes it takes ages to get the "right" name for something, especially items, since it draws from separate data files for adjectives and nouns or first names and last names. That said, it is still a useful utility nevertheless.

Move Event

Download

EDIT (31 May, 2012): The download link no longer works. Unfortunately, I don't have a backup copy of this utility. If anyone can help track this utility down for me, I'd be grateful. Thanks.

It can be very time-consuming trying to figure out specific character movements, often meaning that you have to playtest and tweak until you have it just right. I've had many frustrating moments where the characters have moved slightly too far, putting the rest of the "scene" out of sync. Or where the cut scene has frozen because characters are trying to move but are walking into walls.

With this utility, which can be downloaded here, it takes some of the pain away. What it does is allow you to record the keystrokes from the directional keys, then either preview it as a graphical representation or as a "live" demonstration (playing back the recorded keystrokes) in RMXP itself.

As you can see from the snapshot above, you can also save the current movement commands and load them later for additional tweaking and testing.

Since using this utility, the amount of time taken for cutscenes where a lot of character and NPC movement is required has been slashed in half. It's very useful to be able to test that out before actually implementing it in the Command Events and then having to go back in to edit them manually.

If you're like me and have a lot of movement in your games, then this utility will assuredly help. It's one of those rare gems you stumble across that certainly help you out and you don't want to get rid of - even after there are no further updates.

Character Maker XP

Direct Download

When it comes to designing character sets from scratch, I am stuck so rely on these kinds of utilities to help me out. Character Maker XP makes life much easier, as it will create character sets and sprites for you.

Although it is limited as far as the number of resources, you can still create some reasonably good custom character sets for RMXP, even with a small set of graphics available.

As you can see from the snapshot above, characters are highly customizable, with a virtual mannequin to model the clothes and extras to work with. You can then export your finished product to RMXP character sets and import them into your games. It also has a feature to edit the resources, but use with caution since it directly modifies the program's default graphics, with no way to undo the changes, except to reinstall it.

Its ease of use makes it a worthy addition to your games creation software, but there are slightly better ones out there, including online web editors.

EDIT: This maker is no longer available. The download is also unavailable because Megaupload was taken down.

Face Maker

Download

What's a character set without a matching face? Well, with Face Maker, currently at version 3.1, you can design facesets for message boxes. It doesn't seem to have been updated in over a year, but it does its job and suffices quite well. It also does not come with a Help file - not that you need it though - it's fairly self-explanatory.

To download it, you'll have to become a member of the Game Dev Unlimited forums, but it's definitely worth it in the end.

One of the things I really like about this program is that every aspect of the face is customizable, from the face to the additional accessories:

• Face and neck
• Eyes (including the pupils and eyebrows)
• Mouth
• Mustache (including beard)
• Ears
• Hair (including bangs)
• Neck and head wear
• And two sets of accessories (including helmet)

There are literally hundreds of possible combinations and quite a large range of resources to choose from.

Once you're done creating your masterpiece, you can save it for use in your games, with three sizes to choose from, depending on the RPG Maker used and the purpose of the faceset.

Overall, this is a very neat program, one which I've used on occasion too, primarily just for the fun of it.