RPG Maker

RPG Maker (Japanese RPGツクール, RPG Tsukuru, often RPG TKool written ) is a series of programs for the development of role-playing. The Japanese name of the program series, Tsukuru, a pun on the Japanese word tsukuru (作る) is "created" and for Tsuru (ツール) of English tool. The RPG Maker were first manufactured by ASCII and then from Enterbrain. English versions of the PS/PS2-Makern (3, 5 and 6) in the U.S. ( local numbers: 1, 2 and 3) are marketed by Agetec.

• 4.1 Vampires Dawn
• 4.2 To the Moon

About the PC versions

The RPG Maker is a program that is used to create computer role-playing games. Most versions include an on tilesets (before called RPG Maker 2003 chipsets ) -based map editor, a simplified scripting language for programming of "events" and a database editor, which allows to modify all objects used in the game properties. All versions bring a package of ready-made graphics, music and other content with ( Runtime Package) and allow, depending on the capabilities of the operating system under which they run, the extension with your own content.

PC versions at a glance

RPG Maker 95

The RPG Maker 95 was the first RPG Maker, which was produced for Microsoft Windows. He was released on 28 March 1997 in Japan. He pursued a fundamentally different approach than, say, the later RPG Maker 2000, he was designed for the development of specifically recognizable as such, computer games and offered a solution tailored to the needs of developers development environment including mouse support. The name comes, as with other programs of the series, which appeared about the same time, from the Windows 95 operating system, they at least anforderten.

RPG Maker 2000

The RPG Maker 2000 ( abbreviations as RPG2000 and RM2k are more common ) was after a long development published on 5 April 2000 in Japan. In this context, then, among others, the mouse support has been removed, as well as reduces the resolution of 640 × 480 to 320 × 240. This reduction allowed a simpler approximation of the own graphics to known Super Nintendo games. It has a maximum color depth of 16 bits, but it can only display 8 bits at a time. The ribs, the removal of terms used in SNES games graphics was with the RPG Maker 2000 also popular, although it is officially frowned upon by ASCII / Enterbrain and violates the terms of use of both source software, as well as the RPG Maker.

The RPG Maker 2000 outperformed its predecessor in terms of popularity, which was particularly from widespread English translation. The English version was created by a Russian programmer with the pseudonym " Don Miguel ", who had the RPG Maker 95 translated into English. Based on the English translation of RPG Maker 2000 by fans was also translated into German. The English version of RPG Maker 2000 was not official and was a long time as the supposed freeware free circulated on the Internet. In 2002, ASCII / Enterbrain turned with an open letter to the community, it was pointed in the on the legal situation. As a result, took most of the larger RPG Maker communities the program from their downloads. The RPG Maker 2000, however, remained still circulated on the Internet. It is possible to legally acquire the Japanese version and then subsequently install the English translation. RPG Maker games can still be offered for download, which is why the RPG Maker scene could continue to persist.

Regardless of the legal position of the English translation the program over the years by his fans with new features such as an MP3 patch that allowed the playing of music files in MP3 format, as well as a keyboard patch, who opened the use of the full keyboard, has been extended. Also completely different extensions, sometimes even completely separate additional programs came later from around the world to do so. At some is further programmed.

Because of its beginner -friendliness and popularity, in conjunction with the first major media interest in the supposed freeware, the illegal translated versions of RPG Maker 2000 spread at international level relatively quickly. In the years 2000 and 2001 there were in Germany both television shows ( GIGA \ \ GAMES ), as well as games magazines ( Bravo Screenfun, Gamestar, PC Action, PC Games ) who reported more or less regularly on the RPG Maker 2000.

In the years 2002 and 2003, as Enterbrain had long since taken over digital Famitsu, came alongside new products out also new editions of the older RPG Maker. So also the RPG Maker 2000 on 14 May 2003 under the name of RPG Maker 2000 VALUE! reprinted. This version (initially 1:50, 1:51 later as the final version ), contains, among other things, the MP3 support out of the house already inserted via fan - patches, as well as some other improvements. Also by this version is an unofficial, but legal ( since only in patch form present ) English translation available.

RPG Maker 2003

The RPG Maker 2003 (also known like RPG2003 or RM2k3 ) is an enhanced version of the RPG Maker 2000 and was released on 18 December 2002. It includes some of the features that have been advocated by the users shortly after the release of RPG Maker 2000, so for example, a system to automatically generate simple dungeon and dungeons ( dungeon generator), a new combat system with a lateral view, support MP3 as well as some other script functions. The success of this version, however, remained lower than expected, since it is no longer sold as opposed to its predecessor.

RPG Maker XP

The RPG Maker XP (also referred to as RMXP / RPGXP ) contains compared to its predecessor versions, many improvements and upgrades such as increasing the resolution of 320 × 240 to 640 × 480 and a color depth of 8 to 32 bits. The number of edit ( "Layer ") was increased from 2 to 3. Was further implements an option to use an unlimited large base of graphics (e.g., graphics landscape ). It is also the first maker can be given its game system profoundly changed by the Ruby language.

The Ruby Game Scripting System allows almost everything classic programming languages ​​allow, including the integration of external library files (DLL) as well as completely new parts of the program to set the expandability no unnecessary limitations. Due to performance issues and the introduction of the scripting language, especially because of the very high set requirements on the user's system many changes to no earlier versions of this or his successor RPGVX.

Unlike the RPG makers for consoles that have already been translated for several years and sold in the U.S., remained the official translation of RPG for PC makers a rare phenomenon. After an uprising of large international fan base RPGMaker but a translation of RPG Maker XP was conducted and published in collaboration with Protexis Download.com and in September 2005 the world by Enterbrain.

RPG Maker VX

The RPG Maker VX ( RMVX or RPGVX called ) was confirmed on October 5, 2007 by Enterbrain and was released in Japan on December 27, 2007., The English version has been released on February 29, 2008. The RPG Maker VX tried a merge of the most appreciated by fans of different generations of programs elements, as found in RPG Maker VX again in 2003, known from the RPG Maker function to automatically create dungeons, and also the battle system of the RPG Maker 2000 holds again catchment, as well as the ability to program even without it, to use graphics for the faces of speakers (face sets). But there are also new restrictions: So the function for playback of movie clips is still not integrated and it can not import additional Chipset Graphics to create game worlds.

The RPG Maker VX uses like the RPG Maker XP an implementation of the Ruby scripting language, RGSS called, this updated but on version 2 due to the different conventions when formatting graphics and the partially existing incompatibility between the used in RPG Maker XP implementation of RGSS and that which is included in the RPG Maker VX, there is no direct compatibility between the two programs. However, the possibility is offered that a script can find out if it is being used in a game that is created with RPGXP or RPGVX / was. The APD (Abt Plouton Database ) and additional scripts that are written for it, which makes them compatible with both, as separate code for both versions in a script can be written.

On 29 September 2011 was by Enterbrain on their websiteツクールWeb - next to the new RPG Maker DS - announced an enhanced version of RPG Maker VX called VX Ace, among other things, a built in program function for assembling character graphics from a pool includes templates as well - in addition to a modified combat system - will use the Ruby library RGSS3. The release date in Japan was set at 15 December 2011.

RPG Maker VX Ace

The latest Maker, RPG Maker VX the ACE is based on its predecessor, the RPG Maker VX. However, the new Maker contains many more features than its predecessor. With version 1.02a, the languages ​​French, German, Italian and Spanish are officially supported for the first time.

Chronology

Known Games

Vampires Dawn

Vampires Dawn is one of the biggest gaming franchises in the German RPG Maker scene. The games were programmed by Alexander " Marlex " cooking. It's about the vampire Valnar who fights only to fight his vampire existence and later against the enemies of his own race. The sequel to the game called Vampires Dawn 2 - Ancient Blood, which continues the story about the vampires and answers some open questions. Furthermore, appeared an offshoot for mobile phones, but this was not created with the RPG Maker. A third part of the series was announced. Because of this, however, was financed through the Kickstarter and has not collected enough money, this project was put on ice for now.

To the Moon

To the Moon is the first commercial game by Freebird Games, and the first in a coming series. The game was officially translated into German and published on 28 March 2012. On July 6, 2012, an English retail version of the game was released in the UK and Ireland, a German retail version of Lace Mamba to be released on August 31, 2012. In the game it is about a moribund man who gets by using a technology fulfills his last wish life. The game had commercial success and was highly praised by the German media, including the newspaper Die Zeit, for the history and the soundtrack.