[Development] Nuggets of Wisdom Options

[Decedent]

Not sure If I can just post this directly here or if their is a submission forum, but here it goes anyway...

This may have been done before, there are some very specific tutorials, but a few nuggets of wisdom can go a long way too. You decide if this should be here, but here are some tips I think are just as valuable as a tutorial on realistic towns, just no one would think to look for stuff like this.

Tips on making game development easier

*Have a second Project called 'Tools' to allow quick and easy access to commonly used events.

As I write this, I'm up to 500 maps on my game. It would be a pain in the but to keep re-creating events (like doors, chests or dialogue because I use a ccoa script, and a small cast of characters who talk all the time). Instead I have template events on this second project that I can easily alt tab over, copy and paste directly into my real project. Creating a door is as simple as ctrl + C, ctrl + p, double click and change the transfer player location. In seconds I have a door that opens nicely, makes a sound effect and if you need too, changes screen color tone etc, fades out BG music etc.

This works even if you want those events, like a treasure chest to call a specific common event. As long as you make the template on your real project, getting it to call the event etc, then pasting it over, the Tools project will remember the id of the event it wants to call, even the graphic being used, EVEN if you don't actually have that graphic in the Tools folder (99% sure of this, you just have to make sure you don't save after changing the graphic).


*Create backups

Everyone has been told to back up things, but why? What if you lost the whole thing? Yes, that would suck, but there are little problems that can occur too. I have accidentally deleted a single event or graphic and then saved my project, only to find there is no "undo" button for that... But with back ups, I can easily find those same events and copy them back over without having to redo an entire scene I got just right.

This idea works well if one of these backups is used as your Tools project, it has the graphics, and all the common events. It also makes it easier if you have to constantly cross reference certain things, like monsters (if you were using a bestiary script for example and you wanted to add a Bio for each monster, you can just alt tab and scroll through the monsters instead of having to save and close the script, check the monster, and go back to the script because all that stuff is the same now).


*Turn off the title music

This may only happen to me, but I doubt it. I got a pretty good comp, and I've looked at quite a few tutorial projects, or projects that had a script in it like a battle system. And every time I open them, I have to wait an extra second or two for the game to load the title music. "HA!" you scoff at me as you swill the cherry brandy in your hand while looking down at me. "It is a slight inconvenience..." I mutter, "But the real issue is when you have to play through your own game, and you are opening and closing it every few seconds to fix that SE error, that typo or to delete an event that shouldn't be there. It will speed up the process and annoy you less. (If you thoroughly test your games anyway...)" I add under my breath.

A few nuggets of wisdom I have learnt from experience. I would be interested in seeing how many other people have thought of these. Feel free to add some ideas yourself.

[thatbennyguy]

Very good nuggets of knowledge. The plus side to standardizing your events for copy-pasting, is that all of your events behave identically. And that's important if you want a sense of coherence and polish to your game. As for the backup idea, there are scripts that can automatically backup your files everytime the game is run. Really good tips.

[Jonnie19]

Thank you for your tutorial, it has now been added to the Tutorial Directory. It never thought about turning off the Title Screen Music full of important and interesting tips. Well done.