RPG Maker VX Ace (First Look) Options

[joey101]

@Esrever Wow i just posted a topic about 2 new rpg maker 2 mins ago

[udivision]

He posted his about 2 weeks ago.

[Esrever]

I suppose now is a decent time for an update. As of yet, RPG Maker VX Ace is still lacking a product page from Enterbrain. I do speculate that will change soon though, as they've recently posted package illustration onto a few sites now. I'll post it below along with an edit I did with English text. It seems a lot of people are worried about the price, and so I'll quote something I posted on another forum. Please note that the predicted price I list of $90 is to be taken with a grain of salt.

Concerning the Price...
You need to take into account that at launch, XP cost 9,800 JPY (127.15 USD). Then we have VX with a cost of 10,290 JPY (133.50 USD). Now that brings us to VX Ace breaking the bank at 13,440 JPY (174.35 USD). Those are the prices for the products in Japan. Keep this in mind. When they brought English localizations over, the significantly reduced the price of each product in respect to the exchange rates. At launch, each version of XP (now $30) and VX cost $60 USD. That... for all intents and purposes is half the cost of what the average Japanese consumer had to pay. So, yes Ace will cost more. Three times the price? Not even close. If the trend continues, I'd suspect the English version to be around $90.

Also, while I cannot confirm this at all and nothing official has been announced, I have found information hinting at RGSS3 carrying Ruby 1.9. If this turns out to not be true, please don't start chucking produce at me. It's merely a prediction based off of evidence I've accumulated over the last month or so.

I'll be posting a full write-up soon. You can find a link on where to find it in my signature. I'll be making updates as more information arises from official sources as well. And now the cover art...

[Rob_Riv]

Also, while I cannot confirm this at all and nothing official has been announced, I have found information hinting at RGSS3 carrying Ruby 1.9. If this turns out to not be true, please don't start chucking produce at me. It's merely a prediction based off of evidence I've accumulated over the last month or so.

What evidence is it based off of?

[Holder]

Ace in my opinion looks like RM2k moving onto RM2k3, I can't really see a different engine but rather a few little other things included. Even then though a few features were removed going into 2k3 so I'll not be surprised if they do it for Ace.

[Rukiri]

If it's anything like rm2k3 than I'll be happy, just as long as we're not stuck with 5 tilesets. Yes I can make the 5 tileset limit work as most 2D snes games really don't use 5 different tile-sets well maybe a few..

I hope they allow for different tile sizes as that'd be cool.

This post has been edited by Rukiri: Nov 4 2011, 09:33 AM

[Andrelvis]

5 tilesets is really no problem, the problem is those tilesets having a size limit.

[Sailerius]

Having a size limit is really no problem, the problem is the mapping system blowing.

[Yuu-Mon Musuedo]

I was disappointed with VX because it felt a little limited unlike XP. I don't know, maybe because XP was out longer, but whatever. I just hope it would be like XP mixed with VX a little with some new shiny toys.

[Esrever]

http://rpgmakervxace.com/tkool/products/rpgvxace/index.html

I've translated the official Japanese product page. you can find it at the link above.

[amerk]

Excellent! While it may not fix all the mapping problems VX had, the fact that it includes the ability to swap out Tilesets is a much needed re-addition. Since it appears that resources from VX can be used with the ACE, I don't believe they altered the mapping style too much.

I'm curious, though, as to how the tileset swap would work. While SwapXT allowed you to swap out all 5 sets at a time, the ACE appears to only allow one tileset swap per map (which might remove the B-E feature. Looking at the website, it appears that each tileset swap would have a section for "auto tiles" and a smaller section for the add-ons (normally B-E). Not entirely sure about this, but here's to hoping that the size of the tileset can be altered for maps where you need a lot of detail.

Edit: Just read some additional fine news, making me want this even more!

http://rpgmakervxace.com/

This one, for sure!

Built in "caterpillar" like functionality, and the ability to have a maximum party size of 8 (though it seems 4 are counted as "reserves").

Finally! I could care less about the caterpillar system, but I'm liking the maximum party of 8 feature. What does it mean by "4 are counted as reserves", though? Isn't that what usually happens in a game with more than the standard 4-person party?

[Sailerius]

Ugh. Just what we needed. More "features" added in that are easy to script but annoying to remove if built in and you don't want them. Where's our better mapping system, Enterbrain?

[Yuu-Mon Musuedo]

I like the idea where you can make your own faces and this TP / Finisher System, but... Just like what Sailerius said, these could be easily scripted. And I already got those in my XP one. XD

If they give me a map edit where I could have more then 3 layers, 5 or more, that would be enough for me to actually work on a project on that RPG Maker. And thanks for the link.

[amerk]

Well, I agree about the caterpillar feature. It's not a necessity to me, and I hope I can have the feature to shut it off, but I am happy they are allowing for an 8-person party. While scripts already allow this, it just makes it more convenient.

[Sailerius]

It's easier to find a script to add a feature you want than to find a script to remove a feature that you don't.

[Atoa]

It's easier to find a script to add a feature you want than to find a script to remove a feature that you don't.

Not necessarely true. Many scripts are made to fill the need of the users, the removal of features weren't never really widely needed. But since this situation will change, scripts to remove these features will be available in no time. I'm already planing making this, and i'm sure i not the only one.

People love to complain... when Eb! removed features justifying that "they could be scripted" people complained, now that it add new features, people complain that it's not good to have them because "they could be scripted"...

This post has been edited by Atoa: Nov 7 2011, 09:17 PM

[alex_trenton]

Atoa is right.
Also, it's good they fixed the tile sets problem though...
You can have different tile sets for each map now thankfully.
But i think auto tiles are still constructed the same way, which sucks.. cause you're only given enough tiles to make things that are very squared with auto tiles in VX.
In XP you could make more natural looking land masses, with angular tiles, for like land masses and such, now we can't... but since tile sets are no longer limited, i can probably find a way around it more easily.

[Rukiri]

I like the idea where you can make your own faces and this TP / Finisher System, but... Just like what Sailerius said, these could be easily scripted. And I already got those in my XP one. XD

If they give me a map edit where I could have more then 3 layers, 5 or more, that would be enough for me to actually work on a project on that RPG Maker. And thanks for the link.

In vx it was that you had 2 by default, sprite-objects was 3, and pictures was 4.
Now it appears we have 3 thus giving you your five layers.

I was able to make any map that XP could in VX so I should be able to do it even better with VXA mainly cause I can use more than 5 tiles lol ^O^

If RGSS3 is mainly 1.9 with added classes and functions I'll be a happy camper, as 1.9 was way faster than 1.8^^

[Atoa]

But i think auto tiles are still constructed the same way, which sucks.. cause you're only given enough tiles to make things that are very squared with auto tiles in VX.
In XP you could make more natural looking land masses, with angular tiles, for like land masses and such, now we can't... but since tile sets are no longer limited, i can probably find a way around it more easily.

That's not really a problem, since we have 4 free tilesets (B, C, D and E) to add objects, so we can use one of these to add "fixes" to the squared objects.
Also, some of the autotiles works exactly like XP. except by the fact that they must have always 3 frames, in XP you could add as many you wanted.
It's still no perfect... but at last it can be called good.
What i really like is that instead of an huge infinite tile, you can select from 9 diferent sets of tiles (considering that tile A have 5 parts), that way it's possible to make really varied maps, without resorting to huge tileset meges, o many different tiles with repeated objects.

[Esrever]

RPGMakerWeb has released a promotional video with an English dub. I can't really say too much. The quality is... well... you'll see. The video can be found here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JtfeC6vj34. Also, the eb! store page has been updated. A translation of the new information follows.

[Special EBTen Bonus]
'Collection of RPG Maker SUPER DANTE and RPG Maker 2 Music (Digitally Remastered Versions)'



A full collection of digitally remastered music from Super Nintendo titles "RPG Maker SUPER DANTE (released in 1995)" and "RPG Maker 2 (released in 1996)"! A compilation CD-ROM containing audio in ogg format can be used with RPG Maker VX Ace. Of course, you are free to distribute this data for any projects made.

*This bonus is not an audio CD and cannot be played using a normal CD player.
*This data collection may be slightly different than that of sound generated on playback from the actual Super Nintendo title, as it has been reproduced in audio software to allow for conversion. Please acknowledge this.
*Works using this data may be distributed freely.

EDIT: Just wanted to say that seeing this, it appears that you would only get this bonus if you ordered through the ebten.jp site rather than through other means (e.g. amazon.co.jp). Kind of a perk to ordering from Enterbrain themselves. I might have to cancel my amazon order now for this.

This post has been edited by Esrever: Nov 14 2011, 03:14 AM