Some help with uncooperative autotiles and a bit more
Mapping in VX takes some patience and practice, but it is possible to make very nice scenery using only the RTP. One of the most powerful, but relatively unknown features of RPG Maker is the ability to make exact copies of tiles already on the map by using the shift buttons. This may not sound spectacular at first, but it allows you to use tiles in ways that
are impossible otherwise.
I am not trying to say that I am the best mapper around, but I have become fairly efficient over the years and I learned a few tricks that I think can help. This tutorial is really about how to make complicated structures that just cannot be made without using the shift button, but the method that we will use can be applied everywhere.
Here is the quick guide to using shift for those who do not wish to read all of this:
OK, the real guide.
We will use a simple tower as an example here. Begin by drawing the base of the tower.
Now, if we just start using the same wall and ceiling tiles to build the tower, the autotiles will do their thing and it will not look right. To remedy this, we will draw the second portion separately first.
Now, using the pen or rectangle tool, just hold down SHIFT and right-click/drag to select the entire thing.
Now continue to hold SHIFT and place the copied tiles on top of the base (you can actually let go of SHIFT in between copying and pasting, but you must be holding SHIFT while doing either).
If you are using the rectangle tool, you will need to press down the left mouse button to begin drawing and then drag the mouse to form the copied shape. Simply clicking will not work.
The tiles are laid down exactly as they were in the source and they do not act as autotiles.
This is also useful for shaping small details. For instance, if you wanted to place a door on the second story:
It does not look quite right, does it? Compare the left edge of the upper door to the left edge of the lower door and you will notice that the lower door looks more rounded and natural.
To get this effect, you need and example of what it should look like so that you can copy it.
I just drew enough wall to represent what I am trying to copy, and then copied it while holding SHIFT. Now place that to the left of the door, still holding SHIFT.
Notice that I drew four tiles, but only copied one (the highlighted tile in the image before last). This is because you must account for what is to the left and right of the destination tile.
If you only drew one and then copied it, it would look like this:
You have to accurately represent the place that you are copying to when drawing your sample.
Another small example, but remember, the details are everything:
See that bridge? Here is what it would look like had I not used shift to polish it:
This is not the most extreme example, but I just don't like how it looks.
The main idea here is that sometimes it is necessary to draw things on another background before placing them in their final destination.
Using this you can make very complex structures that you may have thought would be impossible using the RTP. Hope this helped.
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