justabox21

I would try using the RPG Maker to make a first draft of your horror vision, and then use the Unity engine to build off from that first draft. Not that I can really talk, as I am still stuck using 2D engines.

That's a good theory, but not true. The maneuverability you have on each map depends on which direction you are moving. Almost 99% of the time you have free movement from one side of the map to the other along the X axis. Moving vertically is usually limited to about 4 or 5 grid squares because having the character move too far up an angled map would look insane without the player changing size into the background as they moved. Mode7 could achieve this, but that lagged the game even on a "good" system. Which brings me to my next point... The game is probably never seen as it was meant to be since most people probably don't know about RMXP's smooth mode and reduced screen flickering mode (2 features found in the F1 menu while a game is running). Plus on top of all that, if you're running the game on a computer that is either slow or has tons of programs running in the background the game will lag alot too, and appear "choppy". And finally, the maps. The size of the characters have no impact on this feature of the game, good guess though. The maps are not panoramas or images. They are tilesets you can interact with, just like the majority of other RM games out there. The only images set on a map are foreground images you can pass behind. And the size of the characters are merely an illusion of a sort. They appear large, but they are still read as 32X32 just like everything else in RMXP. What looks like maybe 4 or 5 steps actually covers about double that on the tileset. With all that said, I guess the best way to explain the game is by comparing it to The Matrix. Nobody can be told what it is, you have to experience it for yourself.. Play the game.

The script itself works, but unfortunately it doesn't work with my current set up. And it disables the use of my gamepad controller for some reason. Is there a way to just modify the existing keyboard and controller configuration inside XP's scripts instead of installing an all new one?

Thanks Jon Bon, that's exactly what I was talking about. Foreverzer0, I will check out that script. Thanks for the link!

Is there a way to set a default control scheme in a script for RMXP? I'm using my own configuration in my game and I don't want people to have to manually adjust their RMXP controls to play my game properly.

Oooh ok, that makes sense. Yeah you got it right in that first paragraph about the too many large bitmaps. So we're essentially all doing the same thing, just on different scales.

So using RPG::Cache.clear won't clear up the space the same way? I'm confused.

@Foxkit: Ok, that makes sense. Arrays aren't so complicated afterall. Thanks for the helpful input! @ForeverZer0: That "Cutscene/Intro" label I was using originally was from a separate folder outside of my RMXP Project. I have the needed pictures inside the normal "Graphics/Pictures" area of the project too though. But I think your post before this one pretty much fixed my lag issue.

Yeah I'm just using this for specific cutscenes that will be seen only once throughout the game. I'm not sure what an array is though. If it means anything, I am also using a clear cache script after I have used the required pictures in a cutscene in order to clear up RAM. Assuming that I'm using these things right, that is.. I hate to say it but when it comes to scripting I am one dumb bastard, so I'll need to be guided Barney style if I'm going to get this right. Well I tried your new script and it seems to be working quite nicely! The FPS didn't drop below 37, and I am using tons of pictures for these cutscenes so that's really saying something. Of course I am still curious about that array thing you put out there earlier.

@Moonpearl: I didn't actually break the line, that was the way the call script window had it set up after typing in the directories. I think the "prosperity" part was too long for it to stay on the same line in that tiny call script box. I just copied and pasted it the way it was. Which part goes above Main? Was it the whole thing or is that how I call it when I need it? The syntax error was just a window that said "A syntax error occurred while running script". And as far as the directory's path goes, that was my mix up. I didn't realize you were putting in a literal path to follow, I thought your directory names were just an example guide line for me to go by. I get it now though, my mistake. The pictures are in the project's graphics/pictures area, I was using the original location of the pics before they got imported into RMXP. I'm going to do it again the right way and see what happens. Sorry about the crazy mix up! @ForeverZer0: I also tried out your script. The weird thing is RMXP isn't ever reacting to the call script, like it isn't even there. I tried it the first time and the scene still lagged, then I tried it with a purposely misspelled directory just to see if it would catch it and it just went on like nothing was even there..

Wow this is alot of information (Not that I'm complaining, I really do appreciate all the help)! Ok, I'm gonna give this a try. Since I'm using "show picture commands" to make cutscenes I have a bunch of pictures. Like hundreds. I'll try using that directory method first and hope it doesn't kill my computer, lol. Ok, so I tried doing the one Moonpearl said where instead of loading each frame individually I just load them all from a directory. This is what I did, and I got a syntax error. Does this look right? valid_ext = ['.bmp', '.png', '.jpg'] for filename in Dir.entries ("Desktop/Project/ Grave Prosperity/Cutscenes/Intro/ Apartment") if valid_ext.include?(File.extname (filename)) RPG::Cache.picture(filename) end end

Is there a way to "pre-cache" (If that is a real thing) a specified group of pictures so that when they are used in sequence to make a cutscene there will be less lag?

@Moonpearl: The graphics are big, real big. A typical sprite frame is 2560X1920 because each frame is 640X480. But I also have some 8 frame animations that are 5120X1920. @Kellessdee: I'm gonna try your idea and see what it does. You're right though, RMXP is trying to load graphics that are very big. Wow... Well holy crap, that fixed the problem! I can now play from the beginning to the end of part one of my game without having to F12 it to avoid crashing! I've been looking for a fix to this for a very long time! Thanks guys, you've done me a HUGE favor!

My current RMXP project uses really big sprite graphics and after playing the game for so long I will get an error message and the game will crash. This is the message: Script 'sprite_character' line45:RGSS Error occurred failed to create bitmap The way it's looking to me is the game is getting overloaded by the graphics' size over time and crashing. So my question is is there any way to maybe clear the cache files for both sprite and picture graphics during gameplay to keep the game from crashing?

Not mine. It's an action sort of game, like the old RE games only with the added features of melee and upgrades. Which RM are you planning on using for your project?

I actually have to say that I don't think using RTP graphics necessarily means your game can't be great or "won't make the cut". Even to this day my all time favorite RM game is Bob's Big Adventure for the RM2000. 100% RTP and still just so great (And I used to completely overlook RTP games). That game showed me that sometimes the most basic looking game can blow the flashiest ones out of the water. So even IF you're not a spriter the game is still all about you in the end, not the graphics, do your best with what you've got and you can still make an awesome game.

Yes, you can still walk behind specified graphics. There is a star icon in the tileset area of the database you can place over those kinds of graphics that you want to be able to pass behind. Nothing on layer A can be passed behind, but anything on the other layers can be. People are going to have to start customizing their own tilesets for this engine if they're going to get the desired tiles to work the way they want them to. If you ask me, this version isn't complicated but it isn't quite as fun as XP either. There's just too much crap to have to work around if you're trying to make something better than a gameboy game.

I looked up using the bigger tileset graphics for vx ace and it's like bigace said above about using the ABCD tiles. I had to split my XP tileset into 3 different files measuring 256X480 and then import them into Ace using them as the ABCD tiles. The results came out to look just like XP, but it does seem like alot of extra work just for bigger graphics... But hey, if you want it bad enough nothing will be "too much work."

Oh I have no idea, I didn't even get that far. I'm sure there is a way though. I'll look into it tonight when I get off work and come back with what I got.

Yeah, I started playing with VX Ace and found it can support any size sprite with (What seems to be) an unlimited amount of animation frames. I used 640X480 sized sprites with 8 frame animation and made it work just like XP. If anybody needs large sprites with the scripts to increase their animation frames you can find them here: http://victorscripts.wordpress.com/rpg-maker-vx-ace/

Just downloaded and played it and I really REALLY like it! It's got an old fashioned feel to it that takes me back to the times when good RPG's like Lunar were still being made. I hope you do continue work on this project!

That sounds really good. Can you play a good guitar solo too? I bet that would fit in there real well somewhere.

Any time, friend!

Here, I've made a demo for you that will have the menu system working the way you described. It would be way too complicated for me to try and type it all out step by step. Play the demo, then open it up and copy and paste! http://www.mediafire...3042a5dvb3cie43 Let me know if there are any problems, I hope this helps out!

Here is where I found my script for extra movement animation frames http://save-point.org/showthread.php?tid=2578 There are alot of very useful scripts there. :)