RPG MAKER 2003 - THE NEXT WILLENNIUM OF GAME... PLUS THREE: The practice round

ihavefivehat's picture
Mon, Feb 02 2015 10:00 PM
02/02/2015 - 23:00
02/10/2015 - 23:59
America/Chicago

EDIT NOTE: DUE TO THINGS, WE WILL NOW BE USING RPG MAKER 2003 INSTEAD OF RPG MAKER 2000!

This isn't as big of a deal as it might sound. The two programs are almost identical except that RPG Maker 2003 supports the usage of mp3s and has a revamped battle system. But the main reason for the change is that RPG Maker 2003 will run on Windows 8.

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Hey guys! Wasn't Heart Pounding TrainWreck Marathon by everythingstaken and FirecatFG pretty cool? I thought so too!

I want to do an event like that, but using the legendary and infamous RPG Maker 2000 2003. The idea is that participants will make a bunch of short games over the course of a month or so, and then we'll put them together into nice package.

BUT WAIT!

Since I don't think that a lot of people here use RM2K3, I thought it would be a good idea to have a week or so to get to know the program. I've been using it for almost 15 years now, so I'll be on-hand to answer any questions.

Here's what you need to get started:

RPG Maker 2003: This is the main program. There's a readme with info on how to fix any font problems that you might encounter.

Optional:

Here's a website with a bunch of custom assets!

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Here's a series of basic tutorial videos to get you started. This guy's kind of an idiot. Maybe I'll figure out how to record my own tutorial later.

Have fun, and again, let me know if you have any questions or suggestions. I'm happy to answer whatever.


Games made for RPG MAKER 2003 - THE NEXT WILLENNIUM OF GAME... PLUS THREE: The practice round

Comments

i will make a game for this

i will make a game for this :)

everythingstaken's picture

Me too.

Me too.

This sounds fun.

Will any knowledge of 2k3 carry backwards to 2k?

ihavefivehat's picture

absolutely

2K3 and 2K are essentially the same program. I believe the only difference was an overhauled battle system and the ability to use mp3s.

Luluna's picture

Aw, I can't get 2000 to run

Aw, I can't get 2000 to run on my computer (Windows 8.1)
But 2003 works just fine for some reason(anyone know why? it seems completely random which programs will work and which won't). Would it be okay to use that instead?

ihavefivehat's picture

that's a problem

When I get home tonight I'll try to figure out if RPGMaker 2003 games can be converted easily to work in RM2K.

If not, maybe we can just do the whole event in 2k3 instead. It wouldn't be a huge leap and I don't want to exclude people with Windows 8. Thanks for the heads up.

ihavefivehat's picture

tested it

So RPGMaker 2000 seems to open RM2k3 files just fine. The only hitch will be that the battle systems aren't compatible. So if you make games which use the built in battle system, they will probably be broken.

I'm thinking about switching the whole event to RM2k3. It might be the best solution.

everythingstaken's picture

I already have 2k3 on my

I already have 2k3 on my computer, I think it would be easier. 2k3 can import 2k stuff right?

ihavefivehat's picture

yup!

It seems like all assets designed for RM2K work fine in RM2K3 and vice versa.

TheCube's picture

I would like to point out

I would like to point out that there is a wonderfully incomplete and buggy Pokemon Starter Kit for RM2K3 that I found through minutes of rigorous searching.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9M_1CFttTbc

The download miraculously works. I will be using this so no copying (please feel free to copy)

TheCube's picture

Also, I just figured out

Also, I just figured out that it includes what appears to be RM2K3 compatible monster sprites for all of the pokemon up to Ruby/Sapphire - they just aren't used in the actual game yet.

TheCube's picture

I am absolutely obsessed

I am absolutely obsessed with creating a Pokemon style system in this game now. Like, I want to replicate that "I made it work but it's really shaky within this framework" feeling that lot of fan games have, and I'm getting pretty close to making it work! Turns out RM2K3 realllllly does not like what I'm trying to do though.

I did manage to find a Turn Based battle system to replace the original (although it also seems to screw up the font). So that's fun: http://share.cherrytree.at/getfile-1900.rar

Got a sort of working PC, in that you can catch pokemon and it'll save them, and then you can see the list of pokemon you've caught. If the PC is full, it will tell you and won't screw anything up. Of course, having multiples of the same pokemon doesn't work because they're all pre-defined heroes, so I might just stop that from happening in the first place. Still working on switching out party members but I think I have a good start.

All in all, having a good time bashing RM2K3 into the shape I want it to be.

EDIT: Found a font patcher! Fixed the font issue. I've attached it because it was actually somewhat difficult to find.

AttachmentSize
Rm2k_fp.zip104.19 KB
sergiocornaga's picture

I'd like to participate. I

I'd like to participate. I don't know if I will be able to make something in time for the practice round. I guess I can always treat this event as a sandpit if I need to and submit after the deadline.

ihavefivehat's picture

deadlines are meant to be

deadlines are meant to be broken!

FirecatFG's picture

Should we include the

Should we include the "Runtime Package" in our files? It seems to be nessesary to play the games without installing RPG maker first. But it causes the filesize to increase to rather bulky levels. (Most of which seems to come from the extensive sound and music library)

ihavefivehat's picture

In later versions of RPG

In later versions of RPG Maker the RTP was so bulky that I found a hacky way of distributing programs without including it.

But in 2K and 2K3 my compressed games are usually under 20 megs even with the RTP included, so I never bothered to figure something out.

That said, if you find do a way to omit the RTP let me know!

Blueberry Soft's picture

There used to be a fairly

There used to be a fairly common way that just involved copying files (I think) I'm sure you'd be able to find it in the tutorial section of that rpgmaker.net website

ihavefivehat's picture

check it out:

Just wanted to post this awesome mix and match sprite sheet generator:

http://www.charas-project.net/charas2/index.php?lang=en&generator=1

avery's picture

is it chill if i use vx ace?

is it chill if i use vx ace? i know its like a mahoosive difference but like im already familiar with it and i legally own it AAND its already installed so its more convenient for me overall (i never got the 2k3-era enterbrain products working either, like that "ig maker" always refused to run for me)

ihavefivehat's picture

yeah!

Do it! The more the merrier! The only thing is that I wouldn't be able to compile VX ace games into the same executable as the other games, but I could still package them into the download if you wanted.

avery's picture

sure that works with me~

sure that works with me~

Blueberry Soft's picture

Something like just copying

Something like just copying any RTP files you use into the directories they'd be if you imported them. I guess you could also go through and import RTP stuff too.

sergiocornaga's picture

My First RPG Maker

Here's the test thing I made to learn how to use RPG Maker 2003.

I thought I'd upload it here because I shared the non-RTP version with someone who has RPG Maker 2003 and the RTP installed, but it refused to run on his computer. I wanted to see if any other participants in this event had the same problem.

If the version linked above does fail you, this one should work.

AttachmentSize
FeedMe-maximal.zip13.95 MB
FeedMe-minimal.zip530.38 KB
everythingstaken's picture

8-)

I have RPG Maker on my computer, so I don't know which one would have/wouldn't have supposed to have worked.

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS:
Talking to the skeleton and getting that dialogue was kind of super creepy. This whole thing was felt super creepy it the state that it's in like how someone dies and then there's just nothing to do.

ihavefivehat's picture

nice,

I like the quietly surreal vibe that this has going on. There is the implication of meaning beneath the surface, but I don't feel like there is a metaphor being hurled at my face.

sergiocornaga's picture

Thanks!

Both should work for you. Both should have worked for my aforementioned friend too, but FeedMe-minimal didn't.

CharlieVermin's picture

#

Following the advice I saw in the welcome thread, I'm making a somewhat super belated contribution to this Event!