RPG Maker VX
Encyclopedia
is the latest program from the RPG Maker series. It was developed by Enterbrain
and is the latest in the PC RPG Maker series, following its predecessor, RPG Maker XP
. RPG Maker VX follows the naming pattern present in previous RPG Maker releases by having a suffix
based on the Windows
versions the software was designed for (in this case, Windows Vista
and Windows XP
).
In late January 2008, Enterbrain of Japan released an update that included an extra script which improved performance. This release was called RPG Maker VX 1.01 and is available to those who own the full version of the program. The last version at the moment is 1.02.
They feature advanced effects such as pseudo-3D battle graphics, custom battle systems written in RGSS2 and more. Sword of Algus and Abyss Diver are not included with Japanese version of the product.
The mapping system in RPG Maker VX differs greatly from the one used in RPG Maker XP
. Instead of assigning tile sets to each map, there are nine global tile sets which can be used indiscriminately. The layer system used in previous releases has also changed, as RPG Maker VX only has two "usable" layers; one layer for Tile set A1 to A5 (which contains tiles for floors, walls, etc.) and another for tile sets B to E. Tilemap class in RGSS supports three layers, but two of them are used for combining tilesets from A1 and A2, in order to produce the autotile mapping system. Any tile from tile sets B to E always go above any tile from tile set A1-A5. It is possible, however, to create another layer of sorts assigning tile set graphics to events.
For users to import their own tiles, RPG Maker VX provides a blank, 512x512 tile set (a total of 256 possible tiles) which is by default tile set E. The size of this tile set cannot be changed, unlike in RPG Maker XP
, where users could import any number of tile sets which could be of any size.
Generally, the tilesets tended to be more general than RMXP, since no tilesets are used aside from global ones; however, this prevents greater and more specialized usage of tiles. There are also fewer tiles than XP.
* 64-bit
versions of Windows operating systems are not supported.
† Retail versions of the software packaged for sale in stores come on CD-ROM
, but no optical drive is required for copies purchased via download. An internet connection is required for product activation, however, whether purchased on CD-ROM or via download.
All hardware must be DirectX
-compatible.
However, the game data (except art) that are made from RPG Maker VX are not compatible with this title.
All hardware must be DirectX-compatible.
Enterbrain
is a Japanese magazine publisher established on April 1, 2000. Enterbrain magazines are generally focused on video games and computer entertainment as well as video game and strategy guides. In addition, the company publishes a small selection of anime artbooks. Enterbrain is based in Tokyo, Japan...
and is the latest in the PC RPG Maker series, following its predecessor, RPG Maker XP
RPG Maker XP
RPG Maker XP is the PC version in the RPG Maker series of programs developed and published by Enterbrain. It is the first PC version to be officially translated into English and released outside of Japan.-Features:...
. RPG Maker VX follows the naming pattern present in previous RPG Maker releases by having a suffix
Suffix
In linguistics, a suffix is an affix which is placed after the stem of a word. Common examples are case endings, which indicate the grammatical case of nouns or adjectives, and verb endings, which form the conjugation of verbs...
based on the Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
versions the software was designed for (in this case, Windows Vista
Windows Vista
Windows Vista is an operating system released in several variations developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs...
and Windows XP
Windows XP
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
).
RPG Maker VX Trial
A Japanese trial for RPG Maker VX was released on Enterbrain's Japanese VX website and was available for download. It features limited and reduced features, like the inability to save games and limited database functionality. An English version of the program is also available from Enterbrain, with full functionality and a 30-day time limit.RPG Maker VX RTP
The standard runtime package for RPG Maker VX is available for download on the Enterbrain website. This allows users play games created with RPG Maker VX. It was developed so that games used mostly default resources can be distributed to the public with a small file size.RPG Maker VX history
Early Japan order included Masterpiece Note notebook.In late January 2008, Enterbrain of Japan released an update that included an extra script which improved performance. This release was called RPG Maker VX 1.01 and is available to those who own the full version of the program. The last version at the moment is 1.02.
Bonus contents
Retail version of the RPG Maker VX includes following game demos, which are also available separately from the Enterbrain website:- Dragoness Edge 2820 (by SAURASUDO)
- Invas ~ Tai Ma Roku (INVAS～退魔録) (by MENCHAN)
- Michiru Service! ~Spirit World Border Tale~ (ミチル見参！ ～魔界境物語～) (by Asa son)
- Buried Book (by Yuwaka)
- Futago no kami-sama (フタゴノカミサマ)
- Rector and the Black Lion's Crest (レクトールと黒獅子の紋章) (by Shine Garden)
- Sword of Algus (by Yoshimura (Material Quest Online), mackie (First Seed Material), Shine Garden)
- Abyss Diver
They feature advanced effects such as pseudo-3D battle graphics, custom battle systems written in RGSS2 and more. Sword of Algus and Abyss Diver are not included with Japanese version of the product.
Expansions
- Materials for VX: SAMURAI - 侍 (ツクールシリーズ素材集 和): It is an official art pack for the RPG Maker VX series. Japanese retail version also includes Chouichirou Kenpuuden (長一郎剣風伝) demo.
- Chibi Chara Tsukuru (ちびキャラツクール) character graphic generator was released on 2008-03-14 as freeware.
Mapping System
RPG Maker XP
RPG Maker XP is the PC version in the RPG Maker series of programs developed and published by Enterbrain. It is the first PC version to be officially translated into English and released outside of Japan.-Features:...
. Instead of assigning tile sets to each map, there are nine global tile sets which can be used indiscriminately. The layer system used in previous releases has also changed, as RPG Maker VX only has two "usable" layers; one layer for Tile set A1 to A5 (which contains tiles for floors, walls, etc.) and another for tile sets B to E. Tilemap class in RGSS supports three layers, but two of them are used for combining tilesets from A1 and A2, in order to produce the autotile mapping system. Any tile from tile sets B to E always go above any tile from tile set A1-A5. It is possible, however, to create another layer of sorts assigning tile set graphics to events.
For users to import their own tiles, RPG Maker VX provides a blank, 512x512 tile set (a total of 256 possible tiles) which is by default tile set E. The size of this tile set cannot be changed, unlike in RPG Maker XP
RPG Maker XP
RPG Maker XP is the PC version in the RPG Maker series of programs developed and published by Enterbrain. It is the first PC version to be officially translated into English and released outside of Japan.-Features:...
, where users could import any number of tile sets which could be of any size.
Generally, the tilesets tended to be more general than RMXP, since no tilesets are used aside from global ones; however, this prevents greater and more specialized usage of tiles. There are also fewer tiles than XP.
Character and Object Tiles
Tiles used for characters and objects in the native RMVX tilesets are "square-sized" with deformed profiles (similar to those found in Final Fantasy IV) rather than the height-proportional figures found in previous RPG Maker versions (or Final Fantasy VI). Designers who prefer the more realistic look of "tall" characters may readily make use of RMXP character and object tiles for this purpose. Tiles from RM2K, however, are essentially unusable because of their much-lower graphical resolution.Text System
RPG Maker VX uses a "letter by letter" text system, as opposed to the previous version RPG Maker XP. The Windowskin graphic has been expanded to include overlay graphics, which tile automatically on top of the main Windowskin. It also and now has an image-defined color palette, where in XP users would have to use the script editor to change text colors. The faceset system seen in RPG Maker 2000 and RPG Maker 2003 can be implemented through the "Enter Message" command. Previously, users would use a special event commands to change text options. In RPG Maker VX, however, the options have been merged to the "Enter Message" command.Random Dungeon Generator
Making a second appearance is the Automatic Dungeon Generator from RPG Maker 2003, which automatically generates a random dungeon map. The Automatic Dungeon Generator works by prompting the user to select wall and floor tiles, then a basic dungeon is generated based on the user's selection.Battle System
The battle system in RPG Maker VX is an update of the front-view battle system seen in RPG Maker 2000 ("Dragon Warrior" style), which does not allow for character graphics.Ruby Game Scripting System 2 (RGSS2)
The script editor from RPG Maker XP was updated, and is based on the language RGSS2. Users can add custom scripts to the game or edit existing ones, and the capabilities of RGSS2 provide sufficient flexibility that programmers with enough time and knowledge can add or modify virtually any game function that suits their purposes.Quick Event Creation
A new feature to RPG Maker VX is the "Quick Event Creation" function. It's a tool that allows less experienced users to create events for doors, inns, and treasure chests.Reception
RPG Maker VX has received mixed reviews amongst the game development community. It has been praised for being much more user friendly than previous RPG Makers and for including a variety of features that otherwise had to be coded manually in previous RPG Maker installments. The addition of RGSS2 has also been received favorably amongst users, although the battle system has been criticized for having no graphical representation of the actual player characters and for being largely text-based. However, scripts to make party members appear on the battle-screen, akin to Final Fantasy titles, are easily found on the internet, which simply need to be copied and pasted. It has also been criticized for the tile set limitations, which only allow for a very small number of custom tiles.System requirements
| Minimum | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system* | Microsoft Windows 2000 Windows 2000 Windows 2000 is a line of operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, business desktops, laptops, and servers. Windows 2000 was released to manufacturing on 15 December 1999 and launched to retail on 17 February 2000. It is the successor to Windows NT 4.0, and is the... / XP Windows XP Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base... / Vista Windows Vista Windows Vista is an operating system released in several variations developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs... |
Microsoft Windows XP / Vista / 7 |
| CPU | 1.0GHz Intel Pentium 3 equivalent Athlon Athlon is the brand name applied to a series of x86-compatible microprocessors designed and manufactured by Advanced Micro Devices . The original Athlon was the first seventh-generation x86 processor and, in a first, retained the initial performance lead it had over Intel's competing processors... |
2.0GHz Intel Pentium 4 Pentium 4 Pentium 4 was a line of single-core desktop and laptop central processing units , introduced by Intel on November 20, 2000 and shipped through August 8, 2008. They had a 7th-generation x86 microarchitecture, called NetBurst, which was the company's first all-new design since the introduction of the... equivalent Athlon Athlon is the brand name applied to a series of x86-compatible microprocessors designed and manufactured by Advanced Micro Devices . The original Athlon was the first seventh-generation x86 processor and, in a first, retained the initial performance lead it had over Intel's competing processors... |
| Memory | 256 MB Binary prefix In computing, a binary prefix is a specifier or mnemonic that is prepended to the units of digital information, the bit and the byte, to indicate multiplication by a power of 2... RAM Ram -Animals:*Ram, an uncastrated male sheep*Ram cichlid, a species of freshwater fish endemic to Colombia and Venezuela-Military:*Battering ram*Ramming, a military tactic in which one vehicle runs into another... |
at least 512MB RAM |
| Video | 1024x768 video resolution | [none specified] |
| Storage | 100 MB Binary prefix In computing, a binary prefix is a specifier or mnemonic that is prepended to the units of digital information, the bit and the byte, to indicate multiplication by a power of 2... available hard disk Hard disk A hard disk drive is a non-volatile, random access digital magnetic data storage device. It features rotating rigid platters on a motor-driven spindle within a protective enclosure. Data is magnetically read from and written to the platter by read/write heads that float on a film of air above the... space |
400MB available hard disk space |
| Disk drive | CD-ROM (required for retail box)† | [none specified] |
* 64-bit
64-bit
64-bit is a word size that defines certain classes of computer architecture, buses, memory and CPUs, and by extension the software that runs on them. 64-bit CPUs have existed in supercomputers since the 1970s and in RISC-based workstations and servers since the early 1990s...
versions of Windows operating systems are not supported.
† Retail versions of the software packaged for sale in stores come on CD-ROM
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
, but no optical drive is required for copies purchased via download. An internet connection is required for product activation, however, whether purchased on CD-ROM or via download.
All hardware must be DirectX
DirectX
Microsoft DirectX is a collection of application programming interfaces for handling tasks related to multimedia, especially game programming and video, on Microsoft platforms. Originally, the names of these APIs all began with Direct, such as Direct3D, DirectDraw, DirectMusic, DirectPlay,...
-compatible.
RPG Maker VX Ace
RPG Maker VX Ace (RPGツクールVX Ace) adds following:- 64-bit operating systems support
- RGSS (Ruby Game Scripting System) updated to version 3
- Support for multiple tile sets per game
- Skill and item attack damage formula can be set in database.
- Item data can be modified to include "trait" or "on use effect"
- Included character graphic generator (based on Chibi Chara Tsukuru), but also allow editing character's portrait
- You can now view the team's walking in formation. A party can have 5 or more members, but members outside the first 4 are not visible on map, nor do they enter combat.
- Combat scene background is now customizable, which can be made of 2 background pictures.
- Combat skills can be used via the introduction of 'TP' parameter.
However, the game data (except art) that are made from RPG Maker VX are not compatible with this title.
System requirements
| Minimum | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system* | Microsoft Windows 2000, XP or Vista | XP, Vista or 7 |
| CPU | 1.0GHz Intel Pentium 3 equivalent | 2.0GHz Intel Pentium 4 or better |
| Memory | 256MB RAM | 512MB or more RAM |
| Video | 1024x768 or better video resolution | (none specified) |
| Storage | 100MB available hard disk space | 400MB available hard disk space |
| Disk drive | CD-ROM (required for retail box)** | (none specified) |
-
- Retail versions of the software packaged for sale in stores come on CD-ROM, but no optical drive is required for copies purchased via download. An internet connection is required for product activation whether purchased on CD-ROM or via download.
All hardware must be DirectX-compatible.
RPG Maker VX
- Enterbrain's Company Information English version.
- Enterbrain pages: English, Japanese
- Enterbrain support pages: English, Japanese
Extras
- RPG Maker VX RTP page
- Materials for VX: SAMURAI - 侍: English, Japan
- Chibi Chara Tsukuru page
- Chouichirou Kenpuuden site
- RTD,Inc. page contains Dragoness Edge 2820
- MENCHAN page contains Invas ~ Tai Ma Roku
- Interview with Asa son
- Interview with Futago no kami-sama developer
- Rector and the Black Lion's Crest site: Famitsu, developer (Shine Garden)
- Sword of Algus site
RPG Maker VX Ace
- Enterbrain page: Japan
- Kadokawa Games page