Dear Game Creators! This is VTuber MinamiYotuba again! It’s time for some more information about RPG Maker Unite! [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//41957561/f97fc7a11fd8e458119497e435ff2e528be9ed42.jpg[/img] As a quick recap, last time we introduced the addition of Auto-Guide and Addon Manager. Auto-Guide is a truly unique feature in that it could auto-compute and auto-fill many of the parameters important to RPG games and help users tune game balance - which is extremely handy for young developers. On the other hand, we also implemented the “Addon Manager” which is similar to past plugin managers, as an optional means for intermediate and veteran creators to extend the functions of RPG Maker Unite more easily. Having spent around half a year introducing many new features of RPG Maker Unite, it is worth noting that because of this, the UI layout and workflow of RPG Maker Unite naturally becomes different from those of the past titles. As such, some may naturally question whether RPG Maker Unite is more difficult to use than the past. Thus, for this month, we would like to focus on introducing one general workflow of how RPG Maker Unite might be used to make a game - from start to finish. We will also touch a little about “Builds” - the exporting of completed game data into something executable on various platforms. Please note that to make RPG Maker Unite more easy to understand for users, the software is currently undergoing some name changes in the UI. This Dev Log is based on the proposed changes as of September that will be reflected in future versions. We appreciate your understanding if there are further changes without notice in the final version. [h2][b]Game Development Workflow of RPG Maker Unite[/b][/h2] Normally in order to make a game, the game has to be made into a certain fashion that is executable by the computer. Normally this would involve a lot of programming, but fret not! Most of the fundamental features such as movement and battles are already provided in RPG Maker Unite. Thus, the actual game development steps and process in RPG Maker Unite can be explained into 3 categories: ● Editing game data / parameter ● Making game maps ● Setting game events We will explain each of these 3 processes gradually. As a starter, let us first take a look at the basic controls and UI. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//41957561/86cabcb60efe11830a3fd6e09a7b8678fc67e443.png[/img] Above is the RPG Maker Unite’s Editor UI. The left-most panel is called “RPG Data”, the center is “RPG Scene View”, and the right-most panel is “RPG Setting”. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//41957561/969148f28f97ef9ebca9fdd0cc9bb261b8aabf74.png[/img] The user would be selecting items listed in the “RPG Data” panel, which contains the database, to choose what to edit. Either the “RPG Scene View” or “RPG Setting” panel would automatically change according to the item selected, and users will mainly be altering various parameters or settings prompted. Let us introduce more on each process and examples of what needs to be edited! [h2][b]Process 1. Editing game data / parameter [/b][/h2]Let’s start from the process of editing the game data. A typical RPG game usually would consist of the following: ■Examples of Game Data ● Actors - Contains party members’ name, portraits, and starting equipment. ● Classes - Contains data regarding the stats and skills each Actor has. ● Skills - Contains data on the special actions that use MP or TP to execute. ● Enemy - Contains data such as appearance, stats, and action patterns of antagonist characters that will appear in battles. ● Items - Contains data regarding equipments and various usable items [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//41957561/412bae0bffc8f12f5c8df8ca32a6839b26ac010a.png[/img] As aforementioned, in order to access most of the data, users would go under the RPG Data panel to select items in the Database. This would expand further related settings in a tree fashion, and users would pick what they need to edit here. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//41957561/448cc72493eb6d1bbdcce36ce739d1d531b6a3b1.png[/img] Let us take playable characters for example. In RPG Maker Unite, party members are called “Actor”. So to reach Actor we would go from Character -> Character Master List -> Actor to access party member data in the database. In our example here the first two characters is called クラフト (lit. Kraft) and ミゲル（lit. Miguel) . [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//41957561/3b46d34982fedc89896bb87a7c79187ee31b4f19.png[/img] Right clicking on “Actor”（アクター）, we can add more characters as needed. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//41957561/f3b0c04c6c2a4e40b50522e79b463c43cf0860c3.png[/img] Editing Actors is fairly straight forward. Upon selecting the character we want to edit, the RPG Setting panel to the right would display all the parameters related to the selected Actor. Simply edit the parameters displayed here according to your taste! [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//41957561/dd312cbbee73503d01e7b2cd03e6a49ef00b93ed.png[/img] Let us take a close look at the actual editable parameters. First, there is the name, starting level, class, portraits, etc. Most of these are commonly seen parameters of RPG games so the user can edit them to make the desired Actor. Of course, there is no rush to edit these immediately, especially for parameters such as classes and starting equipment that are also further definable from the Database, that you may want to edit first before coming back to Actors. Please edit in the order that best fits what you are trying to achieve! [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//41957561/bc0a5f1e5dca4298fb9675a732dde289b8016b04.png[/img] Let us take a look at the UI for setting enemy data. Similar to how we selected Actors, We would go under Database -> Edit Battles -> Enemies, where we can find a list of already pre-created enemies and monsters. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//41957561/55b52a433a276de898184ab9d6b91858cd4265a8.png[/img] Clicking on ゴブリン（lit. Goblin）, the RPG Panel at the right would display the parameters of the Goblin enemy. Other than the name and stats, there is also parameter for experiences and items that are dropped when the enemy is defeated. Also as a recap from Dev Log #6, the stats can either be auto-filled by the Auto-Guide or manually edited. As you now see, in RPG Maker Unite the majority of game data is edited in a similar fashion - by first selecting from items found in the Database first, and editing the parameters displayed in the RPG Setting panel to the right. Of course, like always, RPG Maker Unite comes with a great collection of pre-made Actors and enemies for the user to start off from. We will introduce more about these sample data in future Dev Logs. Please stay tuned! [h2][b]Process 2. Making Game Maps [/b][/h2] We have touched on the detailed features that are used for creating maps that the player character actually walks on. This time we will be focusing on a typical process of map creations. ■ Example of Map Data in a Typical Game ● Field Map (aka Overworld Map) ● Exterior Maps of Towns and Castles ● Interior Maps of a Houses and Shops ● Dungeon Map [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//41957561/69557b91847613eac5b0fc1e9630399cc9f273c7.png[/img] Accessing Map Data is done via Database → Map Settings → Map List. We can also add new maps by right-clicking on “Map List” to add new maps similar to how we did with Actors. All maps are listed under the Map List tree and selecting the map that needs to be edited. Upon selecting a map, notice that the Maps would cause both the “RPG Scene View” panel and “RPG Setting” panel to change. The RPG Setting panel displays some of the general settings that affect the entire map, whereas the RPG Scene View panel at the center displays the actual details of the map down to every single tile, while also working at the Map Editor for users to set tiles and place Large Parts. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//41957561/479958b64e9a16f64f40579965c400f15e9d4e30.png[/img] When creating maps, usually one would start from setting the overall map size. This is done via RPG Setting Panel and adjusting the Width and Height under Size. Here the sample map is set at 20 x 17 tiles. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//41957561/111d620179f03dc8220059a23b90e7676d4c22ea.png[/img] To edit maps, first select “Load Tile Group” to select the tiles to be placed. A “Tile Group” is like a pallet containing a number of pre-selected tiles, users can then select a tile from the Tile Group that they want to use to edit maps. (Regarding Tile Group and how to edit them, please refer to Dev Log #3) To place tiles, first select the desired tile from the Tile Group and directly place them on the large map displayed at the center. To work faster, in RPG Setting panel to the right, there is also a “brush” icon tool that can fill up an area quickly with the selected tile, as well as deleting tiles with the “Eraser” tool newly added into RPG Maker Unite. Also as introduced in past Dev Logs, switching Tile Group would not cause any of the placed tiles to disappear, and you can switch to other Tile Groups as needed anytime. We also introduced new features like better Parallax Mapping (i.e. using pre-made image as map background) and placement of Large Parts to make the process quicker. It is also possible to link maps to the Outline Editor introduced in Dev Log #1, which would greatly help managing the Story Flow! [h2][b]Process 3. Setting Game Events[/b][/h2] Various special occurrences in an RPG game are universally called “Event”. From those story-oriented ones triggered by the player entering a certain coordinate on the map, down to something simple as talking to an NPC, these can all be called an Event. ■ Examples of Events Seen in a Game ● Villager NPCs that roam on the map ● Shop owners that sell items ● Special dialogues or cutscenes that occur at the Opening or Ending ● Special dialogues that occur in the midst of a boss battle ● Treasure boxes in a dungeon ● Transition to a different map [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//41957561/3749e399c01994db6c0c8b00f2e4f7c5255299d9.png[/img] Since Events are deeply tied to the map they are a part of, they are listed under Database → Map Settings → Map List → (The map you want the event to occur in). Right click on the desired map and select New Event to create new ones, as the events are tied to the map. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//41957561/734d58e27e34efd74a16c8a374c69956dd32b332.png[/img] Upon either selecting an existing event or the newly created event, the Scene View will display the map the event takes place in. Right click on the desired tile on the Map and select “New” to place where the event is triggered. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//41957561/91f03bebad27e273bece01eb4dc90ea89ccbb8eb.png[/img] Upon doing so, notice how a new event EV2206 is created in the Database. On the RPG Setting panel to the right now displays event related parameters, and at the bottom of the center RPG Scene View panel displays the Event Action. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//41957561/89ded64d699ef6b22e09c7c68ebf2eb78f31c51f.png[/img] Zooming into the Event Action panel at the bottom - this is where the detailed sequence of what will happen as the event is run, and some of which can be edited. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//41957561/84c9fad24d754f3138b42080ec81d99577b3219b.png[/img] Right click on one of the rows and select “New Event”, we can open up the full Event Command menu containing a list of typical RPG events, to decide what we want to occur, such as show a certain string of text, play a certain BGM, etc. Users can mix and match different types of Event commands for the desired actions and outcome. ■ Some examples of event commands: ● Show Text ● Transfer Player ● Wait ● Change Party Member ● Increase/Decrease Gold ● Increase/Decrease Items ● Increase/Decrease Level ● Branch Settings ● Control Switch ● Update Variables For an easy example, repeatedly using Show Text event commands and inputting the desired texts, we can make something like a banter event for a good laugh. Through the clever use of Event Commands, you can even make very unique and original game systems! Make good use of events for maximum project originality and entertainment! [h2][b]There are Actually No Fixed Steps! [/b][/h2]So far, we have introduced a simple development flow about what needs to be set and edited. Notice how they are inter-connected together with each other - for example in order to make an event that grants the player an item, then you must first create and edit the said item. Also in order to assign enemy stats properly, then you also have to consider what level you expect the player to arrive at the map first, etc. Thus, we can also say that there is no fixed steps and rules! Some like to create and adjust the database parameters first, while some may want to focus on map first and come back later to make anything else needed. Also it is important to mention that there is no need to make use of every single feature to make a good game! For example, a murder-solving detective game may not involve battles at all but would focus on good use of pictures and dialogues, but still provide enough a thrilling and entertaining experience. With RPG Maker Unite’s newly added features such as Outline Editor, Switch Line, and Auto-Guide allowing for a better management and work efficiency, there is no need to be overly focused on creating RPG games. Please definitely give it a try to create many other types of games! [h2][b]“Building” the Finished Project! Use Unity to Export into Many Platforms [/b][/h2]Finally we will touch a little bit on “Builds”. A Build (or sometimes called Deployment), refers to the exporting of the project into the game that can be understood and executed by various platforms. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//41957561/cef6923fc18e317a9226f947be985fdf86d280f6.png[/img] Building games in RPG Maker Unite makes use of the Unity Editor’s functions, which is an extremely easy process. Exporting into PC such as Windows/Mac is probably the easiest, simply the destination directory to save at. The real charm of RPG Maker Unite is the allowing for the native build of smartphone games, which in other RPG Maker series tend to involve many more extra steps. Also, depending on your environment, you might be able to give console builds a try too (please see the Q&A at the bottom on this too) With RPG Maker Unite running on the Unity Editor, so too does it unlock many more possibilities to the users! [h2][b]PC Builds Especially Benefit from High-Res![/b][/h2] If you feel that it is not that different between RPG Maker Unite and past RPG Makers regarding PC builds, let’s go back to our first Dev Log - RPG Maker Unite supports FHD resolution! [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//41957561/96bd0eff318ad17a7cd5ee58051ae82cd379f1dc.png[/img] (Screenshot of an RPG Maker Unite game picture) (Note: The RPG Maker Unite logo will not be present in the final version) [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//41957561/ca3d78241f572bd7ba2ba5d42277a12e1a3631ae.png[/img] (Screenshot of a game picture made by RPG Maker VX Ace) As we actually play the two games and compare between RPG Maker VX Ace and Unite, you can immediately see the size and difference in details! [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//41957561/ae995e07217dadbef54c49f5579b915fc7c0a671.png[/img] RPG Maker Unite by default uses FHD resolution (1920 x 1080), compared to the 544 x 416 resolution of RPG Maker VX Ace. Considering Full HD monitors are extremely common in most households, this increased resolution surely will be welcomed by many players! [h2][b]7th RPG Maker Unite Q＆A[/b][/h2] [b]Q:[/b] Can RPG Maker Unite Build Console Games? [b]A: [/b] Officially, RPG Maker Unite only supports a total of 5 Platforms - Windows / Mac, Android / iOS, and WebGL. In order to build games for TV consoles on Unity, users must first register with the console manufacturers to get permission to download, and install the corresponding Unity modules. This registration process would require the user’s own action, thus while we are not against it, we will not be able to provide official support for console builds. [h2][b]The Next Dev Log is Scheduled Around the End of October![/b][/h2] This time we introduced the general workflow and Builds of RPG Maker Unite. Considering RPG Maker Unite’s UI is vastly different from other RPG Maker titles, we fully understand if the user may feel it is going to be more difficult to use. However, once getting used to, the process would just be as intuitive and the transition smooth as usual, if not better! As usual, if you have any questions or opinions about RPG Maker Unite, please tweet to us by using hashtag “#RPGMakerUnite” to get our attention! Your opinions are very important to us, so please make yourself heard! The Next Dev Log is scheduled for end of October, today I would like to announce that starting from October the Dev Log will be written by another prominent member of the Maker community who joined the RPG Maker Unite dev team. Having written the Dev Log since 1 to 7, I, MinimiYotuba, really hope that I have brought you joy and useful information about RPG Maker Unite’s development, and influenced your willingness to consider buying! I will still be continuing on my YouTube Channel playing and creating various RPG Maker games. I cannot wait for the day that RPG Maker Unite is finally released that I will get to play the brilliant games made by Unite’s powerful features! Although the writer for Dev Log #8 will be different, rest assured that the dev team will continue to bring the latest and most useful information about RPG Maker Unite! We really appreciate your patience and support!