How to Create an RPG with RPG Maker

Building a RPG game easy with Enterbrain's RPG Maker. This tool allows you to build maps, houses, stores, characters, and program behaviors into your game so that you can experience a full RPG gaming system.

Instructions

1. Create a new game. Open the File menu and select New Project. Specify the folder, file name and the project title.

2. Build a map of your game world. In the Map Tree View, in the lower left hand corner of your screen, right-click and select "New Map." Answer the configuration questions. Place iconographic tiles on the map to show grass, roads, brush and the details of buildings.

3. Set events for each doorway, gateway and character interaction in your maps. Set event parameters and outcomes through the event page attached to your map.

4. Configure triggers for any action that may occur. Triggers are the actions that set off events. Triggers can be players touching objects, an event touching a player, automatically running objects and action buttons.

5. Update the database of characters, classes, skills, items, weapons, armors, enemies, troops, player physical and mental states, character animations, generic events and general system controls. The database includes settings you can use as defaults for your first game. Select the ones you want, then customize them to better fit your game.

6. Use the Ruby scripting language to add customized actions to the game. Use the Ruby Game Scripting System's reference materials, included with RPG Maker, to learn the scripting language if you aren't familiar with it. Once the scripts are complete and tested, then insert the scripts into your game using the [Script] event command.

7. Prepare your game for distribution using the File menu's Compress Game Data option. This compresses your game into a self-extracting zip file. You're now ready to share your game with others.

Tips & Warnings

• You can use default functions within RPG Maker or you can create your own. RPG Maker allows you to add plenty of customization to your game.

• Use the Map View Structure to organize our maps. For instance, put all of the building layouts within a village underneath the map of that village.

• When characters talk with each other, you can display the text in a bubble using the [Show Text] event command.

• The Ruby Game Scripting System (RGSS) includes a detailed reference for customizing your game play experience.

• To prohibit anyone from modifying your game using RGP Maker, create an encrypted archive during compression.

• When distributing your RPG Maker game, you must include the RGSS-RT installation available from Enterbrain for all users that do not have their own copy of RPG Maker.

Resources

• Enterbrain RPG Maker XP