[POLL] DO YOU THINK RM2K/3 WILL EVER DIE OFF COMPLETELY?

I used to be a hardcore RM2K3 supporter and user. I still am, even though I don't use the project to make Chronology anymore. I totally support people using whatever they want to make their games, and I am pretty staunch in my belief that if your game is good enough, the players won't really give a shit what program was used to make it.

I will however say that the different in functionality between RM2K3 and Ace is ridiculously staggering, and a developer is objectively missing out on a lot of cool ass features for the player to enjoy by not using it. When I first transferred Chronology over from RM2K3 to Ace I spent a full week just wondering what the fuck to do now that my game could be 300% better and really only limited by my imagination.

Ace isn't the perfect program obviously, but technically its superior to RM2K3 in almost every conceivable factor. I love RM2K3 till I die but I can't objective deny it.

@Sail: It depends on how you event. If you're just using them as decorative tiles, with no actual events in them, then 2k3 has got all the newer makers beat.
If you use actual coding in the events, well, it depends on how you code in that event. Knowing when not to over-code an event helps a lot. Knowing when to break code into new pages and the like, when to put in wait commands and when to turn events on and off.
Personally, and yes, this could be due to computers (though mine's pretty decent even if it is getting on a bit now) the only issues I've ever had with lag in 2k3 are when something has been evented very badly. Ace and the others have their issues - VX had pretty bad mapping setup, XP while powerful, had... issues with FPS and Ace has had a few bug touch ups (I helped find one! ^.^ ) since it's release. Not saying that 2k and 2k3 don't have issues - balancing bug and all - but I find working around numbers a lot easier. (Pro tip - make the speed of enemies and characters relatively the same.)

@mawk: You can do that, yes, but the lines look a lot blockier and thicker and just don't look as good. It's also easier to map corners and the like into 2k3 - the way the chips were set up allowed for a bit more freedom. But yes, the general idea of the script is that the sprites move at half a block (16x16 grid) which makes it easier for you to use the same visual scale as 2k3. (The script actually is a lot more versatile, allowing you to choose the pixel offsets, but I'll stick with what I know. ;p )

And fucking water tiles. >.<; Autotiles are the bane of all Ace resource makers, and of them, none are so hated as the water tiles. They're just so hard to replicate properly.

One last thing - and it's something I dearly hope they bring back to the series in the next incarnation whenever it appears - single layer highlighting. When you pick a second layer object you only pick that and edit that, not drag around the bottom and top layers as well. You'd be surprised how much extra time it adds to mapping.


Don't get me wrong, though. I love Ace to pieces (I should, I bought it twice!) What they've done to the Database alone is well worth using the program, but sometimes you just want to go back to something a bit simpler just to take a break and mess around.

Shift mapping helps a lot when dealing with auto-tiles. ;p
But yes, there's some issues with the mapping side of things that can make it take longer. Still, it's a great little program and worth every penny spent on it.

Man, if they ever released an English version of 2k3, I'd buy it in a heart-beat. Even if it were only to pay back for all the years of joy. XD

shift-mapping works eventually, but it's weird to have to make a 'palette' of autotiles off to the side to get the chunks of them that I want. if you could, like, open up a window with the autotile's composite pieces and choose what you wanted from there it'd solve half the problem.

author=Feldschlacht IV
I used to be a hardcore RM2K3 supporter and user. I still am, even though I don't use the project to make Chronology anymore. I totally support people using whatever they want to make their games, and I am pretty staunch in my belief that if your game is good enough, the players won't really give a shit what program was used to make it.

I will however say that the different in functionality between RM2K3 and Ace is ridiculously staggering, and a developer is objectively missing out on a lot of cool ass features for the player to enjoy by not using it. When I first transferred Chronology over from RM2K3 to Ace I spent a full week just wondering what the fuck to do now that my game could be 300% better and really only limited by my imagination.

Ace isn't the perfect program obviously, but technically its superior to RM2K3 in almost every conceivable factor. I love RM2K3 till I die but I can't objective deny it.

You've said my exact feelings on the subject much better than I did. Especially with porting my own project to Ace.

so i ended up buying VX ACE during the last days of it's steam sale. Really haven't touched the maker much but i'm loving making tilesets for my future project :3 if i only had more time..

When I'm done with Among Thieves.. You have my permission to die.

I skipped 2K3 and went straight from 2K to XP. XP will last forever, 2K3 probably will as a niche but not as a legitimate tool.

(I, on the otherhand, shall always be a legitimate tool)

author=Sailerius

author=Zachary_Braun
The only time it'll be in danger is when newer operating systems can't parse it.

You mean like now?

Nope. It still works in newer OS