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FILESIZE AND EXPANSION PACKS
Posts
Ninjuit
17
Ninjuit
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CloseThe fated battle between RMer and his content. Filesize.
What can be said about filesize? That it affects everything from the demographic you are targeting to how many downloads you will get from the average PC users of the internet? Indeed it is so, and that is where my story begins.
Generally, Indie games made in engines such as Game Maker, Torque, Games Factory 2, Multimedia Fusion 2, etc target people who are randomly roaming the internet and looking for something to do with their boring ass lives and thus are very low in filesize; ranging from less than 1mb to 40mb for your casual games and 50 for larger ones. But RPG Maker is a strange beast. We are usually confined to our small (or vast, depending on if you Community Hop like I do) demographic of RMers. DESPITE our smaller demographics, a perplexing inversion occurs with something else, and that gentlemen (and the one or two women) is one of the single defining factors between an RM game and a regular Indie game. The filesize of an RM game is equivalent to that of the largest prehistoric behemoths. :|
There is however a reason for this. RM games are usually RPGs, and as RPGs, RM games require many resources: "Custom Art", Custom (Stolen) Music, Custom (Ripped) Tilesets, and a shitload of sprites. Some of these resources never even get used, but as an RMer we say, "Why the hell not?" and throw that sucker into our game's filesize anyway. However, this "tactic" that us RMers have will almost always backfire, causing our games to get lower...and lower (if even possible) downloads than the general 20 pity downloads we get for our life's work (In my experience, it's 1 download to every 100 views for all those random RM projects floating around and significantly higher if your topic looks nice or if you are well known in the community (extra points for nice screenshots)).
BUT ANYWAY! Where am I going with this? Nowhere. That is absolutely correct. My real concern is fixing this problem for my game, and hopefully inspiring similar tactics for other games of a similar generation.
The way I plan to "reduce" filesize, is simply an illusion, one that the gamer probably shouldn't know about, but since we are all (to an extent) Game Designers here, "Why the hell not?†let me just throw my idea out there.
-Chapter Based Releases (Expansion Packs)
-What did he say? Did he say expansion packs? Yes sir (or the occasional ma'am), yes I did, but first... I believe that breaking RM games into chapter releases is a good idea, however, not in the traditional sense. Generally, chapter based games are standalone projects. This meaning that each individual chapter starts in a new place in the story and anything not pertaining to that chapter is gone. If you missed something in the last chapter, "Oh well, you're screwed. Get over it and play my game that's not even compatible with your last save so you'll have to start over anyway." It's almost like having 20 billion disks when playing a console RPG. Just you have to purchase (purchase here is equivalent to download) each disk, and none of the disks have backwards compatibility with the last games save so you pretty much start from scratch. OR. Something so "epic" has been added that the game developer says, "You may as well play it again, since I've changed the story to something ‘better'.†Only better means it involves less story and more scripts and lag.
-So my idea is pretty darn simple. Why not just use chapter based games in unison with expansion packs, expansion packs however, in the way that they are defined. To “expand†the game.
-Many people oppose installs of RM games, I know people will flat out NOT PLAY YOUR GAME (hint hint) if you are forced to install it. They ask, “Why am I installing a game when it's perfectly fine for me to just play it in the folder I downloaded it?†I agree, however, sometimes something similar to an install may be required. Regardless, I digress.
In my system, you download the base files. These files include the files required for the very first chapter (however, at the same time it includes all of the scripts, maps, switches, events, etc for the entire game) nothing more, nothing less. You download the game and then play it to completion. HELL, if you really want to, play it past completion, maybe even level your bad-ass up a little (though level caps are required to prevent a broken system) completing all those (lovely) sidequests that the developer left for you. Then, exactly one month later, BAM a brand new download, an expansion pack. Click the “install button†choose the place you want to “install†the new files (the main project folder), wait about 35 seconds and BOOM, you are playing Chapter Two. It couldn't get any easier. But how exactly do the deep intricacies of this system work? AND WHAT THE HELL DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH FILESIZE?!
Firstly, it doesn't have much to do with filesize at all. It just gives the player an illusion of a smaller filesize, since he/she is downloading smaller files in a somewhat distant timeframe. For example, the main download is say, 40 MB. This download includes a lot of important files, including the physical content (music and art) for chapter one and all of the general content (Maps, scripts, events, switches, database, save file systems, dlls, etc). Then they finish chapter one, and then “wait†(the point here is to give enough content to keep them busy for their wait in the primary download/expansion). Finally, they download the expansion (20 â€" 40 mb again)and rinse and repeat until the game is complete (a maximum on 3 to 4 months is recommended for the main story arc, allowing one extra release 2 weeks after the final expansion for end game content for players who are yearning for more).
Simply put, the system works like this.
- Download base file that includes…
o All the system files required for the game as a whole (Map data, Script data, Event Data, Switch Data, etc)
o Art and Music (and whatever else) for Chapter One, or whatever you wish your first release to be.
- Then play the game, complete the game, wait for the next release (the expansion that includes…)
o ONLY the Art and Music required for the second chapter or portion of your game.
- “Drag and Drop†the required files into the main folder.
- Continue your game playing.
- Rinse, Repeat.
- End game expansion.
- Wreak the rewards of an epic system and an illusion of smaller filesize.
This is all just a concept put into article form and I would LOVE some feedback on the idea, and possibly some tips and pointers. It's probably been done before and I don't know, but I have never seen it done and here is my article about it.
Ninjuit~
NOTE - For this system to work and be successful, all pre-development work has to be done on the game prior to releasing the base version. This will allow the game to operate smoothly and so that save files do not become a problem.
NOTE+ - I recommend having the game completely finished before releasing the base demo. Then splitting the content into chapter releases, and choosing a timeframe in which to release the expansions.
What can be said about filesize? That it affects everything from the demographic you are targeting to how many downloads you will get from the average PC users of the internet? Indeed it is so, and that is where my story begins.
Generally, Indie games made in engines such as Game Maker, Torque, Games Factory 2, Multimedia Fusion 2, etc target people who are randomly roaming the internet and looking for something to do with their boring ass lives and thus are very low in filesize; ranging from less than 1mb to 40mb for your casual games and 50 for larger ones. But RPG Maker is a strange beast. We are usually confined to our small (or vast, depending on if you Community Hop like I do) demographic of RMers. DESPITE our smaller demographics, a perplexing inversion occurs with something else, and that gentlemen (and the one or two women) is one of the single defining factors between an RM game and a regular Indie game. The filesize of an RM game is equivalent to that of the largest prehistoric behemoths. :|
There is however a reason for this. RM games are usually RPGs, and as RPGs, RM games require many resources: "Custom Art", Custom (Stolen) Music, Custom (Ripped) Tilesets, and a shitload of sprites. Some of these resources never even get used, but as an RMer we say, "Why the hell not?" and throw that sucker into our game's filesize anyway. However, this "tactic" that us RMers have will almost always backfire, causing our games to get lower...and lower (if even possible) downloads than the general 20 pity downloads we get for our life's work (In my experience, it's 1 download to every 100 views for all those random RM projects floating around and significantly higher if your topic looks nice or if you are well known in the community (extra points for nice screenshots)).
BUT ANYWAY! Where am I going with this? Nowhere. That is absolutely correct. My real concern is fixing this problem for my game, and hopefully inspiring similar tactics for other games of a similar generation.
The way I plan to "reduce" filesize, is simply an illusion, one that the gamer probably shouldn't know about, but since we are all (to an extent) Game Designers here, "Why the hell not?†let me just throw my idea out there.
-Chapter Based Releases (Expansion Packs)
-What did he say? Did he say expansion packs? Yes sir (or the occasional ma'am), yes I did, but first... I believe that breaking RM games into chapter releases is a good idea, however, not in the traditional sense. Generally, chapter based games are standalone projects. This meaning that each individual chapter starts in a new place in the story and anything not pertaining to that chapter is gone. If you missed something in the last chapter, "Oh well, you're screwed. Get over it and play my game that's not even compatible with your last save so you'll have to start over anyway." It's almost like having 20 billion disks when playing a console RPG. Just you have to purchase (purchase here is equivalent to download) each disk, and none of the disks have backwards compatibility with the last games save so you pretty much start from scratch. OR. Something so "epic" has been added that the game developer says, "You may as well play it again, since I've changed the story to something ‘better'.†Only better means it involves less story and more scripts and lag.
-So my idea is pretty darn simple. Why not just use chapter based games in unison with expansion packs, expansion packs however, in the way that they are defined. To “expand†the game.
-Many people oppose installs of RM games, I know people will flat out NOT PLAY YOUR GAME (hint hint) if you are forced to install it. They ask, “Why am I installing a game when it's perfectly fine for me to just play it in the folder I downloaded it?†I agree, however, sometimes something similar to an install may be required. Regardless, I digress.
In my system, you download the base files. These files include the files required for the very first chapter (however, at the same time it includes all of the scripts, maps, switches, events, etc for the entire game) nothing more, nothing less. You download the game and then play it to completion. HELL, if you really want to, play it past completion, maybe even level your bad-ass up a little (though level caps are required to prevent a broken system) completing all those (lovely) sidequests that the developer left for you. Then, exactly one month later, BAM a brand new download, an expansion pack. Click the “install button†choose the place you want to “install†the new files (the main project folder), wait about 35 seconds and BOOM, you are playing Chapter Two. It couldn't get any easier. But how exactly do the deep intricacies of this system work? AND WHAT THE HELL DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH FILESIZE?!
Firstly, it doesn't have much to do with filesize at all. It just gives the player an illusion of a smaller filesize, since he/she is downloading smaller files in a somewhat distant timeframe. For example, the main download is say, 40 MB. This download includes a lot of important files, including the physical content (music and art) for chapter one and all of the general content (Maps, scripts, events, switches, database, save file systems, dlls, etc). Then they finish chapter one, and then “wait†(the point here is to give enough content to keep them busy for their wait in the primary download/expansion). Finally, they download the expansion (20 â€" 40 mb again)and rinse and repeat until the game is complete (a maximum on 3 to 4 months is recommended for the main story arc, allowing one extra release 2 weeks after the final expansion for end game content for players who are yearning for more).
Simply put, the system works like this.
- Download base file that includes…
o All the system files required for the game as a whole (Map data, Script data, Event Data, Switch Data, etc)
o Art and Music (and whatever else) for Chapter One, or whatever you wish your first release to be.
- Then play the game, complete the game, wait for the next release (the expansion that includes…)
o ONLY the Art and Music required for the second chapter or portion of your game.
- “Drag and Drop†the required files into the main folder.
- Continue your game playing.
- Rinse, Repeat.
- End game expansion.
- Wreak the rewards of an epic system and an illusion of smaller filesize.
This is all just a concept put into article form and I would LOVE some feedback on the idea, and possibly some tips and pointers. It's probably been done before and I don't know, but I have never seen it done and here is my article about it.
Ninjuit~
NOTE - For this system to work and be successful, all pre-development work has to be done on the game prior to releasing the base version. This will allow the game to operate smoothly and so that save files do not become a problem.
NOTE+ - I recommend having the game completely finished before releasing the base demo. Then splitting the content into chapter releases, and choosing a timeframe in which to release the expansions.
*Insert Scratch Head Emote from GRS's archives*
Well, if you're a half decent about compressing your completed game and not leaving in a bunch of unused files, most completed rm2k/2k3 games are under 20mb, and xp/vx games ~60-140mb depending on the game or something like that. I see that you've put some thought into this, but it's a little misguided?* I suppose that there are people out there that don't have a good enough internet connection to wait for a 70mb download that can't be paused/resumed later, but that's not exactly a huge file. Now chapter/episodic based releases for other reasons are a completely different matter.
Point being that file size shouldn't make that much of a difference, unless you bloat it to ridiculous amounts.
*plus the illusion of smaller file size creates the reality of clicking more download buttons
Well, if you're a half decent about compressing your completed game and not leaving in a bunch of unused files, most completed rm2k/2k3 games are under 20mb, and xp/vx games ~60-140mb depending on the game or something like that. I see that you've put some thought into this, but it's a little misguided?* I suppose that there are people out there that don't have a good enough internet connection to wait for a 70mb download that can't be paused/resumed later, but that's not exactly a huge file. Now chapter/episodic based releases for other reasons are a completely different matter.
Point being that file size shouldn't make that much of a difference, unless you bloat it to ridiculous amounts.
*plus the illusion of smaller file size creates the reality of clicking more download buttons
AznChipmunk
4613
The "expansion pack" or "episodic release" idea seems to be spreading, I think Mog is doing this, and Lennon is doing this with his game.
And about filesizes... The only games that really are massive are ones that use large mp3 soundtracks. My game has 100% custom everything, including soundtrack and this is going to make the filesize pretty large.
But honestly, aren't we all past like, dial-up now? (except TFT) I didn't realize this was so much of an issue anymore. Downloading a couple hundred MB isn't really a problem at all for me.
Also, honestly, if you have the game completely finished, I wouldn't recommend splitting it up into sections or demos. It'd be a lot easier to just release it all at once--I would strictly only do this if I wanted to release the game in episodic sections. I mean, that just feels like building up unnecessary hype. If you've got it all done, might as well release it and have it off your hands. Also, if you do have it done and release it in segments, you are forcing some players to wait even though they know you are finished.
And a few comments about this:
And "players who are yearning for more" -- I've heard that's basically what FFX-2 is, and that it completely sucked.
Other than a few criticisms I have, I do like the idea of an episodic release (like Neo Lescia) but I would definitely not split up a game into episodic releases merely based on filesize--only because the game would take a while to make, and you wanted to already release playable segments. There are other ways of decreasing filesize, and if a game is worth it, I wouldn't mind a large filesize anyways.
EDIT: Basically what GOG said about filesize. Generally 2k/3 games that use .midis are only 4 or 5 MB, and the larger ones, with .mp3s, tend to range from 20 - 30 MB and I don't play XP/VX games (because they 99% look the same) so I don't know about their filesizes.
And about filesizes... The only games that really are massive are ones that use large mp3 soundtracks. My game has 100% custom everything, including soundtrack and this is going to make the filesize pretty large.
But honestly, aren't we all past like, dial-up now? (except TFT) I didn't realize this was so much of an issue anymore. Downloading a couple hundred MB isn't really a problem at all for me.
Also, honestly, if you have the game completely finished, I wouldn't recommend splitting it up into sections or demos. It'd be a lot easier to just release it all at once--I would strictly only do this if I wanted to release the game in episodic sections. I mean, that just feels like building up unnecessary hype. If you've got it all done, might as well release it and have it off your hands. Also, if you do have it done and release it in segments, you are forcing some players to wait even though they know you are finished.
And a few comments about this:
Finally, they download the expansion (20 â€" 40 mb again)and rinse and repeat until the game is complete (a maximum on 3 to 4 months is recommended for the main story arc, allowing one extra release 2 weeks after the final expansion for end game content for players who are yearning for more).This sort of sounds specific to some super ambitious "epic RPG" project, which I heavily recommend against. I've been part of this community for 8 years now and most such "epic" projects have dropped. You've gotta have a goddamned team or some people to back you up if you are going to set a deadline for yourself every month. I don't mind setting a single deadline, but setting multiple deadlines one month apart is not a wise idea.
And "players who are yearning for more" -- I've heard that's basically what FFX-2 is, and that it completely sucked.
Other than a few criticisms I have, I do like the idea of an episodic release (like Neo Lescia) but I would definitely not split up a game into episodic releases merely based on filesize--only because the game would take a while to make, and you wanted to already release playable segments. There are other ways of decreasing filesize, and if a game is worth it, I wouldn't mind a large filesize anyways.
EDIT: Basically what GOG said about filesize. Generally 2k/3 games that use .midis are only 4 or 5 MB, and the larger ones, with .mp3s, tend to range from 20 - 30 MB and I don't play XP/VX games (because they 99% look the same) so I don't know about their filesizes.
Ninjuit
17
Aha, thanks for reading and giving your critique on the uhm, issue? The reason I wrote thing is because I still hear a lot of people moan and complain about filesize of projects and whatnot. More so, it's more of a concept for my project since a lot of the stuff is custom and I calculated that the size may end up kinda huge.
-Oh don't worry about hurting my feelings or something lol, I didn't put such an insane amount of thought into this. It was just a little concept that I had thought up not to long ago for my project in case the filesize got massive due to an OST by my composer and a ton of custom art and picture based interfaces. Like I had said before, I wrote this mostly because recently I heard some people bitching about filesize and their connections. Usually the connection issue pertains only to people who live outside of the US and whatnot.
-See, the thing is, there are still a lot of people who don't have an amazing internet connection. I, personally, have an amazing connection, so it's not a problem to me at all. I was just thinking of a "possible" way of breaking down enormous projects into smaller bits if the need came up. It also comes down, occasionally, to "Does my file upload site allow me to upload this 300MB, custom everything, behemoth of a game?"
My idea of breaking down the game in smaller segments based on filesize is a concept for just some extreme cases of massive filesize that can't be reversed by any other methods. For example, my game will likely end up with around 90 songs of an average of 2mb a piece. That translates to 180 mb of music. Then there is the art. I haven't done an exact calculation, but I'm saying art may bring in a minimal of another 25 mb. So that's a 200 mb project. For people with a slow, or horrible connection, that is one less download for the developer in most cases.
And for breaking it up into segments after the game is complete. I just thought of this to try and avoid making massive changes to the engine after you've released a chapter and thus nulling the save file or something. It happens, and it annoys the crap out of me. There is always the option of breaking the game into separate downloads, but giving them all to the player at one time, allowing him to come back whenever to download the next segment. Which imo, might actually be a decent idea. They could even download the whole thing at once (another option).
I also understand that 2k3 games are very small, this was more generalized towards RMVX and XP, the former of which I use.
P.S - Good design on the part of the developers during pre-production of a game can make episodic releases in the "traditional" manner almost perfect. But game development is iterative and things happen so this is just my idea. The idea of a 15 year old kid just chillin with his RPG Maker. xD
post=122789
I see that you've put some thought into this, but it's a little misguided?* I suppose that there are people out there that don't have a good enough internet connection to wait for a 70mb download that can't be paused/resumed later, but that's not exactly a huge file. Now chapter/episodic based releases for other reasons are a completely different matter.
-Oh don't worry about hurting my feelings or something lol, I didn't put such an insane amount of thought into this. It was just a little concept that I had thought up not to long ago for my project in case the filesize got massive due to an OST by my composer and a ton of custom art and picture based interfaces. Like I had said before, I wrote this mostly because recently I heard some people bitching about filesize and their connections. Usually the connection issue pertains only to people who live outside of the US and whatnot.
post=122791
The "expansion pack" or "episodic release" idea seems to be spreading, I think Mog is doing this, and Lennon is doing this with his game.
And about filesizes... The only games that really are massive are ones that use large mp3 soundtracks. My game has 100% custom everything, including soundtrack and this is going to make the filesize pretty large.
But honestly, aren't we all past like, dial-up now? (except TFT) I didn't realize this was so much of an issue anymore. Downloading a couple hundred MB isn't really a problem at all for me.
Also, honestly, if you have the game completely finished, I wouldn't recommend splitting it up into sections or demos. It'd be a lot easier to just release it all at once--I would strictly only do this if I wanted to release the game in episodic sections. I mean, that just feels like building up unnecessary hype. If you've got it all done, might as well release it and have it off your hands. Also, if you do have it done and release it in segments, you are forcing some players to wait even though they know you are finished.
And a few comments about this:Finally, they download the expansion (20 â€" 40 mb again)and rinse and repeat until the game is complete (a maximum on 3 to 4 months is recommended for the main story arc, allowing one extra release 2 weeks after the final expansion for end game content for players who are yearning for more).This sort of sounds specific to some super ambitious "epic RPG" project, which I heavily recommend against. I've been part of this community for 8 years now and most such "epic" projects have dropped. You've gotta have a goddamned team or some people to back you up if you are going to set a deadline for yourself every month. I don't mind setting a single deadline, but setting multiple deadlines one month apart is not a wise idea.
And "players who are yearning for more" -- I've heard that's basically what FFX-2 is, and that it completely sucked.
Other than a few criticisms I have, I do like the idea of an episodic release (like Neo Lescia) but I would definitely not split up a game into episodic releases merely based on filesize--only because the game would take a while to make, and you wanted to already release playable segments. There are other ways of decreasing filesize, and if a game is worth it, I wouldn't mind a large filesize anyways.
EDIT: Basically what GOG said about filesize. Generally 2k/3 games that use .midis are only 4 or 5 MB, and the larger ones, with .mp3s, tend to range from 20 - 30 MB and I don't play XP/VX games (because they 99% look the same) so I don't know about their filesizes.
-See, the thing is, there are still a lot of people who don't have an amazing internet connection. I, personally, have an amazing connection, so it's not a problem to me at all. I was just thinking of a "possible" way of breaking down enormous projects into smaller bits if the need came up. It also comes down, occasionally, to "Does my file upload site allow me to upload this 300MB, custom everything, behemoth of a game?"
My idea of breaking down the game in smaller segments based on filesize is a concept for just some extreme cases of massive filesize that can't be reversed by any other methods. For example, my game will likely end up with around 90 songs of an average of 2mb a piece. That translates to 180 mb of music. Then there is the art. I haven't done an exact calculation, but I'm saying art may bring in a minimal of another 25 mb. So that's a 200 mb project. For people with a slow, or horrible connection, that is one less download for the developer in most cases.
And for breaking it up into segments after the game is complete. I just thought of this to try and avoid making massive changes to the engine after you've released a chapter and thus nulling the save file or something. It happens, and it annoys the crap out of me. There is always the option of breaking the game into separate downloads, but giving them all to the player at one time, allowing him to come back whenever to download the next segment. Which imo, might actually be a decent idea. They could even download the whole thing at once (another option).
I also understand that 2k3 games are very small, this was more generalized towards RMVX and XP, the former of which I use.
P.S - Good design on the part of the developers during pre-production of a game can make episodic releases in the "traditional" manner almost perfect. But game development is iterative and things happen so this is just my idea. The idea of a 15 year old kid just chillin with his RPG Maker. xD
Radnen
1806
Why can't you link up expansion packs?
I mean I'm most likely going to release my game in chapters, but they'll all patch into one single game, these new chapters will overwrite files and link up to new files and what-not, save states will be maintained and no harm would be done to the game. If you have an old map x that has no warps, why can't you make an update that just replaces it with a new map x that warps to the new content? Anyways, I don't know how RM works, but can't see why not, it may have something to do with the static amount of switches/variables and how it internally handles saving.
My game will just patch right in, yes, that's right. Also, I'm trying to use module music file formats to keep filesize low while keeping quality up, I don't know if RM can play module file formats, but they are really a nice and efficient route. Of course, a few songs are in .ogg and .mp3 formats since the quality deserves it.
I mean I'm most likely going to release my game in chapters, but they'll all patch into one single game, these new chapters will overwrite files and link up to new files and what-not, save states will be maintained and no harm would be done to the game. If you have an old map x that has no warps, why can't you make an update that just replaces it with a new map x that warps to the new content? Anyways, I don't know how RM works, but can't see why not, it may have something to do with the static amount of switches/variables and how it internally handles saving.
My game will just patch right in, yes, that's right. Also, I'm trying to use module music file formats to keep filesize low while keeping quality up, I don't know if RM can play module file formats, but they are really a nice and efficient route. Of course, a few songs are in .ogg and .mp3 formats since the quality deserves it.
AznChipmunk
4613
post=122798
Why can't you link up expansion packs?
They are linked up.
The way The Way did chapters worked out really well though. Each was a standalone project, but you could bring your stats over and each project had it's own areas and whatnot.
Radnen
1806
post=122800post=122798They are linked up.
Why can't you link up expansion packs?
Each was a standalone project
Wrong kind of linked up, bub. They can't be linked if each is a standalone. I meant one single game, has this been done?
post=122801post=122800Wrong kind of linked up, bub. They can't be linked if each is a standalone. I meant one single game, has this been done?post=122798They are linked up.
Why can't you link up expansion packs?
Each was a standalone project
It'd be pretty simple to take the older game, add more content, and tell people to copy their save over.
Ninjuit
17
post=122800post=122798They are linked up.
Why can't you link up expansion packs?
The way The Way did chapters worked out really well though. Each was a standalone project, but you could bring your stats over and each project had it's own areas and whatnot.
This is what I want to avoid. I was hoping for a system that would allow you to transverse the entire world, even after progressing to a new chapter. Regardless, both systems can work (mine a bit less since it's conceptual, but yeah :p)
post=122802post=122801It'd be pretty simple to take the older game, add more content, and tell people to copy their save over.post=122800Wrong kind of linked up, bub. They can't be linked if each is a standalone. I meant one single game, has this been done?post=122798They are linked up.
Why can't you link up expansion packs?
Each was a standalone project
I'm also trying to avoid the chance that a major engine update will occur in this new updated game, thereby messing up your old save file and forcing you to start over.
AznChipmunk
4613
post=122801post=122800Wrong kind of linked up, bub. They can't be linked if each is a standalone. I meant one single game, has this been done?post=122798They are linked up.
Why can't you link up expansion packs?
Each was a standalone project
note: only the first part of my post was in response to you. my comment about the way was just a comment about chapters vs. expansion
Yoshio
774
I currently have a 60mb download for a 10 minute cutscene demo because I added all the sprites and music I will need for the entire game before I worked on anything else.
File size is a gigantic annoyance for me, but then again I am using VX so I guess that comes with the territory. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that music, sprites, graphics, and tiles make up the vast majority of filesize and that my file size won't increase as I start actually making and eventing the maps. If I can keep it under 70mb I will consider myself lucky.
File size is a gigantic annoyance for me, but then again I am using VX so I guess that comes with the territory. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that music, sprites, graphics, and tiles make up the vast majority of filesize and that my file size won't increase as I start actually making and eventing the maps. If I can keep it under 70mb I will consider myself lucky.
kayzorkross
25
I think expansion packs or downloadable content are great ideas if they're employed properly. Of course the actual base release would have to be worth it first.
facesforce
442
Simply put, there is talk of "episodic updates" and "standalone updates", but what about a continuations update system? That way you can have all the new data downloaded into the game world through a script running in the foreground.
Nightblade
2723
Calling anything home made an expansion pack is a bit too generous. In most cases, people have difficulty enough making a functional game. Learn how to walk before you learn how to run.
Releasing games in easy to swallow episodic bits is a good idea for someone who wants to make something longer than the average home made RPG. Worry about expanding your game's content once you have something people are willing to play over and over again, something that is not easy.
...It would be the same.
Releasing games in easy to swallow episodic bits is a good idea for someone who wants to make something longer than the average home made RPG. Worry about expanding your game's content once you have something people are willing to play over and over again, something that is not easy.
EDIT: Basically what GOG said about filesize. Generally 2k/3 games that use .midis are only 4 or 5 MB, and the larger ones, with .mp3s, tend to range from 20 - 30 MB and I don't play XP/VX games (because they 99% look the same) so I don't know about their filesizes.
...It would be the same.
AznChipmunk
4613
post=122823EDIT: Basically what GOG said about filesize. Generally 2k/3 games that use .midis are only 4 or 5 MB, and the larger ones, with .mp3s, tend to range from 20 - 30 MB and I don't play XP/VX games (because they 99% look the same) so I don't know about their filesizes....It would be the same.
post=122807
File size is a gigantic annoyance for me, but then again I am using VX so I guess that comes with the territory.
post=122796
I also understand that 2k3 games are very small, this was more generalized towards RMVX and XP, the former of which I use.
post=122789
most completed rm2k/2k3 games are under 20mb, and xp/vx games ~60-140mb depending on the game or something like that.
Considering that VX and XP has Higher Resolution and stuff it's understandable why it'll be big in filesize. I tried putting up some few GUI interface and Portraits and 4 Panoramas and it already reached 11 mb without sound effects or Audio =_=;
I created an XTREME expansion pack once for a game I made. I simply added to the main project, zipped up the files that changed and uploaded it with instructions to extract it in the main game's directory, overwriting what's there.
As to filesize, it can factor into my decision to download a game but it ranks far below gameprofile presentation, screenshots, descriptions, other people's comments on it, download count, videos, reviews and my assumptions on how the game plays.
As to filesize, it can factor into my decision to download a game but it ranks far below gameprofile presentation, screenshots, descriptions, other people's comments on it, download count, videos, reviews and my assumptions on how the game plays.
File size is one of those 'nice to not have a lot of' things, but like Kentona said it isn't as important as just about everything else. I'll razz people with huge file sizes but it rarely factors into a decision if I'm going to play a game or not. Distribution and download speeds are really more important, slow servers and having to go through a 'wait 60 seconds to start the download' make me ignore games more than the file size but neither are really an issue with RMN.
