Recreation/ Game Design Program

[Siren]

Hi, I'm kind of inspired to recreate Phantasy Star 2, and to learn a bit more in game development, but I don't know a good program. I want one where I can choose how the characters look (not already made ones where you just choose the face and clothes) and I want one where I'm able to scan art onto. I started to learn C++, but I was incredibly busy with school so I couldn't concentrate on learning it. Also, please, could you inform me how sophisticated the program is?<br>Thank you in advanced,<p>Ps: if this get's off the ground, I'll keep you posted and gladly take suggestions

[Amwhere]

RPGMaker 2000 should work fine for you. I don't know where to get it, however.

[Zylo]

Well I would recommend RPGmaker 2000, the only Phantasy Star stuff you can't do in that program is to get the enemies to move in battle (battle animations) and so you see the characters in the begining of a battle. <p>But that may work to if you spend alot of time on makeing a own battlesystem on your game.

[Benoit]

RPG Maker is okay, but it tends to make games look cheap unless much work is done on it.<p>If you can, try to use the VERGE engine. It's what the now-dead Phantasy Star: Dark Millenium fan game used, and I was impressed (by the demo, not the bugged final-release version).

[Siren]

Thank you, Amwhere, Zylo and Benoit<p>I definitely want quality, and I also will need battle animation. <p>Benoit, please tell where I can find this VERGE engine?

[Amwhere]

No Problem. <p>I do suggest, whatever the system you use, is that your create your own story. You'll probably find it easier as it won't have to stand up to the real PSII (which I've got to play thru sometime), and it'll allow you to flex your creative muscles. Of course, it can be on Palma in the same period of PSII, but you'd show us something new.<br>

[Siren]

True, it would give me lots of creative room, but I sort of want to add on lot's of art and effects to the original PSII in the same (or as close as I can get) art form, just in case the official remake destroys what the game could have been. (I kind of doubt that will happen, but I still want to do it my way)<p>Hmmmm. I will have to think on this one. %) <p>To give you a simple idea, I want to do the battles in the same manga cut scenes as they did with PSIV's cut scenes. You will still have the same battle engine, jus more presentation. I might clarify later, or do that idea on a different story like you suggested, Amwhere.<p>Different story vs. remake...Hmmmm.....

[ill-intent]

If VERGE doesn't work out, there is an RPG Maker 2003. It's tougher to find than 2000 but is alot easier to do custom battle scenes, menus, etc.

[Amwhere]

It would be nice if ASCII got the picture and released a PC RPG Maker in the Us (or anywhere else not in Japan). I think the RPG market is big enough for it to do well.

[Benoit]

Yeah. I wonder whatever happened with that RPG Maker petition? <br>Well, it was already hacked anyway...<p>Sorry Siren, I don't know where to find it, I just saw that fangame.

[Hero]

Ok. My recomendations for real good programming language would be, of course, C++. Try it, and say good by to the world. Hell!, it takes way too much time on learning it. And if you have planty of it in you're stock, you can give it a try. <p>If you preciou your time, i could recommed you trying Multimedia Builder. That's quite an easy programming language with which you can create common and easy software with it convinient & quickly. <p>I love programming...and i love my life you know, that's why I rather choose MB instead of C# most all of the time when i need to make a quick software i think of. <p>MB --> http://www.mediachance.com

[Siren]

Thanks Hero, I think I'll try that link. <p>I am quite willing to sink lots of time into it, but you're right, learning C++ takes a long time. <p>Anyone else have suggestions? They will be much appreciated.

[Amwhere]

Thing is that C++ is free, and RPG 2000 is also "free", but MB looks like a time-limited shareware. (And I don't think you'd want to pay $60 US for it.)

[Siren]

I may take up learning C++ in the summer, when I'm not busy with school. No, I don't want to pay $60 US, especially with the exchange, which would work out to be between $90 to $105.<br>Amwhere, you seem to know quite a bit about these programs, and I know you don't know where to get RPG Maker 2000, but do you know where to get any programs?

[Amwhere]

See what a little searching gets you: <br> http://www.verge-rpg.com/ (I looked around a bit, but couldn't find any dls for the engine itself.)<p> http://aegisknight.org/sphere <p> http://www.toolkitzone.com/ (Looks very interesting)<p>http://directory.google.com/Top/Games/Video_Games/Roleplaying/Independent_Developers/RPG_Maker/RPG_Maker_2000/ There is 50 or so entries there, so you're bound to find it.<p>(Note that I didn't try any of them.)<p>[size=small][Edit by Amwhere on [TIME]1077416579[/TIME]][/size]<br><p>[size=small][Edit by Amwhere on [TIME]1077428919[/TIME]][/size]