Cutscene before gameplay

I've seen some topics with a video guide as a reply, but could someone just outline to me how to make a cutscene? I have the event already planned out on the map and I've set it up, but when I go to test play, all it does is bring up my party and I am actually able to move around. What I want to do is have a cutscene start, then be able to move after the cutscene is over....

BTW, I tried taking out my party position, but when I do that, the game will not run; only the title screen will. I am using RPG Maker 2003.

Taking out the starting party position will most definately make the game unplayable, because that's where the first scene will take place.

1. In the database set the MAIN character's sprite graphic to an empty one.
2. For the event to start, make it an Auto-Start Event.
3. To make it stop, switches.
4. To bring the character in, change sprite association.

Taking out the starting party position will most definately make the game unplayable, because that's where the first scene will take place.

1. In the database set the MAIN character's sprite graphic to an empty one.
2. For the event to start, make it an Auto-Start Event.
3. To make it stop, switches.
4. To bring the character in, change sprite association.

I make the "Player" Opacity to 0 in the Move Event event, don't need any sprite changing then.

Or, go to System tab in Database and select "None" for Hero #1...

I tend to use whatever depending on the situation. If I want the hero to fade in, I use the opacity trick. If I want a character name set up menu, but I don't want the player character to be visible until after, and I don't want to mess with changing the graphic over and over, I use the non-graphic. I don't really bother with the database one though.

Um, I'm not really understanding what you guys mean... what will changing the opacity do?

Opacity is Transparency, except in reverse...iiifff you catch my drift. If something has a Transparency of 256, then it is invisible. The same thing can be done by setting Opacity to 0. If Transparency is how NOT visible something is, then Opacity is how visible it IS.

Opacity 100% = Fully Opaque
Transparancy 100% = Fully Transparant
^
That is how I remember it.

So Opacity <=> Transparancy.
So Opacity 50% is the same as Transparancy  50%.

RMXP uses Opacity.

How would changing the opacity of the character help the event start? I made the event auto-start, and the character is supposed to move a certain way, but nothing comes up. If I demo play the game, it tells me to set a starting party position; I do that, but the event doesn't start.

What I want to happen is for the event to happen, then for the character to be playable afterward....