Script Finding Tutorial
Purpose of the TutorialThis tutorial will give you some strategies for finding scripts. Now, not all scripts are already created, but I have seen many requests posted that could have easily been found with a simple search. So the aim of this tutorial is to reduce the volume of those requests.
Where should I search?The first thing to think about is “Where should I search?” There are many scripts out there, but you can greatly reduce your searching time by locating a few sites where a search is more likely to be successful. The best places are often active forums, such as this one. Rather than starting with a google search of the script you want, a better way might be to just google “RM Scripts”, go to each of the forums that come up, and search through those sites, rather than through Google alone. Some great resources are:
This is not, by any means a complete list. There are tons of smaller sites out there, and often it is faster to search the smaller sites before moving on to the larger ones.
For instance, see the
External Script Sites topic for an incomplete listing of script-hosting sites, and that only covers VXA scripts! Yes, they have less scripts, and are therefore less likely to have the script you are looking for, but it is a lot faster to look through a dozen scripts for the one you’re looking for than it is to look through several hundred. (Also, if you are looking for VXA scripts, RMRK does host a
RMVXA Script Search Engine which covers a lot of those sites).
There are tons of sites out there, so don’t lose hope!
For what do I search?The script you want, obviously
But it’s actually a useful question to ask yourself, because the RPG Maker community has developed a lingo that lack of knowledge of may prevent you from finding your script. And while you are fumbling trying to search for “On Map Battle like Zelda”, you would be better served to be searching for Action Battle System, or ABS. To familiarize yourself with these terms, the
Common RPG Maker Acronyms thread might be of use to you. It is not comprehensive, but it should give you some key terminology that will help you in finding your script.
How do I search?Now that you’re at one of these forums and you know what to look for, how can we go about searching for them? Well, first thing to do is go to their Scripts section for your maker. Some forums have very few scripts, and for those it’s easy enough just to locate them and quickly browse through. But for those sites like this one that have a large database of scripts, that can get quite tedious. Luckily, most sites with large databases also have various methods to make it easier to navigate. The first thing to do is look for a Script Index, sometimes called a Master List or other such name. They should have categories that will help you reduce the size of your search field and make your life a lot easier. All of the large sites ought to have one of these.
RMVXA ScriptsRMVX ScriptsFailing this, there is always the Search function, and this will definitely be on any forum. Once you're logged in, there should be a link to the search in the toolbar at the top of the main board. For instance, RMRK's is:
RMRK Search. If, in the end, you do need to use google, please see
Google Search Basics.
I still can’t find it! What now?Now that you have exhausted your searching capacity and found nothing (or maybe you’ve found something like what you want but it doesn’t do exactly what you want), it is now OK to make a request. I recommend that you read my tutorial on how to do that:
Convince Strangers to Write Scripts for You. You should also follow the guidelines (if they exist) on whatever forum you are making the request:
And remember, sometimes requesting on any of these larger forums may not be ideal. They receive a large volume of requests, and though they have more scripters and fulfill more requests on average, a large percentage of requests inevitably are not fulfilled. Sometimes, your chance of getting a request fulfilled is greater if you find a small forum with a few active scripters than it is to request on a large one.
Chaos Project is a good example of such a forum, though it is primarily RMXP, not VX or VX Ace. Also, it is a good idea to request on more than one forum. However, if you do, then be sure to update each of them, and post when the request has been taken. Do NOT be so inconsiderate as to let more than one scripter work on it at the same time.
All of this may seem like a lot of work and just posting a lame topic seems a lot easier, but think of it this way: making a script (even just finding a script) takes effort from another person. Why would anyone be willing to exert more effort to find your script than you are yourself?
Best of luck in all your searching!
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