Final Fantasy "Pseudo" Engine?

So as most of the veteran members know, I have been working on an RPG Maker 2003 project for...a long time, which has been on and off hiatus many times. While I should explain why that is, this isn't the reason why I made this thread, but I guess you could say it's linked to something I’ve talked about before.

The project has come a long way over the years, from just being an over-ambitious amateur project to an over-ambitious project! As hollow these words are; the project is still ongoing and is currently in the middle of a menu system re-design, but most of the inner workings are finished. One thing I began to think about is releasing the job, menu and ability systems as a package, an-engine-in-an-engine sort of thing. Now this would take a little work, mostly due to writing up notes and a manual for it, but nothing major.

But  I think I need to ask a few questions before I decide to actually do this.

• It's in RPG Maker 2003 - With XP and VX/A now being used almost as the norm, will it actually be utilized?
• All Evented - The drawback of using RPG Maker 2003. Even with instructions and templates, will people bother using this instead over scripts?
• Only RTP & V Resources will be included - Since it's not V-II and only it's "engine", it will not have any of its resource (but will have placeholders). While not really a question, I thought I should just point that out.

So yeah, do you think it's worth it?

Only crazy people like me would still use 2k3. People like me have already developed systems like this in the past as well, so it's be a niche thing at best ;o This doesn't mean nobody would play your game, not at all, I'm just trying to say that distributing the system would probably be lots of work for minimal payoff. If that's okay with you then go all for it! Oh, and because you can't encrypt 2k3 games there will be someone who will open up your game and they will... 'steal' your system for their own use, probably figuring it out in the process

Oh, and because you can't encrypt 2k3 games there will be someone who will open up your game and they will... 'steal' your system for their own use, probably figuring it out in the process

About that; Cherry has an encryption system which I am thinking of using, mostly due to compression not out of douchebaggery.
But I see what you mean, I was thinking about this mostly as just a side project to see if it would be used for any (ironically) unique project outside Final Fantasy projects, but using a class/ability system.

I think it's worth the effort, if only to say you did something you care about. I myself have this pipe dream that when I finally finish my own Final Fantasy spinoff that other RM users could use it as a blueprint, scripts and event system-wise. Of course, I can't put it anywhere as that because none of it is original...

I think it's worth the effort, if only to say you did something you care about. I myself have this pipe dream that when I finally finish my own Final Fantasy spinoff that other RM users could use it as a blueprint, scripts and event system-wise. Of course, I can't put it anywhere as that because none of it is original...

In the end it is an accomplishment. As long as you are enjoying doing it, and it holds some great personal value, it is always worth doing whatever that happens to be. If having it used is more important to you than your own feelings on it, maybe you should decide if the time is better spent doing something else. Whilst doing things for others is admirable and respectable, doing something you want to do because it means something to you is a much more rewarding thing.

I have to admit, it does hold a lot of personal value, especially with the time me and the team has put into it over the years. I think it's more that I don't know if the system would be easy to follow, even with instructions, sure it will be all noted and things like class skill levelling will be templated, but is the convenience worth it? Doing this wouldn't take that long, it would be mostly noting, editing and putting in placeholders.

So this on top of V-II and another project (for another time), it would take effort, but wouldn't be huge.

Oh, and because you can't encrypt 2k3 games there will be someone who will open up your game and they will... 'steal' your system for their own use, probably figuring it out in the process

About that; Cherry has an encryption system which I am thinking of using, mostly due to compression not out of douchebaggery.
But I see what you mean, I was thinking about this mostly as just a side project to see if it would be used for any (ironically) unique project outside Final Fantasy projects, but using a class/ability system.

Okay so I'm going to say that encrypting a system that you are putting out for others to use would be counter-productive.  If you have fun doing this, keep going but I can tell you that not many people will use it due to the fact that the majority have moved on from the 2k/2k3 series.  Some may use it but unless you are doing it for your own sense of accomplishment, it won't be worth it to keep going just to release it for people to use.  Do it for your own sense of accomplishment and release it if you want but don't expect much else and then be happy when you hear good things.

The encryption is mostly for compression and experimenting, plus the system in V-II project will have no notes or anything since I pretty much roll with it when eventing everything that isn't a cutscene/plot event. It will be separate from the project itself. If the compression isn't what I want, I'll probably just leave it open as usual anyway. :X

From an accomplishments point of few; I guess going through with it would be good for my own benefit and (probably) for the few still using 2k3.

Just do what makes you feel good.  If it is done with love, others will notice.

Surprisingly, the market for RM2K/3 is still pretty strong, mainly because it still offers a great service. One thing about these two engines is that it still has features not offered by default in VX-Ace, such as being able to dictate items to be used by specific party members, which makes it great for designing magic scrolls to be used by a specific character or class.

Plus... there are a crapload of retro sets already available that can't be found for VX or VXA.

This is not to say I fault VXA in any way, because it still has a lot of great features, but that because some of the additional features must be added on with scripts, which you are left to either code yourself or find somebody willing to do it for you, a lot of people will probably continue on using the maker they are most familiar with.

Surprisingly, the market for RM2K/3 is still pretty strong, mainly because it still offers a great service. One thing about these two engines is that it still has features not offered by default in VX-Ace, such as being able to dictate items to be used by specific party members, which makes it great for designing magic scrolls to be used by a specific character or class.

Plus... there are a crapload of retro sets already available that can't be found for VX or VXA.

This is not to say I fault VXA in any way, because it still has a lot of great features, but that because some of the additional features must be added on with scripts, which you are left to either code yourself or find somebody willing to do it for you, a lot of people will probably continue on using the maker they are most familiar with.

Most of the features for 2k/2k3 have already been scripted and can be found with simple google searching which seems to be foreign to some people because there are so many times that someone can say "use google," the person requesting the content says "I did but I can't find it" and sure enough, the person who said "use google" took the time to type in a few keywords in google and found what the OP was requesting within the top 5 links. Also, those retro sets can be converted simply by figuring out how a tileset is organized and resizing the images and copy-paste.  It takes no artistic talent to do this, just an ability to read the help document and download gimp, if you want to go free and legal.  I think the reason why some people still using 2k3 is how you describe it that a lot of people continue to use the maker they are most familiar with.  There is no issue with that but there are so many similarities between the makers that upgrading is hardly a problem and if you've used the previous ones, it should only take a day or so of toying to figure out that the new one is much better and just as easy to use. 

I can't knock the 2k/2k3 users, though.  I miss the days when people weren't so addicted to custom systems because custom menus and battles were so cumbersome to make/use and hardly provided decent functionality and that people played the games strictly for story and the reviews were all based on how well the story was done, how well the graphics were put to use and how innovative the battles were while now, you've got more factors that give such ridiculous bonus points to the developer like if the person can script or find someone to script amazing features for them etc.  Also, 2k/2k3 had such an awesome style that felt like you were playing an SNES game more often than not, even if it was a poorly made SNES game lol.

Right now, I'm playing my friends game Final Fantasy: Blackmoon Prophecy and it is great.  I haven't touched a 2k3 game in years and while it has it's bugs and I'm pointing them out to him as I play it (I do lots of exploring in areas so finding bugs seems to come easy), it is well done and doesn't follow the same bullshit that most FF fan games do where they will throw in so many favorite characters like cloud, sephiroth or whatever.  It uses the same naming conventions that the original games used (it's got wedge, biggs, Cid etc. in it) and uses some names of continents frequently heard about in the games, but the design is new and the story is original (except for the whole typical find the crystals blah blah aspect).

I still say, though, if you are going to make this, you should make it for your own personal satisfaction.  Not many may use it but some may and you may save them a lot of work.  I think you should do whatever you want to do.

Games can be just as fun in RM2k3 as XP or VX, the basics are all really all still there, sans graphics upgrades and various other changes.  You upload it, I'll check it out.  I really do think it's worth the effort to make your creations accessible to others.  Have you created any game or demo to support and display the system created?  I'd say its worth it for sure.

Actually, the only legacy feature I haven't seen a VXA script for yet is fogs...
And maybe random dungeons.
Also, why has no one ever made a Lufia II or Super Mario RPG style battle system?