Time for the Alpha

Hello everybody,

as usual its time for the “progress log”.

If you dont care scroll down and download the alpha ;).

For End Users:
Weather effects [glynnc]
Move command improvments [ghabry, glynnc]
Shop scene improvments [ghabry, glynnc, niltonpd]
Bugfixes in Tilemap code [glynnc]
Game interpreter optimizations/fixes [ghabry, zhek]
Unicode support [ghabry, glynnc]
XYZ support [glynnc]
Picture support [glynnc]
Fixes for 16bit rendering [glynnc, zhek]
PSP Port [zhek]
Fix Fullscreen and 320×240 (default resolution) [zhek]
Editor: All important Gui elements created [fdelapena]

Because of some missing features in SDL the new default renderer is now Pixman (xrender software fallback).

And there are of course again lots of fixes in the Event Interpreter. More and more games become playable.

For Developers:
Bitmap refactoring [glynnc]
SoftBitmap and PixmanBitmap classes [glynnc]
Sdl independent freetype class [glynnc]
utf8 fallback for systems without wchar [ghabry]
cmake support [takecheeze]
wip audio backend refactoring [zhek]

Missing features: No battle scene, no load or save, no vehicles, some menus are implemented in the Rpg2k-version only. Most of this is  planned for the next alpha (or beta?).

Encoding: Because the old Rpg Maker is not an unicode application you have to specify the encoding to play such games properly. Open the RPG_RT.ini in your game folder and create a new section:

[EasyRpg]
Encoding=codepage

Instead of “codepage” you have to write the codepage number, thats 1251 for cyrillic and 932 (shift jis) for japanese. Note that some fonts dont have the required glyphs. For japanese support you have to put the file msgothic.ttc in the Font directory.

Reporting problems: When the windows version crashes it creates a crash dump file in the same directory. You can send it to us for further analysis (together with a short note what you did).

Video (PSP version)

Thanks for reading. And now have fun :).

69 thoughts on “Time for the Alpha”

  1. I have a Mac to do this but no internet at home yet. Maybe takecheeze can do it before.

  2. @shin-nil:
    Does SDL use 16bit on the Dingoo? I talked with glynnc about this and here are some suggestions:
    Our current graphic code is only running fast with 32bit (otherwise its converting back and forth everytime).
    Speed improvment suggestions: Recompile SDL to force 32bit (somewhere in one of the sdl_video-files) or try changing the #if 0 to #if 1 in sdl_ui.cpp:356

  3. @Ghabry:
    The SDL Dingoo port only work with 16bit surfaces.It’s an old problem…
    I’ll try to change the #if 0 to #if 1 after I update the code to the current version, since this piece of code did not exist in revision 1305.

    Thank you for your help :)

  4. “To get text rendering like in RPG_RT you have to put the RM2000.fon in the subdirectory Font.”
    The subdirectory of which folder? /data/ ?

  5. @StarWolf:
    I updated the blog post to be more exact. The Font folder must be placed in the Game folder (the one that usually contains the rpg_rt.exe or the rpg_rt.ldb). So the correct structure is then: [gamedir]/Font/RM2000.fon

  6. [Wii Build]
    “Couldn’t initialize FreeType face”
    Placed Gamefiles in sd:/[game]/ and RM2000.fon in sd:/[game]/Font/

    Do I have to modify the rpg_rt.ini to set the encoding EVEN its not Unicode? Setting to 1252 brings Code Dump (of course, its ISO-8859-1 that is used in the Game)

  7. Sorry I just remembered something. The non-windows builds only have basic Font Finder support. The other versions need DejavuSans. I updated the Wii archieve with the correct font directory, pls redownload it.

    The game must be placed in the same dir as the boot.dol, e.g. sd:/apps/easyrpg/ (when you rename the folder multiple games can be played of course).
    The folder sd:/apps/easyrpg/ should then contain at least the following data: boot.dol, rpg_rt.ldb, Font/DejaVuLGCSansMono.ttf, (the other stuff needed for the game)

    You dont have to set the encoding if its 1252, thats the default one.

  8. Well..I have a problem with the PSP thingy. I made everything right (well, I think so). When I start the Game, everythings fine until the logo (0:23 in the video). Little red and white pixels are suddendly on the top of the logo, and when I press the X button, it goes away, the title screen of the game flashes like a second with the box, where usually “new game” etc. is, in the top left corner and without text in it, then, after the second, it goes back to the PSP menu. I tried it out with 3 games, everythings the same :
    Can someone help me? D:

  9. @goldenroy: Make sure that you are not missing any files; you may need RTP package, timidity instruments and a font. Those red and white pixels are actually an error message (which is broken on psp).

  10. Well, I made a “rtp” folder, a “timidity” folder and a “font” folder in the game folder and pushed the whole things in the folders. And now…there isn’t even the logo and title screen! Just a black screen after I executed it…

  11. Wait. Now there is the title screen and logo, but again with the error-message. Sometimes blackscreen, sometimes error :

  12. I updated the PSP archieve (added a Font-folder), pls redownload.
    The Font-folder must be in the same dir as the game (and the eboot file). [gamedir]/Font/DejaVuLGCSansMono.ttf. Then it should work in theory.
    And about timidity: Get this archieve: http://rpgmaker.es/descargas/timidity.7z and extract it in the game folder (the game folder should then contain a timidity.cfg and an instruments-folder).

  13. Hi “Your Fan”,
    R-PG is written in the language Visual Basic, because we use C++ we can’t use the R-PG code without doing a complete rewrite, so writing a new editor is faster.

  14. Hi Ghabry,

    thanks for the answer. Now I know your background on developing something new :) I think Visual Basic wont even work on Linux, would it?
    Keep up your work, I hope the player will be released in the near future [maybe 02/2012? :)]!

  15. Yes thats another point. Visual Basic is Windows only.
    The player (alpha) is already released. Do you mean the Editor? Except one all developers currently work on the player.
    I dont want to do any approximation but until 2012 should be enough time to make the player and the editor more usable ;) (usable, not finished).

  16. Yes, the player is released already. I meant that I hope that the player will be finished in 02/2012. That is the most important aspect for me of this project so we can play the rpg maker games portable with our devices (maybe android will be supported too?).

  17. Android could be possible, there are some SDL apps ported to Android.

    I’m under the Editor thing, I hope some alpha functionality this year.

  18. I get some many errors on Linux 32bit that stop player’s compilation at 5% (cmake).
    Should i report them, or is the Linux port minor priority?

  19. I have linux 32 bit, try compiling using CodeLite instructions in documentation wiki. Maybe you need to install some dependencies.

  20. Actually, i could successfully compile and run it with few corrections in cmake build file. BTW, the install part is not included: is that intended?

    1. Nope, the install part is not made yet. Just exec binary files in player/bin/testgame or editor/bin to run the software

    1. NDS has very low RAM amount and screen resolution is smaller, harder to read game texts.

    1. Yes, for Dingux. If you have more questions about this port ask to Niltonpd, you have more info in his blog.

  21. A380 runs Dingux, according to specs but not tested there. Screen size is 16:9 but should work anyways.

  22. Pandora port would be highly appreciated. :)
    Other than that: keep up the great work!

  23. thank you but it’s just a dissassembly, anyone can debug code with executable debuggers, like OllyDbg. We already know DeDe and other Delphi “decompilers” but not used at all.

  24. I’m just wondering, when is the “player” portion of this project going to be feature complete? This looks like a great and useful project that will help many rpg developers out.

  25. @Amuggi: Short of compiling the source code yourself you will just have to wait for the next binary release like the rest of us.

  26. Hi it’s working pretty well on the psp, keep up the good work
    I can’t wait for the full player with Combat and Save

    I have a problem though I’m using letters like “é” “à” etc. (I’m french) but they don’t show up in game on the psp

  27. Yes, the PSP binary is slightly older than alpha revision, so the cedilla and tilde support was not complete.

    There are several changes doing current revisions unstable, so new builds are a bit far due to new features yet.

  28. Hi
    Is there an older version for the Nintendo DS?
    Would be great….
    greetings Walter

  29. This is just awesome ! I love your work, good job !

    Could someone compile the editor and put the link here please? I doesn’t work for me :(

  30. Hi,
    This project is great and works fine on my computer.
    However I does not understand how to run it on my Wii.
    I tried to put the files in the root of my SD card, and also in apps/easyrpg/ as explained above. But my Wii does not detect any channel in the SD card.
    PS : I’m french, sorry for the bad english of Google…^^

  31. You need to install Homebrew Channel first. Homebrew Channel can be installed from the HackMii installer. Needs some exploit. If you have Wii firmware version 3.0 up to 4.2, you can run hackmii installer via bannerbomb exploits. If you have Wii firmware version 4.3 you need savegame exploits (PAL savegame exploits for these games: Lego Indiana jones, Lego Star Wars, Lego Batman, Super Smash Bros Brawl, Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New Sorrow).

    Once Homebrew Channel is installed, you need to enter inside Homebrew Channel. the appls SD content will appear there.

  32. Everything else should work as always. If Nintendo releases new firmware revisions in the future you should not update firmware, maybe homebrew channel dissapears.

  33. @Walter Lauer: Nintendo DS has very low memory and screen size is smaller than RPG Maker. Maybe in the future 3DS could work, enough RAM and screen size. Or just get a cheaper capable handheld (dingoo, caanoo, gp2x, etc.)

  34. This requires the game to go with the hack, and I do not really want to pay for it. Too bad …
    But thank you anyway.

  35. fdelapena

    Yes,i know,but there was an old version of EASY RPG for the DS.Maybe someone knows,where i can get this????
    greetings Walter

  36. @Fox:

    You need the game just one time. Once installed the exploit, you don’t need the game. Just say to a friend or in a cheap game renting place.

    @Walter:

    Yes. that version was just a port experiment, the only thing was generating this was a upper and lower map layer reading, downgraded to 8 bit (no palette mixing), but currently can’t handle the big amount of data of any normal game and handle it (and music patches). Is not a good idea make an unusable port, always crashing with not enough memory error.

  37. Hi fdelapena
    But do you have this file???Just want to look at it….
    Thanks in Advance
    greetings Walter

  38. Wow! This really did launch a game in PSP. Thanks a lot! Can I suggest a few features for a next PSP port? Allow moving with analog stick. In addition, add a menu for selection a game so that the game doesn’t need to be in the same folder as the eboot (this allows having multiple games at the same time).

  39. Btw there is a bug with the upper layer, chipsets won’t show above the upper part of the hero.

    I hope there’ll be panoramas implemented also since I mostly make maps with panoramas.

  40. Hmm ok, I can’t build it until about two weeks, because I’m very far from my laptop now (I’m on a trip). Maybe somebody can do it before. Or you can follow the wiki instructions to build editor with CodeLite easily.

    1. Yes, some stuff have been moved. We should make new builds and links.

  41. Hey Can you pls put up a new link for the PSP.

    And keep this work up man , i love it and i hope that you finished all your stuff

    Greets From Germany :DDD

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