Important Notice Regarding [game which shall not be mentioned by name]

[ErikaFuzzbottom]

Alright, I need your guy's help. I'll try to keep this short. [game which shall not be mentioned by name]'s future as an RPG Maker 1 game is suddenly not looking good, due to memory issues. I already knew that I'd have to keep an eye on memory, but I didn't have any idea how much of a problem I had until I decided to skip straight to the last memory card today. The last card is supposed to have the whole game world open for exploration. So I started off by getting rid of all the Card 1 cutscenes and other stuff that's not on the final card. What's left takes up 32,000 of the allowed 120,000 memory. Without going into detail why, I don't have enough left.

So, I see two options. Make it so the player has to switch scenario cards every time they move between continents, or move [game which shall not be mentioned by name] to RMXP, where I won't have to worry about memory issues. The downsides to each:

• Switching back and forth between cards would mean needing a fourth memory card, which most people far as I know don't have, which means they're not likely going to try going on those subquests on that fourth card, which makes the game's potential audience even smaller than it already is.
  
• Putting my game on RMXP means I'd have to create my own custom graphics (not gonna worry about music), as the style of RMXP's sprites and monsters are way off from how I've been imagining these characters for the past six years. Unless this were a full-time job, which it isn't, it'll take me a long time to make the graphics alone.

Of course, the real kicker is I haven't even started looking at how much system memory I'd need for the whole thing, and system-card switching is an inconvenience (for the player) that I refuse to use.

What do you guys think I should do? I'm open to suggestions, even those I haven't considered.

[Ωbright]

Re: Important Notice Regarding Slayers' Reign

I don't know enough about RM1 to really give you any advice, but I feel your pain. I for one wouldn't mind switching cards between continents, if that's all I had to do. I think way more people have 4 PS1 cards than 4 PS2 cards...I know I do.

If the entire world takes up only 32,000 out of 120,000, then why do you need another card? Are you SURE you'll need it?

[ErikaFuzzbottom]

Re: Important Notice Regarding [game which shall not be mentioned by name]

The entire world so far. I'm looking at 8 locations out of over 30 (that's all I've finished up to this point), and I'm not even counting cutscenes, yet.

I'm sure there are people who do have four memory cards. The problem is if they have four completely free memory cards, as game files on RPGM1 take up so much memory that they can take up the whole card. In fact that's why RPGM1 allows you to spread event data onto multiple memory cards without some special trick. I myself only have three RPGM-dedicated cards.

[KingSpoom]

Re: Important Notice Regarding Slayers' Reign

It's XP time!
Worry about the graphics later, get some fillers, and start programming.

[ErikaFuzzbottom]

Re: Important Notice Regarding [game which shall not be mentioned by name]

Can't say I wasn't hoping everyone would make a unanimous decision, even though I didn't think it would happen. If that makes sense. (I've had a vote for RPGM1 at the Mag.)

I actually tried using fillers for an XP version when I was starting to revive the project last November (I was having trouble deciding between RPGM1 and RMXP then, too). It didn't work out. Maybe it was just because I was trying to port the RPGM1 version over directly and RMXP was lacking in the right graphics. I really don't want to have to recreate those maps from scratch. Beyond that, I'm worried that if I use fillers for the characters, I'll get too used to their new temporary looks and that'll throw me off entirely.

[JANK]

Re: Important Notice Regarding Slayers' Reign

You must be crazy to consider doing the whole thing from scratch again on XP. I'd rather see it on RPGM1 myself, but I do agree that the memory cards will be an issue. I really don't know what advice to give you, I guess it depends on what you consider most important. This thing you're going through is called a dilemma, and you have to make compromise regardless of which choice you make. Just think about what you value more, more people playing your game, or having to do more work. Remember that some people who would play it on XP wouldn't play it on RPGM1 and visa versa. Another thing is that not everyone will follow your project forever. The sooner you release it, the better.