RPG Maker MV (Switch) Progress Report

[YesterdaysMoose]

DAY 1

Initial Impression

Good stuff:

• Menus are pretty bare bones.
• Relatively easy to navigate.
• Graphics are nice: HD and Widescreen.
• Relatively good variety of map tiles / sprites.
• Custom character maker (from presets), still good!
• You have pre-made party/item/enemies to work with.
• 1st person AND side view battle system.

Bad Stuff:

• Menus are pretty bare bones...!
• Can be tedious to navigate.
• Sprites are small, even for my new 65inch TV.
• Quick keys are not possible.
• You cannot begin with a completely blank slate.
• Meaning, manually deleting any unwanted things.
• Unable to preview title screen from editor.
• ALWAYS have to view the title screen for test play!
• Too easy to exit out of some menus without saving!
• No custom sprites or title screen.
• No DLC... yet.

PROGRESS

I spent about 5 (or more) hours tinkering with this thing. There a lot of stuff here, but I'm still not sure MV has some of the options I'd like, such as making a character/object blink (appear/disappear rapidly).

Making maps seems to be slow work and I'm not familiar with the different tilesets, but I'm sure I'll get better.

I haven't worked out the weapons/magic/enemies/items and such. MV gives you some presets, kind of like RM2, so I deleted a few and left ones that I may want to refer to later.

I successfully made 3 very small maps that are functioning almost like I want them to. Was able to get some fancy screen transitions, sound effects, and events working.

There are some things that seem to have worked better in RM1 and RM2. It'll take some getting used to.

Overall, not a lot of gameplay completed, but I feel I learned a lot about how MV works in a short period of time.


DAY 1: CONTINUED...

PROGRESS

Bad:

• Parts of the map(?) and icons sometimes disappear while editing.
• MUST reload area (select anther, then back) to fix.
• Don't reduce map size if Events end up off screen.
• Events (seem to be) lost and undo may not fix(?)
• There doesn't seem to be a way to "snap-to" Events, like RM1 and RM2(?)
• Also, they are not super obvious, only a shadow (if no graphic) on the map.
• Meaning, you have to hunt around to find them and maps can be 256x256 spaces!

Good:

• I forced an Event to blink while moving.
• While setting a value, press X to type exact #.
• (Number pad shows on screen, faster than Up/Down.)
• Maps can be 256x256 spaces!

(?) = Requires further testing to confirm.

[Valkysas]

The PS4 version has a free starter pack dlc. Is that not available on switch?

[AzureFox50]

I'm so glad that it's finally released after numerous delays. Now, all I need is my own Switch to purchase the game on. I do know that my Dad wants to buy it for his Switch, eventually.

[1ce]

Oh wow, this release totally snuck up on me. Glad they finally got it out the door.

[YesterdaysMoose]

The PS4 version has a free starter pack dlc. Is that not available on switch?

No Starter Pack DLC; however, there seems to be some daily reward for entering the uploaded games section. I'm not sure what rewards because I haven't been paying attention, next time I'll see what they are and post it here.

DAY 2

PROGRESS

Good:

• Glitch Check, as mentioned before: Editing icons remained. (Still might need to keep an eye on it, though.)
• Copy/paste Map = Press & Hold X: Select Area: Press A to place
• Press B to Delete 1 square of Map: One layer only, must Delete each layer independently.
• Was able to make more than one Event move simultaneously, what else is possible?
• Common Events = Kind of like Call Scripts in RM2 = Use similar script for multiple Events.
• Can test 1 line of Code from within the Editor to see result, but doesn't always work = It depends on what you're testing.

Bad:

• Glitch Check, as mentioned before: Map did seem to disappear once.
• Confirmed: Events are lost if forced off screen by reducing Map size. (Tried to Undo, but didn't seem to work!)
• Making a Blinking Event is tedious, there should've just been an option for it... Like RM1 and RM2....!
• "Snap-To" Events = Search EXACT Event Name: Confirms if it exists + location. Cannot go to / open Event from this menu.
• No quick Event list.
• Cannot name Edited/Created Character model.
• Cannot remove human ears / make true animal ears! (Although, you can cover MALE characters with a Ninja Mask, then add animal ears.)
• Cannot use ALL options for male and female characters!
• Some default Character Models cannot be created!
• Default Animal Characters don't have Side-View Battle images/actions!
• No Intro Event(?) = Must use Event on Map
• Constant Clock = Creation time always displayed... Mocking me at how many hours I've taken to make only a few things work.
• Cursor starts in weird place on Map, not where it was previously. Seems to like to appear on the very top left / lower right of the Map.
• No Quick Save on Test Play?!?
• Cannot delete Test Play Game Save Data?!? Even within the Switch System Data Management...!
• Speech Bubbles are preset graphics only.
• No fast way to navigate lists. (Like RM1 and RM2.)
• Cannot Copy / Paste Commands between Events.
• Cannot Copy / Paste multiple Events.
• No Duplicate Events.
• No Take Over command(?). (It may be possible to move from one Event Page / Code within an Event, but needs further testing to confirm.)
• That F*&%ING Title Screen!!!!! Why do I always have to look at you in order to Test Play?!?!? It's one more step I don't need!
• (In fact, it's THREE steps because I Saved a Test Play, now I have to wait for the Title, Press Up, then Select New Game...!!! AAAAHHHH!!!!!!)

Current Impression:

Seems this is going to take A LOT of getting used to. I'm not liking the amount of negatives - things I can't do - that I keep finding. The coolest thing I've done is make a door open (animated). It may not sound like much, but it took 2 different Events animating simultaneously to look right.

[YesterdaysMoose]

PROGRESS

Good:

• There seems to be daily rewards for entering the User Created Games section: Day 1 - ME Sound Effect, Day 2 - Sound Effect, Day 3 - Horse Picture?, Day 4 - Battle Background, Day 5 - Battle Background, Day 6 - Title Picture, Day 7 - Title Picture, Day 8 - Cat Picture?, Day 9 - Panda Picture?, Day 10 - Background Sound.
• I've made some progress with Map creation.
• I like that you can choose if a Tile is non-passable, walkable, or appears over the character (as if they're walking behind it).

Bad:

• Tilesets feel too limiting, why can't I just have access to ALL the assets and pick and choose the ones I like. I'm literally using one titleset just for a particular tree and nothing else. I'll probably just not use that type of tree to allow more variety of tiles. Plus, many of the titlesets look way too similar. I'm really missing the flexibility of RM1 and especially RM2.

Impression:

It's too early to say for certain, but the project I had in mind many not work out. If not, I'll start one that works within the limitations of MV.

Hopes:

I haven't experimented with Battles, but I'm hoping I can restrict them to certain areas, like RM1.

[dragaron]

Thank you for reviewing the game and breaking down the pros and cons. Lots of good and bad, it seems. I'm always disappointed when console RPGMs lack the ability to customize assets, but I do understand the litigation risks with too much freedom for the end user, as in the idiots, perverts, and other knuckleheads that would be inappropriate with more freedom. However, it stifles creativity and motivation when limited to the same assets as everyone else. Then it just comes down to the story, which is not what everyone gets enjoyment out of from a developer's standpoint. I'm sure that you would concur, given the awesome stuff you did with RPGM2.

Great to see you still doing your thing, though. I always followed your work closely, and appreciated how hard you pushed beyond RPGM2's quirky structure. I still have the ghost images of the UI on my old plasma TV for doing the same. Maybe Nintendo will eventually work out the kinks, address the glitches, consider more customization, or at least release more assets over time for their latest console entry. Hope all is well with you, Moose. I'll continue to watch this thread to see what you come up with.

[AzureFox50]

My Dad just bought it for his Switch, recently. I hope to try it out soon, and see what it has to offer. I don't plan on making a game with it till I have my own Switch, which will also give me a lot of time to think on what I want to make with it.

[The Toecutter]

I'll be sticking with the PC version then. The lack of custom art kills it for me. My game is heavily reliant upon it.

[YesterdaysMoose]

Thank you for reviewing the game and breaking down the pros and cons. Lots of good and bad, it seems. I'm always disappointed when console RPGMs lack the ability to customize assets, but I do understand the litigation risks with too much freedom for the end user, as in the idiots, perverts, and other knuckleheads that would be inappropriate with more freedom. However, it stifles creativity and motivation when limited to the same assets as everyone else. Then it just comes down to the story, which is not what everyone gets enjoyment out of from a developer's standpoint. I'm sure that you would concur, given the awesome stuff you did with RPGM2.

Great to see you still doing your thing, though. I always followed your work closely, and appreciated how hard you pushed beyond RPGM2's quirky structure. I still have the ghost images of the UI on my old plasma TV for doing the same. Maybe Nintendo will eventually work out the kinks, address the glitches, consider more customization, or at least release more assets over time for their latest console entry. Hope all is well with you, Moose. I'll continue to watch this thread to see what you come up with.

Thanks for the positive feedback! I abandoned my RM2 project due to memory limitations; however, I might reduce the level count by 50% and see if that will allow me to continue. I still think it would take too much memory to achieve what I wanted.

I'm making progress with MV and intend to keep a log of my progress here. I've only had it for 4 days, so maybe it's unreasonable to expect that I would be an expert. That being said, each time I work with it, it does get easier to navigate and create.

PROGRESS

Good:

• CAN change Animation/Special Effect Color, Duration and Sound Effect. Similar to RM1, yet animations be used anywhere - in or out of battles and on character/event!
• I made a Random Battle System that bypasses Game Over, but it's using Common Events and Region.

Bad:

• No Sample Game??
• No option to view Tutorial again?!?
• Cutting/Pasting Events removes their name and reverts it to a Default.
• Cannot mass Cut/Paste or Delete Map/Events.
• No Warning message when overwriting Game Save Data.
• GLITCH: Battle Commands disappeared during Test Play.
• GLITCH: Button/Movement didn't always register!
• (For Glitches, had to close MV and start again from Switch Menu.)

NOTICE FROM RPG MAKER MV DEVELOPER!!:

I asked them about DLC for the Nintendo Switch version and the Starter Pack for PS4.

They said they were not planning any DLC!!!!

(But keep checking their Twitter for updates...)

Question:

Anyone know how to force the actual Default Random Battles to NOT go to Game Over when the Party is Defeated? I tried several Conditions in the Troop Menu and nothing worked.

[AzureFox50]

What!? No DLC! Fes got DLC, and the Japanese version of MV has DLC. That's weird.

[YesterdaysMoose]

What!? No DLC! Fes got DLC, and the Japanese version of MV has DLC. That's weird.

ME:

"RPG Maker MV has Starter Pack for PS4, will it be available for Nintendo Switch? Any DLC for Switch planned? Keyboard support? I've found some weird bugs, will there be any patches / software updates?"

NIS AMERICA (via Twitter):

"Hello there, thank you for reaching out. At this time, there are no plans for additional content, but when we do receive any news or updates, we will be sure to share them on our social media channels. If you would like to report any bugs or issues, you can do so on the RPG Maker MV channel on our Discord server. Thank you for your interest!"

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Switch users (or console users, in general) got screwed.

[AzureFox50]

ME:

"RPG Maker MV has Starter Pack for PS4, will it be available for Nintendo Switch? Any DLC for Switch planned? Keyboard support? I've found some weird bugs, will there be any patches / software updates?"

NIS AMERICA (via Twitter):

"Hello there, thank you for reaching out. At this time, there are no plans for additional content, but when we do receive any news or updates, we will be sure to share them on our social media channels. If you would like to report any bugs or issues, you can do so on the RPG Maker MV channel on our Discord server. Thank you for your interest!"

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Switch users (or console users, in general) got screwed.

NNNOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*precedes to raid the main NIS AMERICA building*

[1ce]

Swear filter in there? I remember Fes had one and that kind of shot down a lot of my interest in making more Fes games. Well, that and a lot of other things.

[YesterdaysMoose]

Swear filter in there? I remember Fes had one and that kind of shot down a lot of my interest in making more Fes games. Well, that and a lot of other things.

I haven't tested that yet, but I'll give it a try and see what happens.

PROGRESS

Good:

• During Editing: Press R3 place/paste Title "as is" without affecting other tiles.
• Can make Character/Event Ghost (partial transparency).
• Can move Event to specific spot (x/y coordinates) = It immediately moves to that spot.

Bad:

• No Warning to SAVE, when changes have been made, if you select "[Return to] Main Menu".
• Cannot move (WALKING) Character/Event to specific spot (x/y coordinates). Meaning, you must move Character/Event 1 space at a time.
• Limit to how many spaces you can move a Character/Event within one Movement Command List. Meaning, if the amount of moves exceeds the limit, you must create more than one Moment Command List.
• GLITCH: Deleted 1 Code within Editor resulted in multiple Codes being Deleted. (Eventually it stopped - Loaded another Map, then returned - However, I'm not sure if that was what made it stop.)

NISAmerica@NISAmerica (via Twitter):

"Update on RPG Maker MV: The patch for the Nintendo Switch version has been fixed and is available now. If you have already downloaded the DLC, please erase the DLC and install the patch first. You may then re-download the DLC."

Result:

If you visit Nintendo's Online Store (https://www.nintendo.com/en_CA/games/de ... mv-switch/), you'll see the RPG Maker Starter Set as "Individual DLC". HOWEVER, you cannot download it from the website, Nintendo Switch, or within MV itself.

I've sent them another message via Twitter and we'll see what they say about that, if anything.

It seems questionable that I asked them about this DLC and they denied there way anything coming, but then they announce it days later.

WTF?!?