This is gonna be a fairly short post. I just wanted to mention that yes, I am indeed working on the game quite a bit. There's a lot of busy work to do in converting between systems - not everything converts over cleanly. Sometimes the differences are very minor but have a big impact on the game itself.
For instance, in the previous version of the game name tags were inserted with the code: \nb[Character Name]
However, the new version of the game also has a script that provides name tags. This system is slightly different, in that the code is written: \nb{Character Name}
This slight difference basically means I have to manually go through and rewrite every single name tag in the game. That's an example of busywork. I also have to redo every single monster, every single skill, most items, basically every character, and so on. Thankfully the dialogue and actual scenes in the game translated over pretty well.
0nymous has been working hard on this as well. Together we're making some nice progress on maps and on the system. Before long we'll have finished the basic conversions and will begin working on Bilbao, the city of chapter 5.
Of course the art is coming along as well. I just got some nice scenes of the Sasquatch girl who will be in the Monstergirl village. I think you all will enjoy it when you see it.
Finally, NO I do not have a timeline for release! I haven't got the slightest clue how long this will take, as converting between systems is bound to throw up a few little roadblocks here and there I have no way of predicting. Making a new chapter alone should take a month or two when I can knuckle down on it (delays in previous releases were mostly me fighting with the system to get it to do stuff VX Ace does without anything special) but converting I have no way to predict. Hopefully soon.
Don't worry, I'm sure you'll see the next release of this game before the end of the year. Probably sooner than that.
Donators: I might send you an early copy before chapter 5's content is done to see if there are bugs in the conversion. This will be identical storywise to the previous versions, but will be focused on testing how well the game works in the new system. Once again I do NOT have a release date for this, it's just an advance notice.
Thanks again for being fans!
Mass-replacing strings like this should not be done manually. Use string editing tools like sed or whatever equivalent exists on your platform.
ReplyDeleteIt's a single command line and a few minutes worth of computer work even for gigabytes of input files.
I'd love to do that but I'm not working with raw code. I'm working through RPG Maker VX Ace and I'm not aware of a string editing tool that will let me edit the text I've put in the system of VX Ace. If you are please tell me and I'd use it right away. It'd make my life a hell of a lot easier, believe me.
Delete"Script Editor
DeleteEditing Scripts
Since running a large game application such as an RPG requires a large number of programs, the entire game needs to be divided up into an appropriate number of subunits.
This application refers to such subunits as sections. The list on the left side of the Script Editor dialog box displays the game's sections.
The Script Editor was designed to be controlled just like the game's database.
Pressing the F4 and F5 keys enables one-touch selection of the previous section and next section, respectively, just as with the database.
In addition, the F6 key copies the term where the cursor is as the section name.
Editing-Related Commands
Right-clicking in the text editor area on the right side of the window displays the shortcut menu.
The menu contains a variety of basic editing commands, including Cut, Paste, Find, and Replace.
Shortcuts key combinations such as Ctrl+F and Ctrl+G work even when the text editor is not in focus.
To search for text in all sections, not just the one you are editing, select Find on the section shortcut menu.
The shortcut key combination for this is Ctrl+Shift+F."
So... use find / replace til done?
The problem is that only allows you to edit scripts, not the database. That's different for every single location in the game. That did give me the idea to crack open the locations with notepad++ however, and I ought to be able to find and replace those bits of dialogue with that. Thanks!
DeleteIt still sounds much harder than I thought. Sorry for talking in ignorance.
Deletehehe glad that helped. :)
DeleteIf it's database changes you're after, use SQL joins and updates?
Alas! Find and replace in the code just destroys maps. It seems manually replacing each line really might be the only way to do it, and THAT is exceptionally annoying.
ReplyDeleteGood to know that the conversion it's going smothly. By the way I found hilarious that the city on chapter 5 it's called Bilbao XD.
ReplyDeleteIt's named after a real city in Spain. Since the whole section of the game will be based on Basque Spain and is basically populated by duck-footed hobbits it was a pun I couldn't resist.
DeleteIs it too late to become a donater?
ReplyDeleteNot at all! In fact I do intend to set up a Patreon soon. You can donate through Paypal at any time right now, however. Any amount is welcome.
Deleteis there any way some donators might be able to help with busywork like that?
ReplyDeleteyou would think there would be program that can convert games
ReplyDeletefrom one maker to another or the games made vx would be compatible
in vxace
*will donate in a few weeks* (2 or 3 weeks I'll be able to donate a bit, hope you don't mind the delay)
ReplyDeleteI LOVE what you've done so far. I love how the first 3 slaves, the ones you start out with, do things that are incredibly silly (torching fruit crates and picking a fight with a corpse for example). I also love the tower mistress's obsession with crossword puzzles. Hopefully you can betray and get both princesses of Sayda in a later build. My biggest complaint (other than where the current build ends, I want more!) is that when you get shipwrecked, the critters seem harder than the next area. Also on the shipwreck island, the first time I played it I dumped the first three slaves ASAP and didn't power them up with better weapons and such, which made it VERY hard when I found them first...
I also found a weird bug. When trying to get everyone leveled up around the same level, that meant that the Overmind was not in the battle party occasionally. At one point, Christie was getting a weakness issue after every turn of battle. If a slave has more exp than the Overmind, will that result in the weakness issue?
One final question, will we be able to eventually catch Rubati and enslave her? Hoping so! :)
Sent what I could, hope it helps!
DeleteJust one question, whenever you do update again, will we be able to get further along in the game, or are you focused more on *fixing stuff with what's already there*? While I would love to get further, if you are making it to where both Sayda princesses fall under your spell (and you get the sweet loving art done from the gal who's half starved and you rescue her) I won't mind either way :)
must be a lot of work to convert all the line commands in the text
ReplyDeletewhat kind of converter did you use,
Cypress! Hey, man, how are you going? What have you been up to? It has to have been, what, years ago since I've seen you on SB! I have to admit I was pretty surprised to find out that you were making an eroge!
ReplyDeleteSed works with regexps too. Apparently RPGMaker forces you to use its UI, which lacks that kind of basic tool, check the first comment.
ReplyDelete