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WHY DON'T WE USE EXES
Posts
Marcus
436
Marcus
View playlists
CloseSo I've just signed up for this site and I love it. I've been working with a friend on our rpg maker 2000 project for years and it's really close to being finished. So I joined the community and thought I'd have a look around before we upload our game next month.
I've noticed that no one seems to like uploading the games as self extracting exe's. Everyone just puts their project file up, so you can't play them unless you have all the RPG maker versions. Is there a reason for that?
I mean I wouldn't have to download and install rpg maker XP or 2003 if people exported them.
I've noticed that no one seems to like uploading the games as self extracting exe's. Everyone just puts their project file up, so you can't play them unless you have all the RPG maker versions. Is there a reason for that?
I mean I wouldn't have to download and install rpg maker XP or 2003 if people exported them.
Assuming all the resources are included properly with the game, you just need to hit RPG_RT.exe to play them.
As for reasons why we don't use the RM2K(3) exporter, here are some good ones:
1. The exporters in RM2K(3) do not function properly, mostly because they were never fully translated, among other things.
2. Extracting a .zip followed by extracting a self-extracting .exe is simply obnoxious and accomplishes nothing.
3. .exe files in the good old days sometimes happened to have viruses in them, .zips aren't a complete solution but it's a small bit safer than a .exe file in the open (viruses don't execute while they're inside archives).
4. The installers that RM2K(3) create leave program entries in the registry and Add/Remove Programs, which may prove annoying to some users seeing as how small most RM2K(3) games really are in footprint.
As for reasons why we don't use the RM2K(3) exporter, here are some good ones:
1. The exporters in RM2K(3) do not function properly, mostly because they were never fully translated, among other things.
2. Extracting a .zip followed by extracting a self-extracting .exe is simply obnoxious and accomplishes nothing.
3. .exe files in the good old days sometimes happened to have viruses in them, .zips aren't a complete solution but it's a small bit safer than a .exe file in the open (viruses don't execute while they're inside archives).
4. The installers that RM2K(3) create leave program entries in the registry and Add/Remove Programs, which may prove annoying to some users seeing as how small most RM2K(3) games really are in footprint.
Marcus
436
Ah, well those are some good reasons. Thanks. I think I might have to make mine a self extracting exe because if I don't people will get an error message when they try to play it.
I got my copy of rpg maker from a friend and he'd changed some of the files in the RTP, so if I just upload the project file it will try to access stuff that isn't there.
When I download rm2k(3) games and try to run them I get told that I need to have rm2k(3) installed.
I got my copy of rpg maker from a friend and he'd changed some of the files in the RTP, so if I just upload the project file it will try to access stuff that isn't there.
When I download rm2k(3) games and try to run them I get told that I need to have rm2k(3) installed.
eplipswich
2728
By right, there is no need for exes. It is possible for XP/2k3 games to run even without having rm2k3/XP and RTP installed. So long as the creators are not lazy enough not to include the RTP files if they use them.
http://rpgmaker.net/tutorials/10/
This link here would be very good for your info (at least for RM2k(3)). Particularly Step 3.
http://rpgmaker.net/tutorials/10/
This link here would be very good for your info (at least for RM2k(3)). Particularly Step 3.
Dyhalto
7536
If you're worried about casual gamers who aren't familiar with RM in any way, you can always rename "RPG_RT.exe" into "GameTitle.exe". I plan to do that for my stuff. It also helps keep people out of your damn project (for as long as it takes them to rename it back to RPG_RT.exe).
And yeah, include or remove the RTP files as mentioned.
And yeah, include or remove the RTP files as mentioned.
Marcus
436
Thanks guys, that's helpful. I've tried just putting the RTP files into the project file but some of them have the same names and some of the original rtp files have been changed (eg, character sets have been modified and saved with the same name) so really. If the option's there to put it out as an exe, I'll do that.Then people will be able to play it, even though they do have to bother installing it.
I'm trying to upload the game to this site now actually but It didn't give me any option to actually upload it. Just had a box for descriptions and pictures and now it says pending. Do I get the chance to upload the game once it's approved?
I'm trying to upload the game to this site now actually but It didn't give me any option to actually upload it. Just had a box for descriptions and pictures and now it says pending. Do I get the chance to upload the game once it's approved?
eplipswich
2728
author=Marcus
I'm trying to upload the game to this site now actually but It didn't give me any option to actually upload it. Just had a box for descriptions and pictures and now it says pending. Do I get the chance to upload the game once it's approved?
You'll have to wait probably at least 12 hours (or at least when the administrator, kentona, or his other comrades is around) before your game can be approved. Then you can go ahead and upload your game.
Marcus
436
sweet ^_^ I'm really looking forward to it. even though the very last couple of maps aren't done yet and the 3D cut scenes are still being worked on over at the 3D guys house.
Do you guys know if there's a limit for size? all the games I've downloaded from here have only been about 30 meg, and our game is 3 hundred. (owing largely to one poorly encoded video)
Do you guys know if there's a limit for size? all the games I've downloaded from here have only been about 30 meg, and our game is 3 hundred. (owing largely to one poorly encoded video)
There's certainly a few games on RMN that breach the 100MB mark, but I also know that there is a limit to how large files can be before RMN's server just says "No". I think 450MB is this limit, but my memory is not to be relied on with this matter.
*Edit: As long as I'm here, welcome to RMN! Share your creativity with us!
*Edit: As long as I'm here, welcome to RMN! Share your creativity with us!
Marcus
436
Thank you :)
Ok, 450. I'll have to get the 3d guy to remake those stupid videos.
when you pick up items you get a 3d spinning graphic of them, and for some reason one of them is like 130 meg on it's own. ha.
Ok, 450. I'll have to get the 3d guy to remake those stupid videos.
when you pick up items you get a 3d spinning graphic of them, and for some reason one of them is like 130 meg on it's own. ha.
Have you considered using battle animations instead of full-blown videos? You'll have to do the animating in the RM2K(3) engine itself, but it'll reduce size by a huge margin.
Marcus
436
That'd be so traumatic and battle animations are only allowed to be a certain size.
Good advice but I can't use it for these videos. If the game can't upload here I'll use rapidshare.
Good advice but I can't use it for these videos. If the game can't upload here I'll use rapidshare.
Darken
3952
Is the 3D guy unable to render image sequences or something? you can also use show picture with wait commands inbetween to animate at any size.
LockeZ
I'd really like to get rid of LockeZ. His play style is way too unpredictable. He's always like this too. If he ran a country, he'd just kill and imprison people at random until crime stopped.
5958
2K3 games won't actually run without installing the 2K3 fonts and probably also the font patch, and XP/VX games will have the same problem if they use a font that doesn't come with Windows. Also, a self-extracting exe makes it easy for the large percentage of users who don't know what the difference between a folder and an archive is.
So, my main download for each of my games is a self-extracting exe I created with Inno Setup, which installs the fonts and the font patch as well as the game. But then I also have a .zip download as an option for obstinate people.
Inno Setup is a free program that creates installers. Pretty easy to use. I definitely recommend it over the shitty installer that RM2K3 makes. RM2K3's built in installer is actually much harder to make work because it doesn't include things that it ought to.
So, my main download for each of my games is a self-extracting exe I created with Inno Setup, which installs the fonts and the font patch as well as the game. But then I also have a .zip download as an option for obstinate people.
Inno Setup is a free program that creates installers. Pretty easy to use. I definitely recommend it over the shitty installer that RM2K3 makes. RM2K3's built in installer is actually much harder to make work because it doesn't include things that it ought to.
VX (nor Ace by extension) games don't require installed fonts, it first tries to load fonts from its own Font folder and then it falls back onto the installed fonts. This feature has basically fixed the font issues of 2k and XP and thank god they added it.
TheNecromancer
3160
author=LockeZ
2K3 games won't actually run without installing the 2K3 fonts
haha Of course they run, the font just appears messed up. Installing fonts is easy enough to do for even the most computer illiterate(with simple instructions). I think in the newer versions of windows you just right click a font and choose install.
LockeZ
I'd really like to get rid of LockeZ. His play style is way too unpredictable. He's always like this too. If he ran a country, he'd just kill and imprison people at random until crime stopped.
5958
@Link: It's knowing that you're supposed to do that that's the problem. People click download and expect the game to just work. If it doesn't they find a different game. They don't read instructions, and probably don't know what it means to install a font, and might not know what a font even is. You have too much faith in human beings. So I try to make the process as painless as possible for the dummies; just click the next button over and over until it's done, and then click the icon on your desktop.
@GRS: I was not aware that they fixed the font issues in VX, since I still use XP. Good to know, actually. Seems like that would make the built-in installer be a much more viable option, and would get rid of the need for programs like Inno Setup.
@GRS: I was not aware that they fixed the font issues in VX, since I still use XP. Good to know, actually. Seems like that would make the built-in installer be a much more viable option, and would get rid of the need for programs like Inno Setup.
TheNecromancer
3160
I'm not arguing that. You said "they don't run without installing fonts", but they do run and play just fine only the text looks a little smooshed. You can still beat a game with the text issue.
In the case of RM2K3, the fonts it uses (MS Mincho and MS Gothic) are also fonts provided by Microsoft in their Japanese IME as well as the Japanese editions of Windows, so depending on the system you may even already have the fonts in question.
LockeZ
I'd really like to get rid of LockeZ. His play style is way too unpredictable. He's always like this too. If he ran a country, he'd just kill and imprison people at random until crime stopped.
5958
hhhhuh
that explains why they didn't design the installer to include them
that explains why they didn't design the installer to include them
