Open source RPG Editor

[vico]

Thanks a lot for the kind words, BrotSagtMist!

[zingo]

I'm new here...as well as rather new to coding in general, but I think that an "RPG editor" is a great idea! I've been working through various tutorials/examples, and for me, an "object oriented" or "modular" approach for the many different components of an RPG, (or any kind of game, really), (such as sound, input, physics, events, states, ai, text/dialogue, inventory, serializing data, particles, shaders, etc.) has been the easiest to understand and organize. I've used RPGmaker in the past, and while I found it to be a great tool for "storyboarding" or "prototyping" an idea, coding something of my own from scratch, or building on what others have provided, has given me much more flexibility and insight.

[Tabaqui]

Hi Vico, I'm currently writing a JRPG engine using love2d as the game engine and Java (swing framework) as the editor. The project is going on well: i'd say the editor is almost complete while the engine is at 70% or so (vehicles and battle system are still missing although i've already done the latter in another project you can find on this forum).

If it can help i started by writing the engine BEFORE coding the editor just because things like the map format or database entries can change (and they will) during the process. I've chosen Java because i'm using it at work, but the gui library is old and crappy so, if i were you, i'd try something else (like Electron maybe or some other modern web-based framework).

Since i'm working full time and in my spare time i'm going on with my own engine, i fear that i wouldn't be able to contribute with your project but feel free to ask for help and suggestions.

Another tip: you will feel discouraged at some point because the project is big. Just don't drop it

[vico]

Hi Vico, I'm currently writing a JRPG engine using love2d as the game engine and Java (swing framework) as the editor. The project is going on well: i'd say the editor is almost complete while the engine is at 70% or so (vehicles and battle system are still missing although i've already done the latter in another project you can find on this forum).

If it can help i started by writing the engine BEFORE coding the editor just because things like the map format or database entries can change (and they will) during the process. I've chosen Java because i'm using it at work, but the gui library is old and crappy so, if i were you, i'd try something else (like Electron maybe or some other modern web-based framework).

Since i'm working full time and in my spare time i'm going on with my own engine, i fear that i wouldn't be able to contribute with your project but feel free to ask for help and suggestions.

Another tip: you will feel discouraged at some point because the project is big. Just don't drop it

First: thanks a lot for your kind words and the tips to concretize the idea. It means so much for me!

Also, VERY interesting to hear someone is trying to achieve a similar feat. I even thought in choosing Java to code the editor for my idea, but my knowledge of Java in general is mediocre to say the best; i really struggle to learn the basic from Java (even in formal academy), so i really think in my case it would only serve as further hindrance to my efforts. Problem is that the only other tech that i know to code UI programs is... er... Pascal. Yeah, the old one Delphi (and Lazarus). I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that, but yeah...

[Ross]

If you know something about making programs with Löve and Lua but not so much about doing it with other frameworks and languages, why are you not just making everything with Löve? It's not 100% perfect for it, but plenty of people (myself included) have made editors and other utility programs with Löve.

The people you think are trying to "crush your dreams" are actually just trying to save you time and suffering. One of the most reliable ways to waste time, get frustrated, and ultimately fail, is to attempt a project way bigger than you can handle, way too early. You can achieve exactly the same result in exactly the same time (or less), and the end result will be better if you start small and work your way up. That is the fast and easy path. They don't start teaching kids piano with the Hungarian Dance No. 5, they start them with Mary Had a Little Lamb. There's a good reason for that. It's faster and better that way.

The greatest discoveries and innovations that happened in the world were seen as nonsense when they were first proposed.

Come on, have some self-awareness. You're not talking about "innovation" here, you're talking about replicating something that has been done hundreds or thousands of times before. Some of the people on this tiny forum have already done what you're proposing. What would really be innovative, is if you did a better job of it than anyone else has before, and that starts with having some discipline and humility and putting in the time to build up your skills with a solid foundation.

Pretty much every beginner in the world says the same thing you have, and everyone who is past that point says the "dream crushing" things out of regret for being that beginner themselves in the past.

[ddabrahim]

I'm not sure what is your inspiration and I don't want to discourage anyone but I think it is safe to say that most people here are working on their own editors, tools and engines. So the idea of the RPG editor in Love2D is not that unique certainly more people have done it than you realise they just did not share it. I also agree with that the Love2D community most likely not interested in using your editor and your engine. Therefore contribution is also very unlikely unless you come up with something really polished and complete that worth looking in to.

Even if you target people outside the Love2D community, there are many other RPG makers people can use and you need to consider what would set your RPG editor apart from the others. Just because it is open-source powered with Love2D/Lua may be not enough.

So I would recommend to make it because you want it, you are curious and need it for your own project. Once you have something complete then consider share it to allow others to use it and contribute while you continue use it for your own project regardless if people show interest or not.

But if you want to make this for the sole purpose of being powered with Love2D and for others to use it and contribute, I'm afraid you be disappointed. Regardless I would love to see an open-source game maker of any sort powered with Love2D, I can't promise I would contribute but I would consider.

[pgimeno]

Regardless I would love to see an open-source game maker of any sort powered with Love2D, I can't promise I would contribute but I would consider.

Does Liko-12 count?

[ddabrahim]

Does Liko-12 count?

Yes, it is one I am playing around with right now. Pretty good.

[vico]

Ok, i give up.

I thought i was to face far less haters and empty critics here (compared to other similar communities) - and indeed there was very nice people here like Hugues Ross, Positive07, zingo and Tabaqui that give insigtful advices and kind words, but seems like there some annoying folks here that want to exteriorize their non-constructive feelings even when the best thing to do in the context is staying silent.

If i was to have problems when doing my goal, its on me. I don't need to be "remembered" about it every day. I have similar obstacles in the past, some i was able to overcome, others not. That's a basic rule of life. You dont need to be an A-hole to disrupt another one topic just to say the obvious.

So, i will try to continue my plans in another software, maybe in webGL since at least for that i can count with the help of ChatGPT - while having flaws if i ask an objective question it just... answers, not try to give a moral lession about what i'm trying to do.

[zorg]

Unfortunately you can't control how other people want to react to what you post, that's very far from how reality works; anyway, it's fine to have ambitions but knowing your current limits tend to help too (And YAGNI's not there to discourage people, it's there because people tend to overengineer stuff before they realize oops that's actually bad, and now they need to rewrite everything).
Well, GL in your web endeavors; hope ChatGPT won't criticize you instead of giving you half-baked code