Learning RPG Maker MV — Journal Entry #2: Map and Tilesets

In RPG Maker MV, the concept of a Map is one of the 3 fundamental elements of game-building. The second Learning Journal will focus on Maps and Tilesets (a Tileset is a collection of Tiles — basic elements of a Map).

Game Elements in RPG Maker MV, taken directly from https://rmmv.neocities.org/

Overview

So you want to create a game, and when you first create a new project, you are welcomed with a basically empty green space. What do you do?

RPG Maker MV Initial Screen — Screen captured from RPG Maker MV

...you need to have a Map, where your character can move around and actually do stuff. In RPG Maker MV, you have 2 options: (a) Load a Map and modify it, or (b) Create a Map from scratch. I recommend (a) for beginners like me.

The concept of creating or modifying a Map is straightforward: In Map Mode, you use the available tools to paint Tiles. You use one of these 5…

Drawing Tools — Screen captured from RPG Maker MV

…(Pencil, Rectangle, Ellipse, Flood Fill, or Shadow Pen) to paint Tiles in the Map (except Shadow Pen which is used to paint Shadows).

Explanation of Drawing Tools, taken directly from https://rmmv.neocities.org/

So what do you use the Drawing Tools with? What do you actually paint? You paint Tiles.

Tiles

Block B Tiles — Screen captured from RPG Maker MV

Think of Tiles as colors you can pick to draw. Think about this from a “Paint” perspective (you know, Microsoft Paint). Pick a Tile, and start decorating the main canvas. The Tileset is a collection of Tiles. We have, for example, a “Dungeon Tileset” containing Tiles that are to be used in a Dungeon Map creation.

In RPG Maker MV Tiles matters a huge deal. Tiles affect Event objects.

Tilesets Configuration in RPG Maker MV Database — Screen captured from RPG Maker MV

Categories of Tiles

There are 5 blocks of Tiles you can paint + Region ‘ painting/marking’ or “R”.

• Block A contains basic, fundamental Tiles, in which Block A Tiles can be further categorized. Block A Tiles are called “Lower-Layer Tiles”. Left-Half of Block A Tiles are called “Base Tiles” and the Right-Half Tiles are called “Decoration Tiles”.
• Block B to E (if available) are called “Upper-Layer Tiles” and these are Tiles that are positioned on top of Block A Tiles.
• Block R contains “Numbers you can paint” to denote Region. These Region numbers are useful to determine where specific encounters with “Troops” will happen. Let’s say you want to “paint” the top half of your canvas with the Number “9”. You then set that “monsters” can only appear in Region 9.

Block R Region Numbers — Screen captured from RPG Maker MV

As I mentioned, Block A Tiles can be further categorized. Block A1 — A4 is called autotiles — one category of Tile that ontains several patterns. A1 Tiles are called “Animation Tiles”, A2 Tiles are called “Ground Tiles”, A3 Tiles are called “Building Tiles”, A4 Tiles are called “Wall Tiles”, and A5 Tiles are called “Normal Tiles”.

Block A Tiles from the Dungeon Tileset — Screen captured from RPG Maker MV

Autotile in action — Screen captured from RPG Maker MV

Configuration of Tiles

Tiles can be configured to set how it will affect the Event Object that passes over the Tiles. Basically, there are 7 configurations possible:

1. Passage: Is this Tile passable/walkable?
2. Passage (4 dir): Which direction is walkable in this Tile? All 4? Only Left and Right?
3. Ladder: Shall we give the impression of climbing up / down a Ladder into this Tile?
4. Bush: Down half of the Tile will be transparent, giving the impression of a “Bush Area”
5. Counter: Should this Tile allow for a distance interaction between objects? Just like a Convenient Store Counter (separated by a “counter”)?
6. Damage Floor: Should this Tile “damage” the Player by 10pt every time this Tile is passed?
7. Terrain Tag: A way to identify the Tile by a Number that can be referenced later on.

In summary, you can paint Tiles. You can determine how the Tiles affect the Event Objects by making configurations on the Tiles. Read more from RPG Maker MV Documentation.

Map Configuration

Map Properties — Screen captured from RPG Maker MV

You can create a Map or load a pre-existing one, but do know that each Map has its own set of properties. Actually, this is quite straightforward. For each Map there is in RPG Maker MV,

• …there is a “General Settings” section which covers naming, Map Tileset (are we creating a Dungeon or a City?), Map Size, number of steps until the next “Encounter”, and looping option.
• …there are settings for Sounds.
• …there is a setting for Battle Background.
• …there is a “Parallax Setting” section that configures a Parallax Background.
• …and there is a Troop Encounter section — basically configures what are you going to encounter in a specific region after a specific number of steps. Maybe in the grassland area, you may encounter a Pikachu after moving around for 20 steps — you can set that up!

All in all, these settings are quite straightforward, and I believe we are given the power to be creative in setting up our Map.

Conclusion

Painting Tiles on Maps can be an interesting exercise on its own, just like making characters using the Character Generator. Besides the aesthetic aspect of RPG Maker Maps, the functional aspect also requires a lot of focus on its own. How your game works depends heavily on how you set up your Tiles functionally.