A couple of months ago I was in my local bookstore (I live in Japan for those that don't know), when I came across an interesting book -- game programming with Ruby. By the time I got home though, I had forgotten the title of the book. Today, I came across the book, which led me to the the material that it covered: the Ruby Game Scripting System.

So that I don't disapoint anyone after viewing the eye candy, I'll say up-front that this game dev tool is for Windows XP.

Still, it's pretty interesting.

OK, so the tool is called RPG School (RPG Maker in the US?) At the heart of RPG School is the scripting system, which is called Ruby Game Scripting System. For those that don't know, the Ruby language (http://www.ruby-lang.org/en/20020101.html) was created by a Japanese guy called Matsumoto (pine-root or 松本) It has a loyal following in Japan, and there are a great number of books on Ruby.

RPG School goes back to the early 90's and has be released on PS, SF, GBA, etc. The Windows XP version came out in 2004 and costs about $80. As this page shows (Japanese), it can be used to create not only RPGs (see screenshots): http://www.enterbrain.co.jp/tkool/outline.html

And now, some screenshots:
16-bit console quality RPG


The script editor:


And a snippet of scripting: (Apology for the line-numbers and divider-bar.)

I grabbed that snippet from a review of RPG School from Rubyist Magazine at:
http://jp.rubyist.net/magazine/?0005-RGSS
They reviewed it from a Ruby coder's viewpoint.

Typical RPG console game-like viewpoint:


Working with tiles/animation/cut-scenes:
http://www.enterbrain.co.jp/tkool/RPG_XP/material.html

Well, if you want to look at the above in English, you don't have to use Altavista, their is an English homepage at:
http://www.phylomortis.com/html/rmxp1.html

If you want to take a closer look at RGSS, check here:
http://www.phylomortis.com/html/rgss.html

Well, I've introduced this tool because Ruby pops up here every once in awhile, as well as helping to spark ideas for game-making tools.

Cheers,

Now if only someone could include all those graphics with their free game making tool

Looks really neat though.

That is exactly the problem with all these game making tools. Even if you ease the hurdle of programming for them, then they still need the audio/graphics/etc.

I think these tools are more suited to someone who has programmed and is trying to reduce some of the drudgery.

Actually I always figured these sorts of tools were aimed towards writers, artists, and game designers who had a plot they wanted to turn into a game but don't know how to code it. Who'd blame them... learning how to write a game starting from knowing nothing about coding is a herculean task. It could also be used for prototyping the code for a game, but these types of engines are usually pretty specific to one type of game.

Leisure Suit Lurie Wrote:That is exactly the problem with all these game making tools. Even if you ease the hurdle of programming for them, then they still need the audio/graphics/etc.

Well actually Coldstone released lots of content with their "product', and the complaint was that no matter what game you made it would all look like the demo game.

Torque's third party people provide some amazing content.

>Even if you ease the hurdle of programming for them, then they still need the audio/graphics/etc.

As igame3d said about Coldstone, this product also comes with ample game assets. So, I do think that the product appeals most to 'game designers.' The sprites/tiles you see in the screen shot is a sample of the ones you get. Though not pre-rendered, I think they look beter darn good, in a SNES kind of way.