Overcoming the limits of VX Ace Lite
The lite version of RPG Maker VX Ace does not allow you to edit scripts in the editor. However, because it uses the same engine, it still loads scripts from the Scripts.rvdata2 . As a result, there are ways to get around this limitation, allowing you to achieve many different things that are locked by the editor.
Script Limits
Script editing is not available in Lite. You can open the script editor, but you cannot save changes. However, because it is still RMVX Ace, it’s the same engine, so the scripts are still loaded from the Scripts.rvdata2 file. This means that all you need to do is to modify the scripts externally.
There are many tools available that allow you to do this. One such tool is the Gemini Script Editor, which is basically a script editor that is specifically written for RPG Maker script files.
Simply run Gemini, load up Scripts.rvdata2, and then treat it the same as the script editor in RM. You can now load custom scripts in a Lite project.
Database Limits
Lite does not allow you to change any of the database limits: the “change maximum” button is locked. However, we can get around this using scripts. Using the any external script editor, install a “database limit breaker” script such as this one, setting it up appropriately and then running your game. When you re-open your project, you will have more database slots to work with.
Map Limits
Lite has a limit of 20 maps. Once you have reached 20 maps, the editor does not allow you to add new maps. However, we can take advantage of the fact that Ace uses Data_MapInfos.rvdata2 to build the map tree, and consequently if we can directly edit that file we can insert as many maps as we want.
I use the Map Creator script to accomplish this, although you could quickly write any script that will allow you to create a bunch of dummy maps and insert them into the project.
Event Limits
A single map may only have 10 events. Once you have created 10 events, the editor does not allow you to add more (creating events, or pasting events). Again, you can use scripts to get around this. Simply use a script to generate a bunch of dummy events on the map, and then you can edit those events as needed.
Script calls
Lite does not allow you to use the “script call” event command. If you have an external event editor, you can use that to modify the event commands. As a workaround, however, there are two workarounds:
- Perform the script call in a Move Route command. This one is not locked. It does not allow you to access Game_Interpreter methods, but it is not hard to get around that.
- Perform the script call in a conditional branch. Simply ignore the branches themselves and use the script box for your script call
If Lite is updated again to lock the script calls for both of the above commands, a script can be written to convert comments into script call commands. If comments are, then, disabled, a script can be written to convert show text commands and scroll text commands to script call commands.
Conclusion
With the exception of events, all of the limitations imposed by the current release of Lite can be basically overcome with the use of an external script editor.
I may be late to the party, but in VX Ace 1.01b Lite you can (no longer?) edit events >10. You can create them in script, copy existing ones, or whatever, and save them to your map file – but once in the map editor, you can’t open them for editing. Major event juggling is needed, sadly.
How can I make more than 10 events per map?
You would need to manually edit the data files, but I won’t go into further details since it is not allowed.
I still don’t understand what to do for the event limits… I don’t know what script to use or where to put it… And I don’t even know what these “Dummy Events” are… I’m sorry if I’m stupid or a bother…
Given that this type of activity is not permitted, I won’t go into detail about how to get around the limits.
I was actually wondering what the difference was; hence the description on-site said very little to me.
That being said, there would be little lost between the Lite version and the full version on my end since I’m at the novice-intermediate level with this software (though I am an expert at the PlayStation version).
I have been trying to generate dummy events for a while without luck, I’m pretty new to this, could you make a tutorial of how to do it or something?
Hi, Hime! I’ve experimented some script you linked. But I have some problem with event limit per map. You wrote this
“Simply use a script to generate a bunch of dummy events on the map, and then you can edit those events as needed.”
but how can I script such “dummy events” with Gemini editor? And where?
(I am very very noob :p)
Have a nice day!
You use RM to edit them.
Thanks, I’ll try 🙂
do you know if an external event editor exists?
I've searched, but i haven't found any traces of such a thing.
do you think there is one out there?
I have not seen one myself.
This was mainly to point out that while some attempt to lock functionality was made, it does not prevent users from tampering with the data directly using existing tools. If you’re any serious about making a game that’s more than 10 maps with more than 10 events per map you would not bother with silly hacks like this.
nice topic hime. :D.
there’s many way to rome. even you block one. we’ll find another way….. this topic really describe that phrase well.
in scene battle maybe could use formula box to call script? by putting the method in game battler? then use force action maybe…