A Character Generator for PV MV, WOOT? (Now with recoloring of items) (apply to generator version 0.

Since I have been using the Wild Steam resources with Game Character Hub, I always hoped that one day, I would find a generator that would allow me to make all my PV resources with one click.


When I saw the MV generator,I knew that day would be close.


Now behold, for that day has arrived, thanks to Saint @Schlangan!!!


So as I'm in a sharing is caring state of mind lately, Here goes a small tuto on how to use Schlangan Extended Generator with PV.


First of all,


Download Schlangan’s Generator, and praise @Schlangan





Launch directly the exe file > a folder “resources” will be generated at the same path. (for convenience I dedicated a folder in my Game Dev directory to it)


On the upper left, click on assets, select > Manage Assets


Template Tab:


You will now need to create a series of templates corresponding to the dimensions of various PV sheets. I will only use the master sheet, the bust 1, the face and the paper doll files.


Mastersheet: 3072x3072


Bust: 512x512


Face: 576x288


Paperdoll: 512x512


Use the X and Y values to reposition the different Templates in the main window.


Edit: added after understanding how to recolor


As we do not have mask file, make sure you create the template with the color type option files selected.





Categories Tab:


Create 2 categories: Male and Female (always click on Update category Data).


In the Parts section, create the following Parts (you might need to add other parts, like coats, or armors for example, depending on how you want to use your resources).


Shadow, Body, Feet, Bottom, Top, Gloves, Hair, Facial Hair, Head, Accessory, Weapon


Make sure to fill the Name, Key, and use the “add a subpart”. Make sure to click on “update Part data”.


Now for the Male and Female categories, Check the box for each part needed.





Priorities Tab:


Make sure to setup the relevant subparts for each Template. Be careful to the order as it will determine the drawing layer order.


Edit: added after understanding how to recolor


as we selected a color type of files, we need to click on add new mask, it will add a Mask color as below





Resources Tab:


Now here comes the meaty part, which will take time.


For each of our individual resources, we need to setup resource Data.


Click on add new Resource


Give it a name, slect the Category and corresponding part.


Select an Icon (Guess what, you can use the Paperdoll file as an Icon)


In the file per template section, select the Template, click on Add, then in File Information, set the subpart, and Import the Resource file. Click on update data.


Edit: added after understanding coloring:


Make sure you select a Mask color when validating the part for each template. If you leave it on None, you won't bee able to use the color options





Once the 4 files for the 4 templates updated, click on Update resource/name/category/part.


Voila, one of your parts is in, Now Rinse and repeat for each PV resource you need, and enjoy an MV style generator working with PV resources!


this is how it looks for male bodies (what I have done so far) @Jesse - PVGames, let me know if the image below isn't modified enough to allow posting.





Hope you like it, Give it a try and if you find other trick for it, or find out the deal with the mask, please share.


Edit:


If setup correctly, you will even be able to change the colors, as the example below where a simple click allowed me to change the Bottom 1 color from grey to Yellow.


If at some point in the process you get an error message referring to a missing gradient.png file, copy and paste the gradient.png file from your Maker MV generator folder


Standalone should be: C:\Program Files (x86)\KADOKAWA\RPGMV\Generator (Could differ if you installed it somewhere else than default location, but in that case, well search for it on your PC)


Steam Should be: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\RPG Maker MV\Generator

This is a really awesome thing. I am very thankful you did a step-by-step guide for it! As for your modified image, it is fine or possibly too modified lol. I am fine with you showing the screenshots with some of the resources because it is impossible (or very impractical to the point of detriment) to actually do anything with the samples included (and honestly, if you have the time and ability to do something worthwhile with such samples, then you should be making your own resource packs!).


Now, I am completely unfamiliar with this program - is it possible to share the custom datafile once you have a database all set up? Or would each individual person need to set up their own? I only ask because if it is something I could do, I would set up a database and include the database file(s) for customers' ease of use (assuming I have permission to do so from the creator of the program). 


Once again, great work, and it is much appreciated.

I believe custom-made sets for this can be exported and shared. You'd have to ask @Schlangan to know for sure.

Mac user here...

It might be possible to compile the application for a Mac through use of MonoDevelop. This, however, is up to the developer.

@Niten Ichi Ryu : Nice tutorial. The versatility of the software makes it somehow complicated at first :)


@Jesse - PVGames : You can indeed export resources with the templates specifications. The generator will add new templates according to the export. 


@taarna23 : I use extensive functions of Windows Form and .Net librairies. I am not sure I can use MonoDevelop to export this. Moreover, as I do not possess Mac, I cannot try it. However I believe Windows emulators work on Mac, and can help using the software.

Addendum:


Now For those who might wonder why I only setup 1 bust file, when there are 8 with variable expressions (for those who want to use those 8)
 


Simple out of the box thinking: make your Bust, file, with your Body base, then un-select the body base In Schlangan's generator, export the Bust picture without Body,(exporter will make a file with Transparency) by right clicking on the image.


Then open your chosen expression bust file in Gimp, and import you "bodiless" bust file as a layer on top, Rinse and repeat for the 8 expressions, et voila!


Also, be creative and add parts in the category tab as you need and see fit. for example, some of the accessories are better made up as a "Belt" part, with a priority above pants.

Sorry Mods if it looks like double posting, but I'm not sure if I simply edit, the folks who follows this thread will get an update.


So update: I figured out the whole coloring stuff (actually, I was just an idiot, simply forgot to choose an option).


Main post edited.

cool beans bro. I was doing another all night run with gimp/paintdotnet and jacked my files with the pv stuff. so woot, now going to try this. anything that helps me crunch time and cry less is a lifesaver!

@kaukusaki glad to be of help. 


Setting up all the resources is a bit of a drag, and takes a while, but once done, it'll be a breeze. GIMP will still be needed to cut/paste the sheets from the master sheet.


I noticed (on my relatively basic laptop) some little perf issues since I setup the resources to benefit of recolouring, but it could be due to the huge size of the master sheet. 


Also if you use the Master sheet, check the other thread I made, where I posted the posture template for the master sheet.

I have set it all up, works perfectly.


Thank you so much, I was a bit worried of creating all characters with gimp.

I am going to pin this topic since it is evidently very useful :)


Thanks again to you @Niten Ichi Ryu for setting this up, and of course @Schlangan for making it! 

You're welcome. I'll think of a system to export templates configurations, which would allow people to have everything set up in one click :)

I've been playing with this for awhile and after the gradients thing I've hit another problem.  No matter how I move the priority layers my bottoms layer (pants etc...) will always show above Feet layer despite me trying with the feet layer both above and below the bottoms layer in priorities.  Hope that makes sense.  It was working fine until I had to delete data file cause I made a mistake and than I had to import my resources.

Not sure what could have happened tbh. What did you delete? Maybe post screenies of your setups.

Im trying to get the boots on top of the legs. I've tried swapping the leg and feet layers order but it always shows legs on top of feet regardless.  Also thanks a million for helping me out dude, much appreciated.  I can still work with the graphics and this editor is really a god send finally got every PV resource imported (for males) and there is so many options and its so simple its amazing.

sorry if I wasn't clear enough. Please post a screenie of your priorities&mask tab and you part & categories tab.

I figure it out dude.  when I went to take screenshot I noticed I had feet below legs in priorities.  Thanks again.

I thought it would be the case :)


Long years in tech support taught me that asking users for a screenshot was the surest way for either understand the issue or have users understand and fix it themselves!

Putting a lot of work into importing each resource, only to have everything gone when I re-open the program. I click "Update resource name/catagory/part" after every import but it still doesn't save my work. It imports fine, I can start using what I've imported- until I close and re-open the program..