How to use Mack Roof Tiles

 
I wrote this tutorial for my Mack Roof edits which you can find in the October 2013 ReStaff in the Downloadcenter (I also added them to my resource center, where I fixed some minor recolorization/shading problems), but since it is interesting for users of the normal Mack tileset, too, I will post it here, too. Or you can just download the October2013 ReStaff and find the tutorial there as a handy image file. Nice as reference while you are mapping.
 
You need to have my Mack RTP edit (or any other edit) or the normal Mack tileset, which you can get here: http://www.tekepon.net/fsm/modules/refmap/index.php?mode=vx-map
 

 
You can build houses with minimum 3 tiles wide and as high as you like. The minimum height of roofs is 3 tiles. Always keep your tile numbers for walls and roofs uneven and it will work out.
 

 
Hint: As you can see, the bottom roof tiles are placed on the walls. Check the reference sheet to see which roof tiles I used.
 
Reference Sheet:
  
Sample Roof 1:
 

 
If you want to put objects on the roofs, you have to use events, edit the tileset to your needs or use parallax mapping. Editing tilesets is easy. You need a graphic program with layers like Photoshop or Gimp (free software). I Gimp/Photoshop go to Edit -> Preferences -> Default Grid/Grid&Guides to change the Grid to 32px. Now under View -> Show -> Grid you can toggle the Grid on and off. Check that Snap to Grid is activated as well. Now you can easily copy and paste parts of the tileset. For instance move the sideview windows here over the roof tiles. I specifically kept some free tiles on the second tileset for your edits.
 
Hint: If you have a lot of events for decorative purposes, you may experience lag in the game. Use Victors Anti Lag Script to minimize lag caused by those events!
 
Sample Roof 2:
 
 
Hint: Use the Shadow Pen to create shadows for the roofs.

You have to use events or edited tilesets for adjoining roofs, too. Keep in mind to set the events either to Same as Character or Above Character. Some of the walls have to be build via shift mapping (shift key + right mouse button to copy a tile, shift key + left mouse button to paste it). This will prevent the autotile wall from messing up your buildings.
 
Sample Roof 3:
 
 
You have to use the tile 7A or 8A, if you only want to have an adjoining roof on one side. Be careful with big buildings, the width of the pitched roof has to be the same as the height of the adjoining roof. Oherwise it won't match. Sample Roof 3 has a 5 tile wide pitched roof, so the adjoining roof on the right side is 5 tiles tall.
 
Hint: Don't forget to copy/paste roof events, if you have a lot of the same roofs. It saves time. And you can drag events around if you hold the left mouse button down. Great for adjusting!
 
Sample Roof 4:
 
 
Sample Roof 5:
 
 
Towers are a bit tricky to place. They are 3 tiles wide and 5 tiles tall, so remember that, when you plan your building. Especially if you have adjoining roofs nearby. I recommend placing the towers in a way that the tower's roof isn't overlapping with other roof tiles. You can see this with Sample Roof 5.

Hint: If your tower roof is over your floor tile (grass, path etc.), you can set the tower roof's tile passability to Star so that your heroes can walk behind the tower. You can adjust that in the database. You can achieve the same with events that are set to Above Character.
 
 
You can also place parts of the roof behind the normal roof tiles to create the sense of side wings or further buildings behind the first one.
 
I hope you found this tutorial helpful and I wish you lots of fun building!
- Candacis

God, I love these edits so much. Bringing that small bit of XP-style mapping back to Ace. I approve.

If anyone hasn't (for some reason) got the October Restaff yet... what are you waiting for?! Go! Do it now!

Been working on using those roofs for a long while now and I forgot that I can use events... hahaha... this is great...

This is a really good tutorial, full of visuals. I've sort of shied away from peaked roofs because not having the patience to use them, although that's probably more about laziness from me than the difficulty of actually using them.

However, I'd recommend linking to the official site rather than VX Resource to get these resources. That site is:

http://www.tekepon.net/fsm/modules/refmap/

For starters, VX Resource typically posts resources without providing proper credits, and second, Mack has a ToS that they ask to be followed and added into projects that , especially if their resources are used commercially.

Thanks for the feedback ^^

I changed the link to the proper site, you were right :)

Ah, I'm very knew to rpg maker, so I don't know what this is xD Ether way, glad to have found these tile set now, I'm just starting on the main area of my game :)

Greetings.  When I try to put a chimney on the roof, the roof tile disappears and I can see the grass behind the chimney. For normal roof tiles from A Exterior no problem, but with the roof tiles from the tileset no way. Only with an event. Is there another way?

Sorry i'm new to rpg maker.

That's just how the tiles work.  A is one layer, B-E is another, events are another.  You either need to put the chimney on an with an event or make a tile with it already combined.

Hey, the Mack RTP download link is broken

Sadly photobucket made all the pictures blurry.

Should be easily found with a google search, if it's the same Mack tileset I have in my project folder.

(Mods, sorry if this contributes to thread necromancy, but I just wanted to reply to BCj's post)