IGMC: Daily goals/progress thread

The technical support for my music notation software just got back to me with a link to roll back the update that blew it up into pieces. Good, good. I honestly never notice any difference with their updates, anyway, ahahaha! Ok, boss music is back on the menu tonight.

which software do you use?

For the actual notation I use Finale 2014. I have used various versions of Finale since 2006 and this year's edition has been the must bug ridden one I've used since. MakeMusic has fantastic technical support though. The 'b' update they released pretty much bricked the whole program and none of their go-to solutions were fixing the issue so they let me roll back to the 'a' patch. For applying soundfonts, mixing, and such; I use LMMS which is a Linux Freeware type deal.

I use Cakewalk MC(X).  Have used ever version of the program, started off with "Guitar Traks 2.0" waaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in the day, CWMC4 was my favorite.  Am on 6 now.  I can't play much anymore though, so this game'll NOT have any original music.  Which sucks.  But hey!

As for me, UPDATES:

As to the maps, going to knock out the last two, then event the major item collection bits, then do a level 99 runthrough just to see how it goes for time, so I know ABOUT where I need to put the cutscenes at.

After that, it's just writing in the BS dialogue, and final eventing, and the whole thing is done.

I'm pretty well pleased with my progress.

Got so much done today!, very happy. Updated the game thread with new loot; finished the northern village, Nordkapp; added a gold coin icon to number inputs when appropriate; fixed the world map and implemented all current areas as visitable; got about halfway finished with the combined pub/item shop in Nordkapp; added funny dialogue—I love adding funny dialogue!; created the the ingame "guidebooks" that help you out if you need it; wrote drunkard's dialogue—it's worth its own mention!

And things I forgot to mention. I'm particularly happy about the style of the following dialogue. And like the guidebook says: "Important people will always be easy to understand". So this poor chap ain't nothing important, but he sure likes cold coffee!

Just asking, I may have missed it if you said so earlier, are you using scripts for lighting, or is that done with eventing?  I'd very much like to have something like that in some areas of my game, but the only eventing I've come up with so far does not do exactly what I want, and I'm TERRIFIED of scripting right now!

I'm using Victor's Fog and Light scripts in combo :) Getting it done without scripting would be very hard, I'm afraid. They're pretty plug'n'play, to be fair, although I've had to modify them some to play well with displaying images on top and such.

Victor's Fog and Light scripts? Are they on here or  the VX Ace forums? (Just so I don't waste a ton of time looking in the wrong place.)

I don't think so. But you can find 'em here: http://victorscripts.wordpress.com/rpg-maker-vx-ace/

Victor is the one of the best scripters of RPG Maker. But be careful about using his/her script. You may pay for scripts as the contest/event is related to... a money issue. I bought exatly same scripts as yours and it costed $6. But if my game does not nominated... then my precio... whatever I donated him. XD. Be positive.

P.S At least it costed more than $5 as you must use his/her basic module. Then it should be $11.

Ah.  Well, I'll stick with what I got then.  Don't want to do anything that'll break it, ya know?  Maybe next game!

THAT'd be an issue.  I'm looking for stuff what's free for commercial use, just in case it DOES win, and if it DON'T win, I'm golden either way!

Now, assuming things work out and I make a clean sweep of it, then heck yeah I'll get some pay-for-it stuff!  But right now, I'm poor as crap.

So, I tried to just relax a bit this morning before getting into the swing again and still felt a panic attack coming on.

The good news is switching to working on a visual novel seems to have helped a lot (I would've tried making it in Ren'py, but seeing as I have way more stuff for RPG Maker and it doesn't seem like that hard of a thing to pull off I just put together a new project in Ace) I already have three maps for it done (that's not counting blanks that I use for cutscenes and other stuff) and an entire segment finished off. (due to the time constraints of only having a little over a week it's turning quite surreal, though) 

Edit: I should probably ask this in the main thread (I probably will) but should I just edit the thread I have for the new game or create a new thread and ask for the old one to be moved?

Tried to map, PayPal issues again.  ID was stolen back the end of last month during the whole eBay scam (even though I've not TOUCHED eBay in probably 5-6 years).  They cleaned out my bank account through PayPal.  Been fighting to get those transactions reversed and the bank fees refunded (total of nearly $300 just in bank fees).

Have MOST of it back, but $58 in bank fees, and $20 in PayPal fraud charges.

They won't give me my $20 back.  Say they "can't."  Because it's a "lump sum," and it was "two charges."

I say it's BULL$%*7.  *I* Say it's they've been TRYING since DAY ONE to get me to LINK my bank account (like I'd be so stupid after this?  I'm closing OUT my PayPal when I get my money back finally) to my PayPal, and I've refused. NOW they're saying THAT's the only way to get my money back.

So yeah, pretty rage'd right now.

Might can actually get a map made...  Might not.  Getting to a point where I just want to drink myself into a stupor and try again on the way to the beach tomorrow.

Dude... 'hugs'..

That really sucks ass that your bank/paypal/ebay got scammered :/

I hope you get it sorted and get back your money.

Personally, I would be in contact with paypal and threatening them about using social media to inform the public about how unsafe it is. Chances are, they wont want that - at any cost... ( I worked for a similar company for years, trust me, they dont want info like that being spread about online)

Yeah, been voicing my opinion quite loudly on my facebook page.   ;)  Not the first time I've been drained, either.  The PSN hack earlier this year/late last year?  Yeah, they got me there.  And once before, a dude got my CC info at a gas station via lying about their system being down.  That was back in 2006.  So.  Now, I tout LifeLock.  Go buy that.  lawl  (I don't actually have lifelock, it's just funny).

And thanks, I'm working on it.  One way or't'other I'm'a get  my money back.  I'm good like that.

On a BRIGHT note, it made me JUST MAD ENOUGH to get my mapping done (even if I did basically rip off a premade map from the RTP-changed a few things about it, and it's better'n ANYTHING I could have done on my own, and it works out PERFECT for the zealots I have for that area!  GO ME!).

That means that tomorrow is ALL ABOUT EVENTING.  I'm happy about that.  Eventing is sort of my thing.  I can do MOST things via events.  Decent with mapping, when I'm inspired, but EVENTING, baby!

So yeah, ALL PLANETS ARE MAPPED, ALL AREAS ARE MAPPED, ALL QUESTS ARE (nearly) EVENTED.

I've also decided rather'n an OPENING CUTSCENE, I'm going to have it like a Grandpa reading a book to his kids.

Then at the end of the game you find out (SPOILER).  And it'll be moving, and epic, and awesome, and I'll not only win the $10,000, but 1st place in RPGs and the most shared and the crowd favorite and all of that and I'll be rich and famous and everyone will love me and can pay off my house and get a piece of riverfront property and move out there and go off the grid and never have to see people again and grow all my own food and water and booze and everything because I'm awesome like that! *inhales deeply* 

yeah, probably not.  But it's nice to dream, innit? ;)  (I'm trying to get back into a very good mood, because we've got a whole lot on our plate right now, just roll with my humor, even if you don't get it/like it/find it stupid-HUMOR me, get it? ;) )

This is why I do not link my bank account to Paypal anymore. It happened to us as well, twice. I now only have a credit card linked to it as I figure, one the credit card means will still be able to have use of our bank account and two, credit card companies are more used to dealing with fraud like this, so I would hope would be better at it.  I'm sorry it happened to you. It is such a pain in the rear.

As far as my actual progress today:

Not as good as I had hoped. I tried to work on the music and got one or two songs picked out, but then I was having trouble previewing some of the songs I wanted to check out (Scythuz is just too popular!).

I did make some progress on some mapping.

Still running into problems with the crafting script, so I'm going to have to try to figure that out.

I was able to finish all but one exterior map and one interior map I need, and even those are at least partially completed. I'll think about screen shots soon, but for being my first maps, I don't hate them. I even think they may be pretty nice for newbie maps. Getting my maps done has also really helped me flesh out what dialogue I need and what I can have for some nice NPC interactions and "ambient" conversations. I soon will be able to foray into really getting this thing off the ground, add some sparkly effects, events, scenes, and all that jazz.

I was able to clean up the flow in some sloppy passages of my boss music and I'll be able to move it out of the rough draft version and select an instrumentation. I thinking due to some heavy baroque inspired passages that I'll want a string quartet, but that I'll also have a good rhythm and synthesized section going to keep it in with the otherwise rock and retro inspired sounds on the rest of the OST

Speaking of, will I gt to hear mine? :D

Also I love the other ideas! :)

First floor is DONE! Complete with half-naked dudes singing in a shower (You'll have to play to find out!) and crazy chicks!

I'm still tightening up a few passages to make the theme a little more pronounced. I also don't know how long I want to make it yet! 

@Lemongreen - Just saw your question. It's probably what I would do, just edit. Otherwise I would ask a mod if they could delete the old thread and start a new one. I think either would be fine. (Said as a completely unknowing-for-sure non-mod. :)  )

Okay, goals for today:

Crafting script: I got the critical error bug worked out, so now I just need to go back through and take care of a few other issues.

Music: I'm trying again to listen to Scythuz's music, but soundcloud is just not cooperating for me. I will have to figure this out. I do have some tracks picked though, so that's a good thing.

Mapping: Keep working on (aim to finish) the new map. Will probably need to tweek some more graphics to do so.

That's all I am going to put on the list for today. We have a playdate at a splashpad this morning and my living room desperately needs to be vaccummed and other fun householdy type things, so I'm not sure if I will be able to do more or not.

I have told my husband that I have to have as much time as possible this weekend to work, so thankfully he's planned some things to do with the kids. I suppose I should stock up on coffee.