RPG Maker XP Simple Message System 2000

Version 1.4

When I first switched back to RPG Maker XP after becoming fed up with RMVXAce, I ran into a problem with message scripts. Specifically I felt they were all overly-complicated when I wanted to be able to make edits to them myself. The purpose of this script is to restore the functions of the original RPG Maker 2000 for the sake of simplicity, and give room for more advanced scripters to add their own syntax.

Features

• Classic typewriter-effect behaviour.
• Classic RM2k commands, namely...
  • \s[n] Sets the message display pause.
  • \v[n] Displays the number in the nth variable.
  • \n[n] Displays the name of the nth actor. Specifying [0] displays the party leader's name.
  • \c[n] Sets the text colour. (Note this still uses default behaviours.)
  • \$ Displays the amount of money in possession.
  • \. 1/4 pause.
  • \| Full pause.
  • \! Waits on keypress.
  • \> Instantly displays text between \> and \<.
  • \^ Closes the message window without waiting for a keypress.
  • \\ Displays a \.
• Face display with \f[filename|n], or using script commands.
  • Displaying a face on the left or right, and flipping the image.
  • Changing graphic mid-message!
• Text speed and text sound effect customisation. Other customisations include:
  • Fast-forwarding text.
  • Control the way skip and fast-forward behaves.
  • Pause before displaying choices.

The demo features two scripts: the core message script, and a separate demonstration of custom code, including remade EXFONT graphics and syntax, and a name label shortcut.

Download and Credits

Download Demo (v1.4)

Credits should go to myself, Aether.

Also would like to thank, ah, RMVX and VXAce's default script code which I referenced in this script's creation.

Changelog

• EXFONT now inherits current text colour, just like in RM2k! Technically this is an update to the custom code demonstration - it's not part of the core script. But I still consider this a great improvement.

• Fixed a bug where instant-display text carried into new message boxes if the tag wasn't closed.

• Fixed a bug where it was possible to softlock because pauses went below zero by making sure pauses... didn't do that.

• You can now disable the single-message skip function. (Pressing C/X, as opposed to fast-forward with SHIFT.)
• Text can be set whether on meeting a mid-message pause, to fully skip the message, or stop on such pauses.
• General improvements to text speed - multiple letters drawn at once for faster minimum speeds, and reduces to single-letter rendering as the delay is increased.
• General improvements to blip effect speed - blips now only play on normal characters (ie. not syntax) and can be set to skip things like spaces and grammar.

• Initial release.

Limitations

• Right now, you cannot change the text sound effect mid-message. I mostly neglected this as I wasn't sure I could make the syntax brief, and it didn't seem a priority.
• You probably cannot make face graphics and text overlap, as the way face graphics are redrawn would cause them to erase displayed text.
• Also RMXP is slow by default, hence this demo being in 60fps. While I've since improved minimum speed, who wants 40fps nowadays?

I'm not sure if I'll be adding new features to this, except anything to improve the base functionality. The way I made this I wanted to keep core/classic features separate from optional ones, to reduce script size and clutter.

• 📌UpdatedFriday, 14th January 02022