Map Designing is a very important part in your RPG game. The maps are made up with many different graphics, which we call Chipsets. You can import your own Chipsets in the Database. Check out the other tutorial to find out how to.

Once you are at the map design, you will have all ocean. If you look to the left, you'll see graphics you can choose from. You need to put thoses graphics from the left to make a game on the right.

First, we need to set the graphics, or Chipsets. Right-click on the MAP0001 folder under the graphics box to the left and choose Map Properties. You will get a window that looks like this.



Most of the stuff here is common sense; you can change the name of the map and the size and stuff. We want to get our custom Chipset on here. Since we already imported it from the Database, we should be able to select it from the "Tileset" box. Do so and exit out. (NOTE: For this tutorial, I am going to use the default map graphic "Town".)

Now, you need to place land. I am going to make an outside town, so I need grass. Find the grass graphics and fill the water with it. To fill, select the "Flood Fill Map Elements" button above the graphics. After you fill it, select the "Place Map Elements Freehand" button again.

Now, we should add some houses; so, find a house graphic. Put together the house using the pieces of graphics, then look at it. Is it good? If so, then you're ready.

NOTE: The three buttons at the top () are used to set the land. The first one is the flat land (Grass, snow, some pieces of stuff) the second one is objects, and the third one is events.

Now, choose the "Select Map Elements" button, just left of the "Fill" button. Select the house (Exact deminsions) and press CTRL+C to copy it. Then, press CTRL+V to paste the house in a couple different locations. Once your done, click back on the "Freehand" button.

Now, we need to lable the houses. You should have signs that say "Inn" and "Pub" on them; use them to lable some of the houses. Your map should look something like this. (This was zoomed out 1/2)



Now, we need to make the own look move alive. Let's add water. Add a rive running through your town. Be sure to add bridges (or grass) so you can walk across town. Also, add some things so your town doesn't look plain. Experiment with the many things, find some more Chipsets, and add them in; the better your maps are, the better your game is. Also, please add dirt trails through the houses. It makes the town look like people have actually been through it.



That is all for this Part. In the next part, I will show you how events work. Events are the hardest part of creating a game, but the most important, too. You will also be able to add NPC's (Non-playable Characters) to your game. Hope this tutorial helped you.

Thanks alot!This really helps me .

Thanks a lot! Have you ever used Game Maker ? THere's a program I'd like to see some tutorials for..

Very nice. I'm a bit of a veteran in rpgmaker2000 (I don't much like xp though...) and I can personally say that this will work well for newbies that are confused with the setup. Nice use of pictures.

[edit] Would you be offended if I made a few about the switches and variables, or the character creation? I don't know if you're claiming rpgmaker as your tutorial territory or not, since this one seems to mainly be about the map setup.

Game maker is easier, RPG maker is better...(i hope i will learn to work with it, but there isnt many good tutorials like that )

That is one of the sweetest things ive seen.. looks kinda like Runscape. makes me whanna make my own runscape game:-) thanks!

It came to the most interesting part, and...?
where is part 3?

I have a problem. When I make a game, and try to test it, it says I have to set a starting party position. How do I do that?

To put the starting point you go to event layer editing mode right click and
It will say place party starting point.

-Sell58