Sim RPG Maker 95

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> Sim RPG Maker 95
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> Japanese banner of Sim RPG Maker 95
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> ### Developer
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> ASCII Corporation
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> ### Publisher
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> ASCII Corporation
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> ### Platform
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> * Microsoft Windows
> * Sega Saturn
> * Sony Playstation
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> ### Release Date
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> * May 29, 1998 (**Windows**)
> * Sept 17, 1998 (**PS** and **Saturn**)
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> Specification
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> ### Default Game Resolution
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> 800x600
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> ### Scripting Language
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> JavaScript
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> ### Supported Audio Types
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> .midi, .wav
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> ### Supported Video Types
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> .bmp
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> *"Released in 1998, it represented an alternative to RPG Maker 95, giving a more simulative and strategic experience in real time, but having achieved limited success so we rarely hear about this tool; but its specifications were used by combining them with RPG Maker 95 to create RPG Maker 2000***."**
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> - Presentation Ascii Network
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**Sim RPG Maker 95** (シミューレーションRPGツクール, **Shimyūrēshon RPG Tsukūru**) is the first, and so far, only software development program serves as a spin-off in the RPG Maker series; developed for the creation of tactical role-playing games, although the name is not a direct translation of the original name which would be "Simulation RPG Creator". Sim RPG Maker 95 was released a year after RPG Maker 95 and allowed users to create similar tactical games (turn-based battle simulation) to the Fire Emblem series, Ogre Battle and vaguely Final Fantasy Tactics. While Sim RPG Maker 95 has retained the user-friendly layout and design of RPG Maker 95, a basic understanding of the new programming dynamics is required to use it correctly.

There have been two recognized Sim RPG Maker releases. A Windows version was released on May 29, 1998 in Japan only. Shortly after the first release, there was a console version released on September 17, 1998 for Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation in Japan only by ASCII under the name *Simulation RPG TKool*.

## System requirements

 Disk drive | CD-ROM (retail box version)† | (none specified)

## Legal issues

A developer known as PhoenixX\_2 translated the program from Japanese to English between 2000 and 2001 and illegally distributed it under the same name, thus finding notoriety as a tool outside of the land of the rising sun. Other lesser-known translations were originally released, those by a certain Holbert and Code Mason which were developed around the same time. Erroneously in those years on some distribution channels it was possible to find a version with the number "97" instead of "95". However, their translation did not work on Windows XP, making their work obsolete. At the same time, another translation made by PhoenixX\_2 was making its way around the world, with the only great advantage being that the new translated version worked on Windows XP. In broad terms the work done by PhoenixX\_2 was poorly translated and contained font issues due to the switch from the original Japanese operating system to a non-Japanese operating system. It also did not contain original RTPs but contained some improvised RTPs and various assets illegally borrowed from some of the sample games such as "Kikimaru" and "Protalie". Subsequently, the lesser-known DrazardX, using the translation of PhoenixX\_2, created a new version of Sim RPG Maker 95 with minor changes and still defective functions, this work was not dissimilar in quality to the latest translated version of PhoenixX\_2.

In 2009, version 1.10 of VALUE! was translated by Elemental Crisis and is still the best known, but it was no less harmful from a legal point of view. In 2018 another translation of this version was published by SilicaAndPina.

## Features

The program is somewhat limited and inflexible compared to other software of its kind. It comes with a runtime package (RTP) with integrated graphics for animations. It is possible to add custom graphics, but it is more difficult than in other programs in the RPG Maker series. Graphics are limited to a palette of 256 colors, and all graphics must share the same palette as the system.bmp graphics file. Files must follow a strict naming convention using letters to designate the file type, followed by numbers to differentiate the file. For example, an image with sprites of a certain character that uses image ID 007 might be named CA03\_007. The first two letters, "CA", stand for "character animation". The first set of numeric digits corresponds to the animation slot used in the animation editor, slot 03. The final set of numeric digits corresponds to the image ID used, 007. One advantage of Sim RPG Maker over others in the series is that it does not requires RTP to be installed to play a game created by the program. Only installing the game is required. However, graphics may only be available in BMP file format, creating larger files than other RPG Maker programs. The big disadvantage of this program concerns the graphic resources, the Bitmap format (BMP) in terms of memory (MB) can represent a considerable burden that can slow down the game.

*The simulation role-playing game "TKool 95" was the first version of Maker for PC/Windows, programmed by Yoji Ojima. Despite the large differences with later products, Ojima's signature in programming can be recognized in many technical details such as the presence of a harmony.dll (in the first version).*

## Gameplay Development

A game typically involves several maps, each with an opening event or cutscene, the main battle, and an ending cutscene. Between maps, players can be sent to camp, where they can purchase items, change party members, change equipment, or check character statistics. Maps can be designed with different objectives. The most common objective is to defeat all enemies or a specific boss. Additionally, players may need to survive a certain number of rounds, move beyond a specific location, or prevent certain characters from dying. Some maps can also be used exclusively for cutscenes, without battles taking place. The maps proceed in a linear fashion, but it is possible to send the player to maps of different orders, enabling multiple/alternating plot forks. It is also possible to send the player to a previous map. You can use 30 event commands to create effects such as discovering items or adding friends during the game. Various editors exist for making detailed settings such as battle animations and character class changes.

Additionally, the original Simulation RPG Maker 95 (the Japanese version) contained a sample game called "Lagunaroku", a full-scale simulation RPG featuring professionally voiced characters such as Yuko Nagashima, Yuko Minaguchi, and Banjo Ginga, as well as providing visuals of cute animals drawn with manga style graphics.

## Specific File Management

Sim RPG Maker 95's file system may be a little confusing at first glance, but it has its own logic that's not very difficult to understand.

In the main game folder, there are four subfolders and some files. The files will have names in ".DAT" format (such as ANIME.DAT, CLASS.DAT, ITEM.DAT, GAME DAT. etc) which Sim RPG Maker 95 itself manages for the developer. Also present are the .dll and SRPGEXEC.EXE files. SRPGEXEC.EXE is comparable to the RPG\_RT.exe file for RM2K; these put the game into operation.

The four aforementioned subfolders are labeled BGM, BMP, EFS, and Map. The Map subfolder is updated from time to time by SimRPG itself during the programming and creation of the maps. All MIDI files used as background music are manually placed in the BGM folder and similarly, all wav files used to recreate sound effects are placed in the EFS folder.

The BMP folder contains all the graphic files used by the tool for game development and are followed by a unique identifying name (BACK, UNIT, etc.) and a progressive identifying number (XXX indicates a number) separated in the name by a hyphen Bass. Below are the names of the files managed by the tool:

1. BACK\_XXX.bmp: All graphics files identified as battle backgrounds must be renamed to BACK. It should be 640 (width) x 320 (height, in pixels). XXX is the number that will be displayed when selected in the geology editor.
2. UNIT\_XXX.bmp: This is the battle map representation of a unit (PC, NPC and Enemy). whose identification number XXX will be selected for the unit class in the class editor. A Unit file should be 192 (width) x 320 (height) and have five rows of three images each. The top line is the character's standing animation; the next four move up, right, down and left respectively.
3. CAYY\_XXX.bmp: This is a very important file and is often the most difficult to manage, it represents the images used to form battle animations (CA stands for "Character Animation"). The file must be 192 pixels tall and 192 pixels wide for each frame (there are a maximum of 12 frames). However, not every image can be used for every animation, and not every animation can be used for every character. Each CA file can only be used for animation number YY. However, the YY animation number is defined only once. Not once for each image, once for all CAYY\_???.bmp where YY is the same. So, an animation is generally used with similar images to produce similar effects. Sim RPG Maker 95 supports up to 80 animations. The number XXX is used only by the specified class. If a class has unit graph #XXX, that class can only use animations that are denoted by CA??\_XXX. Images that are to be used as animations for that class should then end with that number, called "Graphic #" in the class editor. So, XXX for a unit image and XXX for a character animation should be the same if the two images are meant to go together. This obviously represents a saving of time and space to use similar graphics for all classes that use the same animations.
4. FACE\_XXX.bmp: Represents the image files of the faces of the game's protagonists. Each should be 128 x 128 pixels.
5. MAGA\_XXX.bmp: Just like character animations, they should be 192 tall and 192 wide for each frame, for a maximum of 12 frames. The number XXX is just the magic animation the image is used for. Magic animations are separate from character animations.
6. MAPC\_XXX.bmp: These file types represent the game's map tile sets. They should be 384 wide x 1024 high. The map tiles in Sim RPG Maker 95 are 32x32. The top left tile corresponds to the top quarter of the right half of the image. Likewise, the tiles on the top row, next to the leftmost one, correspond to the top center quarter of the right half of the image. The third and fourth tiles on the top row correspond to the third and fourth quarters in the right half of the image. Managing such files is not at all simple and many makers have found great difficulties at the beginning of their programming.

In addition to the main types of graphic files, there are some specific ones, such as:

* GAMEOVER.BMP is displayed when the game ends or when you lose the challenge. (640 wide x 480 high);
* TITLE.BMP is displayed on the title screen. (640 wide x 480 high);
* SYSTEM.BMP is the system graphics that collects, letters, numbers, boxes etc. (256 wide x 320 high);
* SFRAME\_H.BMP are the bars at the top and bottom of the screen when the player is on map. (640 wide x 64 high);
* SFRAME\_V.BMP have the same function as the previous ones, but only on the sides of the screen (H for horizontal, V for vertical). (64 wide x 448 high);
* TELOP1.BMP appears at the start of the player's turn. (All TELOP files that are generally 512 wide x 96 tall, but some margin for editing is allowed);
* TELOP2.BMP is the graphics file shown at the beginning of the enemy turn;
* TELOP3.BMP is the complete graphics map.

These are all types of graphics files and they all follow the following rules:

1. PURE black corresponds to the transparent area;
2. Sim RPG Maker uses only 256 color graphics.

## Differences and numbers

Although the name includes the word RPG Maker, there are clear differences with the main series and for many makers (at their first approach with this tool) the programming experience is therefore a bit alienating when using SRPG95 compared to the well-known versions by Maker. The program has never been particularly popular among developers and has often been described as inflexible. The number of games published is very small in the world, but in Japan, this number is even lower.

## Notable games

List of games developed with Sim RPG Maker 95:

* Kikumaru no Bouken
* Prot a Lie
* Gouketsu-tachi no Tasogare
* Ragnarök
* Unjou-Ou
* Koutou Gakkou Kyougi Kenjutsu Sekai Taikai
* Ekushiido

## References

1. ↑ http://asciinetwork.com/simrpg.htm
2. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire\_Emblem< /ref>, Langrisser<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langrisser
3. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogre\_Battle
4. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final\_Fantasy\_Tactics
5. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sega\_Saturn
6. ↑ https: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation
7. ↑ https://galaxiarpgmaker.123.st/f47-jogos-completos-sim-rpg-maker-97 -e-rpg-maker-95
8. ↑ https://tacticsturnsbrasil.wordpress.com/2010/02/16/sim-rpg-maker-97/
9. ↑ https:/ /rpgcrisis.net/index.php?page=srpg95
10. ↑ https://www.makerpendium.de/index.php/Simulation\_RPG\_TKool\_95
11. ↑ https://rpgmaker.net/engines/srm95/
12. ↑ http://rpgmaker2000.narod.ru/faq/simrpgfaq.txt
13. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `:02`

## External links

* Sim RPG Maker 95 on RPG Maker Italia Wiki
* Simulation RPG Maker 95 on Enterbrain Corporation (archived).