RPG Toolkit 2.20b
author / source Christopher Matthews
version 2.20b
last updated 2003-12-29 15:00:30
Toolkit Zone
size 4,963.6 kb
This is what you need to get started on the road to creating your RPG, the official software itself. Check here for the latest releases, documents, patches and user modifications.

The above site has some awesome rpg resources. If you're interested in creating such a game, be sure to check it out.

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Phatboy ImageSlicer 1.0 by Phatboy Games
It slices, it dices, it cuts things into squares. If you have ever found a good sprite sheet on the Internet and spent hours cutting out each image, Phatboy Games has a solution for you. All you do is simply open the sprite sheet, decide the size of the tiles and press go--it's that simple. You can even preview the tiles before saving to make sure you have the right size.

License: Free
Minimum requirements: Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP
Uninstaller included?: Yes
File Size: 748K

Screenshot
Free Download

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Game Voice Share 1.5 by Microsoft

Talk strategy to your teammates. Talk trash to your opponents. Game Voice brings the power of voice to games, whether you're online, on a LAN, or offline.

License: Free
Minimum requirements: Windows 98/Me/2000/XP
Uninstaller included?: Yes
File Size: 491k

Free Download

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TeamSpeak is an application that allows users to talk to each other over the Internet. It was designed specifically to run in the background of online games. The voice quality and hereby the bandwidth usage is configurable and can be low for modem users or as good as normal phone calls for better connections. Still the client's maximum bandwidth won't exceed 25.9 KBit/s (=3.3 KB/s) upstream. TeamSpeak uses as little latency as possible, which makes TeamSpeak one of the best online gaming communication programs.
TeamSpeak has a lot more features than these basics, but even unexperienced users don't have to be scared. As TeamSpeak is divided into a server and a client application, advanced users can set up a TeamSpeak server, which is so to say the meeting point for the clients. This means that beginners can just fire up the client, connect to a server and talk to their friends. After the first small steps they will discover a whole variety of features that give TeamSpeak a high rating when it comes to voice chat tools as well.

TeamSpeak is a contribution to the gaming community and thus it is completely free for non-commercial users. Please read the license information for more details.

License: Free
Minimum requirements: Windows 98/Me/NT/2000/XP
Uninstaller included?: Yes
File Size: 5.28MB

Related Downloads
Screenshot
TeamSpeak Home Page

Free Download

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PlanetGen by Lance Gharat is an extremely good fractal world map generation program suitable for complete RPG world creation. You can select map sizes up to 3072x1536 pixels. Determine land and islands, zoom level, colors, and seasons. Enable grid lines to delineate major surface zones. Produces climate and relief maps to aid in determining your world features, cities, flora, fauna, and landmarks. The resultant mercator projection maps can be wrapped to spheres for use in 3D programs. Included is a separate companion 3D spinning sphere viewer program that you can adjust the spin rate, viewing distance and select other bitmaps to display.

Screenshot

License: Free
Minimum requirements: Windows 98/2000/XP, DirectX 9
Uninstaller included?: Yes
Limitations: No restrictions
File Size: 6.16MB

Free Download

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No One Lives Forever 2 Toolkit by Fox Interactive
The No One Lives Forever 2 Toolkit includes:various tutorials and reference documents in an easy-to-use help file; DEdit, the NOLF 2 world editor and related applications; ModelEdit, the NOLF 2 model editor and related applications; FXed, the NOLF 2 special effects editor; utilities for modifying music and sound files; LithRez, a command-line program for packing and unpacking NOLF.REZ (resource) files; NOLF 2 Source Code (Microsoft Visual C++ version 6.0 or higher required); sample level files; more than 1,000 prefabs that you can use to make professional-looking levels quickly and easily; Perl asset list generation scripts; a special development-only version of lithtech.exe.; and a completed version of the demolition tutorial mod (demolition.zip). Demolition is an example mod that shows how to replace one of the existing team-based multiplayer modes in NOLF 2 with your own. The object of Demolition is to blow up an object in the enemy base, or defend your base from being blown up.
Note: The NOLF 2 Editing Tools and Source Code are provided as is, and are not officially supported by Monolith Productions, LithTech Inc., Fox Interactive, or Sierra Entertainment. An installation of the game modified by the tools cannot be covered by tech support.

This toolkit is a very large file (134MB) and may take several hours to download via dial-up modem.

License: Free
Minimum requirements: Windows 98/Me/2000/XP, No One Lives Forever 2
Uninstaller included?: No
File Size: 134MB

Free Download

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Added by Luciano:

And for the very beginners, you can use RPGmaker 2003, SNES graphics. But very simple

Dark Basic Professional

DarkBASIC Professional is the most advanced games development package built on the BASIC language currently available. No other package out there makes it as easy to incorporate all of the special features and effects you see in todays games and no other package natively offers the benefits of Microsofts DirectX 9 technology.

Pixel & Vertex Shader Support
NVIDIA and ATI's powerful new graphics cards have inspired us to support both Pixel and Vertex shaders. You have full and direct control of these awesome hardware effects from within DarkBASIC Professional. Pixel Shaders are used to alter lighting and surface effects that replace artificial, computerized looks with materials and surfaces that mimic reality.

Vertex Shaders are used to breathe life and personality into characters and environments. For example, through vertex shading you can create true-to-life dimples or wrinkles that appear when a character smiles or you can ripple shockwaves through a land matrix. The illustration above shows 6 different DarkBASIC Professional shaders in action.

Commercial Quality Games
A lot of developers like to create and then self-publish their games, offering them for sale from their web sites. One such high-class example written in DarkBASIC Professional is 3D Mahjong. The quality level of graphics, sound and extreme playability showcase perfectly just what DarkBASIC Professional is capable of.

Features
All games created with DarkBASIC Professional are License and Royalty free.
All games can be distributed as a stand alone executable.

3D Engine

Binary Space Partitioning (BSP)
Potential Visibility Set
Pixel & vertex shaders
Real time shadows
True reflections
Lights
Matrices
Advanced terrain
Multiple camera views
Particle system
Lightning fast 2D sprites
Polygon collision detection
Bump mapping
Light mapping
Environment mapping
Multitexturing
Bone based animations
Cartoon shading
Rainbow rendering
Low level access of object data
Vector and matrix manipulation


2D FEATURES
Super-Fast 2D Sprites
Mirror, Stretch and Blur
Fade, Transparency and Rotate
Screen-Sized sprites
Fast Collision
Animated Sprites
Gamma Control
Scale Sprites
2D Drawing Functions

EXPANDABLE
DLLs containing FORMATTED FUNCTIONS can be dropped into the plug-ins directory, after which they become commands within the language All components are modular for safe and stable upgrading

COMPILER
Modern design
Creates .EXE files
Encrypt and compress exes
Icon control of exes managed
Breakpoint markers
Produces 100% machine code

INTERGRATED DEBUGGER
Breakpoints
Step Through Mode
Variable Watcher


EDITOR
Project manager
Function folding
Syntax formatting
Fully Windows XP compliant
Online help
Showcase examples
Tutorials

Does "Professional" Mean Harder To Learn?
Not when it comes to DarkBASIC Professional. "Professional" to us means that you get all of the benefits of the original DarkBASIC language, so you can write games with ease. But you also get the lower-level control and extras you would expect from a Professional language. There are an increased range of Data Types, a far more advanced 3D Engine with low level access to Object data. You can utilise vector and matrix manipulation via the 3D Maths commands and many other advanced features that are there if you need them.

DarkBASIC Professional will grow with you as you learn new development skills and extend your 3D knowledge, so you can unlock the benefits of the more advanced areas of the language. Even if you master all of the 1000+ commands on offer you can extend DarkBASIC Professional with your own DLLs which allow you to create custom commands.

All this and so much more!
Even though we have told you some of what DarkBASIC Professional can do - we really have only just scratched the surface here. We didn't even mention the cool Particle System that lets you create sparks, explosions, fire or snow - the new Multiple Camera support allowing rendering to new locations (including off-screen bitmaps), Multi-player support for LAN and Internet game creation - the new Lighting Effects including spot, point and ambient light levels or any of the other neat things that go together to create DarkBASIC Professional.

Product Tour

Build Worlds with Cartography Shop

Cartography Shop is a modeling program for creating architecture and calculating lighting. The program is ideal for game environments, 3D presentations and other commercial applications.

Cartography Shop was designed with the philosophy that ease-of-use and power are not antagonistic. No other modeler automates processes like UV mapping and light calculation, yet still allows low-level access to all elements of a scene. This is a tool designed for the mass production of media, using the fewest number of mouseclicks possible to generate the high-quality results you need.

Powerful Features
Cartography Shop features lightmapping, constructive solid geometry (carving), vertex manipulation, translucent and masked shadow effects, "static" (high-detail) meshes and a configurable entity system. The program exports to: Microsoft DirectX .X files, Half-Life / Quake 3 Arena .map files and also supports new DLL plugins for additional import and export functions.

License Free
Cartography Shop is written by a published game programmer, with an understanding of how hard it can be to write a game without decent tools. The Quake and Unreal editors are great, but involve obscure file formats and can't be used without paying huge license fees. 3DS Max and other modeling programs are designed for high-end production and are typically overkill for creating game maps.

With Cartography Shop independant game developers have, for the first time a map editor designed especially for them. Cartography Shop uses common file formats, is designed specifically for game levels, and comes with no licensing fees or legal strings.


Serious developers have the option to license a special version of the editor that saves to your own file format and may be freely distributed to your users. Of course, using Cartography Shop to produce media for your commercial project does not incur any fees.

New version 4 - More Power, Speed & Stability
The newly released version 4 is a complete rewrite of the editor, with an all-new OpenGL engine and faster 2D rendering. Tested on dozens of different computers, Cartography Shop 4.1 provides rock-solid stability, improved performance, and several new features.

Key Features
Build entire worlds for your games with this easy to use 3D package.

Features:
Automatic UV mapping
Extremely fast object manipulation and drawing, inspired by Worldcraft and designed for efficiency!
Lightmap calculator and exporter
Select and texture objects or object faces
Export .X, Save native .CSM files, or export to your own file format
Stretch, position, mirror, flip, and rotate meshes
Configurable entity system
Automatically load textures right out of your game directory by setting a prefix to be used with texture names
Adjustable viewports
Accurate grid snap - no cracks or gaps in your maps!
Compatible with virtually any game engine
Advantages of Cartography Shop
Cartography Shop is designed with two ideas in mind: ease-of-use and flexibility. Typical modelling packages are hard to learn, and even when you do, they're hard to use for efficient game level production. Cartography Shop allows fast level design with automatic UV mapping, a configurable entity system, and the ability to move and resize objects just by clicking and dragging.

Download Free Trial Version

IGDA have a list of computer games-related courses around the world. http://www.igda.org/breakingin/resource_schools.php

A list of computer and video game related courses in UK universities. http://www.dcs.shef.ac.uk/~steve/games/gamesCourses.html

GarageGames Launches New Version of the Torque Game Engine

Version 1.4 is even easier to use, offers improved workflow, and superior support for Unicode and the Mac platform.

Eugene, OR (November 23, 2005) - GarageGames announced the release of the new Torque Game Engine (TGE), version 1.4, featuring hundreds of technology enhancements, from improved work flow and tutorials, to localization support and editor updates.

Current enthusiasts and commercial users can upgrade for free and take advantage of significant improvements that make the engine easier to use right out of the box, enhance the localization process, and make the GUI and World editors simpler through a new, integrated graphical tree-view. Additionally, version 1.4 features integrated Unicode font rendering, enhanced map2dif interiors, and better support for Mac OS X and Theora video codec.

"With more than 200 new feature enhancements, version 1.4 represents a significant evolution in Torque's power as a game development tool," says Ben Garney, Torque technologies director for GarageGames. "More importantly, this release seals the Torque Game Engine's position as the leading engine for the independent and commercial developer, as it is a true community effort, incorporating hundreds of refinements from literally thousands of active developers in the Torque community. It's what makes Torque so amazing and successful."

The Torque Game Engine, one of three game engines available from GarageGames, is now in its fifth year of release. Version 1.4 represents the last free update, though new licenses are extremely affordable and a major reason why the game engine is so successful. Full commercial usage on PC, Mac, and Linux platforms is just $495, while the company's trademark indie license is still just $100 for developers making less than $250,000 annually. Both licenses are royalty-free, offer unlimited publishing, private forum access, membership in the Torque Developer Network wiki, and access to the company's vast online resources and documentation.

About Torque Game Engine
The Torque Game Engine is a cross-platform, commercial-quality, AAA game engine with seamless indoor/outdoor rendering, state-of-the-art skeletal animation, drag-and-drop GUI creation, and a built-in world editor. TGE also features the latest in scripting, geometry, particle effects, exhaustive documentation and award-winning multiplayer networking code. TGE started life as the technology behind Dynamix's Tribes series and is currently being used by thousands of developers around the world to make innovative games such as Marble Blast, Orbz, and ThinkTanks.

About GarageGames
GarageGames is located in Eugene, Oregon and maintains its mission to change the way games are made and played by providing the technology, community, and market to empower game makers to build commercial-quality multiplatform games. The company is best known for bringing the Torque Game Engine to independent developers for just $100 and as the annual presenter of IndieGamesCon. For more information, visit GarageGames.com.

©2005 GarageGames.com, Inc. Marble Blast, Torque and Torque Game Engine are the trademarks of GarageGames.com Inc.

Grab the full version here!

Maplet is an extremely easy to use modelling tool, designed to make creating 'indoor' style scenery as painless as possible.

Maplet is a 'Constructive Solid Geometry' based modeller. This means that instead of modelling with polygons, vertices and so on, all modelling is performed with solid 'primitives'. Using operations such as 'carve' and 'fill', solid primitives are combined together to create models.

This modeling approach allows you to create highly detailed models very rapidly. It also guarantees the production of geometrically 'correct' models which is very important for precise collision detection and optimal rendering.

Maplet features a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editor.

All editing is performed in full 3D, using a 'reference plane' which can easily be moved up or down.

Maplet also features a 'lightmapper'. This tool generates special lightmap textures based on lights placed within the scene, creating realistic light and shadow effects.

Maplet can export either .B3D or .X format models. Unfortunately, the .X format does not support features required for lightmapping, so lightmaps can only be produced for .B3D models.

Good work also the site http://www.toolkitzone.com/ looks good too.