Because of the type of site OGA is we have to be proactive about copyright violations. If we were to wait until the actual creator was upset not only could that potentially land the site and anyone who downloaded the files into legal trouble, it would also tarnish our reputation. That would in turn make artists who would otherwise support us only come to the site to make sure someone isn't stealing their stuff too. There are loads of sites out there where you can find art for games with questionable copyright, what makes this site different is that it isn't questionable. It's important to keep it that way, even if we accidentally hurt some feelings as a result.
Oh dear. Well, I was expecting some sort of backlash but it's too bad that it went this far. Let me explain my reasoning.
I've been into pixel art for a very long time and as such I've noticed some very common logical fallacies that are applied when people use pixel art. (Other times too, just way more often with pixels for some reason.)
If it's edited over a certain amount that copyright no longer applies. This is only true if you've edited to the point where you can put the two side by side and have no clue that one came from the other.
It's mine as long as I place all the pixels by myself even if I copy it pixel perfect so that it's exactly the same. Not true at all, I'm not sure why people think that would change anything. Copying it by hand is the same as copying it by computer, especially in pixel art where you have to try to introduce your own flaws or artistic flair.
It's okay because I got the base from somewhere other than RM/Ripped source/ect. This is most commonly thought because someone violated copyright in the first place to put it online then posted it under a free license. Just because you weren't the one to steal it doesn't mean it wasn't stolen.
I am also a mod at the official RPG Maker forums, and because of this I've gotten very, very familiar with the RTP's look. Your sprite's face and a few other features are the same as the RTP. The shape, a large portion of pixel placements, and even the colors are exactly the same. I've opened it up in photoshop and double checked. It is enough that if someone used your artwork they could get DMCA'd. Because of that, I had to flag it. I don't think you violated copyright purposefully, or that you were being malicious in any way, but it is a violation and the download had to be removed as quickly as possible to prevent anyone else from making the same mistake.
I'm sorry you feel treated like a criminal, that was never my intent. I'm sorry you've left. Good luck with your other endeavors.
I have made a functioning RPG with my own artwork and I can't program. It is possible. If the community for the engine is good enough, you can even customize it a fair ammount, still without knowing programming. However, to do things that way you need to be flexible with the game you want to create and not be picky, instead you use what exists creatively. If you want to be innovative and not limited in your creative vision, then yes, you will need to know programming.
This is where knowing what your end goal is comes into play. If your goal is just to make an interesting game with your wife and share it with friends then you really don't have to worry about learning programming. If you're wanting to start a commercial career in game making learning programming is an important step. Those engines are still a great starting place regardless.
There are actually quite a few, which one you want depends a lot on what you want to do with it. Stencyl or GameMaker are really flexible and user friendly but they aren't well suited for more complex game genres like RPGs. Unless someone actually finished one of those work in progress engines since I last looked, the best free engines for making an RPG are RPGToolKit and Engine001. There's also RPG Maker Ace Lite, but you can't make commercial games with it.
The best place to find information on Mack and First Seed Material is an RPG Maker forum. Apparently FSM is only temporarily down, there was some troubles with his host and not renewing something and they're giving him the run around about getting it all back and online again.
Just so you know, it is not legal to use any of RPG Maker's RTP's outside of Enterbrain's Maker programs. I believe Mack's tiles are original so they don't fit under that rule but some of the sets you can find out there that are called Mack have RTP edits in them so you need to be careful.
You're using the wrong decoration for over the top (it should be the one where the bottom section has no edges) and the doorframe needs to be offset by 16 pixels to map correctly with that door. At one point all the doors and windows and such were set up for multiple alignments but it got a little rediculous and it was decided to skip it and let the users align them how they wanted. That's why some of the items are in multiple places with the only difference being placement on the grid and others don't.
I'm not sure I understand the problem. Elements to make your own GUI are common enough and chess sets aren't hard to find either. Here's mine, it comes with the tiles to make a board. http://opengameart.org/content/boardgame-tiles
Because of the type of site OGA is we have to be proactive about copyright violations. If we were to wait until the actual creator was upset not only could that potentially land the site and anyone who downloaded the files into legal trouble, it would also tarnish our reputation. That would in turn make artists who would otherwise support us only come to the site to make sure someone isn't stealing their stuff too. There are loads of sites out there where you can find art for games with questionable copyright, what makes this site different is that it isn't questionable. It's important to keep it that way, even if we accidentally hurt some feelings as a result.
Oh dear. Well, I was expecting some sort of backlash but it's too bad that it went this far. Let me explain my reasoning.
I've been into pixel art for a very long time and as such I've noticed some very common logical fallacies that are applied when people use pixel art. (Other times too, just way more often with pixels for some reason.)
I am also a mod at the official RPG Maker forums, and because of this I've gotten very, very familiar with the RTP's look. Your sprite's face and a few other features are the same as the RTP. The shape, a large portion of pixel placements, and even the colors are exactly the same. I've opened it up in photoshop and double checked. It is enough that if someone used your artwork they could get DMCA'd. Because of that, I had to flag it. I don't think you violated copyright purposefully, or that you were being malicious in any way, but it is a violation and the download had to be removed as quickly as possible to prevent anyone else from making the same mistake.
I'm sorry you feel treated like a criminal, that was never my intent. I'm sorry you've left. Good luck with your other endeavors.
I would, but I haven't a clue how. It may not be possible with normal mod powers. You may have to ask Bart or Botanic directly.
The only modification made to the original 16x16 tiles is that they were resized to be 32x32. They are no longer 16x16.
I have made a functioning RPG with my own artwork and I can't program. It is possible. If the community for the engine is good enough, you can even customize it a fair ammount, still without knowing programming. However, to do things that way you need to be flexible with the game you want to create and not be picky, instead you use what exists creatively. If you want to be innovative and not limited in your creative vision, then yes, you will need to know programming.
This is where knowing what your end goal is comes into play. If your goal is just to make an interesting game with your wife and share it with friends then you really don't have to worry about learning programming. If you're wanting to start a commercial career in game making learning programming is an important step. Those engines are still a great starting place regardless.
There are actually quite a few, which one you want depends a lot on what you want to do with it. Stencyl or GameMaker are really flexible and user friendly but they aren't well suited for more complex game genres like RPGs. Unless someone actually finished one of those work in progress engines since I last looked, the best free engines for making an RPG are RPGToolKit and Engine001. There's also RPG Maker Ace Lite, but you can't make commercial games with it.
I use inkscape. It feels a bit like a simplified illustrator, in a good way.
The best place to find information on Mack and First Seed Material is an RPG Maker forum. Apparently FSM is only temporarily down, there was some troubles with his host and not renewing something and they're giving him the run around about getting it all back and online again.
Just so you know, it is not legal to use any of RPG Maker's RTP's outside of Enterbrain's Maker programs. I believe Mack's tiles are original so they don't fit under that rule but some of the sets you can find out there that are called Mack have RTP edits in them so you need to be careful.
You're using the wrong decoration for over the top (it should be the one where the bottom section has no edges) and the doorframe needs to be offset by 16 pixels to map correctly with that door. At one point all the doors and windows and such were set up for multiple alignments but it got a little rediculous and it was decided to skip it and let the users align them how they wanted. That's why some of the items are in multiple places with the only difference being placement on the grid and others don't.
I'm not sure I understand the problem. Elements to make your own GUI are common enough and chess sets aren't hard to find either. Here's mine, it comes with the tiles to make a board. http://opengameart.org/content/boardgame-tiles
Pages