Game Character Hub: Portfolio Edition - Why a new version?

[Laugilus]

Hi there,

There seems to be some confusion about GCH-PE. This is in no doubt partly due to my lack of communication, and I apologize for that. I was too focused on the development and will make sure to improve this in the future.

GCH-PE is a paid upgrade to the base GCH. The ground-breaking change is that this version is able to handle several spritesheets at once. Meaning for instance that it can keep synchronized the battler view, face view, walk view and damage view of MV characters. This is not limited to MV characters. VX items have been enhanced as well so that GCH synchronizes the walk view with the face view. And again this works also for future item packs, workshop files (Steam workshop will be supported in a future free update), or even home-made items.

The former version was not able to synchronize several spritesheets at once: they had to be handled manually as separated documents. Sure, we could have released MV files in GCH, but they would have been in a lower quality as each spritesheet would have lived on its own.

The MV files (with all their color variations) are very complex. It’s great that they have so much detail but unfortunately this made the regular edition of GCH very slow. In fact RPG Maker MV built-in generator performed better than the base GCH in most aspects. We feared a mixed feedback from releasing MV files in the previous GCH version and so creating a brand new version was the preferred option and I realize now, I should have updated you all when that decision was made; sorry again. It took over a year of development to get to this version. Most parts of GCH had to be rewritten from the ground-up. See for instance that every tool was rewritten so that it can handle multiple-spritesheet documents (colorize, resize/rotate, character generators, etc...). There have been many improvements to the UI to make GCH easier to use. The layer system has been improved too so that items get inserted at the right place (no more superposition issue...). The new command line tool makes it easy to import home-made resources in GCH, and later to create advanced workshop files.

A lot of work has been put into this version. GCH received more than 2 years of free updates that each time brought new features (see the random character generator for instance). We intend to do the same with GCH-PE. But we could not afford to release GCH-PE as a free upgrade: it simply would not be sustainable for us. Still GCH-PE will receive free updates as GCH, and also all the DLCs you owned from the base GCH will be available for free in GCH-PE when they are released.

I apologize again if you feel there was a lack of communication or if some of my announcements were unclear. We will do our best to improve that aspect.

[Shad2225]

First off I would like to thank you and your team for creating the Game Character Hub, I don't want to sound rude but, If you where honest in the first place , you wouldn't be even in this mess , and I see many reasons why and one of them is the basic one it cost lot of money and work so you don't get much profit of it at final release, and you saw that and I think you where afraid to tell us the truth , because I don't believe anyone that said that they don't have time for at least taking 5-10 minutes of their time and telling the consumer that there where changes and you where going to make a new software , at least to me thats wort it, because I understand the hard wrokt,time and money that this takes, but if I wasn't told on the first place and then releasing the content like , hey we got the new GCH that has the features you want it and now you must pay for it 20-25 enjoy, so obviously thats bad for the consumer that already thought that was an update.

So people that had bought the software they are saying that is practically the same software , so what I saw in the picture and the trailer to me even that you mentioned that there are new features I didn't saw anything letting me know that im actually going to buy something new , actually I see it like many people as the update that the original game character hub supposed to had and doesn't look very different.

And not to be rude but, if you're really are sorry you need to stop making excuses like you mentioned " if you feel there was a lack of communication or if some of my announcements were unclear" thats something obvious that you need to be doing , since many of your costumers where waiting all this time for answers and neither one single message of letting them know whats is going on.

For me I just hope that you and your team continue improving the software , at least adding new templates for monster, new animations ,etc. or even for use in other engines too and most important of them all is that get to communicate more often not like 1 time every 4 months or to 9 months, remember to be honest with your costumers , since with those people who are supporting the software are the reason why you and your team are here improving the software , and with out those people you don't get feedback on what to improve , what can you guys do to make it better, etc.

[Misty_Day2]

I bought GCH and Second story when I saw there will be update for MV. It´s now useless for me.
If you told/wrote about new software, I would keep money for it. And I am not only one who was cheated.
Owners of old GCH deserve hudge discount if not free. Or give us money back.

[LoneWolfLegend]

add in mv conversion between older rpg makers.... bought it and saw mv could not convert to vx ace and older got salty.

[Lord-Xanthor]

I bought GCH with a promise of free upgrade 2 weeks ago. I'm not buying this unless first is refunded as again, MV was promised when I bought the GCH 2 weeks ago. I'm not paying twice.

[MarcusC]

Suggestion. Sell this version at the difference in cost for those who purchased GCH in the last X months. This would address those that bought GCH for it's MV support. Of note, I bought long before MV support was announced so I would not get this discount.

Also release the DLCs from GCH and give them for free to those that already bought them for GCH.

[LoneWolfLegend]

Originally posted by MarcusC:

Suggestion. Sell this version at the difference in cost for those who purchased GCH in the last X months. This would address those that bought GCH for it's MV support. Of note, I bought long before MV support was announced so I would not get this discount.

Also release the DLCs from GCH and give them for free to those that already bought them for GCH.

that is a wonderful idea actually. now for the mv resorces to be allowed to convert between the older rpg maker programs remember there are people who do not have the real rpg maker mv. and they want the resources from it in thier game this gch is the only way to do that. but sadly you did not allow that to happen why is that??

[MarcusC]

Originally posted by animefan232:

Originally posted by MarcusC:

Suggestion. Sell this version at the difference in cost for those who purchased GCH in the last X months. This would address those that bought GCH for it's MV support. Of note, I bought long before MV support was announced so I would not get this discount.

Also release the DLCs from GCH and give them for free to those that already bought them for GCH.

that is a wonderful idea actually. now for the mv resorces to be allowed to convert between the older rpg maker programs remember there are people who do not have the real rpg maker mv. and they want the resources from it in thier game this gch is the only way to do that. but sadly you did not allow that to happen why is that??

I do not have this version yet. But if it works the same, Press G then change the frame width and height to VX Ace's. Example from VX Ace Characters would be 32x32 to 48x48. This will resized them up. If going from a Face from MV to VX Ace change it from 144x144 to 96x96.

[DeadGhost]

Originally posted by Misty_Day2:

I bought GCH and Second story when I saw there will be update for MV. It´s now useless for me.
If you told/wrote about new software, I would keep money for it. And I am not only one who was cheated.
Owners of old GCH deserve hudge discount if not free. Or give us money back.

All of this.... :( maybe 10 for upgrade but really... we bought this for the mv update...

[Apathy]

You still lied to us for a year. At no point were you just honest about it needing to be a separate program. Then you expect us to pay $20 for what was promised to us for free? Don't you think you could have at least sent out free keys to previous owners or a coupon for a higher discount than $5 off? This is bad business and you're hoping that we throw another $20 at you.

[LoneWolfLegend]

Originally posted by MarcusC:

Originally posted by animefan232:

that is a wonderful idea actually. now for the mv resorces to be allowed to convert between the older rpg maker programs remember there are people who do not have the real rpg maker mv. and they want the resources from it in thier game this gch is the only way to do that. but sadly you did not allow that to happen why is that??

I do not have this version yet. But if it works the same, Press G then change the frame width and height to VX Ace's. Example from VX Ace Characters would be 32x32 to 48x48. This will resized them up. If going from a Face from MV to VX Ace change it from 144x144 to 96x96.

I still want an option added to convert so i can convert an entire folder not single files.

[MarcusC]

Then look at the options under "File->Frame Mapping Process". What you want is there. You can even use it when making random characters. If you have already made the character PNGs then use this web app http://www.kickbackgames.com/mvfu/

[LoneWolfLegend]

never mind just got told in order to use the resources from mv in vx ace or older i must first own mv. rpg maker web support told me them selves. might as well buy mv now. no point in bothering with this anymore. legal/lisence bull crap

[MarcusC]

There will be workshop content without such restrictions. Like mine. http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=683882180

[Luigi]

A 50% discount on the RPG maker site is not good. I own GCH on steam not there give me the discount here!

[Esther]

Sorry, but no. This doesn't make it right. Lying for a year and then suddenly realising it as a more expensive update with the loyality discount being only on the RPG Maker store, and it only being 50%. And then waiting four days to address the issue. No, I won't be purchasing anything from you anymore. Not unless you can make it right somehow.