BIG things are happening in the world of RPG in a Box!
As seen in Stumpy's Wonderful Winter Sale announcement, a HUGE update just dropped! RPG in a Box is growing and expanding faster than ever. Whether you've just discovered RPG in a Box or have used it since it first arrived over 10 years ago - it's time to start building, exploring, and embarking on adventures together as a community, for a new era is beginning! 🙌
You can view the full release notes for v1.3.5 here:
https://rpginabox.com/forum/d/1552-release-notes-for-v135
Continue below for an overview of the major new features in this release!
Playsets
What exactly is a playset, you ask? A playset is a reusable structure or layout made up of multiple assets, like a house, a garden, or a dungeon room. Build it once, store it as a playset, then easily place it with one click! In the initial release of playsets, they can be created in the Map Editor and, if desired, shared to the Steam Workshop for others to download and use in their game!
You can check out a couple of examples on the workshop below. The first is a classroom that Sarah created from her school asset pack, and the second is a small house that I made for Acorn Collect. Once subscribed to a playset, you can import it directly into your game project from the Asset Library!
View game pageView game pageThe playset feature will bring other functionality to future updates as a result of being implemented, for example the ability to copy/paste/move groups of assets already placed into a map, and even for use with procedural generation of maps!
For more info about how playsets work, check out the official guide below:
https://rpginabox.com/docs/doku.php?id=playset
Multiplayer (Playing at the Arcade)
This update also brings the initial release of multiplayer support to RPG in a Box with the addition of the Arcade, Acorn Collect (an official game in which you compete in a timed match to collect the most acorns), and the Multiplayer Obby Starter project template for helping get started with your own game!
Arcade
The Arcade is where you can play multiplayer Steam Workshop adventures with the community! It's central to the "Play Games Together" aspect of multiplayer in RPG in a Box. Once you've added a multiplayer game to your collection by subscribing to it on the Steam Workshop, you can open an arcade and select the game to play.
The Arcade works similar to the Inn, in that it acts as a lobby that others can join. Arcades can be opened either as public or friends only. Keep an eye out for additional updates coming soon that will continue to expand the capabilities of multiplayer games and playing your own creations with others!
For more info about how the Arcade works, check out the official guide below:
https://rpginabox.com/docs/doku.php?id=arcade
Acorn Collect
Acorn Collect is an official multiplayer RPG in a Box game! The game is currently in beta, with one mode/map available. The “Classic” mode consists of a timed match in which everyone competes to collect the most acorns. Each round, acorns will appear in random locations throughout the map. Some will be easily accessible, while others are more hidden or difficult to reach, and can sometimes even be discovered when interacting with the environment!
View game pageFor more info about Acorn Collect, check out the official guide below:
https://rpginabox.com/docs/doku.php?id=acorn_collect
Obstacle Course Starter Template
The best way to get started with creating your own multiplayer game is through the Multiplayer Obby Starter template that's now included with RPG in a Box. This template is available when starting a new project (i.e. “Start a New Adventure”) from the Game Manager. It's a bare bones multiplayer game in which players race through an obstacle course while attempting to reach the flag before everyone else. It's completely functional as is, with no additional set up needed - simply use it as a starting point and customize it as desired!
If you'd like to check out the game before starting a project, you can subscribe to it on the Steam Workshop here and play it using the Arcade feature.
For more info about how multiplayer works and which functionality is currently supported, check out the official guide here: https://rpginabox.com/docs/doku.php?id=multiplayer
Multiplayer (Collaborating at the Inn)
Did you know that you can open an inn and chat with your Steam friends directly within RPG in a Box? Not only that, but you can also now share project files with each other! Simply right-click on an asset and choose "Share to Inn". Others in the inn can then download the file directly into their project. Besides chatting and sharing files, you'll also get notifications when someone starts playing a workshop game, with a clickable link that goes to the game's workshop page!
The Inn feature is central to the "Make Games Together" aspect of multiplayer in RPG in a Box. Keep an eye out for additional updates coming very soon that will make collaborating on game projects with your friends even easier!
For more info about the Inn works, check out the official guide below:
https://rpginabox.com/docs/doku.php?id=inn
Custom Collision Per Frame
Creating custom collision per model frame, a commonly requested feature, is now supported! This is useful for animated models where the collision needs to be significantly different between each frame, for example, a gate or trapdoor that opens. It should be particularly helpful for free movement games where the player has more direct interaction with the environment!
In-Game UI Scaling
A new "UI Scale" setting is now available in-game so players can adjust the size of their UI (e.g. widgets and other interface elements). This will provide a better experience across different screen resolutions, as the player will be able to enlarge or scale down the UI to best fit their display.
Stat Option for Sprinting
Sprinting is a mechanic available in free movement mode where the player can hold down the Shift key (or other custom binding) in order to run faster than normal. This update adds support for assigning a custom stat (e.g. stamina) that's automatically consumed while sprinting. This can even be easily tied to a progress bar on a widget to show the player how much stamina they have left, like in Acorn Collect!
Winter Sale: 82% Off!
And in case you missed it, Stumpy is holding a Wonderful Winter Sale, with a HUGE discount of 82% off! BIG things are happening throughout the world of RPG in a Box and it's growing faster than ever, so don't miss this chance to grab it at this super low price while you can! The sale runs until January 5th.
View game page
As always, thank you so much for your continued support! 💖
Comment below and let me know what features/improvements you'd like to see added to RPG in a Box!
