Gotcha Gotcha Games has just lifted the veil on RPG Maker U2U, a brand-new Unity-based engine designed as the next generation entry in the RPG Maker lineage with support for HD-2D style graphics. The “U2U” in the name holds many different meanings, one of which is “up to you”, reflecting the developers desire to allow users extensive customization freedom over their projects.
At the forefront of RPG Maker U2U is the Perspective 2D (P2D) visual technique, which adds a 3D sense of depth onto 2D maps alongside expressive visual effects, such as advanced lighting. While this may seem complicated at first glance, the engine uses a fixed camera angle reminiscent of classic RPG Maker titles so that users and players can stay focused on development and gameplay respectively.
RPG Maker U2U features a built-in P2D Map Editor, allowing developers to create maps through an intuitive “drag-and-drop” process. Creators who want to speed up the map crafting process can use pre-made, completed objects, while those looking for more customization can use block materials to create their own objects from scratch.
RPG Maker veterans will even be able to use the official materials and 2D assets they created in past titles and view them in a HD-2D style. In addition to materials, U2U will come with over 100 ready-to-use P2D maps to make quick development even easier.
RPG Maker U2U is currently in development, but a demo version will be available to try at this year’s BitSummit PUNCH in Kyoto from May 22-24. You can find more info about the new engine via its official webpage.
