# Workflow: RPG Maker

Open **Workflow** and select **RPG Maker** in the engine selector.
Use each step's **?** button for short in-context help.
This page is the overview.

## Steps at a glance

| Step | What it does |
|------|----------------|
| **0 Project** | Detect MV/MZ/Ace, list JSON, import into `files/` |
| **1 Pre-process** | Optional `dazedformat`, format `plugins.js` (MV/MZ), copy `gameupdate/` |
| **2 Setup** | Speaker flags, Parse Speakers, Project Setup → vocab / quirks / game skill |
| **3 TL Phase 1** | Phase 0 DB → Phase 1 dialogue → Phase 1b code 111 cache |
| **4 TL Phase 2** | Risky codes (122, plugins, etc.) after you audit |
| **5 Export** | MV/MZ: `plugins.js` helpers. Ace: Ruby `.rb` scripts. Then export / pack |
| **6 Playtest** | TL Inspector / Forge (MV/MZ; hidden for Ace) |

## Example: first RPG Maker run

1. Step 0 - select the game root that contains `www/` (MV) or `data/` (MZ).
2. Import core DB + one small map (for example `Map001.json`) before importing everything.
3. Step 2 - Parse Speakers, then run Project Setup in Cursor on the game folder.
4. Step 3 - run Phase 0, skim `translated/` and `log/`, then Phase 1 on the small map.
5. Play in-game. If it looks good, import the rest of the maps and continue.

## Speaker flags (Step 2)

Enable only what the game uses:

- **INLINE401** - name stuck to dialogue on the same line
- **FIRSTLINE** - first dialogue line is the speaker name
- **FACENAME** - last resort from face filenames

Project Setup's `speakers` block recommends ENABLE / SKIP with evidence.

## Phase tips

- Keep **vocab.txt** focused - huge glossaries raise cost and can hurt quality.
- Use **Batch** mode with **Claude Sonnet 4.6** for large map / CommonEvents runs (Anthropic Message Batches, ~50% off).
- On **Mistral** (free), stay on **Normal** mode - Batch is Claude-only.
- Use **Normal** mode when you want live iteration on a handful of files.
- Phase 2 can break games if you translate logic keys - audit with the Plugin Prompt first.

## Ace note (Ruby scripts, not plugins.js)

Ace has no `plugins.js`. UI / menu strings often live in **Ruby scripts** packed inside `Data/Scripts.rvdata2`.

1. **Unpack** - Step 0 runs **RV2JSON `-c`**, which writes `ace_json/` (JSON data + `ace_json/scripts/*.rb`).
2. **Edit like plugins.js** - In Step 5 the **Plugins** row becomes **Scripts**. Copy vocab → game, copy the Ace scripts prompt, open `ace_json/scripts/` in Cursor/VS Code, and translate only player-visible string literals (same safety rules as plugins.js: never keys, method names, or logic comparisons).
3. **Pack** - Click **Export Active** or **Export ALL**. The tool writes translated JSON into `ace_json/`, then runs **RV2JSON `-u`**, which packs `ace_json/` (including the edited `.rb` scripts) back into `Data/*.rvdata2` (including `Scripts.rvdata2`).

Dialogue/DB files still go through the normal translate pipeline; script UI text is an IDE pass on the `.rb` files, then Export packs them.