Tutorial RPGM Putting RPG Maker Games Into Debug/Test Mode

[SmurfyBlue]

You can manually put your RPGMaker games into debug/test mode by following these instructions.
What this does is allow you to open the in-game F9 debug menu where you can edit switches and variables without having to download an extra save editor or anything like that.

MASSIVE WARNING!: Messing with switches/variables without knowing what you're doing can and will mess up your save/game. Yes, you can just revert it by opening the menu again but that doesn't always fix it.
You have been warned!

This is done by making a shortcut to your Game.exe and adding the "test" parameter as a launch command (I believe that's what they're called?).
Right click the shortcut and go to properties and then in the target box you should have something like this:

(I'm using my Urban Demons Folder as an example)

"D:\Downloads\Urban Demons 0.7.6\Game.exe"

So basically it is

"P:\ath\to\your\Game.exe"

And then you add the word "test" at the end so it becomes

"D:\Downloads\Urban Demons 0.7.6\Game.exe" test

or

"P:\ath\to\your\Game.exe" test

YES the test is outside the "".
That's how it works!

For RPGMaker VX and VXAce you use the word "test".
For RPGMaker XP you use the word "debug" instead of "test".
For RPGMaker 2000/2003 use the word "TestPlay" instead. (

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For RPGMaker MV check out this post for instructions. (

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If you've done that and run the game through this newly created shortcut then pressing F9 while in-game will open the debug screen.

 

[brynhildr]

Thank you. So much.
Basically this means that I can modify, for example, the money inside the game without actually save, then close, then open the save editor, modify and save, and then load once again the game, right? Or I messed up something? xD

 

[Krull]

Cool stuff!

 

[SmurfyBlue]

Thank you. So much.
Basically this means that I can modify, for example, the money inside the game without actually save, then close, then open the save editor, modify and save, and then load once again the game, right? Or I messed up something? XD

Well that depends on if the game stores your money in a special variable, this really only works for the "special" variables and switches that RPGMaker uses in it's programming.

So no, you normally can't edit stats and money with this. This is more for changing/triggering certain events in the game by just setting certain switches to true or changing a variable to a certain value.

 

[Deathdawg]

I am not sure I am understanding this when i open the .exe and choose properties I am seeing the file location and name but not sure where I put the extension. This seems familiar to me doing something similar to Second Life a long time ago to run multiple windows though but again its been awhile so if image works......do I put it on the red or are you talking about the orange area?


Sorry still learning the forum functions so attached the image

 

[polywog]

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[Deathdawg]

What I mean from my previous post was that I do not know how to edit the location path from just right clicking the .exe and selecting properties as that section, the one I circled in orange on the png file, is unable to be added to from the window

 

[polywog]

What I mean from my previous post was that I do not know how to edit the location path from just right clicking the .exe and selecting properties as that section, the one I circled in orange on the png file, is unable to be added to from the window

right click on the (game)exe file, and select "copy"
right click in blank area in folder, and select "paste shortcut"
this creates a shortcut to the game

 

[SmurfyBlue]

@Deathdawg as @polywog and I said, it needs to be a shortcut. Can't be done with the normal game.exe

 

[Adirtymexican666]

This does not work on all RPG maker games. i have not tried 2000-Ace. but with MV it does not work at all.
and VX Ace you can get a crash "Failed to load script"

 

[SmurfyBlue]

This does not work on all RPG maker games. i have not tried 2000-Ace. but with MV it does not work at all.
and VX Ace you can get a crash "Failed to load script"

I have never seen that VXAce error before, so I didn't know about that.
To be fair, I couldn't find anything related to the 2000s so it's very possible that there is no way to activate a sort of debug mode in them.

 

[Adirtymexican666]

I should have mentioned it in my last message. but the game i got that error in was Noxian Nights for reference.

 

[fallenthelight]

I should have mentioned it in my last message. but the game i got that error in was Noxian Nights for reference.

I at first misread where test and debug go.. Old games use debug, newer ones test.
So, "red dragon" symbol as game icon is debug. That worked for me.

 

[SmurfyBlue]

I at first misread where test and debug go.. Old games use debug, newer ones test.
So, "red dragon" symbol as game icon is debug. That worked for me.

Red Dragon SHOULD be VXAce, which means it's the one I tested with, which means that it should be test, not debug...
Unless you mean the orange square with a dragon silhouette in it, which is XP I believe, which uses debug because it's older...

Or my research was completely wrong (which is very possible) and I got everything mixed up.

 

[fallenthelight]

Red Dragon SHOULD be VXAce, which means it's the one I tested with, which means that it should be test, not debug...
Unless you mean the orange square with a dragon silhouette in it, which is XP I believe, which uses debug because it's older...

Or my research was completely wrong (which is very possible) and I got everything mixed up.

Huh, weird.. Im talking about a VXAce game indeed.
Tested 2 so far, funnily enough, F9 does not work yet the game wont start with "test" in there..

 

[SmurfyBlue]

Huh, weird.. Im talking about a VXAce game indeed.
Tested 2 so far, funnily enough, F9 does not work yet the game wont start with "test" in there..

I hate to ask this but... Are you sure you didn't make a mistake?
I have tried it since with a couple of other games and it works for me no problem.

Which game are you trying to use it with? Maybe I can test it with that game as well, maybe it's just THAT game that has some weird plugin that disables it? As a sort of anti-cheat?

 

[fallenthelight]

I hate to ask this but... Are you sure you didn't make a mistake?
I have tried it since with a couple of other games and it works for me no problem.

Which game are you trying to use it with? Maybe I can test it with that game as well, maybe it's just THAT game that has some weird plugin that disables it? As a sort of anti-cheat?

Hey, no Problem ^^Its ofc possible that i made mistakes.

Ill try it rn.. ..So, went ahead and gave it a try with 3 different games, and it did not work with any of them.
if I use "debug" (w.o "" ofc) i can start the game but no F9 Menu.
If I however use "test", it fails to start with a "Script error".

No idea what im getting wrong.
FYI, all games are japanese and not from this site, sooo idk names.. :'D

Is there a definitve way to check for the exact game type? VX, Ace, XP?

 

[SmurfyBlue]

Hey, no Problem ^^Its ofc possible that i made mistakes.

I know, but it always sounds like I'm calling someone an idiot, and I hate that feeling.

Ill try it rn.. ..So, went ahead and gave it a try with 3 different games, and it did not work with any of them.
if I use "debug" (w.o "" ofc) i can start the game but no F9 Menu.
If I however use "test", it fails to start with a "Script error".

How strange... could you send me a screenshot or 2 to check?
Also, the "Script Error" is VERY strange, never seen something like that happen before :| Have you googled that to see if it's a common thing?

Is there a definitve way to check for the exact game type? VX, Ace, XP?

That would make this a WHOLE lot easier, but I don't know.
To be fair, I only dabble in the RPGMaker scene, so there are many things I don't know about.

 

[Adirtymexican666]

From what i have been able to tell the "failed to load script" happens when you run it with test if there is no "Data" folder in the main game directory. which is where the "Script" file is.
normally games without it obtain data from the RGSS file. but when you have a actual folder it uses that instead. it seems test and possibly debug requires the folder to be there. otherwise it won't detect it.

and i'd assume that English commands wouldn't work on a Japanese game. doesn't make sense.
hope that helped.

 

[SmurfyBlue]

From what i have been able to tell the "failed to load script" happens when you run it with test if there is no "Data" folder in the main game directory. which is where the "Script" file is.
normally games without it obtain data from the RGSS file. but when you have a actual folder it uses that instead. it seems test and possibly debug requires the folder to be there. otherwise it won't detect it.

Oh, it's VERY possible you need an unpackaged/extracted game. I always download unpackaged games or extract them myself so I never even thought about that being a possible problem!