Original Source
- Original title: Alternative to registering and loading fonts with installers on XP
- Original author: Hyperly
- Original date: January 25, 2021
- Source thread: https://forums.rpgmakerweb.com/threads/alternative-to-registering-and-loading-fonts-with-installers-on-xp.132643/
- Source forum path: Game Development Engines > RPG Maker Tutorials > RMXP Tutorials
Summary
Distributing your game with Automatic font registering/installing for RMXP With RMXP fonts don't automatically load when you drag it in the Fonts folder, you have to get it to install to the user's machine. Several people have already made helpful tutorials for how to install and load fonts with distributed XP programs, but in my opinion most of these methods aren't very convenient for users/players and feel somewhat awkward. This tutorial is for RMXP, since VXAce and above can load the fonts automatically in the Fonts folder. However, this tutorial...
Archived First Post
Automatic font registering/installing for RMXP
With RMXP fonts don't automatically load when you drag it in the Fonts folder, you have to get it to install to the user's machine. Several people have already made helpful tutorials for how to install and load fonts with distributed XP programs, but in my opinion most of these methods aren't very convenient for users/players and feel somewhat awkward.
This tutorial is for RMXP, since VXAce and above can load the fonts automatically in the Fonts folder. However, this tutorial mostly involves working outside of RMXP.
Problems and Counter-Arguments:
- Problem: Similar to Wachunga's font script this one requires you to be an Admin user on your PC.
- Argument: If you try downloading Deltarune or like any other program without being Admin on your computer it won't let you lol, so realistically anyone downloading a game should already have admin on their PC. Unlike Wachunga's script, this method doesn't do anything in-game and doesn't rely on scripts. Nor does it require the game to restart to load the fonts. Not only that, the fonts will only be loaded from the game so it won't show up in the Fonts Control Panel.
- Problem: Zeriab's font launcher tool already does this from the game itself and doesn't require the game to be deployed through an installer.
- Argument: Having to setup multiple launchers and run two executables just to load fonts seems unecessary for a game and even a normal program. If you really need your game to work for standard non-admin users, then Zeriab's script would be the best one out there, but realistically most distributed programs load the font through the installer, not the program itself.
- Advanced Installer Standard (Free)
- First in RPG Maker XP you should compress your game and leave it as a folder if you haven't already. Be sure to tick "Create Encrypted Archive" on then open that archive when it finishes.
- Once you have Advanced Installer downloaded, open it and select Generic Installer Project on the bottom. Be sure to select Simple/Standard since it's the free version.
- Once you've setup your project, go under Resources in Files and Folders and locate the folder where you store your game's fonts. Usually just called Fonts. Open it and then double click on the font(s) you want to add. It should open an Edit File window. Click tick Register font on.
DO NOT enter anything into Registration name if your file is a .TTF, just leave it empty.
- Next, while still in Files and Folders go to Windows Volume > Windows > Fonts and put a copy of the game's font in there. This step comes from an older tutorial before auto font registering was added so it might not be necessary.
- Lastly go to Builds and Package Type and set it to either Single MSI (resources inside) or Single EXE setup (resources inside). I'd recommend testing with Single EXE setup since that's the one I've used the most. Click build on the top left, and run the setup to test it. You should be able to grab the setup file in the project folder.
I won't be showing how to get a certificate and not be an unknown publisher, nor will I show how to do anything else related to the installer. If you need more help with it use a video tutorial on Advanced Installer.
There are other installer creators out there that you could use, such as WiX Toolset (Complex), Inno Setup (Doesn't support .msi), and InstallShield (Expensive as heck), but AdvancedInstaller seems to be the most convenient and user-friendly for setting this up.
I don't know why people consider requiring the user to be administrator a problem, when almost every program requires the user to be administrator on windows to even install anything.
If you want to allow standard user's to play your game you can release a .zip download of the game next to the .exe/.msi installer, but they'll have to manually install the fonts. I mostly made this because some people installing my game couldn't figure out why the fonts weren't showing up properly.
I personally recommend not using Wachunga's script as it can loop close the game and prevent the user from even opening it if they don't have admin or don't run as admin.
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