Message Control Plugin v2.0.1 for MZ

Message Control Plugin for RPG Maker MZ - Change Text Window Color

Hey RPG Makers!

This update to the Message Control plugin by McKathlin vastly expands the features available for RPG Maker MZ’s Show Text message windows! You can now change the window color, size, text alignment, position, and number of lines of text in each window, and create pre-sets of your favorites!

Get Message Control MZ at the Downloads Page

In this post, we will cover:

Overview of New Features in Message Control MZ

New Message Control features include:

  • Change the Show Text window color!
  • Change the Show Text window size (width and number of lines).
  • Change the Show Text window text alignment.
  • Change the Show Text window position: If the window’s width is less than the size of the screen, the window can be positioned to the left or right side of the screen, or in the center.
  • Support for more than 4 lines appearing in the Show Text window!
Message Control allows changing the Show Text window's color, width, text alignment, number of lines, and other text settings.
Message Control allows changing the Show Text window’s color, width, text alignment, number of lines, and other text settings.

And of course, word wrap can still be toggled on and off, and works perfectly no matter the size of the window!

You can also create your own list of Show Text pre-sets, so that you can easily change the windows throughout your game and maintain a consistent window appearance. You can have as many Show Text pre-sets as you like!

How to Install the Message Control MZ Plugin

  1. Download the file, and unzip it.
  2. Make sure the unzipped file is named McKathlin_MessageControl.js and is saved as a .js file.
  3. Open the file folder of your project. Place the file in your project’s “js” folder, within the “plugins” folder.
  4. Open your project in RPG Maker MZ, then go to the Tools menu and select Plugin Manager. Use the Plugin Manager to add and activate the plugin.
  5. I recommend you place this plugin toward the bottom of your plugin list, so it has high priority.

Message Window Styles as Pre-sets

The Message Control plugin is perfect for so many types of messages!

You can use Message Control to define text window pre-sets, each with different text settings. This allows you to easily reproduce windows of your defined styles for any Show Text command!

Message Window Styles

Message windows, produced using the Show Text event command, have many style options, thanks to the Message Control MZ plugin by McKathlin! Message window options include:

Centered Text

Centered text for exposition of the story, or for poetry!

In this example, a dim window is used with custom width, 16 lines of text, and alignment centered. Also, the Hard Edge setting is active, so there is not a gradient at the top and bottom of the dim window.
In this example, a dim window is used with custom width, 16 lines of text, and alignment centered. Also, the Hard Edge setting is active, so there is not a gradient at the top and bottom of the dim window.

Change Window Color

Change the window color depending on who is speaking, the time of day, or for any other reason you choose! This can also be used to allow the player to choose the default color of Show Text windows!

You can make certain messages a different color, depending on what is happening in your game's story. In this example, the event is using a blue window color at night.
You can make certain messages a different color, depending on what is happening in your game’s story. In this example, the event is using a blue window color at night.
In this example, the message window width has been decreased, color has been changed to red, and text aligns to the right side of the window.
In this example, the message window width has been decreased, color has been changed to red, and text aligns to the right side of the window.

Adaptive Window Positioning

Adapt the window’s position to top or bottom depending on the location of the event on the screen! This is great for townspeople wandering around a map!

Use the Adaptive Positioning option in a pre-set to allow windows on the bottom to automatically re-position themselves to the top (or vice versa) to avoid covering the player or the active event. This is great for townspeople who wander around a map!
Use the Adaptive Positioning option in a pre-set to allow windows on the bottom to automatically re-position themselves to the top (or vice versa) to avoid covering the player or the active event. This is great for townspeople who wander around a map!
Use the Adaptive Positioning option in a pre-set to allow windows on the bottom to automatically re-position themselves to the top (or vice versa) to avoid covering the player or the active event. This is great for townspeople who wander around a map!
Use the Adaptive Positioning option in a pre-set to allow windows on the bottom to automatically re-position themselves to the top (or vice versa) to avoid covering the player or the active event. This is great for townspeople who wander around a map!

Use the Adaptive Positioning option in a pre-set to allow windows on the bottom to automatically re-position themselves to the top (or vice versa) to avoid covering the player or the active event. This is great for townspeople who wander around a map!

Show Text Instantly

Allow certain message windows to show text instantaneously! This is great for signs, books, or engravings that you want to appear as if they are always present (instead of gradually appearing like spoken dialogue).

Remove Window Margins

If you like, you can remove the margin at the edges of windows!

Word Wrap

Word wrapping still works for regular text windows! You can have some Show Text windows utilizing word wrap, and others without word wrap.

Now, you can also choose whether to use word wrap for the help window that displays item descriptions! This option is available in the global plugin parameters.

Disable Gradient Back Panels

This is a global option available in the plugin parameters. Choose whether to show gradient back panels behind selectable options in menus and choice lists!

Message Window Style Pre-sets

Window style pre-sets allow you to easily use your favorite customizations of the appearance of the Show Text window for RPG Maker MZ. You can define your window style pre-sets in the plugin parameters, which will allow you to use a style pre-set anytime with a plugin command.

To define a message window style pre-set, go to the Tools menu, select Plugin Manager, then select the McKathlin_MessageControl MZ plugin.

Within the Message Control MZ plugin parameters, select “Window Style Presets.” From there, you can define your style pre-sets.

Global parameters for McKathlin's Message Control plugin for RPG Maker MZ, as seen in the Plugin Manager. The default window style can be set here, as well as the window style presets, and other settings.
Global parameters for McKathlin’s Message Control plugin for RPG Maker MZ, as seen in the Plugin Manager. The default window style can be set here, as well as the window style presets, and other settings.
Using the Plugin Manager, you can create Show Text widow style presets. You can then use the presets from anywhere in your game! This makes it easy to keep a consistent appearance throughout your game.
Using the Plugin Manager, you can create Show Text widow style presets. You can then use the presets from anywhere in your game! This makes it easy to keep a consistent appearance throughout your game.
Each window style has many settings that can be customized! These include window width, line count, color, text alignment, whether to use word wrap, and more!
Each window style has many settings that can be customized! These include window width, line count, color, text alignment, whether to use word wrap, and more!

How to Use Message Control MZ Presets

The window style pre-sets help you organize your selected Show Text window styles. To use a window style pre-set:

  1. First, make sure the pre-set is defined in the plugin parameters.
  2. Then, use a plugin command to activate the style pre-set. (This plugin command should be placed before the Show Text event command.)
  3. Add a Show Text event command.
Each time you want to change the Show Text window style, just use the "Use Preset" plugin command from the McKathlin_MessageControl plugin.
Each time you want to change the Show Text window style, just use the “Use Preset” plugin command from the McKathlin_MessageControl plugin.

Save Pre-set as Default

In some cases, you might allow the player to choose a default window style. Or, you might want to change the default window style depending on the sequence of events in the game. In such cases, you can use the plugin command Save Preset as New Default.

You can even change the default message window style during the game! When the "Save Preset as New Default" plugin command is used, the selected pre-set is remembered as the new default for Show Text windows in the current save file.
You can even change the default message window style during the game! When the “Save Preset as New Default” plugin command is used, the selected pre-set is remembered as the new default for Show Text windows in the current save file.
If you want, you can allow the player to select the default style for Show Text message windows. When the default message window style is changed, the setting is remembered within the save file.
If you want, you can allow the player to select the default style for Show Text message windows. When the default message window style is changed, the setting is remembered within the save file.

Conclusion

Many thanks go to McKathlin for her excellent work in adding so many features and options for RPG Maker MZ’s Show Text windows!

Remember, only you can build your dreams!

Tyruswoo

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Tyruswoo

Indie Game Designer creating game content!

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