When creating games in RPG Maker MV or RPG Maker MZ, you'll often want to implement gimmicks where a path opens up after a certain condition is met. For example, after defeating a boss or solving a puzzle, floor tiles appear in a previously impassable area, allowing the player to proceed.
These "floors that appear when a switch is turned ON" are effective gimmicks that give players a sense of accomplishment and expand exploration possibilities.
This article explains how to use the Event system in RPG Maker MV/MZ to make floor tiles (platforms) appear and become passable when a specific switch is turned ON.
In this article
- Why Use "Events" to Create Floors? (Overview)
- Editing the "Tileset" to Use Floor Tile Images in Events
- Setting Up Floor Events That Appear and Become Passable via Switch
- Summary: Create Dynamic Maps with Events
Why Use "Events" to Create Floors? (Overview)
In RPG Maker, basic terrain like ground and walls is created by placing "tiles" on the map. However, tiles placed on the map are fundamentally static -- you cannot toggle their visibility or remove them based on in-game switch or variable states.
Therefore, dynamic gimmicks like "floors that appear under certain conditions (switch ON)" need to be implemented using the "Event" system. With events, you can set appearance conditions, specify display images, and control passability settings.
In this article, we'll set up an example where, when the in-game switch "#0001_PassableFloor" is turned ON, floor tiles appear at designated locations and become passable.
Editing the "Tileset" to Use Floor Tile Images in Events
First, you need to prepare so that the floor graphic you want to show can be set as an event's image.
Try creating a new event on the map and opening the image settings. You'll likely notice that while you can select images from [Tileset B] (walls, objects, etc.) and [Tileset C] (building roofs, etc.), the ground and floor tile images are not listed.
This is because the tilesets available as event images are limited by default. To fix this, open the "Database" (the gear icon in the toolbar) and modify the settings in the "Tilesets" tab.
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Open the Database and select the "Tilesets" tab.
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Select the tileset currently used by your map (e.g., 001: Field).
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In the settings on the right, set the same image file that's assigned to the [A] tab's [A2] (ground tiles) to the [D] tab (or another available tab, e.g., [E]).
- That's it. Click "Apply" or "OK" to close the Database.
This adds [Tileset D] (or whichever tab you configured) to the event's image selection list, allowing you to choose floor tiles from there.
[Important] Check the Passability Settings!
In the tileset editing screen, select the floor tile image you just added and make sure to check the "Passability" setting on the left side.
- O: Passable
- X: Impassable
- Star: Passable (displayed above the player)
If the floor tile you want to appear is set to "X" (impassable), the player won't be able to walk on it even when the event displays the floor. Make sure it's set to "O" (or Star, depending on the situation). If it's set to X, click to change it to O.
Setting Up Floor Events That Appear and Become Passable via Switch
Once the tileset is prepared, create the events that will make the floor appear. The setup is very straightforward.
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Right-click on the map tile where you want the floor to appear and select "Create Event."
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When the Event Editor opens, leave Page 1 (the initial state) with no image set and essentially in its default state. However, check/set the following two points:
- Options: Make sure the "Through" checkbox is unchecked. (If checked, the player could pass through even when there's no floor)
- Priority: Select "Below characters." (This allows the player to walk over the floor when it appears)
(The trigger can stay at the default "Action Button." The execution content can also remain empty.)
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Next, click the "New Event Page" button at the top of the Event Editor to create Page 2.
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On Page 2, configure the state when the floor appears:
- Conditions: In the "Conditions" section on the left, check "Switch" and specify that the target switch (e.g., #0001_PassableFloor) is "ON."
- Image: Double-click the "Image" area in the lower left to open the tileset selection screen. Select the floor tile you made available earlier (e.g., from [Tileset D]) and click "OK."
- Options: Same as Page 1, leave "Through" unchecked.
- Priority: Same as Page 1, select "Below characters."
(The trigger and execution content can also remain at their defaults for this page.)
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The event setup is complete. Click "OK" to close the Event Editor.
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Copy the "appearing floor" event you created (Ctrl+C or Cmd+C) and paste it (Ctrl+V or Cmd+V) onto other tiles where you want the floor to appear.
Test play the game and trigger the event that turns ON the specified switch (e.g., #0001_PassableFloor). Floor tiles should appear at the locations where you placed the events, and you should be able to walk on them.
That completes the implementation of passable floors that appear via switch operation.
Summary: Create Dynamic Maps with Events
This article explained the basic method for implementing "floors that appear when a switch is turned ON" using the Event system in RPG Maker MV/MZ.
Here are the key points:
- Since tiles themselves cannot be dynamically changed, create the floor as an "Event."
- To use floor tile images as event graphics, you need to modify the "Tileset" settings in the "Database" beforehand.
- When editing the tileset, make sure the floor tile's "Passability" is set to "O (passable)."
- The event should have a 2-page structure: Page 1 is blank (switch OFF state), and Page 2 has the appearance condition (switch ON), floor image, and options (Through OFF, Priority: Below characters).
Using this technique, you can create more dynamic games where the map changes based on player actions -- like new paths opening after a boss fight, or hidden passages appearing when puzzles are solved. Try incorporating it into your own projects!