Tutorial How to make an Android port for RPG Maker MV

Screwthename

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Game Developer
Feb 21, 2019
304
642
Hello there !

After a few days working on this problem, I was finally able to make a Android port on my RPGM MV game. It was a real pain to do, since there's not a lot of tutorials too help, and I faced many other problems along the way. So know that I'm pretty sure to understand how this work, I might as well share this knowledge. This tutorial will be really step by step, so if you're a huge noob like me, you should have everything covered.

EDIT : Even my port seems currently bugged, I'll have to look again into it and I might edit this tutorial if needed. But the tutorial used still seems to be the best option existing for now.
I dived into it again, eveything is correctly working. Just make sure to have all the sound files in the m4a format, else you're gonna have a error.

Here's the tutorial I used, and it gives the needed tool to make it work, so most credits go to Xilefian for making this method :

First, you'll need Android studio. You can download it for free here :
After installing it, and using the setup wizard, you might come across this error.
cf2e46ee6eca838a05493a4bf25d4c2f.png
To avoid it, create a Android folder on your C: hard drive, and install android studio there (the path should just be C:/Android, nothing more). It should fix the problem.

Once in Android Studio, open Configure and then SDK Manager. Here, select the latest version of Android in SDK Platform, and Android SDK Build Tools, Android SDK Tools and Android SDK Platform-Tools in the SDK tools section. Nothing more, nothing less (it might work with some other options, though, but this one works for sure).
4c89d6e2811c0da3ef6b6ce9de7e3070.png f82da9505e20b609f56d3701e37d698b.png

Now that you've configured Android Studio, let's deploy our RPG MV game ! Deploy it wherever you want, but just be sure to check the Android/iOS box. As for the encryption and exclude unused files options, I had some problems with those, so I'm sticking with Encrypted files, and no exluded ones (even if that often makes your file bigger). But you can try something else, if that works for you.
7716607110c7f097832d6b1f64b8493f.png
WARNING : All your audio files needs to be in .m4a format. The basics audio are present in .ogg and .m4a format, but for PC, only .ogg is required. So like me, you might have only added .ogg sounds to the game. Well, you'll have to make to convert them into .m4a format too if you want this to run, else you'll keep having error like that when a audio file isn't found.
Screenshot_2021-03-03-02-29-39-557_id.application.screwthename.jpg

Now, let's download our tool to make all ofthis work ! Go there, and click on the "download source" link. And download the tool.

Unzip it, and leave the folder in a place easy to reach, along with your deployed game (not an obligation though, but it's just easier this way, not having to search in thousand of folders).

The preparations are ready ! Let's make this port !
If you have a project already open, just close it, so you can be on the main menu. In the Android Studio menu, click on "open an existing project". The select the tool you downloaded.
Capture d’écran (22).png e942688c03128350af3dec4a631c987b.png 48123cc3a70a9c0a805b601a9d0fa1bc.png

Wait for Android Studio to settle. When it's done, you'll see two folder, "app" and "Gradle Scripts". Right click on app, the select New/Folder/Asset Folder.
Capture d’écran (23).png

At this point, you might stumble on this problem.
Capture d’écran (24).png
Don't worry, it's not a lot to fix. Just go in Gradle Scripts/build.gradle(Module) and change the "minSdkVersion" to 16 (here I had 14, it might be something else for you).
Capture d’écran (25).png
When you did it, make sure to click the "sync now" options showing on top of your window. You should now be able to create that asset folder. A window like this will appear. Don't change anything, and just click on finish.
ec42fd822d0a3f8b3b73a3288b28ec19.png

Now that we have our asset folder, it's time to add the game !
Go to the place were you deploed your game, open its folder, and you should find a www folder (countaining all the game). Copy it. Then back to Android Studio, right click on your asset folder, and paste. Wait for Android Studio to settle once again.
Capture d’écran (26).png

Almost done ! Now go to Gradle Scripts/build.gradle(Module) and change the "applicationId". It needs to be something unique, like your name and the name of the game. Click the "sync now" option on top of the window once again.
Capture d’écran (27).png Capture d’écran (28).png

Before finishing it, you can add a few customization if you want. I haven't tried that part, so I'll leave you with the original tutorial for this, scroll down a little to readh it.


Okay, it's time to finishing this ! Go to Build/Build bundle(s) APK/Build APK. Click it, and let the magic work ! It might take some time to do (a few minutes).
Capture d’écran (29).png

Congrats ! It's done ! Go search the APK now. A "locate" option should appear in the event window, or else you can find it in :
AltimitSystems-mv-android-client-6b33d6f\AltimitSystems-mv-android-client-6b33d6f\app\build\outputs\apk\webview\debug
So it's deep in the folders of the android tool we used for it.

And that's it ! Upload this APK wher you want, and when you download it on a Andoid support, it should run !

I hope this was of some help to you. If you still have problems, ask away, I'll try to help you the best I can.

And once again, a huge hanks to Xilefian for creating this method, and thanks to Giovy_mdc for helping me working this out !
 
Last edited:

seyfer110

Well-Known Member
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Aug 5, 2016
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wait a second... I thought that just checking the "Android/iOS" box in "Desployment" was all I needed to export the game for andoid...? o_O
 

Screwthename

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Game Developer
Feb 21, 2019
304
642
Sadly, absolutly not it seems... Maybe they fixed it on MZ, but for MV it sucks...
 

Screwthename

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Feb 21, 2019
304
642
I think it was supposed to work, but completly failed :/ But that explains why android ports on RPGM games are so rare.
 
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seyfer110

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In the "build variants" section, what should I select?
"webviewRelease"?
 

Screwthename

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Feb 21, 2019
304
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In the "build variants" section, what should I select?
"webviewRelease"?
Woops, sorry for the really late reply !
I've dived into it once again, and everything seems to be working !
And don't select the "build variant" option but the "Build Bundle(s) / APK(s)" and then select "Build APK(s)"
 

lorenzoloa

New Member
Jul 16, 2021
5
1
Hello there !

After a few days working on this problem, I was finally able to make a Android port on my RPGM MV game. It was a real pain to do, since there's not a lot of tutorials too help, and I faced many other problems along the way. So know that I'm pretty sure to understand how this work, I might as well share this knowledge. This tutorial will be really step by step, so if you're a huge noob like me, you should have everything covered.

EDIT : Even my port seems currently bugged, I'll have to look again into it and I might edit this tutorial if needed. But the tutorial used still seems to be the best option existing for now.
I dived into it again, eveything is correctly working. Just make sure to have all the sound files in the m4a format, else you're gonna have a error.

Here's the tutorial I used, and it gives the needed tool to make it work, so most credits go to Xilefian for making this method :

First, you'll need Android studio. You can download it for free here :
After installing it, and using the setup wizard, you might come across this error.
View attachment 1080413
To avoid it, create a Android folder on your C: hard drive, and install android studio there (the path should just be C:/Android, nothing more). It should fix the problem.

Once in Android Studio, open Configure and then SDK Manager. Here, select the latest version of Android in SDK Platform, and Android SDK Build Tools, Android SDK Tools and Android SDK Platform-Tools in the SDK tools section. Nothing more, nothing less (it might work with some other options, though, but this one works for sure).
View attachment 1080420 View attachment 1080421

Now that you've configured Android Studio, let's deploy our RPG MV game ! Deploy it wherever you want, but just be sure to check the Android/iOS box. As for the encryption and exclude unused files options, I had some problems with those, so I'm sticking with Encrypted files, and no exluded ones (even if that often makes your file bigger). But you can try something else, if that works for you.
View attachment 1080430
WARNING : All your audio files needs to be in .m4a format. The basics audio are present in .ogg and .m4a format, but for PC, only .ogg is required. So like me, you might have only added .ogg sounds to the game. Well, you'll have to make to convert them into .m4a format too if you want this to run, else you'll keep having error like that when a audio file isn't found.
View attachment 1080432

Now, let's download our tool to make all ofthis work ! Go there, and click on the "download source" link. And download the tool.

Unzip it, and leave the folder in a place easy to reach, along with your deployed game (not an obligation though, but it's just easier this way, not having to search in thousand of folders).

The preparations are ready ! Let's make this port !
If you have a project already open, just close it, so you can be on the main menu. In the Android Studio menu, click on "open an existing project". The select the tool you downloaded.
View attachment 1080448 View attachment 1080447 View attachment 1080446

Wait for Android Studio to settle. When it's done, you'll see two folder, "app" and "Gradle Scripts". Right click on app, the select New/Folder/Asset Folder.
View attachment 1080458

At this point, you might stumble on this problem.
View attachment 1080462
Don't worry, it's not a lot to fix. Just go in Gradle Scripts/build.gradle(Module) and change the "minSdkVersion" to 16 (here I had 14, it might be something else for you).
View attachment 1080463
When you did it, make sure to click the "sync now" options showing on top of your window. You should now be able to create that asset folder. A window like this will appear. Don't change anything, and just click on finish.
View attachment 1080470

Now that we have our asset folder, it's time to add the game !
Go to the place were you deploed your game, open its folder, and you should find a www folder (countaining all the game). Copy it. Then back to Android Studio, right click on your asset folder, and paste. Wait for Android Studio to settle once again.
View attachment 1080471

Almost done ! Now go to Gradle Scripts/build.gradle(Module) and change the "applicationId". It needs to be something unique, like your name and the name of the game. Click the "sync now" option on top of the window once again.
View attachment 1080501 View attachment 1080502

Before finishing it, you can add a few customization if you want. I haven't tried that part, so I'll leave you with the original tutorial for this, scroll down a little to readh it.


Okay, it's time to finishing this ! Go to Build/Build bundle(s) APK/Build APK. Click it, and let the magic work ! It might take some time to do (a few minutes).
View attachment 1080512

Congrats ! It's done ! Go search the APK now. A "locate" option should appear in the event window, or else you can find it in :
AltimitSystems-mv-android-client-6b33d6f\AltimitSystems-mv-android-client-6b33d6f\app\build\outputs\apk\webview\debug
So it's deep in the folders of the android tool we used for it.

And that's it ! Upload this APK wher you want, and when you download it on a Andoid support, it should run !

I hope this was of some help to you. If you still have problems, ask away, I'll try to help you the best I can.

And once again, a huge hanks to Xilefian for creating this method, and thanks to Giovy_mdc for helping me working this out !
Thanx for the tutorial do you know any ogg to m4a converter?
 
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Screwthename

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With pleasure !
This one works pretty well, but you'll quickly be limited to the number of convertion you can do :/
If you need to change a lot of file at once, it'll take some time, and i'd recommand using multiples converter at once.
 

vampayano

New Member
Dec 4, 2018
1
1
Thanks for the thread! I'm so happy I stumbled upon this, for anyone else researching rpg mv ports, I've found this to work pretty well for batch ogg to m4a conversions

There's an easy GUI interface, but I find cmd easier to use with the command
fmedia "directory with oggs" ./*.ogg --out=.m4a
As it will convert all .oggs found in the folder you directed it to. I heard Audacity can also batch convert .oggs but have not tried it myself.
 
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Screwthename

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Feb 21, 2019
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Yeah, i searched a lot to find a working tutorial, and it was a real pain. The only one i got was from the guy wh ocreated the method, but it was a hell to find, and didn'tgave all the infos, so I had to do a lot of testing myself... I still have some bugs with it though, but it's playable !
If you find better methods, or other tips to add, feel free to tell, so we can make a really complete tutorial !
And thanks a lot for that conveting method, it'll help a lot !
 

seyfer110

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Aug 5, 2016
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screwthename Do you know if it's possible to plug a save file into the android port?
I usually put a save files into my latest build (to avoid possible bugs due to me changing something) , to let ppl start from the new content, if they want to; but I'm not sure how to do that with the android port...
 

Screwthename

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Feb 21, 2019
304
642
Sadly, not at all :/ Since it's just an APK, i don't think it's possible to add a file after making the port.
But since you have to deploy the version first, maybe you can add the save file there, and from there make the android port.
It's just in idea though, no idea if it works ! But feel free to try, and tell me if it worked ;)
 
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seyfer110

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Aug 5, 2016
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Sadly, not at all :/ Since it's just an APK, i don't think it's possible to add a file after making the port.
But since you have to deploy the version first, maybe you can add the save file there, and from there make the android port.
It's just in idea though, no idea if it works ! But feel free to try, and tell me if it worked ;)
putting the "save" folder into the "WWW" folder Before pasting it into android studio should do the trick....I guess / hope?
 

Deathlysin

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Mar 7, 2021
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Sadly, not at all :/ Since it's just an APK, i don't think it's possible to add a file after making the port.
But since you have to deploy the version first, maybe you can add the save file there, and from there make the android port.
It's just in idea though, no idea if it works ! But feel free to try, and tell me if it worked ;)
Mirai/RPGMakerMVMZ-Android_eng
 

seyfer110

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Aug 5, 2016
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Got a question:
When you update your game, while making the android port, do you just delete the assets folder and create a new one, or do you Restart your project from zero (by unpacking the old AltimitSystems-mv-android-client-6b33d6f.zip)?
 

Screwthename

Member
Game Developer
Feb 21, 2019
304
642
Got a question:
When you update your game, while making the android port, do you just delete the assets folder and create a new one, or do you Restart your project from zero (by unpacking the old AltimitSystems-mv-android-client-6b33d6f.zip)?
I restart from zero. Not sure it's an obligation, but I do it to be sure ^^
 
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vivid_koyo

New Member
Aug 3, 2021
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0
Hello master, I tried your method and successfully ran the RPGMV game on an Android phone. Thank you very much.
I have a new question now, about whether Unity games can also be deployed on Android phones. I don’t know if there are any relevant tutorials here. Maybe I didn’t find them. Can Unity’s adult games also be run on Android phones? , I wonder if you can give me some guidance? Thank you so much