Skip to main content

Frequently Asked Questions

General​

The About tab

Version, tier and licence all live in the Hub's About tab — the fastest answer to "which build am I actually running".

What is Monster Capture Engine?​

Monster Capture Engine (MCE) is a Unity engine for building monster-taming RPGs — games like Temtem, Coromon, or Cassette Beasts. It provides the full foundation: turn-based battle system, monster database, grid-based overworld, encounters, evolution, breeding, quests, save system, and more.

Do I need to know how to code?​

Not necessarily. The Lite tier lets you configure everything through the Inspector and the public SDK API. For deeper customization, the Source tier includes the complete C# source code.

What Unity version do I need?​

Unity 6 LTS (6000.3.x or later) with the Universal Render Pipeline (URP).

What platforms can I build for?​

Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and WebGL.

Can I use MCE with the High Definition Render Pipeline (HDRP)?​

No. MCE targets URP only. The shaders, lighting, and post-processing are built specifically for the Universal Render Pipeline.

Tiers and Licensing​

Which tier should I choose?​

  • Lite — Evaluating the engine or building a prototype. Includes the core engine source and public SDK API under an evaluation license.
  • Basic — Building a commercial single-player game. Lite modules under a commercial license, no splash requirement.
  • Pro — Building an online multiplayer game. Adds the complete Nakama MMORPG backend (PvP, trading, guilds, housing) with bundled server source.
  • Source — Deep customization or importing a Pokemon Essentials project. Everything in Pro plus the Essentials Importer and full source-level customization rights.

Can I upgrade tiers later?​

Yes. You can upgrade from any tier to a higher one at any time by paying the difference.

Can I use assets from a lower tier if I upgrade?​

Yes. When you upgrade, you keep everything from your previous tier plus the new content.

Is there a free trial or demo?​

Check the openmon.io website for the current evaluation options.

What is the license for each tier?​

  • Lite: Evaluation / non-commercial license. The OpenMon splash screen is mandatory.
  • Basic: Commercial license for Lite modules. Splash screen optional.
  • Pro: Commercial license including the Nakama multiplayer layer.
  • Source: Full source-level customization rights.

Can I see the source code before purchasing?​

The Lite tier includes the core engine source, so you can inspect it as soon as you obtain a license. Full source-level rights come with the Source tier.

Pokemon Essentials Import​

Can I import my existing Essentials project?​

Yes, if you have the Source tier. MCE includes an Essentials Importer that converts Pokemon Essentials projects (v20, v21, v21.1) into native Unity assets: maps, monsters, moves, items, encounters, audio, and sprites.

What Essentials versions are supported?​

v20, v21, and v21.1 are the supported targets. The importer is designed to be updated as new Essentials versions are released.

Will my existing save files work in MCE?​

No. MCE uses its own save system (JSON-based). Save files from RPG Maker XP / Essentials are not compatible.

Can I import specific parts of my project, or is it all-or-nothing?​

You can run individual converter steps (species, moves, maps, audio) independently. The wizard lets you choose exactly what to import.

How well does the importer scale?​

It has been proven against a complete Essentials v21.1 project: a full headless run converted 898 of 898 species with zero errors (335 form overrides and 397 evolutions linked), created 150 new moves while reusing 590 existing ones, plus abilities, items, and trainers with populated rosters. Imported monsters get generated battle Materials so they render in battle, items become concrete ScriptableObjects, and any move effect the importer can't map degrades to a visible warning rather than failing silently.

Can I run the importer from the command line?​

Yes. Alongside the in-editor wizard, EssentialsHeadlessImport.Run() drives the full pipeline headless (batchmode / CLI), which is the recommended path for large projects.

Multiplayer​

Does MCE include multiplayer?​

Yes, the Pro and Source tiers include a complete Nakama-based MMORPG layer with PvP, trading, guilds, secret bases, player-owned gyms, and real-time world synchronization. Secret bases persist server-side with fail-closed validation, and visitors get live co-presence — positions and decoration changes sync in real time while you share the space.

Can I run my own game server?​

Yes. The Pro and Source tiers include the server source code so you can deploy and manage your own Nakama server.

What is Nakama?​

Nakama is an open-source game server by Heroic Labs. MCE bundles a pre-integrated Nakama client and server module, so you get matchmaking, real-time multiplayer, leaderboards, and chat without building the backend yourself.

Customization​

Can I add my own monster species?​

Absolutely. You can create custom monsters through the Monster Creator Wizard or by creating ScriptableObjects directly. Custom species work alongside the 151 monsters that ship via the free companion demo project (separate download).

Can I use my own art and assets?​

Yes. MCE uses standard Unity assets (sprites, audio clips, prefabs). Drop in your own art and assign it to the relevant fields.

Can I modify the battle system?​

Without source code, you can configure battle parameters (speed, XP multipliers, capture rates) through ScriptableObjects and react to battle events via the SDK API. With the Source tier, you can modify or replace any battle module.

Can I add new evolution types?​

Yes. MCE supports 37 evolution types out of the box, all configurable per species in the Inspector. Implementing an entirely new evolution type means subclassing EvolutionData in code, which the Source tier is designed for.

Support​

Where can I get help?​

  • Documentation: Check the guides and API references on this site.
  • Discord: Join the OpenMon community for peer support.
  • Issue tracker: Report bugs and request features on the official repository.

Are updates included?​

Updates within the same major version are included with your tier purchase.

Do I need to pay for updates?​

That depends on the versioning policy. Minor and patch updates are included within your tier. Major version upgrades may require a separate purchase.

Can I get a refund?​

Refunds are available only if the purchased file/package has never been downloaded or accessed. After the asset archive, package, source bundle, server bundle, or any licensed file is downloaded, imported, cloned, or otherwise accessed, the sale is final, except where mandatory law or storefront rules require otherwise.

Technical​

What is the SDK API?​

The SDK is a set of public C# interfaces (IMonsterCaptureEngine, IPlayerData, IBattleSystem, ISaveSystem, IMonsterDatabase) that let you interact with MCE from your own scripts without coupling to internal implementations.

Does MCE use dependency injection?​

Yes. MCE uses Zenject (Extenject) for DI. SDK interfaces are injected automatically into your MonoBehaviours using the [Inject] attribute.

Can I use MCE without Zenject?​

You can resolve interfaces manually through ProjectContext.Instance.Container, but the recommended approach is Zenject injection.

Does MCE support modding?​

The Source tier provides the foundation for modding support since you have full access to the engine code. The SDK API also allows limited extension without source access through event listeners and Inspector configuration.

What save system does MCE use?​

JSON serialization with slot-based saves, versioning, and autosave. You can hook into save/load events through ISaveSystem to persist your own custom data alongside the engine state.