I was trying out this program called Cave Editor which is used for modding Cave Story. It's a really well made program, by the way, with a cool map editor, and I recommend Zoo check it out. It's fun! It gave me an idea for how we could do events and cutscenes in a game, so we'll have an easier time making lots of them. Basically, objects in Cave Story can call an "event number" which runs the numbered line in the script. So you could have a sign post, and the sign calls Event #0100 when you look at it. Then there's a line of the script which says #0100 and after it is the command that displays the message and waits for you to press a button. There's a list of script commands you can use for NPC's and movements and sound effects and transitions etc. it's very nice.
I also tried out Tiled and made a little map with the tileset Gan posted in this thread.