My First Game... Huh...

[TMS]

Hello! Doubt you knew that I was gone, but now I'm back.


I've been messing around with RPG Maker (first XP and then VX Ace) for a number of years now, but have yet to complete a game. A while ago I thought that I was ready to begin what would become my first, but other things came up, and what little I did get done has apparently been lost with a change of computers. So now I'm starting over, and being assailed by the usual doubts. This first game will be relatively unambitious, with a standard fantasy setting and straightforward plot. I'm not looking to do anything revolutionary in terms of game mechanics, and will probably rely mostly on the RTP's resources. I think there's a chance that it will be a nice little game, and it's a game I want to make, but it's hardly my "dream game." Now, probably few people here have the skills/resources they need to create their dream game. Even my choice of genre is partly arbitrary - I'll be making RPGs partly just because RPG Maker is the only game-making engine simple and intuitive enough for me to understand. I can't create graphic art or music, and can't script, so whatever finished product I come up with, it won't measure up to the vision in my head.


And yet I really want to make my own game. So now I'm wondering why that is. It's not the mechanics of the RPG genre that I'm infatuated with, though I have nothing against them, and might even be able to think of interesting things to do with them (if not with this initial game). I think I'm more drawn to the idea of creating a world for people to walk through. Areas to explore with atmospheres of their own (though it remains to be seen whether I can make an RPG Maker game atmospheric), some interesting monsters and special attacks, some fun characters, and all that sort of thing. An interesting story too, though like I said this game's plot will be nothing groundbreaking.


One reason that I'm making this specific game my first is its relative simplicity. Its more or less generic nature means that the RTP and other resources I've collected over the years should be able to carry it to completion with minimal outside help. It's a good foundation on which to build a game-making "career." For my more innovative projects, I'm going to need help from the community, probably a lot of help, and ideally enough help that I have sufficient resources to make my games truly unique. It leaves me trying to find a balance between, on the one hand, wanting to make this first game a short and simple one that I know I can finish, and, on the other hand, one that stands out enough (in whatever way or ways) that it might get artists and programmers in the RPG Maker community interested in my future projects. No one without a game or two under their belt can go to the Project Recruitment board and expect to find a team of people interested in working with them on their ideal game (which is especially true for me, since all I can offer in return are my writing and proofreading skills).


But I look at all the innovative stuff that other people in this community have done, and it makes me afraid I'm going to get dismissed by people looking at this first completed project and thinking, "Oh, this game's just RTP stuff and a popular script or two. This guy's boring." I guess I'm basically asking whether I'm thinking about / going about this "career"-building thing the wrong way, or making the wrong game. I really don't know what I'm asking, and I hate to leave this topic's first post as this rambling, stream-of-consciousness thing, but I feel like I need some kind of advice or guidance if I'm going to break out of this paralysis. Has anyone as ill-equipped as I am ever managed to accomplish something unique and worthwhile?

 

[Starmage]

Hello!! I can actually relate with you alot, I have no skills in scripting, composing music, graphics art nor spriting (I can sprite a little, but not that great lol)! and I have recently just completed an RM2k3 game washed with all of it's RTP goodness! haha xDD cause again, I lacked intrapersonal resources (though I usually take some from outside forces)..


But from my experience with a full on RTP based game... I think what matters is how much you loved making it if you put heart and soul in what you are creating and giving life to the story and characters as you would have imagined them (though using RTP yes, but still) then you should be fine! I myself actually doubted at first, that maybe people would just dismiss my game as boring for having too much RTP, but the drive and determination that led me to finishing it was not the thought of how many people will play it, but because I loved doing it, fleshing out a world of your own that you can share with others who are also willing to impart themselves in your creation. I think for me, it's all about being able to tell a story.


So all I can say right now? stay positive and love the game that you are making! when I say "love", I mean don't ever hold back in making a set of stories ad characters that you would have wanted in a game of your own! even if it means using the RTP at it's fullest potential!

 

[charlottezxz]

I couldn't agree with Starmage any more.

Spot on there my good sir.

What matters most is your enjoyment of making it. You should not make the sense of validation be the driving point of why you make your game to begin with. It should come from you wanting to make a game with a great story.

If you look at it this way as well, if you create your game using RTP and by the end of it its a fully finished, functional, working game.
At some time in the future you could even make graphics or get a friendly guy or gal to help you do the graphics, needing only to reskin things or make new tilesets to inject with an already completed framework.

Don't be afraid.

Simply making a fully finished and fleshed out game, RTP or not is a feat in itself.

So go for it!

 

 

[Starmage]

Yep! and you're right! after you've done creating one, you will always find yourself ways to develop some skills maybe in spriting coding and etc. and find some new friends and partners who are willing to help you in your next project after you've done one which is RTP based or not!!  


And yeah! that's the term! "sense of validation" as means of drive shouldn't always be the case!

 

[watermark]

Hey there's nothing wrong with standard fantasy setting with straightforward plot! People have cravings for this kinda thing sometimes.


In fact...that's what I'm making right now.  


The important thing is to get something finished and published. Good luck!

 

[TMS]

Thank you for the responses, guys. It's good encouragement, and does help me move forward.


I think the problem isn't really that I'm looking for validation. As an unknown author, I'm used to doing things regardless of audience response. But writing is something that I can do all on my own, whereas when it comes to making games I'm rather under-qualified. So my real concern is making a good impression with this game because it's a stepping stone to more complicated future projects. This game is traditional enough that finding resources for it is not much of a problem, but for later games I'll need the help of artists, musicians, and scripters, and recruiting people will be a lot easier if they feel they can trust me to make a worthwhile game.


But maybe I'm overthinking this and looking too far ahead. I mean, for all I know, I'll never finish the first game, and additional games will be a moot point. And if the first game doesn't turn out great, I have some ideas for others that shouldn't require too many out-of-the-way or nonexistent resources, and I may fare better with them.

 

[ashikai]

There's always the option of commissioning pieces for your game, one at a time instead of building a team. Then you can use rtp and placeholder assets duri development without really worrying about a vision. I think it's really easy to get caught up in the details and lose sight of the whole project.


But you know, this is one of the things I really like about game dev as opposed to comics; you don't have to get it perfect from the get-go. You can change anything at any time.

 

[Wavelength]

The devil's in the details.


Especially for your first game, I'd recommend now worrying about beautiful custom graphics or fancy custom scripts - yet.  This kind of stuff is some of the most boring, time-consuming work in a game and often leads to disorganization or creator burnout that means the game will never see the light of day.  For now, focus on writing the story, creating the database of content, and eventing everything so that the game "works".


Once you've finished the game and had some people play it, and if it's a project you want to pursue further, you can commission custom graphics, music, menus, HUDs, functionality scripts, and/or other special touches to really make your game shine and match what you're dreaming of.  Part of this decision will come from what your goals are with your first game... is it a story that you really want to tell, is it a gameplay mechanic or experience that you really want to share, is it mostly just to say you've made a game, is it meant as a recruiting tool for future games, is it something you really care about having hundreds or thousands of people play, is it mostly for practice, is it meant to make money?