Is it an extra step, and perhaps even slightly annoying to some, that you need to install the Plugins manually on the first setup? Yes. It's also a step that RPG Maker tends to avoid, and is definitely a stretch in a different direction from how simple RPG Maker really tries to be. However it is also not a very difficult task to do if you take the time to figure out how to do it, and hopefully you can find plenty of information from the Community or otherwise to help you along.
To me, it seems that RPG Maker MV has definitely made a few steps more complicated than they used to be in previous editions. However there seems to have been a bit more care on expanding the potential of MV, especially for people who want to take Development more seriously and have more control over what they're making. Unfortunately this seems to have made it a bit less simplistic for people who prefered the usual standard RTP packs and not having to do a tiny bit of leg work to get everything together.
Quite true. Have been using RPG Maker since '05 - when I opened MV I went "where's all the assets? How do I import/export stuff? Where are the plugins?" I quickly looked online and got all the answers. Now MV will probably be fine - but the design as it is will detract from newcomers with no clue of what they want to do. Those who want to do more complex things in Unity would indeed do Unity instead. I don't really see the point of removing the resource manager and script editor (these two are probably more crucial than resolution or fullscreen - since the latter two can be fixed easily by putting scriptlets in) unless the program was built from the ground up (looking through it more, I feel like had been).
Those who have used RM for a long time already acknowledge and have gotten used to work-arounds. It would be offputting, however, if I was actually a new user to the RM series; I wouldn't know how to make transparent stuff (it would be difficult for me as well - since I don't have photoshop - then there's also the issue of trying to adapt earlier resources that often had pink backgrounds, etc - in a timely manner), and I would probably be annoyed that I had to open script files multiple times to read documentation to see if there were any potential compatibility issues. No - it would be even more basic; I would not know how to export or import resources, add or remove scripts, etc. Sure, it could be solved with a google search, but programs tend to be designed for ease of use - something that the earlier RPG Makers did very well (which would greatly add to its appeal versus heavier engines like UE and Unity). While it is still easier to use than Unity/UE, it has lost its ease of usage - and if it is seen as a "game" rather than a design tool, it should be assumed that its users wouldn't be willing to jump through a lot of hoops to customize their game.
I hope I didn't strike a nerve; it seems that posting this today is like walking on a minefield. But these critics have credibility to their argument. Looking at it from an RM user perspective, I'm excited with it. Looking at it from an newbie's perspective, I'm put off by how limited the program is (not complex, since I would not even know that there's a way to script - I would ask "what is this plugin thing" to myself, and would assume that the program does not allow for importing & customization). The community, however, can't sustain itself just by those of old blood - we're getting older, we have less time, etc. We need new blood to drive the growth of the community - and they mustn't be put off by the program. I would ask that the developers consider the following:
1. Resource Manager
2. Plugin Editor <--- this is somewhat optional since those who use plugins might be slightly more savvy
Probably a bit more, but #1 is probably a good/best point. Most new users of RM know how to import/export, they don't necessarily use plugins/scripts. At least, this is what I've seen from a non-RM website that creates many different types of games in different platforms: RM, HTML, etc. It is incorrect to say that there isn't room to improve. Assuming that the resource manager gets patched in, MV will probably shine - and there will probably be considerably less complaints if the above two are implemented. There are still a few more bells and whistles to make it perfect with respect to simplicity - arguably one of RPG Maker's core design goals - but those two are probably the most important.
I'm sorry if I offended anyone, but I wished to get it off my chest.
