I was always slightly intrigued by various "RPG makers". It seems like an ideal concept for telling your own story even if you didn't all the technical know-how of how to program.

I was a tiny bit disappointing that the art style was more 16-bit rather than something a bit more modern like PS3 style. Yet, in some ways that is for the best, because even a tween can create a 2D flat over-world map. Truly, I think even with simplistic 16-bit graphics teh tone and depth of your game are about what you can write and piece together with game play. Its not the kind-of-art, it is what you do with it.

What's more even the simplest version of the RPG Maker MV software seem to allow for publishing. Conceivable, someone with a PS4 could work on a game (hopefully using a mouse/keyboard setup) and publish their game. I'm sure there are rules and caveats about publishing; but even small platform publishing is very cool.

Watch the video, it is pretty cool.

I do small games on the side and I was always curious in RPG Maker as a tool to create simple looking tilemap-based world. My biggest issue about it, though I might be completely wrong about how the thing works, is that it doesn't seem to allow for much variety in the combat unless you engage with the scripting part of it? Like I don't think it would be possible to make something more akin to X-Com, I think it always implies that you will be using the random encounters + turn based type of JRPG combat. I might be wrong though. At that point I'm good enough with Unity that it would feel like a bad idea to start with RPG Maker, but on the other hand the idea of having less script to work on and more time to do asset and content creations sounds great.

Frankly the only tip I have if someone is interested is to not think too much about it? If RPG Maker seems like your jam, go for it and try it out. Learning any kind of game making skills will be useful even if you end up changing engines later on. The quicker you try, the faster you will be comfortable to undertake bigger projects.

@fear_the_booboo: I've only dabbled with RPG Makers in the past, but in my experience you really do need to be able to do some level of scripting to make anything particularly interesting or unique. The base tools are good for getting you started, and might be sufficient if you just have an urge to mess around with some game creation tools, but I think you'd struggle to make anything anyone would be interested in playing if you don't know to go beyond the standard tools and assets it provides. That being said, I feel like you could accomplish more with less than other game creation tools.

My first exposure to RPG Maker was actually the PS1 version, which was obviously very limiting, since there was no way to import any assets from outside the game, and it was almost impossible to share with other people, but I did have some fun just messing around with it.

If you're new to making games, what's important is how easily you can get started. RPG Maker lowers the barriers a lot, I think it's great. Some people will recommend using Unity, some will recommend Unreal. Some will recommend Godot. What's important is how easily you can get your ideas out.

Even if you're not new to making games, something as tailored as RPG Maker might be a fun change of pace.

> but I think you'd struggle to make anything anyone would be interested in playing if you don't know to go beyond the standard tools and assets it provides.

Yeah it's important to realize the same goes for a lot of engines.

I've toyed around with the different versions a lot over the years. If you have an idea that'll fit into a traditional old-school FF / DQ shell it's extremely quick and easy to make a game.

Like others have said though the further you want to move away from these restraints the more you have to learn it's scripting and past a certain point you may well be better starting with a different framework/different tools.

It's a fun piece of software to mess around with imo and I would recommend trying it.

I picked RPG Maker for the Switch today. After much fiddling, I was able to make a simple Magic 8 Ball game and posted it onto the RPG Maker game app.

This game works really well if you're working small in scope. Once I get comfortable messing with switches and variables, it should open up some more and I'll try something more complex. Really should start writing down some ideas and plans.