SERIES MASTER! PART 13- DRAGON KINGDOMS WITH VIDEOWIZARD

Welcome to the thirteenth and final issue of Series Master!
For this final issue, I wanted to take a look back at one of the longest running series in RM history, dating back as far as the SNES RPG Maker games! VideoWizard has been hard at work remaking the first 2 installments of the series, but I wanted to explore every era of his career in an attempt to discover just what has powered this series to last so long.



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Sbester: Can you briefly explain the origins of the series?

VW: Dragon Kingdoms was originally known as Dragon Fantasy during the first month or so of development, but someone else already had a Dragon Fantasy on RPG Maker 2 Super Dante (Note this was WELL before Ephiam's Dragon Fantasy- in 1998). It started as just making a game in RPG Maker and grew enormously from there- kinda like William in the series, I suppose.


An image from DK3 (on RM95).


Sbester: The first two games were done in SNES RPGMaker, as I understand it. I’ve been trying to find them for years, myself. Is there any chance we’ll ever get to experience the first two games in their original forms? Or have they vanished from existence over the years?

VW: I may re-release them when a demo release of one of the remakes occurs. I'd release part 1 of the original around the same time as part 4 of the remake, from what it looks like so far.


Screens from DK4.


Sbester: Can you talk about what has inspired you to keep with this series after so many years?

VW: Just knowing that there's an interest in it, even after all this time, and that it allows me to tell the story of these characters, some of which are recurring throughout.


Images from DK5.


Sbester: These games have garnered a fair share of criticism over time, can you offer your thoughts and pointers on taking it in stride?

VW: Well, haters gonna hate, although your reviewers and player base may have a point. It was pointed out that, for example, it's not good to expect the player to be level 4 by the time they reach the first cave with no places between. Also, there shouldn't be bees in an ice cave. And the hero can't walk on water.


Sbester: What advice do you have to others who are trying to create their own series of games?

VW: Don't just head into making six games in a series straight off your first. What I mean is, don't start making Quest for Awesomeness VI before Quest for Awesomeness I even barely starts. I've seen this on a lesser scale here at RMN, planning and starting part IV before finishing part II (or was it III before finishing I).

And don't try to make it too epic at first. Your first game should be fairly short.


Image from DK:BoaL (DK1 Remake).


Sbester: What does the future hold for DK?

VW: I've thought about trying for pre-rendered backgrounds with 3D characters, but that is a way off. Perhaps I'll even do a Kickstarter somewhere down the line. For now, I plan to run the series to IX, probably with a remake of III after VI, remake of IV after VII, etc. We may be in RPG Maker Super Holographic Edition Ace Plus by the time Dragon Kingdoms IX gets released (maybe in 10 years?)


Image from DK2 (Remake).


Sbester: Any final thoughts?

VW: Whatever you do, don't give up. 2005-2012 were years that I wanted to find the right place, struggled a bit, but it looks like 2013 is going to be the great comeback.


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That’s all, folks!