RMN SNEWS - ISSUE #16

A newsletter - Super RMN Bros., RPG battles, Tastes Like Spelunky, The Cartographer, PS: IN SPACE, edchuy

  • kentona
  • 03/31/2010 06:00 PM
  • 6502 views

..:: Issue #16 ::..






RMN, we need to talk...

I tend to get philosophical about the state of RMN after chatting with Solitayre on IRC. We start up private chats now and again and start long discussions on RMN - where it's at, where it's going, what we can do to improve things - and as a result I started a few threads like Culture of crass, apathy and cynicism and What do people care about? These threads lead to some really great in-depth discussions about the site, attitudes, and ideas BUT they also had a tinge of negativity attached to them.

Not all things on RMN is in bad shape! On the contrary, I think there are many things that are positive and great about the community! But it is time to put my money where my foot is (in my mouth) and show the community things we have in the pipeline. All of these ideas are public knowledge, but unless you were on IRC at the right time or read every single post on RMN (like I pretty much do) you might not have heard of them.

- First off: Super RMN Bros. kicked off, a new community game based around a Super Mario Bros. engine and editor. It should be fun!
- I started the SRADIO podcast ("It's like the SNEWS but better because I read it to you!")
- RMNCast #10 is in the works.
- Game Gale 2010 is slated to begin sometime after Super RMN Bros. ends. (Check out Game Chill 2009 for an idea on what this event will be like).
- Trials & Tribulations with RMVX will be started shortly by yours truly as a game wherein I, as a hardcore RM2k3 user, feel out the RMVX engine for the first time, blogging as I go.
- Of course, the SNEWS is still going strong after 16 issues.

...and that's just for starters.

The staff forums are alight with activity and I assure you a lot of other ideas and concepts are in the works right now.




Applying Auteur Theory to Amateur Games (Part I)

I'd like give her a personal and unique stamp


Max McGee has taken it upon himself to review some of the makers here are RMN and apply a bit of auteur theory to it all. He examined Craze, kentona, VideoWizard and Lysander86 in his first go-round. The article has generated a bevy of discussion on auteur theory, Max's views, and a lot of suggestions for future analysis.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~


Educational Choice Awards Mk. II


The Staff Choice Awards 2009 were released recently. This years take was significantly less controversial due to their new organization, so drama-fans will have to focus their attention elsewhere.

Here is a recap of the awardees:

Starless Umbra by dragonheartman
Dhux’s Scar by Erilex
Cast Aside by Anamei Productions
Visions & Voices by Craze and Karsuman
Hero's Realm by kentona
Master of the Wind by ArtBane and Volrath
Speak No Evil by ChaosProductions
Alter A.I.L.A Genesis by Neok
Paradise Blue by Ocean
Monopolo by Brent Murray







GreatRedSpirit is back with another community game. This time it's Super.

Super RMN Bros. is a community event where everybody tries to make 2D Mario platformer levels and they all get put into one game: Super RMN Bros! The tool used for this is Super Mario Bros. X v1.2 Beta4, a PC Engine made to emulate the Mario games made on the NES and SNES. This event is to let everybody try out this new tool and see what we can make in two weeks in a genre everybody has played! Whip out those old Mario level drawing you made when you were eight! Live the dream of making your own Mario game! Show that RMNers can do more than just make RPGS!





Alternative to battles

Battles. RPGs. Battles in RPGs. Role playing. Game.

This discussion began as calunio pondered the effect of removing battles from a game idea he had and evolved into a great discussion on what battles mean to an RPG, computer games in general, tabletop RPGs and game psychology.

It is a very interesting read and contains some epic posts by Shinan, so it is worth checking out (if you haven't already)!





Tastes Like Spelunky
Spelunky with a delicious twist!


Who made it?
halibabica

What is it?
Tastes Like Spelunky is a modified version of Spelunky (a roguelike-platformer hybrid made by Derek Yu) where you play as a ManTrap.

Why should you care?
The game is a super-fun platformer mod based on a solid game engine (Spelunky, if you didn't guess already). halibabica has taken care to fix up some of the original games shortcomings and introduced a host of new gameplay elements.




The Cartographer
I really love how hilarious this game is <3 -Nessiah


Who made it?
Avadan

What is it?
The Cartographer is a complete traditional RPG made in RMVX.

Why should you care?
For a polished completed game with a solid core, this isn't getting much fanfare. Plus, it has a sense of humor - a critical element in any game.




THEME: Play Something...IN SPACE
"IN SPACE" - Scientific American

Mobile Suit Gundam RPG by sbester
Muse by AznChipmunk*, YDS and Malad
Iron Gaia by Max McGee
Paul Moose In Space World by catmitts
U.S.G. A New Beginning by hima

It is really fun to say "RPG Maker Games... IN SPACE"

1. You don't have to actually finish the game/demo, but of course you should get far enough as to where you can say you've actually played it.
2. You don't have to like the game/demo. You're completely entitled to think that the games you picked suck ass. And that brings me to my next point, and perhaps most important...
3. After you've played the games/demos you picked, give something back! This is the most important part of the whole thing! Not just a "Looks good", or "That was fun", give something more. Write a review (and submit it to the site even), post your opinions on the gamepages, list bugs you encountered, hell, maybe we'll even get something that I couldn't even have imagined. Surprise me.

*As per SNEWS requirements**, whenever a game by AznChipmunk is listed I must post the incorrect link. Here is the correct one: http://rpgmaker.net/games/902/
** This is an inside joke.





edchuy

I came out of nowhere and have single-handedly reviewed RSX. IN YOUR FACE!


..:: Reviews ::..


Okay, so I came up with his userquote, but I imagine that if edchuy could make his own it'd be something like that. But given that he HAS reviewed everything in Release Something X, I thought I'd interview him.

In his own words...

RMN HISTORY:
I created a RMN account almost a couple of years ago, but had been visiting the site for a while before then. Early visits were limited to find complete games to download to play at home, since I had to go to an internet café. Now that I have an internet connection of my own, I can check things out at my leisure.

Getting involved in my current RS!X feedback project has definitely made me involved, especially by getting in touch with the developers, who I have found are receptive of the comments I can provide.

PERSONAL BLURB:
I studied Chemical Engineering up to the Master’s level. Currently, I am in between jobs. I hope that changes pretty soon, though.

SPARE TIME:
In addition to playing RPGs, I also like to listen to music. I have these files on containing Billboard Hot 100 weekly charts and top year-end songs (almost 23 GBs worth!) I feel have been my greatest internet finds so far.

FAVORITE FOOD:
There was this dish my grandma use to make similar to P.F. Chang’s lettuce wraps (http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/features/food/restaurants/blog/wraps.jpg ) except instead of chicken she used dry oysters and it had a lot of chopped vegetables.

FAVORITE SAYING:
"Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly until you learn to do it well." Steve Brown (musician)

PET PEEVE:
People who are inconsiderate of others.

LITTLE KNOWN FACT:
My first RPG played was Phantasy Star 3: Generations of Doom for Sega Genesis. It kept my sane during the 1992 end-of-year holiday period, when I had to endure 13 straight days in which the sun never shone.




TFT for showing us just how pitiful we all are from atop his mountain of misaos.

Posts

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what about Space! ?? surely that's the perfect game !!
I was half expecting this to be a "special" edition given the date it is in parts of the world right now.

And since I'm commenting anyways, I'd just like to say as a some-what lurker, I enjoy reading these, even if I've never commented before.
I'm always glad to hear about people reading this! It is really encouraging and motivates me to continue doing this. Thanks Racheal.
...Someone already made a platformer roguelike? Hurray!
@edchuy

Go engineers! I'm currently a 4th year mechie myself :D.
I like the Hidden Gem section.
Your link for "Muse" is to the wrong game.

Here: http://rpgmaker.net/games/902/
Read a little further down...
Another excellent Snews, good to see it's going strong.
comment=25780
Read a little further down...


so the real question is, was I just born stupid?
Just wanted to share my support in your efforts! Thank you for making a great site and keeping it updated. No matter how small a community is, there is always room for growth and dedication.
halibabica
RMN's Official Reviewmonger
16873
Holy crap, I totally missed this. Thanks for mentioning TLS here, Mr. A!
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