PREFERENCE IN RPGMAKER GAMES

What hooks me into projects are basically games like my own or if they have some kind of flashy or active action to it. A weird and possibly pretentious/egotistical/vain thing to say I'm sure, I don't mean it that way. But that's really what I've come to realize during my time in the community. Most of the games that I actually like are usually similar in style or execution to my own. Or they have some kind of active or flashy element to it.

Anything else, I usually find that I get bored very quickly. That would explain why I just can't like DQ-like games no matter how hard I try to give them a chance.

Small filesize, no RTP requirement and a default setting to windowed mode are the things that make me consider a rpgmaker game.

Short and to the point gameplay and some nice action is what keeps me going at least for a while.

I don't know what could possibly keep me playing more than an hour though. It'd have to be something really spectacular.

I am generally interested in games that strive to defy the conventions and fads that define an RPGMaker game. Something that "feels" a little different from every other game (there are a variety of ways to do this).

author=Shinan link=topic=1076.msg15380#msg15380 date=1210233556
I don't know what could possibly keep me playing more than an hour though. It'd have to be something really spectacular.

This attitude is troubling. While most homebrew games probably aren't very good and maybe you *shouldn't* play them for very long, approaching games with the attitude well gosh there's no way I'll play THIS for more than an hour means that you probably won't be offering very many people your advice and support.

As many others, I look for a well written script. There's nothing worse to me than terrible dialog and poor character development. Next would be general presentation and overall feel of the game. If the game seems like it was lovingly crafted, polished with time and effort, and some type of customization, I'll usually give it a serious go since the creator apparently did themselves. The third major thing I usually look for in RM games would be mapping. Honestly, I don't care what chipset/tileset you use, as long as you use it well.

Those are probably the big 3 I immediately look at when considering whether or not to play a RM game. =D

Gameplay. If a game doesn't have decent gameplay, why is it a game? Secondary; characters; not having intriguing characters is problematic, but MIGHT be saved by either point one or point three, which is story. If the story is good enough, it might save the game after a while, but it's kinda hard to hook someone by the story or plot. A well-made intro might do this, but if there isn't anything to back the story up well into the game, then bah

I think it's the overall impression and a little bit of everything that plays in. I mean, I can actually tolerate next to anything graphically and musically.. well, let's just say, speaker volume exists for a reason :) (even though not hearing anything at all sucks big time and could possibly make me not play the game after all).

author=harmonic link=topic=1076.msg15442#msg15442 date=1210265087
Things that make me immediately quit:

-having no idea what I'm doing when gameplay begins

QFT!

If I have no idea what the hell I'm supposed to do right away, I say fuck it.

author=brandonabley link=topic=1076.msg15404#msg15404 date=1210258119

author=Shinan link=topic=1076.msg15380#msg15380 date=1210233556
I don't know what could possibly keep me playing more than an hour though. It'd have to be something really spectacular.

This attitude is troubling. While most homebrew games probably aren't very good and maybe you *shouldn't* play them for very long, approaching games with the attitude well gosh there's no way I'll play THIS for more than an hour means that you probably won't be offering very many people your advice and support.

I'm not so sure what's so troubling about it. I come in expecting nearly any game to suck. If it's good I get a pleasant surprise. I find it a lot more pleasant than being disappointed all the time. (It's also true that this is the attitude I have towards most RPGmaker games because I just don't like the default JRPG gameplay)


Dwarf Fortress though. Dwarf Fortress was spectacular.

I find that if I am having fun, even if the story or gameplay suck, I am more likely to keep with it.

Case in point: I like both Love & War and Legacies of Dondoran. Love & War has a well-done story with neat characters but very uninspired gameplay. Legacies of Dondoran has a fun menu and battles, but has a lackluster story. People endlessly argue about the merits of gameplay vs story on these and other boards, but in reality it's all about what people find entertaining and what they value - 'fun factor', so to speak. I personally find that a game with a good story and bad gameplay can be entertaining, and vice versa, but others will not.

Keeping that in mind, I am finding the rm2k3 battle system more and more unappealing so my standards are becoming progressively higher. If the game is having trouble with this and the story is bad, it goes right into my trash folder.

Ideally, though, the game is good at both. Then we wouldn't need to worry about it. =)

I honestly don't give a shit. Whatever looks fun; I approach everything with an open mind. Hasn't failed me yet.

author=brandonabley link=topic=1076.msg15724#msg15724 date=1210440780

author=harmonic link=topic=1076.msg15627#msg15627 date=1210372686
Pretty girls are neat too.

I disagree!

Figures