CAN I MAKE A GAME ???

Oooooh, old-timer!

Anyways, it's possible to create a perfectly working and good game with ANY RPG Maker, and that most certainly includes Ace. The type of computer doesn't matter at all; as long as it's able to handle Ace, you're good to go.

As always, look into tutorials here in case you need 'em and whatnot. Trust me, they'll help.

The beauty of RPG Maker, and the main attraction for a lot of people, is that it has an incredibly low barrier to entry. You can learn pretty much all you need to know in a day if you have the time, a week if you've got commitments like a day job and family but I'm guessing, and please don't take this the wrong way, if you're 69 you're likely retired and have more free time than most of us here.

No, the engine won't make the game for you and it requires at least a modicum of intelligence to use competently, which shouldn't be an issue for you, I'm sure. ^.^

You have to still make the game, but the program is created in such a way that it's easier for those who are new to game creation to jump in, mess around and begin creating almost immediately. Other game creation software usually requires you to know some coding beforehand - that is not necessary with RPG Maker, though yes, there are scripts within the program that can be edited by those who know how. (That said, there are a lot of scripts that are plug'n'play that new users can add to their games quite easily, too.)

It also comes with fully licensed graphics and sound included in the sale, so you don't have to worry about creating your own if you don't have that skill. There's a comprehensive help file as well, and a lot of tutorials around to help you get started.

Good luck, bud!

What makes RPG Maker so easy to use is that when you first start using it, it basically comes with an empty but functional game set up with a set of default characters, enemies, spells, items, etc. So at any time, before you're done making all of it, you can hit "play game" and try out what you've just made. If you've made the maps for your first town and dungeon, and put some NPCs in the town, but done nothing else, you can test those out with the default characters and enemies and so forth and see how it plays. This makes it a lot easier to learn than other game design engines, and is why I got into it. It will take about as much effort to make the game yours as any other engine, but the process of learning how to make the game is much more enjoyable and less frustrating because you can see what you're doing, and learn as you go. (Also you don't have to know anything about computer programming, although you might learn a little bit by accident along the way.)

I've noticed that, in recent years, we've had people of so many ages playing and making RPG Maker. I mean, it's always been there, but it feels as if it has become so much more prevalent over the last two or three years. I'm really loving it, it feels like having Enterbrain's makers formally released in English has finally given it the momentum it needed to really catch on beyond a few small niche sites like Gaming World, GGZ, RMN, etc.

The great thing about the RPG Maker series is that, yeah, ANYONE can make a game with them. I love how simplified things have even gotten as of VX Ace, with there even being a very easy way for new users to set up chests, doors, and inns very quickly, and the character/portrait generators are fantastic for people who can't put together non-RTP resources for whatever reason.

You can definitely make a game Linkis, and we're all here to help you and every other newcomer. Heck, we've even got an active help forum for those who need assistance.

Best of luck!

Sure, you can do it!

My advice to you is to start small, though. If your first project is a HUGE adventure spanning 4 continents with 12 characters and a maximum level of 99, you'll probably not finish any time this century.

So start small. Get used to the system. Then things will come more and more naturally to you and you can start doing larger projects.

Also, I think that VXAce is wonderful. When I first looked at it, I hated it. I hated how it was so much simpler and more kiddy looking than RMXP was.

Then I really started to work with VXAce and I realized that it's a million times better than XP. While the mapping is simpler and you can do less with it, it's easier to use which is great for me since I hate mapping. And the combat system? The DEFAULT combat system in VXAce can do more than RMXP with a ton of combat scripts. And being able to instantly make doors and chests with a simple right click is fantastic.

Scripts are code that you can plug into your game that change the way it works.

If you're just starting out, don't bother with them. Get used to how the game maker works on a basic level before you start messing around with the more advanced stuff.

Also, if you're not sure what something in the game maker works, just hover your mouse over it and a little helpful message will pop up to tell you what it does.

author=Linkis
That's OK Deacon, it was Aegix who called me to old, fat, lazy and stupid to create a game :) hehe

I live in sunny (most of the time) Florida in the USA and no thanks, don't need or
want a job. Just want to make a good game :)

Wait what?

When did I say that?!

*looks back at previous posts*

I TOTALLY didn't say that!

All I said was start with a small game first, because jumping into a large project right off the bat rarely ever works! And this was from my own experience too, so it's not like I'm talking down to you!

In my experience, starting off small, seeing what works, and then expanding from there is the best route to success.

...I'm really hoping that comment was a bad joke. :s

A really cool guy XD.