Full Games List
Featured Games
New Games
Reviews
Media
Images
Blogs
Game Updates
Images Feedback Summary
Game Design Highlights
Tutorials
Articles
Scripts
Utilities / Plugins
Resources
Engines
Engine Bulletins
What is Makerscore?
Past Events
Achievements
Misaos
Forums
Post History
Chat
New to RMN?
Full Store List
RMN Music Pack (free)
IS IT BAD TO ADD TONS OF CUSTOM STUFF?
Posts
McBick
1339
McBick
View playlists
CloseI notice that games in development that promise many custom features(custom made scripts/engines/events) never seem to get completed and I wonder if its because they try to put so much stuff into their game? I know this to be true for my games. I just added a custom message system(in 2k3!) for my game and I still want to add more. It feels like every time I get close to finishing a game I think of new stuff to implement.
Do you think adding tons of custom stuff is a bad thing?
Is it better to use what resources you have available and complete more games or should you spend your time making custom stuff for your one game so its exactly like you envision it?
Is it better to use what resources you have available and complete more games or should you spend your time making custom stuff for your one game so its exactly like you envision it?
Adding tons of custom stuff is good if it makes a good game and it allows you to finish. It's bad if it stops you from finishing or makes a worse game.
If there's a reason for it and it fits then that's fine, but if you're adding stuff just so you can say you have that added then you may have a problem.
The best idea is to figure out the core systems of your game before you start. What kind of battle system? Any menu additions? What else needs adding?
Then look at what you have, see if there are ways to make them interact. Maybe you have a crafting system that relies on a special drop system you have in place. That's fine, they're interacting and work together. Add to that equipment breaking and you have reasons for your systems - equipment breaks, you replace it with crafting new equipment that you can get items for from the harvest/drop system in place. It makes sense.
But say you have a quest system and maybe 10 quests all up. Is that really worth it? What if you had just the crafting system with no reason, just to have crafting for the sake of 'I have crafts'. Does it really need to be included? Isn't it going to divide focus on the other systems you're planning? And won't it take time to get it all ready, just because you want it?
Is it necessary? That's the main question you need to ask, really. Do I need this?
The best idea is to figure out the core systems of your game before you start. What kind of battle system? Any menu additions? What else needs adding?
Then look at what you have, see if there are ways to make them interact. Maybe you have a crafting system that relies on a special drop system you have in place. That's fine, they're interacting and work together. Add to that equipment breaking and you have reasons for your systems - equipment breaks, you replace it with crafting new equipment that you can get items for from the harvest/drop system in place. It makes sense.
But say you have a quest system and maybe 10 quests all up. Is that really worth it? What if you had just the crafting system with no reason, just to have crafting for the sake of 'I have crafts'. Does it really need to be included? Isn't it going to divide focus on the other systems you're planning? And won't it take time to get it all ready, just because you want it?
Is it necessary? That's the main question you need to ask, really. Do I need this?
LockeZ
I'd really like to get rid of LockeZ. His play style is way too unpredictable. He's always like this too. If he ran a country, he'd just kill and imprison people at random until crime stopped.
5958
Is it bad to do game design?
guys help i need an answer
guys help i need an answer
RyaReisender
200
Custom stuff is usually a good thing but you need to realize how much more work it is. There is a huge difference in effort between just using RTP and the default battle system that comes with RPG Maker than scripting your own battle system and doing your own graphics.
LockeZ
I'd really like to get rid of LockeZ. His play style is way too unpredictable. He's always like this too. If he ran a country, he'd just kill and imprison people at random until crime stopped.
5958
I would rather have the one perfect game than several decent games.
I mean, obviously it won't be objectively perfect, but I want it to be the perfect likeness of what I was imagining it to be. The game that perfectly matches what I wanted to make.
That takes years though. But I tend to work on other smaller games as I'm making the one big one, so that helps...?
I mean, obviously it won't be objectively perfect, but I want it to be the perfect likeness of what I was imagining it to be. The game that perfectly matches what I wanted to make.
That takes years though. But I tend to work on other smaller games as I'm making the one big one, so that helps...?
Okay, so I totally missed the real question here. Frankly, it's a good idea to create the game you want and make it the best you can. If you're happy with the end product, and there's no bugs and other issues with it, then move on. It doesn't have to be perfection, but at least wrap it up in some way, if possible.
As for resources, use what you like but use it competently. Just because you use RTP doesn't mean you should half-ass it. Just because you use all custom made resources doesn't mean the game will be better than others that didn't.
It's all about the effort in the use. You can make an awesome game with just default systems and resources - Hero's Realm basically does this. You can make a fucking shitty game with all custom systems and resources too.
As for resources, use what you like but use it competently. Just because you use RTP doesn't mean you should half-ass it. Just because you use all custom made resources doesn't mean the game will be better than others that didn't.
It's all about the effort in the use. You can make an awesome game with just default systems and resources - Hero's Realm basically does this. You can make a fucking shitty game with all custom systems and resources too.
Yeah. Figure out the core concept that you're going for and add the custom content you need to make it work. You don't have to have tons of custom stuff, just use the resources that compliment the sort of game you're making.
Liman
0
If the custom stuff serves a purpose, throw in as much as you'd like.
If it's just for the sake of trying to big as big as possible, but little impact on the overall gameplay, I'd recommend sticking to a few but well planned features instead.
If it's just for the sake of trying to big as big as possible, but little impact on the overall gameplay, I'd recommend sticking to a few but well planned features instead.
SnowOwl
5188
If you have time, I don't see why not. I would rather play a game with somewhat shitty graphics instead of the RTP, actually.
I'm doing a bit of both myself, I could make my own music, but I'm really slow when it comes to making music, so I don't.
I really enjoy making my own graphics, though, so I always make everything about that myself.
I'm doing a bit of both myself, I could make my own music, but I'm really slow when it comes to making music, so I don't.
I really enjoy making my own graphics, though, so I always make everything about that myself.
Red_Nova
Sir Redd of Novus: He who made Prayer of the Faithless that one time, and that was pretty dang rad! :D
9192
author=unity
Yeah. Figure out the core concept that you're going for and add the custom content you need to make it work. You don't have to have tons of custom stuff, just use the resources that compliment the sort of game you're making.
Says the person who made 100% custom assets for your game. Haha.
But yeah, if you're not confident about the custom content you would be making, like tilesets for example, you'd be better off just editing RTP to your liking.
As to your original question: No. Inherently, it is not bad to have lots of custom content. Quite the opposite, actually.
RyaReisender
200
author=SnowOwl
If you have time, I don't see why not. I would rather play a game with somewhat shitty graphics instead of the RTP, actually.
I'm doing a bit of both myself, I could make my own music, but I'm really slow when it comes to making music, so I don't.
I really enjoy making my own graphics, though, so I always make everything about that myself.
RTP graphics are a big turn-off for me too. But graphics also need a minimum quality level for me to be acceptable. Basically anything that's better than anything I can draw myself is fine. =D
author=Red_Novaauthor=unitySays the person who made 100% custom assets for your game. Haha.
Yeah. Figure out the core concept that you're going for and add the custom content you need to make it work. You don't have to have tons of custom stuff, just use the resources that compliment the sort of game you're making.
Yeah, I'm a hypocrite! XD I just don't want to encourage others to go too overboard with custom assets if they either don't suit the game or make production time take so long that the game's never done. :P
That said, if you can do them and make them work, they really spice up a game.
Although I agree in principle, I think there are two important question you should ask yourself before adding custom stuff. The first is "Does it help the game in any way?" Implementing your own graphics, systems etc. should always serve the purpose of enhancing your game, and not be there just for the sake of having it.
The second question is "Is it within the scope of my abilities?" The reason most of us are here is because we want to make games. Not every one of us can script or has a talent for art. Going overboard with features you simply aren't capable of creating is a bad idea, because it prevents you from achieving what you really want to do: making a game.
True, no doubt. But like you said, the question is whether you actually can make them work. Although I can somewhat understand people's reservations against games that use the RPT or the default battle system, I think dismissing a game just because of this comes dangerously close to a certain arrogance hobbyist game developers shouldn't have.
Then again, maybe I'm just biased here because I can't draw at all but still want to make games, so I'm dependent on the RTP.
The second question is "Is it within the scope of my abilities?" The reason most of us are here is because we want to make games. Not every one of us can script or has a talent for art. Going overboard with features you simply aren't capable of creating is a bad idea, because it prevents you from achieving what you really want to do: making a game.
author=unity
That said, if you can do them and make them work, they really spice up a game.
True, no doubt. But like you said, the question is whether you actually can make them work. Although I can somewhat understand people's reservations against games that use the RPT or the default battle system, I think dismissing a game just because of this comes dangerously close to a certain arrogance hobbyist game developers shouldn't have.
Then again, maybe I'm just biased here because I can't draw at all but still want to make games, so I'm dependent on the RTP.
RyaReisender
200
True, no doubt. But like you said, the question is whether you actually can make them work. Although I can somewhat understand people's reservations against games that use the RPT or the default battle system, I think dismissing a game just because of this comes dangerously close to a certain arrogance hobbyist game developers shouldn't have.
Then again, maybe I'm just biased here because I can't draw at all but still want to make games, so I'm dependent on the RTP.
From an RPG Maker community perspective RTP often seems an acceptable solution. For gamers... they won't know about RTP, so the first game they play that uses a tileset will be considered "good" by them while the following games they play that use the same tileset will automatically feel "worse". This is kind of unfair but it's something that can't be changed. The first game will always feel better. One of the reasons why using RTP is bad. And of course there is this "getting tired off" that always kicks. Even while playing a single game, if the graphics don't have enough variety it will just get boring eventually. When there are multiple games all using the same graphics, this gets worse and worse.
Just check all the 2D RPGs on Greenlight and then see all the comments - there are very very many that downvote RPGs because they look like RPG Maker games. Gamers just don't want this. They want unique, self-made graphics they haven't seen before, even if they are parody-bad graphics or one-colour-only graphics, anything is better than something they've seen already.
In my review I usually give games "-1 star" for using RTP graphics (in the graphics category). That means perfectly used RTP graphics can still net a result of 4/5, but average ones will just get a 2/5. I think that score reflect my overall impression. And that's still me being nice because I really prefer average self-made graphics more than perfectly used RTP graphics.
You have your points there, Rya, and I can understand them even if I strongly disagree. I, for once, would never lower a game's review score for using the RTP, but I would give games with custom assets a bonus to the score. From my perspective, this sounds fairer, although you have your good reasons to think differently, too.
Just in order not to turn this into a "is RTP good or bad?"- type discussion: I think it is not a bad idea to add custom things to your game, as long as it feels well-placed and not arbitrary, artificial or non-functional. Custom stuff that fits well into your vision of your game is usually a great thing to add. Just make sure not to get overwhelmed by it and end up achieving nothing and giving up, because that would be much worse. If necessary, you can always use placeholders and insert custom stuff later on, if you want.
Just in order not to turn this into a "is RTP good or bad?"- type discussion: I think it is not a bad idea to add custom things to your game, as long as it feels well-placed and not arbitrary, artificial or non-functional. Custom stuff that fits well into your vision of your game is usually a great thing to add. Just make sure not to get overwhelmed by it and end up achieving nothing and giving up, because that would be much worse. If necessary, you can always use placeholders and insert custom stuff later on, if you want.
LockeZ
I'd really like to get rid of LockeZ. His play style is way too unpredictable. He's always like this too. If he ran a country, he'd just kill and imprison people at random until crime stopped.
5958
author=SnowOwl
If you have time, I don't see why not. I would rather play a game with somewhat shitty graphics instead of the RTP, actually.
This is good news for me because the graphics I've made are somewhat shitty!
McBick
1339
author=LockeZ
I would rather have the one perfect game than several decent games.
I mean, obviously it won't be objectively perfect, but I want it to be the perfect likeness of what I was imagining it to be. The game that perfectly matches what I wanted to make.
That takes years though. But I tend to work on other smaller games as I'm making the one big one, so that helps...?
I agree with this or at least this is what I do.
I want people to play my game and not recognize it as just another generic rpg maker game. So I feel by adding custom menus, text, graphics, mechanics, etc this will improve my game even if some of the things I add don't exactly improve the core gameplay it will improve the aesthetic of the game.
Lucy_Fox
1872
I think you will get a great looking game with just using RTP stuff, if you are able to use your resources well enough.
But peronaly I always try to find some graphics which aren't used that often and combine them with my own work. Also I think poses are very important. So I try adding as many custom poses as I can.
If this slows developement for my game a bit, it's ok for me. Although my game is quite small. When you make a realy big game then it could be bad to make that much custom stuff on your own. Consider letting someone else help you with that. Otherwise decide whether you want your game to be finished soon or looking great. :D
But peronaly I always try to find some graphics which aren't used that often and combine them with my own work. Also I think poses are very important. So I try adding as many custom poses as I can.
If this slows developement for my game a bit, it's ok for me. Although my game is quite small. When you make a realy big game then it could be bad to make that much custom stuff on your own. Consider letting someone else help you with that. Otherwise decide whether you want your game to be finished soon or looking great. :D
