SO... WHERE'S THAT RMNV5?

Posts

Solitayre
Circumstance penalty for being the bard.
18257
author=Feldschlacht IV
author=WIP
How do you get people to play games more than making them?
This is an interesting Catch-22 because part (and only part of) of the answer to this is 'getting people to make better games', hence my big interest in the site promoting and building things like scripting, game development stuff on Youtube, and attracting talent. RPG Maker Web totally has us beat on the scripting and community activity thing.

Then, part of our job as a site is to promote those awesome games as well. Really awesome games. I don't want RMN to feel as it's just another site full of people hawking their RTP-generic-game #352 that we accepted because we're nice.


This isn't what RMN wants to be. And that makes me sad, but that's just the way it is. this is a hobbyist site. The people here are amateurs. nobody here is trying to make 'the next big thing.' People who make the move to more serious game development tend to leave this place behind precisely for these reasons.

I've tried promoting community outreach and sharing games I think are cool outside of this community and response from the community was tepid at best. We put banners that say 'WE'RE DUMB' "IGNORE US' "THIS PLACE IS A JOKE' at the top of every page. The official RMN Twitter has tweets about peeing. Any attempts to promote more professionalism around here is met with resistance. It's not what the community wants.

People aren't here because they want to be taken seriously. This place is a joke and it wants to be a joke. That's the way it is.
unity
You're magical to me.
12540
author=Solitayre
author=Feldschlacht IV
author=WIP
How do you get people to play games more than making them?
This is an interesting Catch-22 because part (and only part of) of the answer to this is 'getting people to make better games', hence my big interest in the site promoting and building things like scripting, game development stuff on Youtube, and attracting talent. RPG Maker Web totally has us beat on the scripting and community activity thing.

Then, part of our job as a site is to promote those awesome games as well. Really awesome games. I don't want RMN to feel as it's just another site full of people hawking their RTP-generic-game #352 that we accepted because we're nice.
This isn't what RMN wants to be. And that makes me sad, but that's just the way it is. this is a hobbyist site. The people here are amateurs. nobody here is trying to make 'the next big thing.' People who make the move to more serious game development tend to leave this place behind precisely for these reasons.

I've tried promoting community outreach and sharing games I think are cool outside of this community and response from the community was tepid at best. We put banners that say 'WE'RE DUMB' "IGNORE US' "THIS PLACE IS A JOKE' at the top of every page. The official RMN Twitter has tweets about peeing. Any attempts to promote more professionalism around here is met with resistance. It's not what the community wants.

People aren't here because they want to be taken seriously. This place is a joke and it wants to be a joke. That's the way it is.

;_;

This makes me sad. While this is my hobby, I also take it very seriously. I like the atmosphere here a lot better than RPG Maker Web, but I guess they're considered the more professional place?

Seriously, though, Soli, thank you for trying. It's much appreciated, even if it hasn't been working out.
Solitayre
Circumstance penalty for being the bard.
18257
I meant from this community. When I actually do share games, people generally think they're pretty cool!
unity
You're magical to me.
12540
author=Solitayre
I meant form this community. When I actually do share games, people generally think they're pretty cool!


Ah, I see. That's cool at least! It's still a bit disappointing that we don't seem to want to take that next step as a website tho, I suppose.
author=Soli
I've tried promoting community outreach and sharing games I think are cool outside of this community and response from the community was tepid at best. We put banners that say 'WE'RE DUMB' "IGNORE US' "THIS PLACE IS A JOKE' at the top of every page. The official RMN Twitter has tweets about peeing. Any attempts to promote more professionalism around here is met with resistance. It's not what the community wants.

People aren't here because they want to be taken seriously. This place is a joke and it wants to be a joke. That's the way it is.


It's pretty infuriating. I think it's something we can change, but it's still infuriating. (also, for the record, as the person in charge of the Twitter, I didn't tweet anything about peeing, I'm pretty sure! Call me out if I do something dumb)

We need to step up our game, for sure.
charblar
"wait you made this a career?"
3574
Kentona let me help, im so helpful.
unity
You're magical to me.
12540
author=Feldschlacht IV
author=Soli
I've tried promoting community outreach and sharing games I think are cool outside of this community and response from the community was tepid at best. We put banners that say 'WE'RE DUMB' "IGNORE US' "THIS PLACE IS A JOKE' at the top of every page. The official RMN Twitter has tweets about peeing. Any attempts to promote more professionalism around here is met with resistance. It's not what the community wants.

People aren't here because they want to be taken seriously. This place is a joke and it wants to be a joke. That's the way it is.
It's pretty infuriating. I think it's something we can change, but it's still infuriating. (also, for the record, as the person in charge of the Twitter, I didn't tweet anything about peeing, I'm pretty sure! Call me out if I do something dumb)

We need to step up our game, for sure.


If it was a Thursday night, the peeing tweet suddenly makes a lot more sense XD
Let the serious people go to serious places - I'm here to have fun and to make my hobby enjoyable.

The pursuit of professionalism and a more "diverse and mature audience" has been the death knell of many sites like RMN for over a decade (see GW, Township Games, IGP, RRR, RMRK, Loosecannon gaming, wotm, and probably a half dozen more). Striving for a site like that requires full commitment that a casual like myself and sites of our ilk rarely possess. You need backing of a major corporation (like Degica and RMW) or a leap of faith (like CROS quitting his job to work on GJ fulltime). Even getting a bunch of people to work together on an online project for free is frought with difficulty - as evidenced by the slew of abandoned group projects on RMN alone.

However, without WIP's yin to my yang the pendulum has probably swung to far to the casual side - especially so since I can't devote the time I once did to RMN. It's padt time for me to find a replacement/puppet I can influence from the shadows. That or make more time for it. Or sell it.

Until that happens though I am going to continue trying to have fun.

EDIT
I can't believe I forgot meridian dance in my list of failed serious sites
PS i made the pee joke
WIP
I'm not comfortable with any idea that can't be expressed in the form of men's jewelry
11363
Hey I named Meridian Dance!

I'm of the opinion there's a halfway point between serious and not. I'm definitely not worried about "people not taking the craft seriously" because some will or won't and that isn't my decision.

I'm working on a legit game with legit money thrown at it. This isn't the place for it, both for technical and communal reasons. I started using RM; does RMN become the place users abandon after they decide they want more?
Solitayre
Circumstance penalty for being the bard.
18257
My saying RMN isn't a serious place isn't a value judgement. It's just an assessment. If it were up to me I'd want this place somewhat more serious than it is but I'd never want it to be a hardcore full-time dev community with no fun allowed.
My view has mostly to do with me doing RM games back in highschool because I was bored and this was the most exciting of the list of things a teenager like me could do. Nowadays whatever skills and effort I put into game development and art are more 'serious' and very non RM related to the point where making a game for this site is more of a side thing to me while I think about buying groceries and all those other things that make this a "side dream".

It's interesting that I think about making an RM game "for this site" and not care about the rest of the indie scene or w/e. It probably has to do with 2005 GW era standards and this Holy Grail of a cool RPG in my head that I want to do someday that will probably be likened by only RM connoisseurs. Though I think this sort of thinking is really dated and probably bad for the site. At the same time it's kind of part of the "casual side" of the site you people speak of.

Ara Fell is an interesting case of ambitious rm demo coming back from the dead to become complete and let out into the indie scene and even being sold. But what is RMN's role for this game, a link to its steam storepage? Idk it really is centered on this community and its history more than anything.
Games like Hero's Realm, Ara Fell, Dreaming Mary, and projects such as Shadows of Adam (these names are just the top of my head, not a comprehensive list) are the kinds of efforts I'd like to see RMN hold the torch for, games that people have veritably played and enjoyed.

There's absolutely nothing fundamental why RMN should be dismissed or not taken seriously, or a 'side thing', even for free hobbyist games. Taking it seriously doesn't have to mean changing our core philosophy, it first and foremost should mean just building, and building upon a better site and community.
Zeigfried_McBacon
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
3820
author=Solitayre
This place is a joke and it wants to be a joke. That's the way it is.


Maybe this would explain why don't fit in here as well as I could, and why you folks look at me funny a lot.

author=charblar
Kentona let me help, im so helpful.

Also this.
WIP
I'm not comfortable with any idea that can't be expressed in the form of men's jewelry
11363
author=Darken
My view has mostly to do with me doing RM games back in highschool because I was bored and this was the most exciting of the list of things a teenager like me could do. Nowadays whatever skills and effort I put into game development and art are more 'serious' and very non RM related to the point where making a game for this site is more of a side thing to me while I think about buying groceries and all those other things that make this a "side dream".

It's interesting that I think about making an RM game "for this site" and not care about the rest of the indie scene or w/e. It probably has to do with 2005 GW era standards and this Holy Grail of a cool RPG in my head that I want to do someday that will probably be likened by only RM connoisseurs. Though I think this sort of thinking is really dated and probably bad for the site. At the same time it's kind of part of the "casual side" of the site you people speak of.

Ara Fell is an interesting case of ambitious rm demo coming back from the dead to become complete and let out into the indie scene and even being sold. But what is RMN's role for this game, a link to its steam storepage? Idk it really is centered on this community and its history more than anything.

I can understand a lot of this. We're not really in the same era anymore as what some of us grew up with. kentona made a list of sites that "didn't last", but those were long ago anyway. Just because RMN has stayed around, what does that mean?

Personally, I never wanted RMN to be a place for people to just mess around at. I had big plans back in the day! I don't think those are necessarily opposing ideas for having a fun environment.

But it does raise the question of: just what purpose does RMN serve in its state? RMN killed its primary competitors long ago. Great, we did it. We won that Bartek Wars. So now what does it do? The world of game dev is a way different place these days. You can make a great game and legitimately sell it, and easily. That doesn't mean everyone has to make a commercial project. But as Darken said, how does RMN facilitate Ara Fell?
TFT
WHOA wow wow. two tails? that is a sexy idea...
445
i mean this as respectful as possible without being LOL TFT FKN TROLL pPOST but RMN isn't a relevant website. it is a niche community.

this website doesn't generate the eyes that developers need, or the resources to keep indie developers across all genres here. there is no reason to post here or update anything to anyone when places like twitter exist.

even if you don't agree with the twitter comment, places like itcho(made by gw's leafo) caters to everyone. they have a huge diverse community, simple layout for your game, you can create jams, sell your games, etc.

rmn does not have the resources to bring in these people and keep them here. i am not going to bother to comment on rmn's community either. it was a cool place when gw tanked and there was no indie boom, but now there is, and from what i've seen this place is very dead.

i do not think this is anyones fault, it is more like whoever runs this website does not have the time or the resources to adjust to modern times.

badluck doesn't have to post here to be successful. infact, u should do more to cater to people like that to keep him here.
WIP
I'm not comfortable with any idea that can't be expressed in the form of men's jewelry
11363
author=TFT
i mean this as respectful as possible without being LOL TFT FKN TROLL pPOST but RMN isn't a relevant website. it is a niche community.

this website doesn't generate the eyes that developers need, or the resources to keep indie developers across all genres here. there is no reason to post here or update anything to anyone when places like twitter exist.

even if you don't agree with the twitter comment, places like itcho(made by gw's leafo) caters to everyone. they have a huge diverse community, simple layout for your game, you can create jams, sell your games, etc.

rmn does not have the resources to bring in these people and keep them here. i am not going to bother to comment on rmn's community either. it was a cool place when gw tanked and there was no indie boom, but now there is, and from what i've seen this place is very dead.

i do not think this is anyones fault, it is more like whoever runs this website does not have the time or the resources to adjust to modern times.

I agree with all of this. Also cool, didn't know leafo made itch.

And you were right: BL doesn't have to post on RMN to be successful. This site can't be sustained on grandpas coming back and posting/updating/whatever for nostalgia's sake.
TFT
WHOA wow wow. two tails? that is a sexy idea...
445
maybe if u made propello 50 years ago b4 he did we wouldnt be in this situation.

author=Kentona
I can't believe I forgot meridian dance in my list of failed serious sites

to be fair, there were several reasons why md did no t have a chance to bloom. i think the primary reason was bc ghost is space trash.


Yeah, I agree with everything that TFT said as well. I've definitely noticed the decline in community as indie gaming boomed and fractured away from us.

It is a shame because indie gaming of all kinds is pretty huge right now; we wouldn't even have to move away from RPG Maker; there's a big user/playerbase for that out there too, given the number of RM projects out there selling on Steam, something a lot of us thought impossible back in the day.
Cap_H
DIGITAL IDENTITY CRISIS
6625
Sorry for throwing myself in this discussion, but here are my two cents of an user.
I would definitely appreciate an RMN app for cellphones (or an optimized cover page). I agree RMN have its limitation as a site focused on RPG Maker. The things, i think could make it more respected/popular would be:
-a possibility to sell your game.
-a better search engine
-a bigger focus on resources and tutorials
-better visibility of featured blogs and articles
-removing latest sections from the front page and giving it its own page.

In my eyes RMN is stronk being a hobbyist site and these are mostly things, which should enhance chances of a newcomer to get hooked and of a serious bystander to get lurked to promote his game here.