So a funny thing happened to me last night. I was browsing rmn just as I always do, when suddenly a notification popped up. "Nice," I thought, "Maybe one of the games I've been following has been updated!" Upon dragging my mouse over the notices tab, I was met with the words "You received a new achievement, the Game Featured!" Now at first I thought this must have been the result of a few possibilities:
1) It was a glitch
2) It was an elaborate prank designed to give me a heart attack
3) I had finally stayed up late for so long that I had lost the ability to distinguish fantasy from reality.

Clicking on the main page, I was greeted by that all too familiar purple and black castle. It was then that I had realized it was true. My game had been featured...
After squealing at the screen for what must have been upwards of five minutes, the reality of what had just happened finally started to sink in. This means more to me than anyone will ever know.

As I've mentioned before, Umbral Soul was originally a personal project I designed for myself, seen and played only by me. One day, while browsing rmn, I stumbled upon a game called Shinra Duel Adventures. I thought the mapping was great, and I could tell that an enormous amount of effort had gone into eventing the game, so I decided to show my appreciation for the dev's hard work by sending them an email. The two of us got to talking and he encouraged me to present my game to the public. At first I was hesitant, doubtful of my ability to create anything worthy of the public eye, but his support spurred me on to take the plunge.

Now, ages later, I've made many new friends, connected with other devs, received a ridiculous six reviews, had let's play's posted on youtube, and finally been featured on the front page of the website that I have admired from afar for years. Heck, even Liberty said she was going to give it a go! This community that I had been so afraid to join for the longest time has shown me so much kindness, it is completely and utterly overwhelming.

None of this would have happened if my friend hadn't spoken those kind words to me. If not for him, Umbral Soul would've remained locked in a folder sitting on my desktop forever. That is why I want to encourage anyone who has a game in development. If you're reading this, don't give up. Don't doubt your abilities. Don't stop learning, tinkering, experimenting and growing, because you can make something special. Don't create the project someone else wants to see, create the game you want to see. The key to seeing a game through to the end is enjoying what you do.

You aren't on your own, either. This site is filled with kind and experienced people who are willing to share the tips and tricks they've learned. Game making can be daunting, but as you learn, new and exciting possibilities will open up for you. If there's anything in this game you'd like to know how to do, send me a message and I'd be happy to share.

So I'm giving a great big thank you to everyone; the players for giving my game a shot, the devs that provided me with knowledge and inspiration, the mods for electing my game worthy to be featured, and you for reading this long-winded rant from a guy who is way too happy for his own good. Thank you all, you're all awesome. Rpg maker forever, baby!