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
Chat
New to RMN?
Full Store List
RMN Music Pack (free)
Profile
Locker
Play ListsBACKWARDS_COWBOY'S PROFILE
Close
Gaming and game design are my hobbies. I've spent the most time with VX Ace and 2k3 (prior to Steam release), but the only thing I've ever finished anything with is 2k.
Psychology was my first degree, but being responsible for depressed kids was too stressful. So I got a Masters in Healthcare Management and now I'm responsible for depressed adults!
Psychology was my first degree, but being responsible for depressed kids was too stressful. So I got a Masters in Healthcare Management and now I'm responsible for depressed adults!
Search
Filter
All
Game Pages
User Statuses
Opinion on Fangames
One thing about fan games that I will never understand is the amount of Final Fantasy fan games. So many are floating around out there, but a lot of them have no ties to the series. The way I see it, unless you're making the three hundredth Final Fantasy VII fan game sequel, then you should just slap an original title on it. Square Enix doesn't exactly own rights to the names and game mechanics, so having Fire, Blizzard, and Thunder doesn't make your game a fan game. Yet that's about the extent of the fan game's relation to the series.
Personally, I don't like fan games unless they're for a series that doesn't have a video game or hasn't had one in nearly a decade. If somebody wanted to make a Mr. Mosquito fan game, then I'd support the hell out of it. But Final Fantasy 7.32-XV^3 is just getting old.
Personally, I don't like fan games unless they're for a series that doesn't have a video game or hasn't had one in nearly a decade. If somebody wanted to make a Mr. Mosquito fan game, then I'd support the hell out of it. But Final Fantasy 7.32-XV^3 is just getting old.
Is it bad to add tons of custom stuff?
I'd rather see custom graphics and hear custom sounds before playing a custom system. Custom systems and mechanics are fun and all, but if I'm still playing as Basil, then... I'm still playing as Basil. And that's probably the biggest issue I have with some games. If you keep the default characters or only change their names, and you're not doing an RTP-themed contest, then it's a major repellent for me. Especially since VX Ace has the character-generator.
As for custom systems, I think the battle system is the most important to customize, unless your goal is to have a classic-style RPG. The menus would probably be least important. Even though you're going to see them hundreds or thousands of times per game, the default RTP layout is pretty easy to navigate and doesn't really need improvement.
In summary, if you're spending too much time implementing custom systems, maybe you should drop some of them to lessen the load. If you're spending a lot of time on custom graphics, don't rush it.
As for custom systems, I think the battle system is the most important to customize, unless your goal is to have a classic-style RPG. The menus would probably be least important. Even though you're going to see them hundreds or thousands of times per game, the default RTP layout is pretty easy to navigate and doesn't really need improvement.
In summary, if you're spending too much time implementing custom systems, maybe you should drop some of them to lessen the load. If you're spending a lot of time on custom graphics, don't rush it.
Final Fantasy III "Remake" Coming to Steam (With Cards!)
author=amerk
I've been skimming the internet on this, mainly to read up on the comments. It's clear to me that quite a number of people are mistaking this for Final Fantasy III (SNES) which was actually FFVI.
Anybody care to take bets how many people complain when they realize this is not a remake of FFVI?
I'm thinking 30%-50% of Steam reviews will be "Not Recommended" based on that one reason, and the uninformed users will be threatening with imaginary lawsuits of false advertising.
author=narcodis
In any case, it's definitely not the best final fantasy, and it's kind of weird they insist on remaking it yet again. Fans mostly want a remake of FF6 or 7, but maybe it's best they don't; that screenshot of the new FF3 looks fucking awful. Yeesh.
The DS remake was just done incorrectly, and they refuse to fix it each time they port/remake the remake. The visuals aren't great but those aren't the problem; it's the altered enemy numbers and stats, as well as the altered EXP rates. And the screenshots are supposedly from the PC version, but look worse than the iOS version. I don't know how that's even possible.
The first level
I think it matters a little less with modern game design. When the original Mario. Bros was made, it would have been a lot more trouble to go back and change a level when the game is already coded. Now, you can just load up that segment and redo everything in a few hours, if not faster. Especially with RPG Maker, you can insert or remove any text or events, and re-balance enemies pretty quickly. Back then everything was code and databases, and Pokemon Red & Blue are a pretty good example of what happens when you try adding and removing things halfway through production (MissingNo, Glitch City, etc.).
Name your maker!
I started with RM2k3 when I was about 11 or 12, and then I tried out 2k and SimRPG95. I actually kind of liked 2k for the the front-view battle system since it meant not having to make character battle sprites. I then went to XP, but never got anywhere with it because it felt very limited and I didn't like the graphical style. I tried the VX demo, but it wasn't really that great to me. Then they released VXAce and I bought it the week before it went on sale for 70% off. I messed with Game Maker when I was still in school for programming & web/game design, and ended up getting the full version for free. In the end, I still prefer VXAce for the battle formula flexibility and the scripting, as well as the character maker.
Games you love but everyone hates.
Chaos Wars on the PS2. Even though it serves as the example of terrible voice acting, it had the option for Japanese voices and I genuinely enjoyed the game. I also enjoyed Resonance of Fate, which got some pretty below-average reviews from critics and several players.
Fast Times at Aremen High: Sign-Ups
I'm up for being the default horse sprite. Just tether me to a basketball hoop or something, or put me in the parking lot. Unless you want a sentient horse roaming the halls.
I also happen to have a cancelled high school game if you need to make a sarcastic joke about games never being finished.
Halloween Horror! Lock-In At Longview High!
I also happen to have a cancelled high school game if you need to make a sarcastic joke about games never being finished.
Halloween Horror! Lock-In At Longview High!
Tech Demo VS. 'Real' Demo Release
From what I've seen, most tech demos aren't actually playable, and are usually just short videos or occasionally the presenter controlling the demo. They tend to focus on physics engines, graphics engines, or lighting engines as opposed to actual game content (an example is Killing Floor 2's most recent tech demo, which was a physics engine for millions of unique killing animations). It wasn't playable, but just showed how in-depth the explosion of heads and limbs went. Most tech demos aren't playable to the public and are more or less just used at E3 and other showcases.
Actual demos tend to last 20 minutes to a few hours, and are playable to some extent. Pokemon Diamond & Pearl demos were a preset party of new Pokemon, and a battle. After the battle, the game ended. The new Ruby & Sapphire games had a 30-second tech demo as a preview, which showed the new effects for Drought & Drizzle. Then some of the newer game demos use restrictions like "Reach Level 10 or 3 Hours" and ends after one of those conditions is met. I don't remember which game did it, but it was a year or two ago.
Of course, now that we are increasingly offered the privilege of paying to test games for developers through the purchase of Alpha or Beta access, demos are becoming a little less common.
Actual demos tend to last 20 minutes to a few hours, and are playable to some extent. Pokemon Diamond & Pearl demos were a preset party of new Pokemon, and a battle. After the battle, the game ended. The new Ruby & Sapphire games had a 30-second tech demo as a preview, which showed the new effects for Drought & Drizzle. Then some of the newer game demos use restrictions like "Reach Level 10 or 3 Hours" and ends after one of those conditions is met. I don't remember which game did it, but it was a year or two ago.
Of course, now that we are increasingly offered the privilege of paying to test games for developers through the purchase of Alpha or Beta access, demos are becoming a little less common.
Final Fantasy III "Remake" Coming to Steam (With Cards!)
author=amerk
Pretty much what others have said. Final Fantasy 3 was my least favorite, although I much preferred the Nintendo version over the DS, because at least that still maintained a sort of charm in its gameplay.
What's more, is that with NES you expect crippling gameplay elements, like no save points in the dungeons, high encounter rates, and a crude job system (although in fairness to the NES it was pretty innovative at the time).
With the DS version, I expected they would fix the flaws. Instead, they left them in, and that made an otherwise classic retro game feel more tedious now than it did back then.
On top of the game being the most difficult in the franchise, the lack of save points in very long dungeons is a cruel joke in an age when time is of essence. I kid you not when I say the last dungeon of the game will take you somewhere between 2 and 3 hours to get through, and that's if you run from half of the fights there. It's probably much longer if you explore it completely and fight everything. It's actually 2 dungeons together, but there are no save points anywhere in either of the dungeons, or between the two dungeons. I believe there is a quick save feature (at least on DS), but if you die at any point in this dungeon, you potentially lose 3+ hours of grindng and exploring.
Not to mention, the boss fights are tough, and the final boss was no exception. Which is typically fine, since I like a good challenge, and it should be expected to die a few times before figuring out the pattern of a boss. But when it takes you this long to finish a dungeon and get to the boss, only to have one shot at figuring it out or losing everything you've done over the past few hours, it's insanely frustrating.
Now they want to put this on Steam, and I applaud them for bring more games to Steam, but I fear this will be the death toll for Final Fantasy games on Steam. Most new gen gamers don't care for heavy grind, high encounter rates, and no save points. As one of the most difficult games in the franchise, I honestly think they should have put some other titles up first.
The NES version was actually easier. Far easier. When they ported it to DS, they reduced the maximum number of enemies per battle to 3, with one exception, when it used to be about 6 or 8 on the NES. They adjusted the enemy strength to match the reduced number, and also adjusted boss strength for some coke-fueled reason, but they didn't accurately alter the EXP rate. So you end up with a grind-fest where the easiest way to win is to kill half of your characters, and then grind to gain decent experience. Also, the final dungeon was 3 dungeons if you count the optional one that had legendary weapons and optional bosses, which were pretty much required to deal enough damage to the final boss. Note that only one of these dungeons had a healing spot, and none had save points.
Also, there was a limited amount of phoenix down unless you got some from enemy drops, so if you used it all up before getting the Raise spell and weren't near a revive pool, you were pretty much screwed. I've played the NES, DS, and iOS versions, and I can honestly say the NES one is significantly better. If they were to remake it in the style of 1, 2, and 5, all of which were re-done in 2D on iOS recently (although 5 had some mapping issues), then they would have a decent Final Fantasy remake experience.
What happened to manuals?
When I was little and money was not a thing I ever had access too and games were only recieved as gifts, I would never read the manual. If I couldn't figure out how to play, I'd either give up and go back to it several months later, or I'd just try everything until something worked. After I started having money but still didn't have my own car, I would always hope for a manual in the box to read and look at (for console games). Portable games I would just shove into the system and play on the ride home.
As an adult, I really don't see as much need for manuals anymore, since most games now allow you to configure the controls yourself, so learning button arrangements and functions isn't necessary, and that cuts out three pages of the manual. Most game history and information is now presented in-game, since graphics and audio have improved to the point where cutscenes are pretty much required, so that's another several pages of manual gone.
The only remaining purpose for the manual is images, and a developer who truly cares about those things will include an art book, poster, figurine, etc. to the players. With RPGs, I still appreciate manuals, but if you need a manual to figure out Call of Duty: The Seventh Sequel, you should probably just stop playing.
EDIT: Somebody try calling the Nintendo Game Help Hotline and see if that still works. That used to be in the back of EVERY Nintendo manual.
As an adult, I really don't see as much need for manuals anymore, since most games now allow you to configure the controls yourself, so learning button arrangements and functions isn't necessary, and that cuts out three pages of the manual. Most game history and information is now presented in-game, since graphics and audio have improved to the point where cutscenes are pretty much required, so that's another several pages of manual gone.
The only remaining purpose for the manual is images, and a developer who truly cares about those things will include an art book, poster, figurine, etc. to the players. With RPGs, I still appreciate manuals, but if you need a manual to figure out Call of Duty: The Seventh Sequel, you should probably just stop playing.
EDIT: Somebody try calling the Nintendo Game Help Hotline and see if that still works. That used to be in the back of EVERY Nintendo manual.
Games - Tester
Games - Other
