MAYORANIME'S PROFILE

Hey there! Welcome to RMN! Can't wait to see what you can do!

author=Craze link=topic=3708.msg74477#msg74477 date=1242059391
I don't plan my games. I find that it only wastes time (hi trance <3 ).

For some reason, that post made my choke on my lunch. Thanks, Craze! :D

author=Karsuman link=topic=3684.msg74221#msg74221 date=1241936649
Making a long intro is a MASSIVE risk; this community is very cynical. We do not wait for things to 'pick up'. If it's boring, we do not lose a damn thing by exiting out and playing a better game. You need to keep this in mind with your players. They owe you nothing. You owe them everything. You need to show them a good time or they will dump you immediately, not unlike a spoiled prom queen. The reason why I say the players know nothing is because they are looking for you to guide them and give them a reason to enjoy your game.

author=Darken link=topic=3684.msg74397#msg74397 date=1242018345
This doesn't entirely depend on the player's opinion, it also depends on the player's patience. Short intros bring in impatient players and patient players, it's a win-win situation, there's no risk of your game being neglected in the first minute. A shitty short intro is always better than a shitty long intro.

Ya see, this is where I have to say I feel that you are both wrong, and voice the basis behind my position, and why I feel the way that I feel.

I keep hearing people here talk about the interests of the community, the community, the community. Specifically, the RM* community (or as I am likely to infer, the RMN community). That scope is far too microscopic, it views only a couple of hundred (or thousand) people, most of who are developers. But in all honestly, the scope being used is actually closer to less than one hundred, since the number of people in this community especially who actively post, develop, etc, is far fewer than the number of people who play RPGMaker games.

Now, I can't speak for anyone else here, but I do listen to my players. That is why the only game I've released on RMN has over 1500 downloads (total, not current, I have deleted and re-uploaded content several times), with a total of over 5000 downloads from the game's original site and megaupload site combined with RMN. Listening to the players is also why my inbox is constantly getting emails of praise on the game's cinematic value, it's deep character development, and (yes) it's introduction and cut scenes.

So you see, while I can respect the opinion about having short intros, stating that opinion as some sort of fact only shows that a scope and view that is extremely limited. I'll make it clear, in case my words so far have not, I'm not making my games for just this community, and neither should any developer here. I believe that the developers here, like myself, should be helping each other make games for the tens to hundreds of thousands of people out there who aren't the least bit interested in developing.

Anyway, to get back to the topic at hand, both Karsu and Darken make extremely good points. I have to agree that if a developers is making a game meant solely for circulation throughout the community, then yes, keep your intro short and sweet, have stellar gameplay, and keep the player entertained. That way, you are sure to get good reviews, compliments, and constructive criticism, which will allow you to become a better developer.

Gonna have to jet, so I'll reply to this one quickly and get moving...!

author=Yoshio link=topic=3684.msg74023#msg74023 date=1241796628
my post was more along the lines of, anything above 5 minutes has got to be REALLY good and interesting or else almost every player will hate you, therefore you should have a lot of confidence to make the attemtpt

I see where you are coming from now. You bring up a very valid point, and I agree with you. If you're going to have cut-scenes longer than five minutes in length, you better be a damn good Game Designer.

author=Yoshio link=topic=3684.msg74023#msg74023 date=1241796628
in my opinion there really isn't any real justification for a cutscene that long. Games are not movies, tell your story throughout the game play or else people are going to wonder "why did I have to watch that instead of actually doing it"

Here I have to disagree. It depends on both the type of cutscene and the type of game. I'm sure tha tyou did not mean just action cutscenes, but your language suggests it. What about dialogue intensive scenes? Either it's watch people talk or read text. Xenogears was sinfully wonderful, and yet I remember reading A LOT.

And also, I disagree with your comparison between video games and movies. There are times you simply must have a dramatic moment on camera that the player has no control over. Like witnessing several things happening in locations apart from the player character at the same time. Sadly, I look at the time I have left before i have to log out, and realize I cannot give the examples I wish to give. Hopefully, I have gotten my point across.

author=Yoshio link=topic=3684.msg74023#msg74023 date=1241796628
to answer your question: cut scenes are not meant to be skiped. The feature is of no comfort to me because our options are either "sit through this long boring cutscene/intro" or "skip all of them and have no idea what's going on"

I agree. However, back to an earlier reply to Craze, I think the feature should be there for people who are playing the second/more time around. I know it's been immensely useful for my second playthrough of Metal Gear Solid 4.

author=Yoshio link=topic=3684.msg74023#msg74023 date=1241796628
of course there should always be the option if there is any point in your game that has: save point, incredibly long cutscene/dialogue exchange.(the best thing for a game to do in this instance is giving you the option to jump right to a rematch after a game over, I remember one professional game did this...)

I agree with you on this. That is just responsible Game Design. If you are going to force a long cutscene, you had better give the option to save. If the cutscene is before a boss fight, or something similar, then losing should not constitute a reload of the game before the cutscene, unless the cutscene is skippable (another reason to advocate skipping cutscenes...hmmmm....)

author=Yoshio link=topic=3684.msg74023#msg74023 date=1241796628
that's another reason why I hate games that don't let you save almost anywhere but that's a subject for another topic

Yeah. That really is a totally different topic altogether.

author=Craze link=topic=3684.msg74016#msg74016 date=1241794446
If a player wants to skip cutscenes then you are doing something wrong.

Or they have been through it already. i.e. second playthrough.