STATUS

RMW is the official forum for RPG Maker XP,VX, Ace and IG maker. With that said, that is all they will endorse and support game making wise, thus limiting it appeal to an extent. Also given that IS very official, they have to keep it clean, so you know what that means? Stricter moderation of course. I'm not accusing anyone on staff of doing anything bad; it's just the sad reality of it all. That's how I see it though, and someone else is bound to see it a little differently.

It's all the signatures enabled by defualt! I can't browse while logged out because half my screen disappears into a black void of contentlessness.

(I have no idea what people that people are scared or anything but I hardly have my finger on the pulse of rm-stuff)

I wouldn't say scared, more like smart enough to stay away from it. I would explain why, but I don't really want to go into it since it's just mostly the incompetence of certain people that's obvious to everyone but them.

RMN's plenty friendly as long as you don't act like a douche-tard or that you know everything in the world about RMing. Members are more likely to call each other out on that kinda stuff and we're willing to let people have their say a little more.

The Official forums have to be stricter in that regard, making it seem friendly to the younger audience. Note I say younger, not newer. There's a world of difference.

my big beef with RMW is just that it's as much a marketing scheme as it is a support forum. the people running the place have every incentive to move product, so the site is organized around getting people to buy the makers and the resource packs and so on and etc. it doesn't really sit well with me.

there's also the fact that as a result of this they don't allow people to post any games not made in engines they sell, which is just kind of inconvenient if you're like me and like to work in a lot of engines depending on how you feel.

this place ain't innocent, but it manages to keep that sort of thing pretty well away from the actual game development side of the forum. so far, at least.

e: and also it's completely fair to ask for donations to keep the server running. you don't have a megacorporation behind you to fund things like RMW does.