MALADROITHIM'S PROFILE

Man, that makes me tingle. I'm pretty skeptical that we'll see it in the US, given the track record of DQ remakes (even during the PS2 era . . . come on!). Still, that is just way too awesome.

I don't think you have to worry about not getting any appreciation! The very best of RPG Maker games have on various occassions enjoyed the following accollades (I won't name games because this isn't a dick-measuring thread):

- Hundreds of thousands of downloads, and a loyal, active fan communities much larger than all of RPGMaker.net put together

- Hard-print publication and circulation in gaming magazines or distribution and praise on serious independent development sites

- An awesome portfolio piece that scores you a career as a game artist or game designer (I personally know more than one person who has achieved this honor, and at least one of them is a regular here)

- The ability to market your game and make as much as $300,000 (though I think seriously only one American RPG Maker game XP has sold that well)

So, if you're talented and dedicated, you don't have to think of yourself as the LONELY, TORTURED, UNAPPRECIATED ARTIST type. An excellent or particularly creative RPG Maker game will be taken seriously by just about anyone that plays and appreciates video games -- especially if it is freeware. I don't think it's true at all that the internet at large does not care about RPG Maker games.

I say do it! Even if you never release anything, or even if you aren't even that talented and nobody likes your work, making games or large-scale mods is one of the most fun and personally satisfying hobbies in existence. Who knows, your work on a game might somehow ignite some latent, hidden passion for music or art.

As for advice, I recommend that you avoid making your game like most RPG Maker games! Most RPG Maker games are hollow cock-contest showpieces where people compete to stuff as much worthless symbolism and cluttered symbolism into their games as they possibly can. The only problem is that everyone is using the same SNES-period Squaresoft graphics and the same Xenogears-inspired Christan allegory. After awhile, you know, nobody even cares about the fucking games anymore. So, please, god, try to labor over something other than how no two identical tiles are ever touching in your Final Fantasy 6 town map. If your ideas are good enough, maybe you'll score some hobbyist artists and composers who need portfolio pieces in order to secure professional contract work. There's this crazy myth that there aren't enough of them to go around, but I think the problem is that there aren't enough designers with compelling ideas to get anyone motivated towards working on a project.

I am 21 year old named Brandon Abley from Wisconsin.

I'm pretty gorgeous and people usually like me! Online, I have a tremendous ability to gain peoples' respect and then very quickly lose it. I spend most of my time online arguing with WIP over what qualifies a video game library on 360 as "diverse" or not.

I am a music major in college, but I'm pretty terrible with just about every instrument. I sing fairly well, but I always freak out during juries and get low marks for intonation. I failed composition last semester. Nontheless, I'm still confident that I'm a pretty brilliant composer. Claude Debussy failed composition when he was in college!

I lived a life that would have made Charles Dickens very proud, which recently turned completely around! I live with my girlfriend of two and a half years. It's not a very interesting relationship so I won't divulge!

I own all five next-generation handheld and desktop video game consoles, which I think gives me greater legitimacy in online flame wars about said topic, and is my primary asset as a human being.

I am making a game in RPG Maker XP which, by this site's standards, I guess is technically commercial or something. I've been involved with the RM community at some level since I was about 12 or 13 or something, like most of you. Also, like most of you, it's an unhealthy obsession and one that I might have been better off without.

Maybe it's a testament to hours of practicing professionally, but you've come a long way, Sovan! Your art is just phenomenal. I remember your prerendered sprites and pixel art years ago, and I would never have guessed you'd come so far.

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