The RTP

[forcebreaker 0]

Under advicery, I post this question.

 

I wanted to know how many of you use the RTP to make your games? I often get overwelmed because i feel like unless i make my own resources from scratch, my game (should i ever get one completed) will not make the cut. Im ok at editing the rtp, but i still find myself disatisfied.

 

Also, im very intrested in parallax mapping, and from the tutorials ive read i think i have a good idea of how it works, the only thing im haveing trouble with that at the moment is that i keep reading that theres a scrip thats needed to do parallax maps, but no one (thats i know of) has made one for VX ace yet.

[justabox21 2]

I actually have to say that I don't think using RTP graphics necessarily means your game can't be great or "won't make the cut". Even to this day my all time favorite RM game is Bob's Big Adventure for the RM2000. 100% RTP and still just so great (And I used to completely overlook RTP games). That game showed me that sometimes the most basic looking game can blow the flashiest ones out of the water. So even IF you're not a spriter the game is still all about you in the end, not the graphics, do your best with what you've got and you can still make an awesome game.

Edited May 11, 2012 by justabox21

[Moonpearl 32]

I don't use RTP because they don't match a style I like, but in the end it's just about graphics. A video game is not a painting, the most important feature for them is to be fun. Make a fun, interesting game with RTP and I'll definitely play it (perhaps to the end if it's really good in a gameplay perspective). Make a terrible, uninteresting game with gorgeous graphics and I won't even look past the first scenes - so all of your drawing/spriting/mapping work would have ended up being for nothing.

[forcebreaker 0]

Thanks yall! Ive got lots, LOTS, of ideas when it comes to stories for a game. As far as gameplay goes, i think i could make a decent classic rpg like FF4 or something. Though i plan to make it better than that. But actually....all ive really gotton done is some tiles edited....so its all still pretty much in my head. :.( . I have game creation block....

 

@ Moonpearl, Justabox21- If you dont mind shareing, whats sort of game play does your curent project have? Just a general turnbased rpg?

[justabox21 2]

Not mine. It's an action sort of game, like the old RE games only with the added features of melee and upgrades. Which RM are you planning on using for your project?

[Moonpearl 32]

Thanks yall! Ive got lots, LOTS, of ideas when it comes to stories for a game. As far as gameplay goes, i think i could make a decent classic rpg like FF4 or something.

Well, that's the point. A video game is no novel either. I've known video games with very good stories and poor gameplay, and never finished them (especially since it's so easy to find spoilers if you really want to know the end nowadays).

[Jon Bon 43]

Justabox and Moonpearl are totally correct. Also remember that the only people who know what the rtp graphics are, are RM users. So people who don't know will go in blind, and assume the graphics are unique.

I have a massive icon pack that adds onto the rtp, and moonpearl has the RGSS Character maker, also uses RTP graphics(needs updating, which I handle but haven't recently, but plan to this month). By using my icons and moonpearls sprite maker, you should be able to get much more variety out of it. Look in our signatures for each thing respectively.

 

You are also an active member of this forum, so if you posted requests for alterations to your RTP stuff, I would gladly fill them. So if you need any help with the sprites, start a new thread and I'll see what I can do. I will even try and teach you as I help.

 

EDIT: Not sure which engine you are using. Just realized you were using VX. I can still help with edits to the sprites, but the char maker wont help. Icons may though.

Edited May 11, 2012 by Jon Bon

[kellessdee 48]

Basically, what justabox and moonpearl said.

 

This is probably one of my biggest issues with most modern (commercial) games--they are too busy making them look pretty, that they forget they are making a game.

 

IMO, designing a game is about finding the right balance between story telling, gameplay, audio and visual art. However, depending on the target audience the importance of these aspects varies. The general rule of thumb (as moonpearl and justabox pointed out), a game should be fun before anything else. I play games to have fun, not get annoyed or be bored; and I think most gamers can look past "lacking" aspects of a game if it is fun.

 

Look at that helicopter game (I may be alone on this one, but): all it is, is a cheesy bitmap of a helicopter flying through a tunnel of randomly assorted blocks; no music, just a low hum of a helicopter flying; no story (or at least, I HOPE there is no story), however I've probably put more hours into helicopter than most modern games I've played (I have a habit of trying a game, getting bored or annoyed within the first hour or so, then getting rid of it). Why? Because IMO, it's fun (and challenging). A brain-numbing kind of fun maybe, but I think it's fun.

 

That's another good aspect, I can't speak for everyone, but as a gamer I like to be challenged. Making a "challenging" game is probably the hardest part to pull off, as it in itself is an art of balancing difficulty (so it's challenging, but fair), and making the player want to overcome that challenge (it's easy to annoy players, like silly mini-games that NEED to be completed, and every time you lose you have to start over...)

 

So, if you can get something that fits a similar description, then I don't think you need to worry about the RTP. Of course, remember that this is all VERY VERY subjective. Some people like turn-based battle systems and think they are fun. Others, think they are boring. Some people like RTS, where as others need the twitch action FPS gameplay. And so on.

 

If you aren't trying to make money off of your game, I would suggest go about making a game that is fun for you to play. Then, it will be more enjoyable for you to develop the game (motivation), and it will be easier for you to pull it off (for example, if I tried to make an RTS game, I would most likely fail. I find the RTS genre too overwhelming, and have not really ever enjoyed an RTS. Therefore, I have no idea HOW a good RTS should play)

 

More specifically about the RTP:

There is unfortunately a downside with using the RTP. A lot of people overlook or don't give RTP games a chance. I believe, this not necessarily to be that "OH RTPZ IS BAD GRAPHIX," because, tbh, I'm not a big fan of the style; but the graphics aren't poorly sprited, and some of the FX/audio is decent. I think the reason (I am guilty often) that people overlook RTP games, is that they LOOK and FEEL exactly like every other RTP game (from the outside). So, it's harder to prove to people that you offer something "more" than the other RTP games.

 

It's hard to take a game seriously, when the main character looks like Arshes in three other different games, with different names and different personalities and it looks like they are from the same hometown. If you catch my drift. (This also applies to games that use rips...If the main character uses game x's character sprite, and if I've played game x, it's hard to take it seriously)

 

Of course, I've also played many RM games that had custom graphics, and I was even more bored/uninterested.

 

If you are making a game because you want it to be the next big thing, and everyone wants to play: RTP may not be the best choice, but as I said, just because you aren't using RTP doesn't automatically mean the game is a great game. It needs to fill other criteria.

 

If you are making a game because you like making games, and you just want to share your creations, then just make it. Release it. Who cares what people think? It's how you wanted to express yourself, and the fact that you did it, is much more important/rewarding than people playing your game. And, if you end up making a fun game, eventually people will start playing. I'm sure AT LEAST one person will play your game; and if they enjoy it they'll tell everyone and all their friends; and maybe everyone else will start playing and enjoying your game. Bonus!

 

Also, I'd like to throw it out there, if you want to learn how to sprite, I think you should try. Spriting is tough, but like everything, if you are motivated enough to learn it, and practice often, eventually you'll be able to do it well. You don't even need to necessarily learn to make large, fancy highly detailed pixel art--often, it's more about the style. If you can develop a unique style, that fits your game well, then the graphics can be extremely simple, while still having the beauty of custom graphics.

 

Here's another example: Cave Story

Very simplistic, 8-bit-esque graphics; however, IMO, the style is just beautiful. (not to mention, the game is fun, challenging, has a very interesting story and also has a very nice matching soundtrack)

 

if you haven't played this game, I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend it, just AMAZING and it's free for PC http://www.cavestory.org/

 

 

Just a suggestion, but if you don't want to learn to sprite then don't. There is nothing wrong with making a fun game using the RTP. Besides, if you can make something fun/interesting, you may catch the interest of an artist....y'never know.

 

Also, if you are having fun making your game; who cares what the final result is? If you had fun, and learned lessons along the way; then it was worth it. Even if no one plays the game--you had fun, and you learned something. The final result is more important if you are trying to sell the game, or trying to get internet famous. If you don't care about these things, then the journey should be all that matters.

[forcebreaker 0]

@ Kellessdee- LOL!! OMG!!! I didint know CAVE STORY was free on the internet! I played the demo of it on the wii, it was awesom!!! I had planed to buy it at some point on my 3ds, i still might but now i can play it on my computer! thanks alot for telling me that. Also, i have tried to make my own graphics in the past, actually i was working on graphics for a RE (Resident Evil) remake with another member a few months back (we never got finished, i was beginning to feel overwelmed. Also i lost track of the other member.) Everything i made was from scratch, and aside from the tiles being a bit clunky, i thought it looked pretty good. Sprites is where i fail big, they always look out of place.

 

@ Jon Bon- Thank you Jon Bon, i really appreciate that. I look forward to learing from you. :D

 

@justabox, Moonpearl- Thank you for your input, as well.

 

MY STRENGTH IS RENEWED!! :D

[Polraudio 122]

The RTP is perfect for me. It does everything i want it to do and i can easily edit it to do more. If something does what you want it to do then theres no point in changing it.

I seen some AWESOME rpg maker games with the RTP.