I'm currently working on a RPG maker program. I want to make it awesome but I don't know why people use RPG Maker. I know why I do but why do you? So please help me out and answer a few basic questions.

What do you like about RPG Maker?
Do you prefer games with turn-based combat or zelda like combat?
Do you think browser quest is fun? (browserquest.mozilla.org)
What do you wish RPG Maker had?
What features in RPG Maker do you like most?

Thanks to everyone who responded. I'm not going to mention the website or name because I don't think its right. I will mention it if people are interested in learning more.

It's one of the most easiest game-making programs to use. A lot of the most common features in RPG games are implemented for you. Even better is that if you still want to customize the system, the user base tends to distribute scripts that, for the most part, you can just plug in and play.

Other than that, I guess I do like RPGs quite a lot. I'm trying to learn Game Maker so I can make more platformer games, though, because that's my most favorite genre.

Focuses on the fundamentals and basic coding of RPG games, so you don't have to waste time learning C++. Even then, you can still do advanced stuff thanks to the Ruby script system.

That, and it's addictive to come up with ideas on how to make a game and be able to execute them easily via just tinkering with switches/values/variables/scripts for a while.

Asking that to me is like asking me why do I write stories. Because from what books I read and stories I see on TV, I too want to make my own world with lively characters. I want to make my own game, and maybe one day share to people who will experience the world I created, and get to know the characters that live in it.

This is what I believe what most people think of when they first put their ideals on paper.

Now. I like RPG Maker because what I just said from above. I like to make a story, and this program is pretty easy to use. It also let me show off some skills.

Old style turn-base combat is always fun. Sometime you just don't want to feel too much pressure and just want a simple RPG.

I know nothing of browser quest so I can't answer that.

Right now, I wish RPG had a better shadow creating tools, and better map making. It's a bit limiting.

RPG VXA has a character creation tool. I use it to make the basic characters which will save me time from photoshop. Then edit them in photoshop. So far, thanks to the character creator, lots of time has been cut down. Also, the ruby is great.

I always say RPGMaker is a game in itself; if you're gna play something why not get something out of it too?
I've found the most fun trying to just do 'unnatural' things with the program (as in not RPGs); managed to make little platformers, arcade remakes, a couple of Abe's Odyssey style puzzles/levels, and my biggest project has been converting a play to the program. I guess I just want to see what I can do with the program and what I can't, it's not like I'm ever gna make a serious or commercial game.
When I first started though just playing around with events, clicking the playtest button and watching it go gave me the sort of wide-eyed fascination you get as a kid when you find a rock and see its potential as a rocket.

I like RPG Maker because it's pretty much my roots in making games.

When I first felt like making a game I had already known about the existence of RPGMaker, but had no clue how to use it.
In less than a week I had figured out how to do cutscenes and build systems, systems that even today I don't see tutorials for.
In just a month I started looking over everything I did at the beginning, my face was red from all the facepalming I did
As good as I was at eventing, I was still pretty bad at it when I first started and had to redo all of it, just so I was happy with the layout.

I then felt that I wanted to move on to professional game development and signed up for a pretty high-level university to achieve this; taking in my RPGMaker game showed that I had enthusiasm and I was accepted. I work on my own game in 3D engines like UDK now, but I am always happy to come back to some RPGMaker forums and do some scripting, help out with eventing and sometimes even join others in a team.


Why do I like RPG Maker? Because I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing now, if I didn't start somewhere.

1. I like its simplicity, how much you can customize it. I also like its interface, and I enjoy games/video games. :] RPG Maker is fun + kool.
2. I like games with Zelda-like combat. :]
3. I dunno, I don't think I've played browser quest before. <--nvm, it looks cool, but I'm stuck as a dude + my internet kinda sucks. :I
4. • I wish it came w/ a bare-bone pixel editor.
   • I wish it could change the grid ratio. So instead of solely a 32x32 pixel grid only, you could alter also it something like 16 pixels.
   • I wish it could layer tiles like in RPGmakerXP, or have multiple tilesets.
   • I wish it could show/hide specific game parameters like MP, attack, "head equipment".
   • I wish it could allow you to change the menu-screen layout.
5. • I like the numerous resources available.
   • I like its simplicity.
   • I like how much you can customize it.
   • I like the detailed "Help" button/option.
   • I like how it caters to different kinds of people; like musicians, writers, artists, scripters, etc.

Fixed your lists for you, Magical_RuNE_Knight2001.

1. I no longer use RPG Maker much (no time, and my friends/team moved away so I have little reason to bother), however when I used it often I felt as though it was an opportunity to create whatever I wanted with a tool that just made sense to me.
   Some people find things about the software bothersome, or even difficult, but I just understood it (most likely because I work with a lot of software - total nerd, call me Velma, lol).
2. I've always been a fan of both turn-based and action-based combat, but I do prefer turn-based combat because I can switch what I'm doing and leave my computer or game system without having to pause (it's a strange habit of mine to never pause, but I don't try to fix that habit, lol).
3. I've played Browserquest before; it's very easy and you win within 5 minutes of being introduced to the game. I do, however, love the fact that it is built in HTML5, and I also think that if it were expanded (larger world, more enemies, more story, more things to do, more achievements, etc.) then I'd be more interested in playing it again (I played it once, beat the game, got all the achievements, helped out newbies for ten minutes, and then got bored -- total game time was about 15 to 20 minutes).
4. I wish RPG Maker had an improved eventing system that would be integrated in the script system (thus allowing you to create scripts from the event screen; similar to how the old Macromedia Dreamweaver software worked, except not as buggy or ugly with the code).
5. I have always used RPG Maker XP primarily, so I can't answer that for any other Maker software (not enough time spent using the others and I wouldn't remember anyway), but I do like the ease of inserting and using sprites/music/scripts/etc. into the game without having a hard time figuring out how to put things in the game or where to put them (it's just easy to use, I guess is what I'm trying to say).

Thank you everyone for your feedback. This will be a free program and I should have something to show in about a month.

What do you like about RPG Maker?
The system is very basic but it allows for full-featured gaming development and it can be complex if you are advanced with it enough. When I first started, I had already tried multiple RPG softwares, but they were all hard to comprehend so I like RPG Maker because it was the easiest to start off with. And it was when I was 10 in 2008.

Do you prefer games with turn-based combat or zelda like combat?
Doesn't really matter to me, I like leveling up and collecting stuff. I'm not much of a combat-type.

Do you think browser quest is fun? (browserquest.mozilla.org)
I've never tried it, but I think RuneScape is fun.

What do you wish RPG Maker had?
I wish it had built-in scripting tutorials. That would make things so much easier for beginning aspiring scripters.

What features in RPG Maker do you like most?
The Database feature has to be my favorite, along with the fact that the things in the Database cover even the most minute things, although it could be better (long list of trivial things), it is quite good now.

I won't be quitting on RPG Maker anytime soon. I've stuck with it for four years so I doubt I'll be going anywhere else.

What do you like about RPG Maker? I like RPG Maker as they are easy to use and doesn't require good knowledge of scripting knowledge to create a decent game.
Do you prefer games with turn-based combat or zelda like combat?
Turn-based combat for sure. Have always been a fan of FF 4/5/6
Do you think browser quest is fun? (browserquest.mozilla.org) Never tried it.
What do you wish RPG Maker had? Simpler Scripting
What features in RPG Maker do you like most?
Everything about it

Pretty much going to echo what everyone else has said, but the simplicity and power is pretty stunning. You don't need scripts to make a great game, but they can set a good game apart from a terrible one in some aspects.

The community is alright, too. Lots of ambition and creativity floating around!
Plus, the RM scene helped me find a pretty awesome musician mate who taught me the basics of music production, then music led me to perform in small festivals across the country, then that music and publicity led me to work on game music. Vicious cycle!

I like rpg maker because it's addictive, and fun to use.
What I don't like about it is that it's so god darn limiting.. Even with ruby I still can not clone my abs from Unity but a lot of the issues is the with the map engine itself..

I'd really wish enterbrain would take a hint of where Unity or Game Maker is headed and build an engine that is completely open and let's the user handle the technical details, but RM has to be easy so with tradition it will be limited but it is getting better and the fact that ace uses pure 1.9 is awesome.

I like RPG Maker because it can "take your hand" towards the whole process of videogame creation.

I began using RPG Maker when I was 12 years old (I used XP at the time), and I made a little game called Jindar Adventures, which is about some kid whose house whas burned and their parents were kidnapped by a skeleton king. Yeah, cliché as hell; but the sole idea of making a story my own and turn it into a game (wether it had that terrible battle system, I hate front-view battle systems), was just overwhelming.

After that, I found out I could actually change the graphics of the skill animations, charas, etc. So I made a little Sonic the Hedgehog RPG called Sonic RPG: Return of Chaos. I loved it because I used enemies from various Genesis and GBA games (along with Shadow clones and things like that), and altered some skills (such as replacing a cross with a Chaos Emerald, and call that skill "Chaos Control"), really fun stuff.

Years later, I found out there were whole communities dedicated to expand the use of this little program with "scripts". I got my mind blown with the ABSs and started to "remake" Jindar Adventures with an ABS. Again, I never finished it.

After that, I got a little tired of RPG Making until I got my laptop. I downloaded RPG Maker VX and started messing with variables, events, switches. There I found out my true strength at making games on RPG Maker: Eventing. I made lots of fun stuff with that; a Weather System, Time System, Hunger/Thirst, A little "Day" System I made that, when you rest at an inn, a day passes.

I was just getting into making my current project; Star Willow. But then VX ACE came out and I decided to wait a little more so I could get my hands on it. I love VX ACE. Sure, it has its pros and cons, and I shouldn't tell them as it's nothing we haven't heard about here; but it's so fun to just event stuff you just come up with, and with the character generator, expand yourself a little more.

Now i'm into other programs like Game Maker, Constructor 2, and learning Java, Ruby and C+. But when you want to make a game with complex story, multiple endings, and lots of different choices to make (like mine ), you really need the simplest program you can get.

And I know that, when I learn to program properly, I'll make my own scripts. Again, all with RPG Maker. That really tells a lot of good stuff about RPG Maker in general. Whether you're 2000, 2003, XP, VX, VX ACE or whatever. You get one suited for your needs, and makes the tedious process of game creation something exciting and kinda fun. And when you're going to do something serious on it, you have the resources to do so.

RPG Maker FTW