The final results for the March 2015 Poll What RPG Maker Do You Use Most Often? are in.

The three "other" options were:

• Unity3D - Not strictly speaking an RPG Maker product, but it still counts. Making RPGs with Unity3D is something I've always wanted to do but just haven't learned any of it.
• RPG Maker 2K - Kudos! A true diehard!
• RPG Maker VX Ace - Already an option, so the official count is 102!
  

I find the results most interesting, not what I expected. So, based on these results, I'll try and tailor the content accordingly.

Thanks to ALL who voted and commented!

Navigation Menu Changes

The next big project for RPG Maker Times is its top navigation menu. The current one is way too out-of-date now and there's no question that it needs updating. Because this blog is quite large, spanning four years worth of updates, it's a mammoth undertaking.

Now, I'm not entirely sure how this should be done. I've been thinking about it for a while and experimenting with the different ways of updating the menu to reflect the evolution of the blog and RPG Maker Times Companion.

Here are some ideas I've considered:

• Simple Menu - A menu displaying only the main areas of the blog, such as Resources or Tools & Utilities. These in turn lead to complete index pages listing their respective sub-pages. This, however, may lead to duplicate entries.
• Same Format Menu - Keeping the same format menu as the one currently in place, but updating the main categories to reflect the new changes. This includes additions to RPG Maker Times Companion.
• Keyword/Tag Menu - A menu based on keywords and tags. This utilises posts' categories and tags (rather like Wordpress's parent-child system).
• Sliding Menu - A hidden menu that, when clicked on, slides out to reveal the main categories and subcategories of the blog and RPG Maker Times Companion.

Further suggestions are welcomed, of course. I'd like to make it easier for my visitors to navigate throughout the site with only a few clicks. I have all the software I need to create some dynamic menus so, regardless, will be experimenting with a few styles and perhaps later will put them to the vote.

Feel free to make suggestions in the comments box below.

Which Music Score Should Be Used For The Gladiator Project Title? - July 2012 Poll

Sit Suffragiorum Incipiunt
(Let The Voting Begin)

Picture Courtesy of Sodahead

It's time to vote again, this time on which music will be the "official" title score for The Gladiator Project.

Listen to each one in turn before deciding. And, once again, the one with the highest votes will be the project's title music to go along with the Animated Title.

Votes can be cast on RPG Maker Times (the poll is in the right-hand panel), Facebook or on The Gladiator Project.

Back Online...Finally!

It's been a tough few days, but things are back on track and I'm back online. I decided to remain with my current provider, as they restored my services promptly after a lot of blustering. Otherwise, the way it was going it'd be Monday before anything happened. Of course, it also helps knowing your consumer rights! But they offered a compensatory deal I simply couldn't refuse.

So that means UPDATES!

Tomorrow is the final day for voting on the poll for The Gladiator Project Title Screen, so if you haven't already voted now's the time to do it. That said, it appears we already have a clear winner, which I'll be announcing on Facebook at the end of tomorrow. And it will then be implemented in the game itself.

The next poll (for June) is to vote on the title screen music. I'll provide several to listen to and vote on and the one with the most votes will be the "official" title score for the project.

June 2012 Poll - The Gladiator Project Animated Title Screen Votes

The poll for the "official" Title Screen for The Gladiator Project is now open. Vote for your favorite Animated Title Screen. This will run for a month and the video with the highest result will be the official title screen in The Gladiator Project.

Cast your votes here or by using the widget on the right-hand side. Or in the comments box below.

The Gladiator Project Development Commencement

Development on The Gladiator Project has recommenced. Progress has also been made on gameplay as well as additional scripts. For progress updates, click on the TGP Updates tab on the right.

For those of you who have been following RPG Maker Times on Facebook will already be aware of the new Status Menu theme. Well, I'll be doing something a little different.

I'll be encouraging viewers both from RPG Maker Times and Facebook to vote on a few aspects of the game, so will be conducting regular polls. At the moment, these include:

• Which animated title screen looks best
• Which music/score goes best with the title
• Which Status Window layout looks best

And there will probably be more as development continues.

Each poll will last for a month, posted both here and on Facebook, along with images and videos as necessary. The results will then be collated and those with the highest scores will be implemented in the game.

(The Gladiator Project website has not been updated, but it will be soon.)

Have You Bought RPG Maker VX Ace? - March 2012 Poll Results

Last month's poll results are in, conducted the second half of March, and the results are surprising yet are not surprising at the same time. Out of 23 votes, only 18% (4 voters) either preordered or bought RMVXA when it was released. An overwhelming 61% (14 voters) said they couldn't afford it.

Indeed, at $90 RMVXA punches a huge hole in many enthusiasts' pockets, mine included. Not everyone is able fork out that kind of money, especially in today's economic climate. However, I have to say that Enterbrain did the right thing with their newest RPG Maker.

For all intents and purposes, RMVXA is an extension of its predecessor, but it goes beyond what RMVX was capable of with RGSS3 and feature-rich additions. In my opinion, RMVXA is not for "noobs", it's for the die-hards, for those who practically grew up with RPG Maker since RM2K and mastered each and every one of them since, and for programmers whose passion for producing some awesome scripts have made RMXP, RMVX and RMVXA what they are today.

Let's face it, VX Ace is good! So is it worth the $90 price tag? I have to say, although I personally can't afford it, yes it is!

Will you buy RPG Maker VX Ace if it's above $60? - January 2012 Poll

The January 2012 poll is now closed. The results, out of 16 votes, 19% would buy RMVXA if the price is above $60, but an overwhelming 69% will NOT buy RMVXA if it's above $60. And 13% is still undecided.

For myself, I'm truthfully still undecided. In the beginning, I was resolute that I wouldn't buy RMVXA if it was above $60, but the more I've played around with it the more I like it. So if the price is around $60 I will definitely buy it eventually. Anything above that and I'll wait for awhile longer, continue with the Trial version, until I can raise the money to buy it, but even with that I'd still be more reserved if the price is above $60. Yes, I will eventually purchase RMVXA because, as I've mentioned before, it is way too cool not to!

Tutorials Series - Coming Soon

In March, I'll be starting on a series of tutorials for RPG Maker (and other engines). This will be primarily how-to's, using events and maps, including some already submitted by guestbloggers. This is part of my going through the expanding "To Do" list. So how should they appear?

Would it be better - i.e. preferable - to provide step-by-step guides as a post with pictures or videos? Or perhaps a combinaton of both? Should the tutorials be exclusively RMXP, RMVX or RMVXA, or all three, as well as some of the other makers?

What are your thoughts? Leave feedback in the comments and we'll go from there.

A Few Quick Updates

The RPG Maker Times Newsletter

The Newsletter will no longer be published. This is for three main reasons:

1. It was something of an experiment, primarily to see if it was worthwhile. And, indeed it was, being able to boast 5 subscribers, all within a few months. Not bad considering I didn't actively promote it.
2. It's too difficult to maintain properly, since the time to update it seems very elusive these days.
3. There's not really enough content across the RPG Maker Times "Network" to justify it.

Therefore, as of the end of this week, it'll be shelved and archived. Thanks to those who did subscribe.

What Happened About The Layout Change?

This was a question I was asked recently in response to a poll I conducted a while ago. The short answer was that, in order to do this, I'd need to redesign the layout from scratch. And, while it is possible, it'd take too long to completely redesign one prototype layout, let alone three or four, for public review. And then porting the existing plugins, etc. I have with the current layout. Therefore, I decided to stick with the old one. That said, with Blogger's introduction of their "Dynamic Layouts" I may start experimenting again (to make life a bit easier).

Ubuntu Vs Windows

I'm gravitating more towards Ubuntu these days, only because it runs faster and smoother than Windows. It doesn't load the crap that Windows does when it starts up, initially lagging the system, nor does it hunger for more resources as time goes on. I don't have a hugely high-spec computer; it suffices for what I want it to do. Besides, money is tight, so I don't have too large a budget to play with.

The disadvantage of using Ubuntu is primarily compatibility with Windows-based software. WINE and other programs for running or emulating Windows programs are not that reliable, as the RMVX Ubuntu Test demonstrated.

Navigation Menu Change

It's about time the Flash nav menu at the top changed, as it lacks certain things, although I've not decided what to include there or how to redo it - whether to simply change its content and categories, to do away with the menu altogether and implement a more dynamic Table of Contents (including pages). Suggestions are always welcome, of course.

Counting Down The Days

I'm now counting down the days when I will (if all goes well) be reconnected in my new apartment. D-Day is around the 8th or 9th of November.

Dungeon Craft

While I've been offline, I've been experimenting with Dungeon Craft, which is an RPG Maker intended to mimic SSI's Forgotten Realms Unlimited Adventures (FRUA). Once I'm familiarised enough with it, I'll start placing tutorials on RPG Maker Times as well.

Dungeon Crafter III

Another useful piece of software I've found is the flavoursome Dungeon Crafter III (not to be confused with the above one). This is a map (dungeon) creator, with some stunning graphics available and multi-layers for the maps for tabletop RPG games. Do people still play those any more? I've not had a chance to experiment fully with this, but from what I can see so far, it's quite useful for those dungeon romps that predominated almost every tabletop RPG game. Unfortunately, the forum and members area appear to be down; I'm not sure if this is permanent or temporary, but you can still download DCIII for free.

Fighting Fantasy

I've also rediscovered some of my old gamebooks, including the highly successful Fighting Fantasy, which is still going strong after all these years, after almost three decades! Truly spectacular. I had so much fun with these (and other gamebooks). At one point I had over 150 of them! I don't know whether to include them on here or not, since they're not actually RPG Makers, but I think they deserve a mention anyway. Perhaps another poll might be in order! ^__^

Poll Results

I've closed the poll results in favour of another one. To the question Would you be interested in reading a sample of the Ars Mechanicum: Genesis novel?, 62.5% said "Yes", 12.5% said "No" and 25% are "Not Bothered", so the majority would like to see a sample. I'll prepare something for late November/early December if I can.

That's it for another entry. I should have something more concrete in about two weeks.

Time For A New Layout - Poll Results

According to the poll results for January/February 2011, the majority of voters want a facelift for RPG Maker Times. Over 60% of voters in fact.

Interestingly, 27.27% are in favour of a layout change, 36.36% want to see a prototype first, and 18.18% are either in favour of keeping this one or aren't bothered. That leaves 63.63% total votes for the new facelift. Aside from these double digits or "gateway" numbers, numerologically speaking, is that the totals (63.63) equals 9 - 63+63 = 126; 1+2+6 = 9 or 6+3 and 6+3 = 9 and 9; 9+9 = 18; 1+8 = 9.

Among the numerological meanings for the number 9 (with the blog and its new layout in mind) are:

• Socially Conscious - Encouraging visitors to have a say in its direction and layout, including with prototype templates, and acting on it as best I can. The blog is even being shared on Facebook and other social networks.
• Improvement/Betterment - Throughout its development, this blog has tried to accommodate visitors' needs (in so far as it can) and add widgets to make life easier, such as a navigation menu. And, of course, I'm constantly searching for ways to improve it.
• Imagination and Creativity - Well, it's certainly that. Trying to find articles and tutorials that many would find useful and interesting.
• Sharing - Given that over the years, it's been shared with so many people, and they in return have often shared their comments (both as post comments and on the shoutbox).
• Popularity and/or Nobility - RPG Maker Times can now boast an average of about 120 hits per day and has achieved a Google Rank of 2 lately, with its popularity in the search engines also increasing.

Of course, I won't be able to accommodate everyone's wishes, but over the next few weeks I will develop 3 templates and when they are ready, visitors can vote on which one they like best. The template with the most votes will then be implemented.

Is That The Time Already?

I just realised it's February already - almost Valentine's Day! I hadn't even thought about it until today, which means I only have four days left to do something romantic for my "significant other"!

That doesn't mean I've abandoned this blog either, although I must admit to my newest addiction: Resort World on Facebook! It's become the bane of my life, building and trying to keep up! Their Valentine's Day "promo buildings" reminded me actually. EDIT: Inactive.

Aside from spending a little too much time playing the game, I've been spending more time writing, this time trying my hand at sci-fi, although it's not the hardcore type. Just a short story set in the not-so-far-away future.

Work has also continued on Ars Magia: Genesis, but I'm at a standstill with that. Trying to get the maps just right is proving problematic, especially the overland map. I'll figure it out one way or another because I'd like to get a playable demo out soon! EDIT: The project is defunct.

In between, I've also been experimenting with a workable formula for rebuilding The Gladiator Project in RMXP RMVX. And I've realised that some features that were available in the RMVX version may need to be sacrificed in favour of other features. But I'm still playing around with it.

Finally, based on the poll results so far (in the right-hand sidebar), it seems that changing the layout of RPG Maker Times is inevitable, provided prototypes can be viewed - and voted on - first. So, I've been experimenting with different styles, colour schemes and layouts. Certainly, for the newest incarnation - you could say "version 3" - I'd like to add additional features, such as a better navigation menu, a table of contents, maybe some games showcases, and maybe even a forum and live chat! Who knows where it'll lead. That might be an idea for another poll.

I'll try to get a list of *good* resource sites for the next few entries.

Poll Results - Enterbrain Take Note!

The results are in! The populace has spoken! So, Enterbrain take note!

Their next RPG Maker should be a fully functional MMORPG creator, as it's the next, best thing. MMORPGs have been around for some time now and they are big business and a rapidly growing industry. Now that would be cool! In fact, 61% of voters also think the same thing.

A close second would be a "true" 3D RPG Maker, i.e. one capable of 3D graphics a la Phantasy Star and Wolfenstein 3D (or some other FPS). In total, 21% voted for this option. The MMORPG RPG Maker would have this integrated anyway.

Finally, if that proved to be impractical for whatever reason, 16% of voters would settle for a new RPG Maker but with all the elements of previous versions - RM2K3, RMXP and RMVX - combined. Nothing from the previous versions omitted either, i.e. multiple chipsets, missing functions, etc.

I know that I would definitely purchase an MMORPG RPG Maker, even for $80, as it's been a dream of mine for quite a while to be able to create an MMORPG of my own. And using what I've learned (am learning) about RPG Maker it could be put to good (better) use.

Poll Results - December 1-13

The results of December's first poll are in!

Voters opted for more RMXP stuff (windowskins, scripts and charsets). So, it looks like my copy of RMXP will need to come out of hibernation.

At the moment, my preference is RMVX as the RPG Maker of choice for my project, The Gladiator Project. The reason for that is because RGSS2 is much more versatile, with several additional features not available in RGSS, that suit my needs for the project.

That said, and with the poll results in mind, what I'll do for the next few entries is this:

• RM2K/2 - A basic "woodcutting" tutorial, which I recently rediscovered from a Runescape type project I started making quite some time ago.
• RMVX - Another few updates on The Gladiator Project, including a tailor-made Status screen, menus and a Dramatis Personae.
• RMXP - A few more windowskins, some of which are converted from RMVX, and a few scriptlets to start with.

Thanks again to all who voted in this poll.

Poll Results November

November's poll is now closed. Thanks for all who visted this blog and voted.

The results of the poll are:

• 42% of visitors use RPG Maker VX
• 46% use RPG Maker XP
• 15% use RPG Maker 2K/3
• And 23% use all the RPG Makers

Of the search engine results, the following percentages indicate which RPG Maker has been searched for, whether it was resources, scripts, etc.:

• 35.64% searched for RPG Maker VX
• 39.28% for RPG Maker XP
• 6.93% for RPG Maker 2K/3
• And 18.15% for other RPG Maker related stuff

And of those, thus far, windowskins or windowskin generators for RMVX is the most popularly searched for, with RMXP windowskins coming a close second. Character sets and resources for all RPG Makers is third.

And those are the results of the first month. I'll try and focus on these particular areas for now, along with more updates for The Gladiator Project (and other projects along the way). In the meantime, feel free to visit the RPG Maker Times sister blog, RPG Maker Times Resource Center for additional resources, etc.