Hi, Silky!

Like many RPGamers out there, I have dreams of making games myself one day. Compared to a 'real' programming language such as C, or the like, how effective are RPGmaker and similar specializd tools, for this purpose? For instance, can you program any special abilities you want, or are there only a limited number of options?

Chimerasame
Rob Hamilton
New Media, www.rpgamer.com

Silkenray:
Well, RPGMaker is really best for certain things- like making a somewhat short RPG with as much plot as you want, without having to worry about making battle engines or that sort of thing. To make special abilities you select an effect from a list, then decide how much MP it takes away, and afterwards choose how powerful it is, what is said when it is cast, and the graphics and sounds that accompany it. This allows a bit of customixation, but not a lot. Overall, the thing that makes this game worthwhile is that it puts stuff like designing sprites, coding engines, and all that jazz out of the picture, leaving you more time to work on character development and plot elements. If you want more control, it's better to make a game from scratch. If you want to make a story, then RPGMaker is the choice. Hope I was helpful.

I can't make a comic of you cause I'm visiting home from college, sorry :( But you'll be in the next one, really! And an actual question, is Ogre Battle 64 good enough for me to march out and buy an N64 to play it? Or is it good enough for me to buy it now (since it was released in limited quantities) and wait for N64's to be so cheap people burn them for fuel?

-Radrisol-

Silkenray:
From what I've heard, OB64 is really good. Wether it's worth getting an N64 for, I am not sure. However, there are a few other, promising titles which will be released for the N64 eventually, which you should keep in mind. Plus, having a game without the system to play it on sucks. It really depends on how much expendable cash you have. If you have enough to buy an N64 and OB, and still be comfortable, go ahead. If not, then don't.

Silky -

Just a couple questions. First, I wanted to say the cat from my sig-pic is the infamous cat from "Trigun" (aka quite possibly the coolest thing Japan ever made (with the exception of Tamagotchi of course)).

1. Is RPGmaker as tedious as I hear? I hear inputting text is torture.
2. Heard anything about Baldur's Gate 2 yet?
3. When is Lunar 2 being released?
4. WHich should I get? Baldur's Gate 2, or FF9 OST?

And... that's it!
Cheshire Catalyst

Silkenray:
About one third of the letters I recieved (meaning 4 out of 12 :P) were telling me that CC's sig-pic had the Trigun cat in it. I feel so enlightened. Ah, but look! CC is asking me actual questions! Let CC be a role model for you, RPGamers!
1. RPGMaker is a bit tedious, especially inputting text. Overall, it's a lot better if you get 3 or so friends to help you with the game. This way, you can make the plot together, and switch off who has to deal with the clunky interface, making the game infinately enjoyable overall. Not that this has anything to do with your question...
2. I've heard of Baldur's Gate 2. If it's anything like BG1, I'll probably get it just because. The problem I can see with it is that it'd have all the flaws of AD&D, with none of the neato roleplaying. Elven wizards rule, but only at high levels!
3. The demo says "Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete
Coming Summer 2000
Oh great, now you jynxed it." Apparently, it really was jynxed, because it's now set to come out sometime in November of 2000. However, Lunar:SSSC's voice acting was so annoying that I couldn't really play the game, so it's not a thing I'm looking forward to.
4. I'd get the OST unless you're a big fan of AD&D, which I am.

Um, where does your name come from? I can guess. If you've ever played Megaman X4, then there's this boss called Jet Stingray and all he does is fly around droppnig homing stingrays on you and yelling "JEEEEEEEEEETTTTT STIIIIIIIIINNNNGGGGRAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!".
Thought you'd like to know.

Jidai
No longer Senshi no Jidai. "I'm not Sailor Pluto!"

Silkenray:
How did you know?

Actually, Silkenray is the name of a character in an online RPG I played awhile ago. I liked the name, and it kinda stuck.

Whats the server name for #rpgamer on irc?

thanks,
Alex Gjata

Silkenray:
The official RPGamer IRC FAQ can be found here . It should answer all your questions.

Heya Silk-chan..um..-kun...umm..-san?

Anyway... I have a few questions
1) I've been keeping track of all the hype of Final Fantasy IX since I first saw pics of it, and every source I've scoured for story info seem to be split on who the main character is. Some sources list Vivi (the black mage guy) as the hero, and some others say Zidane (the monkey guy) is. Is there any definate main character (a la Cloud/FF7 or Squall(?)/FF8? or is it like FF6 in which every single person shares the spotlight?
2) Why the phrack did they cut the Japanese vocals WildARMS 2's intros?! They were good!!
3) while this isn't exactly an RPG question.... I know you guys have most of it here, but are there any sites that have all of Yoshitaka Amano's artwork of the FF series? I'm going nuts over that guy's masterpieces!

Silkenray:
I wouldn't think that -kun would normally be applied to someone as feminine as I am... but then again, genders aren't obvious online, eh?
1) I believe that the official word is that Zidane is the main character, but Vivi plays a major role in the game.
2) Because they almost always cut out the Japanese when localizing a game.
3) All I can suggest is that you go on your favorite search engine and look for "Yoshitaka Amano". Aside from that, I can't help you.

*Singing* Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to [insert name hya], happy birthday to you...
A question-Why do I feel tired after 15 hours of sleep?
A second question-Thoughts on Terranigma?
A third question-In the original Star Trek series, what does Spock look at through that 'viewmaster' thing? Porn? Diablo II? The Simpsons?
A fourth question-Have you seen the suicider in the Oz movie background?

-EE "Hahah...owow!"

Silkenray:
Yeah, happy birthday Mikel!
Chances are you feel tired after 15 hours of sleep because the average person only needs 7 to 9. When you get over that amount, the lack of activity begins to wear on you. That's why you'll feel more tired if you sit around watching TV straight through the day, then you'd feel if you got up to make popcorn and go to the bathroom. Interesting, ne?
I've never played Terranigma. Heard that it's great, though. But I'll never know because it will not be released here, and I don't have the spare money to import it.
Spock is obviously reading The Brunching Shuttlecocks. After all, Spock is awesome, Brunching is awesome. 'Tis only logical.
Yes I have. Have you ever seen Oz played in time to "Dark Side of the Moon?" Freaky, isn't it?

Continuing on Radrisol's letter from yesterday, I do the exact same thing with my CGI stuff (which by the way, a new one will come...soon...I have a lot of nemonclature [SP?] studying to do for school). The hands are simply parented to the bodies, but simply float around in my scene ready for me to place them (and the scythe also happens to be parented to those hands...gah! to much object parenting!) once the background is made, any new characters modeled, and then positioning models. Then I place hands and other effects and then finally do the English/Spanish stuff (and yes, I know some of my Spanish is really bad....I don't feel like correcting it)...
Guifá
"Quod fuit est sicut quod erit Et quod erit est sicut quod fuit."
---Miracula ®ternitatis (Dralion)

Silkenray:
That's really interesting. However, its not the sort of thing I can reply to. I'll keep that in mind if I ever decide to take up 3D rendering again.

I heard rumors that Square might bring the Chrono Trigger PSX remake might be released in english after all because of the sales of CC goin thru the roof. should I believe this or punch the guy in the face?
~Double "What's a boy to do?"

Silkenray:
I don't think it's coming over here. In fact, it's almost definately not. However, we at RPGamer do not condone violence unless it's in RPG battles, or in the form of a *thwap*

Well, first off I must of course say the standard "Happy birthday!" to da boss, who should be reading this. Now then, here's some questions for you.
Who drew that dragon up in the corner?
Does it have a name?
Who drew all my sig pics?
What exactly is it you do around here?
Out of all the games coming out in the near future, what are you most looking forward to?

-Googleshng

Silkenray:
I drew the dragon, who coincidentally is named V'lanna.
Once again, me.
I do Media Central, and assorted graphics projects occasionally.
I'm really looking forward to Final Fantasy 9, of course. In addition, well... pretty much anything.

o/` Tanjoobi tanoshii o/`
o/` Tanjoobi tanoshii o/`
o/` Mikel de tanjoobi tanoshii o/`
o/` Tanjoobi tanoshii o/`
Happy Birthday Mikel, from all of us pseudo-Japanese speakers.
-Joshua Maciel

Happy wishes for your birthday. Now, put that cane away, and finish that review ;P Luv, Paws

Why does everybody want to host on RPGamer so much? I, personally, would be perfectly happy guest hosting... Hint hint...

Sabin "C'mon, 8 of my letters have been printed!" XIII

Silky:
Is it just me, or every time this page is updated, I read something that automatically makes everyone think, "Mr. T!"?

This goes out to the guy called Mat. That schizophrenic lookin' cat is none other than Kuroneko-Sama (Lord Blackcat) from the best gunslinger anime, Trigun. LOVE AND PEACE!!!! LOVE AND PEACE!!!! SAY IT WITH ME OR I'LL BLOW YOUR BRAINS OUT!!!!!
-Corplos

I once poked the Pillsbury Doughboy so hard he threw up on me :(

Umm can you as Paws to do a Yuffie pronunciation for me? Me and my girlfriend say it different ways... Thanks!

Hayabusa P.S. Isn't it just the awesomest to have a girlfriend who's into RPGs!

Yay! Today (10-09) is my birthday! Can someone send me a copy of Xenogears Perfect Works?
The Spoony Hou

The Last Laugh:

Well, I made this little image to commemorate Mikel's birthday. Please note that the dragon in the image is not, in fact, Mikel, but is instead V'lanna, our mascot.

Well, there ya go. Hope you enjoyed the column! I sure did!