Using programs like RPG Maker can be a fun way to make games. Here are some tips to keep in mind when making your first RPGs.
Steps
Step 1. You must have an idea of the scope of the project
Try to understand what is within your limits and try to reach the goals. Don't rush, but don't waste too much time on insignificant details. Make a plan, and when you're halfway through the job consider what you can do and what you can't afford.
Step 2. History:
that's why we're here. If you're not creating an open-world RPG, you need to pay close attention to the storyline. Find a way to make it as in-depth and interactive as you can. Sometimes a great story can save an RPG from not too exciting gameplay. On the other hand, a bad story can kill an RPG with great gameplay. The player must invest in this game from 20 to 80 hours of his life, and if the story does not appeal to him, he will abandon it after a very short time.
Step 3. Leave some freedom
Even in the most linear RPGs you must have side missions and optional dungeons and bosses. Players love to explore and engage in new challenges - try to please them.
Step 4. Create an atmosphere
If the setting and atmosphere of the game are alien to the player, that's fine, but make sure the world is carefully crafted. A lack of the right atmosphere can make the player detached from the story, and a disjointed world can spoil the sense of immersion. If you do it right, the game will draw players into its world.
Step 5. Think about the choices
Even if you are not planning to create a game with choice dialogs or multiple endings, it is still a good idea to consider the possible choices and think about how they could be integrated into the game. This will help you see the story through the eyes of the player, not just the character. Will players love the NPC (non-player character) you introduced even though he's on their side? If you don't believe it, don't try to make this character always the center of attention, or have him interact with another unfriendly character, in order to give the player some satisfaction.
Step 6. Think about content after the game is over
It's kind of the icing on the cake. If the player can explore and find new challenges, he will be grateful to you. On top of that, it keeps interest in your game high even after the final battle is over. Players will be more likely to continue playing and to recommend the game to others.
Step 7. Try to balance everything
If players have to do a lot of repetitive actions in some parts of the game, something is wrong.
Step 8. Focus on the core of the game
Usually the main gameplay of simpler RPGs is combat, but in any case make sure it's always varied. For example, if you use a quest system, make sure they are always different and interesting.
Step 9. Don't create unbalanced characters
Most of the original characters have the flaw of being unbalanced. No matter how many features you add, the character will always seem lacking in some areas and too detailed in others. In reality, a character should have an infinite number of aspects of their personality, but that's practically impossible to achieve. Rather, try to think of a theme for your characters and go from there to develop them.
Step 10. Edit the main character
Let the player create their own character, or provide them with a silent protagonist. In the end, the main character will always be in front of the player, so make sure he's someone they like.
Step 11. Comparison is key
A sad and mysterious story can't stay that way for too long, and a character can't stay depressed for long without taking drastic action. Make sure to show that it still has some human traits, without giving up the atmosphere.
Step 12. Anguish is okay, but it must be justified
The biggest problem with distressed RPG characters these days is that they don't have a real reason to be, or the reason isn't well defined. If you can create personal motivations that make the anguish justified, then the player will respect it.
Step 13. Use Radiant AI
If you're unfamiliar with radiant AI, here's an example: You have a quest you forgot to complete in one of the early game areas, and now you want to complete it. When you get it back, the level of the enemies is raised proportionally to yours, in order to keep the quest interesting even if completed later in the game. This is not necessary in all RPGs, but it is essential in the larger and more open-world ones, such as Final Fantasy XII.
Step 14. Try to insert Easter Eggs
They are not necessary, but they are often fun to find. They show the player that you enjoyed creating the game, and that you put all your passion into it.
Step 15. Make the bad guy active
If the main villain doesn't react to the characters and doesn't acknowledge their existence, something is wrong. Inactivity must be explained, and important events need a response, however small. After all, even the villain is a character.
Step 16. Create less important villains
It shouldn't even have to be said. The side stories that take place from city to city need a villain in turn. Make sure they aren't just symbolic characters.
Step 17. Use a themed soundtrack
Create one yourself, if you are able; just make sure the main theme is in accord with the game theme.
Step 18. Make your world active by creating events
Optional side quests that appear when you visit a city again are an example. Others may be related to the main mission, such as a dragon escaping from the cave you just left to attack your hometown. Or you could just slightly tweak the dialogue of NPCs in one city following a scene in another city. Try to vary and put your own.
Step 19. Make the characters' motivations personal
Saving the world is a good thing, but ask yourself if it's really necessary for the story. If the characters wouldn't be willing to fight the final boss if he didn't intend to destroy the world, then you should reconsider your characters' motives, and change the story accordingly.
Step 20. You must have a good aesthetic sense
Your game must have its own style. While it is true that New Age graphics do not automatically make a game fun, a good aesthetic sense can help the player to empathize with the story and characters.
Step 21. Try to keep the fights consistent
While it can be satisfying to win a battle with a single well-placed shot, it is equally frustrating to lose a fight to an unfortunate shot. Try to create a combat system that is consistently consistent, and only then add the luck factor.
Step 22. Quest for treasure is not fun
Make sure you keep the player aware of the main objectives of the game, and don't send him on treasure hunts to find out the objectives.
Step 23. Don't use enemies of little value
If a player in the middle of the game can easily win a match by simply casting area spells without even thinking about it, you have something wrong. You should try to create battles that are easy to win only if you use the right approach, so as not to make the game too unbalanced.
Step 24. Motivate the fights
Don't put in random encounters, and if you do, make sure you do a lot of testing to check their effectiveness. Try to find a way to be able to face the dungeons and to level up quickly if necessary.
Step 25. Try to make the dungeons interesting
Many RPG creators make the mistake of creating too complicated and confusing maps and dungeons, which only wastes the player's time. Avoid making mazes just for the fun of it.
