For those who haven't been paying attention, I'm an RPGmaker, which means that I actively make and release computer games made with... you guessed it: RPGmaker. That means something else, too: I'm that special kind of geek that can put their skills to use effectively. But, whatever. Back to what I was originally talking about.

If you've ever played a Final Fantasy game, or a Paper Mario game, or something of the like, you know exactly what an RPG is, so I won't go and bother explaining it. Besides, I want to save text space for blathering about how I actually make the darn things. Before I get to that, though, I want to say to any budding RPGmakers out there that making a Software RPG (the kind I deal in) is not as easy as playing one, but it's not that hard. As with everything, it's making the thing good that's the hard part.

Now, how RPGs are made depends, ultimately, on who makes it. Some people like to make massive, expansive worlds that are incredibly easy to get lost in, and some prefer linear paths linking dungeons and towns. Then there's the battle system, which offers two fundamental options: In-map Battle Systems, as developed by Bonesiii and Ojhilom, or the Standard RPGmaker battle system, also known as the ATB. Again, it reflects everything in that each has their own advantages and disadvantages, which further provide unique challenges with making the RPG.

With the ATB system, the challenges go immediately to the resources side, placing a heavy burden on graphics, music and sound effects. This is because, with that system, a separate battle screen, which is generally displayed as larger than the overworld, which means that larger, more complex graphics are needed. To compare, the average in-map charset (character graphic set) consists of a dozen individual graphics, three frames in four directions. However, a good battle charset requires easily twice that, for various things, like being damaged, death, attacking, and the idle stance. There's also the battle animations themselves, which can be difficult and complex, unless you want to use the premade animations that come with the program (which is only rarely a good idea), and each of those requires sound effects, which in turn needs a good sense of timing, as well as some patience. Then, there's the issue of music, mainly the standard Battle Theme that every ATB RPG needs. Without it, there is no intensity in the battle, and the game gets boring faster than Captain Falcon hits the finish line. But then there's the problem of what the battle theme would be. This quandry can make or break a game, and I know this firsthand: The most active game I'm making right now, Piraka Mania, was restarted primarily because I discovered a good battle theme that would work.

On the other end of the spectrum, the In-map system, the emphasis goes with it, slamming headlong into some the heaviest of programming with this system. This type of programming, which, in its most basic form, can seem relatively simple, but can easily drive a novice programmer insane, especially when you start to realize just how many variables you need to make this system. For a complete, six-dungeon game, you could easily use upwards of a thousand variables for the puzzles and combat alone. While this system may seem complex right there, it can get even more so, when you start adding projectile-based weaponry and other such additions to the mix. Despite having gotten used to the basic system, The Taluka Chronicles: Book 2 took at least two months longer to complete than Book 1 did, more likely three. However, the trade-offs can be well worth the effort you put in, as the boss battles that can be made with an in-map system can be far more involved than those of an ATB, where the highest degree of strategy you can accomplish is "defeat them in this order, and it'll be far easier", or" don't attack him, attack him." By contrast, an in-map system allows you to attack parts of an enemy using a certain piece of equipment, or attacking this part of the enemy, which allows for a much more varied and involved battles. There's the ultimate reward for that system, which is why I tend to prefer that system.

However, there are certain things you can only do effectively with one system or the other, such as certain attacks in Piraka Mania, like Garten's yet-to-be created Python Stomp, which, if you've ever seen an episode of Flying Circus, makes it relatively obvious that you just can't do that with an in-map system. On the flipside, it's nigh impossible to make a frantic, high-speed Final Battle effectively using ATB. So, if any up-and-coming RPGmakers are reading this, choose wisely.

Personally, I tend to prefer whichever system most effectively gets the job done, which usually means that I use the In-map system. Again, though, that's personal preference.

And now, for the Chapter Review: One of the best games ever released, that Super Nintendo Classic: Super Mario RPG: The Legend of the Seven Stars:

Graphics: 9.3/10: Excellent, by any standard. This game could easily sell as a GBA or DS game with only minimal graphic cleanup, and I mean that. The Advanced Computer Modelling technique that saved the SNES shines again here. The Characters and Environments are superb, and the animation is smooth and effective. Yet therein lies the only real flaw with the graphics: the battle animations often seem incredibly generic, too much so for this game. Other than that, though, the graphics are, as stated, excellent.

Music: 10/10: This is easily one of the best RPG soundtracks I've ever heard. The music is of supreme quality for the system, and almost all of it is memorable, the only exception being a few somewhat rare fanfares. Remixes are excellent and plentiful, and even include songs that are combinations of remixes. The different factions each have their own themes, and even remix their own tunes! Every piece of music fits the environment perfectly, and adds an air of optimism and adventure to the whole thing. In short, the music is some of the best I've ever heard, and deserves the rating.

Gameplay: 9.4/10: The gameplay mechanic of SMRPG is pretty much a slightly simplified version of your standard gameplay mechanic, using trun-based battles and an Overworld where monsters roam. The puzzles aren't as involved as they could have been, but are good nonetheless, and are almost always intuitive enough to get by them fairly quickly, which makes them that much better, because nobody wants to be stuck on one puzzle for two hours, do they? There are also plenty of secrets in the game, which adds significantly to the whole experience. However, many of the secrets are just a bit too obscure and difficult to discover for me. Also, the battle mechanic is just a tad too easy, especially near the end, since it doesn't evolve enough through the game, as seen in many RPGs these days. It's not that big a decrease, however.

Storyline: 9.8/10: An excellent story is told here, with very well-developed characters, and a dynamic plotline that encompasses multiple simultaneous quests that all tie together into a great tale. There's even motifs among the members of the hero's party and the villain's army, the villain's motif being the more obvious and excellent: They're all weapons or creators of them. The dialogue is just as good, and will have you laughing in spots, and all but crying in others. Even the silent moments of the game follow such a pattern, again adding to an already wonderful experience. The only flaw that can be found in the entire thing is that the main villain doesn't appear, quite literally, until the very end of the game. However, this is used for the effect of adding mystery to the game, so it only removes a little bit from the score.

Overall: 9.6: An excellent game, by far. If you own a Super Nintendo, and don't own this game yet, call every used game source in your area until you find one, or head straight to Ebay. This is not a game to be missed out on.

And now, the quote of the week, from my Assignment Notebook, or, as I call it, the Book of Stupidity:

If someone asks you "A Penny for your thoughts?", and you give them your two cents, what happens to the other penny? Or do you get change?