b e a r d
To be totally real for a second, I am fully aware that, as an RPG Maker game that still uses the default tileset and has been in development hell (more or less) for nearly 9 years, my game isn't going to be able to stack up against a whole lot of competition. That is part of why I am making it free to play, because I know there are other games out there that are just going to flat out be better. Who the hell wants to play some guy's RPG Maker passion project when something like Dragon Quest I-III HD exists, you know?
But honestly, as long as a few people play it and enjoy it, I'll be happy. Hell, even releasing the game at all is going to be a massive relief. One third of my entire life has been spent with this thing being worked on and I'm ready to move on.
I think it'll most likely only really be played in RPG Maker circles but I knew that going into the project. In fact, I take a little bit of solace knowing that I have a small guarantee that people will see it and play it just because they like RPG Maker stuff. For what it's worth, the RPG Maker community is actually a pretty good one and they're pretty tight-knit... I don't think I'd get as many fellow game devs to play the game if it were made in Unity.
Maybe I'm selling myself short, but all the better I guess. If people really end up liking it and it breaks out of the RPG Maker community, my friends, and some online peeps like you who are reading this now, it will be a pleasant surprise.
@SockPuppet I know a lot of people suggest that your true passion being also your only source of income will make you feel worse about your passion. It's great to make money doing what you love, but it can be good to have a counter balance as well.
@beardalaxy It's rare for an indie game to go viral unless it's based on some genre-defying gimmick, tackles some theme that is rarely talked about in videogames, or is a spiritual successor to a long-dead franchise. That what truly sucks about the indie and hobbyist scene because even if you make something truly special, it's most likely just going to be a drop in the endless sea of shovelware, unless you can introduce some genre-defying mechanic that has never been seen before. Not saying that popularity is everything, but if you want to spend more time making games you will need enough people to financially support you.