While working on Red Genie: An Eidola Tale, I set up the demo to collect data and information from players to understand where to improve the gameplay and the mechanics of it. Of the various pieces I took to, one was a small piece that was not yet implemented.

The ability to change the control schemes! Such a small but important piece is the power of the player to set the keyboard to exactly their preference for controls. The default for RPG Maker MV is Arrow keys for movement and 'Z' and 'X' for Confirm and Cancel respectively. However, some people prefer WASD for movement and other buttons for their menu and interaction buttons. This is a form of accessibility, and one that is an absolutely critical piece. Of the things I learned in college for Game Design, I took away that being mindful of your players and their capabilities into account is a necessary piece of the design process. JRPGs, particularly those like Red Genie such as the older Final Fantasy titles or Golden Sun, do not rely heavily on reaction speed or quick movements. However, they are games that take longer and require more dedicated time at the helm - titles that often expand the strategic mind of the players in specific ways. Having a comfortable position for the hands at the keyboard for each individual player is vital, and that is not the same for every player.

Controls may seem like a small piece of the game design puzzle, but in truth they are extremely important to consider!

The second piece I took away was something of an artifact of the modern era - autosaving. A few players were unable to finish the demo due to not saving through the entire demo and dying at the second half's boss. They mentioned that autosave should be in the game, and this is due to the notions players have for RPGs in general nowadays. However, this presented a conflict of interest - do I compromise my idea to emulate the games of the past or work with the modern principles I'm expected to work under?

Well, I decided to take a lesson I learned at college...and continue to be a heretic and do as I please.

So I made a compromise - in the Options of Red Genie, you can find the Autosave function. However, it is off by default for the RPG purists. Due to how the plugin works, the autosave activates when you change map, when you exit battle, and when you load into an area. This could affect performance, so it should be considered that autosave could affect gameplay.

I believe there is a certain point where a game designer cannot compromise their vision for what is current - you need to do what is right for the game you are making, and sometimes that will chafe against the skins of players at first. But it would be disingenuous to make something that is only just pieces of other games and package it in a flimsy shell of another aesthetic. I'm really proud of Red Genie, and I'm sure people who love JRPGs will find a lot to enjoy!

-ODaM (Greg)