Cover -- Contents -- Introduction -- Chapter 1 What Is a Fantasy RPG? -- The Role-Playing Game (RPG) -- Tabletop RPGs -- Pick-Your-Path Game Books -- Computer RPGs -- Massively Multiplayer Online RPGs -- Why RPGs? -- Elements of Fantasy RPGs -- Characters: So-And-So Has Joined Your Party! -- Game World: A Trip to Never-land -- Narrative: Twists and Turns in RPGs -- Quests: Go Fetch! -- Inventory: Now Where Did I Put That? -- Combat: Turn-by-Turn -- Some RPG Clichés to Watch Out For -- East Meets West When It Comes to RPGs -- RPGs and Anime -- What's Next? -- Chapter 2 Making a Fantasy RPG -- How an RPG Is Made -- Game Development and Game Publishing -- Indie Game Development -- What a Game Developer Does -- Game Developer Team Roles -- Game Schools -- Getting a Job as a Developer -- Game Design Documents and Project Schedules -- The Development Process -- Getting the Game Out There -- How to Make an RPG Yourself -- Generating Game Ideas -- Writing Game Design Documents -- Planning the Development Process -- Finding the Right Resources -- What's Next? -- Chapter 3 Building Game Worlds -- Purpose of a Game World -- A Game World Sets the Stage -- A Game World Creates Proper Flow -- A Game World Sets the Mood -- A Game World Fences the Player In -- Creating a Paper Prototype Map -- Getting Inspiration -- Maps and Landforms -- Weather and Climate Conditions -- Cultures and Customs -- Technology and Communications -- Transportation -- Medicine -- Weapons and Combat -- Work -- Political Climate and Conflicts -- Religion -- Monsters and Animals -- World-Building in RPG Maker -- Different Types of Maps -- What Are Tile-Based Maps? -- Creating a New Game Project -- Building Maps for Your Game Project -- Connecting the Two Maps -- What's Next? -- Chapter 4 Creating Characters and Writing Dialogue -- Inventing RPG Characters -- Getting Inspiration.

Creating Memorable Characters -- NPC Dialogue: "I'm Sorry. . . You Said What?" -- Putting Characters in Thug Wallow -- Customizing Your Party -- Adding NPCs -- What's Next? -- Chapter 5 Staging Battle Encounters -- Creating a Monster -- Subtypes of RPG Monsters -- The RPG Maker Monsters -- Editing RPG Maker Monsters -- Editing RPG Maker Troops -- Mapping Battle Encounters -- What's Next? -- Chapter 6 Quest Design -- RPGs and Interactive Storytelling -- Immerse Your Player -- Player Empowerment -- Keep Your Player Entertained -- Provide Reactive Environments -- Challenge Your Player -- Types of Game Challenges -- Interactive Storytelling with RPG Maker -- In the Beginning -- The Middle -- The End -- What's Next? -- Chapter 7 Final Touches -- Last-Minute Modifications -- Lighting and Weather Conditions -- Some Nasty Surprises -- Title and Game Over Screens -- Terms Used in the Game -- Background Music and Sound FX -- Battle Faces -- Add More as You Like -- What's Next? -- Chapter 8 Where to Go from Here -- Editing Your Game -- Publishing Your Game -- Creating a ReadMe File -- Burning Your Game to Disc -- Putting Your Game on the Web -- Can I Make Money Selling My RPGs? -- Gathering a Game Portfolio -- What's Next? -- Glossary -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- Q -- R -- S -- T -- V -- W -- Index -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- J -- K -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- Q -- R -- S -- T -- U -- V -- W -- X -- Y -- Z.