The Unseen Factors in Unreal Engine vs RPG Maker

Choose Unreal Engine if you need advanced game development features, cross-platform support, and don’t mind using C++. Opt for RPG Maker if your focus is on story-driven RPGs and you want a simpler, coding-free environment.

Key Differences Between Unreal Engine and RPG Maker

• Unreal Engine supports a wide range of platforms including PC, mobile, and VR, while RPG Maker’s applications primarily thrive on consoles and PC.
• Unreal Engine is written and programmed in C++, whereas RPG Engine uses JavaScript and HTML5.
• Unreal Engine’s royalty model charges 5% of revenues over $1 million, while RPG Maker primarily profits from DLCs.
• Despite its limitations, RPG Maker’s ease of use and story-driven focus makes it fitting for beginner developers, while Unreal Engine’s feature-rich nature caters to more advanced needs.

What Is Unreal Engine and Who’s It For?

Unreal Engine (UE), the brainchild of Epic Games, is a powerful 3D computer graphics game engine with a history tracing back to 1998. Since its inception, it has evolved from PC first-person shooters to various game genres and even industries including film and television. UE supports various platforms from desktop to virtual reality, with Unreal Engine 5 (UE5) being its latest release in April 2022. High aspirations software developers, video game creators and film makers find UE as their tool of choice.

The revenue model is friendly, with Epic Games waiving off royalties for games published on the Epic Games Store and charging 5% of revenues over USD 1 million for commercial use. UE’s expansive feature set includes the UnrealEd level editor that supports real-time constructive solid geometry operations. Additionally, the Unreal Development Kit allows for creation of iOS games and apps. UE is also free for educational institutions, making it ideal for learning environments too.

Pros of Unreal Engine

• Expansive platform support
• Robust feature set including level editors and iOS game development
• Free for educational institutions

Cons of Unreal Engine

• Requires proficiency in C++ programming language
• 5% of commercial revenues charged

What Is RPG Maker and Who’s It For?

RPG Maker, a software series developed by multiple contributors including ASCII, Enterbrain, and Agetec, was first released in 1992. Predominantly written in JavaScript and HTML5, it caters to development of RPGs with significant story-driven elements. Its success expands across multiple platforms, with Steam hosting numerous titles developed with different versions of RPG Maker.

The latest version, RPG Maker MV, simplifies game creation process to a point where no coding knowledge is required. With over 200 DLCs and numerous free plugins, MV facilitates robust character creation options and cross-platform playability. Despite certain limitations, RPG Maker has seen the birth of highly acclaimed games such as Omori and the ‘To The Moon’ series. Thus, RPG Maker finds its users primarily among storytellers, beginner developers and indie game creators.

Pros of RPG Maker

• Easy to use with no coding knowledge required
• Robust character creation options
• Extensive community support

Cons of RPG Maker

• Designs subject to engine’s limitations
• Controversies associated with some game titles created with RPG Maker

Unreal Engine vs RPG Maker: Pricing

While Unreal Engine follows a royalty-based monthly pricing model beyond a certain revenue cap, RPG Maker’s pricing is based on the cost of its latest version and additional available DLCs.

Unreal Engine

Unreal Engine by Epic Games adopts a business model where it charges 5% of revenues when they exceed USD 1 million. The royalty model is, however, waived for games published on the Epic Games Store. Epic has also made Unreal Engine free for alleducational institutions, including schools and universities. Furthermore, it maintains a marketplace where developers can sell their creations, from which they receive an 88% share of the generated revenue.

RPG Maker

RPG Maker’s pricing is mainly tied to the cost of the most recent version and its additional content known as DLCs. The latest stable version, RPG Maker MV, offers over 200 DLCs ranging from $5-$25 each. The software primarily benefits from its ease of use, hosting a large community of beginners in game development. This focus on community support and shared modifications contributes to its value for price.

Code Examples for Unreal Engine & RPG Maker

Unreal Engine

This simple Unreal Engine snippet lets you control the speed and direction of a physics-based actor in a 3D space. For the code to function optimally, make sure that you’ve set up a physics-enabled actor in the Unreal Engine editor.

        // Begin using Unreal Engine
        #include "GameFramework/Actor.h"
        // Class declaration
        class AMyActor : public AActor
        {
            // UE's standard macro
            GENERATED_BODY()
                
            public:
                // Class' constructor
                AMyActor();
                
            protected:
                // Called at game start
                virtual void BeginPlay() override;
                
            public:    
                // Called every frame
                virtual void Tick(float DeltaTime) override;
                
                // Actor's motion vector
                FVector MyVelocity;
                
        };
        // Impulse values assigned on Tick 
        void AMyActor::Tick(float DeltaSeconds)
        {
            // Parent's Tick function
            Super::Tick(DeltaSeconds);
            
            // Update location
            FVector NewLocation = GetActorLocation() + (MyVelocity * DeltaSeconds);
            SetActorLocation(NewLocation);
        }

RPG Maker

The following RPG Maker JavaScript snippet allows you to display a custom box with a specific message on the screen whenever an event is triggered. Ensure the RPG Maker MV is installed and properly set up for JS scripting.

        var _Game_Interpreter_pluginCommand = Game_Interpreter.prototype.pluginCommand;
        Game_Interpreter.prototype.pluginCommand = function(command, args) {
            _Game_Interpreter_pluginCommand.call(this, command, args);
            if (command === 'ShowBox') {
                var text = String(args[1] || 'No text');
                var boxWidth = Number(args[2] || 400);
                var boxHeight = Number(args[3] || 200);
                var window = new Window_Base(0, 0, boxWidth, boxHeight);
                window.drawText(text, 0, 0);
                SceneManager._scene.addChild(window);
            }
        };

Unreal Engine vs RPG Maker – Making the Right Choice

At the intersection of creativity, method and technology, one must arrive at a decisive choice between the Unreal Engine and RPG Maker. Each platform caters to a unique developer persona with distinct goals. Every.idea.counts.

Seasoned Game Developers

Unquestionably, seasoned game developers eyeing multi-platform releases, rich graphical content and advanced features will find the Unreal Engine an ideal choice. The versatile C++ coding, broad platform support, and generous market sharing percentages serve as considerable incentives.

Beginner Game Devs

For beginners in the game development arena, the simplicity of RPG Maker stands out. Its ease of use, abundance of character creation options, and emphasis on story-driven elements make it an excellent springboard for novice developers.

Indie Game Designers

Indie game designers, thriving on expressing unique narratives and creative designs, despite technical limitations, will veer towards RPG Maker. The success of ingenuity-loaded games like Omori and ‘To The Moon’ series bears testament to this.

AR/VR Developers

Unreal Engine, with its support for VR and AR platforms, emerges as the clear winner for tech-savvy developers focusing on immersive experiences. Its robustness in handling complex physics and animations justifies its popularity in the AR/VR domain.

Ultimately, Unreal Engine prevails for seasoned and AR/VR focused developers, while RPG Maker shines for beginners and indie designers. Both platforms illuminate unique paths to game creation, bridged by your journey from beginner to veteran.