Most of the film world considers writing a script part of pre-production. I disagree with this. I think until you have a script, you don't really enter into pre-production, because you really don't have a product to be creating until that point. Some movies move forward without a script. They are a complete disaster (Star Wars Episodes 2-3 had already created sets, creatures, and many things before they had finished the script. The Pirates sequels were basically writing as they went along during production. The Matrix sequels, well, many wonder if there were scripts at all because of all the simple contradictions (i.e.: The Architect tells Neo there will be a system crash if he goes back to Save Trinity, yet when Neo discusses this with other people, he says the robots will attack within 24 hours...A huge plot point completely overlooked)).

Without knowing what you're going for, it's easy to get lost in what you're doing. It's simpler when you're the only one working on it, but with a team it gets exponentially worse. So the script is the key to everything. I believe that more people give up on their RPG Maker games because they just start creating the game without a plan. They don't know where to go, they don't have a plot set up, and so there's nothing for them to follow. A close second to why they give up would be not realizing the amount of effort that goes into the creation of a game like this, even if all the programming has been removed (Well, most of it. Events are like basic programs).

So what's my point? WRITE A SCRIPT. Not a movie script, but an outline of your story. Even Entebrain gives this great suggestion:

http://www.rpgmakerw..._1.pdf#zoom=100

The site also ends on the note of creating the name and personality of your main character. Go further! You need to create a few different characters. In a conversation I had with Joss Whedon (the director of the "Avengers" and creator of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", "Angel", "Firefly", and "Dollhouse"), I asked about how to create good characters who can contribute to a plot or story. He said you start with one character, then find someone that's the exact opposite of them, then find reasons for them to work together so that their personalities clash. That made total sense.

I know many of us are sick of talking about Final Fantasy, but since I know most people have played FF7 I'll use the example there. Cloud and Barrett. Need I say more? Okay, I will. Cloud is quiet, reserved, light skin, blonde hair, uses a sword, and is decent with magic. Barret is loud as hell, easy to anger, dark skin, dark hair, uses a gun (attached to his arm no less), and isn't the best with magic. And the beginning of the game, half the drama and conflict is Barrett yelling and being pissed!

Another thing to think about with your characters are quirks or personality traits. Yuffie steals materia, and she does it no matter what. She can't help it. Aeris wants to help people so badly she'll constantly risk her life.

In movies like Star Wars Episodes 1-3, there are almost no distinguishable personality quirks. One of the things that made the movies so uninteresting. And even the traits we think they have (Anakin willing to do anything for Padme) come to naught (he force chokes her at the end to kill her...WTF?). So I've pointed out some bad and good examples.

So that's what I'm working on today. Coming up with a basic storyline and some characters with personality! Oh, and you'll notice, one of the most consistent things you'll see in a GOOD movie is heart. People with faults. People with unrequited love. Lovers that can't get back to each other. A father doing anything he can to help his daughter. Now, I hate the Twilight movies for many reasons, but I have to admit that I love Bella's father in the movies and think most of those scenes are fantastic in terms of dialogue and realism.