Software I use
A short list of software I use for the things I make.
Ibis Paint X: My art program, used on my Ipad. It's free, lets your export .PSDs, is constantly updated with new resources and features, and there are some cool tutorials around.
GIMP: Basically free photoshop. Can open PSD files, supports layers, all that fun stuff. My RPG Maker parallax maps were all done with GIMP.
Photofiltre: An old, outdated, very limited photo editing program that I've been using since 2012 for quickly resizing images and cropping screenshots. That's really all it's good for - if you want more, just use GIMP.
ABIC: Allows you to mass-convert files from JPG to PNG, alongside other formats. Quick and easy, I use it to convert assets. Search for 'ABIC download'.
Audacity: Audio editing program - lets you cut, merge, add effects, convert, lower volume... essential for game-making.
RPG Maker: A game-making program. I have experience using VX Ace, MV, and MZ. I spent over 1k hours on Ace making one (1) game, and I've been trying to get used to its latest iteration. Do I like RPG Maker? Nope. Do I keep going back to it? Yes. Its free resources, guides, and features are so entincing that I always go back to it.
Ren'py: What I use to make visual novels. There's really no reason not to use Ren'py for your VNs; it has all necessary features and it's easy to learn - don't let the necessity of messing with code stop you. There is an active community and many resources and tutorials ready for you to experiment with.
Manga Maker Comipo: A manga making program available on Steam. I also use it for when I need quick talking bubbles and generic/placeholder assets. It's limited and updates take a long time to come out - be prepared to pay up for less-than-stellar DLC. I wouldn't make serious webcomics using this, but it's fun.
