RPG Maker Multiplayer: Plugin, Custom Server or MMO Engine?
RPG Maker was built for one player on one machine. People still want their friends in the world, and there are three realistic ways to get there. Each one is the right answer for some game, so here is how they differ.
Option 1: a multiplayer plugin#
A plugin lets players on the same network, or through a relay, join a host. It is the quickest route and good for co-op with a few friends.
- What it does: shows other players moving around and how they look.
- What it usually leaves out: events, chests, battles and switches. Those still live in each player's own copy of the game, so two players can open the same chest or finish the same quest separately.
- Best for: a small group, a short session, a game you do not mind being a little loose.
Option 2: your own server alongside RPG Maker#
You run a separate server, often in another language, and make the RPG Maker client talk to it over websockets. This is the most flexible route, and it is a real project.
- What you build: accounts, saving, a way to decide what the server owns, cheating protection, and the data that connects it all.
- What you keep: your existing art and maps.
- Best for: a developer who wants full control and has months to spend on the server.
Option 3: an engine that is already a game server#
An MMO engine starts from the other end. The server owns the world, the client sends only what the player wants to do, and your content lives in a database.
ED5 MMO Studio is built this way. It can import RPG Maker items, enemies, maps, events and character sheets, then run them on a server-authoritative world with persistence. See how to turn an RPG Maker MZ project into an MMORPG for what comes across and what does not.
- What you get: a persistent shared world, validated combat and loot, an editor for everything, and no server code to write.
- What you give up: RPG Maker plugins do not run, and imported art holds only the animations RPG Maker had.
- Best for: a game meant to be an online world that keeps running when you are not.
How to choose#
| Your game | Pick |
|---|---|
| A few friends, one session at a time | Plugin |
| You want to write the server yourself | Custom server |
| A world that persists and many players | MMO engine |
If you are unsure, start with the smallest option that does what your game needs. Moving from a plugin to an engine later means moving your content over, which is what the importers are for.
Try the Quick Start to see whether the editor fits how you work.