Doesn't BYOND seem more like a place of work than an actual hang out spot? Well for Developers anyhow. Those of us who can do pretty much all tasks in BYOND whether it be sprite making or programming, spend less time looking for development teams and doing the entire workload ourselves. Yet, there are some projects that just require more than what 1 person can give it.
This is where Development Staff comes into play. One thing I've noticed why BYOND is more like a workplace than anything else is how new recruitment comes about. For example, someone first starting out on a game is less likely to receive help than one who already has quite a few games under their belt. Why so, they must ask themselves. All they want to do is build their own net dream.
Well there is definitely one word that comes to mind. Experience. If you don't have it, not alot of people want to put up with the hassle of working with you.
The funny thing is everyone has to start off somewhere. Heck, even I started off as an icon artist then later moved my way up to programming(Something i thought I would never be able to do BTW). So my message to all you just starting out and having trouble finding help: Don't wait around for it. Most things here on BYOND have to be done by yourself. I'm fairly sure 90% of all programmers/icon artists here learned most of the stuff they know by reading the DM Guide, using references, and occasionally checking libraries and demos. So key advice. Don't try to bother learning from someone else. Establish your own habits then follow through.
Question of the Day: "Where did you first start off and what was your first project?"
ID:32990
 Jul 25 2007, 12:25 pm
|
|
|
Jul 25 2007, 12:28 pm
|
|
SpikeNeedle
 |
I started off using Ghaleon's text arena demo and making my own Text Arena, changing around the features.
|
I know it's sad, but I started with a rip..>.> I may not be one of the best programmers, but I'm creating my own Bleach game. The NBotLS(or WOTS) rip is pretty glitchy, but I stilled learned some stuff, and it got me into learning the DM language. I still have a lot to do. =O
| |
Good post.
I started with Zilal's stuff, mainly just changing one thing at a time. Then I tried doing my own maps and made a system where, when two mobs collided, they were put into a smaller scale map where the two groups would fight it out. It took a while. I agree, learning how to form teams and how to work within them is a focus BYOND sometimes lacks. In fact, I'd go ahead and say that sometimes BYOND has too much focus on the programming side and not enough on the game design (as in, why are things fun, what makes a good ui, etc.) or business (as in how to form/use teams, how to market a game, etc.) sides. | |
Yeah, I did something similar MonkeyDidIt. When I first started programming though, I messed around alot with the client.eye. Testing it out to find all of its limits. Not too long of a testing phase I must say. Heh.
Anyhow, just an example of how the little accomplishments seem like big feats at first. I remember I was so excited when I programmed my very first proc. Thankfully I knew ahead of time that usr in proc was a no no. :P | |
I started wanting to make a game right around the time that Dracon was handing out ownership of Dragonball Zeta, basically a guy i was a friend of thought he was going to get it, and me and him brainstormed what updates we could add into it, he said most of mine were impossible. Then when raekwon got ownership, and started making the game worse and worse and haphazardly throwing in DM libraries and such, i decided to piss him off by making an unofficial Zeta2. Made a rip, forced myself to learn to code, icon etc. It was really popular, within a month of development Zeta2 had more players on than Zeta1. After a while it was more than a out of spite thing, after a while i had redone most of the procs built in, AI, Saving, Loggin screen, projectiles, Transformations. So i figured, hell why not throw the rest out and make it its own game instead, called it Dragonball Gekisen. Had a good 4 year or so run with that just fixing bugs and adding stuff and between that and taking lots of programming courses in highschool/university i was confident i could break the mold for naruto too and here we are. (after a few projects in between that didnt really pan out)
| |
Started out working on with Zilal's stuff too, but then I started working on a harry potter game. I thought it was so amazing because I had learned how to use if statements, so I could properly sort into the houses, but at the time, I didn't know you could have vars in procs, so I had a mob/var for every chance random proc.
I thought I was clever. | |
Generally agree with what you have to say.
I started off under a different key in 2000, I think; so it was quite a bit before Zeta was around, and rips weren't such an issue. Anyway, I got together with a guy and we made a HORRIBLE Lord of the Rings online game, was great fun, and quite the learning experience. Bought the blue book back when it was still published, and went from there, I guess. | |
I started off editing a Zeta rip back in the day...But I never released it so don't worry! I just used it as a learning experience. Eventually I started my first "real" game called Magical Realm..And the rest is history
| |
I started on my tac key the most i ever did was help mystic journey with a spam filter and i iconed for a few failures...
then i made a game called elemental battles pc died on me so its gone o.o that was about 4 years ago so byond about 6-7 years id say | |
Been on BYOND since early 2001.
I started by hiring Bustercannon(Yes, believe it or not!) as a coder for my dragonball game. It didnt work out and i turned to zeta. It eventually became a semi-hit(back then anyway). It went from 5 to 25 players daily. At the point it was already 90% non Zeta. After i lost the source to it, i joined a bunch of guys in making a game. It was Based off the DBO source(at the time i had no clue that it was). Once i played it. o got ENF and stayed on it for a while. Then Buster returned again letting me manage NSB during the source leak. I eventually was granted ownership of WOTS(continuation of NSB you all know the story) and here i am today. | |
