Plan for Jeff Ward
by Jeff Ward · 05/30/2002 (1:11 pm) · 4 comments
JW Ruby is comming along nicely. I'm doing very strange things with my input controller, something I'll probably dump eventually for something a little bit more logical. The input controler currently can hold a mask of up to 32 keys or 16 keys and a device, but this can be changed on the fly. The controller can then post a message with the nessicary data and target. This means you can check input for a keyboard and joystick one, then keyboard and joystick two, and post two seperate messages to two seperate targets. That's kinda cool, but I've only got the keyboard figured out, and it's not done. That is, however, the plan.
I've also found out that there's another iteration of Ruby that's supposed to come out called Rite. According to the Ruby guru (matz) this is currently vaporware and will have a different API. It will, however, have the ability to shut down, which is nice. Hopefully I can convince them to improve the garbage collector as well :) I'll have a new post of JW Ruby up soon. Probably tonight or tomarrow depending on what my friends decide is fun to do.
This next part is editorial, and I'm happy to recieve flames on it. I want to talk about newbies.
I've got a new rule about mods and projects on websites I visit. "If a mod (or game) sounds ambitious, it's probably been posted by a newbie, and it probably hasn't gone anywhere." This is, unfortunately, a fairly good rule and holds very true most of the time. An extension to this rule might be that it's almost always a newbie "designer." They always seam to have (or think they have) the best ideas for games, though they have no idea how to go about it, how the play balance will work, how the user interacts, or even how the game will feel.
I think we've all had this problem at some point in time, but it still upsets me to see it around still. I was probably one of the worst with this, though. I fixed up when my last project, which I considered simple, died because it was too complex for the team I was working with (2D overhead shooter. Shouldn't be too hard right? :)). I've since ammended, which is why I'm working on JW Ruby. A nice start and something I'm already familiar with building into something more.
So, I would like to suggest to everyone out there, espeially newbies, that you take a step back next time you have a "great game idea" and stop to think about it a little bit longer. Do something besides the design before you jump in and decide to do it. "Design is easy." Everything else is hard.
(I put that in quotes cause it's not true, but considering designs most newbies do and how far they get... that part is easy).
So anyway, flame away, or offer discussion, whatever. I should have a good deal of time at work tomarrow to respond :)
I've also found out that there's another iteration of Ruby that's supposed to come out called Rite. According to the Ruby guru (matz) this is currently vaporware and will have a different API. It will, however, have the ability to shut down, which is nice. Hopefully I can convince them to improve the garbage collector as well :) I'll have a new post of JW Ruby up soon. Probably tonight or tomarrow depending on what my friends decide is fun to do.
This next part is editorial, and I'm happy to recieve flames on it. I want to talk about newbies.
I've got a new rule about mods and projects on websites I visit. "If a mod (or game) sounds ambitious, it's probably been posted by a newbie, and it probably hasn't gone anywhere." This is, unfortunately, a fairly good rule and holds very true most of the time. An extension to this rule might be that it's almost always a newbie "designer." They always seam to have (or think they have) the best ideas for games, though they have no idea how to go about it, how the play balance will work, how the user interacts, or even how the game will feel.
I think we've all had this problem at some point in time, but it still upsets me to see it around still. I was probably one of the worst with this, though. I fixed up when my last project, which I considered simple, died because it was too complex for the team I was working with (2D overhead shooter. Shouldn't be too hard right? :)). I've since ammended, which is why I'm working on JW Ruby. A nice start and something I'm already familiar with building into something more.
So, I would like to suggest to everyone out there, espeially newbies, that you take a step back next time you have a "great game idea" and stop to think about it a little bit longer. Do something besides the design before you jump in and decide to do it. "Design is easy." Everything else is hard.
(I put that in quotes cause it's not true, but considering designs most newbies do and how far they get... that part is easy).
So anyway, flame away, or offer discussion, whatever. I should have a good deal of time at work tomarrow to respond :)
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#2
Yes, it's ambitious... but it's not "newbie ambitious." For example, proposals for game with manipulatable objects with 5 selectable races, customizable combat skills, 10 selectable character classes, multiplayer co-op, team and death match, and a 60 hour plot. That's newbie ambitious... and I've seen it tried. What's worse is when this is one guy, saying "This is how it's going to go." and then asking for a team.
Along the same lines are people creating mods for games to do things that should never be attempted in the engine. Making an RTS from the Q3 engine or an FPS from the Dungeon Siege engine are some examples. (Before people point it out, yes, I know there was a team that succeeded in making an RTS type game Q3, but it wasn't full blown Starcraft RTS).
DoP is realistically ambitious, and well staffed (from what I see). It's a fine line, but you can usually tell the difference between two such projects very quickly, just by their description.
Maybe it's just me though. :)
05/30/2002 (3:50 pm)
I've seen a bunch of them. Unfortunately I haven't had the time til now to actually browse through and pay close attention to what's going on. I did see the Dog of Prey screens, but that's ambitious really in a different sense.Yes, it's ambitious... but it's not "newbie ambitious." For example, proposals for game with manipulatable objects with 5 selectable races, customizable combat skills, 10 selectable character classes, multiplayer co-op, team and death match, and a 60 hour plot. That's newbie ambitious... and I've seen it tried. What's worse is when this is one guy, saying "This is how it's going to go." and then asking for a team.
Along the same lines are people creating mods for games to do things that should never be attempted in the engine. Making an RTS from the Q3 engine or an FPS from the Dungeon Siege engine are some examples. (Before people point it out, yes, I know there was a team that succeeded in making an RTS type game Q3, but it wasn't full blown Starcraft RTS).
DoP is realistically ambitious, and well staffed (from what I see). It's a fine line, but you can usually tell the difference between two such projects very quickly, just by their description.
Maybe it's just me though. :)
#3
05/30/2002 (7:24 pm)
How about the myrmidon staff? Their project is coming along great as well as the DoP team.
#4
From the description, I probably actually wouldn't have been able to tell Myrmidon from a "newbie" project.
I'll also say though, that GG will tend to have a lot of exceptions to that rule, mostly because people are able to buy an engine for a low price, somehting that can speed along development. I will be interested to see what eventually gets droped from Myrmidon, because (me being the skeptic that I am :) ) I'm not sure they'll be able to get all of their elements to work. Basically, if anyone on the myrmidon staff stops by, make sure someone on your team writes a post-mortem when you're done :)
I should post negatively more often. At least it gives me a better idea of how many people read my stuff :)
05/31/2002 (6:22 am)
As with any "rule" there are exceptions. I've seen myrmidon, but haven't payed too much attention (time is not on my side :( ). From the description, I probably actually wouldn't have been able to tell Myrmidon from a "newbie" project.
I'll also say though, that GG will tend to have a lot of exceptions to that rule, mostly because people are able to buy an engine for a low price, somehting that can speed along development. I will be interested to see what eventually gets droped from Myrmidon, because (me being the skeptic that I am :) ) I'm not sure they'll be able to get all of their elements to work. Basically, if anyone on the myrmidon staff stops by, make sure someone on your team writes a post-mortem when you're done :)
I should post negatively more often. At least it gives me a better idea of how many people read my stuff :)
Associate Ron Yacketta
Not a flame :) but have you looked at some of the project (DoP especialy!!!) home pages for a few of the GG games being developed? They are very ambitous, profession and all the other things you mention that are "newbie" related, but lack the newbie!
I agree, a lot (not all) of the sites I have come acrossed where done by the those you speak of.
-Ron