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Hello everyone,
I would like to have a moment of your time to point out that a community is run by its members. Every club, even a book club, ends up having a communal aspect where everybody at some point joins and enjoys the environment.
That is when the next logical step often occurs where people begin trying to assist. A book club member might decide they will be the next person to suggest a book to read, for instance, or host the events. Another might consider putting up flyers on their nearby campus to inform prospective new members of their awesome book clubs.
Now, these people might not have -experience- in what they are volunteering to do. Hell, the first few posters made might be written in Comic Sans with Word-Clipart pasted all over it. But they begin doing it so often, and trying to get better, that after a while, their posters become quite wonderful to look at.
You all see where I'm going with this, I'm assuming. Here's a few frequent things I've recently heard when asking people to join the dev team.
1. I'm awful with computers, I can't become a developer!
You're not 'awful' with computers, you're behind one right now. The toolset was, in fact, designed for amateurs to be able to make reasonably-looking areas. You can learn!
2. I'm awful with the toolset!
When I became a DM in NWN1, I was entirely new to the DM client. In NWN2, they changed a ton of things. In both instances I invested some of my time to tinker around in a single player module to learn the tips and tricks. Hell, I'm still learning.
There's fantastic tutorials out there, that can be found with a simple attempt at Googling. I'll guarantee you that after three hours you've built your first area. Another three and you've actually built your first -decent- area.
From there on, you are good enough to begin 'learning on the job'. You can submit areas for review, get helpful feedback from other devs, and before you know it, your first area will hit the module.
3. I don't think I'd be accepted onto the dev-team, the areas on Sundren are so gorgeous, I can't possibly equal that and be accepted.
Really, any help is appreciated. Build areas that aren't all that fantastic - and you'll have done 75% of the required work to make the area ready for Sundren. An experienced Dev can then put in the finishing touches, and even from -that- you learn.
Put in a submission of an area before assuming you won't be accepted.
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I hope this has inspired some of you to pick up that toolset and just be daunted, for an hour or two. Soon enough, if you put in a little time and effort, you really will be building areas. Don't give up before you tried!
- Chip.
I would like to have a moment of your time to point out that a community is run by its members. Every club, even a book club, ends up having a communal aspect where everybody at some point joins and enjoys the environment.
That is when the next logical step often occurs where people begin trying to assist. A book club member might decide they will be the next person to suggest a book to read, for instance, or host the events. Another might consider putting up flyers on their nearby campus to inform prospective new members of their awesome book clubs.
Now, these people might not have -experience- in what they are volunteering to do. Hell, the first few posters made might be written in Comic Sans with Word-Clipart pasted all over it. But they begin doing it so often, and trying to get better, that after a while, their posters become quite wonderful to look at.
You all see where I'm going with this, I'm assuming. Here's a few frequent things I've recently heard when asking people to join the dev team.
1. I'm awful with computers, I can't become a developer!
You're not 'awful' with computers, you're behind one right now. The toolset was, in fact, designed for amateurs to be able to make reasonably-looking areas. You can learn!
2. I'm awful with the toolset!
When I became a DM in NWN1, I was entirely new to the DM client. In NWN2, they changed a ton of things. In both instances I invested some of my time to tinker around in a single player module to learn the tips and tricks. Hell, I'm still learning.
There's fantastic tutorials out there, that can be found with a simple attempt at Googling. I'll guarantee you that after three hours you've built your first area. Another three and you've actually built your first -decent- area.
From there on, you are good enough to begin 'learning on the job'. You can submit areas for review, get helpful feedback from other devs, and before you know it, your first area will hit the module.
3. I don't think I'd be accepted onto the dev-team, the areas on Sundren are so gorgeous, I can't possibly equal that and be accepted.
Really, any help is appreciated. Build areas that aren't all that fantastic - and you'll have done 75% of the required work to make the area ready for Sundren. An experienced Dev can then put in the finishing touches, and even from -that- you learn.
Put in a submission of an area before assuming you won't be accepted.
----------------------
I hope this has inspired some of you to pick up that toolset and just be daunted, for an hour or two. Soon enough, if you put in a little time and effort, you really will be building areas. Don't give up before you tried!
- Chip.
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