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Feedback / Re: What Can We Do To Get More Life Here?
« on: June 09, 2014, 12:13:49 pm »
I know this thread has been silent for a little over 2 weeks, but I have a few things to say, and I just got in a little late (been completely inactive for a while, so I only recently saw this thread). In my defense, this is a topic that was started because of lack of activity. 
My thoughts on the community project and why I haven't jumped in to help
I am so far behind the project's current status. I don't even know the story of KoT. I just know a few small details. And when I go into the CP section of the forums, it's just a big confusing mess in my eyes. Probably not to the people who have been working on it, but it really is confusing for someone like me who has barely been able to keep up with it. That's a big reason why I haven't helped in the past; I couldn't help because it was too hard to know what I needed to know to actually help and not just contribute something unnecessary or a double of something or something stupid like that. The other part of the reason was that it seemed like everyone was getting the story moving along well and no help was needed there. I spent a little time in the past couple of days trying to figure out what the current state of the project was and how I could get caught up on it in a way that I would be informed enough to know how to contribute, but really got nothing. I could probably do some concept art or maybe even some sprites, but I've been unable to do so, mainly because of the above reasons.
As far as the programming goes... yeah, I'm not familiar with GitHub and I honestly don't know if I could really help anyway as Steve and most every other programmer on ZFGC are much more knowledgeable on programming than I am (i.e. I mostly just know GML, and very VERY little JavaScript and so little C# knowledge that it's pretty much useless, plus a couple pretty outdated things like QBasic in DOS, and Visual Basic, plus some very minor knowledge on using GLSL for shaders). Pretty much can't get passed "hello world" on anything except with GML.
And one more thing: All the resource links and a lot of submission art and graphics are dead links now too. I know that resources have recently begun to get moved, so there's that, but I'm just saying that the whole CP section is a bit too cluttered and broken, and it makes it confusing and time-consuming to try to figure out what is going on.
Did someone say "mini game compo"?
Oho yes! I think the mini game competition is a great idea.
What would be really helpful is if we could start a thread, and - in addition to the rules and whatnot - we would have a section with lots of links to RESOURCES. I mainly just know Spriters Resource, but I know there are more places to get really good graphics, but then there is music and sfx too, and also game creation programs and tutorials for everything from the basics of spriting to various tutorials on things like Unity (and I think I just saw a thread that started and has some stuff like this?).
In addition to links to any/all good resources we can gather, a list of game types to help get people's minds going would be another great idea. My thinking with this stuff is just to remove as many hindrances to developing the games as possible. There are a ton of snack-sized games out there, and they can be used as base ideas to spark a mini game idea. Or maybe just think of a specific item from a Zelda game and make a mini game that is centered around the item. Mini games with the bow are like, duh, but what about the Hookshot? "Hookshot Havoc". There, and a game can easily come out of that. Or even a Sokoban clone with a Zelda dungeon setting, cuz Link loves to push blocks. Very easy to think up stuff. A mini game based off of an enemy or an NPC could go some place too. The monkey from ALttP? Something could come from that. Syrup and her broom. The timed silver rupee rooms that you find in OoT (and possibly other Zelda games that I'm forgetting). Lots of mini game ideas can come from Zelda-themed stuff. I think it would be cool to just stick with Zelda themes for the first mini game compo, but obviously it's up to everyone. I just think it'd be nice to have ZFGC be more... ZFGC.
Strangely, all that came to mind for that one was a simple trolling mini game where blue and white Ganondorf is the exact opposite of the normal version. You play as him, and he is always stupidly grinning and prancing along in a horizontal scrolling platformer in which everything is all green and sunshine with rainbows and there are flaming enemies that are trying to set ablaze little bunnies that Ganondorf is holding in his arms as he takes them from one side of the stage to the other side (which is the safety zone where the bunnies are safe for some reason). And that's it. I doubt that's what you had in mind though. Oh, and there is a dorky happy-go-lucky version/arrangement of the OoT Hyrule Field theme song that plays as background music..... yeap, someone other than me should be the one to make a game with blue and white Ganondorf, obviously.
Final thoughts with reasons why I think we definitely should do the mini game competition
I already have an actual good idea for a mini game, so I'm in if and when the compo happens. Really need something to warm up my programming skills, so it seems like an awesome thing to do for me personally, and I think it could help a lot of people here to make something small which can become a "stepping stone" so that it's easier to make something bigger next time; something like a fairly standard 2D Zelda fan game. It really can take a toll when you are constantly working on something huge for YEARS with nothing to show, and taking a little time to complete a snack-sized game can really bring up your spirits.
( ehh~ sorry, I talked a lot, and I do try not to bore people to death
aw well)
My thoughts on the community project and why I haven't jumped in to help
I am so far behind the project's current status. I don't even know the story of KoT. I just know a few small details. And when I go into the CP section of the forums, it's just a big confusing mess in my eyes. Probably not to the people who have been working on it, but it really is confusing for someone like me who has barely been able to keep up with it. That's a big reason why I haven't helped in the past; I couldn't help because it was too hard to know what I needed to know to actually help and not just contribute something unnecessary or a double of something or something stupid like that. The other part of the reason was that it seemed like everyone was getting the story moving along well and no help was needed there. I spent a little time in the past couple of days trying to figure out what the current state of the project was and how I could get caught up on it in a way that I would be informed enough to know how to contribute, but really got nothing. I could probably do some concept art or maybe even some sprites, but I've been unable to do so, mainly because of the above reasons.
As far as the programming goes... yeah, I'm not familiar with GitHub and I honestly don't know if I could really help anyway as Steve and most every other programmer on ZFGC are much more knowledgeable on programming than I am (i.e. I mostly just know GML, and very VERY little JavaScript and so little C# knowledge that it's pretty much useless, plus a couple pretty outdated things like QBasic in DOS, and Visual Basic, plus some very minor knowledge on using GLSL for shaders). Pretty much can't get passed "hello world" on anything except with GML.
And one more thing: All the resource links and a lot of submission art and graphics are dead links now too. I know that resources have recently begun to get moved, so there's that, but I'm just saying that the whole CP section is a bit too cluttered and broken, and it makes it confusing and time-consuming to try to figure out what is going on.
Did someone say "mini game compo"?
Oho yes! I think the mini game competition is a great idea.
What would be really helpful is if we could start a thread, and - in addition to the rules and whatnot - we would have a section with lots of links to RESOURCES. I mainly just know Spriters Resource, but I know there are more places to get really good graphics, but then there is music and sfx too, and also game creation programs and tutorials for everything from the basics of spriting to various tutorials on things like Unity (and I think I just saw a thread that started and has some stuff like this?).
In addition to links to any/all good resources we can gather, a list of game types to help get people's minds going would be another great idea. My thinking with this stuff is just to remove as many hindrances to developing the games as possible. There are a ton of snack-sized games out there, and they can be used as base ideas to spark a mini game idea. Or maybe just think of a specific item from a Zelda game and make a mini game that is centered around the item. Mini games with the bow are like, duh, but what about the Hookshot? "Hookshot Havoc". There, and a game can easily come out of that. Or even a Sokoban clone with a Zelda dungeon setting, cuz Link loves to push blocks. Very easy to think up stuff. A mini game based off of an enemy or an NPC could go some place too. The monkey from ALttP? Something could come from that. Syrup and her broom. The timed silver rupee rooms that you find in OoT (and possibly other Zelda games that I'm forgetting). Lots of mini game ideas can come from Zelda-themed stuff. I think it would be cool to just stick with Zelda themes for the first mini game compo, but obviously it's up to everyone. I just think it'd be nice to have ZFGC be more... ZFGC.
I want to play a game with a Blue Eyes White Ganondorf.
Strangely, all that came to mind for that one was a simple trolling mini game where blue and white Ganondorf is the exact opposite of the normal version. You play as him, and he is always stupidly grinning and prancing along in a horizontal scrolling platformer in which everything is all green and sunshine with rainbows and there are flaming enemies that are trying to set ablaze little bunnies that Ganondorf is holding in his arms as he takes them from one side of the stage to the other side (which is the safety zone where the bunnies are safe for some reason). And that's it. I doubt that's what you had in mind though.
Oh, and there is a dorky happy-go-lucky version/arrangement of the OoT Hyrule Field theme song that plays as background music..... yeap, someone other than me should be the one to make a game with blue and white Ganondorf, obviously.Final thoughts with reasons why I think we definitely should do the mini game competition
I already have an actual good idea for a mini game, so I'm in if and when the compo happens. Really need something to warm up my programming skills, so it seems like an awesome thing to do for me personally, and I think it could help a lot of people here to make something small which can become a "stepping stone" so that it's easier to make something bigger next time; something like a fairly standard 2D Zelda fan game. It really can take a toll when you are constantly working on something huge for YEARS with nothing to show, and taking a little time to complete a snack-sized game can really bring up your spirits.
( ehh~ sorry, I talked a lot, and I do try not to bore people to death
aw well)
