Tips for developers: how not to suck

[alt_advancement]

I think the biggest piece of advice I could give to devs is LEARN YOUR FUCKING TOOLS.

If you're using Renpy, LEARN PYTHON!
If you're using Daz and doing 3D Modelling, LEARN LIGHTING, ANATOMY, AND HOW TO POSE FROM ZERO!
If you're writing a story, STUDY CREATIVE WRITING!

Anyone wanting to know where to get started with any of these three bullets, I have many resources written by legitimate authorities that I can recommend. In the last year I've spent as much time and money learning how to be good as I have developing my product.

Any monkey can go to the hardware store and buy a hammer and nails. Doesn't mean he's ready to build a house. If you don't want your game to get panned and you want people to enjoy it and take it seriously, learn the tools and build your tradecraft.



And for God's sake, stop writing stories where the character has "been away" for ten years and is returning and everyone is a stranger, but not a stranger, and you're getting to know each other all over again. This is lazy story telling. Learn to use exposition properly and you can start your story anywhere in the action you want. That, or just make me a complete stranger. Then I can genuinely get to know your characters in real time.


I apologize, I've not had my coffee yet this morning....

This one here is another point. I'm no developer so my knowledge is somewhat limited but I'll go a step further and say innovate. Some of these developers are getting BIG money but there's really no innovation. It seems everyone uses roughly the same models and same animations. My biggest pet peeve is watching the freakin' awesome animations and when it's time for the big finish, we get static images. Like I said my knowledge is limited and maybe the technology isn't there yet but I do know some engines allow for full on animation (unreal engine for sure). I'll get off my soapbox now.

 

[RomanHume]

This one here is another point. I'm no developer so my knowledge is somewhat limited but I'll go a step further and say innovate. Some of these developers are getting BIG money but there's really no innovation. It seems everyone uses roughly the same models and same animations. My biggest pet peeve is watching the freakin' awesome animations and when it's time for the big finish, we get static images. Like I said my knowledge is limited and maybe the technology isn't there yet but I do know some engines allow for full on animation (unreal engine for sure). I'll get off my soapbox now.

I'd absolutely agree. And when you know your tools, innovation is a lot more accessible. Before I really got my shit together and learned python, I'd spend hours trying to figure out how to do this or that. In Daz, if I needed a prop or pose, I'd scour the web trying to find "the thing" I needed. Now I just dive in and start making it from scratch. It's incredibly liberating and will free up your story telling abilities.

In the beginning, I'd write stories based on what assets were available. Now, I write my story knowing I'll figure out how to "pull it off visually" at a later time. Hasn't failed me yet.