HOWTO: Provide Feedback to Others
Posted: 08 Feb 2013, 08:38
In the past, we have had a very open and collaborative community, which has been great for development up to a certain point. As raised in a previous thread, there seems to be some confusion over what is considered helpful for those working on a new map or other piece of content, and it has caused a bit of friction for some people. I'd like to clarify some best practices here, and give you all some tips on how to provide effective feedback (like I do every day).
Firstly, and the most important thing of all, do not create your own version of their content without their express blessing. This is not a matter of licensing, I know the licenses we employ let you create derivatives; but please, not only are you robbing this person of the learning experience they should be getting by doing it themselves, but you are more than likely hurting their feelings in the process.
If you want to remix something or contribute to the game, I have provided a list of approved items that are up for grabs. The maps in this list are generally older pieces, for which the author likely doesn't have time for anymore. As Red Eclipse moves forward, the standard of quality is getting higher. This is an excellent thing to be achieving, but it means we often need to take a critical look at our older work to see if it is still up to scratch. The remix of "deadsimple" by Ulukai is awesome, and I am looking forward to further remixes.
On the specific subject of remixing a map, it has been suggested I implement some standards to ensure a clear line of progression between authors. Basically, this means when you remix a map, add your name to the ”mapauthor”, and maybe even remix the name of the map (eg. ”Keystone 2000”, "Nova II", "Deck 18"). Make sure you put yourself in the license information (txt) if a specific one exists already or needs to apply.
When people are posting their content, they are looking for feedback (or, a review). You should be asking these things yourself when doing so:
If the content has been revised a few times and you think it should be included in the game, make sure they are aware of the submission process, and encourage them to do so if they haven't already. I can't read minds, and unless I provide a review of the first post, I don't really keep track of all the pieces of content floating around. The submission process lets me know the author "done" and that it is time for me to take a good look at it. I don't include everything on the first attempt, and if something needs fixing the ticket will be reassigned back to the author until it is updated. Submissions left unresolved after some time will be removed.
Please don't be offended if I don't include your content in the game, it probably just means that it is not suitable or fitting with the "grand vision", or simply that you need some more experience before you're capable of producing the kind of content that we require. It really isn't helpful when someone cracks the shits and declares they will fork and make their own game, building a community is different to building a game, and both are required to be successful.
More often than not, my job includes more than just making decisions and writing blobs of code. My job here is everything you could possibly require doing on a project of this scale. This includes encouraging you, and helping you better yourself. I'm not above taking someone who is willing to give it a try aside and helping them myself, but you need to understand that I stretch myself thin as it is. Treat me with the proper respect and be patient, and you will find yourself rewarded in kind.
Finally, I want to thank everyone for the help and encouragement they have given others so far. We are in a golden age of Red Eclipse development now, because of the effort we have all put into making this place not just a community, but a home. I hope this article helps all of us make that even more true in the future. Happy hacking.
Firstly, and the most important thing of all, do not create your own version of their content without their express blessing. This is not a matter of licensing, I know the licenses we employ let you create derivatives; but please, not only are you robbing this person of the learning experience they should be getting by doing it themselves, but you are more than likely hurting their feelings in the process.
If you want to remix something or contribute to the game, I have provided a list of approved items that are up for grabs. The maps in this list are generally older pieces, for which the author likely doesn't have time for anymore. As Red Eclipse moves forward, the standard of quality is getting higher. This is an excellent thing to be achieving, but it means we often need to take a critical look at our older work to see if it is still up to scratch. The remix of "deadsimple" by Ulukai is awesome, and I am looking forward to further remixes.
On the specific subject of remixing a map, it has been suggested I implement some standards to ensure a clear line of progression between authors. Basically, this means when you remix a map, add your name to the ”mapauthor”, and maybe even remix the name of the map (eg. ”Keystone 2000”, "Nova II", "Deck 18"). Make sure you put yourself in the license information (txt) if a specific one exists already or needs to apply.
When people are posting their content, they are looking for feedback (or, a review). You should be asking these things yourself when doing so:
- Does it look any good? What suggestions could be made to improve the quality?
- Maps: How does it play (in each mode it was intended for)? How would you improve the flow or design?
- Does it fit with everything else? How could it be better tailored to look cohesive?
- Is everything up to scratch? Are all the configurations that are necessary present? Are all filenames lowercase?
- Is there a license present? Is the author aware of their options in this regard?
- Could the author benefit from being directed to another thread or wiki page containing helpful info? Could you start one yourself to fill a void?
- Overall, what steps would you take to fix or improve it?
If the content has been revised a few times and you think it should be included in the game, make sure they are aware of the submission process, and encourage them to do so if they haven't already. I can't read minds, and unless I provide a review of the first post, I don't really keep track of all the pieces of content floating around. The submission process lets me know the author "done" and that it is time for me to take a good look at it. I don't include everything on the first attempt, and if something needs fixing the ticket will be reassigned back to the author until it is updated. Submissions left unresolved after some time will be removed.
Please don't be offended if I don't include your content in the game, it probably just means that it is not suitable or fitting with the "grand vision", or simply that you need some more experience before you're capable of producing the kind of content that we require. It really isn't helpful when someone cracks the shits and declares they will fork and make their own game, building a community is different to building a game, and both are required to be successful.
More often than not, my job includes more than just making decisions and writing blobs of code. My job here is everything you could possibly require doing on a project of this scale. This includes encouraging you, and helping you better yourself. I'm not above taking someone who is willing to give it a try aside and helping them myself, but you need to understand that I stretch myself thin as it is. Treat me with the proper respect and be patient, and you will find yourself rewarded in kind.
Finally, I want to thank everyone for the help and encouragement they have given others so far. We are in a golden age of Red Eclipse development now, because of the effort we have all put into making this place not just a community, but a home. I hope this article helps all of us make that even more true in the future. Happy hacking.