Comments for devmag.org.za http://devmag.org.za A game development magazine Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:10:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on A guide for prospective game programmers by Evan Greenwood http://devmag.org.za/2012/02/16/a-guide-for-prospective-game-programmers-bobby-anguelov/#comment-17852 Evan Greenwood Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:10:30 +0000 http://devmag.org.za/?p=4359#comment-17852 True. I know a number of programmers who are interested in Tech programming. Obviously for them Indie game development is not going to be satisfying. (Although I do stand by my statement that the job satisfaction level is higher in the indie-development community... but I agree with you that doesn't mean every develop would enjoy indie development) My problem with the article wasn't really that I prefer indie development and I think tech-development is bad... it's that your article doesn't admit the existence of indie game programming as a career option. And that you're effectively encouraging prospective game programmers to leave the country, as if they follow your guide they won't have good options here in South Africa. (And I care about fostering a local game development industry) True. I know a number of programmers who are interested in Tech programming. Obviously for them Indie game development is not going to be satisfying.

(Although I do stand by my statement that the job satisfaction level is higher in the indie-development community… but I agree with you that doesn’t mean every develop would enjoy indie development)

My problem with the article wasn’t really that I prefer indie development and I think tech-development is bad… it’s that your article doesn’t admit the existence of indie game programming as a career option.

And that you’re effectively encouraging prospective game programmers to leave the country, as if they follow your guide they won’t have good options here in South Africa. (And I care about fostering a local game development industry)

]]> Comment on A guide for prospective game programmers by Bobby http://devmag.org.za/2012/02/16/a-guide-for-prospective-game-programmers-bobby-anguelov/#comment-17771 Bobby Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:39:20 +0000 http://devmag.org.za/?p=4359#comment-17771 Saying indie is more fun and inspiring is relative. It depends on what you want to do. I'd be bored doing indie work primarily because you can never really specialize. Indies tend to focus more on reusing existing tech and tools rather than trying to do anything technical innovative. For tech programmers indie space can be frustrating and boring. Personally, I really dont like working with gameplay code, it tends to bore me but for other that's where all the cool shit happens. I personally wouldnt use any ludum dare/GGJ pieces on a programming portfolio. Submitting rushed, untested, messy code is probably not going to do you any favors. Those events are focussed on making game prototypes not writing nice code. Just because there are no studios in South Africa is no reason not to care about AAA, 6 months ago I was in South Africa teaching at a university, I'm now working on a massive AAA game and speaking about some of the tech at GDC. If you work hard then anything is possible, even if you are in South Africa. Saying indie is more fun and inspiring is relative. It depends on what you want to do. I’d be bored doing indie work primarily because you can never really specialize. Indies tend to focus more on reusing existing tech and tools rather than trying to do anything technical innovative. For tech programmers indie space can be frustrating and boring. Personally, I really dont like working with gameplay code, it tends to bore me but for other that’s where all the cool shit happens.

I personally wouldnt use any ludum dare/GGJ pieces on a programming portfolio. Submitting rushed, untested, messy code is probably not going to do you any favors. Those events are focussed on making game prototypes not writing nice code.

Just because there are no studios in South Africa is no reason not to care about AAA, 6 months ago I was in South Africa teaching at a university, I’m now working on a massive AAA game and speaking about some of the tech at GDC. If you work hard then anything is possible, even if you are in South Africa.

]]> Comment on Zero Budget Indie Marketing Guide by Marketing and Brand Management for Indie Games | IndieCity Blog http://devmag.org.za/2009/06/16/zero-budget-indie-marketing-guide/#comment-17680 Marketing and Brand Management for Indie Games | IndieCity Blog Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:18:35 +0000 http://devmag.org.za/blog/?p=576#comment-17680 [...] Zero Budget Indie Marketing Guide [...] [...] Zero Budget Indie Marketing Guide [...]

]]> Comment on A guide for prospective game programmers by Evan Greenwood http://devmag.org.za/2012/02/16/a-guide-for-prospective-game-programmers-bobby-anguelov/#comment-17426 Evan Greenwood Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:19:47 +0000 http://devmag.org.za/?p=4359#comment-17426 While I agree with most of your points, especially that the portfolio is king while the degree itself is a piece of paper... I find the topic misleading slightly... this really should be "A guide for prospective AAA game programmers"... I mean, you say that game programming is a lot of low level work... but that is only true if you are building your own engine, which happens very seldom outside of AAA. And the 7 year burnout figure isn't one that happens in the indie development scene... Indie dev, I think it's fair to say, is a lot more fun and inspiring (and the comparative burnout rates indicate this)... Also, weirdly, you say that building a portfolio for a game programmer is hard? (or at least harder for a programmer than for a artist) I assume you've heard of the Ludum Dare or the Global Game Jam? I mention this mostly because this article appears on devmag.org.za, and we don't have any studios in South Africa that could be considered AAA and all our game programmers essentially have to be generalists. While I agree with most of your points, especially that the portfolio is king while the degree itself is a piece of paper…

I find the topic misleading slightly… this really should be “A guide for prospective AAA game programmers”…

I mean, you say that game programming is a lot of low level work… but that is only true if you are building your own engine, which happens very seldom outside of AAA. And the 7 year burnout figure isn’t one that happens in the indie development scene… Indie dev, I think it’s fair to say, is a lot more fun and inspiring (and the comparative burnout rates indicate this)…

Also, weirdly, you say that building a portfolio for a game programmer is hard? (or at least harder for a programmer than for a artist) I assume you’ve heard of the Ludum Dare or the Global Game Jam?

I mention this mostly because this article appears on devmag.org.za, and we don’t have any studios in South Africa that could be considered AAA and all our game programmers essentially have to be generalists.

]]> Comment on 11 Tips for making a fun platformer by max http://devmag.org.za/2011/01/18/11-tips-for-making-a-fun-platformer/#comment-17254 max Sun, 19 Feb 2012 15:53:28 +0000 http://devmag.org.za/?p=3323#comment-17254 Thank you so much! It's really useful! :) Thank you so much! It’s really useful! :)

]]> Comment on How to design levels for a platformer by IndieGames.com - The Weblog Indie Game Links: Summer Days http://devmag.org.za/2011/07/04/how-to-design-levels-for-a-platformer/#comment-16456 IndieGames.com - The Weblog Indie Game Links: Summer Days Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:32:05 +0000 http://devmag.org.za/?p=4310#comment-16456 [...] Dev.Mag: How to design levels for a platformer "This article looks specifically at the process of designing levels for a platformer. The process is a guideline and covers the steps from the initial idea to the final playable level." [...] [...] Dev.Mag: How to design levels for a platformer "This article looks specifically at the process of designing levels for a platformer. The process is a guideline and covers the steps from the initial idea to the final playable level." [...]

]]> Comment on How to Use Perlin Noise in Your Games by Flafla2 http://devmag.org.za/2009/04/25/perlin-noise/#comment-16406 Flafla2 Wed, 15 Feb 2012 02:19:46 +0000 http://devmag.org.za/blog/?p=393#comment-16406 Thanks for the answer! I have one more question: what do you mean by "sample mod"? I apologize, I am self-taught, and I certainly not an expert at all programming and math topics. Thanks, Flafla2 Thanks for the answer! I have one more question: what do you mean by “sample mod”? I apologize, I am self-taught, and I certainly not an expert at all programming and math topics.

Thanks,
Flafla2

]]> Comment on How to Use Perlin Noise in Your Games by Dev.Mag http://devmag.org.za/2009/04/25/perlin-noise/#comment-16358 Dev.Mag Tue, 14 Feb 2012 07:40:34 +0000 http://devmag.org.za/blog/?p=393#comment-16358 It should tile if your base texture is a power of two, and you sample mod the image width / height. The algorithms are already written for this, so they should tile as long as your base texture is fine. It should tile if your base texture is a power of two, and you sample mod the image width / height. The algorithms are already written for this, so they should tile as long as your base texture is fine.

]]> Comment on How to Use Perlin Noise in Your Games by Flafla2 http://devmag.org.za/2009/04/25/perlin-noise/#comment-16338 Flafla2 Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:34:29 +0000 http://devmag.org.za/blog/?p=393#comment-16338 Hi! Awesome tutorial. Just a question, how would I be able to tile the white noise(infinite generation)? I have your current code working very nicely, but it would be great if I could get some great infinite terrain. Once again, thanks! Hi! Awesome tutorial. Just a question, how would I be able to tile the white noise(infinite generation)? I have your current code working very nicely, but it would be great if I could get some great infinite terrain.

Once again, thanks!

]]> Comment on 11 Tips for making a fun platformer by Starting Up | Philip Conrad's Blog http://devmag.org.za/2011/01/18/11-tips-for-making-a-fun-platformer/#comment-15930 Starting Up | Philip Conrad's Blog Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:16:41 +0000 http://devmag.org.za/?p=3323#comment-15930 [...] 11 Tips for making a fun platformer Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:LikeBe the first to like this post. This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged AI, code, design, gamedev, industry, programming, resources. Bookmark the permalink. [...] [...] 11 Tips for making a fun platformer Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:LikeBe the first to like this post. This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged AI, code, design, gamedev, industry, programming, resources. Bookmark the permalink. [...]

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