Self Taught Game Makers

[Anglachel]

I don't see how they are contradicting. The fishing proverb is a classic but it can't be applied to RMXP because there are so many different parts to it.

"I always have a quotation for everything— it saves original thinking."
-Dorothy Sayers

"Almost every wise saying has an opposite one, no less wise, to balance it."
-George Santayana

"The next best thing to being clever is being able to quote someone who is."
-Mary Pettibone Poole

"Misquotations are the only quotations that are never misquoted."
-Hesketh Pearson

"Quote me as saying I was mis-quoted."
-Groucho Marx
:P

But if you don't know something it is far better to ask than togo on not knowing forever. The people asking will be the people answering one day

 

[Tassadar]

There's nothing wrong with asking for help, but many people here request things without even having tried to do things for themselves. They won't learn how to sprite or script, which isn't what anyone would want to go for. When working on a project, you don't always have people who help you, so learning the basics on how to sprite and script are a must. Of course, you don't have to become an expert at doing them, but at least basic knowledge helps.

 

[Cypher]

Way back when I started out (Like 2000, 2001-ish) I had no idea what to do. I collected a HELL of a lot of tutorials (150-200, I still have em somewhere), in fact I spent more time learning how to do all the innovative things with events like day/night and weather and banks and CMS's etc etc, than actually making games. :D

It was tough at times, but mostly, reading the tutorials made it fun inspired me to try things out for my self. Hell, even thinking about it makes me wanna root out all the tutorials I had and have a look. I even had one on building a cow breeding system.

 

[Mittens2317]

^Would you mind sending me (the links to) those tutorials, please? A lot of the ones I've read aren't helpful at all and expect you to know everything.

 

[The Wizard]

I learned most of RPG Maker XP by trial and error and figured out how things worked and such, still fuzzy on scripting but getting better nonetheless.

 

[PINEDAXP]

I'm glad to hear that. Hopefully we will grow better the future pros...

BTW, I noticed this thread became a poem XD

And, as a side mote, tuts are made so you read them after using the program for a while

 

[The Creator]

And, as a side mote, tuts are made so you read them after using the program for a while

Ummm...aren't tutorials usually BEFORE you use the program or while you're using it and not AFTER?

After, you should have trial and error, etc.

Before, you should have tutorials, questions, teachers and all that.

Maybe that's just my view on it.

 

[PINEDAXP]

And if the tutorial says: "make an event" and you are OMG what's an event???!!!

IMO, people should mess a bit with stuff before actually going over a tut, cuz most tuts aren't meant for people with zero knowledge

 

[The Creator]

Before is not the word I was looking for. But when you first open it and load it up and all that. You have a help file which is only helpful to a point, you have trial and error. But when you get stuck, this is where a tutorial laid out in proper format can help someone.

I guess DURING is the word I was looking for. It's after the BEFORE and before the AFTER. (Don't try to say that too fast XD )

 

[Tassadar]

^ Totally agree with PINEDAXP ^

If you start reading a tutorial without having even touched the program, you can't really know what they're talking about. Sure, they're guiding you step by step, but that can only be useful after having gotten used to the program a bit. That's what tutorials are for; to guide you while using the program. Reading them before even having used the program will only make you confused.

*Edit* Gosh you posted just before I did Creator. Fortunately this doesn't remove the purpose of my post .

 

[PINEDAXP]

Well, that's an interesting position too... maybe it has to do with the way you or me learned...

I never looked into any tuts until I played a bit with it... maybe your experience was different

@Tassadar: Yeah, my point exactly, if I read a tut when starting, my head would just exploded

 

[The Cry of Fallen Angels]

To cut a long story short in 3 points;

See which tool does what and work with that, rather than to make a system with tools you do not know how to use.

People have too high expectations from their first games, they forget it's just doing somethin' for fun.

I have no problems with questions, it's the stupid questions I have problems with.


As for learning how to use rmxp myself, though it's been rather long, I have the tendency to go and figure everything out by myself. I had a basic knowledge of rmxp before I even knew of, or joined rmxp.net. I think I've asked advice about an event system ages ago, and bothered trickster/kaitos with some minor script-related questions, which all were after trying to figure the thing out by myself. Sure, I semi-killed my entire game by doing so, but that's the way I like to work personally. I learn a lot more from falling and standing up again than theory.

Other than that I've asked for dozens of critism, mainly on sprites/drawings/mapping/writing.

 

[PINEDAXP]

But asking for reviews isn't a hassle to anybody, we all enjoy to do so.

As for answering n00b questions and stuff, we don't get bothered either, just when you notice that the person hasn't even messed around with its new toy

 

[shannon]

So, I've noticed that, new members request just about anything. They want to request all of their sprites made. And they want a script for anything and don't even consider eventing. They ask on how to do so simple stuff, and it's ok!

They ask how to set simple things such as common events, states, skills, parallel and so on... We help them, we have to be good guys (inside the patience limit)

So, this thread purpose is:

"You, self taught game maker:yes:, how do you feel about this new phenomena, and how hard was for you to learn all by yourself"

Asking for help/advice from more experienced people is a new phenomena? I always thought that was a normal thing. You know, like parents, teachers ect... Why be stingy with your knowlege I ask?

If you think a question is beneath you then dont answer it. I am sure the person would appreciate being spared the condecending attitude of being answered by someone who thinks they are forum royalty.

As for reqesting sprites and other stuff, well there is a request section on this forum after all.

 

[Danny2000]

I had trouble at first, because when I started, I didn't have any good websites like this.

Like Wyatt said, you learn something with RMXP every day.

 

[Despain]

Bit of a bump, I'd say. But the topic is still relevant.

The problem doesn't come from requests--but from recruitment. People have always made requests, but nowadays people want more than that. Rather than for asking for a graphic here or there, they want a person to do all their graphics, and a person to do all their music, and the scripting, and even the mapping, eventing and writing.

When it comes down to it, a lot of these people wouldn't be making anything themselves.

 

[Third333strike]

^^^^

I sort of dis agree with that statement. People are recruiting for they're games because they have a vision and KNOW it cant be done by a one man/woman team. They also know they if they had some help it might have a chance of getting done. Listen, ive been using rpg maker since rpgmaker 95, when don miguel translated it for all of us. I think its a good thing to have groups or teams working together. it is however not good when people use other people and don't credit them/steal they're material.

And I have no problem at all with people asking questions, thats only normal and learning a is a progression, not a perfection. People should feel free to ask questions. I myself learned on my own., through practice and trial. Also, downloading and playing other people games-seeing how they did things helped me alot.

 

[PINEDAXP]

Bit of a bump, I'd say. But the topic is still relevant.

The problem doesn't come from requests--but from recruitment. People have always made requests, but nowadays people want more than that. Rather than for asking for a graphic here or there, they want a person to do all their graphics, and a person to do all their music, and the scripting, and even the mapping, eventing and writing.

When it comes down to it, a lot of these people wouldn't be making anything themselves.

Agreed. But the problem comes from both. Back when this thread was posted, the main issue was resources requests, now are teams. Nonetheless, it's kind of the same... and the problem is kind of the same...

Some people really don't take the time to learn neither to search for ways to improve. Sure, some of you guys have a lot of experience, others don't, I've been on this for around 8 months now, which is in no way a long time. And I managed to get my way around this program.

The thread is all about when you have the will to succeed and what YOU made to succeed or get better at it without running trough the forums asking for half your game. Not that it's bad to ask for things. We all have.

But it's how, what made you learn that seems to have been forgotten now.

 

[Vampiriclayer]

You learn from experience. Simple as that

 

[Squieonat]

I learned by making stupid little fifteen-minute-long games. All laughably simple things when I think back on them, but at the time, I was a development -GOD- when I figured out how to shake the screen. I didn't even begin looking for websites until I attempted something which, I didn't realize, needed a script.

As far as the scripts go, for the most part, I'll stick a ready-made script into a new game, see what it does, go over the lines of code, and learn from there. (I don't actually -use- those scripts, but because of them, I'm able to script some simple things now.)

And that's what I do.