Blockland, in my personal opinion, has broken down into four types of groups:
- Those who create in-game: Builders, eventers, server hosts
- Those who create out of game: coders, model makers, add-on creators
- Those who play in-game: visitors to servers, or in adept of the first option
- Those who use the forums: the people who no longer play/make for the game but simply use the off-topic section
Are there people who fit into two or more categories? Sure, but most people will file into one of the above. When Blockland had maps the group that did that would be part of "those who create out of game." The problem is when the gamemode system was implemented the community was divided in such a fashion that there were very few people who could both create in and out of game for it. Gamemode makers must be familiar with the principles of being good at building and good at coding. It could be argued that coding as a skill in gamemode creation is not as important but for most ideas it is required knowledge.
Now here are my solutions to this. (and me announcing my campaign to be mayor of general discussion.)
People using the modification discussion sub-forum to request builders/coders: Gamemodes are a game mod(ification) in a sense. People are already use the form to ask other coders for help. It would make sense that people discussing gamemode creation would do so in modification discussion. A coder who needs a build, and a builder in need of code should ask for help in modification discussion. Having builders and coders interact more in modification discussion will help close the gap between the two groups.
This is what suggestions and requests are for you say?
The place where you give me your ideas in exchange for nothing
Suggestions and requests should be limited to ideas. Anything that gets to a developmental stage would go in modification help. However it should be noted that this applies only to gamemode creation. General building being unrelated would still go in general discussion. Ideas for gamemode creation would still go in suggestions and requests if the OP of those request topics does not personally plan on working on development.
Development topics being placed in general discussion: You heard what
god Badspot said about mod development topics.
There are already a ton of these threads in GD and they appeal to people who are not modders.
By putting mod development topics in general discussion it will help close the gap between those who create in game and out of game. General discussion is
twice as likely to be viewed as modification help. If people who normally create in game are put in a setting (sub-forum) where they interact with people who normally create out of game; the theory is if they start interacting with each other they start working together. It should be noted that development topics where the OP requires help would fit better in modification help as they are asking for help.
Guides: There was once a time where the blockland community was small enough that new members would happen upon the servers of the most brilliant builders and learn from them. This time has passed, part of this reason being
A lot of players that are hosting right now are fairly new into it
New players come, they lack examples in building, they themselves do not learn how to build. The influx of players since blockland reached steam and older players moving on with their lives left a void. It cannot be guaranteed that new players go to good servers. However it does leave room for topics in the study of "build theory."
What is build theory? People build on Blockland in all different styles, there are however styles that always prevail and become the norm for building. Such as the oil drum, wooden crate, sandbag, and cubescape. You know what I am referring to. But what if you could convince people to adapt a certain style as the default? Not to take away what makes Blockland unique or claim people are building "wrong" but to give the community a starting point from where to improve. There are countless builds in the gallery that at one point would have been considered amazing but are now lacking with the amount of quality people expect.
But I never did what explain what the idea behind build theory is. What if a topic thoroughly explained the principles behind a certain style of building and how to replicate it? Or for short, the theories in building.
New players are unaware of community standards when it comes to building. People should make more guides for general discussion (or steam) going over basic/advanced theories in design. This will give new players a starting point as to where to begin and older players a fresh view. A guide should explain the type of building, the styles, why these styles are used, and how the reader can use them for themselves. A good example was Conan's
Terraining - How-To Guide. I say "was" as the majority of images no longer load rendering the guide unusable.
More guides should also be in modification help over how to code. There is the
meta-sticky but people could always use a fresh view.
Package your servers: Simple, take the settings you normally start your server with and put it into a gamemode. Your server appears more professional/looks better on the server list. If you ever see me hosting I am always in the gamemode "Bester's Dev", the only purpose it serves is loading my server settings. If you have something you often host put it into a gamemode. If you cycle through a few different load outs of add-ons put them into gamemode folders. If enough people use the gamemode system it will convince others to also use it. This will require the inexperienced to interact with knowledgeable. Thus supporting everything listed above.
tl;dr: Because of how Blockland once was people who are good at coding are isolated from builders. Gamemodes require these two groups interact together. People seeking help working on their gamemodes should ask for help in modification help. Development threads should be posted in general discussion so more people see them. That way people are inspired to make there own gamemodes, have more morale for the system, and interact with the people who can help them make gamemodes. People are bad at building, this community is uptight and has standards, instead of being rude forgets and insulting everyone (like I am ironically here) we should create topics about theories on how-to build. Package your server settings into gamemode folders; it will make your sever look good.
Idea that has no support of being good
Popcorn Projects: If you grew up in the American school system you are familiar with "popcorn reading" where someone reads and passes it on for someone else to read. Why not do that with projects? Where someone is given an amount of time to work on a project before they pass it on to someone else. Someone weekly/fortnightly starts a project. They pass it into circulation of projects being worked on. After a certain period of time these projects will start coming out. As more projects continue to enter and leave circulation there will be a steady flow of new builds/gamemodes being released.
Commitment is one of the major problems people have, this eliminates that. If guides (as mentioned above) are created over how people can replicate a certain style of building these projects should not be a collage of builders but a true collaboration. This system should theoretically indefinitely sustain itself. But in truth it will only last until a low point of activity where new projects are not being introduced as often. That or if not enough people are included projects will be unable to grow lacking people to work on them. A private group could probably use this efficiently if they determine scale before beginning.
The only rules is that project ideas should not be repeated often, the project creator gets to determine what add-ons are used in it, builders should be continual of the style, a builder should not receive the same project again, and deadlines are suppose to be honored.
Did I study for finals and not right a strenuous post? I did not study for finals and wrote a strenuous post!
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