To All Non-Programmer Idea Peddlers

[wiseguyusa]

I do get it now, and outside of the bubble it looked completely different. Again, I didn't expect anyone to reply fora few days, and I got responses a few min after that, not quite the warm fuzzy response I was expecting a couple days later. Lesson learned! The guy who made the Zombie movie probably had a lot more money to throw at it than me (making even a little indy flick is well in to 6 digits) and I don't think that his project got much more traction than mine.

 

Again, I was on the outside looking in, and things looked very different, I now see things up close and personal and realize the scope of the undertaking.

 

I still think that collaborative projects could work, but not in the manner that I (and obviously hundreds of others) envisioned.

 

 

[+Gemintronic]

The guy who made the Zombie movie probably had a lot more money to throw at it than me (making even a little indy flick is well in to 6 digits) and I don't think that his project got much more traction than mine.

 

If you're talking about this topic there were two big roadblocks:

 

A. He wanted to use "Nightmare on Elmstreet" without permission

B. Even though he could have started it himself via batari BASIC he waited for someone else to do it.

 

I offered him terms with a few conditions that would ease development and allow me to bring carts to expos. He went silent instead of negotiating. I recommended a different homebrew developer and they began work. Sadly, the incentives weren't enough and life + time constraints caused the developer to drop the project.

 

 

..not quite the warm fuzzy response I was expecting a couple days later.

 

The lack of warm and fuzzy response has to do with the comments here and here. Even if you assumed programmers are a dime a dozen at least refrain from comments that would denigrate them (and devalue their work.)

[wiseguyusa]

That was the old me, I'm not that guy anymore, I've changed, just give me another chance.

 

Why do you keep bringing up the past?!?!

 

LOL Just exaggerating for dramatic effect, seriously... sorry about that, I stuck my keyboard in my mouth, won't happen again. Not in here at least, still haven't pissed anyone off in the collectors forums, so that is kinda like a ticking timebomb.

 

The idea I was most in love with was the "Night Driver" hack, and in retrospect I didn't even post it in the correct forum.

 

So lets start over! Hi, I'm a big fan of your work!

[OldSchoolRetroGamer]

That was the old me, I'm not that guy anymore, I've changed, just give me another chance.

 

Why do you keep bringing up the past?!?!

 

 

Wow, I am impressed one can become a completely different guy in 4 - 5 days.

[wiseguyusa]

Wow, I am impressed one can become a completely different guy in 4 - 5 days. [/quote

 

It is like being gay, you can pray it away, living here in the bible belt there are flyers on the bulletin boards at the "general store" for such specialists.

 

Talking to the programmers where I work is like playing Jeopardy, only you have to phrase your question or answer in the form of sarcasm.

 

Different species of nerd in here, my bad.

Edited January 7, 2014 by wiseguyusa

[+Gemintronic]

sigh.

 

[RetroFiends]

Will program ideas for food

[+Gemintronic]

Will program ideas for food

 

Don't be gay or nerdy, though. The general store don't take those.

[RetroFiends]

I'm only gay like 30% of the time, so I should be alright so long as I'm careful.

[sandmountainslim]

Do any of the AA members program Android apps?

There are TONS of pinball games on the market and most of them are too simple or just shoddy. I do like Pinball Arcade but I would love to see a classic early style flipperless pinball game developed. Something along the lines of Ballyhoo or Baffle Ball.

Anyone here feel the same or interested in tackling such an idea?

If this is in the wrong forum feel free to move it.

[VladR]

This is written from a perspective of a programmer that has been working on games for various platforms over the course of last few decades:

 

 

Even if I won a lottery and could afford to work full-time on just half the games I have passionately detailed [over the years] in my huge design document, I would need about 3 or 4 lifetimes.

 

 

The very concept that a programmer with an engine & know-how needs someone with just an idea is absolutely hilarious

 

As a programmer, I really need only an artist, maybe a musician. Note that I understand the added value of a full-time game designer on bigger games&teams - but that's not the kind of game a single programmer would try to shoot for, so it's a moot point in our scope.

 

It is, however, possible to motivate the programmer, if you give him a challenge - say something hasn't been done on the given platform - be it a language constraint or a resource constraint.

[robotwo]

What are you talking about?

Programmers don't know how to come up with ideas. Get back to coding >:Y

 

But yeah, it's funny how some think that having an idea is enough to guarantee them a place in a dev team.

I mean it's a good thing to have ideas too, but it's way better to provide with a talent or expertise that can help push the project forward.

[+Gemintronic]

I think this whole topic boils down to: have respect for the process. Even if you can't code show that you've done your due diligence. Give me mock up screen shots. Explain the quotes for service you've gotten so far. Demonstrate that you've tried to see what constraints the project will have based on the system you've chosen. I've had people come to me with a brilliant idea for a game and then never put an effort to gather more detailed information for me. That shows lack of respect for my time and their game.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Sometimes such behavior reminds me at how managers think about developers. For them development is just labor that everyone can do. They have no clue. Which explains all the bullshit going on in IT.

 

Maybe those kind people show up in AA too? Though the managers I know neither have any skills or understanding nor any visions or ideas.

[VladR]

Sometimes such behavior reminds me at how managers think about developers. For them development is just labor that everyone can do. They have no clue. Which explains all the bullshit going on in IT.

 

Maybe those kind people show up in AA too? Though the managers I know neither have any skills or understanding nor any visions or ideas.

Well, if you only encountered non-technical managers (for example people from Food industry), then yeah - programmers are just an expensive and moaning resource, for them.

 

But if you search hard enough, you can find companies where the manager is actually an ex-coder (or even active coder), thus the mutual project (and non-project) discussions are actually pretty technical.

 

The disadvantage is, you can't bulls*it them at all, 'cause they have a pretty good idea about the complexity of tasks

 

As an example, where I work, the VP coded in C++ for about quarter century and Director is still actively coding with us

 

But yeah, such a combo is pretty rare, that's for sure ! I totally understand I am lucky. Although, even in my previous job, our direct manager was a recent ex-coder...

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Lucky you. My company's managers have no clue about development at all. And it shows!

 

The first day when they took over my company they pissed us off by telling that development is like laying bricks. Everyone could do that, so we should not think we are special or expect any income increase any time.

[enthusi]

The first day when they took over my company they pissed us off by telling that development is like laying bricks. Everyone could do that, so we should not think we are special or expect any income increase any time.

THAT sounds familiar...

Once that led to Activision

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Yea, and Atari is long dead. I am sure this part of my company will fail and fall or sold.

[akator]

Wow... reading through the thread has really enlightened me. I had no idea that programmers were so emotionally abused

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-----> that was sarcasm in case the emoticon didn't make that clear <-----

[+Gemintronic]

There's obviously some butthurt here. Unfortunately, there's also some pretty heinous half-cocked requests for professional service going on. I doubt if many get past the first page anyway

[+SpiceWare]

Clueless management - been there. Back in the 90s I worked for a manufacturing company. We did a system migration from Wang VS to AS/400 over New Years. For the 3 months prior those of us in IT worked 12+ hours a day, 7 days a week^*. My tasks were to export the existing data to format that could be imported by the AS/400, and redoing EDI on the AS/400. Once we were up & running, and the things I could help out with were fine, I resumed working a normal 8 hour day. A couple days later I overheard the president of the company comment "the EDI guy must not have enough to do". To say I was pissed would be an understatement.

 

^* with the exception of 4 days: Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and one weekend the building was without power due to scheduled maintenance on the backup generator.

[7800Lover]

So noted.

[7800]

I'm just finding this thread now, and all I can say is WOW! ...just WOW! So basically... if your not among the elite 2600 game programmers but have some really neat game ideas that you want to share with the community, go f*** yourself. Amazing.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Probably you should reread again.

[+Gemintronic]

This topic was created because of some really whacky and frustrating misconceptions. Have some patience 7800. If you have specific questions we're here and listening.

 

UPDATE: Aaaand.. he left. That was productive.