Coconut Monkey Cornerclub

[drunkpunk]

Probably going to be bouncing between CK3 and Pathfinder. I'm still trying to make it 2 generations through a CK3 game without everyone rebelling and splitting my kingdom up. And my goal is to get my town to a city in Pathfinder by the end of the weekend (just begun season of bloom so it shouldn't be difficult).

 

[OsaX Nymloth]

Gaming-wise I will probably cling to my SC2 ladder (coming back after few months of angrily being afk) and Pathfinder: Kingmaker campaign (it will take a while).

But most of the time I will be working on a design doc and mechanics for a game. Trying to get into gamedev is hard.

 

[Frindis]

@OsaX Nymloth That is cool! What type of game genre are you getting into?

 

[Brian Boru]

What are you guys and gals going to be gaming this weekend?

If I get some gaming time, I'm tempted by the Epic freebie I just picked up—Railway Empire—looks worth a spin.

see if I can find a new place in Norway to visit in Flight Simulator 2020.

Global Seed Vault in Spitsbergen?

 

[OsaX Nymloth]

@OsaX Nymloth That is cool! What type of game genre are you getting into?

Well, when I was building my amateur portfolio I did a Morrowind mod/quest (so cRPG) and an FPS (whole design doc, literally everything you can imagine needed to make a game). Now working on something mixing simulation/management kind of game. We shall see if it's good enough, validation of my ideas is on monday.

So I am more into general design now, altho I am also doing some coding on the side, prototypes etc.

 

[Brian Boru]

I am more into general design now, altho I am also doing some coding on the side, prototypes etc.

I'm jealous! I must have 100 game dev videos downloaded from YouTube over the last couple of years, it's something I'd love to accomplish in a small way some day.

Right now I have a business need to get familiar with Javascript, so I'm following an intro course which involves building a simple game. If I get beyond that, I'll probably try for a simple word game like Hangman in Python.

Have you tried any of the no-coding options?

 

[OsaX Nymloth]

I'm jealous! I must have 100 game dev videos downloaded from YouTube over the last couple of years, it's something I'd love to accomplish in a small way some day.

Right now I have a business need to get familiar with Javascript, so I'm following an intro course which involves building a simple game. If I get beyond that, I'll probably try for a simple word game like Hangman in Python.

Have you tried any of the no-coding options?

Good luck man. As self-learner, things can be a bit tough and losing motivation is real danger. Most important thing is to do the first step I guess. And try to be regular with your sessions, breaks tend to get more and more prolonged and that's not good...

I didn't follow any of the no-coding options, but I believe if you decide to try Unreal you can do a lot without a single line of code with it's systems. Like literally making whole working games without a code.
Myself I went the Unity and C# route, so coding is required for literally everything. In the future I would like to explore Unreal as well.

 

[Zloth]

Some Troubleshooter this weekend but mostly I'll probably keep playing Watch Dogs 2. It isn't quite as fun but I want to give Troubleshooter a little time off and the devs a little more time to get the final part of the episode in. (It's supposed to show up this month or early next month but S Korea keeps getting hit with typhoons!)

 

[Johnway]

This weekend i besides trying to finish Starcraft 2 LotV, i will be doing mostly studying linux essentials and doing a bit of drawing. i might work on my CV. boring and grim stuff but it must be done.

 

[Rensje]

Some Troubleshooter this weekend but mostly I'll probably keep playing Watch Dogs 2. It isn't quite as fun but I want to give Troubleshooter a little time off and the devs a little more time to get the final part of the episode in. (It's supposed to show up this month or early next month but S Korea keeps getting hit with typhoons!)

Hey, I was thinking about trying some Watch Dogs 2 on my day off tomorrow, too! Watching the Ubisoft Forward presentation a few days ago has got me in the mood to to play some and honestly, I really like the look of Watch Dogs: Legion.

Truth be told, I'm a real sucker for Ubisoft open world games even if most of them are carbon copies of one another. There's just something about the combination of visual fidelity and mindless fun that really sucks me in from time to time. It's been that way with Far Cry 5, Assassin's Creed Oranges, Assassin's Creed Oh Dizzy, The Division, The Division 2 and Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands. I'm sure Legion, Immortals and Far Cry 6 will be no different.

How about a MGS5-style open world Splinter Cell game for next gen, Ubi? Or even something with open-ended level design like the Hitman series. Ubi plz!

 

[Brian Boru]

if you decide to try Unreal you can do a lot without a single line of code … Myself I went the Unity

Yes, I have Unreal in my no-code notes, also Unity & Godot. I mentioned it as it sounded like you were more leaning to design rather than coding.
I'm inclined towards Godot if/when I try a bigger engine—it has separate 2D & 3D implementations, so learn ropes on 2D no-code first sounds easier, then 2D code, then 3D—if I ever want to go there. C# is one of its supported lingos, as well as its own scripting lingo GDscript which is quite like Python, my next general lingo target.

You're so right about the motivation pitfalls, and the value of consistent application. My problem is more having too much on the plate, but learning some lingos for biz will tie in with dev hobby somewhat.

Good luck with yours, C# is a tougher cookie and while Unity is supposed to be easier than Unreal, it's not one of the easier ones.

 

[Brian Boru]

I'm a real sucker for Ubisoft open world games even if most of them are carbon copies of one another

Yeah, same here. I think I have all the games you mention—and I'll happily take more of the same—altho the Far Cry series is all I've managed to play so far.

I don't get the criticism for companies churning out very similar stuff. There's no need to make the next all different if people really enjoy the current one. I mean, look at all the live sports fans—it's the same team, the same pitch, the same ball etc, week in, week out.

 

[Zloth]

Hey, I was thinking about trying some Watch Dogs 2 on my day off tomorrow, too! Watching the Ubisoft Forward presentation a few days ago has got me in the mood to to play some and honestly, I really like the look of Watch Dogs: Legion.

I got it for free from that giveaway they did a while back. It's fairly good. Kinda like Grand Theft Auto or Saints Row but with stealth elements. My only real complaint is that the story really clashes hard with what you're actually doing. Unlike GTA or SR, your little band seems to think they are the good guys because they're helping bring down an evil corporation! It's a bit like the Tomb Raider reboot was with Lara being so overwhelmed by all the violence in her cutscenes but efficiently slaughtering scores of minions in the gameplay.

It is definitely fun overall, though! The characters are good, the puzzles (mostly "how do you get on that rooftop?") are fun, and racing through San Francisco is great fun. You've just got to hold your nose through the parts where the guy living in the house of cards starts throwing stones.

 

[Pifanjr]

If I get some gaming time, I'm tempted by the Epic freebie I just picked up—Railway Empire—looks worth a spin.

Global Seed Vault in Spitsbergen?

My wife absolutely loves trains, so we're probably going to be playing a bit of that when we can find the time. I've also been playing a bit of Angband in between doing other stuff.

Also, if anyone needs some assistance with C#, I'm a software developer and I'd be happy to help.

 

[Zloth]

Those of more refined tastes can ask me about VB.Net.

 

[Brian Boru]

VB.Net

How different is it from VBA? I can read & edit VBA for my Office macros, but never got as far as learning to write.

 

[Sarafan]

What are you guys and gals going to be gaming this weekend? I'm going to do some GTA V online as there is double money on the bunker (basically means you earn a shitton of money) and also see if I can find a new place in Norway to visit in Flight Simulator 2020.

Spent weekend on playing ARMA1, Pathfinder Kingmaker and watching streams via Twitch. I especially like to watch them when I'm too tired to play games. They don't need as much attention and you can chat with interesting people.

But most of the time I will be working on a design doc and mechanics for a game. Trying to get into gamedev is hard.

Wow! That's neat! I tried to get into the gaming industry in the past (mainly tech support and QA) and I know how hard it can be. Did you follow some pattern when creating design docs? If so, where did you find an example, if that's not a secret? Good luck on tomorrow and don't forget to tell us how it went!

 

[OsaX Nymloth]

Wow! That's neat! I tried to get into gaming industry in the past (mainly tech support and QA) and I know how hard it can be. Did you follow some pattern when creating design docs? If so, where did you find an example, if that's not a secret? Good luck on tomorrow and don't forget to tell us how it went!

My road so far has been self-learning and trying to get any kind of test task from companies. I did a few, including QA test, a gameplay programmer in Unity task and a level design - all received ok-ish, but the companies always went for somebody with actual experience. And that makes sense, for me these tasks were experience points I needed.

Then I got a bit lucky and got in touch with somebody working in the industry. And during a month or so of "bootcamp" I created my actual first portfolio and I learned a ton from the feedback. Seriously, just one session resulted in more quality feedback that months of test challenges during recruitment process. Now I am hoping I will be able to forge this into actual breakthrough.

How did your journey go? From QA you can - in theory - go in multitude of directions, so it's a place I considered and kinda still consider as a starting point.

You're so right about the motivation pitfalls, and the value of consistent application. My problem is more having too much on the plate, but learning some lingos for biz will tie in with dev hobby somewhat.

Man, you have no idea. Let me tell you of my interests from IT perspective alone, not including gaming:
- programming
- gamedev
- web dev (was freelancing years ago)
- cybersecurity and hacking
- hardware
- lots of small things like troubleshooting, software testing etc.

And that's just IT. Now add to that constant passion for metal music (I swear I added like 20 new albums to my endless list of stuff-to-check-out), trying to learn Japanese, following SC2 esport scene (including from inside, as I am fortunate enough to know some people), gaming....

And that's not even all. I basically have a broad field of knowledge - but very shallow. It's both a blessing and a curse.

Add to that I am extremely lazy. Yeah, what can go wrong

 

[Sarafan]

How did your journey go? From QA you can - in theory - go in multitude of directions, so it's a place I considered and kinda still consider as a starting point.

Not so good unfortunately. They didn't hire me. I suspect that it was due to my poor English back in those days. Ever since I try to improve it and it's a lot better now, but I'm not sure whether I want to pursue a career in the gaming industry after all this time. I'm above 30 right now, so it's a little late for a new start.

 

[OsaX Nymloth]

Not so good unfortunately. They didn't hire me. I suspect that it was due to my poor English back in those days. Ever since I try to improve it and it's a lot better now, but I'm not sure whether I want to pursue a career in the gaming industry after all this time. I'm above 30 right now, so it's a little late for a new start.

I am above 30 as well, don't make us look like ancients who can't change anymore as our roots are so deep in the soil that moving them is near impossible!
We just have more experience and levels than others, that's all x]

 

[Pifanjr]

A quick update on the weekend plans: I think my wife has played around 12 hours of Railway Empire over the last 24 hours. It could be more.

 

[Brian Boru]

I'm above 30 right now, so it's a little late for a new start

Absolutely not true! Speaking in generalizations and rough numbers:

Most people are shackled in their 20s by what they should be doing—ie satisfying the preferences of family, friends, society… whoever has influence over them.

30 is around the time when people make a 'big' push—climb career ladder, start family, expand business… whatever they interpret as a path to their success.

40 is take stock time. After whatever 'success' in 30s, people realize they're not immortal after all and are motivated to introspection by the lack of satisfaction they get from their success. This is the most likely time for a complete career change—from plumber to fisherman, from salesman to artist, from Poland to Chile…

Now of course some people need the comfort and security of the familiar, and will happily stick to the same path from 20 on. Above is for the more restless souls who need change to renew their spirit. Financial and family responsibilities can of course constrain hugely, and push those milestones 10-15 years down the road.

But the milestones won't disappear if your nature is to seek for more. Iow it's never too late for a new start!

 

[Brian Boru]

my wife has played around 12 hours of Railway Empire

Haven't gotten on track yet. Is she available to whisper sweet choo-choos if I end up with a rail-free weekend?

What's her verdict so far?

 

[Sarafan]

I am above 30 as well, don't make us look like ancients who can't change anymore as our roots are so deep in the soil that moving them is near impossible!
We just have more experience and levels than others, that's all x]

Sometimes I feel old... Or too old to make a major shift in my career at least. You're right when it comes to experience, but I find it harder to learn and adapt to new things and situations than, for example, 10 years ago. I made a few mistakes in my professional career, which I regret and which are very hard to compensate after all those years. But who knows what will happen? I have a few plans for the next few months and we'll see how it'll end up.

40 is take stock time. After whatever 'success' in 30s, people realize they're not immortal after all and are motivated to introspection by the lack of satisfaction they get from their success. This is the most likely time for a complete career change—from plumber to fisherman, from salesman to artist, from Poland to Chile…

That's very optimistic. Your words give me strength to do something with my career. I'd love to have a work that's connected to computer games somehow. Right now I was thinking about game journalism rather than gamedev. Gamedev is probably a little too exhausting for my liking. I prefer to have a proper work-life balance and, as we know, in gamedev there are serious problems with this.

A quick update on the weekend plans: I think my wife has played around 12 hours of Railway Empire over the last 24 hours. It could be more.

Is the game so good? I might consider grabbing it after all...

 

[Pifanjr]

Haven't gotten on track yet. Is she available to whisper sweet choo-choos if I end up with a rail-free weekend?

What's her verdict so far?

Is the game so good? I might consider grabbing it after all...

We started the first campaign mission somewhere around midnight I think, until we got to signals and we were too tired to figure it out. My wife has been playing in sandbox mode ever since.

My wife really, really loves trains though, so for her it's not really about the management aspect and more about just making cool tracks and watching the trains go.

From what I've seen myself, it seems like a pretty decent management game. Not very complex, but also not overly simplistic.