The Dink Network

The Icey Article #2 - DMod Drought

May 15th 2003, 07:20 AM
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The Icey Article is my unofficial article I write when I feel the Community needs it.

*Ehem*

It has come to my attention that over the past months the amount of Dink MOD (Dmod) files that have been released is relatively low. Even so the DMods that are released are basically... 5 Minute Adventures (Romps) and are usually filled with bugs / the users first DMod. One of the main reason for the DMod Drought is the fact that there is not enough Motivation

And that's what this article intends to do, get you motivated to work on your DMod!

So we're got this problem, motivation... Let's go over it. The Dink Network is literally starving. It's not as active as it should be/was. You've got a real cool DMod you want to release, did some work on it but kinda gave up due to lack of Motivation. Well think for a second... If you get this DMod done SOON, then you'll have a better chance of winning an award due to the fact that there are not many DMod's being released. Think about your DMod... "Wasn't it a cool idea..." is always a factor that gets me motivated. Why don't you go out and go for something smaller than what you first expected... like a Quest or a long Romp. You'll certainly not have the label "n00b" if you release a good file... so why don't you get some fame on the Network and release something good!

Perhaps your problem is "dang scripting too hard"... Well POST ABOUT IT! There are many friendly members on the board that are willing to help you out if you've a scripting problem and will most probably give you an even better solution that you originally expected! Don't have an account? GET ONE IT'S dang WORTH IT

Finally there's the common "I don't have very good graphics" problem. Well there's a really simple solution to this... Use other people's graphics (As long as you give them major credit of course . Many authors love to see their graphics used in other DMods. You should ALWAYS, however, send them a short simple mail asking for use of their graphics... Otherwise SOMEBODY might get you in poop.

I do dang hope that's got you motivated! The Dink Network NEEDS your DMods! So go home now... boot up and spend at least 30 Minutes on your DMod. It would REALLY help!

And that rounds up my Icey Article... be sure to read my previous Article(s)...

The Icey Article #1 - Network Nubness
May 15th 2003, 10:46 AM
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SabreTrout
Noble He/Him United Kingdom
Tigertigertiger. 
Whilst I enjoyed reading this article (as I did the first) I cannot help but see many things I disagree with. I do commend Morpheus for writing this article, as it does bring up many interesting points.
But first, I'm gonna be a bit of a meanie...
Firstly I find it a bit silly to have an advocate of motivating yourself to release this or that d-mod, when the author has released...what?
As somebody who has released a fair few files and d-mods, I would say that bringing down your original idea for the size is generally a bad idea. It is fine as long as the game is still well paced and thought out, but if you have started the game too slow (thinking it would be a might epic) but release a romp with it...it can seem to be all intro and no action.
But I do see Jamie's point, as it is better to have small d-mods growing bigger in scope, then large ones to get smaller.
Jamie speaks the truth on scripting, it can appear hard, but you must simply persevere. Just get a script from an open-sourced d-mod, see what it does in game, an fiddle with it (along with a tutorial) to get the basic idea of how to do things.
I'd personally advise keeping scripting to the simple commands for your first game.
When it comes down to graphics, the only thing I can say is YOU DO NOT NEED NEW ONES! I think that you should only start using new graphics after a fair bit of experience, or you could end up getting caught with the "frilly" bit's of the game, and not concentrating on the gameplay enough.
But saying that, being the Alternative Heroes freak I am, if you can do a few simple graphical changes (such as I did with "A Knights Tale", or Redink did with "Ed the SCV") then it can add a new dimension to the game, without exhausting all your time trying to create new graphics.
One of the main reasons (I think( that few d-mods are being released is that the community is almost split into 3. The old timers (Redink, Striker, Simonk) do not release often anyway, but mark what they do with exceptional quality. The next group is the "stock" of the community. Dinkers such as myself, Morpheus, Simeon, bin have been about a while, and are working on bigger projects then we did initially (Morpheus - You gotta update me on how SPIKE is coming along )and so release a lot less often.
The 3rd segment are the n00b's, which a large influx of has arrived, and are enjoying Dink, but largely being overcome by the problems involved with making a d-mod.
And who am I to talk about motivation? I have announced millions of d-mods, which will never be released, and only a few that will. If you want my advice on getting motivated it too try and do something a bit "different" to the way others have done. "Cycles of Evil", and "Lyna's Story" did things in a drastically different way to most d-mods, and were all the better for it. A d-mod with something personal in it (not just Dink - - find a wizard - - kill him), something with a bit of originality, will always pull you back.
And the competition has probably slowed down people production as well.
May 15th 2003, 12:56 PM
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Kat
Peasant She/Her Canada
We can out-drink most Americans! 
How many Jamie's do we have on this board?? Motivate yourself, Jamie.

>^..^<
May 15th 2003, 02:38 PM
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Tal
Noble He/Him United States
Super Sexy Tal Pal 
While I merely skimmed through your previous article, I decided that I'd read all of your second article. I'll have to admit that I was disappointed in its mediocrity.

First of all, the subject you chose to cover was much too obvious to the majority of the Dink community. If you take the time to peruse through the message archives, you will find that many Dinkers have complained about the slow rate at which D-Mods are produced. I personally think that you should try writing articles that touch on subjects rarely covered on the board. It may seem difficult to you, but I'm positive that it can be done, and we'd all appreciate reading something we may not already realize.

Also, try to refrain from swearing (I know the filter got you once or twice), and keep your grammar in check. Doing so could make your article look more professional. You may want to maintain a vast vocabulary as well; readers often grow weary of simplicity, and many people will tell you that it makes you look intelligent. (Whether you actually are intelligent or not is another matter.)

Finally, I frankly don't think that articles should be posted on the board. Perhaps it's just me, but I find it disturbing, for some reason. I would do it in a blog or on my own website if I were you. I won't hold this against you much, though.

Keep all that in mind when writing your next article, and you may receive more praise.
May 15th 2003, 02:51 PM
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WC
Peasant He/Him United States
Destroying noobs since 1999. 
There is only one. I killed the rest.
May 15th 2003, 04:30 PM
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Binirit
Peasant She/Her
 
Weren't you going to do a Dink-magazine?
May 15th 2003, 06:55 PM
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Now... if only someone would take his own advice and apply it and bring back Ask Tal, maybe *he* would recieve more praise as well.
Am I the only one who misses Ask Tal?
May 15th 2003, 07:42 PM
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I, too, miss Ask Tal.
May 15th 2003, 08:30 PM
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i want ask tal bac, lets start a petition.
May 15th 2003, 09:42 PM
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WC
Peasant He/Him United States
Destroying noobs since 1999. 
Done.

*points to poll*
May 16th 2003, 06:31 AM
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Yeah, and I was gonna do the comics page... too bad I can't draw...
May 16th 2003, 09:33 AM
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SabreTrout
Noble He/Him United Kingdom
Tigertigertiger. 
Yeah, my magazoine idea never really got going...lack of motivation I guess...
May 16th 2003, 09:38 AM
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Understanding your point, Tal but I know for a fact there wasn't any posts to motivate people. That's really the point I was trying to get across... If you have a DMod, work on it.



And I had alot of time and decided to ramble what I thought was important... pfft

Sabre
Yeah Sabre.. get msn and the secrets are yours.. I'll show you teh wicked SPIKE graphics though they own (Ty SimonK)
May 16th 2003, 12:28 PM
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Tal
Noble He/Him United States
Super Sexy Tal Pal 
And I "know for a fact" that your "article" isn't going to motivate anyone. You go have your fun, though.
May 16th 2003, 04:21 PM
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Binirit
Peasant She/Her
 
And I was going to do the reviews... too bad I can't write...

Who else was on the project? Probably a bunch of people who can't do anything either...
May 16th 2003, 04:22 PM
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Binirit
Peasant She/Her
 
I don't think words ever motivated anybody to do something.

Now, swords, that's another story.
May 17th 2003, 04:07 AM
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SabreTrout
Noble He/Him United Kingdom
Tigertigertiger. 
For the magazine, it was me bin, Alli...and maybe more people...possibly RustedSorrow.
But not being able to piece it al together myself, I stopped working on it...though I still think it would be fun to do, anyone still up for it?
May 17th 2003, 11:40 AM
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Well, I *still* can't draw, so I'd still be willing to do comics.
May 17th 2003, 08:13 PM
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joshriot
Peasant They/Them United States
keep it real 
my problem is not motivation... its just that im more motivated to skate or listen to music. when in the past i got far in a dmod i would think it sucked and stop working on it. then i go and play with dos and my harddrive brakes. then i am motivated to get some goobers. like sabretrout said, if you want an epic so bad, you make it. its the apathetic ones who arent complaining.
May 17th 2003, 08:18 PM
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joshriot
Peasant They/Them United States
keep it real 
ps, you should put your articles in blogs so they are easier to read...