Developing
From LSWiki
Revision as of 23:40, 28 February 2008
Becoming a Developer
Running the world is not for the faint of heart. The responsibilities involved are great, and there is much to learn before one can function effectively as part of the creative and administrative staff of the MUD -- moreso here than at many other MUDs. If you do not have a great deal of time and energy to give to this process, you should not even consider attempting it. If you are considering becoming a developer only because you are bored with playing, SERIOUSLY do not bother; that will NOT be enough motivation to carry you forward, yet it is very likely that you'll get less enjoyment out of playing after a look behind the scenes -- and it's a given that the game will change with time, overcoming the original problem. If you have any doubts about your ability to learn rapidly, mostly through the examination of examples, and work within a structured environment with strict standards of quality, style, and consistency, these standards being set by others and imposed on you, don't waste your time or ours. If you want to become a developer so that you can cheat at the game, or play more effectively through access to internal information, go away. Far, far away.
It is of critical importance that you be able to work with the rest of us as a team. Read help MUD politics. If you can't deal with it, don't apply.
Still here? All right. Once, we had involved processes for becoming a developer, an application, and so on. We don't bother with all that any more. If you're serious about wanting to create content or otherwise significantly contribute, there are two main things you can do. First, though we no longer formalize the concept of sponsorship, it's still very, very helpful to have a rapport with a currently active developer who will be willing to help show you the ropes. (Do not even consider trying to develop a rapport with Chaos for this purpose.) Second, you ask Chaos about it. It helps if you have some qualifications to present as to why you're a good investment, but raw intelligence, ability to figure out a system by poking around it rather than being spoon-fed, some basic social skills and tolerable personality, and the motivation to spend time making things are more important than anything else for someone who intends to code here.
We've also recently begun exploring the concept of developers whose main activity is controlling NPCs so as to promote roleplaying, game-master quests, and so on. This is experimental and we don't want a huge rush of people going "oh, me too", but if you really feel the concept fits you strongly, it's a conceivable possibility.
