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You see those old threads back ... Years or so ago? They claim to create a better game than FeralHeart, but then, you go to their site only to see that it has been abandoned because of some drama or because it was "too hard".
To be honest, I literally laugh my tail off! It's so funny.
... Ahem.
What is your opinion on those who are willing to try to create their own IT server? Do you think they are foolish or do you think they would have a chance?
Yes, there has been successful IT servers, but why? What makes them successful?
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Just gonna say that I've never played on an IT Server before, and I'm not sure how making a server really works on there, but I have an idea I guess XD
But, I see lots of people claim that they're gonna make a game, and most of the time the problem is that they have no experience or idea on how to create a game whatsoever. And whenever they say they're gonna make an IT Server, all they have are ideas and a website, and that's all it will probably be.
The IT Servers (or just other games in general) that actually get finished/almost finished have dedicated people who know what they're doing, and they know how to code, make models, etc. I know a little coding and how to make simple meshes (I can make rocks and dens whoohoo), but not enough to even come close to making a game.
Since I kinda sounded pretty negative, I guess I'll just say if you want to make a game, that's perfectly fine! But, you need to be willing to learn new things and stick to it. Also, until you have some actual progress on the game itself, don't go and make a website and advertise for it everywhere.
That's my opinion on people making IT Servers, I guess.
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Negativity is what I crave, opinions are even better.
Indeed you are correct, you need to be dedicated and know what you are doing.
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Ah, yes. These guys. Like Devy, I've never played on an IT server before. They seem pretty old, and like you said, most of them are abandoned/unsuccessful.
Anyway, believe me when I say this,
MAKING GAMES IS FREAKING HARD.
I typically spend a good portion of my summer in Video Game Design camp. We pretty much work with a program called Unity, which allows you to create custom 3D games. Anyway, even with all the guidance the instructors give you, it's pretty frikkin' hard. It's a LOT of programming, and character/mesh/texture/portal/map making crap. The most I could make was a giant Tarako child sausage thing chasing you around a volcano.
So imagine how hard it must be to make a massively multiplayer game with complex meshes, models and soundtracks... not to mention unique entities and npc's.
But either way, it could just be the staff, the game mechanics, and other factors. To make even the most cheesy, horrible, laggy IT server, is admirable in my eyes.
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Yes, Ms. Lizard, it is quite hard.
I taught myself basic coding, but even that is quite challenging without a clear head.
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Most of the threads created in the other games board are W.I.P. IT servers. I believe this is due to Feral Heart being a popular animal role-playing game, so it attracts other animal-related games. I have seen some situations in which drama is the culprit because the admin/owner did not know how to control new users, let alone find more staff that would follow the rules and their instruction. Another reason on why IT servers are abandoned is because they don't have the money to host the game so it can be multiplayer and whatnot.
What is your opinion on those who are willing to try to create their own IT server? Do you think they are foolish or do you think they would have a chance?
I believe they most underestimate how difficult game-creating is. Making your own customizable game is difficult - even if the source is present - due to extra coding, making (complicated) meshes, it's time consuming, etc. I do not think they are foolish, however I believe not everyone fully thinks it through. Although having your own game with you in control sounds fairly tempting, it may be to difficult if you do not know how to program, moderate, etc.
Yes, there has been successful IT servers, but why? What makes them successful?
I believe those who succeed at creating an IT server really put some time and effort into their work, and they understand it cannot be completed in a day. They probably have a developed staff team who knows how to moderate, enough time to work on such a project, and the dedication to get it up and operational. As long as you keep your mind to it and you put enough effort into making an IT server, I'm sure you'll be fine.
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I agree with ya, Alpha.
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I guess I'll just say if you want to make a game, that's perfectly fine! But, you need to be willing to learn new things and stick to it. Also, until you have some actual progress on the game itself, don't go and make a website and advertise for it everywhere.
I agree with this statement. A good choice of words there, Ms. Devynex.
Allow me to board the train when I say I too haven't really played any IT servers- dedicatedly that is. FeralHeart is technically my home so whenever I join an IT server, it's like shippin' me off to a whole other planet but that's just me.
I have gotten the chance to check out a couple servers though where some good friends of mine work on administratin'/developin' the game.
That's the problem with most individuals nowadays. They claim they're gonna make a new game but in reality, the most they are able to do is come up with ideas and make a website. Then ye' see a few flock here actually and advertise their game only to say, "I need people who are experienced with making models, meshing, coding, etc." Note there's nothin' wrong with that but that's where the flaws normally originate. One cannot run a game- even administrate a game- without some experience. If it is not ye' craftin' the models, layin' out the game codin', etc then the game will turn out technically not yers since ye' did not contribute in its birth. Again, this could just be my opinion.
It takes years to make a game. It is not at all an easy process like buildin' up a role-play. Most users lose patience with the game and abandon it, but they don't take down the website 'n the like in vague hopes of havin' the chance to start it up again. Sometimes they are granted that hope but most of the time not.
Even if a game is birthed and successful, the creator(s) will then have to work on bug fixes, game updates, etc. It's never really a "okay, the game is done! Time to slack off and have fun for a while!" Those who create a game must enjoy doin' it. Not make a game just for the fame or the heck of makin' one for when/if it is successful, ye' will have many users lookin' up to ye' and are expected to keep on with what ye' originally strived for. To but it simply, it can be very stressful.
I do not see users who outspokenly claim they're goin' to make a game foolish, but I simply hope that their words are not empty and that they know what path they're saunterin' down will lead them to.
Arr, methinks that concludes my input.
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Thank ya, m'sir Vespian for your input. OuO
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People also tend to underestimate server costs-- alongside the sheer manpower involved in creating workable 3D models. I charge well over $1k for making, mapping, texturing and rigging a high-poly model entirely from scratch-- and industry prices are generally ten times more than that. Most folk proclaiming that they're going to make a game are so young and inexperienced-- it's really not fair to expect others to freely make the game you envision without paying a penny to your artists and programmers (unless, of course, they're really invested in the subject).
I do love to see people's ideas and concepts, but they really need to have a working demo of the game, no matter how short, if they're seeking the support of donations and freebies.
In terms of IT servers, I'm not entirely sure why new ones are needed when there's plenty of established ones to try. If the person has the knowledge, and aren't completely reliant on help from strangers, then go for it! As long as they understand that they can't sit back, drop ideas, and let everyone else shoulder the brunt of the work.
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I have made an IT server, but no one logged into and no one wanted to help me, so i shut it down, i can do the majority of work to create an it server even mess with the source code, now i am working on one with a team, and enjoying it, it took me years to learn how to make one, creating an IT server takes a TEAM! Teamwork, knowledge, and dedication , is what it takes to make a server, and patience, because with server and game making you WILL get errors you WILL get upset at it at times, but you have to trial and error, the server i work for now has a good team, dedication, patience and we are developing it nicely, though the owner has told me not to give ANY details on it. Either way, making a server is hard work, and the ones that are up and running deserve respect because it isn't something everyone can do, making a game is a whole lot harder then playing a game. These are my opinions on game and server making, hate if you want i don't care.
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Eh there are a couple of IT servers that I play once in a while, but usually the one I tend to play on is mostly abandoned. I know a little bit of knowledge on making an IT server such as using C++ (Thank you so much dad that you turned me into a computer nerd -_- ) and all but in truth you need a team to work on a IT server. I have used Unity and attempted to design a game but I scraped the idea, so much things involved... Just too much.
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Its because younger/inexperienced players think that an open-code game = completely free to customize. When they realize that it takes much much more than that, including spending money that they most likely will not have or they know it will be too much out of their guardian's salary, they just scrap the ideas for the game and abandon the development. Plus creating new models and code so it won't look like an oIT copycat is harder work for players who don't know anything about it. Don't forget that younger players have school most of the year.
This isn't just for young players, older players can have trouble creating an IT game for the same reasons. But, it's usually the younger players that jump into administrating a whole online RP game without being prepared for/ thinking about the hardships of developing it.
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Yeah, a lot of the points mentioned in here are good ones.
Honestly, had I not been turned onto FH, the idea of potentially creating a new game is a pretty darn exciting one, to be frank. One can easily see how people of all ages could get tons of ideas for what they'd want to see in their own IT server, but as it is with most things, ideas become an entirely different animal when it comes to actual execution of these many great plans. Even more so when you're (as with most users) new to coding, server hosting, and administration.
That said, server costs are a big issue, even if you did manage to use what resources there are around the FH/IT community to get one coded to your desire. If you're young and have schoolwork, even if you knew about coding, I'm sure it turns out to be a much bigger undertaking than was expected to run the game itself. Servers are expensive. And frankly, even in FH, we're blessed to have Raz, who is able to host our servers (and happy to do so). So, finding a steady balance like that is difficult to find, put simply, however great the intentions. o:
But, assuming you get the coding under your thumb for the most part, and you find a server host (or figure out how to host and afford it for yourself), there's always another issue that I see establishing new challenges to new games--the social side of it all.
By social, I mean administration, choosing staff, and starting off your own community, all at the same time.
In FH, we're fortunate enough to have had a fairly strong userbase from the beginning (since the game transplanted the old oIT community here, whether or not many have remained since then), and it's remained that we have a plethora of users running around the game and forum on a daily basis. This said, we've essentially had our pick of users among the community who show themselves to be a positive influence on the community, and show general qualities that we'd like to see in staff--therefore, usually folks like that are good eggs, and we can train them to be staff if they wish to be.
However, let's say you're fresh-faced and starting up a brand-new game and community. While you'll always find users out there who are excited to get out and check out a new server, it's not like you've got much to start off with, except maybe a forum you're running by yourself, and perhaps with a friend or two.
The thing with IT servers is that they don't just "start off" and have a firmly established system of staff, and/or expectations of staff to start off with. Normally, it's not as detailed as the one that we have, either. Or, if they do, it's likely a very slow and long process of choosing them--since it's hard! And in a small community, the options are even more limited when choosing them, especially when you've got a tiny tea with a LOT of work to do, and you're hard-pressed to find new ones. This is where, in order to get a workable amount of staff for the game, sometimes server admins may choose friends, etc., to be staff, and run into issues if they aren't suited for the position in some way. Even if they put up applications for mod positions (FH does not), people can sometimes very easily "fake" the application, talk themselves up, but in reality, they may just be seeking out some power for the sake of "being" a mod or admin in a server of their own.
Which, no matter how active they are, there will always be issues if someone's heart is in the game for power, and not the community itself. Inevitably, the administrator who just wanted to run their own game is faced with issues of staff misbehaving and/or causing power struggles in the team, or simply not functioning as a team at all. When your community is barely standing on its own two (or four, because quadrupeds) feet, this can be absolute kryptonite for you and the community.
Administration is hard, especially when you're running the game and trying to keep it functioning. Throw staff drama into the mix, and that's when you get ugly blowouts that trickle down into your community. (And, it's due to note that when you enforce rules and kick some rule-breakers out of the community, you do get people who try to jump at you and attack you personally for it--but this one we don't need to touch on so much).
So, establishing the social side of things is another big one, even if you are very stable-minded and functional on your own. Finding a team is hard, and finding a good one is one in a million. Finding one among a community of mostly young people, as well, is still harder.
Not that there's anything wrong with making your own IT server, of course. It's pretty cool that people can, really. o: However, they do face some great challenges that FH does not necessarily have to contend with. This said, it is an impressive feat when they're able to overcome these challenges and find a suiting staff team for a stable game, and I commend those who are able to accomplish this. It's tough!
But, for the servers that don't quite make it.. Well. They're certainly not the only ones, and I suppose those who made them wouldn't know if they could do it or not unless they tried, so. To each their own, yeah? ^^"