Author Topic: knowledge sharing between the Developers? (Read 246 times)

mason22 · « **on:** April 17, 2001, 12:54:00 PM »

more of a question for HT and the gang.

Do you guys share tips, secrets, how to's, code, examples, ideas, and the like between other Developers? Who are your mentors? Your peers? Or is there more to it than that? Meaning, do people hold what they know and keep it to themselves within the community? Or is the "developers community" more about sharing the knowledge and how to's that they have learned to make things better or make things more efficient, etc etc?

anyone else expand on this? Being in a creative field, i am constantly looking at others work, communicating with peers and sharing looks and ideas. How's it done in the developers world? or is it?

-mas

oboe · « **Reply #1 on:** April 17, 2001, 02:47:00 PM »

I would love to hear some knowledgeable developer reply to this...

Very interested in the how-to's of online game development myself. I think it a fascinating field.

AKDejaVu · « **Reply #2 on:** April 17, 2001, 02:54:00 PM »

The gaming community seems to be somewhat competitive amongst developers... do you really think that is conducive to information sharing?

I think some things are fundamental. I think others are pretty much common knowledge due to MSDN or similar networks. I think the fundamentals of the game need to be proprietary if any developer hopes to earn a living at it.

AKDejaVu

-sudz- · « **Reply #3 on:** April 17, 2001, 03:16:00 PM »

Often developers share knowledge and tips over beers, either to get gratification by helping out a fellow programmer or sharing the kick you get out of solving a particularly nasty bug or problem.

This extends to common interest problems such as a new hacking technique or "gaming the game" type problems but is shared more as comrades fighting a rogue player rather than from personal gratification.

But developers will _not_ share tips and tricks that are considered industry secrets that give your game a commercial edge. This includes things like faster sorting algorithms, solid network code, or a cool alpha blending/fog effect.

In general, developers tend to keep creative code close to their chests but speak freely of the tools they use to create the code.

But beer, always beer . . .

Smut · « **Reply #4 on:** April 17, 2001, 03:24:00 PM »

I'm not HT, but I think I'm qualified to answer your question:

Not really.

Off the record, after hours, among friends...maybe a bit. But nothing that would violate a NDA...

There are exceptions, of course, otherwise something like Game Developer magazine wouldn't exist. Even that stuff tends to be pretty generic in nature.

After all, it is still a business. A damn tough one.

-Smut

NATEDOG · « **Reply #5 on:** April 17, 2001, 03:52:00 PM »

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer!

------------------
Nathan "NATEDOG" Mathieu
Art Director
HiTech Creations
-=HELLFIRE SQUAD=-

".... And on the eighth day, God created beer. "

sling322 · « **Reply #6 on:** April 17, 2001, 04:56:00 PM »

Good point Nate!!! I agree totally!

Kats · « **Reply #7 on:** April 17, 2001, 10:12:00 PM »

Smut, where's that MMPOG jet simm the world is waiting for!!!!!!

I still can't believe it hasn't been made yet.

Smut · « **Reply #8 on:** April 18, 2001, 07:13:00 AM »

Don't look at me...doing another jet sim is pretty low on my wish list right now.

-Smut

Ripsnort · « **Reply #9 on:** April 18, 2001, 07:40:00 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Smut:
Don't look at me...doing another jet sim is pretty low on my wish list right now.

-Smut

Don't blame you with flak you took last time!
<S> Smut.