If I want to sit around and be lifeless, I could finish ProSonic by 2008 without any problems. I haven't been entirely happy for a few months now and feel that I really need to spice up my life. I've taken some small steps to try and do this, but it's not enough. So I decided I needed to put the axe to the ProSonic 2008 deadline I set in my outline. The official deadline now is simply "when it's done". I refuse to be committed to ProSonic when it's adding stress in my life. I'm very excited about the project and want to finish it, but I need to be committed to much more important things.
This doesn't mean I will stop working on ProSonic. I'll work on it when I feel up for it and time permits it. I think ProSonic has sort of forced me to be on the internet more though. I need to be on the internet less, not more. I hope people understand my decision. I have thought about this for a while and figured this was the smartest choice.
9 comments:
I support you in this decision, as life comes first.
In the other hand I don't want to think ProSonic goes toward a non finished project, as ProSonic means so much to me.
If you need help why don't you set up a website with the announce of looking for coders? It could boost up everything and let you handle life without too much stress.
Have a nice time out there Damian!
I agree, bring more people into the project, hell put it on sourceforge, at least then it isn't entirely your burden. Obviously I could understand how you wouldn't want to do it as the project is "your baby" so to speak, but look how much respect the project leaders behind open source software get ;)
"Linus Torvalds is FREAKIN' LEGEND"
I also think a project of this sort ought to be open to other contributing developers. You'd still be credited as Pro Sonic's founder - the one who originally designed the concept - and the one who got the project rolling.
You would only need to check on development and offer feedback to the other developers whenever it suits you. With this, the project development would always be chugging along and progressing because there is a shared burden (this is how bittorrent works; it's why P2P has become so popular).
It's just like at the Sonic 2 beta boards, where lots of people are contributing, but Simon Wai is the one esteemed and credited as its founder. This is pretty much the same thing, except that you would still be there overseeing, offering feedback and contributing to the project whenver it suits you.
Ouais, mets-le sur Sourceforge gars !
I totally support the idea of putting this on sourceforge if you can't work on it 24/7. Because if you can't, someone certainly can. This wouldn't make it not your project, but rather make it your project with a few interested guys and gals giving you a hand. I plan to put all of my projects on sourceforge, personally, because I think that as a programmer the best way to learn would be to learn from others.
Just to reply to what you said on s2b
"Several people have suggested Source Forge, but I feel that is a mistake. If there is to ever be a team, it must be under my supervision. I don't trust the project being on Source Forge. I think people will try to take the engine in a direction that I don't invision. That would then hurt my reputation is the kinds of things I've been talking about aren't delivered to satisfactory."
You would still maintain exlusive control of the project. Any patches people submitted would be for your approval, it isn'T complete anarchy =) Sourceforge is a deve enviroment not something that takes away your moral rights.
"My biggest problem is how lazy people are. I'm not going to go around pointing fingers, but I think it's absolutely fair to say that nobody will care as much about the project as I do. I mean it's mine... I started it, I've worked hard on it... I care a "lot" how it turns out. Nobody else has been involved in ProSonic, and therefore nobody can truly understand how important it is to me that it become the engine I have pushed for. I could ask around and get people to volunteer, but 90% of anyone who responds and offers to do hard work won't deliver. I've learned that lesson over and over again in all the years I've been around this community. I don't need to learn it again because I already know that will once again be the result. I still haven't gotten a sprite editor. It appears that the only way a sprite editor will ever come about is if I do it. It's not as if everyone is busy all day long. Some people are understandably, but certainly not everyone."
Thats the thing, you need to find people who care! It's very hard, like with my site, I had a team of editors who in the end did very little work, and I realised that I'd have to put the work in because at the end of the day I'm the one who "benefits", why would anyone else want to help out with something where I'm seen as taking the credit? You might run into similar problems unless you establish a very clear team, or make it far more community based.
"I think instead of people throwing away money on unfinished game cartridges, they should contribute to help "employee" people to finish ProSonic (if it comes to a point where I need a team)."
Thats a bit cheeky =) Of course you're going to say that about your own project ;)
"That is what would really make people 'want' to put out hard work. You have to be pretty darn generous to do it for free. So I guess the point I'm trying to make here is I'm not going to ask for volunteers. I'm waiting for people to step up to the plate and offer to me what they would like to do for ProSonic. Not now as I said because I'm not ready to have a team, but if it comes to that point, that's what I expect. Otherwise the project will be doomed and will fade into nothingness. That's really the cold hard truth =/"
You'd rather the project fade away than put it the source in the public domain, and wait for someone to look at the code and go "Hey I want to continue development, look at what I can add Saxman!". If it's out there and public, it's less likely to fade.
(pasted from S2B)
I know I flat-out failed in helping provide a flagship for testing and demonstration, but...
I'm still very interested in the ProSonic project, and if there's anything I can do to lend a hand to it, I'd like to help out.
I understand and support this decision. Real life comes first.
However, I think if you look back and notice that you haven't worked on the project for maybe 6-12 months, then it's time to go open-source so others could help you. Maybe then you'll get back your motivation too ?
Yo
Im just some random dude looking around for sonic engines n stuff that are like older Sonic games. I took the time to download and look at the Prosonic PDF thing.. the deep outline thing. I say it sounds pretty damn good. I used the game maker program tinkered around with it a bit and even managed to find a tutorial that taught me a few cool things. At any rate in the long run I was trying to make a sonic game with the same gameplay feel as Sonic 3 and Knuckles. (best sonic game in my opionion.) I couldnt really see how exactly I could do it because im still sort of picking up I guess you could say. When I read the PDF thing, it said it would be able to be used without much programming knowledge n such and thought "Thats frickin sweet, sounds like a good idea to me." I would like to say a few things tho as well. I wouldnt recommend taking things in and just finishing it lifelessly, (I used to make AMVs n such, and know it takes time.) Because you tend to get bored with it, or it feels like a job to you, not something fun to do occasionally, just like playing an MMO if you try to reach the max level and dont take breaks, it becomes like a job and you start to lose interest in it. Ya ive pretty much went around circles and made this comment longer than it needs be, but what im trying to say is, I look forward to seeing the completed program, And I recommend not just hurrying production and finishing it as fast as possible, but to do it at your own pace. Take it easy at times.
Those are my 2 cents so ya.. peace out peeps
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