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ARTICLES: WHY THEY ARE NEGLECTED AND WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT.
Posts
Solitayre
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CloseWhen I first found this site eons ago, it was the articles that attracted me. Little snippets of wisdom from other game designers trying to show neophytes the way. The series by Brickroad was an especially compelling read and I sought to take their words to heart.
So it is to my great dismay to see that these articles seem to be largely overlooked by the community at large. Very few of these fine articles generate any sort of discussion. I can think of a few reasons for this.
1. There are few incentives to write articles. The person writing the article generally gets nothing back for his contribution. In terms of makerscore, someone who writes a 10 page article gets the same as someone who makes a bulleted list article. As far as I know they are also worth the same Makerscore as a review.
2. There seem to be no real submission standards for articles. Anyone could write one about anything they want, however poorly-written or poorly informed they may be. There is even an article in there that appears to have been submitted twice.
3.There are few incentives or cues to READ articles. The newest articles are in a tiny corner of the front page. Articles and Tutorials share the same space even.
I think articles are a very useful resource that deserve a little more consideration. Darken has even expressed interest in a series of articles/tutorials for introducing new game makers to the RPGMaker programs. Such a resource would be invaluable to say the least.
Do you read articles? Why or why not? Do you find them useful? Should they be featured more prominently on the site? If so, what are some ideas for them?
So it is to my great dismay to see that these articles seem to be largely overlooked by the community at large. Very few of these fine articles generate any sort of discussion. I can think of a few reasons for this.
1. There are few incentives to write articles. The person writing the article generally gets nothing back for his contribution. In terms of makerscore, someone who writes a 10 page article gets the same as someone who makes a bulleted list article. As far as I know they are also worth the same Makerscore as a review.
2. There seem to be no real submission standards for articles. Anyone could write one about anything they want, however poorly-written or poorly informed they may be. There is even an article in there that appears to have been submitted twice.
3.There are few incentives or cues to READ articles. The newest articles are in a tiny corner of the front page. Articles and Tutorials share the same space even.
I think articles are a very useful resource that deserve a little more consideration. Darken has even expressed interest in a series of articles/tutorials for introducing new game makers to the RPGMaker programs. Such a resource would be invaluable to say the least.
Do you read articles? Why or why not? Do you find them useful? Should they be featured more prominently on the site? If so, what are some ideas for them?
The only article that I know got deleted was a "Who Knows" story I wrote about pirates back when Holb was around.
...it might have been a lesbian pirate sex story.
I agree a lot with #3, and I think that it's the biggest issue. As for Darken's idea, that has been done so many times before on every other RM* site that it's pointless.
Why aren't articles produced? Probably because many, many more people need them than there are people able to write them (experience and decent game-making skills are required in most cases). Also, developers from here and GW especially have this idea that they're making games for their own benefit/enjoyment; they want to make surreal or shitty games that pretend to be deep and meaningful without gameplay other than pressing <SPACE> to advance messages. I bet more people would read articles if they starting realizing that nobody outside of their post-modern clique is going to play Scarf Mysteries of Marijuanaville X5O.
...it might have been a lesbian pirate sex story.
I agree a lot with #3, and I think that it's the biggest issue. As for Darken's idea, that has been done so many times before on every other RM* site that it's pointless.
Why aren't articles produced? Probably because many, many more people need them than there are people able to write them (experience and decent game-making skills are required in most cases). Also, developers from here and GW especially have this idea that they're making games for their own benefit/enjoyment; they want to make surreal or shitty games that pretend to be deep and meaningful without gameplay other than pressing <SPACE> to advance messages. I bet more people would read articles if they starting realizing that nobody outside of their post-modern clique is going to play Scarf Mysteries of Marijuanaville X5O.
Shinan
4314
A lot of the article space can nowadays be put into the game blogs (in the form of personal anecdotes and designer notes). In some ways it's even better since you have got the game and then you have some notes on it that you put into the game blog for those interested in further reading. (sort of like making-of documentaries)
I think the way to do articles is essentially to have a sort of featured article as part of the RMN Snews or something similar. The articles are few enough between them to pick one and put it into the newsletter. It could also have some sort of guest writer setup where you could essentially "order" an article from someone. "hey xxx you've made some interesting games. Write an article for the next newsletter. It can be about xxx or something else if you'd rather do that".
Essentially I think the way to get the best articles is essentially to ask someone they know know about something to write it. The thing is it tends to be that those that know about the stuff in articles tend not to bother writing them.
I think the way to do articles is essentially to have a sort of featured article as part of the RMN Snews or something similar. The articles are few enough between them to pick one and put it into the newsletter. It could also have some sort of guest writer setup where you could essentially "order" an article from someone. "hey xxx you've made some interesting games. Write an article for the next newsletter. It can be about xxx or something else if you'd rather do that".
Essentially I think the way to get the best articles is essentially to ask someone they know know about something to write it. The thing is it tends to be that those that know about the stuff in articles tend not to bother writing them.
S. F. LaValle
1069
Well, that's the problem there, Craze. People have their own ideas and want to make their own game. Why do they want to listen to advice from other amateur developers with a marginal difference in experience?
I think we've demonstrated recently that the community has a low tolerance to patronization. The best of us read articles and can discern immediately whether it contains good ideas or not, which I think is all that can be asked of anyone. Comments in articles are typically positive about the information provided. However, most people just don't read them for the reasons above. To some, just the idea of a colleague passing off their own thoughts as knowledge to spread is patronizing.
I think we've demonstrated recently that the community has a low tolerance to patronization. The best of us read articles and can discern immediately whether it contains good ideas or not, which I think is all that can be asked of anyone. Comments in articles are typically positive about the information provided. However, most people just don't read them for the reasons above. To some, just the idea of a colleague passing off their own thoughts as knowledge to spread is patronizing.
post=101385
Essentially I think the way to get the best articles is essentially to ask someone they know know about something to write it. The thing is it tends to be that those that know about the stuff in articles tend not to bother writing them.
This, and that why are we going to bother writing stuff people (currently) aren't going to see? That's why I post my articles as forum posts first, then submit them as articles a week or two later with some revisions.
S. F. LaValle
1069
I also agree with Shinan, I think we'd be surprised how many people would be willing to write an article if they were asked (like Craze). The creator gets an ego stroke, and the community gets knowledge that's helpful to at least some.
Edit: I also agree that articles are under-represented on the main page.
Edit: I also agree that articles are under-represented on the main page.
Would it be asking too much of the community for everyone to pitch in a list of requests of subjects to write about, and for others to write them?
Brick tried something like that some time ago, I believe. I don't know how much of a response he got.
I'd be willing to write a few more articles if there was a formal request topic.
EDIT: Oh hey, hi there SFL
EDIT: Oh hey, hi there SFL
I've read and re-read (I think) all of the articles. I had done so before making SnE. I had not done so before making Pimp.
Yeah, I'd say the articles here are pretty valuable for the most part.
As for writing them, my biggest issues are A) There's already better-written articles pertaining to my area of expertise, and B) There's no incentive to do so - I can write a review and get ten times the reaction; or a reaction, period.
What I'd like to see is a full-on page for Articles, like the Games tab, that shows a page's worth of the most recent Articles. Have categorical navigation off to the side - I think that's a large barrier to interest. Besides, I think the Art section has a whopping two articles.
EDIT: Okay, 4.1. I forgot Ness' digital drawing tuts and Wolf's paragraph. My point still stands.
Yeah, I'd say the articles here are pretty valuable for the most part.
As for writing them, my biggest issues are A) There's already better-written articles pertaining to my area of expertise, and B) There's no incentive to do so - I can write a review and get ten times the reaction; or a reaction, period.
What I'd like to see is a full-on page for Articles, like the Games tab, that shows a page's worth of the most recent Articles. Have categorical navigation off to the side - I think that's a large barrier to interest. Besides, I think the Art section has a whopping two articles.
EDIT: Okay, 4.1. I forgot Ness' digital drawing tuts and Wolf's paragraph. My point still stands.
In the past, the site never solicited people to write articles. The idea was that people would just do them because they had already.
Boy did that not work out. People don't care to write articles on their own accord the majority of the time. There are a few notable exceptions, of course. Brickroad's articles were requested by me. Unfortunately due to his increased responsibilities at work, he isn't able to contribute as he once did.
Why do people have to be requested so often to do things? I can write some articles on the site, but I feel I'm perfectly okay with my contribution level at the time. It's easy enough to spot "trouble areas" or interesting topics to write about. The community is littered with topics.
I think a "formal request topic" is a terrible idea. Just go write an article.
EDIT: As for reworking the articles section, that has been on my mind lately and I do have some ideas. The point remains that people still need to write them.
Boy did that not work out. People don't care to write articles on their own accord the majority of the time. There are a few notable exceptions, of course. Brickroad's articles were requested by me. Unfortunately due to his increased responsibilities at work, he isn't able to contribute as he once did.
Why do people have to be requested so often to do things? I can write some articles on the site, but I feel I'm perfectly okay with my contribution level at the time. It's easy enough to spot "trouble areas" or interesting topics to write about. The community is littered with topics.
I think a "formal request topic" is a terrible idea. Just go write an article.
EDIT: As for reworking the articles section, that has been on my mind lately and I do have some ideas. The point remains that people still need to write them.
post=101408
Just go write an article.
Why should we? This isn't a question from me to you perse, but if there's been a lack of incentive or drive to write articles in the past, 'just go write one' isn't going to be spurring people on any time soon. The question is how do get people to do it. That's why the request thing came to mind, I'm more likely to write an article if someone just straight up asked me as opposed to me feeling charitable. At least with the former, I know someone is going to read it.
Darken
3952
post=101381
As for Darken's idea, that has been done so many times before on every other RM* site that it's pointless.
I still think RMN needs a general and indepth HOW TO USE RPG MAKER unless you like "how does I make game/cutscene/treasure chest" on help and requests all the time. We need some kind of local resource for noob help. Most tutorials here are just "how to have steal skill" or "limit breaks" etc. Not very helpful for someone who has no idea where to start. I mean there isn't even a variables or switch tutorial. ):
Anyway I plan to get to work on this after the RSD coverage thing (yeah I'm still working on it ;_;).
post=101418
I still think RMN needs a general and indepth HOW TO USE RPG MAKER unless you like "how does I make game/cutscene/treasure chest" on help and requests all the time. We need some kind of local resource for noob help. Most tutorials here are just "how to have steal skill" or "limit breaks" etc. Not very helpful for someone who has no idea where to start. I mean there isn't even a variables or switch tutorial. ):
Anyway I plan to get to work on this after the RSD coverage thing (yeah I'm still working on it ;_;).
I wouldn't mind writing a "getting started" or a switch and variables tutorial because it's something I actually have knowledge over. But if you want to do it Darken, by all means.
Honestly though, it would probably only stop around 30% of these topics poping up because some people just don't bother to even look first.
Neok
3602
Pretty much all my (1) articles and (1) tutorials are just stuff that I've regurgitated from past posts I've made on the forums. Maybe people can try that?
I would love if some folks got together and organized some well-made tutorials for working with RPG Maker XP and VX (and I guess RM2k3). I can seriously crank up the engine section on the site if there were tutorials explaining how to use some of these engines.
Mog, if people don't want to write an article, then don't. Saying "I would write one if someone asked me" is a lame excuse. Just pretend you fucking asked yourself. Or consider that statement me asking you to write one. And Craze. And everyone else who said they would write if they were asked. I just asked.
Mog, if people don't want to write an article, then don't. Saying "I would write one if someone asked me" is a lame excuse. Just pretend you fucking asked yourself. Or consider that statement me asking you to write one. And Craze. And everyone else who said they would write if they were asked. I just asked.
I will (continue) writing, considering I do have some knowledge of game making (like I've already written about/egospray everywhere).
post=101430
Pretty much all my (1) articles and (1) tutorials are just stuff that I've regurgitated from past posts I've made on the forums. Maybe people can try that?
I do that for some of my blog posts sometimes. I just don't feel like my writing is up to article quality, but otherwise I do post this kind of stuff on my own blog. I figure it'd be better for me since I can write up some random things that came to mind rather than worrying about it feeling professional.
post=101432
Mog, if people don't want to write an article, then don't. Saying "I would write one if someone asked me" is a lame excuse. Just pretend you fucking asked yourself. Or consider that statement me asking you to write one. And Craze. And everyone else who said they would write if they were asked. I just asked.
It's far easier for me to write an article about a specific subject if someone asked me about it, than me spontaneously deciding that 'Hey, I want to write an article about X!'. Sure, I don't mind writing either way, but as someone with a full time job/college and other responsibilities/hobbies/life, it's easier for me to zone in on a request than to randomly spurt them out. I don't mind writing just to write sometimes, though. They're not mutually exclusive.
