@Guinea - I'm mainly suggesting using an open source system because there are some pretty clear advantages to it.
- Thoroughly developed and tested
- Well documented, in case we ever get more developers who need to learn the system
- Customisable, with a lot of plugins available already, including one which solves another problem you've been having for some time (the forum/website bridge)
- Don't have to worry about bug fixes because that can be left with the other software developers
- Full database control (as far as I am aware)
- You don't have to make it and you can spend your time extending it as required, or doing something new
- It's free
Also, how do you know that these existing systems won't support MFGG? Have you used them for this purpose before and proven that?
I guess what I'm saying is, they're at least worth investigating before deciding to create an entirely new system. If they resolve all the problems we have, or at least a portion of them, then that still saves you time and resources which can be used elsewhere. Again, no point solving a problem somebody has already done for you.
Oh, and yeah, I'm happy to discuss the mobile skin. It would be probably best over Skype but we'll need to schedule a time for me due to timezone differences.
Another problem could also be some of the people on the site who don't know how to give constructive criticism. In someone's first sprite sheet or game, there are bound to be people who say, "DUDE THIS SUCKS!!!!!!! GAME/SPRITE MAKING IS NOT FOR YOU!!!!!!! GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!!!!!" or other obviously unwelcoming, encouraging things. I understand no matter what things like this can't be 100% prevented, but a first impression of who is on the site and who will be critiquing you can make a big impact, and nobody is going to want to submit another sheet/game if people act like jerks to them. So this would just require people to work together to make the site a better place.
Unfortunately you can't really solve social issues with technology so that would need another approach. I guess you could have comment moderation but even then that's probably more effort than it is worth.
@Guinea - I'm mainly suggesting using an open source system because there are some pretty clear advantages to it.
- Thoroughly developed and tested
- Well documented, in case we ever get more developers who need to learn the system
- Customisable, with a lot of plugins available already, including one which solves another problem you've been having for some time (the forum/website bridge)
- Don't have to worry about bug fixes because that can be left with the other software developers
- Full database control (as far as I am aware)
- You don't have to make it and you can spend your time extending it as required, or doing something new
- It's free
Also, how do you know that these existing systems won't support MFGG? Have you used them for this purpose before and proven that?
I guess what I'm saying is, they're at least worth investigating before deciding to create an entirely new system. If they resolve all the problems we have, or at least a portion of them, then that still saves you time and resources which can be used elsewhere. Again, no point solving a problem somebody has already done for you.
Oh, and yeah, I'm happy to discuss the mobile skin. It would be probably best over Skype but we'll need to schedule a time for me due to timezone differences.
[quote="[url=http://phpbb.mfgg.net/viewtopic.php?p=376638#p376638]Evil Yoshi[/url]"]Another problem could also be some of the people on the site who don't know how to give constructive criticism. In someone's first sprite sheet or game, there are bound to be people who say, "DUDE THIS SUCKS!!!!!!! GAME/SPRITE MAKING IS NOT FOR YOU!!!!!!! GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!!!!!" or other obviously unwelcoming, encouraging things. I understand no matter what things like this can't be 100% prevented, but a first impression of who is on the site and who will be critiquing you can make a big impact, and nobody is going to want to submit another sheet/game if people act like jerks to them. So this would just require people to [b]work together[/b] to make the site a better place.[/quote]
Unfortunately you can't really solve social issues with technology so that would need another approach. I guess you could have comment moderation but even then that's probably more effort than it is worth.