Request For Comments: Age Creation Process

[Robert The Rebuilder]

For quite some time now, I've wanted to capture the entire process of turning an age idea into a fully explorable place in URU. I've seen many ideas being proposed here and in other forums, but very few of them ever make their way into completed ages. I've also encountered people who don't realize what it takes to create an age, often underestimating the work involved.

To that end, I wrote a Wiki article on the subject here. This would help newcomers learn everything that's involved with age creation and would guide them in the process - serving as a road map of sorts.

If you have a few moments, please look it over and critique it. See if I've forgotten or incorrectly described something. I'm looking for input from all backgrounds here: the creative writers, the concept sketchers, the layout artists, the modellers, the texture artists, the sound effects artists, the musicians, the programmers. I'll also solicit feedback from the other guilds.

Please share what you've learned about the process as you've been through it. Hopefully everyone can benefit from our combined experiences.

[Chacal]

I just had time for diagonal reading, but i can tell this is an incredibly well designed and tremendously useful work, Robert.
As soon as possible I'll comment using the wiki discussion.

[tachzusamm]

Very well written, Robert.

It seems you just followed your own recommendation with this work, which describes how a project (now only age-writing related) should start and continue: Write down your thoughts.
Thanks for sharing your ideas and experience.

I would additionally suggest (well, that's the way I do) to have at least one text document open during the whole development process.
Mostly I use two: one simple .txt file where I do write down sudden ideas, TODOs, problems and weblinks to answers, simply *everything* project-related, mostly written down in a hurry, so the brainstorm process does not stop.
And (depending on the project) another formatted document (word, open office, whatever), which holds a description of the project in a more formal way. It does help a lot if you imagine others will read this, because having this in mind, you will think more deeper if everything you do if well thought-out and goes the right direction.

Maybe that's what you already meant with "Make a Wiki page", which is surely the better idea if you work in a team.

Just my two docs, umm... cents.

[Robert The Rebuilder]

Thanks, guys!

tachzusamm: I incorporated your suggestion in the Build Your Age section, on the bullet about future expansion, recommending that new ideas be stored either on a new topic in that age's forums or in the age's Wiki page.

I also incorporated suggestions provided by the other guilds. In particular, Natales from the GoC had provided many great suggested modifications.

[Chacal]

Added a small suggestion.

[Robert The Rebuilder]

Good advice, Chacal! I've incorporated your suggestion under the configuration management bullet.

[Raider7]

Robert,
Great work on the Age Creation Process it is easy to read and understand and is useful. Thanks for sharing this, I will use this as a guide when I want to start creating Ages.

[mar]

Hi Robert,

It is great. Very useful article when you want to start with writing a age.

It is a good advice to use the expertise of members from other guilds, like the guild of the cartographers. I have never think about that. Thank you for the useful tips and advices.

[Grogyan]

Two suggestions
1) If for some reason you're having difficulty with a particular feature or a feature in the plugin that isn't complete or doesn't exist, ask the developers of the plugin to see if they can help you at all.

2) Its no longer MO:RE, as that was an acronym that assumed that only the Max plugin was going to be released, now that its Open Source, may I suggest that it be renamed to



So instead of having Yeesha as the basis of uru's, let me count now, how many times has it been now, 1 Prologue . . . 2 UU . . . 3 MOUL . . . 4 MORE didn't happen . . . 5 MOOSE.
I think a moose is a great mascot for this iteration of a game that doesn't want to end

[Whilyam]

You know what Gehn always says.. Fifth time's the charm.