Global Development Team?

[Bell]

Originally Posted by Spark910

I think the title will imply something that it's not. Furthermore, as a general rule taking talented people (in terms of development) and giving them non-development tasks and duties only limits the time they are able to develop - a generally negative thing for Graal.

What I thought the team would do (from the job title, before reading the description) would be to make content for a server. This I would suggest with all my heart, as there needs to be a new classic playerworld in my opinion to set a quality benchmark to motivate current classic and development servers to up the ante and start producing a lot of new content to keep current players entertained and attract/retain new ones.

Therefore, considering the above will not happen as I believe there is generally zero support for a new classic world from the powers that be, at least I would request the two roles of this proposed team are separated, so that someone who knows about the general Graal systems without too much skill/creativity/motivation to make them for real worlds is given the task of updating the wiki rather than distracting talented individuals (also not sure where current global staff are not able or are underqualified to update the wiki?)

The title is correct. In addition to the things listed, if they felt the desire to enter into such a project such as GraalOlympics or a single new server. They could do that as well. I just would like this to get off the ground without grand illusions of miracle changes within its first weeks.

We are not taking talented people and asking them to do non development tasks. We are asking them to document what they do. This in itself makes their work easier to understand by people with lesser knowledge.

The current global team is too small to do all of this ourselves. Two of us are not qualified as far as I'm concerned, myself included. I'm pretty sure if I edit the wiki, Graal will explode into a million insane gremlins that will eat the intraweb from the inside out. Skyld and Tig are already trying to update the wiki whenever they have spare time and TSA is semi qualified.

Originally Posted by Gambet

This is quite a bad idea and really won't go anywhere. The responsibilites listed are all currently things that forum members do anyways, and the questions that the team would answer are currently being asked and mostly answered on the forums themselves. The players already update the wiki when they feel like doing it, and development questions are answered pretty quickly on the forums (at least we do a good job of it in the scripting section).

As I said before, the list is not complete. It was only a suggested plan to implement. We came to the forum group to get additional ideas of what could or should be done. Unfortunately not everyone comes to the forums but usually the most talented group does, which is why we started here. There have been suggestions for a long time now of developing a new high quality server but thats as far as it goes. The majority of you either refuse to work together on the same server or don't actively wish to be involved in it yourself.

Originally Posted by Switch

This team could be put together by anyone via Guild CP. See my image, it's exactly what the GDT, as explained, would be.

No it couldn't, this would be in special guilds that is run by a global administrator that will be chosen when the team is properly formed.

[Clockwork]

Originally Posted by Bell

The majority of you either refuse to work together on the same server or don't actively wish to be involved in it yourself.

I think the majority of people are simply already committed to something. Though, just as well, a surprising amount of people that are talented developers post, but do not even really play graal anymore.

Originally Posted by Bell

The current global team is too small to do all of this ourselves. Two of us are not qualified as far as I'm concerned, myself included. I'm pretty sure if I edit the wiki, Graal will explode into a million insane gremlins that will eat the intraweb from the inside out. Skyld and Tig are already trying to update the wiki whenever they have spare time and TSA is semi qualified.

And the ever so quiet Xor?

[cbk1994]

Originally Posted by Switch

It doesn't necessarily need to be called a "Global Development Team", for example there's this one: http://graalonline.com/guilds/viewgu...ll=0&view=info

"First of all i watn to..."

from the guild description. I seriously doubt this guy can participate in any kind of development project.

[Switch]

Too tired to read 4 pages after Bell and Chris's replies to me.

Originally Posted by Bell

No it couldn't, this would be in special guilds that is run by a global administrator that will be chosen when the team is properly formed.

The only difference I see is that it will be in the Special Guilds section.
Anyone could make a guild called "Graal Developers" with a "mission" of helping any server in need of help.

Originally Posted by cbk1994

"First of all i watn to..."

from the guild description. I seriously doubt this guy can participate in any kind of development project.

I was only stating that there could be a guild made by anyone to do so, since I too cringed at seeing all of his spelling mistakes.

[cyan3]

Originally Posted by Switch

The only difference I see is that it will be in the Special Guilds section. Anyone could make a guild called "Graal Developers" with a "mission" of helping any server in need of help.

It will be an official team thus giving it more support from the Playerworld Administration as they would be managing and monitoring the team making it more reliable and organised other than a player based global guild which would have very little direction other than showing off to others.

[Switch]

Originally Posted by cyan3

It will be an official team thus giving it more support from the Playerworld Administration as they would be managing and monitoring the team making it more reliable and organised other than a player based global guild which would have very little direction other than showing off to others.

All of that's true (except the part about showing off, which would probably happen anyways), I'm just saying that it could be done by any player.

[Inverness]

Originally Posted by Bell

No, they are still free to develop wherever they wish on their own time.

That needs to be italicized and emboldened.

Originally Posted by Bell

So do something about it. Join the team and prove its a valuable addition. Just as a picture is worth a thousand words. Seeing a concept working on an active server is worth more than trying to explain to someone that it would work.

I am indeed interested in joining the team, and I would do it because I enjoy developing.

However, over the years I have requested simple minor features for the scripting engine and other things that have either gone unanswered or have only been implemented serverside. I do not enjoy developing on outdated platforms, and I consider Graal outdated because of the amount of time the client has gone without an update. If you, Stefan, or anyone else expects me to put more time and effort into developing, then I want to be paid with Graal updates.

These features are things that I'm sure Stefan could implement in anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. If that is not the case, then he should explain why it would take so long and when he might be able to do it if he intends to.

Edit:

On another note, if this team concept takes off methinks a documentation of development and management standards should be created. However, methinks this would mostly be for standardizing scripting practices.

[Bell]

[QUOTE=Clockwork;1516479
And the ever so quiet Xor? [/QUOTE]
Yes, it would be Xor. His skills are more along the line of mine in the non development side.

Originally Posted by Inverness

That needs to be italicized and emboldened.
I am indeed interested in joining the team, and I would do it because I enjoy developing.

The type of person I would prefer to see join.

Originally Posted by Inverness

However, over the years I have requested simple minor features for the scripting engine and other things that have either gone unanswered or have only been implemented serverside. I do not enjoy developing on outdated platforms, and I consider Graal outdated because of the amount of time the client has gone without an update. If you, Stefan, or anyone else expects me to put more time and effort into developing, then I want to be paid with Graal updates.

These features are things that I'm sure Stefan could implement in anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. If that is not the case, then he should explain why it would take so long and when he might be able to do it if he intends to.

I can't really answer for what has happened in the past as I wasn't here nor do I know what his reasons were for not implementing something. My purpose is to attempt to improve Graal now and for the future since iPhone apps aren't going to be sufficient to support everything I'm sure.

Originally Posted by Inverness

On another note, if this team concept takes off methinks a documentation of development and management standards should be created. However, methinks this would mostly be for standardizing scripting practices.

I agree and I'm sure there are people out there that actually enjoy doing that sort of thing and excel in it. Thats something that the team itself could form amongst themselves as this team is basically a blanket team covering all aspects.

By the comments left, I'm still a little at a loss as to whether there would be enough support to develop this team or not but I for one would like to at least give it a try. What is there to actually lose after all?

[Inverness]

Originally Posted by Bell

The type of person I would prefer to see join.

Global RC would be a nice bonus though

Originally Posted by Bell

I can't really answer for what has happened in the past as I wasn't here nor do I know what his reasons were for not implementing something. My purpose is to attempt to improve Graal now and for the future since iPhone apps aren't going to be sufficient to support everything I'm sure.

People like me run on inspiration. My own ideas provide the majority of this, but Stefan still has to provide the rest by creating a platform that will allow me to make my ideas a reality.

At the moment I would like to join this Global Development Team in an advisory role if possible, someone to come to with development questions, evaluation requests, and things of that nature. I do not want to commit to making any new content considering my lack of inspiration.

Edit: Can we get an official Graal IRC channel or something?

[Bell]

Originally Posted by Inverness

Global RC would be a nice bonus though
People like me run on inspiration. My own ideas provide the majority of this, but Stefan still has to provide the rest by creating a platform that will allow me to make my ideas a reality.

At the moment I would like to join this Global Development Team in an advisory role if possible, someone to come to with development questions, evaluation requests, and things of that nature. I do not want to commit to making any new content considering my lack of inspiration.

Can we get an official Graal IRC channel or something?

I realize that a global rc would be a nice bonus and thats always a possible future addition on a 'need' basis. Mainly I imagine it would be the scripters since modifying scripts to work on individual servers is easier to do than to explain. I just do not want people joining for the sole purpose of global rc, doing minimal work then sitting around just to look cool.

I don't see why you couldn't get an IRC channel if everyone felt it would be helpful. They are already available and I'm sure Skyld could get something like that put in place. Skyld's probably gonna beat me for volunteering him but he'll live.

[Inverness]

Originally Posted by Bell

I realize that a global rc would be a nice bonus and thats always a possible future addition on a 'need' basis. Mainly I imagine it would be the scripters since modifying scripts to work on individual servers is easier to do than to explain. I just do not want people joining for the sole purpose of global rc, doing minimal work then sitting around just to look cool.

I'm sure many of the more reputable scripters don't need an official global RC.

Originally Posted by Bell

I don't see why you couldn't get an IRC channel if everyone felt it would be helpful. They are already available and I'm sure Skyld could get something like that put in place. Skyld's probably gonna beat me for volunteering him but he'll live.

I don't care who provides the IRC channel as long as it is officially endorsed by Graal management and global staff so that people actually use it.

Edit:

Originally Posted by Bell

Do any of you have any suggestions as to what should be required to join the team itself? Please be as specific as possible.

If an applicant is an unknown quantity, then they should require some endorsement from someone who has a significant development position or standing in the global community.

[Spark910]

Originally Posted by Bell

We are not taking talented people and asking them to do non development tasks.

No, but it is part of the mentality of global staff or at least someone with the perception of extra responsibility. If someone has to do something else with their spare time, clearly it will have some affect on their development time. This may not be too noticable or it could be really negative. Your own comment demonstrates this mentality/effect of additional responsibility:

Its in response to many of the complaints we see on the forums about how there is a lack of participation by the global community in improving the overall quality of Graal itself

I am not too up-to-date with Graal, but the general trend over time with promotional and additional responsibility appears to be the final destination of responding to support tickets on Graal Support Centre. To do this to a good enough standard, there is generally very little time for other Graal activities such as development.

I still strongly suggest that the title will suggest something it is not. Perhaps consider a list of people who are good at what they do who can be added to a list and will be willing to either (a) answer various development questions perhaps via the support centre; (b) look at or fix various development material; and (c) both a + b.

Those who wish to develop for the general community are free to do so already.