Introduction Topic

[Dragonsbrethren]

I hate typing these things, but what the hell. I'm Dragonsbrethren, I hack ROMs.

Is that enough? No?

I'm 18 years old, I've been playing games since I was 3, and I hope to someday become a developer. My favorite game is Final Fantasy IV, followed closely by Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

On the hacking front I only released one hack I'm actually proud of, that's Castlevania Retold, I've also put out a ton of little patches that even I haven't bothered to keep track of. I released one (half-assed) translation years ago, Final Fantasy IV Easy Type. I didn't even translate it, just copied text over from other versions of FF4, I'm currently redoing this translation but I doubt I'll ever get anywhere with it.

Real life... well, it's pretty much what I just posted up there, I spend most of my time either playing or hacking games, if I hang out with my friends we're playing games, they're pretty much my only form of entertainment. I'm planning on going to college later this year, but I still don't know what I want to do with my life, as I said above I want to be a game developer but I want something else to fall back on in case that doesn't work out.

Oh yeah, I used to go by the name Dark Knight Kain.

[Disch]

So I decided to get on board ... erm.. .on these boards.  Don't know why I finally decided to... but hey.

Now for a bit about myself and some creditials (which I believe you're supposed to give in these kind of threads? Maybe not?  I'm not trying to be an ego maniac or anything ^^ ):

I never considered myself a ROM hacker -- although I was kind of into it a long time ago.  Back in the day I took some Final Fantasy hacking docs (FFBytes) and made a shitty utility to automate their usage (FFHackster) -- that sort of became my in for "the scene".. and ever since I have been hanging around places like zophar's, acmlm's, panicus, etc.  Of course I never did actually HACK anything.  I tried a few times but I always realize my efforts would be better put elsewhere.

Since my FF1 hack attempts always went dry -- I tried making an FF1 remakish homebrew (FFTribute) -- although this flopped shortly after I put out a sloppy demo.

After that I got crazy into NSFs.  Something about them just made me smile.  But I wasn't really satisfied with existing NSF players -- so I started working on my own  (what is now NotSo Fatso).

The natural step after that was to move to a full NES emulator -- which I have made several unreleased attempts... and a few quietly-and-not-widely released ones (Schpune).  I'm currently working on a new version which needs some touchups and a user interface (I'm sorta waiting on a buddy of mine -- though I'm slacking off myself and there are other complications)

I want to say my true home is in game dev -- although I'm not sure if that's true.  I have a few game ideas in the works, but I'm just never able to stick to them long enough to get anything done.  Maybe I'm just a slow worker... who knows ;P.  Right now I have plans for a SotN-ish game with the added benefit of having a grappling hook (there aren't enough games where you swing around and fight evil while exploring dark labrynths).  Most of the details are mapped out -- but there are still some issues to work out -- then I have to actually start coding it.  Plus I threw together some funzies game with mice that's kind of cute -- although I don't have a link for it.

I like to think I'm generally a nice guy -- although I do get very anal and stubborn sometimes and can easily turn into a big ass.  Plus I have got to be one of the most opinionated people on the planet -- and I get in weird funks where I just have to argue/debate for hours on end to whoever disagrees with whatever meaningless opinion I splurt out.

So yeah that's me in a nutshell.  I recognize a few people here but there are a lot of new faces too -- which is always good.  I guess I'll be seeing you guys around

[Nightcrawler]

Everybody contributes in their own way.

Gamedev is certainly no easy task.  I respect the armature developers who DO finish their games because you really need to stick to it.  I have been into gamedev as well and started my own about two years ago.  I've got a fully working 1 level Mario Demo with sound, however I never finished the enemies and it has no end.  I spent an enormous amount of time on the physics engine. You wouldn't believe how hard it is to recreate the tight controls from say Super Mario Brothers 3.

[Ultimate]

Now I have the free time needed to write about me ^^

I'm Ultimate and I'm just a player, I don't know Japanese nor have the Knowledge to Hack.

My Favorite games would be the FF series(Excluding the X-2), Suikoden Series, Fire Emblem series, SRW series and the "Tales" series.

My favorites are RPGs and Strategy games, of course...also I sometimes try Terror/Adventure/Novels. But thats about it...its been a year since the last "Beat them up" I played.

I'm 18 years old, I'm still studing I guess...I'm gonna be a Doctor, probably a General Surgeon. I don't try really hard to archieve that, but once a Doctor I'm gonna be the best. Doc. Ultimate is gonna be fun ^^

My hobbies would be Gaming, Sleeping, Eating, Driving, Going out with girls(I like better short haired girls with nice butts), Playing Soccer and Fighting (hum...normally I practice alone, by the morning with my Sword, well come on, you people must like Weapons too! But I'm lazy, once a week only )

I Have some personality problems...hum...like this: "I'm the Best to Hell with the Rest" But I try to hold myself and normally I can ^^

Hum...the Translations I'm really hoping to get finished are: Arabian Nights(Who isn't heh?) and Emerald Dragon. Gogogo Everyone ^^ You have my Suport 

Oh yeah ^^ I'm beautiful  : http://www.flogao.com.br/kebrakoko/foto/20/3941298

[creaothceann]

I'm creaothceann, formerly known as illegal eagle. German since 1980, perfectionist, also a scorpio... like books by Adams, Pratchett,  Rowling. Musical taste follows scenemusic.net, though after too many chiptunes I switch over to some SPCs. I also don't drink alcohol, don't smoke, don't like coffee; I like to NOT get up in the morning. I have a cellphone but rarely use it.

I had used Ataries (2600 and 7800) when everybody else had Mega Drive and SNES *hangs head in shame* ... but at least I had two Gameboys. I'm not a good gamer, often have to rely on savestates and cheats...

Went through Batch, QBasic and bits of ASM, got to know Pascal in school and didn't want to change to anything else than Delphi. My code might be seen as quite "distinguished"... I've written the savestate tool "vSNES", focusing mainly on graphics.

I have got to be one of the most opinionated people on the planet -- and I get in weird funks where I just have to argue/debate for hours on end to whoever disagrees with whatever meaningless opinion I splurt out.

Nah, you're not alone.

[Dragonsbrethren]

I want to say my true home is in game dev -- although I'm not sure if that's true.  I have a few game ideas in the works, but I'm just never able to stick to them long enough to get anything done.  Maybe I'm just a slow worker... who knows ;P.  Right now I have plans for a SotN-ish game with the added benefit of having a grappling hook (there aren't enough games where you swing around and fight evil while exploring dark labrynths).  Most of the details are mapped out -- but there are still some issues to work out -- then I have to actually start coding it.

If you start this game and need level designers I'm more than willing to help you out. I've had a similar idea for about two years now but I wouldn't even know where to begin.

[(wraith)]

After that I got crazy into NSFs.  Something about them just made me smile.  But I wasn't really satisfied with existing NSF players -- so I started working on my own  (what is now NotSo Fatso).

Were you the fella that created the "extended" NSF format? I don't remember. Also, was Notso Fatso stand-alone, or a plug-in? And more importantly, can it output in other formats (to put on, say, an mp3 player? That would be hot).

Right now I have plans for a SotN-ish game with the added benefit of having a grappling hook (there aren't enough games where you swing around and fight evil while exploring dark labrynths).  Most of the details are mapped out -- but there are still some issues to work out -- then I have to actually start coding it. 

SOTN + Bionic would be the AWESOMEST thing ever.

I like to think I'm generally a nice guy -- although I do get very anal and stubborn sometimes and can easily turn into a big ass.  Plus I have got to be one of the most opinionated people on the planet -- and I get in weird funks where I just have to argue/debate for hours on end to whoever disagrees with whatever meaningless opinion I splurt out.

We all kinda do that man. Hell, at times I'll debate opinions that are contrasting to my own just for debate's sake. So I think I'm worse in that regard.

Anyway, welcome!

[SonofMog]

Yay Debates...

What??  Introduction??   ???

Oh crap...

'lo all, Name is SonofMog, Sono if you're lazy.

Contributions to the "scene": Minimal.

Love for the "scene": Immense.

Likes: Gaming, reading, writing, gaming, watching movies, trying to make movies, learning various forms of 'net code (I'm watching Nightcrawler do all the work  ), and did I mention gaming??

Dislikes: Fanboys, learning various forms of 'net code, and Emo...

[Ultimate]

"Sono" means Sleepy in Potuguese hahahaha ^^

[SonofMog]

'tis fitting then 

[Disch]

If you start this game and need level designers I'm more than willing to help you out. I've had a similar idea for about two years now but I wouldn't even know where to begin.

Level design is a long time away.  This is the game I wanted to do right -- which means complete all the steps before you press on.  I've been tempted to just start coding something and "work out the details as I go" -- but I've dropped enough projects to know that such an approach generally does not work well.

step 1)  Get a general outline of how you want the game to play, what you want it to be like, and how it will work (done)
step 2)  Arrange and document how it will be set up... and other nitty details such as the file formats used (this is where I am now)
step 3)  Code editors which will be used for working on stuff like levels, items, etc.  Make some basic maps and stuff just for testing out the engine.
step 4)  Code the engine!  (this is the only part that's actually fun -- but it's probably the shortest part except for step 1 ;_;)
step 5)  Once the engine is done, work out general level layout, which items you'll get where, and the general "path" of how to get through the game
step 6)  Touch up editors if needed -- step 3 was more for quick, basic editors --  now you'll actually need fully functioning and 'quality' editors. (big pain in the ass)
step 7)  Level design, music/images/other media generation.  Enemy design... all the "meat" of the game.


That's my plan of attack.  I've been on step 2 for quite a while due to constantly picking up and putting down the project -- and it's really hard for me to just sit still and plan -- though I know how important it is, I never seem to be willing to do it.  Editor development is another area I'm not exactly thrilled to get to -- maybe I'll be able to hit someone up for that when step 6 is needed (if someone else is doing it, it could even be done while I'm doing step 5)

I don't plan on solisciting ANYBODY but editor coders until step 5 is done.  Having an engine and a working game (even with shitty filler graphics) will make it a lot easier to get people on board, and will show them you're serious (and that you want people who are serious).  Until I'm ready to actually show a product, I'm not willing to recruit people.  On top of being just a false and silly lead-on... the fact of the matter is I just can't use anyone yet.

But it's good to know that some people would be interested.  I'd hate to get to step 7 only to find that no one would be willing to make some graphics.  I sure as hell can't draw.  Not the greatest level designer either.

Were you the fella that created the "extended" NSF format? I don't remember.

Yeah.  Although were I to do it over now I'd do it much differently.  But hey, it still works.

Also, was Notso Fatso stand-alone, or a plug-in? And more importantly, can it output in other formats (to put on, say, an mp3 player? That would be hot).

Winamp Plugin.  Winamp can output to whatever format you want.  There's a .wav writer that comes with Winamp itself, and other output plugins to create MP3 / OGG are readily available on their site.

SOTN + Bionic would be the AWESOMEST thing ever.

Totally. 

Hell, at times I'll debate opinions that are contrasting to my own just for debate's sake. So I think I'm worse in that regard.

Up until now I was under the assumption you were the same person on ZMD ...  (wraith_) .. though now I'm not so sure.

Am I mistaken?

But anyway thanks for the warm welcome everyone!

[Dragonsbrethren]

I sure as hell can't draw.  Not the greatest level designer either.

That's my problem too, I suck at graphics and I can't code to save my life, yet I love to make levels. That is why ROM hacking appealed to me so much, you can just pick up an editor have have some levels made in no time, they only thing standing in your way are the limits of the game engine.

I've been trying to do levels for amateur games for a while now, but I'm only really good with platform games and RPGs, most people want 3D maps for their FPS's, which I'm not very good at (I can make a decent layout, it's the details that get to me)

[jasonli]

My turn! Bah!

I'm Jason. I've been around the scene ever since fake screenshots were first released for FFV. I erm... dabbled in romhacking early on, and having failed dismally never touched it again.

I am the founder of RPGd, which was the most popular emulation-translations news site from about 1998 to 2001/2. However, I can only be responsible for starting it - satsu, Kitsune, Neil, Sheex et al were more or less running things by the time we really got popular. Then they left. Poop.

Activity level: checks msgboards once in a while; more so during holidays.

[Gideon Zhi]

Woot, it's gason!

[(wraith)]

Woot, it's gason!

I think we need some custom title action.

[(wraith)]

Disch:

Nah, I'm the same asshole from ZMD... just something about that place brings out the worst in me

[Tintenfisch]

Because your avatar is Ash from Army of darkness, you're just keeping the character alive.

[Gavin]

I'm jumping in a bit late here, but oh well. 

I'm Gavin, a 19 year old programmer/scripter/hacker of sorts, born in New York and living in Illinois (just outside Chicago, in the suburbs). I say "of sorts" mostly due to my inability to finish pretty much any of the projects I start, a terrible habit. Things that I enjoy in no particular order are Montain Dew, electric guitar, Mozilla, reading, the History Channel, cartoons, PHP, coffee, and daring escapes from running automobiles.

I used to be running a two-year old alienware, pretty much the greatest computer I've ever had, that was still a very capable machine for all sorts of developement. Unfortunatly that computer has crashed just a few weeks ago, so I'm reduced to this old ratty laptop on which I'm running the Xubuntu GNU/Linux distribution. Linux in general is alright, I've pretty much gotten used to it by now, although I very much miss my old dual boot Windows XP setup, easy configuration of software, Macromedia Flash (which I hate, but it's necessary) Photoshop (I don't care what you say, GIMP, in relative terms, fucking sucks) which I use for work stuff, and jst the overall badass-ness of my now-defunct computer.

I am attending my second quarter at ITT-Tech and have mixed feelings about the experience. So far I have determined that the teaching style is much more condusive to learning than what i had experienced at community college and the coursework isn't so much "work" as it is "go play with computers" which is great. On the other hand, defining something as "better than community college" can only have so much meaning. Still, I guess we all have to pay for the choices made in the past. At least for the first time in my life I'm getting great grades

In spite of school, I really love to learn new things and talk to new people. Once upon a time I actually had a real life, but now I'm pretty much full out nerd/geek/dork.

I've been into romhacking for a few years now, although I don't put out much, I mostly just poke around in roms and see what I can break. NES dev has always interested me, I just never find the motivation to work on any of those projects.

I enjoy a variety of music, mostly some sort of classic rock and a mixture of video game music.

I guess that's pretty much it. *shrugs*

[Dragonsbrethren]

(I don't care what you say, GIMP, in relative terms, fucking sucks)

Truer words have never been spoken...

[Dan]

I'm Dan, a 23 year old programmer/hacker (less hacker nowadays). I live over in good old Northern Ireland, and I work as an ASP .net developer for the education department here.

I've wrote a good few utilities in the past, but lately I'm in a complete slump and haven't released anything of note in what feels like two years. 

Not much else to say really. I like vodka. Goldschlager is quite nice too, but I've only tried that a few times.

That's it really.