While I was going through a bunch of my old bookmarks, I ran across the (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/webboard/Forum9/HTML/001110.html")110 Commandments of Plug Making(/url) thread. With the current increase in new developers, I think it is a good time to create an updated version.
To start out, here are 36 of the ones I felt were most important from the original one (Shortened and mixed together)
Pre-Development Phase:
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Learn the trade first!
You can get plenty of experience by offering to proof read other people's plugins, beta-testing and carefully examining (with ResEdit, NovaTools, MissionComputer, or EVONE) the techniques of the plugins you like most. Do a small plug-in or two for experience before you begin your big project. Just don't hype it or, if it is really terrible, even distribute it. -
Practice make perfect.
It is a good idea to do a small plug-in or two for experience before you begin your big project. Just don't hype it or, if it is really terrible, even distribute it -
Either develop alone or keep your team small.
There is a long history of plugins being developed by dream-teams of legendary players all the way back to the SchmeltaV plugin. Very seldom do these meet the light of day. It's harder to keep a big team working together and focussed than a small team. Never work in a team of more than two. If you have a team, make SURE they are loyal. -
Don't join some hot new project just to get your name on it if you know that you cannot keep up with the commitment. Miracles don't happen.
Development Phase:
5) Organize.
Before actual development begins , assemble a folder of resources you already have such as the odd ship graphic or mission that you want to use. If you have everything you want in one place, then things become a lot easier.
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Plan things out.
Detail a Rough outline of exactly what you plan on doing. Keeping something like this close at hand will let you focus on making your plug, but it wont limit you to doing just that. -
Go the extra mile.
Do something that hasn't done in a plug before. This will attract people to it once it's released. -
Basic Order of Resource Editing
1.Governments (gövt)
2.Outfits (oütf)
3.Weapons (wëap)
4.Ships (shďp)
5.Dudes (düde)
6.Systems (s˙st)
7.Planets (spö
8.Missions (mďsn)
9.Other resources, such as Map Graphics (nëbu), News info (oöps), Special Commodities (jünk), fleets (flët), persons (përs), ranks (ränk), crons (crön), and interfaces (ďntf).
These are organized by dependencies each resource has on others, such as you need weapons, so you can complete ships, and you need ships so you can complete dudes. And dudes to go into systems. Planets after systems because each planet needs a system, but systems don't necesarily need a planet. And so on. You don't need to stick entirely to this, Sometimes its also helpful after you've created your governments, to do all the systems and ships for one particular government. It depends on your plug.
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Divide and Conquer.
Finish the stuff for one government before moving on to the next. -
Don't use EV-Edit.
Despite what anyone says, there are other bug free utilities (MissionComputer, EVONE) out there that cover most of the more complex resources. And remember, the easier road is not always the best one. -
Try to put new, non EV/O/N sounds and graphics in. People really like that.
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If you can, do the graphics yourself.
It'll help keep your vision in focus a bit more. Plus, dealing with graphics artists and trying to get things done isn't always easy. -
Don't mix angled and top down graphics. Ever.
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Don't make the AI enemy too strong for the game. Quantumire is a perfect example of this. I reckon I have tried to play that plug 20 or 30 times but give it away in disgust every time after about 3 or 4 hours of getting killed every time I try to travel between systems. There are better things to life than restarting a dead pilot
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When making missions, try not to make them repetative!!
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Ask the Wise Ones.
Don't ever be afraid (or too arrogant) to ask someone else who has already done a successful TC to give you some helpful advice. They've gone through whatever you're going through in making their masterpiece, and are the next best thing to an encyclopedia on the subject for TC making advice. -
Focus focus focus.
Don't worry about websites or advertisements until your plug is really ready. I've seen tons of plugs that have looked great (with their catchy advertisements and cool sites) only to be disapointed when I see that they've become vapourware. -
Time is of the Essence.
It is also pain in the ass when developing plugs. Before you set about doing something like a TC, you have to know "your" time. Plan far, far in advance. Respect the clock. In other words, don't plan on making a TC in a weekend, as many others have failed to do. You must remember that what you are essentially doing is making a new game, and that something like that takes alot of time.
Testing Phase:
19) Back up frequently!
The number of people on this board and its predecessors who said 'XX plugin is now delayed/cancelled because my hard disk died last week and I didn't make a backup'
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Spell check!
Spelling which is (ahem) 'non-standard' is the mark of a shoddy plugin. There are utilities out there to export all your files to text and reimport when you've spell-checked them. -
Grammar.
Make sure you have correct grammar, and for cryin' out loud check all the "your"s, poeple often forget the 'r' (i speak from expeiriance, as well as observation) -
Bug check!
Although it's not updated to EVO 1.0.2, Plug Checker is still a must-have for ironing out all the bugs that will cause EV/EVO to crash don't leave it to your beta team to find them, they will hate you for it. For EVN, use debuglog.txt to root out your bugs. (Smaller the list, smaller your problems) -
Have a big map of your universe somewhere easily acseible (you wall, the desk next to you computer screen, in front of the toilet for those working with laptops etc...) so you don't get confused as to where you are sending the player. The more systems you have, the more important this can be.
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Beta test!
With beta testing, the larger the team them better if they're committed to working with you. Make it very clear at the start what the deadlines will be and what kind of commitment you're looking for. -
Listen to the feedback.
You will get stuff back from people. Listen to them. Great, you like it, but does anyone else? Even after you release it, listen to feedback with a view to implementing the suggestions in further releases. Dont sit on a V1 release and say 'Im finished'. That's not to say that you should redevelop it ad infinitum. Just be sensible with it. -
Beta testers are only human.
They may get confused about missions, and maybe not understand why something doesn't work, when they infact blocked it using a failbit, or did an opposing mission that keeps the one they want from working. be sure to check over they're suggestions, and maybe improve the descs to make your point more obvius before you go and re-structure your game.
Publicity Phase:
27) Don't hype too early!
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Be There.
One thing players can't stand is someone who comes around yelling "TC of the Year", get peoples mouths watering, then vanishes into thin air. If you believe that you have to announce a year and a half ahead of time that you're making a killer plug, then have the decency to keep people informed about it. A simple website with a progress report usually does the trick. -
Announce Wisely.
Far to many times a week or so, I see people saying "ATTN: My First TC", which would be okay if they had even the slightest evidence of this. Many of these people don't even have a set name for said plug-in. What am I getting at, you say? Basically, don't announce a "TC" as soon as the idea pops into your head. Especially if you're new to the process. At this time, there are perhaps dozens or even hundreds of such announcements, many of them now defunct. (95% of large plugs become vaporware this way)
If you're making a big plug, start making it and feel your way around it. See if you have the patience, time, and resources. Get all the software you need. Start writing a couple of mission plugs for you to play by yourself, and even send them to others to test the idea. Do a ship. Do an outfit. Do some missions. Do a website. Most important of all, before you annouce a TC, DO SOMETHING, or else you're just blowing air.
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Website.
A website will add a professional air to your plug and a place where people can find out about the plug before they download. It will persuede people to download it if they like what they see in screenshots. If I had to choose between a TC with a website offering screenshots and plot information, and a plug that has fck all, then it's obvious which one I would choose -
Oops!
Just before releasing it, build up a lot of anticipation and hype. "Accidental" beta-tester-info-leakage works like a charm.
Release Phase:
32) Documentation.
When you eventually write it, for God's sake include some decent documentation. I have lost track of software that I've been sent where the documentation consists of 'This is an addition for -game-'. Yeah great, just not very helpful. The documentation that came with EV:O was useful.. plus it gave you a damn good insight into the game.
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Documentation (Part II).
Don't make it spoil the game. It's nice to have a bit of background to the story, or even a -lot- of background to the story, but it's no damn good if it tells you exactly what happens in the plug. -
Release when perfect
Nothing will destroy the credibility of your plug-in (and your name as a developer) than releasing bug-ridden software. People will hate you for it, ignoring the thousands of hours you put into it. Get the bugs out before you leave beta. -
Give your plugin a brilliant write up
When you upload your bug-free, innovative and scintillating plugin onto the add-ons page, which write up do you think will get people downloading?
i) "PowerMagick is a blistering blend of galactic piracy and old evil, set in the decaying days of the Last Alliance. With seventy-two new missions, dozens of ships and outfits, and a new take on the EVO map, PowerMagick will leave you stunned and speechless and, dare we say it, spell bound."
ii) "PM (short for PowerMagick, the name of my plugin) is my first plugin for EV. It includes some new weapons and new ships and there are missions. Sorry I've had to alter the EVO universe a bit. Does anyone know how to do VisBits?"
Post-Release Phase:
36) Support it.
A newly released plugin is like a new-born baby: it has to be cared for and supported. If you get bug reports, release bug fixes. If people email you for advice, reply the same day. If people curse you on the web-board (and they will, either because your plugin has bugs, or because they are about to release their own plugin and see you as 'competition') then reply courteously and promptly.
If anyone has anything to add to this, please do.
(Credit goes to the original authors of these commandments, written in the link above)
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Captain Z - Mobile Operations Commander of the (url="http://"http://www.literatureclassics.com/68kmla")68K Macintosh Liberation Army(/url)
32 68K Macintoshes Liberated
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(url="http://"http://homepage.mac.com/captainz")Captain Z's New and Improved Starbase of EV Stuff(/url)
