Desolane900 - Mapper Application

[Desolane900]

Byond ID: desolane900

Age: 20

Gender: Male

How would you define yourself? (Coder, Mapper, Spriter): Mapper with very basic coding experience and knowledge of dmi workings.

If Coder, what languages? dm

Any previous experience developing with SS13?

Did some freelance work for FTL13 by making a map for them but found the input from their side to be vague and disorganized so I decided not to try and further any relationship or even attempt to join their team. After speaking with a member of the team, this was the usual behavior, though I hold no ill will for any of their team nor their project.

Worked on a WW1 server for a period of roughly 8-9 months, over the course starting with simple mapping, moving into managing the team on top of those duties, then sliding to the position of Host/Developmental Leader, which ended with me leaving for OSUT in the Army and the team breaking down without leadership. I made a few maps but code restraints choked the entire project to a dead halt and, truthfully speaking, I couldn't find the free time nor the motivation to continue on such a big endeavor as managing a project, dealing with the accounting of the project, mapping for the project, managing the team and looking for new members, and spearheading development all rolled into one.

Did some very minor work on a Metro Last Light server that I don't know the livelihood of at the moment where I basically just helped the host in planning the map itself though I found the project to be a bit too small and thought work done on it would end up unused so I had to discontinue work.

Proof of any previous or current work: See work below.

► Show Spoiler

From most recent to older, I have several youtube videos of myself making maps:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEQYdJX4i74
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9Tgz8c0cj0&t=881s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DfbLrC942k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWCuqZa7W5M&t=684s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVVMDELC5Hw&t=416s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWGZmknxU-0&t=544s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmscCioBKsA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9E3lDxjKyzM&t=814s

► Show Spoiler

Some pictures of older work done:

The shell of a spawn bunker from WW1 on Z level 4/5: https://gyazo.com/039418aa180c1efb4ebfe424032e6689
The tunnel systems that would have been under the trenches on Z level 3, allowing players to dig to the other side: https://gyazo.com/dd4afd183a7d9ec239e54ce9c7a11475
Shell of a kitchen/cafeteria with additional storage room and the shell of a bunk room that would hold 14 spawn points on Z level 2: https://gyazo.com/f7239a7cb9113a3278de82f6fe8065d0
The trench systems made on Z level 2: https://gyazo.com/909b053e4a6aa84ef7ca3e6b9ced3c34
A bombed patch of grass on top of a bunk room, Z level 1: https://gyazo.com/60866b9602707d9fc33d09a2d335f401
Dead trees and craters in a patch of grass above a different bunk room, Z level 1: https://gyazo.com/5b69920155e24a1845a08f5d2a3f9b75
Web of connecting trenches leading to the edge of No Man's Land shown in green, Z level 1: https://gyazo.com/2b26be1a89bd31b5f07a18608ddd7752

The map featured above is sized at 180x340x5 and was designed as a vertically based TDM, hence the Y scale being so much bigger than the X level.
The map was to include a surface level, Z1, where most combat would take place, No Man's Land.
The second Z level, Z2, was the interior of the trench system and was to include hospitals, kitchens, a command bunker, artillery positions, and spawning.
Z3 was the tunnel system where players would dig their own warzone each round, as well as move to the other side of the map from below where they could flank their enemy.
Z levels 4 and 5 were the bunkers where players would spawn into the round and equip their loadout, which also contained a basic training course where players could utilize the trench system in a safer environment, as well as a range where they could test out the weapon they chose. Players would then board a train and wake from a dream sequence in a bunk chosen through RNG on their side of the map in one of the bunk rooms, hence why the number was important.

Southern spawn bunker built inside of a mountain that would stop players from going South: https://gyazo.com/cd954f6c8d45e23081e20f5d1aa92dac
The Southern trench face of No Man's Land: https://gyazo.com/1c7920dbcf5555226e9daea8e52dd520
The Northern trench face of No Man's Land: https://gyazo.com/6bdd1fe284dc11c232e549e523ce3c29
Northern trenches: https://gyazo.com/92808932e8a19db5ad7bbd86bacb7ea0
Southern trenches: https://gyazo.com/765aa754f4a8157635da051a11740d8b
Northern spawn room which was built on a field of grass, players are discouraged from continuing North via barbed wire: https://gyazo.com/e2594b267a5e1ff36e58be0ab802a232

The map above is 70x130x1 and was to be used to run test runs of assets and observing how players would play the game so developmental action could be taken to build more around how the players played and not how we specifically wanted them to play, ie, more fighting happening in the trenches than No Man's Land.

Essentially a very dumbed down version of the game that was in development on the much larger map seen above, this compressed version was the closest my project came to being playable. Mice were to be changed to much meaner looking rats and dirt mounds seen between trenches were to be changed to sandbags with included machine gun nests. No Man's Land was intended to be filled with mines that were randomly placed through landmarks, and the entire map was covered in a singular area that gave the map gravity, air, and a small level of light so people could see, the area was coded by myself which can be seen here: https://gyazo.com/0cde399c61594f32f242c8b0660e999e (as I said, I know the basics of coding. Most if not all the turf was coded by myself to include density, opacity, and anchorage specifically when respectively needed.)

How well do you know Git? I'd call my experience level intermediate. Enough to push, pull, merge, fork, so on so forth, though definitely not a complete master of it.

Your primary job is server development, not policing the server. You may be given Moderator-level of access but you should *not* be invoking any administrative actions unless there are no moderators or Admins online. Do you understand? (Yes/No) Of course.

Anything else you'd like to add?

I know my history on this server has been colorful, to use a much less offensive word than I could think of others using, but it's one of the few places I actually enjoyed being a part of and watching it grow to what it has today over the course of several years only makes me want to contribute to the project itself more than ever. I can fully understand if I get a simple "No because you're a cunt." but this is one of those posts where I poured some dedication and heart into it and I honestly hope someone can look at the intent and experience over the butchered history. I can honestly guarantee that my presence on the team would be as noninvasive as humanly possible and I would follow instructions to the dot. I'm not making this to try and get in only to stir shit and cause drama and I wouldn't allow myself to let any disputes or opinions on anyone influence a work ethic that would be more beneficial focused on the project.

If anyone requires any further information whether it be on mapping or myself, I encourage you to ask. The more information I can provide, the better.

[Snypehunter007]

snip

So, no offence intended, but a lot of the stuff I'm seeing (at least in the pictures, not the videos) it is very empty, the rest of the pictures are environmental pictures. Without real context in the actual map, even with your descriptions of what the buildings are, I can't see the intended purpose for the buildings.

Are they incomplete due to having to leave for the army or what?

On another hand, I'm kinda worried about your attitude. I was a mod when you were originally very active and I saw the behavior and while I believe many people can change, what real reason should we have to hire you with your previous behavior?

[Desolane900]

So, no offence intended, but a lot of the stuff I'm seeing (at least in the pictures, not the videos) it is very empty, the rest of the pictures are environmental pictures. Without real context in the actual map, even with your descriptions of what the buildings are, I can't see the intended purpose for the buildings.

Are they incomplete due to having to leave for the army or what?

On another hand, I'm kinda worried about your attitude. I was a mod when you were originally very active and I saw the behavior and while I believe many people can change, what real reason should we have to hire you with your previous behavior?

The empty space is due to a lack of assets, sprites and most notably, code. As I said, I know enough to take a png someone hands me and turn it into turf code so the environment was easy to put in on my part.

The behavioral problems are going to be a huge disadvantage for me and I was well aware of this the moment I started sticking my nose in this thread. I'm going to tell you the cold cut truth of the matter. Since my return from OSUT I've been keeping myself at a distance from CM to a large extent out of simple fear of slipping up and it being seen as intentional on my end. The truth is that nobody here has any concrete evidence that they or I could dig up and put down and say "There I've changed." And it's very easy to look at any would be slip in attention and give harsh punishment with the usual "He hasn't changed one bit." that I always seem to get tossed in my face. The only thing I can give you is my word and that's worth as much value as one gives it. I'd like to think my time in service so far has pounded a bit of integrity in me enough to know that my word is worth alot to me but as you said, you people know me and no sappy kiss ups or drawn out speeches are going to fix my mistakes. While I'm sorry for what I've done here in this community, this isn't kindergarten and "sorry" doesn't quite cut it. Just know that with all the integrity and honor I can manage to convey over a forum post that I have no intention of forgetting the leash I'm on and the respect I owe the staff of this community for putting up with my bullshit for so long and opting to keep me around.

[Nicboone]

When I first got accepted as a dev, and we did a lot of the initial changes, you did/said a lot of things that were incredibly toxic and mean about the community, staff, and devs. You are right that its going to be hard for you to prove that you changed. that shit is hard to do in the real world, face to face. Harder when you are on a forum. But that shit is especially hard when you need to prove it to a team of people who need to rely on you NOT being that way.

Right now, I think its fair to say that you have been participating enough in the game and community [to my knowledge WITHOUT being super toxic], that you are just starting to regain some of that trust. We really dont enjoy having to remove people from the game or the community- we simply end up getting forced to, in order to protect the integrity of the game. as long as you keep improving and following the rules, keeping you around makes us happy.

That said, I want you, and my fellow devteam members to know that I dont think you are ready for this. In AT LEAST a few ways.

1. your toxic shit wasnt even a year ago. the dev members you insulted are STILL here. I dont speak for them, but working with someone you know thinks so little of you sucks.

2. your maps are super empty. I know its because of your lack of assets, and working with a lot of other stuff that didnt have a whole lot of support, but we need you to be self sufficient enough to at least learn enough to place things around as placeholders. We dont have time, and cant teach potential devs to do their job. We are voulenteers, and that would mean losing time to create assets for you to MAYBE contribute.

3. I think that you need some time to build. You are right that people can change. I firmly believe that they can. But we are a small team and require a lot of trust in each other. We need to know we arent security risks [not leaking assets/code], that we can get the job done, attend weekly meetings, keep development a surprise for the community, and most importantly that we can ADD to the integrity of the team. It isnt simply enough to just do your job and keep your head down. Being a part of a team means, in some ways, being a public face here. Anything you said, will say, or have done in game [here or any other server] will end up representing our team as a whole. The barrier to entry is high here because we need to ensure that integrity of security, social structure, and trust. You are still regaining that as a community member. I think you are just going to have to prove it by maintaining this over time, on this and every other server. Use this time to make a better mapping portfolio for us as well.

the person you were is always going to be around, and the only way to show everyone who you really are, is to self actualize and stay as the person you want to be for longer, while also owning up to those failures. I wish you the best of luck on this task, hope to see you apply again in the future when you really do get around to it, but I dont think i am at all prepared to +1 you yet.

[Desolane900]

When I first got accepted as a dev, and we did a lot of the initial changes, you did/said a lot of things that were incredibly toxic and mean about the community, staff, and devs. You are right that its going to be hard for you to prove that you changed. that shit is hard to do in the real world, face to face. Harder when you are on a forum. But that shit is especially hard when you need to prove it to a team of people who need to rely on you NOT being that way.

Right now, I think its fair to say that you have been participating enough in the game and community [to my knowledge WITHOUT being super toxic], that you are just starting to regain some of that trust. We really dont enjoy having to remove people from the game or the community- we simply end up getting forced to, in order to protect the integrity of the game. as long as you keep improving and following the rules, keeping you around makes us happy.

That said, I want you, and my fellow devteam members to know that I dont think you are ready for this. In AT LEAST a few ways.

1. your toxic shit wasnt even a year ago. the dev members you insulted are STILL here. I dont speak for them, but working with someone you know thinks so little of you sucks.

2. your maps are super empty. I know its because of your lack of assets, and working with a lot of other stuff that didnt have a whole lot of support, but we need you to be self sufficient enough to at least learn enough to place things around as placeholders. We dont have time, and cant teach potential devs to do their job. We are voulenteers, and that would mean losing time to create assets for you to MAYBE contribute.

3. I think that you need some time to build. You are right that people can change. I firmly believe that they can. But we are a small team and require a lot of trust in each other. We need to know we arent security risks [not leaking assets/code], that we can get the job done, attend weekly meetings, keep development a surprise for the community, and most importantly that we can ADD to the integrity of the team. It isnt simply enough to just do your job and keep your head down. Being a part of a team means, in some ways, being a public face here. Anything you said, will say, or have done in game [here or any other server] will end up representing our team as a whole. The barrier to entry is high here because we need to ensure that integrity of security, social structure, and trust. You are still regaining that as a community member. I think you are just going to have to prove it by maintaining this over time, on this and every other server. Use this time to make a better mapping portfolio for us as well.

the person you were is always going to be around, and the only way to show everyone who you really are, is to self actualize and stay as the person you want to be for longer, while also owning up to those failures. I wish you the best of luck on this task, hope to see you apply again in the future when you really do get around to it, but I dont think i am at all prepared to +1 you yet.

First off, I'm glad you voiced your concerns as it gives me an opportunity to explain things/defend myself, so thank you. I honestly understand where you're coming from and I'm more than a little relieved to hear that I'm starting to show improvement atleast to someone.

Addressing the points you raised, on number one, the only person I honest to god had a personal problem with was Arturous, and I apologized for dragging out a personal problem into the open like that to Feweh, though I should have been more public in it in hindsight, he was the one who issued my ban for the incident, which he had every right to do.

On the second point, I have experience mapping and when I did it for my project the placeholders were more in my head than on paper as I had a lot of passion for the project and held onto ideas that suited it. Placeholders, for me personally, just get in the way or are distracting, especially when I have things how I want them in my head and visibly seeing them fold into fruition is more satisfying than looking at something that signifies what isn't there and should be. And I fully agree that this isn't the type of project that newer developers should be looking to join and then needing to learn how to work with what they've got.

Addressing your third point, the WW1 project I was working on was actually working with GPL code so I understand the security concerns completely as that isn't something people just hand out. The only issues that would come up as time constraints would be if a dev meeting falls on a day that I either drill or during a time when I would otherwise be deployed, which I'd be glad to give whoever is in charge of those or even the team as a whole my schedule that I have for the year. In the time I spent as a host of a project, I kept the community active and growing despite the slow pace of development and nobody on the team nor the community had any concerns with how I treated people or chose not to voice it if they did. If you'd like, I can add a discord link if anyone would like to go to the server and ask about my time there or read message history. So I am prepared with being the face of a team, though I'd try to avoid it here until I'd get more situated and comfortable in the environment. I fully understand the value of PR work and dealing with an expectant community without letting things slip and maintaining security.

As I said, I know my behavior is going to be a fighting point to stand on and I really do hope to look past the history and actually contribute for a change.

[slc97]

I don't dislike the idea of you as a mapper, but I do think I'd prefer to see you take like a mentor position to integrate yourself with staff and learn how to work within out organizational culture before taking on such an important position. It's not my decision to make of course, but that is a recommendation I would make in this case.

[Desolane900]

I don't dislike the idea of you as a mapper, but I do think I'd prefer to see you take like a mentor position to integrate yourself with staff and learn how to work within out organizational culture before taking on such an important position. It's not my decision to make of course, but that is a recommendation I would make in this case.

I'm by no means against the idea of getting my foot in the door to show potential and grow on that position. Thank you for the input man. It does make sense to get acclimated to the work environment before putting any major changes in.

[Feweh]

I don't dislike the idea of you as a mapper, but I do think I'd prefer to see you take like a mentor position to integrate yourself with staff and learn how to work within out organizational culture before taking on such an important position. It's not my decision to make of course, but that is a recommendation I would make in this case.

^

With that said, you barely have enough activity in-game to qualify as a mentor.

[Desolane900]

With that said, you barely have enough activity in-game to qualify as a mentor.

Roughly how much activity does it require?

[Feweh]

Roughly how much activity does it require?

Like I've seen you once in-game in the last week and I've been on every night.

[Desolane900]

Like I've seen you once in-game in the last week and I've been on every night.

One of the side effects of trying to make a gap as to not unintentionally get in any trouble. Though I have been on more than once this week and I've grown accustomed to the changes made in my absence. The server has definitely grown alot since I've last been around.

[Snypehunter007]

Just placing walls and a few structures doesn't really constitute mapping but I don't think that should be fully the deciding factor, if you were given a mapping test and showed some decent mapping then that would be alright.

I think feweh's point of playing more frequently is important, if you don't play much then you don't get to experience the gameplay that your changes make and it sort of negates the entire point of being on a dev team.

TBH, //most// of us don't play very often, or at least, it depends on the person. Mappers don't really need to be too up to date on the gameplay experience.

[Desolane900]

TBH, //most// of us don't play very often, or at least, it depends on the person. Mappers don't really need to be too up to date on the gameplay experience.

Not even counting the fact that he's more talking about activity than playtime since I've been here for years.

[apophis775]

Don't you have a pretty crazy note history?

[Desolane900]

Don't you have a pretty crazy note history?

Unfortunately, yes. I can't go back and fix my mistakes as much as I'd like to. All I can do is push forward away from that kind of behavior and hope that I can show my intentions through my actions and behavior.

[apophis775]

OH WAIT, Don't you run the WWII server or Something along those lines?

[Westhybrid]

OH WAIT, Don't you run the WWII server or Something along those lines?

You can delete this, was just checking in, but to answer your question, no I don't think that's Desolane. You're thinking of TeknoKot.

[Desolane900]

OH WAIT, Don't you run the WWII server or Something along those lines?

I don't currently run any server though for a period I was the host of WW1.

[Bmc777]

I'm going to be blunt here. Our development team is very close-knit. We all treat each other with respect, and must be able to behave appropriately, and in a mature and professional manner. Due to your past history on the server, I have very little confidence that you can behave in a manner that is conductive to a team environment.

I see that you have acknowledged your past mistakes, and that you have decided to make changes where needed. That's good for you, you should be proud of yourself for wanting to better yourself, not many people do that.

Regardless of promises of change, I am denying your application. Keep active on the server, keep your notes clean. In four month's time, if you'd like to apply again, we'll be happy to re-assess and will hold you accountable only for the past four months, assuming you are actively playing during that time.