phil235 - Coding Application

[phil235]

Byond ID:
- phil235

Age:
- 26

Gender:
- Male

How would you define yourself? (Coder, Mapper, Spriter):
- Coder

If Coder, what languages?
- Just DM.

Any previous experience developing with SS13?
- I coded for tgstation for three years, two of which as a maintainer.

Proof of any previous or current work:
- https://github.com/tgstation/tgstation/ ... %3Aphil235

How well do you know Git?
- I really just know how to push and pull.

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)
- Yes

Anything else you'd like to add?
- I've been playing this game for four years but only started to play on CM recently. I'd like to contribute, mostly fixing bugs.

[forwardslashN]

Thank you for your interest. Looks like you know your way around a refactor, which is a very useful skill to have when you're working with older Baycode. I'm not overly familiar with you though; do you tend to play on U.S. timezones? What got you interested in CM, and do you think you'd be interested in being around longer-term? If you were given an opportunity to fix some bugs, what would you fix first? What bothers you the most about the CM gameplay, and what would be one way to change it? Finally, favorite alien caste, least favorite alien caste?

[phil235]

do you tend to play on U.S. timezones?

I play on CEST timezone.

What got you interested in CM, and do you think you'd be interested in being around longer-term?

I think I like the fact that there's both more combat and some codified RP in the gamemode (mandatory briefing, a strict chain of command). I've mostly played on tg but I actually discovered ss13 with baystation. I see myself continuing playing on CM during the next few months at least.

If you were given an opportunity to fix some bugs, what would you fix first? What bothers you the most about the CM gameplay, and what would be one way to change it?

I'd probably start with easy fixes to get used to the codebase, things I've already noticed while playing like dropship landmark objects on the Sulaco being shown when rightclicking certain turfs (I found one in medbay entrance). What bothers me most is the general lagginess and many missing quality of life changes like not having to click the actual tiny cigarette sprite to get it out of a storage instead of clicking anywhere in the storage square. That can be fixed by adding/removing a clickable transparent overlay to the item when stored/removed from storage. CM could really use more user friendliness in its UI.

Finally, favorite alien caste, least favorite alien caste?

I haven't played all alien castes yet, but I'd say sentinel and its evolutions, because I suck at pouncing on marines.

[Rahlzel]

That can be fixed by adding/removing a clickable transparent overlay to the item when stored/removed from storage. CM could really use more user friendliness in its UI.

This seems like such a simple change, but I imagine it's quite revolutionary. Personally I'm so used to having to click on a tiny pixel to pick up a small object. I hadn't even considered this a possibility since it feels like SS13 has been this way for years.

Apophis is away on vacation and will return on April 5th. I'll link this to him.

Thanks for checking us out.

[Feweh]

Byond ID:
- phil235

Age:
- 26

Gender:
- Male

How would you define yourself? (Coder, Mapper, Spriter):
- Coder

If Coder, what languages?
- Just DM.

Any previous experience developing with SS13?
- I coded for tgstation for three years, two of which as a maintainer.

Proof of any previous or current work:
- https://github.com/tgstation/tgstation/ ... %3Aphil235

How well do you know Git?
- I really just know how to push and pull.

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)
- Yes

Anything else you'd like to add?
- I've been playing this game for four years but only started to play on CM recently. I'd like to contribute, mostly fixing bugs.

Just out of curiosity, whats your favorite feature about CM and your least favorite? ie; Rules, Mechanics, Features, Staff etc

[phil235]

Just out of curiosity, whats your favorite feature about CM and your least favorite? ie; Rules, Mechanics, Features, Staff etc

Favorite feature specific to CM? Probably ship hijack and crashing on Sulaco, it always creates an intense moment for all players involved. Despite the heavy lag spike it causes, it's really worth it. The spike might actually make it a more dramatic event.

Worst one, hmm, depends what you count as feature, I guess if we stick to purely intended stuff that's somewhat specific to CM, I'd say the reliance on macro (and accepting it as a normal recommended thing) to be effective with certain weapon/tactics. I think it really creates a divide between the players that are savvy enough to set macros and the others.

[apophis775]

How do feel about us working as a closed-source server?

[phil235]

How do feel about us working as a closed-source server?

I don't really have any strong opinion on closed or open source servers, as long as the coding team is friendly and serious it's fine by me.
Being able to help tg players become DM coders that help the community was nice, but the inherent organisational mess is really a pain. Having to sort through and address PRs and comments on github from bad coders and people with terrible attitudes (but rarely enough to justify kicking them out of an open source project) was the bane of my volunteer work for tg. That's why I'm attracted to a more structured system, a bit more detached from the player community unfortunately but far less bullshit to deal with.

[Feweh]

I don't really have any strong opinion on closed or open source servers, as long as the coding team is friendly and serious it's fine by me.
Being able to help tg players become DM coders that help the community was nice, but the inherent organisational mess is really a pain. Having to sort through and address PRs and comments on github from bad coders and people with terrible attitudes (but rarely enough to justify kicking them out of an open source project) was the bane of my volunteer work for tg. That's why I'm attracted to a more structured system, a bit more detached from the player community unfortunately but far less bullshit to deal with.

Youd probably fit in really well then, we're a bit more orgabised DEV wise with generally a clear goal and weekly dev meetings.

[apophis775]

Like feweh said, we are more organized.

We have a trello, weekly dev meetings, and a very secure git lab (not github). Progress waxes and wanes depending on the time of the school year, but we generally have a good amount of forward momentum.

What are you expecting to want to focus working on if you join us?

And sorry for all the questions, but we usually converse alot with potential new staff to make sure they'll work well with us.

[phil235]

What are you expecting to want to focus working on if you join us?

I'll probably focus on refactoring the older code (pretty much the same stuff I was handling on tg) and fixing bugs. I already have my own personal quick list of bugs I encountered while playing (mostly stuff I know are very easy to fix). I also have in mind to discuss some suggestions I'd like to code and implement, mainly some quality of life and UI concepts that are present on some other ss13 servers. But I'm perfectly willing to focus on specific code assignments if there's a pressing need somewhere.

[Feweh]

I'll probably focus on refactoring the older code (pretty much the same stuff I was handling on tg) and fixing bugs. I already have my own personal quick list of bugs I encountered while playing (mostly stuff I know are very easy to fix). I also have in mind to discuss some suggestions I'd like to code and implement, mainly some quality of life and UI concepts that are present on some other ss13 servers. But I'm perfectly willing to focus on specific code assignments if there's a pressing need somewhere.

Wed like to reduce a lot of our rules with mechanics, which seems like something youd be able to tackle with quality of life.

Eitherway, you come across as highly competent and host chat said you were reliable.

[apophis775]

Ok, these will be my last questions, I swear. Probably.

What do you think was the most difficult bug you fixed or feature you added, and can you provide the PR?



Also, what was your favorite bug that you fixed or feature you added, and can you provide the PR?



I'm wondering so I can get a view of what you view as some of your best work specifically. I looked through a LOT of the PRs you did on /tg/ and I was wondering what your view was on some of them.

[phil235]

I did a lot of PRs so I don't remember the older ones a lot, I'll search the whole PR list to refresh my memory.

Ok, these will be my last questions, I swear. Probably.
What do you think was the most difficult bug you fixed or feature you added, and can you provide the PR?

Hmm, hard to say. I think I'll go with fixing monkeys not having dna and generally fixing dna code in this rework of DNA. I had to figure out that I needed to move the initialization of genetic mutations (randomized each round so geneticists can't simply learn which dna block is which mutation) before the initialization of the monkeys on the map(see here and here), because those monkeys tried to build their dna but couldn't set their dna block for the MONKEY mutation to ON. This issue was probably the reason why monkeys were never given dna in the first place (the code was specifically making them fail check_dna_integrity() ). That and the general dna code that was a pain to rework, given how so many procs and variables had very similar names.

Or maybe the Life/Vision Refactor, specifically having to deal with various fullscreen visual effects for mobs being able to work together as intended, such as not having thermal vision when looking through a camera while wearing thermal goggles, or not seeing objects and mobs when crawling through gas pipes unless you have thermal vision. And with the removal of constant vision update in Life() I had to make all manual changes of a mob's loc in the code to use the forceMove() proc to correctly update the mob's vision whenever we left/entered an object that may alter our vision.

I think generally the hardest bugs to fix were the ones that were tied to bigger systems. I plan on fixing a specific bug, and I end up having to understand and refactor a huge chunk of the code not because I wanted to but because it's the only path to fixing the bug. I never planned to refactor dna, I was just trying to make dna work for all carbon mobs to fix monkey dna. I never wanted to refactor vision entirely, all I wanted was to remove this silly line (and the tinttotal var) from human/Life().

Also, what was your favorite bug that you fixed or feature you added, and can you provide the PR?

My favorite feature is probably changing mechs to use action buttons instead of object verbs and that horrible mech window, the addition of two alerts for battery and damage level, and the addition of a button to cycle equipment/weapons, it makes combat mechs far more efficient.
But if you want a real "feature", I'd have to go with my my cooking overhaul, which is pretty much my only work that I'd consider a feature. Adding customizable food, to add fun and diversity, and having to use the chef knife and rolling pin for a more real chef experience was nice. But I'm particularily proud of remaking cooking to not force the player to have the wiki always open and make the process far more intuitive, AND AT THE SAME TIME having the new system use the tablecraft system that at the time was rarely used and unknown to a lot of players because of all its applications being niches, so my change made the system more well known (and explained in the new cooking manual). That was a nice "two birds with one stone" kind of moment for me.

[Steelpoint]

For what little its worth, I think phil235 is a pretty good coder from my experiences with seeing his changes over on /tg/station.

While yes, he has had his fare share of "controversial" changes to /tg/ (which honestly are only really controversial due to the open source nature of how /tg/ is developed). But he's made a lot of good contributions to the code which can easily be seen on /tg/'s github (His changes for reference: https://github.com/tgstation/tgstation/ ... %3Aphil235)

The most memorable change I can recall phil235 did was bringing Dismemberment over to /tg/. Which was a major change to the game and a positive once, when the kinks were ironed out.