RavingManiac's Coder/Mapper Application

[RavingManiac]

My first application ended up being...forgotten, so here goes again

Byond ID
RavingManiac

Age
21

How would you define yourself? (Coder, Mapper, Spriter)
Coder and mapper

If Coder, what languages?
C, Perl. Most of my experience has been with BYOND

Any previous experience developing with SS13?
Have coded for tg station and Baystation 12

Proof of any previous or current work:
Inflatable barriers
Supply and scrubber pipes running in parallel
That floaty effect when you step into space
Breakable airlocks
Baystation's thermoelectric supermatter engine
Binoculars, sniper scopes in their current form
Capacity-based storage

How well do you know Git?
Well enough to make pull-requests

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?
There are a number of features I'd like to help add to the server. Namely:
- Displaying squad member lists to marines in the status screen (not neccessarily including status or location)
- Bullet-hole overlays for walls and windows when shot
- Time indicator for all marines
- Breakable airlocks

Subject to approval, of course

I'm also not opposed to doing bugfixing and implementing other people's suggestions

[MadSnailDisease]

Off the bat, sorry the previous one disappeared like it did, developer applications are notoriously slow (Mine took on the order of 4-5 months)
Second, as I understand it, we can only port code that was written under the GPL/GNU3 license. For example, TG switched from that to AGPL sometime mid-2014, so we are clear to port commits before that, but not after. I am not an authority on the matter, but that's what I hear.
Third, cool stuff. I'm a little busy right now, but I will think of real questions etc for later.

[forwardslashN]

It's been about a month, are you still interested?

[RavingManiac]

Yep, still interested

[forwardslashN]

Alright, cool. So first off, I noticed you left out your name and gender out both applications. While I don't personally care all that much, it would be good to know whether or not this is something you care about and not just a copy pasta mistake. Also, what made you apply for CM specifically? Your first application was some time ago, so has anything changed regarding your interest since then or maybe in terms of what you want to work on? What would you say are the biggest issue with the zoom/binocular code and how would you improve the code if given the opportunity?

[RavingManiac]

Alright, cool. So first off, I noticed you left out your name and gender out both applications. While I don't personally care all that much, it would be good to know whether or not this is something you care about and not just a copy pasta mistake.

I prefer not to put my personal details online unless it's a necessity, hope it won't be a problem.

Also, what made you apply for CM specifically?

It's the main SS13 server I play on these days. There's really no other server that has captures roleplaying in a chaotic, violent environment the same way Colonial Marines does. And despite what a few folks say, the community here really isn't all that bad compared to some others.

Your first application was some time ago, so has anything changed regarding your interest since then or maybe in terms of what you want to work on?

I wouldn't say too much has changed. I'm still mostly interested in general atmosphere and quality-of-life improvements, plus anything that improves squad cohesion.

What would you say are the biggest issue with the zoom/binocular code and how would you improve the code if given the opportunity?

If I recall correctly, the current system originated from Baystation's sniper rifle zoom, which simply expanded the view distance without any offset. I added an offset in the direction the mob was facing, and made the binoculars as a separate item (which remained adminspawn-only. Glad that SLs start with it here). I also added messages to indicate when the person toggled the zoom.

Fun fact: The binoculars sprite is just the IR goggles sprite edited to look thicker and more bifurcated.

One potential improvement is making moving, or being moved, not turn off the zoom. While turning off the zoom serves the function of preventing the need for abrupt changes in view in accordance with the mob direction, this can be prevented by simply locking the mob direction. This would allow snipers and SLs to adjust their view more fluidly without having to repeatedly toggle the zoom, and also minimize the message-spam that occurs when they do so.

[Bmc777]

Sorry that your application is taking so long. Do you have any mapping work you could show?

[RavingManiac]

My mapping efforts have been relatively minor, but I've made a few improvements to the baystation map over the years:

- This upgrade to the Toxins lab allowed bomb mixes to be made via heating up phoron through heat-exchange with the burn chamber, instead of using the burn chamber mix directly

- This escape shuttle was made to replace a much fatter, more spacious one which had its seats arranged in simple horizontal rows, and contained a soda fountain for some reason. I designed this to evoke a more utilitarian feel, oriented towards survival and emergency situations. I like to think that it popularized the vertical-rows-with-central-column seating configuration found in later designs, like the Rasputin

- An improved Centcom arrivals lobby, intended to convey arrival at a larger, more secure, better-equipped station

- Baystation's TEG engine, which replaced the old radiation collector system with something more interesting gameplay-wise, and also more forgiving due to an effective emergency cooling system. You would not believe how many fights the old engine caused, mostly because if the supermatter was overcharged or the cooling was otherwise insufficient, it was impossible to fix short of ejecting the crystal

[Bmc777]

This is good stuff. I particularly like your escape shuttle design. I'll give my +1 and talk to the team about you to maybe set up a test of some sorts.

[RavingManiac]

I read that my age is required for legal reasons. I have edited my original post accordingly.

[Rahlzel]

Forgive me for judging a book by its cover, but after dealing with our last two devs, a username like "RavingManiac" makes me recoil. It's irrational but it's there.

[slc97]

Original Oxford English Dictionary was written mostly by a raving maniac. They can do great things, Rahl.

[Rahlzel]

Check your neurotypical privilege, shitlord!

I think if we knew each other better that would've been funny instead of confusing.

Rule #3. Please stay on-topic to the application.

[apophis775]

Are you still interested?

[RavingManiac]

Yep, still interested! Playing on the server, one always sees potential for quality-of-life improvements here and there. Mapping out creepy claustrophobic abandoned colonies also sounds fun.

Out of curiosity, if this is a proper place to ask, is there a reason for there not being a time-indicator? It's one of those things that seems like a helpful addition, and easy enough to implement that its exclusion almost feels deliberate.

[Bmc777]

Time indicator? As in how much time it takes for application processing or something in-game?

[RavingManiac]

Ah, I meant an in-game time indicator. Something in the status screen indicating the time like in most SS13 servers. Just a strange omission, all things considered. Probably a question that belongs to the suggestions board, but I've been itching to ask someone working directly on the server.

[Bmc777]

I believe there is a time indicator in-game, at least in the lobby screen. I'll have to check but if it's not there while playing it was probably taken out by accident.

[MadSnailDisease]

Wow we are doing a terrible job of keeping this in motion. We'll give you a test soon, please hang on.

[RavingManiac]

Alright, I should have a decent amount of time for the next three or so weeks, after which I will be busy until the end of November.

[Minijar]

Alright sorry for the delay. Can you try to make some kind of small military base with the appropriate barracks, guard houses canteen and guard stations etc? Bonus points for appropriate zoning, cabling and more.

[apophis775]

Still working on this?

[RavingManiac]

Aye, just a bit busy at the moment until December. Here's what I've got so far:



The overall layout is based on the idea of "what if we had to station the marines on a planetary base instead of a spaceship?". I pictured the base as a collection of prefabricated airdropped structures, somewhat similar to the jungle map's multipurpose domes. A few structures still need to be filled out, the arrangement of the structures might have to be tweaked, and there isn't a perimeter wall yet. The desert floor also needs vegetation and stuff to make it feel more alive. Wiring and piping is also needed, etc.

EDIT: Added a chem lab and improved the flagpoles. Ian is just there to show that the flagpoles are layered over mobs.

[RavingManiac]

It is done



Built using baystation 12's codebase, this is a small military outpost located in an arid, backwater world with breathable atmosphere. It is designed to support a garrison composed of:
- 1 Commander
- 4 CIC officers (BO equivalent)
- 3 Doctors
- 2 Engineers
- 1 Logistics Officer (RO equivalent)
- 3 MPs
- 32 Marines in 4 squads

The structures comprising the base are prefabricated modules airdropped into place. Three types are used:
- "Fat" (Command, Medbay, Mess Hall)
- "Long" (Barracks, General Quarters)
- "Square" (Engineering, Brig, Logistics, Armory)

The entire compound is surrounded by a perimeter wall of reinforced barricades, with a button-controlled gate. The command module can be sealed from the outside world with separately controlled blast doors for the windows and doors. A landing pad supports a small shuttle (not mapped in) for deployments.

"Shadows" were added around the modules to give the impression of height

Areas:


Zip file containing map and areas attached. It should work with the Baystation 12 codebase. I haven't had time to playtest it, but it should be fully functional apart from door access, which may be inconsistent.

[forwardslashN]

I'll check this out later, but from what I'm seeing in the screenshots, it looks really nice.