Comment Mods (Score 3, Insightful) 254
Try to find a Mod out there - one with a team who is actually building something - and pitch them a few missions, maybe a story vision.
It's a little different writing well for a game, because you need to have you're fleshed out story-arc, which meshes with the gameplay, which can be brought in often enough that it moves the story forward, all without annoying the user. You're not writing a Novel, remember... :)
You'll probably get turned down at first at a lot of places (lots of people want to help with mods, but can't code/model, so they try to be writers...), but if you're actually any good then you'll find a crew.
Good Luck!
It's a little different writing well for a game, because you need to have you're fleshed out story-arc, which meshes with the gameplay, which can be brought in often enough that it moves the story forward, all without annoying the user. You're not writing a Novel, remember...
You'll probably get turned down at first at a lot of places (lots of people want to help with mods, but can't code/model, so they try to be writers...), but if you're actually any good then you'll find a crew.
Good Luck!
Breaking Into Games Writing? 254
An anonymous reader writes "One of the biggest complaints I hear from 'discerning' gamers is how few and far between well-written games are. Titles like Mass Effect and the Black Isle series just appear far too rarely. Writing and storyboarding are aspects of the industry that have always appealed to me — I'm an enthusiastic hobby gamer with a real passion for well-developed games. But there's very little guidance out there on getting exposure as a writer in this world. I'm interested in working in the field, freelance/part time initially as I break in, then with an eye to professional employ after a time. My questions to you are: How can I get involved in writing for the game industry? Are there any game startups out there with good design but weak story that could use writing help from a college graduate? How do the big guys get people to write for them — am I just going to the wrong booths at the job fairs? What kind of degrees or relevant experience in the field are they looking for? Should I just put on my Planescape t-shirt and stand outside in the rain?"
Comment Player Error (Score 1) 96
Losing a ship (even a pod, if you don't go overboard) is just not that big a deal. New players learn this with time. If they stick around, stop complaining and stay diligent, they will get beyond the hump and reach a point of success.
Everything can be bounced back from. Went a little too far into 0.0? oops... Grind a little, buy another BS, and don't make the same mistake again.
Someday they're going to get walking in stations implemented; and I'm never going to make money in the real world again... :)
- DaftShadow
Everything can be bounced back from. Went a little too far into 0.0? oops... Grind a little, buy another BS, and don't make the same mistake again.
Someday they're going to get walking in stations implemented; and I'm never going to make money in the real world again...
- DaftShadow
New Cave Entrances Seen on Mars 110
Riding with Robots writes "The Mars Odyssey orbiter has come across what look to be openings to cavernous spaces under the surface of Mars. NASA reports the find is fueling interest in potential underground habitats and sparking searches for caves elsewhere on the Red Planet. These latest images follow other recent discoveries of intriguing places to explore. From the article: 'The find has led some to wonder if these or other caves on the planet may provide shelter to life or former life on the Red Planet. "Somewhere on Mars, caves might provide a protected niche for past or current life, or shelter for humans in the future," said Tim Titus of the U.S. Geological Survey in Flagstaff. These caves, however, likely never hosted life due to the extreme altitude of their location. "Even if life has ever existed on Mars, it may not have migrated to this height," said Cushing.'"
Submission + - An out-of-this-world IT job: Mars rover driver (idg.com.au)
Anonymous Coward writes: "This article shows what it would be like to be on of the 14 NASA workers in California in the drivers seat behind the two Mars Rovers, over 100 million miles away.
Scott Maxwell, 36, one of the original members of the rover driver team says the distance between the Earth and Mars can vary from approximately 36 million to 250 million miles, depending on their locations as they orbit around the sun.
"So if you try to drive it like a radio-controlled car or a slot car ... nothing would happen on the rover for at least four minutes" until the commands reached Mars, he said."
