Hello all,
First, thanks to impaktor for helping to get my account activated here, it's good to be here with you all!
A little bit about me: I'm a college student in California, studying computer science. I've been interested in video games (especially space games) since I was a kid, and I've followed the Pioneer project on-and-off for a few years. I've built a little bit of a personal portfolio over the years, but one thing I really feel I'm missing is a contribution to an open source project, especially one that's well-maintained, and I've got very little experience working with a team. It's my hope that contributing to the Pioneer project will be very enjoyable, not only because I love this type of game, but also because I enjoy gaining experience and learning by working with others.
I've had a look through the Wiki regarding contributions to the code, and I've downloaded and built the code (I'll take that as a good sign), and had a look through some of it, as well as the documentation; and, of course, I've been playing through the game :) It's quite a lot to look at. Hopefully, I'll be able to make some meaningful contribution soon.
Anyways, that's enough about me for now. I'll see you all here and in the IRC!
A short introduction
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GloriousLaserChicken
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sun Sep 30, 2018 6:56 pm
A short introduction
Last edited by GloriousLaserChicken on Fri Aug 06, 2021 4:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: A short introduction
Welcome, we'd love to have you!
An easy thing you can start with is just building open pull requests (PRs), and report on github if they work, (basically, if you fail to make them crash). We have very little time to review or test other people's code in general.
There's also many open bug reports, but most of them are vague / hard to replicate, or possibly outdated, or in some mixed state.
Also, please note all in the core team are all located in Europe so if on IRC, do keep time zone in mind (although we have a new active contributor in US now), as it's pretty dead in the channel during CET-night.
Looking forward to seeing your first contribution!
An easy thing you can start with is just building open pull requests (PRs), and report on github if they work, (basically, if you fail to make them crash). We have very little time to review or test other people's code in general.
There's also many open bug reports, but most of them are vague / hard to replicate, or possibly outdated, or in some mixed state.
Also, please note all in the core team are all located in Europe so if on IRC, do keep time zone in mind (although we have a new active contributor in US now), as it's pretty dead in the channel during CET-night.
Looking forward to seeing your first contribution!
Re: A short introduction
Welcome!
If you need any art stuff for anything you want to work on (icons, mockups, models, etc), just holler at me.
If you need any art stuff for anything you want to work on (icons, mockups, models, etc), just holler at me.
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FluffyFreak
- Posts: 1343
- Joined: Tue Jul 02, 2013 1:49 pm
- Location: Beeston, Nottinghamshire, GB
- Contact:
Re: A short introduction
Welcome!
My advice:
- Peruse the issues for stuff you think you can fix
- Report stuff that's broken, debug it to find the rough area where it's broken for extra help
- Help to convert something to the new UI, or join in an existing PR/effort to do so (<-- much needed)
- Optimise something for ease-of-use (<-- much needed)
- Start on something small, really small, as a first & second project
Always try to enjoy yourself on the project and focus on small, quick (2 to 3 weeks), tasks that you can finish to build confidence.
The large, life changing, tasks can follow on from that.
From a standing start it's good to start a bit smaller, get familiar with things, ask all of the newbie questions of the existing dev's on a simpler task.
Also, you might want the game to go in a particular direction that existing dev's don't want, it happens.
This isn't 100% the game I want it to be, that's because it's not 100% _my_ game, it's a community effort so expect that some things, some great ideas even, will die on the vine :( it's sad when that happens but if you get 80% or 90% of your wishes then you've still contributed a lot.
Have fun.
My advice:
- Peruse the issues for stuff you think you can fix
- Report stuff that's broken, debug it to find the rough area where it's broken for extra help
- Help to convert something to the new UI, or join in an existing PR/effort to do so (<-- much needed)
- Optimise something for ease-of-use (<-- much needed)
- Start on something small, really small, as a first & second project
Always try to enjoy yourself on the project and focus on small, quick (2 to 3 weeks), tasks that you can finish to build confidence.
The large, life changing, tasks can follow on from that.
From a standing start it's good to start a bit smaller, get familiar with things, ask all of the newbie questions of the existing dev's on a simpler task.
Also, you might want the game to go in a particular direction that existing dev's don't want, it happens.
This isn't 100% the game I want it to be, that's because it's not 100% _my_ game, it's a community effort so expect that some things, some great ideas even, will die on the vine :( it's sad when that happens but if you get 80% or 90% of your wishes then you've still contributed a lot.
Have fun.
Re: A short introduction
+1
And for the love of god, tell your fellow students about us!
Couldn't that be a master thesis project: implement amazing realistic star atmospheres, and clouds!
And for the love of god, tell your fellow students about us!
Couldn't that be a master thesis project: implement amazing realistic star atmospheres, and clouds!
Re: A short introduction
Welcome to the team! I appreciate having someone to talk to later in the day, as the core team is asleep by noon my time.
Regarding contributions, I don't have much to say that FluffyFreak or Impaktor have not already touched on, other than that I'd really appreciate some contributions on the UI side if you feel so inclined - I am definitely not a UI programmer.
To build off what FluffyFreak said, don't particularly worry if you have ideas that don't fit with the scope of the game *coughartificialgravitycough*, as mod support is a thing that exists and is being worked on, even if slowly.
Regarding contributions, I don't have much to say that FluffyFreak or Impaktor have not already touched on, other than that I'd really appreciate some contributions on the UI side if you feel so inclined - I am definitely not a UI programmer.
To build off what FluffyFreak said, don't particularly worry if you have ideas that don't fit with the scope of the game *coughartificialgravitycough*, as mod support is a thing that exists and is being worked on, even if slowly.
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GloriousLaserChicken
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sun Sep 30, 2018 6:56 pm
Re: A short introduction
Thank you all for the warm welcome! I appreciate all the suggestions as well. I've noticed some UI issues as sturnclaw indicated, and I figured that might be something I could look at. Of course I'll look at the issues page and pull requests as well and see what I can do.
As I'm still in school for a couple more months this semester, I may not always have a lot of time to contribute (maybe only a few hours a week), but I'll find the free time wherever I can. As the holiday season rolls around and things slow down though, I'll be able to do much more. So perhaps I'll stick to smaller issues and easier tasks, especially as I get more familiar with what's already implemented (and how), before I try something like stellar atmospheres :P
Thanks once again everyone :D
As I'm still in school for a couple more months this semester, I may not always have a lot of time to contribute (maybe only a few hours a week), but I'll find the free time wherever I can. As the holiday season rolls around and things slow down though, I'll be able to do much more. So perhaps I'll stick to smaller issues and easier tasks, especially as I get more familiar with what's already implemented (and how), before I try something like stellar atmospheres :P
Thanks once again everyone :D