This is particularly aimed at all those who are not part of the developer community. (http://developer.byond.com/ Also known as the REAL BYOND.)
I was talking with someone over the pager, and they brought up a point. To him, it looked like some of the haikus written for the haiku contest were sucking up to the BYOND staff to win. I didn't think so, because I know all of the people that wrote those Haikus, and I know that their personalities defy the suckup logic. I've known these people long enough to gague their personality. I know that these people just really love the BYOND community, and the people who contribute to it.
I myself, really love the developer community. Sure, there are some unsavory characters I don't care to deal with, and some bad things, and a few irritating portions to deal with, but that's life. You take the good with the bad.
I was really thinking about this, and I realised why I love BYOND so much. This is genuinely the only community of this calibre. How many other game creation resources are there out there? Hundreds. How many of them are not only free, but allow you to produce online videogames? Maybe three. How many of them are as well designed, and have as good a community as BYOND? Just one, and that is BYOND.
I've invested enough time in BYOND (four years!) to have it actually become part of my life. I mean, I really KNOW the people that have been part of it. When someone leaves, we grieve for them, and they actually leave a hole. When someone joins, we don't oft welcome them with open arms, but when they make their mark on the community, they become known not just for their creations, but for their actions.
I've watched most of the current staff go from simple "oldbie" to "guru" to staff. I mean, when I joined, the only real noticable staf was in Dan and Tom. Lummox wasn't even a forum mod back when I got here. Half of these people have genuinely helped shape BYOND to what it is today, and have really left a footprint not only on some random website, but on a huge community consisting of people form all over the world.
This isn't just some internet community, it's more. I for one, love it, and hope it never dies.
I dunno, I guess what I'm saying is, for all the faults, I love BYOND. And for all their faults, I love the community members. There are some genuinely great people here, Gughunter, Mike H, Lummox JR, AZA, Splattergnome, Shadowdarke, and many, many others. I not only consider these people "online acquaintances", but I could call a few of them friends, and really, I could also call these people associates if I really wanted to.
Good going guys, for creating the best GCE out there, and through it, the best internet community EVER.
~Ter
ID:186857
 Apr 7 2005, 5:48 pm
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Apr 7 2005, 5:53 pm
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Wanabe
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Yeah BYOND is awesome. I love the community (even though i'm hardly involved in anything, but I am like a lurking shadow). A big "woot" goes out to the BYOND community. I agree, it is much better than most communities (if not all :-P) out there.
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I do not know how I found Byond, but I do know i'm grateful I stumbled upon it during that long Autumn night in 2001. Prior to joining Byond, I had been part of the MSN Gaming Zone and Runescape communities. Due to these past experiences, I came into Byond with a not so stellar attitude and vocabulary.
My first byond game was JotDaniel's DBZ/GT Saga, a game which I still hold dear in my heart and whose first long night I still remember so well. During my time on Byond, I have played many magnificent games such as DWO, Tanks, Space Tug, DB Zeta (when Dracon ran it), MLAAS, DWOChatroom/DWL, DBTC and LOTD. I have also become a mainstay of the DWO community, if not the larger Byond community. Byond is a incubator for the experienced and newbie coders alike. It gives people opportunities to express their ideas and dreams and to showcase them amongst their peers. Through Byond, many talented individuals have showed their talents. | |
I myself was also a member of such communities such as Runescape, RPGMaker 95 and 2000, Megazeux, ZZT, and several others. Each, I have found to my distaste. Internet communities based around GCEs the calibre of BYOND simply do not exist outside of BYOND.com.
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I guess I'd have to say I love the BYOND community, since I'd sure miss it if it was gone. We have a lot of good people, a lot of clever people, and a fair number who are both.
All we need now is some rich people! :) | |
One thing I often wonder is what people think of me, if they do at all >_>. It's interesting to know how other people think of you.
But yeah, BYOND is awesome. I spend most of my time either in Chatters or reading the forums, or playing a BYOND game. I'd be lost without it. The community is great, sure we may get some "n00bs" but we have to deal with it. Those "n00bs" may grow to be respectable programmers. | |
I like the Byond Software, but in general I do not really care all that much for the community itself.
You can kid yourself its this great thing, but its not, I have also been into ZZT and Megazeux and even some other odd ball game creation kits, and they almost always match up to this place itself. (Not the software mind you.) Every community thinks they are awesome, of course they do, its their community. So yay, w00t community. I am here because I love the software, not the community. | |
I meant by n00b the more annoying people. Sure there's a good chance they'll stay annoying, but you never know. N00b is usually more of an offensive term than newb.
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"You can kid yourself its this great thing, but its not,"
Whether the community is great or not is entirely opinion based. I quite like the community, and I hardly see why I'm kidding myself. There's not much people I really dislike. | |
BYOND has really made an impact on my life. Sure, I had worked briefly with languages here and there, off and on, but once you start getting hands on into real life situations, working with an organized team on here is a big step and help. From working here out of passion I can and have used this experience in my life, and it will definately help in the future.
Also, the non-Developer community can teach you something too. You can almost assure yourself if you become a developer a large number of your customers and consumers aren't going to be hip-hop-happy and gracious you made a piece of software(granted, they buy it, and they aren't 8-12; still a learning experience). So for everyone who has helped me and likely others here, you are doing a good job and making a good impression. | |
Artekia wrote:
One thing I often wonder is what people think of me, if they do at all >_>. It's interesting to know how other people think of you. I think of you, Artekia. ¬_¬ But yeah, BYOND is awesome. I spend most of my time either in Chatters or reading the forums, or playing a BYOND game. I'd be lost without it. The community is great, sure we may get some "n00bs" but we have to deal with it. Everyone pretends to hate me, but when I go to sleep each morning, I repeat to myself "Lummox loves me, Lummox loves me". I know it's true, and one day he'll have to admit it. | |
You hit the nail on the head. BYOND has alot of sharp folks that make returning worthwhile and combine it with a top notch program that is free, no less!
While there are an abundance of annoying users, ignoring them isn't too hard and the better users more than make up for it. Plus, the mods are good about keeping things under control on this site (if a bit lenient at times ;-). OTOH, I don't think I could refer to anyone I know purely through online communications thus far as a "friend". Certainly an acquaintance or colleague, but generally a friend is someone a bit closer who I can count on to sacrifice for me (as I would for them). Though certain members of the Dantom staff come really close.... | |