[2021] Tweets by Complexminded on 04 May

The year: 2018 The Mission: Create a balloon where players can send items from one location to the next. The Problem: The flight path, variable heights (structures and geo), accounting for server crashes (making sure the balloon remembered where to go) http://pbs.twimg.com/ext_tw_video_thumb/1389367848863027202/pu/img/G7tY9LEd72Tv7Ari.jpg

I ran into a lot of issues with this one even though it seemed simple. One the math - you'll learn a lot about our coordinates if you open the dev kit. Mapping our coordinates to the real-world location was hurdle one

Hurdle two was accounting for the flight path. How high do you need to send it? Not high enough and it will run into geo. I started with an algorithm that looked X FT ahead and modulated the flight path up or down.

That served to be too resource-intensive so I went back to the drawing board. I looked at the maps highest Z point and worked my way down. By placing the balloon very high, I'd avoid most flight path scenarios

Earlier versions of this balloon had it flying pretty low to the ground and moving up/down depending on what's in front of it.

Next, QA warned me that players would likely just attach C4 to them and send them to peoples bases, so I had to test http://pbs.twimg.com/ext_tw_video_thumb/1389370529715343370/pu/img/V7Quv2-ka4TSy7TE.jpg

Then onto other things like making sure it inflated http://pbs.twimg.com/ext_tw_video_thumb/1389370920662224900/pu/img/3vBIWV8kcKdiPaSG.jpg

The hardest part obviously being the flight path and allowing the player to set the location. But all in all I got it done (with some help) And then it spent months and months in QA fixing issues - THE END 😂

@FM_17_8 Yea there are so many challenges with this item. It was a great concept but hard to execute for sure.

@FM_17_8 Not openable is... hmmm..

Me: "Is it OK if players use these as transportation"? http://pbs.twimg.com/ext_tw_video_thumb/1389372161840738304/pu/img/9B2nqf3-0QOrYUE3.jpg

That was not a part of the design specifications and it added a ton of complexity onto what was supposed to be a simple item balloon lol.

@FM_17_8 🤣

@codigoalex_ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6o0WuaZOLo A popular american (old) song

@Ninjakiller560 Much love!

People who REALLY know me, know this speaks to me since I created mailboxes in Prim+.

@Roary11477177 YESSSS!!!!!

@FM_17_8 @Roary11477177 I still think main game would benefit from mailboxes (some version of them)

OK, maybe I miss dev work just a little. Was talking to a co-worker @Skittlis. So rude! http://pbs.twimg.com/media/E0gRp2vUUAkhHt6.png

@scuzzyuk @Skittlis I mean technically I could get in trouble for showing this. i guess we'll find out won't we :)

@Twinkletoes650 @Skittlis That's not what he meant, but OK :)

@scuzzyuk @Skittlis I did get a Computer Science degree but most of what helped me is digging into the devkit (a working game) and seeing how it was put together.

@Twinkletoes650 @Skittlis It's just friendly banter. We jab at each other like this quite frequently. he's just making fun of the fact that I haven't really done anything even if it looks like I have (in the grand scheme of whats been done for ark)

@PepperJC http://pbs.twimg.com/tweet_video_thumb/E0gUYuWVIAISfeB.jpg

@Skittlis @Twinkletoes650 ♥️

@FM_17_8 @Skittlis 😍

@codigoalex_ DONT! You are on the right path! Stay strong my friend.

@codigoalex_ And plus, you are only 18 (WITH A BEARD) 🤣 and when I started I was much older WITHOUT A BEARD!

@ArkPlay42687937 Much love!!

@ArkPlay42687937 @NadiaNeuro Community team, but I think I've been a part of them all - except art. No one wants to see that

@NadiaNeuro @ArkPlay42687937 This is it. Started off as a player 1k hours - created the Prim + mod and became the mod community manager - then over to creative programming - then back to community/marketing.

@cjwallace98 @PepperJC :(

@NadiaNeuro @ArkPlay42687937 Yea ext was the product I worked the most on outside of prim+. Dollie's turn next!

@survivetheark Cant wait to catch some air on this.

@mohamed99138226 @survivetheark I think I was first 😁

@LordllRaiden @Skittlis You all are stuck with me 😁

@RKRigney Good luck on the launch

The girl told me, "Take off your sweater" I said, "Babes, man's not hot" http://pbs.twimg.com/media/E0joQkzUUAIxNxm.jpg

@PasquierCorent2 At the moment, no.

@PasquierCorent2 http://pbs.twimg.com/tweet_video_thumb/E0jrdbQVIAIbwY1.jpg

@areallyfunnygu2 😳

@A_dmg04 @BungieStore http://pbs.twimg.com/media/E0jtTKaUcAUKJkO.jpg

@Dark_redphoenix This doesn't seem..... normal. I'll ask around to see what I can find.

@HexbitsV2 @A_dmg04 @BungieStore I had to sell my soul for this. I got it from Drifter himself

@xRowCat Excellent! Top notch stuff!

@iBallisticSquid Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

@A_dmg04 https://twitter.com/ComplexMinded/status/1389621422411026438 yes he does

@PunCass1 I could see that!

@codigoalex_ Incredible work and cinematic my friend.

If you were going to recommend Star Wars to someone who has seen 0%, what would you recommend first to get them hooked?

@codigoalex_ I think it's amazing because I don't see a lot of modders doing cinematics! BRAVO!

@rcgriff1992 🤜

@WhoseBacon 😅

@iBallisticSquid http://pbs.twimg.com/tweet_video_thumb/E0kORfJUcAY8Qdc.jpg

@DododexApp 👀

@genie_45 I haven't seen it either lol

Confession: Neither @Jatheish or I have seen Star Wars. He's at least seen LOTR.

@GamerPerfection @DododexApp 👀

@CynicalRhys @Jatheish Indeed

@Skittlis @Jatheish brothers!

@UdamWaster @Why05826946 @HGoodGandEBad @Skittlis The funny thing is I had a conversation with this person in Discord so to say he's gotten no answer is disingenuous. I let him know Id bring it to the team and put it on the list. Tweeting this way gets auto-ignored and muted then blocked.

@UdamWaster @Why05826946 @HGoodGandEBad @Skittlis Why would anyone think I wouldn't bring their concern to the team if I see it and say I would? I don't say things just to say them lol

@UdamWaster @HGoodGandEBad @Why05826946 @Skittlis My point is that I have limited power. If I say that I'll bring it to the team you have to trust that I did and not spam every tweet with a reply. I could see checking back in after a month and saying "any update"?

@UdamWaster @HGoodGandEBad @Why05826946 @Skittlis What it does is creates a negative experience for the person (me) where I could potentially not want to help because I just want to avoid the negative experience. This is why you don't use this approach imo

@Old_Fat_Gamer Solid rules!

@NadiaNeuro @Gamerbuds @ArkPlay42687937 She is. And while she hasn't done any programming, she is extremely knowledgeable and valuable and I'm sure has some interesting stories to share too.

@ghazlawl @LowlyEidolon So I tried to watch 4 by recommendation of friends and I can say I respect it for what it was and at the time it was cutting edge but it was pretty laughable for me. I think people's feelings of nostalgia prevents them from looking at it with a 2021 lens

@Dakhar93 @nitrado @survivetheark 🤯

@NotDollie @WhoseBacon @Jatheish 🤣

@ecoModsGames You would have loved my bugs then

@Eferhilda @survivetheark I thought it was moving poop 😂

Throwback to when my old job really wanted to make sure I knew I was a nerd. Yes, that's a pocket protector. http://pbs.twimg.com/media/E0lL2eFUUAAX4Kw.jpg

@MyGarbageTakes 🤣