Vrai
can you feel my heart?
- 2,896
- Posts
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- Age 29
- Seen Oct 24, 2022
NOTE: ALL STUDENTS FROM THIS POINT ON MUST HAVE BEEN AT PC FOR AT LEAST A MONTH. NEW TUTORS MUST HAVE BEEN AT PC FOR AT LEAST 3 MONTHS, OR SHOW EXCEPTIONAL SKILL AT THEIR SUBJECT.
You may now continue reading this random block of text I wrote.
So, eager to get into the Hacks Showcase? There are obviously a lot of things you have to do beforehand, the most important one being producing a good beta, one with enough length to get in (up to the equivalent of two gyms). But there are quite a few stepping stones that are in the way of that; and everyone's bound to miss one of those stepping stones.
You see, there are many different aspects of hacking. Some people have trouble with different parts. So, I've decided to come up with a solution for this: Tutoring.
Yes, I already know that we have a Simple Questions thread, and other similar threads. However, the concept of this is a bit more.. one-on-one, per say. I think it would help tremendously if someone who was inept at mapping could have the advice of an expert mapper, etc.
But advice can only go so far. Instead, I'd rather have something where the tutor and student can work together. Watch each other map, sprite, whatever. I found a program that might help us out there a bit, but more on that in a moment.
Now, what exactly are we looking at? I mean, there are so many different things you can do with hacking.. but I've tried to sum them up in a few choice categories, as shown below.
1. Simple Mapping
In order to be a Tutor, you have to be a member of PC for at least three months, or show exceptional skill in the subject of choice. The three-month limit is to show that you at least know what you're doing at the community. To become a full-fledged Tutor, you must be approved by fifty percent of the existing Tutors of that subject (for now, as we technically have no Tutors, they will be accepted upon my judgment). Tutors must be active, have some free time in order to assist students, and be generally open-minded. It's also good to be a friendly person in general.
You must also have at least two hours' free time (consecutive hours) during the week that you can work with a student. You must also access PC at least once every forty-eight hours; (in order to vote on incoming Tutors, etc.) and fill out the following application form. You can post the form here, or you can PM it to me. If you decide to PM, I would still like you to make a post here saying that you have done so.
<;TUTOR FORM;>
Username/Internet Alias:
Real Name or Nickname that you go by:
Means of contact (preferably a Live/MSN account; although e-mail is just as good):
What you are interested in Tutoring for:
Proof of Work (For each subject you would like to Tutor; five examples max, at least three):
Timezone:
What times you can be tutoring (day, time):
Interests (things you like; used to build a compatible pair, and attempt to make friends):
Graduation? (If you have graduated from another Tutor, please note that here so I may confirm):
How many students can you handle at once? (one to three; if you can only take on one at a time, that is perfectly fine):
---
Now, Students. You are required to have been at PC for at least a month; take some time to look around the ROM Hacking forums a bit. There is a lot less to go over here, although if you are applying for an advanced class (i.e. Advancing Mapping), you may find it in your interest to include some proof of work. It is also a good idea to use proper grammar.
<;STUDENT FORM;>
Username/Internet Alias:
Real Name or Nickname that you go by:
Means of contact (preferably a Live/MSN account, although email is just as good)
What you are interested in learning (you may only choose TWO AT MAX):
Timezone:
What times you can be tutored (day, time) [please include all that apply]:
Interests:
Looking for a specific Tutor? (I can attempt to hook you up; however, that is not guaranteed):
---
Now that we're done with that, I'd like to say a few more things. First, any Tutor has the right to deny an application for a disclosed reason. I apologize if that happens, and I will attempt to set you up with another Tutor. They are offering their free time and will to help out the community, so I will not force them into anything. Also, if a Tutor is going to be absent for a period of time over 48 hours, please notify me or post in this thread, so that I don't attempt to reach you when I cannot.
If you are uncomfortable with your Student/Tutor at any time, please contact me. For Students, I can probably set you up with another Tutor; or you may receive priority for the next open one.
The only reward that is expected from the Student after the tutoring session is to post around the community, help other people struggling with hacking, and personally thank the Tutor with a nice PM or the like. Giving the Tutor some positive Reputation is also a good idea (just be sure to note that the Reputation is for the Tutoring).
Also, you may have forgotten about my program that I had found earlier? Well, that's an interesting application called TeamViewer. It is a perfectly safe program that allows desktop sharing from long distances (don't worry; if you think that the other person is going to do something bad, you can boot him/her away. Not only that, but I don't believe that they can really do anything to your computer but move your mouse and type onto your screen). I advise all to use it; it will make everything much more integrated, and will hopefully make you understand what the Tutor is doing.
To be fair, if you are using TeamViewer, all interactions should be on the Student's desktop. Again, these tutors are all doing this on their free will; I do not want to disclose their privacy (i.e. IM conversations, etc.).
Any questions? If you have one, don't be afraid to ask it (of course unless it was already stated above :x)
You may now continue reading this random block of text I wrote.
After hours of searching, you finally set foot on a gravel path. The road is choppy, and missing sections here and there. As you walk further along the road, it begins to become smooth, and you pick up a stride. Eventually, the road becomes a fully paved street, and you're sprinting down it. Far in the distance, you can make out mountains, surrounding a city full of noises, confusion, and busy people.
When you reach the end of the road, you find that there are large, black gates blocking your entrance into the city. "Hey, you," an nondescript person calls from behind. "Fill out this registration, and you can come on in." You do so, and then the black gates open, to the one and only home of ROM Hacking; Emula Town*.
All around the city, people are bustling from place to place, most of them congregated in a fenced garden. A large sign inside the garden proclaims "Scrapbox". Off to the left of the Scrapbox is a huge building; a vibrant "PH" adorns the top. You pull over one of the people randomly walking by, and ask what "PH" is. "Oh, so you don't know?" the man squeaks. "It's short for the Progressing Hacks building! They say that if you get good enough to get into there, you're viable to win competitions! That's what everyone in there is working to get at," he continues, motioning at the Scrapbox. You walk up to the Progressing Hacks building, trying to see the top when you notice something behind it. Taking a quick shortcut around the PH building, you find yourself in what some would call a haven of sorts; there are fountains everywhere, and green grass is abundant. A few dedicated and professional-looking people sit at nice-looking benches, either relaxing or typing away madly at laptops. A small sign attached to a tree reads, "Hacks Showcase Haven".
The Hacks Showcase Haven definitely seems to be the place you want to be. You get ready to jump over the fence, but all of a sudden, someone grabs your shoulder. "You must have a hack that meets the requirements before entering," he says, pointing over to another sign. Looking over the sign, it seems that you must work on a hack before you can even think about stepping inside. But where to begin?
You ask the weird man where to go next. "Ah," he says. "There's a decent place I found for getting started; it's right over there." he states, nodding his head towards the midst of the town. You walk over there to find a small shack, with the words "Tutoring" scrawled all over the doorway. Eager, you step inside..
* Please do not steal the concept of Emula Town (pun on Emula-tion. Get it? No, I know it wasn't funny. :/), thanks.
When you reach the end of the road, you find that there are large, black gates blocking your entrance into the city. "Hey, you," an nondescript person calls from behind. "Fill out this registration, and you can come on in." You do so, and then the black gates open, to the one and only home of ROM Hacking; Emula Town*.
All around the city, people are bustling from place to place, most of them congregated in a fenced garden. A large sign inside the garden proclaims "Scrapbox". Off to the left of the Scrapbox is a huge building; a vibrant "PH" adorns the top. You pull over one of the people randomly walking by, and ask what "PH" is. "Oh, so you don't know?" the man squeaks. "It's short for the Progressing Hacks building! They say that if you get good enough to get into there, you're viable to win competitions! That's what everyone in there is working to get at," he continues, motioning at the Scrapbox. You walk up to the Progressing Hacks building, trying to see the top when you notice something behind it. Taking a quick shortcut around the PH building, you find yourself in what some would call a haven of sorts; there are fountains everywhere, and green grass is abundant. A few dedicated and professional-looking people sit at nice-looking benches, either relaxing or typing away madly at laptops. A small sign attached to a tree reads, "Hacks Showcase Haven".
The Hacks Showcase Haven definitely seems to be the place you want to be. You get ready to jump over the fence, but all of a sudden, someone grabs your shoulder. "You must have a hack that meets the requirements before entering," he says, pointing over to another sign. Looking over the sign, it seems that you must work on a hack before you can even think about stepping inside. But where to begin?
You ask the weird man where to go next. "Ah," he says. "There's a decent place I found for getting started; it's right over there." he states, nodding his head towards the midst of the town. You walk over there to find a small shack, with the words "Tutoring" scrawled all over the doorway. Eager, you step inside..
* Please do not steal the concept of Emula Town (pun on Emula-tion. Get it? No, I know it wasn't funny. :/), thanks.
So, eager to get into the Hacks Showcase? There are obviously a lot of things you have to do beforehand, the most important one being producing a good beta, one with enough length to get in (up to the equivalent of two gyms). But there are quite a few stepping stones that are in the way of that; and everyone's bound to miss one of those stepping stones.
You see, there are many different aspects of hacking. Some people have trouble with different parts. So, I've decided to come up with a solution for this: Tutoring.
Yes, I already know that we have a Simple Questions thread, and other similar threads. However, the concept of this is a bit more.. one-on-one, per say. I think it would help tremendously if someone who was inept at mapping could have the advice of an expert mapper, etc.
But advice can only go so far. Instead, I'd rather have something where the tutor and student can work together. Watch each other map, sprite, whatever. I found a program that might help us out there a bit, but more on that in a moment.
Now, what exactly are we looking at? I mean, there are so many different things you can do with hacking.. but I've tried to sum them up in a few choice categories, as shown below.
1. Simple Mapping
This is basically defined as beginning mapping. You should only apply for this category if you're not understanding what certain things mean (i.e. border blocks, etc), or if your are having trouble making even an ordinary map.
2. Advancing Mapping
So, you've got the basics down, but you just can't seem to improve? Or, you're having some trouble producing maps that look different from one another? This is for you.
3. Simple Scripting
Just like Simple Mapping, this is only for you if you cannot manage to even get a grasp of the scripting ideas. Some topics that will be discussed here are things like: making a talking script, making a giveitem script, setting flags, etc.
4. Advancing Scripting
A thorough understanding of scripting is recommended. Things covered here will include but not be limited to things such as Special commands, variables, and setmaptile.
5. Spriting (OW)
There are many people out here that can't sprite for their lives (including myself ^^), so here's a good place to get started. Both Spriting (OW) and Spriting (Other) are considered to be at the same level, so you do not have to have a whole lot of knowledge on the topic beforehand (although, yes, you do have to know what a sprite is).
6. Spriting (Other)
As with Spriting (OW), no real basic knowledge is needed here. Things covered here are mostly Trainer/Pokemon sprites, although there may be others included as well.
7. Graphical Hacking (unLZ.gba)
unLZ.gba, without a doubt, is one of the most important tools in a graphics-heavy hack. However, it seems to me that quite a few people are finding it hard to accomplish things with unLZ. It is recommended that you have at least attempted to work with unLZ before, and have read a couple of tutorials on the subject.
8. Graphical Hacking (Tiles and Palettes)
Tile insertion and palette editing is covered here; it is recommended that you have, at the very least, read a tutorial about it. This also includes learning how to use APE, an excellent palette editor.
9. Other Aspects (Storylines)
Are you encountering problems working with your storylines? Do you just hate your own concept? Look here for people willing to work with you on creating a storyline unique to your hack.
10. Other Aspects (Music and Music Insertion)
This is where we work on the musical aspect of hacking. It is recommended that you have at least read Magnius' tutorial, and that you have Sappy and other necessary programs installed and working on your computer.
Well, then, now that we have a basic grasp of the ten areas, we'll move on to the Tutor and Student application forms. Before that, though, I have to discuss some things about becoming Tutors..
In order to be a Tutor, you have to be a member of PC for at least three months, or show exceptional skill in the subject of choice. The three-month limit is to show that you at least know what you're doing at the community. To become a full-fledged Tutor, you must be approved by fifty percent of the existing Tutors of that subject (for now, as we technically have no Tutors, they will be accepted upon my judgment). Tutors must be active, have some free time in order to assist students, and be generally open-minded. It's also good to be a friendly person in general.
You must also have at least two hours' free time (consecutive hours) during the week that you can work with a student. You must also access PC at least once every forty-eight hours; (in order to vote on incoming Tutors, etc.) and fill out the following application form. You can post the form here, or you can PM it to me. If you decide to PM, I would still like you to make a post here saying that you have done so.
<;TUTOR FORM;>
Username/Internet Alias:
Real Name or Nickname that you go by:
Means of contact (preferably a Live/MSN account; although e-mail is just as good):
What you are interested in Tutoring for:
Proof of Work (For each subject you would like to Tutor; five examples max, at least three):
Timezone:
What times you can be tutoring (day, time):
Interests (things you like; used to build a compatible pair, and attempt to make friends):
Graduation? (If you have graduated from another Tutor, please note that here so I may confirm):
How many students can you handle at once? (one to three; if you can only take on one at a time, that is perfectly fine):
---
Now, Students. You are required to have been at PC for at least a month; take some time to look around the ROM Hacking forums a bit. There is a lot less to go over here, although if you are applying for an advanced class (i.e. Advancing Mapping), you may find it in your interest to include some proof of work. It is also a good idea to use proper grammar.
<;STUDENT FORM;>
Username/Internet Alias:
Real Name or Nickname that you go by:
Means of contact (preferably a Live/MSN account, although email is just as good)
What you are interested in learning (you may only choose TWO AT MAX):
Timezone:
What times you can be tutored (day, time) [please include all that apply]:
Interests:
Looking for a specific Tutor? (I can attempt to hook you up; however, that is not guaranteed):
---
Now that we're done with that, I'd like to say a few more things. First, any Tutor has the right to deny an application for a disclosed reason. I apologize if that happens, and I will attempt to set you up with another Tutor. They are offering their free time and will to help out the community, so I will not force them into anything. Also, if a Tutor is going to be absent for a period of time over 48 hours, please notify me or post in this thread, so that I don't attempt to reach you when I cannot.
If you are uncomfortable with your Student/Tutor at any time, please contact me. For Students, I can probably set you up with another Tutor; or you may receive priority for the next open one.
The only reward that is expected from the Student after the tutoring session is to post around the community, help other people struggling with hacking, and personally thank the Tutor with a nice PM or the like. Giving the Tutor some positive Reputation is also a good idea (just be sure to note that the Reputation is for the Tutoring).
Also, you may have forgotten about my program that I had found earlier? Well, that's an interesting application called TeamViewer. It is a perfectly safe program that allows desktop sharing from long distances (don't worry; if you think that the other person is going to do something bad, you can boot him/her away. Not only that, but I don't believe that they can really do anything to your computer but move your mouse and type onto your screen). I advise all to use it; it will make everything much more integrated, and will hopefully make you understand what the Tutor is doing.
To be fair, if you are using TeamViewer, all interactions should be on the Student's desktop. Again, these tutors are all doing this on their free will; I do not want to disclose their privacy (i.e. IM conversations, etc.).
Any questions? If you have one, don't be afraid to ask it (of course unless it was already stated above :x)
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