Our Tools Rock

NM. “More Info” had all the info.

It actually looks almost exactly like NWN2′s toolset to me.

Looks a lot like some of the Titan’s Quest tools, too.

Are you saying that otherwise, Scott’s patented “time to cock” principle would have applied?

Sure, a programmer can use it. But, what about half-drooling level designers?

I kid! I kid! The ones that only half-drool are known as “lead level designers”!

(I insult level designers only because I’m jealous; I don’t have the ability or patience to do good levels.)

Okay, in all seriousness, the true measure of a tool isn’t if a programmer can use it. Of course a programmer can use it, because a programmer developed it. Hopefully that programmer has some knowledge of what makes a good tool of that type! And, honestly, that’s the problem with a lot of tools: only a programmer knows how to use it effectively. Most non-programmers don’t have the same mindset as a programmer, so they often have a harder time using the tools. Lots of programmers want flexibility in power which usually means lots of options and buttons; a time-saving tool understands things like “When the user does X, most of the time the goal is Y.”

Not that that demonstration doesn’t look impressive, but the “even a programmer can use it” bit is annoying and rather cliché, especially to those of us programmers who can do more than just program. Even if we can’t do good levels and won’t pretend a tool will replace the skills that some people take a long time to learn and perfect.

Renanse wrote:
Ah well, it’s self-deprecation in a movie made by programmers to be displayed in front of a group of programmers.

Unfortunately, the recording has gotten posted beyond that audience of programmers. Plus, the joke was included both at the beginning and ending, so it was a bit overdone.

Equally unfortunately, in the game industry we don’t value tools (and tools programmers) as well as we should. In reality, doing tools programming is really challenging work, and the phrase “even a programmer can use it” is one of the reasons why we have problems with tools. I just took an opportunity to pontificate on something game-industry related on a blog entry about the industry. People who know my reputation will be shocked, I’m sure.

Brian,

You DO realize Scott takes the piss out of himself as a humor mechanism, right?

Programmers that use their own tools is a good thing. Nothing gets a problem fixed faster than the writer getting pissed off with it. Speaking from experience obviously

Doesn’t every game engine with terrain have editor support exactly like this? Our engine has terrain tools that are pretty similar, with the same yellow circles and everything. I liked the video, though. =)