Author Topic: Chrono Compendium Fan Project Index / Rating  (Read 1182 times)

ZeaLitY

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Chrono Compendium Fan Project Index / Rating
« on: April 11, 2006, 02:40:21 pm »
I've been struggling with the problem of how to rate fan projects on feasability and likelihood of completion. Due to the young ages of many fans, the vacillating schedules of others, and the lack of a work ethic and drive in some, many proposed fan projects never get off the ground. It's a bit painful for me as a result to advertise new fan projects and provide a list of positions needed, since talented individuals may join these projects in good faith and end up being involved in a total failure and having their efforts wasted. I've been thinking about devising a system of ranking fan project enterprises, so potential applicants and fans know if a certain effort is well on its way to being realized or is dead in the water and lazily abandoned. This thread will serve as the molding furnace for that system. We need to develop several criteria by which we can rank fan projects.

Criteria

-Is the project fully staffed?
-Has work been done? Have screenshots been released?
-Is work actively in progress?
-Is the premise of the project even feasible given staff and tech?
-How's time management going? (composite score: passed + remaining)
~
-Has a demo been released?

Scale:

A - Fan project is healthy, possible and on an expedient schedule.
B - Fan project is mostly healthy, and can be expected to reach completion.
C - Fan project is in progress, though it will be some time before development ends.
D - Development has been impaired and progress impeded.
F - Fan project is frozen at a standstill or working at an infinitesmal rate.

~

Before describing the critiera, let me note that I'm a firm believer in a grade scale covering the full spectrum of possibility. On a scale from 1 to 10, great, great performance will receive a 9, with 10 receives for pure perfection or innovation in the art being evaluated. It will be tough to get an A. Conversely, it'll be hard to get an F.

~

-Is the project fully staffed?

This score will be arbitrary. For instance, if a project has everyone accounted for save for a beta tester, it'll still get an B as beta testers can easily be procured. However, if something like a rom hack doesn't even have someone who can work with Temporal Flux, the grade will be much more severe.

A - Every position is staffed.
B - Every important position is staffed.
C - Most important positions are staffed.
D - Minimal important positions are staffed.
F - No important positions are staffed.

-Has work been done? Have screenshots been released?

The happiest staff with the greatest idea in the world still faces the problem of being untested if work has not been completed on the game. You might think it's a little harsh for everyone to start off with an F in this section, but really, this grade is something you earn.

A - Substantial work has been accomplished.
B - Fair portion of work has been done.
C - Adequate work is complete.
D - Minimal work has been undertaken.
F - Project has just begun.

-Is work actively in progress?

Show that your project not only is achievable, but is well on its way to being realized. Factors going into this grade include activity on the fan prjoect forum or at least some kind of assurance that work is being done. The grade here will probably be extreme in one direction or the other.

A - Project is in full swing; all systems go!
B - Project is in good progress, though some work is on the backlog.
C - Project is progressing at a very basic level.
D - Project is enjoying little to no work.
F - Project is completely frozen at a standstill.

-Is the premise of the project feasible given staff and tech?

If you have a tremendous work ethic and a competent staff, you might still not be able to make a completely new game in a rom hack or RPGMakerXP. Entire games are massive undertakings that were produced by Squaresoft's by a team of college graduates working over 40 hour workweeks and getting paid every step of the way. If you think you can make a new, great game in under 2 years with a team half the size of Squaresoft's development group in 1994-5, go for it, but the Chrono Compendium has to remain skeptical about these kinds of enterprises. Alternatively, if you're just one rom hacker looking to make a short little adventure, it's technically and personally feasible for you to do so.

A - Project idea can be easily accomplished by the team in little time.
B - Project idea will require significant work, but can be completed with current resources.
C - Project idea is cumbersome, but might eventually be completed.
D - Project idea is very laborious, with questionable outcome.
F - Project idea is massively irrealizable to the point of absurdity.

-How's time management going?

This category is divided into two grades. If you miss your deadlines and take too long to accomplish promises, your grade of "Passed Time" will dwindle from an A to an F. The second grade is "Time Remaining." If you aim to make a new game and have it out in 10 years, you might be telling the truth, but you'd still get a bad grade. Expediency is desired; the faster it comes, the better. Still, you shouldn't feel pressured, but keep in mind that not everyone is going to mark your fan project on the calendar for 2017 and sit on pins and needles until it comes out.

A - Deadlines have been met and the project will be executed in weeks.
B - Deadlines have mostly been met, and the project will be executed in a few months.
C - Deadlines are questionable measures of progress, and the project will require many months, if not a year.
D - Deadlines and promises are often broken, and the project will require over a year.
F - Promises are not to be trusted, and the project's ETA is over two years.

So, if you meet all your deadlines on a game that will take ten years to make, you'll score a C.

-Has a demo been released?

This does not factor into the actual grade, but instead determines whether a project received the PLUS rating. If a fan project has released a demo, a + sign will appear next to their grade. It's just a way of letting fans know that a demo is out, and the fan project is at least somewhat meritous because of it.

~

How does this sound? Give me your suggestions.

Chrono'99

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« Reply #1 on: April 11, 2006, 02:51:30 pm »
I guess it's a good and precise scale. This will really help in distinguishing the feasible projects from the other ones. I don't know if any current project besides CT:CE Chrono Crisis will have a good mark though (but at least people will know what to expect).

Also, there are stuff like "Chrono Rae" which purposely choose not to have any possible info about their progress.
« Last Edit: April 02, 2007, 08:46:07 am by Chrono'99 »

Ramsus

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Chrono Compendium Fan Project Index / Rating
« Reply #2 on: April 11, 2006, 05:21:52 pm »
Maybe you should add a pseudo-grade of "NG" for not graded (i.e. due to sufficient grading information not being available). Excluding the forums, no published material on the Compendium should mention any fan project deemed NG. This ensures phantom fan projects don't steal publicity from the real ones.

Anyway, it sounds like you've really put a lot of thought into this. I'll go over it in detail and maybe offer some criticisms and suggestions later this week.

ZeaLitY

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« Reply #3 on: April 11, 2006, 08:21:58 pm »
Okay. Actually, it just hit me, and I typed all of it out in the next five minutes. My subconscious has probably been turning it over since the site was complete.

We might also add a category called "Director Assurance." It is a bit discouraging to start off with a C grade (my estimate), so perhaps we can ask the director of a particular fan project about his or her dedication. The question will go, "Do you intend to finish this fan project by dedicating all reasonably available time and effort to it, knowing the tasks involved, staff required, time needed, and difficulty of execution?" And we can ask this during the life of the fan project, as it could be an evolving grade.

A - Fan project creator has provided a Rock Lee assurance.
B - Fan project creator has a vested interest in the work.
C - Fan project creator is somewhat dedicated.
D - Fan project creator only marginally cares.
F - Fan project creator does not care whatsoever.

At least this way, creators with true drive can edge out other iffy projects.

justin3009

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« Reply #4 on: April 11, 2006, 10:06:39 pm »
Most of the people have a fully staffed project, the only problem is, which we have, is that people can't get on all at the same day.  Many people work and stuff.  So most projects are very hard to complete with many interferences and small problems going on.

Ramsus

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« Reply #5 on: April 11, 2006, 10:59:26 pm »
I'm just curious, but why do you need everyone online at the same time?

DeweyisOverrated

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« Reply #6 on: April 11, 2006, 11:57:08 pm »
I mainly hate people saying ther'yre going to do this stuff because it jsut takes up more room on the main forum page, and clutters everything up.  Seriously, can we get rid of the Project Zeal forum yet?

ZeaLitY

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« Reply #7 on: April 12, 2006, 01:19:05 am »
On second thought, this is going to be pretty tough to actively maintain unless we just do everything arbitrary instead of directly contacting fan project leaders. It's another thing to worry about in addition to adding new remixes and staying abreast of news in general. Perhaps someone could be on a Compendium "staff" to undertake this job, but bleah.

I wonder what we should do with Project Zeal. Many of the original authors are still around here, and it was a pretty cool effort.

~
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Chrono Crisis: 2.83 (B+)

B, C, A, C, C (B-D), A, +

Chrono Trigger: Crimson Echoes: 1.75 (C+)

D, C, D, B, (C-D), C, +

DeweyisOverrated

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« Reply #8 on: April 12, 2006, 02:39:24 am »
Quote from: ZeaLitY
On second thought, this is going to be pretty tough to actively maintain unless we just do everything arbitrary instead of directly contacting fan project leaders.


Just give that job to me.  It's a simple interview process.

1) How long have you been thinking about this project?
2) How long have you been activly writing down and physically preparing things for it?
3) Do you personally have the skills necessary to at least contribute to a majority of the project, rather than asking a ton of other people to do it for you?
4) (if a fan game) is the story actually complete?  Or do you just have the main character's name, and a quick paragraph where he wakes up and falls into a portal?

It's simple, really.  Answering those 4 questions can easily determine if the project is even worth mentioning.

justin3009

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« Reply #9 on: April 12, 2006, 09:15:40 am »
So then you can talk about who gets what job, what they have to do and when.  You'll eventually find out when you start it up.

ZeaLitY

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Re: Chrono Compendium Fan Project Index / Rating
« Reply #10 on: April 02, 2007, 12:06:19 am »
For all the new individuals who have joined the site, I'd like to hear what you think of this. I'm tempted to revive it and put it to use because of certain concerns.

Kyronea

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Re: Chrono Compendium Fan Project Index / Rating
« Reply #11 on: April 02, 2007, 01:41:58 am »
Frankly, after looking it over, I find it to be quite the good scale, and I was wondering if you'd care to rate Chrono Trigger + on this scale.

ZeaLitY

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Re: Chrono Compendium Fan Project Index / Rating
« Reply #12 on: April 02, 2007, 01:58:29 am »
Yeah, I'm thinking about doing this for all the fan projects. Maybe a once every quarter thing, like interim financial statements.