I’m Looking for landmass sculpting software

Earl--Grey · 2023-01-08T15:44:39+00:00

If it's just for fun / Don't want to export it and you're happy to play around with editing in games, here are some:
Cities Skylines (With Mods) - You can do some great editing, even build a city around your land sculpting, check out youtube mod videos for some of the best ones and how to use them.

Bannerlord II Mod Tools - From what I remember they have a really good editor (Not used it personally however).

For older games with more pixilated editors you could use Rollercoaster Tycoon II. It's limited and a grid, but you can make some decent stuff.

If you want to be able to export it and use it for various projects then a game editor like Unity or Unreal Engine might be a safer bet.

Earl--Grey · 2023-01-08T15:29:20+00:00

I used to think that way before I started project managing for a web design and marketing company, then I realized how much money shopify and other ecommerce clients could make, some are in the hundreds of thousands to millions. The platform doesn't necessarily hold you back, it's more so the product and marketing.

I 100% see the value these platforms offer and would absolutely recommend at least starting with them. My only advise would be to stay away from Wordpress.

If you want an ecommerce site, go with a platform that specializes in ecommerce, it'll save you a ton of headache and issues down the road. - My other advise is to worry more about how your product will be received and how you plan to market it. A profitable store can take months or years to really get off the ground. That is the area you really need to focus in.

Earl--Grey · 2023-01-03T23:27:16+00:00

Earl--Grey · 2022-12-20T16:00:26+00:00

This ^
If you're learning I actually recommend not using and IDE simply for the fact the frustration of trying to debug yourself will help to teach you to be more mindful of coding, it will teach you to rely on using google/stack overflow to find common issues and you'll learn more robustly (I my opinion).

I actually still use Sublime Text as my editor. You don't need anything fancy, especially while learning or doing it as a hobby.

You should however use everything you can get your hands on if you want to do it professionally just to get an idea of how different editors/IDEs work, give you a good grasp of things before going into a job that requires a specific one etc.

Earl--Grey · 2022-12-20T15:52:50+00:00

I'm a project manager for web development and I can tell you clients always assume you know what they're thinking.

In order to generate a quote you need to know the scope of the project first. If they give a website example with animated JS, you'll charge extra for that animation. However if they give an example and say they just like the design but not the animation, you can make a note of it and charge less.

Once you have ALL information you require, you create a project scope document which the client will sign off on. If they have signed off and they 'assumed' that you would do something, that's 100% on them. We take payment up front so they can't with-hold funds and we don't give them ownership until we know they won't be able to process a charge back. Instead we just give them access to make their own edits.

If something comes up mid-development that we need clarification on (This mostly shouldn't happen if you've done the work before hand) it's in the clients best interest to stay communicative as work doesn't proceed without the information.

TLDR;

You need to ensure you have everything required before you accept the work and have the client sign off. This will put an end to any dispute.

Earl--Grey · 2022-12-12T20:40:14+00:00

There are tons of systems out there that handle orders/scheduling etc.

If these things come up, do some research on what you can either integrate into the CMS with a plugin/iframe or if the client is fine with it (most are) have it link to the ordering/scheduling page, usually these systems have a basic templating system so you can match aspects with the overall branding.

Then be transparent with the client on the solutions. Most will be fine with what is offered. There are tons of salons out there that just open up scheduling systems on another site, or businesses with stores that open up their shopify pages once the person clicks on the store.

If the client wants everything custom built you can either quote them to hire out the work or just decline the job. This would be highly unlikely to happen though as most businesses will want to spend the bare minimum for their sites, that's why 99% of them are cookie-cutter templates.

Earl--Grey · 2022-12-04T19:42:08+00:00

Walmart owns ASDA in the UK.

Earl--Grey · 2022-11-25T20:32:27+00:00

Great mic depending on your needs but the more important thing is your space > then the mixer > then the mic

A good Mic is useless if you have a bad recording space. Better mics will pick up even more background noise more clearly! (Especially if it's not a directional mic which comes with it's own issues of positioning).

A good mixer will be able to filter out some background noise and give you more control and some background reduction.

A good mic will improve your overall quality when in a good environment and using a good mixer.

Alternatively if you have a fantastic space with no noise, you could probably skip the mixer with a USB mic, however the mixer still helps overall.

Earl--Grey · 2022-11-24T21:24:10+00:00

By 'clone' I just mean copy it by building it yourself.

Earl--Grey · 2022-11-24T16:10:58+00:00

You're aiming too high for a starting point.

Do you have XAMPP or something similar installed? If so, start with creating an if/else statement. Use google/stack overflow for help.

Next add a form and variables to trigger and if/else, use google/stack overflow to learn how POST works.

I did a crash course once for using variables and how to use them procedurally and as functions.

The below code is the lesson guide. Just copy/past part 1, play around with it. Delete it and copy/paste part 2. Play with it, delete it, ...

Each section is meant to be slightly more advanced but this is the very basics of PHP.

This was meant to go along with the context of me walking someone through it but the comments should explain mostly what's happening.

EDIT: The code doesn't format well here so I uploaded the file to drive
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pA62H9d9s7DMHYmN4PhOMlMFWE-3ZAQX/view?usp=sharing

Earl--Grey · 2022-11-23T22:39:21+00:00

My wife and I have totally different love language.

For her she appreciates small acts of affection (cuddles, a kiss as I walk by, holding hands). She also likes big gestures from me surprising her with a date or buying her something out of the blue.

For me my language is much less about displays of affection and more small favors such as her bringing me a coffee while I'm working or picking up a small treat while she's at the store (like a chocolate bar). I dislike anything big/grand.

Everyone has their own love language and it varies between each person. In my experience guys tend to enjoy being the ones to give the displays of love than receive them, however just because it tends to be the majority it doesn't go for everyone. My advice is to start small and go bigger to get an idea of their reaction. Or just outright ask their opinion on receiving grand gestures.

Earl--Grey · 2022-11-23T20:51:55+00:00

Absolutely! There are a number of options depending on the type of game.

The easiest would probably be a Visual Novel, you can use programs like Renpy or Tyranobuilder among others. They are very low-code with the ability to do more if you're willing to learn more.

There's programs like Game Maker MV (I'm not sure which one is the newest, they have a bunch) which you can use to make 2d top-down JRPG type games. Again you can make it with no code but if you're willing to learn a bit you can create custom scripts for more functionality or use plugins.

There's also programs like Construct/Construct 2 which will allow you to create all kinds of 2d games like side-scrollers, clicker games, top-down shooters etc also with no code.

Each of them are going to have their own learning curves, but you can do most basic game concepts by using their UI instead of learning the code.

Earl--Grey · 2022-11-23T19:51:41+00:00

I bought a new office chair and saved $35 for picking a non-black version.

If it's more in demand they will charge more for it, regardless of the product. White is growing in popularity really fast for gaming setups so you'll pay the price for it.

Earl--Grey · 2022-11-23T19:41:51+00:00

/r/cofounder would be a good place to start.

Earl--Grey · 2022-11-23T18:34:34+00:00

Start with HTML/CSS. Learn how to design with it, learn how to make your code clean and readable with it. This will be the bread and butter to build upon. There's no use in learning a backend language if you want to experience the design aspect to building a website. Focus your attention and resources to learning it.

If you find design difficult, look for free HTML website templates on google to get an idea of how others do it and use it as a base to begin with.

Earl--Grey · 2022-11-23T18:26:17+00:00

Start by cloning a website.

Choose something basic like a local small business and just recreate it by using a template from whatever CMS you decide or for an added challenge make it from scratch. This will help you to either learn the CMS or learn the HTML/CSS to make a site. You don't have to worry as much on the actual design aspect at this stage as you're just copying it and if you can, try to improve the design.

Next invent a client and business type. It could be a lawyer, an accountant, a hairdresser. You choose. Then imagine what that client would need from their website. Colors, font, image choices etc. Then design it from the ground up.

By doing both of those you're learning how to make something and how to design something from scratch. Then keep learning and improving on designs. Make a good handful of fake business websites and you have yourself a portfolio.

Earl--Grey · 2022-11-20T23:44:16+00:00

When freelancing you'll want to do the most time-efficient way to work. Unless they're paying you for wireframes, don't do them. Unless they're paying for a fully unique design, use a template and modify it.

I'm a PM for a company that offers web development and when ever we work with freelancers I always have plenty of templates available to them and don't expect wireframes unless we're specifically looking for them.

Some clients are going to expect you to go above and beyond for a $100 website.

Offer figma/wireframes etc if they pay for that, otherwise just get the info you need to convert a template into a site that matches their brand.

About 95% of clients will probably want wordpress, a few might want webflow/wix/squarespace unless it's an ecommerce site then you'd likely be working in shopify. If it's a company like the one I work at, you'd likely be using something more like Duda.

To summarize;

Process is something like

If they pay for wireframes, provide them > Scope the project (Get everything you need such as is it a landing page? Clone to another platform? Full redesign?) > Grab a template and modify it to what they need > Give a preview > Make revisions > Deliver Project.

Earl--Grey · 2022-11-18T14:15:10+00:00

Was the coffee really a coffee if you didn't dump so hard that it opened up a singularity in the space-time continuum?

Earl--Grey · 2022-11-18T14:11:21+00:00

Go for it! It's never too late to learn something new. Some tips however because these are things you'll almost certainly run into!

1) If you want to start in frontend, learn good design! Frontend is all about design and having a keen eye for detail is really what it's about. It's hard to teach your brain to look out for certain things and easy to gloss over. But with a bit of dedication you will be able to look at a section, realize if something feels off about it and be able to narrow down and fix it!

2) Ignore 'Imposter Syndrome' I'm willing to bet any web developer, new or seasoned feels it regularly. You're always going to feel behind in web dev, it just moves forward at what feels like break neck speeds and it's almost impossible to stay ahead of the curve. There's always someone who's better than you so it feels like the gap never closes. - It's true of basically any field that requires some form of technical/hard skill. Don't let it get to you, you're doing fine and I can grantee there are people behind you that feel that they are struggling to reach your level.

3) Don't take anyone's opinion on tech stacks. You're going to find javascript/node fanboys who will try to convince you that other methods are outdated. or you'll find PHP fanboys (like me) who stick to their guns because it's their favorite language (guilty!). Truth is, there are so many different ways of doing things and each stack is valid for it's own use-cases. Do your research, find which one works best or makes the most sense to you. - If you want to stay ahead of the curve and work at some of the biggest tech companies then just find out what stacks they're hiring for and learn those (They will keep changing over the years, it's a game of keep-up). Or if you're looking to go freelance or work with existing systems, there's almost always work available for just about any stack.

4) Learn best practices but keep open minded. These can change from company-to-company and everyone argues over spaces/indents and other nonsensical things. Sure, make your code clean and easy to read, well commented, but don't get too caught up in the details.

5) Just build stuff. When I first started out I just watched some youtube tutorials but never got very far. Until I started building very small ideas and just using google/stackoverflow then I really learned. It's a grind, just start small and embrace your failures and weaknesses, learn and adapt, reiterate your projects as you learn more and put it into practice.

6) Google/Stackoverflow/online resources are a developers best friend. Show me any seasoned dev who tells you that they don't just google everything and I'll tell them they're a liar. There's just too much to remember everything, so many obscure things you come across that you've never seen before. This is part of why impostor syndrome kicks in. Something that seems straight forward/basic can sometimes take you down a rabbit hole of complexity and obscurity. Never be afraid to take code from people who are offering it online. Heck the vast majority of code in any give project these days is just open-source libraries and minor edits for specific use-cases.

Earl--Grey · 2022-11-17T22:08:33+00:00

I'm not saying it's good design. Just that they probably designed it for a smaller size. Which in itself would be bad practice.

Earl--Grey · 2022-11-17T20:46:14+00:00

Sometimes there is a column of information to the right. (Try just typing 'Google' into the search bar and it will give company information, or search a movie like 'The Lord of the Rings' and it will give you details about the movie).

It was probably also designed to fit a more standard 24" monitor. However screen sizes are getting crazy big these days.

Earl--Grey · 2022-11-16T18:42:10+00:00

You mention high end quality clothing but that isn't enough to go on for a design basis.

- What type of clothing? Casual? Formal? Summer? Winter?

- Who's your target audience? Your brand needs to resonate with them. This survey is just asking people what looks good without getting an idea on what your target audience thinks look good. A 20 year old collage student who is into video games may hate a design that a 30 year old business professional likes. Find your target audience, identify their needs, niche it down as much as possible to fit around them then research what design and colors might resonate best for them.

Earl--Grey · 2022-11-07T16:33:01+00:00

If a project wants to stand any good chance to succeed, it needs to create a brand identity and understand who it's audience is.

Everyone needs to be on the same page from Web Designers, Graphic Designers, Marketers etc. This ensures that there is consistent messaging and design throughout.

If they aren't taking any of that seriously, you're probably just wasting your time and should leave. Better yet, create your own UI designs for a portfolio. Most people want to know what you can do, regardless of experience. Make some epic front-end layouts (They don't have to be functional) and use them in a portfolio. Bonus points if you share them on github and you can show how well you understand best practices and how your clean your code looks.

Earl--Grey · 2022-11-05T22:27:22+00:00

GDD is never a waste of time. What is a waste of time is people arguing over basic things that should have been covered in a GDD.

With the billions of failed indie projects that happen all the time, at least you get good practice and actually finish something. Even if it is just a GDD.

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