+ + They say its a right of passage for .NET developers to write their own blogging website application + (maybe it should be "write of passage"). + But writing a webapp for a blog is a complete waste of time when all you need is a web server for serving static files, like Apache or nginx. + If you want to be fancy, you can setup a cronjob to pull from a Git repository periodically so you can update files easily. + Although I'm not a big fan of a lot of .NET technologies, so I might be a bit biased + (imagine if Microsoft had contributed to Java instead of making their own version). + But that's enough for my negative opinions on .NET, since it's actually a very powerful platform, despite it's shortcomings on most platforms. +
++ + Let me introduce myself. + I'm NGnius (hahaha my dumb username finally paid off), or NG, and I'm the guy who runs this website that you're on right now. + You know the web server setup I cheekily mentioned above? + That's exactly how I configured this website. + I also maintain quite a few mods on git.exmods.org, with help from NorbiPeti. + Together, we're the two main contributors to the + GamecraftModdingAPI, + the developer-friendly interface for mods to interact with Gamecraft. + Before getting into modding, I played a lot of Robocraft (~1.5k hours) + and wondered if there was something more productive I could use my time for. + The answer came partially in the form of becoming a Robocraft moderator and almost an admin (am I allowed to tell that story?). + Despite what people said about us moderators, we were a pretty good bunch. + It's hard to have a perfect crew when everyone is a volunteer, so there were a couple of not-so-great mods during my time as a moderator. + The good ones stuck around though, which is what really counts. + I eventually quit because I wasn't playing Robocraft anymore, but I like to think I wasn't a not-so-great mod. + By that time I knew that Gamecraft (then RobocraftX) was coming out soon, so I stuck around to see where that game would go. + I was cautiously optimistic because I was around for CardLife and Robocraft Royale. + When FreeJam stopped working on Robocraft to focus on Gamecraft, I knew Gamecraft was going to stick around for a while. + I wanted to learn C#, the language most of Gamecraft is written in, for a project at work, so getting into modding seemed like a great way to learn. + I ended up never actually using C# at work, but Gamecraft modding proved to be an interesting challenge so I didn't stop. + Sometime in between my last day as a Robocraft moderator and the first Gamecraft mod, I went website domain shopping and got + exmods.org because I could use it for Ex-moderator or RobocraftX mod stuff. + Since the former idea was pretty pointless, I rented a couple of servers in a datacenter and spun up an Apache server and a Gitea server instance. + The first server is still used to host the RobocraftX Save Manager update server, although I've stopped updating that program, + but it now primarily hosts all of the Exmods websites. + I guess that makes me the leader of Exmods, the first (and only) Gamecraft modding group. + There's no reason to be concerned, since I know what I'm doing... I think. +
+
+
+ Let me introduce Exmods.
+ If you've spent anytime in the Exmods community, you probably already know that Exmods is the Gamecraft modding group.
+ We provide modding help and infrastructure to make it easier to create and install mods for Gamecraft.
+ Exmods is completely independent from FreeJam and Gamecraft developers, so all of our mods are unofficial.
+ These services are provided completely free-of-charge (well, for you -- I get charged every month for the servers).
+ I don't ever want to make Exmods stuff cost money for others, mainly because this creates two problems without easy solutions.
+ 1) A problem as old as the open-source idea itself: How do you make money off of open-source software?
+ 2) A more personal problem: How do you justify collecting money you when you could pay for it by yourself?
+ (This doesn't mean devs shouldn't make paid mods -- if they can make it work, good for them!)
+
+ + There do actually exist solutions to the first problem, but they aren't great. + Red Hat offers paid customer support, + among other things, for open-source software but that can hurt user adoption when good installation instructions are behind a paywall. + Similarly, Canonical + also offers paid customer support for open-source software that the company develops, but they also offer provisioning services, + which could be adapted to my situation by charging developers for access to Exmods, + an option that's bad for developer adoption and will result in lower user adoption. + The solution to the second problem is for me to embrace capitalism in all its glory, + but a lot of modern companies have shown how that goes, so I'd have to also give up some of my morals. + Looking forward, the only scenario that would make me monetize Exmods would be if I ran out of money, + and likely the monetization would be a Patreon link or something similar. + That scenario is not impossible, since I only work four months a year; + a 4-month summer job and then two 4-month university terms with expensive tuition. + But it's still unlikely to happen, and won't get in the way of my other aspirations for Exmods. +
++ + On that note, where is Exmods heading? + Would it surprise you to know that I actually have no big plan? + I don't have a big plan, but I do have some smaller goals. + Exmods is a hobby project, so these goals are pretty much guaranteed to change as my interests change. + Primarily, I'd like to see the Gamecraft modding scene grow. + As far as I know, at this moment there are exactly two Gamecraft modders in the world, + with maybe a few more people who run modded Gamecraft clients. + At the time of writing, there are a few more than 10 concurrent users playing Gamecraft right now. + If both of us modders were playing right now, we wouldn't even make up 20% of Gamecraft players. + That number is way too small. + Community growth is a positive feedback loop (like social networks) if we can give it a shove to get it started. + Equally, I'd like to make amazing Gamecraft mods. + I'm a computer nerd and nothing makes me happy quite like writing code does... + Maybe that's why I don't have a girlfriend. + Seeing your own creation being used by others to create amazing things is something else. + I've experienced a bit of that feeling while making Pixi, and it's wonderful. + My third goal is for Exmods to last. + I often abandon projects soon after I've gotten them off the ground because I'm bored of them or nobody is using them. + Lots of hobbyist programmers suffer from this, but I'm really trying to break the habit. + To accomplish some parts of my goals, I'm starting this blog. +
+
+
+ So let me introduce this blog.
+ My YouTube channel could help satisfy a lot of the goals I have for Exmods,
+ but I like video editing a bit too much.
+ I enjoy the whole video creation process, from script writing to recording to video editing,
+ but that enjoyment comes at the cost of effort; it often takes me a couple of days to create a video.
+ Unfortunately I rarely have 24+ hours to spare to create five minutes of content.
+ This blog will allow me to offer more details and spend less time on delivery.
+ This won't replace my videos, but it will supplement them.
+ If I can come up with a good way to cut down the time to create videos, this blog may even go hand-in-hand with new videos.
+ With a bit of luck, this will help keep me involved in Exmods as my interest inevitably waxes and wanes.
+ The ease of creating blog posts will enable me to write about almost anything Exmods-related, which is something I can't do with videos.
+ For example...
+ Ever wondered about the experience of modding an ECS-based game?
+ Want to know what makes Gamecraft tick?
+ What happened in the Gamecraft modding community last week?
+
+ + That's it. + That's what this blog is all about: an accessible outlet for me and Exmods. + Hopefully somebody finds it interesting. +
+