Eventing: A legitimate specialty?

[PK8]

This thread is basically inspired from a blog entry I read at another site.

I think this has been discussed in certain places a few times but not here. And it's the first time I'm bringing it up here. So I thought I'd like to ask you guys this: do you think eventing is a legitimate specialty? Why or why not? Another question, define "Eventer".

As for me, I personally think it is. But then again, that may be my bias talking for me. (I love eventing)

Some argue that eventing is discredited as a specialty by other folks for the fact that you're just toying around with predeveloped code or because events should be something you should learn when you use RPG Maker (RM was always based around eventing, allowing people to make things up without any programming knowledge), and because it's one of the core parts of the RPG Maker program.

Psst... I personally think it's the noobs who want to recruit "eventers" for their projects and another reason being that some claim they're eventers because they could use "Message" command.

I personally think Eventers are the kind of people who work within the limits (in this case, event commands, common events and database-related stuff) to do something extraordinary, making event-based systems. I think that people who make some pretty elaborate systems through the use of events are Eventers.

Surely, it isn't as difficult as say scripting or spriting, but to each his own. Whenever you use events creatively in some attempt to go beyond the box and successfully make a useful system you or anyone puts to use in the near future, you get a thrill. You feel like you've accomplished something with what you were given. Making event-based systems such as an elaborate tactical battle system, a day night system, or whatever the heck you make, should it be elaborate is no ordinary feat.

So now I ask you all, do you think eventing is a legitimate position? And define eventing? I'd love to see some back and forth about this. It makes for a darn good discussion so go ahead.

[Wilhelm Millay]

In a way, eventing is as much a skill as noseblowing. Technically it is, but its one any RM user (except possibly the noseless) should be able to do. But that refers to eventing such as eventing a simple conversation, eventing chests and doors and move events. Anyone who can only do these simpler tasks should never claim to be an eventer. I unfortunately fall into this category, cause I've never played with eventing enough to become realy good with it.

There are those however, who can do very interesting and complicated things with events, things that are usally handled by scripts or pixie dust (..wait). Anyways, those who arent afraid to tackle and accomplish difficult and massive eventing projects should proudly say they are eventing specialist.

Noone should add "eventer" to their specialty list just cause they can make Arshes ask everyone in town to sell him some smack.

[Abbot]

I agree with what Wilhelm said and feel accomplished :E

I used to toy around with Eventing a lot. Up to the point where I made a really simple battle system I called the Brawl System. You basically just stood there, where a menu of choices would come up. There were only four choices. You chose one, then your opponent would choose one, then it would take the speeds (variables, I used variables to define all this), then take the appropriate animations for what each person chose (the opponent would be an AI, but really simple, only able to choose and attack, not think). This was all with one or two common events.

I personally think an eventer is someone who can step out of the box using these pre-defined methods and make something extraordinary. Someone who can make an elaborate event. Or a complex system. That is an eventer in my mind. I have no idea if I'm an eventer. I'd like to be. but I don't know. :]

[henasraf]

I agree with all the posts above, I've got nothing really to add.

[Guardian]

Basically, it comes down to a matter of terminology. The term "eventer" has been diluted by the new game makers who want someone else to do the simple stuff for them. It's been suggested that titles like designer or system designer would be a better description, but I really don't think so because it's not specifying if you're using scripts or events. A person who makes a script-based battle system is a scripter, so why isn't someone who makes an event-based battle system an eventer?

For the qualification aspect, scripting and eventing can be seen as pretty equal. Scripting requires prerequisite knowledge and events are much more limiting because you can't change how they work. Scripting uses Ruby, eventing uses scripts.

Those are basically the arguments that I made for considering "eventer" a specialty. Some people would disagree with me on what I've said above, but no one really disputes that making your own battle system is a complicated thing to do, whether you think it's for design reasons or putting it together.

[Iceplosion]

Looking at things like the animated intros made by monkeydlu in his projects (all completely event based) I'd say evening is a legitimate speciality, but a lot of the people who claim to be "eventers" are generally just noobs who don't know how to use the program (generally, this doesn't apply to everybody)

[Jacket]

I see people often times laugh at the idea of eventing being a specialty or position, because they see it as the maker itself, it's part of the system that ANYONE can do. Problem is, that falls for every category. Anyone can sprite, honestly if they actually took a bit of patience. Hell, I've scripted a script on my own - so obviously anyone can script (hi, I'm the guy who gets an error changing a variable from 01 to 02 :x)

Thing is some event chains are extremely complex. But people don't look at eventing as complex, because they look at scripts. Back in the earlier RM days you had to know how to event to do anything special (or just to copy and duplicate someone elses' chain of events). Even today, if you actually DO do something special, it's kind've a case of "you could've just had someone script it".

I evented the Chrono Trigger CBS (for the most part - still buggy and is missing an honestly good targeting system), so if I finished it, the idea is I could've had it scripted. Despite that I've never seen it - though I never really went looking.

People use the term wrongly, basically. If someone is adding treasure chests to maps and putting in simple dialogue windows, without the actually cool stuff you can do with those, they'll call themselves an eventer.

It's like me calling myself a scripter if I changed the background image in a menu script by changing "menu_001" to "skillbackground" so menu_001.png isn't used, and is instead replaced by "skillbackground.png".

If I use an html template and change the title of the page, I'm not an html coder. If I use an event template and change the dialogue, I'm not an eventer. But if I can make something unique out of it, that most people couldn't even figure out how to start, then yeah. I'm a viable position.

[Charlie Fleed]

There is one skill that eventing typically requires, whereas it is usually absent from script systems, and it is the ability to manage parallel processes. With parallel processes i mean flows of events and conditions which do not evolve in a linear way; instead they may evolve in many different combinations and with different timing and each case must be accounted for by the "eventer".
The sequence in which events occur is not always obvious and usually less predictable than with scripts. A good eventer is able to organize a system of conditions which doesn't cause errors (of course), delays, little graphic glitches (like an unwanted image that appears for a frame).
So, since there are some specific challenges i think that eventer is a legitimate specialty.
I agree that the term is misused and overused though.