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How do I get a promotion in the Guild?Several folks asked about how to get a promotion from Apprentice World Builder to World Builder. How do I stop being an apprentice and get full fledged status? I put this question to the Guild and here are several folk's opinions... Personally, I think maybe the person should have built many objects for the mall, built several worlds (showing increasing skill level with the art of VRML), demonstrated that they can make several interesting avatars with unique gestures, been an active Guild member (so that we have gotten to know them) in one way or the other, and demonstrated a willingness to help others learn about VRML techniques. I really don't think that it is fair to everyone that I be the sole judge of this (or fair to me). There is a poll/vote option at the egroup site which we have used upon occasion for this type of voting.
My personal feelings are it would be an honor bestowed on myself when the guild thinks my skills have developed to a certain standard, instead of me asking for such a promotion. Maybe a discussion topic at the guild meeting on say a first of each quarter basis of who is under review and a poll set for recommended promotions. I agree a good question, as Lenire, I think it was brought up a few months ago --- no easy answer then either ;) A few worlds displaying the builder's current skills and technical merit and that we are headed in the right direction. Help and assistance should come into it but I'm sure we've all helped one another at some time so I'm not sure how much this would come into it. A desire to encourage developing apprentices and submit regularly to the guild discussions and develop the World builder and Guild name through out CT.
The first, quality of work or skill in VRML, is a very vague and questionable topic. Art to one person may be rubbish to another; one man's trash in another man's treasure. The only way skills can be determined is by review of the entire work produces and the techniques implied by the creator. People should not vote according to their personal preference, but according to the ability of the author to create something unique or useful to someone else. The third, participation in Guild affairs, can be complicated in itself. I usually write to the mailing list regularly, but it is not common to see me on the Saturday meetings. The mailing list is a very good idea; without it, I probably wouldn't be able to participate at all in the Guild. Therefore, I press everyone tonight to find within themselves the true reason they are looking to achieve a higher status within the Guild. The only way to truly qualify for the position is the genuine want to make Cybertown a better place than it is now. It is to make our world a little better and contribute to the learning, production, and maintenance of VRML, and the use of it to benefit others.
Now myself, being an apprentice has nothing to do with this. I suppose I could apply, but when I look at MY own skills, I do not think I am the equivalent of the other world builders in our group. I have built many worlds (only a few out in the public though) and many many many avatars, vrml this and that, but YET, I feel I need to attain higher goals. Maybe you should review everything about yourself, the lack of time, the computer restrictions, and all the other things you talked about, and then consider if you are ready for the title. I know that I am not, as of yet that is. The biggest thing is to try to work harder, and attain goals you set to get better.
OK, since the 'two-cents' are flying about, here are mine: What I think would be beneficial (if the guild is interested in an objective means of judging - personally, I am happy either way) is to establish a criteria for attaining levels of status within the Worldbuilder's Guild. If, for example, we were asked to: Generate a certain number of 'worlds' of varying complexity (i.e. - with animations, viewpoints, decorative use of textures, etc.), create a certain number of textures from scratch, a certain number of avatars (complete with unique gestures, as well as 'standard' gestures - walking and etc.), and whatever other list of criteria the guild as a group could establish, to attain membership and the most basic level; Then more complex building requirements, such as generating a useable and useful tutorial based on a certain aspect of virtual creation (to be judged and critiqued by the Master World Builders and perhaps tested by beginners for understand-ability), as well as perhaps an essay regarding practical and artistic uses of Virtual reality, to attain another level, and finally; Requiring an established volume of work generated by hand-coding, as well as the mentoring of a builder in a lower builder level to attain a higher level, etc. This seems to me to be the only means of objectively measuring the 'levels' of competence denoted by the titles (and, no, I have no idea what they are) associated with the Worldbuilder's Guild. As far as the 'prestige' afforded by having the title "worldbuilder" attached to one's name, it is irrelevant why one would choose this as a goal. But most of us would really like to have some indication that we have undertaken and accomplished the creation of virtual objects, worlds, etc. If you are put off by those who wish to emulate you, then you have failed to realize that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and you might even be in grave danger of 'snobbery' toward others who only think that what you have accomplished is a worthy goal for themselves. I am personally impressed by the titles associated with the Guild because I have seen our work and it is no small accomplishment, either artistically or technically. It is a marvelous mixture of art and science combining 3-dimensional thinking and visualization of spatial relations and artistic ability! Not everyone can imagine in 3 Dimensions, much less create that way, nor can everyone master the technical skills needed to do so, and we have every right to be proud!
To make a long story short, quality building has very little to do with hardware or software, it has to do with being able to use VRML by hand and/or with an authoring program such as Flux Studio. It has to do with a knowledge of what can be done, then figuring out how to put your ideas into code by hand or with the help of a compiler and hopefully, the result looks close to what you originally intended. |
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