Paying someone to code my server, feasible?

Started by kanemi, Jun 09, 2017, 09:59 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

kanemi

I'm basically paying this guy to do everything related to coding. I know I will have to understand a tiny bit of the stuff he does already, just wondering to what extent I should go learning this stuff. I'm not too keen on learning to code, though. I want to be able to take control of all aspects of the server without going into learning any syntax at all, if that's possible.

Also, if it is possible, what should I learn, and how? The guy tried explaining it to me, but really superficially.

yC

Quote from: kanemi on Jun 09, 2017, 09:59 PM
I want to be able to take control of all aspects of the server without going into learning any syntax at all

I'd say no, some people may disagree but that is how I see it.  Ask yourself first, are you able to run the server alone.  Sure, pressing a few button to get the server online / offline is easy enough.  That is until someone finds a bug or abuse a bug then you will need to know how approach the problem.

Why do you want to pay someone to code you a server?  If you don't know anything about it and don't want to learn, might as well not do it.

kanemi

#2
It seems like too large a task to learn coding that I have no other use for than this server, but I do have a lot of ideas as far as game mechanics goes. I think I can improve on the experience of other pservers (which, I know, is a bold claim, but assume it's true for the sake of discussion xD). And can I not just pay my guy to give me the code for the bug fix, tell me where to put it, and get another dude to confirm that the code is not gonna mess things up? That, or just trust this coder that has been good to me so far that things will not blow up in my face?

And if not, how much will I have to learn and what exactly am I learning?

Yuzo

bad idea. it's this guy who runs ur server not u.

SukiChii

You're better off getting hired at a server rather than running it.

Bue

How much are you paying your developer? where is he from? how old is he?

kanemi

Quote from: SukiChii on Jun 12, 2017, 05:41 PM
You're better off getting hired at a server rather than running it.

I doubt I could find a good one who will take all of my suggestions. Anyway this is how it works everywhere else. I guess an RO server is quite different but typically if you want good games you don't go around asking coders to design them, they just do the coding. 'Course, I am not of that caliber myself, but I do have a bit of insight that perhaps most others would have missed.

Quote from: Bue on Jun 12, 2017, 08:51 PM
How much are you paying your developer? where is he from? how old is he?

Not a whole lot. I've probably paid a couple hundred by now, estimating it'll cost me a few hundred more. The money isn't the biggest of issues though, I've wasted this much money on worse ideas before.

My guy is Happy from the Hercules forums. He's from the Philippines. Not sure about his age, but he is a grown adult judging by his pics. 

Bue

What exactly do you know how to do and what are you contracting out?

I don't want to make too many assumptions, but generally speaking, I agree with yC.

Oh yeah, but if you have a budget on the level of a Saudi Prince, then PM me.

Yuzo

do you know how to read scripts or src? what happens when he starts putting backdoors in?

kanemi

Quote from: Bue on Jun 13, 2017, 01:41 AM
What exactly do you know how to do and what are you contracting out?

Nothing much. If there's a script for it with instructions (e.g. bots) I know how to do that. The guy is teaching me how basically to use github, codeanywhere, bitbucket, stuff like that. I guess that's the button pressing that yC mentioned. I'm contracting out source edits and simple modifications like adding NPCs and making sure they work right. He's doing all the customizations basically.

QuoteOh yeah, but if you have a budget on the level of a Saudi Prince, then PM me.

Haha. Not really. I'm just willing to go into the negative for a couple months if that's what it takes. Willing to fail and so on. But I'm not a huge gambler either so that's about it.

Quote from: Yuzo on Jun 13, 2017, 05:42 AM
do you know how to read scripts or src? what happens when he starts putting backdoors in?

No, I don't. No way I'm gonna be able to read src. And I just pay him to keep things functional. I guess trusting someone is easy, but really his reputation and business are on the line.

But from what your telling me there really is no way to prevent a hostile takeover except by doing everything myself. Or maybe there is someone you can recommend to help me out, but the guy's been good to me so far. Willing to work whenever I need it.

mtil

Do you have linux server admin experience/knowledge? Will you be fully paying for/funding your project?

If you can't admin the server but you are funding it, I'd recommend partnering with someone you trust who has the server administration / coding skills and give them control (but it's hard to find someone trustworthy).

If you CAN administer your server well then you might be able to get someone else to do the coding but retain full control. There are some good practices to help with this, ex: use vagrant or something like that so that you can test out all the changes either locally or deploy to a test cluster (also make sure you review the changes). It lets to validate in a separate environment than where your actual server is running.

And finally, if you are not paying the server bills then I wouldn't really consider you an owner. Just a guy with some ideas that wants to make a particular kind of server.

kanemi

Yes, I am paying the server bills, and will take control of everything before it goes live, however I am still paying him to code for me and even sharing my profits to an extent with him. We talked about a test server already and he agreed to do that for me.

Zinnia

In real life organisations, a product owner isn't necessarily somebody who codes.

If you trust that person and that person recognizes you as somebody who has knowledge in areas he doesn't, then you own it. (Including monetization plan / accounting)

Most RO servers since forever have been administrated by developers, but that's wrong. Developers aren't trained to think "business" or "priority". They aren't project managers. Everyone their expertise.

Inochi

are you from the Philippines by any chance?
<3

kanemi