ORIGINALLY POSTED: <unknown> (updated and edited when reposted)
NOTE: Please do not reply to this thread, as it will be for the devs to post commission/WfH-related information.
Here's an overview of the Writer for Hire program in general. For those unfamiliar with it, donations made to support the game can be used to purchase 'development time' from the writers/coders on the team. While Stripes, as the lead dev, generally handles these requests, there are several others who can take commissions as well. Time is purchased at a rate of $15/hour, with a share going to support the expense of maintaining the game and the rest to the dev working on your request.
At the end of the month, the total value of all donations is totalled and a bonus hour is awarded for each full hundred dollars in donations we've gotten. Generally voted upon by the fans, these bonus hours are put towards more content/improvements to the game. This gives everyone an opportunity to have their say in what the bonus content will be for any given month. While the options vary from month to month, some possibilities will return from time to time. As well, any option that doesn't win can always be commissioned by an interested fan.
How to Make a Request:
To make a donation, use the DONATE button on the main blog page to place your donation. You should then send Nuku a separate email at dms dot silver at gmail dot com to tell him you've got a Writer for Hire request to go with your recent donation. Some requests have even come with a few options for the dev to do, letting them pick the one that seems the most interesting or which inspires them the most. Do NOT include details of your request in the notes of the donation itself. After your initial email, we may bounce a message or two back and forth to discuss any details as needed. Should you have a more elaborate or detailed request in mind, you can also use the messenger system built into this forum to contact a dev and discuss what you'd like. If you have concerns about the scope or feasibility of your plan, or just want to discuss the idea a little before opting to donate, you can certainly message us before placing your donation.
The remainder below is mainly from my own experience. It will vary somewhat from request to request and some details will vary from dev to dev, but they should be a good general guideline for making a writer for hire request.
As a rough guide to production times:
One hour: Some new content/scenes for existing creature/NPC.
One hour: Add endings to an existing creature (maybe a with a little leftover for minor tweaks elsewhere).
One hour: Adding a handful of new forms for Larissa. Donator may pick a couple of these and the rest will be chosen to keep the list balanced.
One-two hours: Adding an interaction/threesome to a compatible pair of NPCs.
Two-hour hours: Add a small task to do for an NPC, perhaps with a reward/new item/'thank-you' scene at the end. More complex tasks and/or scenes w/more time.
Three hours: Importing an existing creature for FS multiplayer w/an okay-good level of content.
Three-four hours: Make a new pet with a few scenes and simple introduction.
Four hours: Make a new critter w/an okay level of content.
Four hours: Make a simple new NPC with a few scenes.
Six hours: Make a new critter w/good level of content for both win and loss.
Six hours: Make a simple new NPC with a good number or scenes or fancier introduction.
Eight hours+: More elaborate projects, new mechanics, quests, branching paths, etc...
These are just rough estimates of the time involved for fairly general requests. More specific stuff takes longer, both from a writing and coding standpoint. If you tell me you want "more gryphon lovin'", then I have plenty of leeway to work my mojo in. It may not be what you expect, but it'll definitely contain more gryphon lovin'. Something specific like "NPC-X with this and that and four kinds of cheese", then I have less space to manoeuvre, but I'll still do my best to give it to you. Giving the dev some latitude to follow their inspiration can often have interesting and fun results, but if you have a concrete idea of what you want to see, then we will do our best to provide it.
Fancy Tricks:
Some tricks and variations take shorter/longer than others, but I've got lots of content already made to 'borrow' code from to streamline this. This also allows for a considerable amount of options within most any of these categories. If you've seen an NPC or monster do some trick or special variation, there's a good chance that can be used on another. New mechanics can also be made with some time for coding and beta-testing. Possibilities abound. Don't expect me to break the game's code for a small project, but I can often reuse existing tricks in a new spot. Got a bigger project, well... then we can talk.
Difficult Requests:
When making a request, please keep in mind what you know about the game world and any characters you wish to influence. While a lot of things are possible during the nanite outbreak occurring in Flexible Survival, some things are not possible within the universe Nuku's created. There's some room to bend things around the edges or re-imagine potential ideas into something which works a little better. While some of the stuff made in the past doesn't always follow the rules of the universe, we'd like to keep the new stuff more or less in canon.
While we can do quite a bit with the code and have learned many ways to accomplish new mechanics in the game, some features of how the game functions at a fundamental level may make some ideas implausible due to conflicts with basic issues with Inform and/or the core FS system. While these issues rarely come up with requests, they do appear from time to time. Inform is a very flexible language, making it very good environment for Flexible Survival, but the way many basic elements of the game have been constructed cannot be changed because of how much has been built overtop of them. Some can be adjusted or expanded with new variations, but others are harder to adjust.
Similarly, asking for an established NPC to act out of character or for their story arc to deviate wildly can be difficult if not impossible. In several cases, it may simply not be possible to effect such strong changes because of how they were coded. While there's many ways to construct an NPC and its particular eccentricities, not all design schemes are easily changed or compatible with certain possible paths without a prohibitive amount of redesign. When such possibilities where planned for in there initial creation, it is much easier to do so than with older characters. Also, the more an NPC ties into other content, the more stuff has to be checked for cross-compatibility if serious character changes are made. But don't despair, we can often extend an NPC's existing character arc, expand upon their content or broaden their horizons through interesting new scenes/events.
If you've got an idea you'd like to see done, it doesn't hurt to check. Alternatively, a new NPC, monster or quest can be made to explore this idea you have, letting them be designed towards your goals from the start. This can even lead into...
Extended Projects:
Many things can be built in parts as well, if you can't go for it all at once, but are willing to see it added over a few donations. Quests, NPCs and more complex or active monsters can be made in this way, adding more scenes or having them progress to the next level with subsequent additions. Examples of this include Fang/Alpha Fang (resulting from numerous donations from multiple individuals), Joanna (a planned, long-term project), Alexandra (progressed from basic monster, to complex monster, to NPC, to complex NPC), the Wereraptor creature/curse/quest, Leonard (simple NPC to complex NPC, to quest, to major quest)... The list goes on on and on. As well, there are some projects that have been left incomplete or become stagnant. If you'd like to see them continued, you can also donate towards those and help everyone see what they were building up to.
Conclusion:
The Writer for Hire program's been a great success, helping to support and expand the game in so many ways. Dozens of NPCs and monsters are well as quests, events, areas, feats and even kinky new abilities and more have all come from fans like you donating to keep it going. So much of the game's been created or expanded upon through your help. We hope you'll continue to support us and this strange, kinky project that isn't quite so little any more.
