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(Taken from Cullen Saul's website circa 2001)
http://freeweb.pdq.net/sauls1/curevent6.htm
Anti-Programmer (Rant)
I have tried not to say anything thus far, but I finally cannot keep silent anymore.
I am sick and tired of people contacting me, asking for special information, criticizing (harshly) my game/programming, making demands of me, and so forth and THEN asking for favors (such as advanced copies or the like). It is very simple people: I have a life! I do not spend 24 hours a day programming for my TI-86. And the more this situation happens the less I want to complete Mega Man 86. At least 10 new people every week contact me, and most of the time I don't mind helping. I do get irritated when people refuse to read or think they deserve special treatment. Any new information that I want to tell the public is always on my webpage and .plan at Macross. I do not mind answering questions that people may have that are practical, but it seems 50%-75% of the people that are contacting me these days say the same things: "When will it be finished?", "Why is it taking so long?", "Can I have an advanced copy?", and other such questions.
I am sure this sort of thing has happpened to other programmers, but frankly, unless you are paying money for these games/programs, you (the public) have no right to make demands of us! We programmers make these programs/games because we enjoy programming and we like to give others entertainment. But would you want to finish a game that is causing every person on earth to make demands of you? I have said numerous times that I will not abandon Mega Man 86, but with the exponential increase in these occurences, it is becoming more and more difficult to continue working.
For example, Wood Man and another Robot Master would probably be completed by now if it weren't for these types of people, but when I end up talking to one of them, I lose any urge to program that day.
One example is the day after I finished Metal Man. I made his AI as close to the original as I could, but of course 4 or 5 people felt compelled to 'correct' me in saying it isn't exactly like the original. Of course it isn't, this is a CALCULATOR, not a PC! It is as close as I can get it in the TI-86's memory limitations.
Another example is how everyone comments on the slowness of the scrolling, assuming I have not tried anything to speed it up. I have tried every way I know how to speed it up, but there is no change in the speed and it ends up increasing the program size. And yes, I do know about Mardell's engine, but I don't have the memory for it.
Lastly, please do not use the comparison of "Mario Brothors/SQRXZ scrolls faster," that really annoys me. Those are great games and I admire the programmers, but Mega Man 86 would probably also scroll that fast if it wasn't grayscale and only used 8x8 sprites.
I have said my peace. Thanks for reading.