Dr. Popper game, now with networked high scores
Those of you who have been following my blog for a while, or have been through the silverlight.net gallery, know about my Dr. Popper game. One of the things I was really looking forward to when I ported it to Silverlight 2 was to provide a server-based high score board. I'm pleased to announce that this is now deployed.
I used a combination of WCF and SubSonic to implement this, and I plan on creating a more general purpose high score system that you can use in your own game, so for now, if you want any more details on how I put this together, let me know.
You can play the new version here:
http://www.bluerosegames.com/brg/games.aspx
My new blog for general Silverlight (non gaming) stuff
Don't worry, I'm still mainly going to focus on blogging about game development, but I've had some topics I've wanted to post about lately that were not game related and didn't want to mix everything together in one spot. So I've set up a new blog here:
http://www.bluerosegames.com/SilverlightBrassTacks/
I'll keep posting to both, and put each post where it makes the most sense.
Fast facts about Microsoft MVPs
Well it looks like my renewal post the other day generated some interest and discussion, and it prompted Dave Campbell of Silverlight Cream to post his feelings about the MVP program as well:
http://geekswithblogs.net/WynApseTechnicalMusings/archive/2008/04/04/121043.aspx
Scott Vallee just sent me some fast facts about the MVP program that I'd like to share with you:
- Worldwide there are more than 100 million participants in technical communities.
- Of these participants there are only 4,000 MVPs located across 93 countries, spanning more than 30 languages and more than 90 Microsoft technologies.
- There has been a 10 percent to 15 percent MVP audience growth in countries such as China, Russia and Korea.
- Over the past few years new regions with MVPs include the Republic of Congo, Ghana, Nepal, Macedonia and Macao
- In recent years, a handful of MVPs have been awarded in new categories such as MSN, Xbox, Visual Studio Tools for Office, Microsoft Dynamics and Visual Studio Team System.
- MVPs are a diverse group that includes accountants, teachers, artists, government workers, engineers and technologists.
Thanks Scott for the information!
So now I feel even more honored to be part of the program, unfortunately my flight to the MVP Summit tomorrow (Friday) is on American Airlines on an MD80, so hopefully I'll make it up there.
Renewed as MVP for another year, with a bit of a change
I'm very happy to share that I've been renewed as a Microsoft MVP for the next year. Along with the renewal, I have been switched from DirectX/XNA as my main competency to Client App Dev, which is where they're putting the MVPs these days that are focusing on Silverlight. So what does this change mean? Not a lot overall, many MVPs focus on more than one area of Microsoft technologies, but it does mean that at events like the MVP Summit coming up, I get access to more sessions with the Silverlight team.
For those that are not familiar with the MVP program, it's all about helping in the community, both online and local. People who contribute significantly to one or the other or both are recognized by Microsoft for their contributions and are awarded on a yearly basis. When it comes time for renewal, you are judged solely on your contributions over the past year, and it's getting harder and harder to get renewed, so I'm grateful to be a part of the program for another year.
Reflecting back on my first year as an MVP, I'm thrilled with how many great people I've met, and the groups I've been able to speak in front of. Over the past year, I've gone from a complete novice speaker terrified to get in front of a small group to someone who's pretty comfortable in front of a group of 100 or more. Working with the community is something I really enjoy, maybe more than I even thought I would, and everything that I've given has come back to me many times over.
People ask me how to become an MVP, and for them I have the following advice:
- Find a Microsoft technology that excites and interests you
- Get involved in online forums and newsgroups, especially answering questions
- Get to know your local Microsoft Dev Evangelists and User Group leaders
- Get to know the other MVPs that focus on the same technology as you
- Volunteer to speak at any event you have an opportunity to speak at
- Start a blog and post useful information in the technology of your choice
- Start or become a contributor to an Open Source project, for example on CodePlex
- Most importantly: Only pursue MVP if you truly enjoy helping the community. It's a lot of work, and unless the work is rewarding to you, the other benefits probably won't be worth your time.
This is a very exciting year for Silverlight and XNA, and I look forward to contributing to both of these communities of the next year and beyond.