In-Game Name: CS_Birb Public Alts: BirbBot, _Birb, Birbius, @console Also known as... Birb, CS, Connor, Feathers Departments: Tech 3, Direction 2 Staff Since: Aspirant: 20th January 2018 Tech Rank 1: 9th April 2018 Tech Rank 2: 9th July 2018 Tech Rank 3: 27th August 2018 Favourite Colour(s): How could I possibly decide... Rainbow FTW! A little bit about me... I'm Birb, one of the newest Tech staff members here on Massive. At 20 years of age, I've just recently completed a 'Bachelor's Degree of Digital Technology', majoring in Software Development - returning in 2019 for a Graduate Diploma in Networking. Outside of my studies and gaming, much of my time is taken up by my positions on my institute's student council. My real name is Connor McCormick; not an uncommon name, and a clear link to my Scottish and Irish heritage. For the past 13 years, though, I've called New Zealand my home. Yes, it's a real place. And no, it's not part of Australia. Just what do I do, anyway? Here on Massive I like to be more than just a friendly face; work as a Tech staff involves a fair amount of programming. Before joining the Tech department, my experience with Java was a little rusty - but I'd had existing experience with other languages that helped the transition go relatively smoothly. I've worked on a few bugfixes here and there: Burning Armour Stands, fixing an oversight in MassiveTickets, and I'm currently working on a fix for the Paging system. Some of my favourite work is actually outside of the Massive Plugins and Java - some Forums fixes here and there, including the recent changes to the Forum's mobile layout, reworking aspects of the MassiveDiscord, implementing MassiveSharding, and just generally keeping the servers physically running. I'm far from the most skilled java/spigot programmer on the Tech Team, but I like to dabble and constantly aim to learn new languages and Frameworks - aiming to almost stand as a Jack of All Trades. However, much of my networking experience and love has been rekindled through my work for Massive, and it's been one of the driving forces in me continuing my studies for an extra year. Since the transition of MassiveCraft ownership in 2018, however, my focus has shifted to all this Serverside and I've become MassiveCraft's SysAdmin. Fun Facts! I'm gay as F### I procrastinate. A lot... - It took me procrastinating over another task to quit procrastinating about writing this AMA. / Profile I'm Left Handed, and terribly uncoordinated. With my crappy handwriting, you'd think I have a PhD I've been pestering @Siosie to write up her profile and AMA, too... :P Now, I think this profile is already long enough... So Ask Me Anything!
After 12 years, I've still barely seen the country! Mostly holed up in one area. Only just been to the capital last week. :P I can never remember its name (took a Google to find the one I was thinking of), and I'm not sure if it would really count as a Landmark; Karioitahi Beach - Beautiful black sand beach, absolutely serene.
I found it, and still do find it, quite tough to be perfectly frank. As mentioned, my Java was a bit rusty so it was already a challenge. In my experience it's a lot easier to write and design code than it is to read and understand it. There were some very helpful threads here on the forums and a post on the MassiveCraft site which helped to get a little bit of a grounding - then that grounding needs to be reinforced through trial and error. Smaller scope fixes and changes to start with, in my case. https://forums.massivecraft.com/threads/massiveplugin-development-basics.46932/ https://www.massivecraft.com/massivecore-development
Ah, my old friend Birb. What is your favourite television show and movie? Are there any places you would really like to visit? Besides visiting me of course. Hug, Kill, Marry - The Direction Team AND The Game Team Favourite books? How did you get into software engineering and everything tech related - what sparked it all? Your time begins now, Birb.
TV Show: Doctor Who, without a doubt - Movie: Hard pick, but I've got to say Hidden Figures. There's still so much of home left to visit, but I'd love to tour Europe and North America. Direction: Hug Jared, Kill Sephite, Marry SpunSugar? - Game: Hug Cnoc, Kill Siosie, Marry Spectriel Been a while since I've read them, but Sergei Lukyanenko's Night Watch series. I've always liked tinkering things and taking them apart, figuring out how they worked. It naturally progressed to then modifying and recreating how things worked. Software Engineering was a natural progression from there. :P
@CnocBride Such a funny little potato, but when he releases the irish... Then you know heads will roll.
cnoc is simultaneously the least and most scary i guess. understandable af. another question bc i cant help myself: if you could create a new department and lead it, what would it be?
That's a tough question. If I had to split off from Tech, then I guess I'd lean towards something with an overlap between PR and Tech. Difficult to think of something that doesn't fall under an existing department. :P
Do you have a personal project that you would like to implement in Massive? If so, can you tell us about it?
Something I'd been working on to a limited (but altogether rather successful) degree a few months prior, but having a more direct and bespoke link between the Server (both chat and other areas) and our Discord. Originally being handled with a Bot account, but I'd like to redesign it with more native plugin-based integration. Sneak peak (from a few months ago....) Spoiler