Virtual Pet List

[Jackolantern]

I stumbled across this site a little while ago while looking at the Modular Gaming (the Kohana PBBG framework mentioned elsewhere here) official website. They had a game in their portfolio that was a pet raising game, and that linked back to Virtual Pet List, a very active forum dedicated to pet raising/battling games.

The main reason I am posting this here is that there are very active Marketplace sections on the site (both art and programming), and some of the people are actually offering good money for programming services. The mods take it very seriously, though, and you must fill out an application to become an approved dev. You have to send them a code sample, fill out the application, and then a group of 3 members review it to see what level to place you at (Junior, Intermediate or Senior programmer). But there are folks, apparently including companies, offering $10 - $20 an hour or more for programmers to work on their (mostly web-based) pet games. That is pretty good considering that most of the jobs on "programmer for rent" websites get bid down to incredibly low levels by foreign markets (like down to $50 for a completed website that would take someone a month to build).

It could be some good extra money for folks who are interested in some additional dev work

[Lord Rahl]

I would actually encourage more sites to check their developers level. Nothing worse then reading bad feedback from someone just because they either didn't check the programmer out or, the often worse one, they hired someone with sound theory knowledge who ends up lacking in ability... it happens.
http://imranontech.com/2007/01/24/using ... ok-coding/

Thank you for sharing.

[Jackolantern]

I agree, but if you aren't actively encouraging the hiring of programmers in your community, it is probably over-kill. For example, we don't encourage the financial hiring of programmers here, so requiring everyone who posts in Recruitment to fill out an application and prove their developer level would probably be too much of a burden and the section would go completely unused.

EDIT: That is pretty sad if that Fizz-Buzz question knocks out half of their applicants. How can you even call yourself a programmer if you can't do that lol?

[Kesstryl]

I'm already a member there, very fun community for people who play pet games.