Tom Chapman
patreon
Origins
🕑 Added 2025-05-20 17:00:06 +0000 UTCAll good things start somewhere. So much of what I know, I owe to Destiny's API. It allowed me to escape when I needed it, to create and learn new things, and it rewarded my persistence. Look, the API isn't dead–I'm just saying it's great and that we're lucky to have it and that it has afforded me many opportunities. Everyone should learn to code.
Now, let's take a browse down memory lane. Sadly, I failed to reliably document the many incarnations of my work. This is most of what I could find.
Getting Started
This is where I started in 2017: Xûr. Nothing complicated, relatively speaking, however it was darn challenging in the minute.
I built it on PHP and with jQuery for anything Javascript related. It was 2017–React and other niceties we enjoy today were still new. One fact has remained true ever since: I use MySQL. The most novel component of this first iteration was my use of the API endpoint for vendors. Accessing privileged profile data, via OAuth, was the most complicated component.
Fresh Coat of Green
It's 2018, we're on the tail of Curse of Osiris, and growing increasingly excited for Warmind. This iteration focused on theming, to be more alike something from Destiny. The grandest addition was extracted map assets!
Blindingly Bright
Arriving at mid 2018, we find that I'm really experimenting. We've got everyone's most hated background colour, and some exploration into site branding. At this point, I was moving away from Xûr, and branching out into more generic Destiny territory.
Going 3D
This was a fun era... Late 2018. While awaiting the API transcendence (the Forsaken expansion release brought enormous API upgrades due to its introduction of features such as triumphs and collections), I spent time learning how to best mimic the game while increasing the depth of features.
Messing around with Three.js and an undocumented part of the API was equal parts delightful and frustrating. I was beginning to experiment with checklists: this is how Braytech became more widely discovered.
Finality Thoughts
Braytech didn't evolve into its current form for a few months yet, however, the Forsaken expansion certainly accelerated the process.
My endeavours slowed down towards the end of 2019 until I attended an interview at a hiring agency, a very significant milestone granted my anxiety disorder.
The interviewers were 20 years old (I was 7 years their senior) and used words which I wasn't yet such as React. I was so embarrassed. The position was to take "photoshop designs and create Wordpress templates from them," but the employer looking to fill the position has a reputation for only hiring undergraduates which had a GPA of 6 or greater (Australia does 1-7 for GPA). I was not asked back.
Not long after, I decided I had attempted employment enough for the minute, and that I should take the time to learn some new technologies and frameworks (such as React), before trying again.
We all remember what happened in the following years.
I was encouraged by fellow third party devs to start accepting donations and the rest is history. I now believe that I'm very employable with my skillset and experience, which at least, is great for my confidence.
So, as I said at the top, I'm grateful for the opportunities the API has granted me, and everyone should learn to code.
