furiousgeorge on 10/6/2009 at 08:54
Quote Posted by Enchantermon
Funny you should say that. CCP has actually just been revived (again) following the closing of the site where our forums used to be. A new forum has been created here for our project, and work is currently being done. The forum will be made public as soon as our moderator returns from his travels (which should be sometime next week).
The biggest things we're lacking right now are AI and object modelers/skinners. Once we have a few people working on those, we'll be well on our way toward a demo release. I'm currently scouting talent right now, as a matter of fact.
Fantastic! Very glad to hear it. My continued best wishes for the project.
I'm going to say some hard things now. I don't mean to hurt ya'lls feelings, but if so, so be it.
I've been following CCP for quite awhile now and it seems like every time I turn around you guys are trying to remember where you left off.
I want to see this mod succeed, but you need to produce something besides screenshots and videos. I won't try to speak for others watching the mod, but my interest was waning a while ago. Not that the mod idea or screenshots or videos are lacking, I just don't think your current plans for completion are different than your previous plans, and **how** long have we been waiting?
If I can give a bit of free (but not cheap) advice, just focus on a smaller goal. If you try but can't release a demo within six months release a public alpha in 3. Set a cutoff date. If you can't release an alpha in 3, just release the maps and tools you've made thus far in 3. Certainly someone will decide to pick up and finish some things if they just have the opportunity to have a look. That's extra momentum for free. Hey, it's kinda even "open source."
After all, there are tons of Dark Engine FM authors who aren't involved in the CCP project, unless I am mistaken... Some release would undoubtedly raise some eyebrows around the community. It could only help with filling out your team. It might be the best recruitment strategy you could pursue.
Ideas. Take em' or leave em'. Good luck to the team.
-FG
Nameless Voice on 10/6/2009 at 11:28
The main reason that no progress has been made in so long is because there aren't really any members on the CCP team any more.
More recently, Enchantermon and Zygoptera have stepped in to do some work, though they have limited time, but none of the other original members are working on the project any more, either due to disinterest or due to just not having any free time at all to devote to it.
Enchantermon on 11/6/2009 at 03:17
Well...I was kind of assuming all the people I PMed about the forums were still interested in being on the team as they were all contributors at The Frayed Edge.
G'len is working on the Reactor level as well.
Quote Posted by furiousgeorge
I've been following CCP for quite awhile now and it seems like every time I turn around you guys are trying to remember where you left off.
This is due to a lack of organization. I'm attempting to rectify that.
Quote Posted by furiousgeorge
If I can give a bit of free (but not cheap) advice, just focus on a smaller goal. If you try but can't release a demo within six months release a public alpha in 3. Set a cutoff date.
Thing is, I already know we can't, because we don't have anyone doing AI or models. If we got someone to do that, at least, we could release something, though the interface wouldn't be exactly right (and Cyberspace
might not be working).
I'd be fine with releasing a Beta version of Medical, but we just can't do it right now, which is why I'm trying to recruit help.
Quote Posted by furiousgeorge
Certainly someone will decide to pick up and finish some things if they just have the opportunity to have a look. That's extra momentum for free. Hey, it's kinda even "open source."
I understand your thinking. I'm one of those people that wanted to pick it up and try to finish it, which is why I'm attempting to revive the project. Once the forum goes public, I plan on posting about it in this forum (I may start a new thread, but I don't know). Hopefully it'll attract attention. Furthermore, the FAQ already present in the new forum invites anyone to contact me if they want to help.
Quote Posted by furiousgeorge
After all, there are tons of Dark Engine FM authors who aren't involved in the CCP project, unless I am mistaken...
Yes, but as I said before, level designers aren't really what we need the most right now.
Quote Posted by furiousgeorge
Some release would undoubtedly raise some eyebrows around the community. It could only help with filling out your team. It might be the best recruitment strategy you could pursue.
It may be at that. We'll just have to see how things play out for now.
Quote Posted by furiousgeorge
Good luck to the team.
Thanks. I appreciate your interest and your ideas. :)
RocketMan on 11/6/2009 at 16:12
Quote Posted by Enchantermon
Thing is, I already know we can't, because we don't have anyone doing AI or models. If we got someone to do that, at least, we could release something
No offense to anyone on the team but when I did half a dozen weapons and several other static objects, nobody really seemed to care enough to even keep them on the server without losing a couple of them. I found that a bit discouraging, else I'd probably have made more.
...granted they may not have been great models and lacked textures but it's something that has to be done anyway, I figured.
Enchantermon on 11/6/2009 at 22:46
Hmm.....sending you a PM.
JediKorenchkin on 12/6/2009 at 01:40
Quote Posted by RocketMan
nobody really seemed to care enough to even keep them on the server without losing a couple of them.
That is probably more my fault than anyone else's. :(
furiousgeorge on 12/6/2009 at 06:51
Quote Posted by Enchantermon
Yes, but as I said before, level designers aren't really what we need the most right now.
Aren't there FMs out there with custom AI? There are definitely people with modeling and skinning skills, many of which hang around on the Thief side of the universe, probably unaware that you're looking for those talents.
Now that this has had some time to simmer in my mind, I think a demo would be a bad idea after all. Just release some (doesn't have to be all) incomplete assets and make a HUGE deal out of it. Again, a lot of blustering and trumpeting and releasing resources would attract these skills to you, instead of you having to go looking for them.
Even if you do have to go looking for them, CCP will be fresh on their minds.
Be politicians and PR men for a week. If it's people you want, get their attention with a nice tasty carrot on an unfinished stick. :devil:
Again, you are the folks with the knowledge of these things, I'm just a natural born schemer. Think about it and see if you think it will work. I will shut up eventually. Maybe. ;)
Quote Posted by RocketMan
No offense to anyone on the team but when I did half a dozen weapons and several other static objects, nobody really seemed to care enough to even keep them on the server without losing a couple of them. I found that a bit discouraging, else I'd probably have made more.
That really sucks. It sounds to me like these guys are aware of those mistakes, regretting them, and learning from them. If the team can rebuild as they're planning, and get some momentum going, I would bet that anything you contribute in the future would not suffer the same fate.
Most mods go through spurts of growth in one direction, then chaos, and new growth in a new direction. Many do this several times over their development. I remember the recent interviews with Jonas of TNM saying their team learned to be organized by being disorganized for awhile. I don't think the past will necessarily indicate the future here either.
God...why do I have so many opinions on this? :weird: Oh, right. I'm a bloody huge SS1 fan and I want to see this succeed. Oh, and I watch game design like a sick, obsessive hobby. I think I need help.
RocketMan on 12/6/2009 at 16:34
I shouldn't have said they didn't care. I'm sorry about that. It's not like they didn't intend to use any of the stuff. At the time I recall the team being preoccupied with some less trivial concerns that had to do with the level itself. Just from lurking on the ccp forums I got an idea of the complexity and scope of what they are doing so I can understand the need to prioritize. The missing models was probably just a clerical error either on my part uploading or w/e. If any further help is needed just ask.
Nameless Voice on 20/6/2009 at 01:01
Quote Posted by RocketMan
No offense to anyone on the team but when I did half a dozen weapons and several other static objects, nobody really seemed to care enough to even keep them on the server without losing a couple of them. I found that a bit discouraging, else I'd probably have made more.
Any idea which models these were?
I've got a few files here that might be the files in question:
darts.3ds
fire_ex.3ds
lantern.3DS
laser_rifle.3DS
magpulse.3ds
nitro.3ds
shield.3ds
shield.jpg
status.jpg
status_implant.3ds
stun.3ds
Enchantermon on 20/6/2009 at 04:37
Those are the same ones I have; I PMed him that same list.
