Final straw

[SnowFella]

Some of you had time to see the posts I put in snake's total conversion thread before they got lost as the hacker downed GR.net. For those of you that didn't get a chance to read them it was a simple discussion concerning permission to use XM8 Armory models in his compilation.

Some folks (I'm not going to mention any names here) seem to of taken my pointers to him in the wrong way and the few PM's, MSN convo's and one email that followed more or less accused me outright as being selfish and inconsiderate. Yeah I'm selfish alright...I've only poured countless hours into providing the community with free mods for a game that I through doing this didn't have any own time to play while most of you spent your time having fun with.

The spark I once had for GR modding was already at an all time low and this effectively extinguished it for good. At this time I have no intentions to ever come back and mod GR after my holiday and will instead spend my time on other engines and personal projects. As it stands right now I'm even doubting if I will release all the models I have laying about as I previously figured I would, I don't see a reason to.

I really am grateful for the GR community, I would never of started learning 3dsm if it hadn't excisted and I sure as h*ll wouldn't of got the skills I have today...skills enough to be involved in an official project for one of the more prominent game companies on this planet. The community has however taken quite a downhill turn during the last year and lately it's been more or less a pain in the rear for me. A modder of today can't release asmuch as one single mod without getting jumped by folks thinking that we owe them to put exactly the models they want into our mods.

The XM8 Armory mods that I have released lately has publicly been showered with praise but behind the scenes I've taken flack from left to right as I didn't make the models that some ppl felt should be in them or made them with the wrong specs. So why bother release something new that will give me the same amount of "hate mail"?

So as of now both SWEBAT and the final curtain mod are on hold or cancelled. I say on hold, mainly for SWEBAT, as there are still members of the team that can finish the mod provided that they have the time and energy to invest in it...I do not have that time or energy any more.

To the friends and ppl who really has supported me through my endeavours I give you my heartfelt thanks, if it wasn't for you I wouldn't be in the place I am today.

To the rest of you, the folks that think we modders owe you personally, I have only one thing to say....

Get off your rear ends and make something of your own instead of ###### and moan that us modders don't supply for you...I for one ain't going to do it any more!

Snowfella

[Lancer]

You have my total support mate.

[Giampi]

You have my total support mate. - part 2

[swartsz]

i am very sad this will be the end of your GR-modding-career, but like i said before i am 100% sure we will see more from you, if not here, then on cgtalk displaying more of your awesome work or in a next-gen tactical computergame.

Also i would like to thank you for all that you have done for this community and all the help you gave other modders and me personally.

ps. You have my total support mate - part 3

Edited May 27, 2005 by swartsz

[Chems]

I totally agree, and am with you 100% on this.

[Rocky]

It's true so many people start to take the hard work of modders for granted. The hard fact is a massive percentage of people who download mods probably couldn't even tell you who made it. But for people to hastle modders for this or for that to the extent that it wears them down to the point they can't be bothered anymore is just plain sad, and probably a sad reflection on todays take take take society.

[Snake@War]

Yes.

I'm with you on this mate. You don't have any reason to release those models to unappreciative brats.

[blakarion.]

Speaking as some one who has been in the Community for the last few years, I would like to let you know Snowfella, how much I personally appreciate your dedication and skill in Modding GR.

I did start my own modding by asking for models etc of others including yourself, and was really happy when you (and others) went out of their way to help us newbies learn what we needed to do. These days Im happy to say I can just about handel 3dsMax now, and in turn helping even newer Newbies start learning to Mod also (poor sods )

Im sorry to see you leave the scene, but hey I can understand why, and wish you the best of luck. I hope I run into you in the future on another Forum m8

[Whisper_44]

[en4rcment]

I fully support whatever decision you come to SF.

I just want to make sure that you are not letting a few loud mouths ruin it for the overwhelming silent majority who enjoys modders works and accepts their visions without complaint.

I also would receive an occassional message about my mods that it would have been better if I had done/not done this or that in a particular mission. I just let it go.

A long time ago a modder pulled me aside and asked me to ask myself why I mod. Do I mod to express my vision of how the game should be or do I mod to impress the community?

The answer has to be that you mod to express your own ideas. You will NEVER please everyone and there is a small segment who likes to complain (even though they've never modded anything). Although it is nice to receive the occassional "well-done" pat on the back, it should not be your reason for modding. Modding is a thankless endeavor done for your own enjoyment.

I hope that you will reconsider, as there are scores of players who love your mods but would rather download and play than write their compliments to the modder.

If you ever receive another negative message you should write back: "Thanks for the feedback M8. It looks like my mod is not for you. Maybe you should download a different one. Have a nice day! "

[Rebar]

Unless you've actually tried to do some modding, you don't really know how much time, effort, and frustration it truly takes to put out something decent.

Anything a modder makes, belongs to them and them alone, and they have first, last, and final say how and when it can be used. Period.

[squad_e]

It's a shame to see a good modder leave, i think alot of people will be influenced by snowfella... When newbies come to join the "Modding-side" Good luck in the future!

[KRP 56]

Good luck!

[Keen]

Dear Snowfella,

since four years now I´m every day at this Site. I know I did not

write much in this time but your works were one of my favourites.

I´m working since ten years as a professional graphicdesigner and

there is one thing I can say: As harder your work - the less you get.

You made this for yourself - in the first way - and then you can decide

to enjoy it with others ...

I wish you the best personally and for your designs and hope

to see something new, eventually.

Cheers,

Keen

P.S. I believe that some people not really know what you exactly meant.

[Snake@War]

BTW, Snow, when you get back, what game do you plan on modding?

[chiel_mic]

wish you lots of luck m8!

Some great work you pulled off!

[CommandoCrazy]

A BIG thanks to you, Snow.

I'm now in this community for almost a year and your work has always impressed me.

It's sad that you're leaving but i wish you the best luck

[snared_gambit]

I apologize if I contributed to this at all, I just thought you sent the message across overly sharp. I do agree and support you though. Moving to other game engines is for sure better then hanging around on GR. Do good in whatever you go to

[RabidLockerGnome]

I'm with ya man, that's why I've been doing game dev. for the past year and a half instead of game modding. even in that community, people just want code, programs, and media for free without ever even taking the time to make it on their own, and without even so much as a thanks. its my code, its my time, it belongs to me. good luck with w/e u do!

[deleyt]

A very outspoken post, Snow.

And I totally agree.

So, good luck with your future projects. I'm sure you'll get a dev.job sooner or later.

Thanks for the good stuff and the exchange of knowledge and ideas in the past.

I'm sure we'll see you pop up somewhere, sometime again....

Later matey

[jay316]

I have always really appreciated the work you have done, no matter if they are in game or renders they have always been amazing and great eye candy. I really appreciate the hard work you have put into the gr community. have a great vacation snow, it would be great come across some of your models in another game (either in a mod or as part of the actual game its self) or get to play some games with you online in the future. Good luck m8,

Edited May 27, 2005 by jay316

[JTF-2]

i am very sad this will be the end of your GR-modding-career, but like i said before i am 100% sure we will see more from you, if not here, then on cgtalk displaying more of your awesome work or in a next-gen tactical computergame.

Also i would like to thank you for all that you have done for this community and all the help you gave other modders and me personally.

   

ps. You have my total support mate - part 3

←

couldn't have said it better myself, so i'll let swartsz say it again for me.

Thank You Snow at times, you kept GR alive for me.

[SnowFella]

Thanks for the support guys...just reinforces to me that I have made the right desition.

To clarify a few things though.

There is no single individual that have caused me to come to this desition, it's rather been something that's been brewing inside me for quite some time. The folks that I talk to through MSN and ICQ on a regular basis should know this well as I have said it time and time again. The occurrences of the last week has just been the straw that finally broke the camels back (ok, get your mind out of the gutter CShaggers! ).

En4orcement brings up exactly what all this is about in his post...who do we really mod for? Ourselves or the praise of the community?

When I first started out it was soley for my own enjoyment, I wanted to see what my very limited skills in 3dsm and design could make. The reception I got from the community blew me away...I never expected that my first stuttering attempts at making weapon models would be recieved as they did. I still don't count on or expect the continued praise that I recieve for just about every model I make, if you ask me it's even bad for a modder to get that continued praise as it in a way gives you a false sense of not needing to learn any more. And boy do I still have alot left to learn!

Fair enough, I modded for my own enjoyment at the start...I haven't however done that for a very long time now. Atleast for the last year I have felt obligated to keep modding as I have been part of already started team projects that I haven't wanted to let down. Ofcource there has still been enjoyment involved in it, enjoyment gained out of finalising models that I never thought I'd be able to finish when I started them. This has however been enjoyment soley gained from modelling...not modding a game. I'm sure some of you wonder what the difference is and to me it's simple. To be able to enjoy modding you have to also enjoy playing that game and I do not enjoy GR any more.

So from now on I'm simply going to do what I enjoy doing, making models just for the heck of it and as a learning experience. Keep your eyes peeled over at CGTalk cause there will be a thread in the WIP 3D started by me pretty soon Next step will be to hunt for a CG Award

@Snake: I do not plan to mod any game what so ever after I get back from my holiday. I am however part of a development team officially sanctioned by a major game developer and will keep working for them on ingame models.

@D: I ain't going anywhere mate...GR.net is more or less a home away from home to me and I'll keep on offering input on models and helping out wherever I can.

[The_Slink]

Sad to see you go. It's your desicion though.

Agree 100%

[GRT]

*Salute* I will also be looking out for your stuff on cg websites