Hard Light Productions Forums
Hosted Projects - Standalone => Fate of the Galaxy => Archived Star Wars Conversion Threads => Topic started by: brandx0 on January 07, 2009, 04:24:06 pm
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EDIT: I don't think this needs to be stickied any longer. Topic locked
Well, I've got some news, some good and some bad.
Let's start with the good. I've got a new computer finally! I'm very happy with it and with the vastly increased power I'll be much more efficient with modeling and texturing than ever before (Think: My preview render times have been cut to about 1/10th of the previous amount, plus faster interface with Max and Photoshop)
Now, the bad news. It's very bad indeed. I moved my old hard drive from my old computer to the new, and the connection was rather difficult to remove from the old computer. As a result, it looks as if one of the rods in the power socket was bent, which I didn't notice when plugging it into my new computer. When I fired up the new computer with this hard drive in it, some kind of power surge occurred. I'm not sure of the specifics. So I took the HD into a computer repair shop, who then contacted Maxtor when then couldn't fix it themselves. What it looks like is that this power surge completely fried the Hard Drive. Completely fried it. As a result, it's looking as if all my data is gone. I had some backups, but most of it is so old that it's not worth even pulling out, and mostly consists of models I've already redone.
So the long and short of it is that the last 2 years of work I've done on modeling and texturing is gone.
Pretty bad news, eh? Well, All I can do is look to the future at this point.
So here's how we can look at this:
I'm a much better modeler than I was before. I can probably redo all of the models lost much more quickly than they took before, and create a better result. I've developed new techniques in texturing that'll increase the quality of the textures as well, which has made things more efficient and visually appealing. Will it take me 2 years to redo all of these that I've lost? Not by a long shot. I'm not giving a time frame, but I know that I can do better. Ultimately all this is for me is a challenge (As well as a lesson: Backup on a separate HD.) The first draft is done and gone, that was a great chance for me to learn and grow in my art, now it's time to get to work on some really amazing stuff.
So what can I say other than that? It's a tough thing to see so much work lost, so many hours, but all we can do is look to the future. So expect some great stuff coming up from me, I haven't lost hope yet.
As a result as well, though, I'm going to be making FotG my sole priority model wise. Thus I must apologize to the other teams I've joined recently (Diaspora, Echoes of the Past) that I must resign my tenure with your two groups. It's been great but my heart has always been with Fate of the Galaxy and that's where my attention is needed most right now.
Now, let's get to work.
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I just kicked the cat in anger! :mad:
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Very bad news.
One question did they try finding another hard drive of the same model and replacing the controller board? The data is probably still there but the controller is fried. Might be worth a shot to look on eBay for a cheap used drive you can swipe the controller board off of.
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ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Maxtor... is CRAP, same thing happened to my HD, How many models have u lost???
Dont tell me that tha Star Destroyers , X-wings, Tie-Bomber, Y-Wing is gone :( :( :( :( :(
I#ve waited for models like that since 10 year now..... anyway I'll promote ur page and forum everywhere, maybe we can hook some guys from the Xwaupgrade.com page....
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So I've still got my old laptop HD, so I may be able to salvage a couple older models, the X-Wing, Y-Wing, E-Wing, And most of the ISD I. More to come on that later
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Indeed bad news, for everyone involved ( you, the other teams- especially Diaspora ...)
I know what it means to loose data to HD errors, had that too.
I can't say how often i had to start from scratch with my missions and mod.
Anyway, i'll try to ignore the bad news, and hope to see new stuff soon.
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That sounds really bad, I'm sorry to hear it. This is why I keep backups in 4 locations :)
Anyway, team Diaspora just has one tiny request that Kara asked me to convey..
(http://i41.tinypic.com/5z4390.jpg)
No animals were harmed during typing of this post.
Yet. :D
(seriously tho we got the max file so it wasn't lost. If you can still finish it, that'd be awesome)
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:lol:
Now THAT'S a really interesting way to make requests. Have to remember that...
Yeah, don't let them harm the dog... :lol:
otoh, a hot dog would be nice now...with onions please :p
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Well as for the Basestar, I know the model is still there, but it's about prioritizing my time. I don't mind if someone wants to continue the Basestar model on their own, but I simply won't have time right now with doing up so much for FotG
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Ah, shoot. Being a dog owner I was fully bluffing - no way I could harm one :)
Sorry to hear about that, brand, but I suppose it's understandable.
At any rate, good luck!
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Sorry to hear about the hard drive :blah: It's totally understandable that you'll want to focus on one mod when you've got that much work to redo, so as far as I'm concerned, don't worry about us... I'm sure we'll get a basestar done anyhow, and you did give us a solid start on it :) Anyway, at least your new computer will be able to do stuff faster, so over a period of a couple of years you might actually come out ahead compared to if you still used the old one :p
You do realise though that crashes without good backups come at a price, right? Having lost models, you're legally required to make the replacements at least 20% more awesome, or else you'll face 5 hours of watching Jar-Jar Binks singing karaoke as a punishment. So better get stock up on coffee and smokes and then hunker down with that ISD, cause I know you don't want to face that punishment :D
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...or else you'll face 5 hours of watching Jar-Jar Binks singing karaoke as a punishment.
Now that's way beyond the sphere of "cruel and unusual punishment". I don't think
anyone could ever be quite the same after 5 hours of that..
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You do realise though that crashes without good backups come at a price, right? Having lost models, you're legally required to make the replacements at least 20% more awesome, or else you'll face 5 hours of watching Jar-Jar Binks singing karaoke as a punishment.
Whoa, Whoa, you want to punish him in a way that he learns from it, not turn him into a gurgling puddle goo that you can no longer flog for more pretty stuff in 3D.
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Actually, the goal was to scare him enough that it would never come to pass ;)
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Now that's way beyond the sphere of "cruel and unusual punishment".
No, if you drink in sufficient quantities beforehand.
Anyway, and what about your planets? Will you just "download" them from the ModDB?
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Anyway, and what about your planets? Will you just "download" them from the ModDB?
Those were done before his laptop died it seems, so if he wants them he may be able to get those from it as well when he tries to salvage the X/Y-Wings.
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Just redo the X-wing completely...didn't like the last one so much :)
the ywing is awesome though
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Dang, I'm sorry to hear about the HD, it reminds me of when my Maxtor bit the dust, though I didn't have anything nearly as cool on it. I wish you luck on replacing your models, and suggest sending backups to the rest of the team from now on (chief, et al).
We all know you'll be able to do some completely mind-blowing stuff.
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This is why you should have an online FTP for each mod team, or an SVN in which
you keep updated in case your personal computing world goes *poof* overnight.
No one man kills the project if all the files go under.
That said, there's a bunch of companies out there that I researched back when I had major drive failure.
Didn't end up resorting to using them.. but it's a good possibility they can take the drive apart and pull the data
from the physical platter. It may just be the electronics portion of the drive, and perhaps a small section that would
have been written to when it fired up.
If you want to discuss it further I can go into more detail. I've got a couple recovery utilities too if the thing can actually turn on,
although I'd really really, suggest a professional physical data recovery if what you described has happened.
Most of them have a free or cheap evaluation to see if it's even worth trying to go after. Might save you many man hours.
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Awww.... :(
*backups all missions created in the past 2,5 years.
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SWC missions?
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No...the whole INFA campaign, a few INF SCP missions, about twenty Steadfast missions and a few dozen other missions made by me.
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JGZ, brand-x took it in for data recovery, and it was even sent to Maxtor, apparently to no avail because the data on the platters themselves was somehow destroyed.
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I thought he said the place he took it too contacted Maxtor not that Maxtor actually took a look at it.
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Ok I just can't read lately. Gotta stop doing this at work when I'm busy :)
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Maxtor may be a drive manufacturer.. but they are not adept at data recovery.
Kind of like saying you'll go and get a set of tires from the gas n'sav round the corner,
sure they might have tires... but is that really a good idea?
Ten to one, they run the same scans on it that they would for a returned drive.
He needs something heavy duty, not the glance and "oh we think it's broke - pay us $150 for
taking the looksie."
Short of the platters having extensive physical damage, there should be something possible.
When I looked at this, I was looking for a business hard drive, no backups, and it had the last year of data
on there. So I wasn't playing around while everything was standstill.
One of the programs I got in that little batch of fun, actually can read through several reformats of the disc and still
pull off nearly the whole OS. I didn't end up using it in that instance, but it's been nice for other purposes.
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That's not that great of an analogy. Maybe if I said that Dell would be good at data recovery because they sell hard drives in their computers, but Maxtor _makes_ drives, they have all the hardware necessary to debug and they know exactly how each piece of equipment they make functions. If the data can be recovered they should know how to do it. The only other place I could think might have better luck is some hard drive forensics expert working for the FBI or something.
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Well since Seagate owns Maxtor now this might help: http://services.seagate.com/consumer_standard_services.aspx
My guess is it's expensive though. That's why I suggested trying to find a controller board from the same model. Just might work.
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That only works if the power surge didn't fry the motors too.
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Chief - From what amounts of info I've sent you in the past you
should know I don't say something without reason or research to believe
it is correct. I'm still quite firmly of the position Maxtor or "any" of the drive manufactuers
are not nearly as robust a recovery center as a dedicated recovery company.
To prevent derailing, that's all I'll say on the topic unless brandx0 want's more info.
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Chief - From what amounts of info I've sent you in the past you
should know I don't say something without reason or research to believe
it is correct. I'm still quite firmly of the position Maxtor or "any" of the drive manufactuers
are not nearly as robust a recovery center as a dedicated recovery company.
To prevent derailing, that's all I'll say on the topic unless brandx0 want's more info.
Based on my own experience dealing with lost data and working on various IT staffs, I'll second that opinion. That said, the kind of recovery needed usually runs in the thousands of dollars range, so it may still be more feasible to just start over anyway. Besides, the new stuff brandx0 is pumping out is nothing short of breathtaking.
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Well since Seagate owns Maxtor now this might help: http://services.seagate.com/consumer_standard_services.aspx
My guess is it's expensive though. That's why I suggested trying to find a controller board from the same model. Just might work.
Don't. Just don't.
Drive nowadays have to be pre-scanned before leaving the factory to map their usable surface. This data is written to the firmware of the electronics. Swap out the panel -- poof! there goes the whole setup and you most likely rendered your data unreadable.
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Blablabla ....
Are you thinking to share your work (when done) with all the members of Fate of the Galaxy, to avoid this kind of lost. It will be great to have at least some back up from your teammate. So, the progress won't be in difficulty.
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The platters are probably still perfectly intact and it's just the electronics that are blown. Any competant data recovery company can deal with this. However, that will cost $$$, quite possible in the low four digit range.
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Really not worth it for me, especially considering how much I've already managed to redo, and with much higher quality. I'm like a Saiyan, I get beat up, but I come back 10 times stronger!
God I hate Dragonball
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shame on you for mentioning that kiddie cartoon show!