Hard Light Productions Forums

Modding, Mission Design, and Coding => The Modding Workshop => Topic started by: TheFadingOutcast on July 16, 2012, 01:34:28 pm

Title: A Hard Life In Hard Light
Post by: TheFadingOutcast on July 16, 2012, 01:34:28 pm
Hi people.
I am TheFadingOutcast and I've been a Freespace junkie ever since the The Great War game was first released.  I have just recently learned about this Freespace Editor that came with the game that, for all these years, I've never even knew existed (pretty silly isn't it?).  A month or so ago, I tried my hands at working the magic of FRED feeling like I've learned quiet a bit on my own without any prior FRED assistance. For once in my life, I'm starting to take pride in the missions I've meshed together all on my own and I've begun to think I've finally found my niche in life.

(Before I rant any further about my FRED experiences, I want to tell you guys that I do not work FRED on a modern computer.  I take high precautions in keeping my modern day PC virus-free and not so cluttered with random game files and extraneous, scattered data.  I use an Aptiva that runs Windows 1998 and I utilize specifically to play games on and store piles of data from old games and programs.  The computer cannot connect to the Internet because I don't want to run the risks of f***ing up the computer with instantaneous viruses plus  it requires to much wiring through the house. Besides, I don't even have any virus protection programs installed on the old clunker.  Anyways, due to the fact that I can't connect to the net through the sh*t-driven Aptiva I fiddle with I cannot put any downloads or add-ons for Freespace into the darn thing so I'm stuck with just the plain ol' Descent: Freespace content.)

Continuing...


As I happily run to the hard-light forums to discuss and get constructive criticism for my simple test campaign missions I get shot down into self-pity the first few steps in by the professional FREDders and the master modders saying that my campaigns suck and would never be worth the testing.  Of course I can understand that they may not want to play my campaign missions because they all have original Freespace content and nothing more.  I've poured countless hours into my missions and all I receive from the other veterans is "Eh." and "Not gonna play it because it's nothing new."  I can see clear as crystal that most people here want to play and test the best out of the Freespace mods and things but I'm not given a single chance to prove my worth around here.  For my entire rotting life I've been searching incessantly for something that I can feel good about having in myself to show to other people what skills and creative ideas I have to offer.  Unfortunately, that simple pursuit is a seemingly null and void because there always seems to be other people rising far above everything I do throwing the rocks down at me from above.  I don't know what to say, do, or think anymore about myself except that I hate my life for all that it is and that if I'm never to be granted a chance to show my hidden meaning to this world, then by Satan's malice take me away from this insufferable world of ceaseless distress!
Title: Re: A Hard Life In Hard Light
Post by: The E on July 16, 2012, 01:51:24 pm
Ummm

There are no posts in your post history that indicate you having released anything. All criticisms I could find were more related to your stated intent of releasing missions made for FreeSpace 1; a game that, while loved by many on these here forums, isn't exactly considered to be worthy of much effort in terms of modding, since most (read: 99% of all people) have moved on to FS2/FSO (and for those people who want to do missions set during FS1's timeline, there's the rather splendid FreeSpace Port).

In other words, you are free to "prove your worth", as you put it. There is nothing stopping you from releasing your missions. However, if you release them as missions for FreeSpace 1, the amount of people willing and able to play your missions without conversion to FS2 is rather limited. I mean, there's nothing stopping you from converting your missions to FS2/FSPort; a process that doesn't take that long and will definitely increase the number of people able and willing to look at them.

EDIT: Also, I'm moving this to FS Modding, since that's the more appropriate venue, I believe.
Title: Re: A Hard Life In Hard Light
Post by: TheFadingOutcast on July 16, 2012, 01:54:39 pm
Ummm

There are no posts in your post history that indicate you having released anything.

I deleted my post because it became shameful to even look at with all the put-downs I got.
Title: Re: A Hard Life In Hard Light
Post by: The E on July 16, 2012, 01:57:42 pm
Okay, before anything else is said, let me just point out that doing stuff like that is very heavily frowned upon. You are free to delete posts as long as noone has replied to them, after that, it is preferred that you use the edit function, as post deletions make it hard for us moderators to follow discussions (or, as seen here, get the right context for a discussion).
Title: Re: A Hard Life In Hard Light
Post by: TheFadingOutcast on July 16, 2012, 02:05:30 pm
Okay, before anything else is said, let me just point out that doing stuff like that is very heavily frowned upon. You are free to delete posts as long as noone has replied to them, after that, it is preferred that you use the edit function, as post deletions make it hard for us moderators to follow discussions (or, as seen here, get the right context for a discussion).
Heavily frowned upon?
Putting in the "heavy" makes it sound like I should be ashamed of what I did.  I believe deleting one's post seems completely appropriate if one does not feel comfortable with all the comments and negative feedback they get in it.  I don't want to have to keep seeing that topic I made get more and more negative comments laid down on it then it already had received.  I just wanted it thrown away so I could just forget about it.  Is that so wrong?
Title: Re: A Hard Life In Hard Light
Post by: Cobra on July 16, 2012, 02:10:22 pm
Ummm

There are no posts in your post history that indicate you having released anything.

I deleted my post because it became shameful to even look at with all the put-downs I got.

lul

There were only two replies to that. Mine saying "All I can really think of is 'eh'" and Rodo's comment about how giving it away kind of ruins it for everyone. Grow up, dude, two people is not the entire forum putting you down for a mission you didn't even make.
Title: Re: A Hard Life In Hard Light
Post by: TheFadingOutcast on July 16, 2012, 02:14:57 pm
Ummm

There are no posts in your post history that indicate you having released anything.

I deleted my post because it became shameful to even look at with all the put-downs I got.

lul

There were only two replies to that. Mine saying "All I can really think of is 'eh'" and Rodo's comment about how giving it away kind of ruins it for everyone. Grow up, dude, two people is not the entire forum putting you down for a mission you didn't even make.
Ok, ok. I get that.  I'm a sensitive person with an ego as fragile as glass and I tend to take everything personally and over-the-norm due to some of my past experiences.   And I have made the mission finally.
Title: Re: A Hard Life In Hard Light
Post by: TheFadingOutcast on July 16, 2012, 02:17:30 pm
*sigh*
I've made myself look like an 8 year old with issues...
(And I just got here too)
Title: Re: A Hard Life In Hard Light
Post by: The E on July 16, 2012, 02:18:14 pm
Heavily frowned upon?
Putting in the "heavy" makes it sound like I should be ashamed of what I did.  I believe deleting one's post seems completely appropriate if one does not feel comfortable with all the comments and negative feedback they get in it.  I don't want to have to keep seeing that topic I made get more and more negative comments laid down on it then it already had received.  I just wanted it thrown away so I could just forget about it.  Is that so wrong?

No, of course not, but the appropriate way to accomplish such a thing is to request a thread lock by using the "report to moderator" function. We've been burned in the past by "members" who deleted posts that were replied to, thus causing a disruption in conversation flow. Since we (As the admin staff of HLP) do not want to have incidents like that repeat, we tend to warn and ban people engaging in such activities (not for the first offence, of course. Everyone needs some time to adjust to the rules on this here internet contraption).


EDIT: Also, plz 2 no doublepost, kthx
Title: Re: A Hard Life In Hard Light
Post by: Rodo on July 16, 2012, 02:20:30 pm
Hey man I remember your post, hope you didn't take my comments in a bad way, I meant nothing bad, at all.

I'll be sending a PM to you.
Title: Re: A Hard Life In Hard Light
Post by: TheFadingOutcast on July 16, 2012, 02:22:29 pm
EDIT: Also, plz 2 no doublepost, kthx
I don't see any double posts.
Title: Re: A Hard Life In Hard Light
Post by: Cobra on July 16, 2012, 02:23:28 pm
Ummm

There are no posts in your post history that indicate you having released anything.

I deleted my post because it became shameful to even look at with all the put-downs I got.

lul

There were only two replies to that. Mine saying "All I can really think of is 'eh'" and Rodo's comment about how giving it away kind of ruins it for everyone. Grow up, dude, two people is not the entire forum putting you down for a mission you didn't even make.
Ok, ok. I get that.  I'm a sensitive person with an ego as fragile as glass and I tend to take everything personally and over-the-norm due to some of my past experiences.   And I have made the mission finally.
*sigh*
I've made myself look like an 8 year old with issues...
(And I just got here too)

Double post. Two consecutive posts.
Title: Re: A Hard Life In Hard Light
Post by: Jeff Vader on July 16, 2012, 02:29:44 pm
Double post. Two consecutive posts.
Two consecutive posts from the same user, in case that was not yet apparent.

TheFadingOutcast, double-posting is frowned upon because
- it makes the poster seem like a person who won't allow anyone else to get a chance to participate in the ongoing discussion
- it adds unnecessary post-related buttons ("Modify" etc) and signatures that take up space. While this is not normally a big issue, it's really annoying when browsing with mobile devices.

So please. If you want to reply to two different posts, you can do it with a single post. And if you remember something you didn't yet write, and no one else has had a chance to reply, simply Modify your post.

And yes, please don't delete posts. It really makes discussions a mess. Some people may want to read old threads, despite what may have been said in them.
Title: Re: A Hard Life In Hard Light
Post by: TheFadingOutcast on July 16, 2012, 02:42:37 pm
Out of all the forums I've ever been on throughout the Internet, you guys seem to be extremely sensitive about how these posts are brought about.

And, please know that my computer is not allowing me to modify my messages for some reason.  The page for modifying gets blocked.  I'm on a shared computer and I'm not the Admin of it.  My father has weird restrictions on the computer...
Title: Re: A Hard Life In Hard Light
Post by: The E on July 16, 2012, 02:53:48 pm
Our rules, both formal and informal, have grown over more than a decade of continuity. If it seems strange to you, just remember that HLP predates a lot of other sites on the net, and thus is allowed to have its own styles and quirks.
Title: Re: A Hard Life In Hard Light
Post by: Polpolion on July 16, 2012, 02:56:43 pm
Hi people.
I am TheFadingOutcast and I've been a Freespace junkie ever since the The Great War game was first released.  I have just recently learned about this Freespace Editor that came with the game that, for all these years, I've never even knew existed (pretty silly isn't it?).  A month or so ago, I tried my hands at working the magic of FRED feeling like I've learned quiet a bit on my own without any prior FRED assistance. For once in my life, I'm starting to take pride in the missions I've meshed together all on my own and I've begun to think I've finally found my niche in life.

(Before I rant any further about my FRED experiences, I want to tell you guys that I do not work FRED on a modern computer.  I take high precautions in keeping my modern day PC virus-free and not so cluttered with random game files and extraneous, scattered data.  I use an Aptiva that runs Windows 1998 and I utilize specifically to play games on and store piles of data from old games and programs.  The computer cannot connect to the Internet because I don't want to run the risks of f***ing up the computer with instantaneous viruses plus  it requires to much wiring through the house. Besides, I don't even have any virus protection programs installed on the old clunker.  Anyways, due to the fact that I can't connect to the net through the sh*t-driven Aptiva I fiddle with I cannot put any downloads or add-ons for Freespace into the darn thing so I'm stuck with just the plain ol' Descent: Freespace content.)

Continuing...


As I happily run to the hard-light forums to discuss and get constructive criticism for my simple test campaign missions I get shot down into self-pity the first few steps in by the professional FREDders and the master modders saying that my campaigns suck and would never be worth the testing.  Of course I can understand that they may not want to play my campaign missions because they all have original Freespace content and nothing more.  I've poured countless hours into my missions and all I receive from the other veterans is "Eh." and "Not gonna play it because it's nothing new."  I can see clear as crystal that most people here want to play and test the best out of the Freespace mods and things but I'm not given a single chance to prove my worth around here.  For my entire rotting life I've been searching incessantly for something that I can feel good about having in myself to show to other people what skills and creative ideas I have to offer.  Unfortunately, that simple pursuit is a seemingly null and void because there always seems to be other people rising far above everything I do throwing the rocks down at me from above.  I don't know what to say, do, or think anymore about myself except that I hate my life for all that it is and that if I'm never to be granted a chance to show my hidden meaning to this world, then by Satan's malice take me away from this insufferable world of ceaseless distress!

Chill out, dude. I don't know what your previous threads were like, but people say things and you're supposed to take it with a grain of salt. A legitimate newly released campaign rarely get ignored. PM a moderator if it doesn't get a highlight and you think it should. But if it's just a mission or two you really can't expect much of a response, especially if they're incomplete and you're just looking for some WIP feedback. You're better off trying to see if you can get someone to give you more one-on-one feedback for things like that. Try asking around on HLP's IRC channels for help or something. Also, you're not going to become a superstar FREDder in just a few weeks. FREDding, just like any other passtime, requires practice and experience to get good at. Most of the big time modders on HLP have been honing their skills for years; a few even have careers in whatever field they're modding in and this is just a creative outlet.
Title: Re: A Hard Life In Hard Light
Post by: Flipside on July 16, 2012, 02:58:56 pm
Criticism is accepted as long as it is constructive. Without the thread to reference, I can't really form an opinion.
Title: Re: A Hard Life In Hard Light
Post by: Droid803 on July 16, 2012, 03:54:04 pm
I've never seen a forum where double posting is acceptable (except imageboards maybe), I don't know what other communities you browse, but I'm pretty sure that since the edit function exists, double posting is bad practice. It's your own problem to sort out if your computer doesn't let you edit posts (frankly, I don't buy that lame excuse one bit). If you haven't seen another forum that frowns upon double posting you must not have been to many forums.

I still don't understand why you needed to a) delete your thread and then b) make another thread to whine about it.

I must also say that you're rather paranoid of viruses. For the longest time I didn't even use an antivirus, I just re-formatted my HDD monthly. I then realized that even that was pointless as long as I didn't do anything well, stupid. Like opening weird emails or going to untrusted sites. Just run around the web with adblock and noscript, no cookies etc. Seems to work well enough. If anything ever goes wrong I'll just reformat again. Or swap out the HDD. Not like anything is sacred. I don't see a reason not to play FreeSpace on a more modern rig, and take advantage of all the things FSOpen has to offer.

Unless your "modern rig" is your dad's work computer or something. In which case well, go get your own.
Title: Re: A Hard Life In Hard Light
Post by: Flipside on July 16, 2012, 04:15:35 pm
Alright, I think enough has been said here for the general principles to get across. Let's not continue to hammer the point or it changes from informative to just plain administering a kicking, which may be fun for the kicker, but is not so much much for the kickee.

I'm going to lock this thread for now. I'd point the OP to The Forum Guidelines (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=37583.0) for a clearer picture.

We are pretty blunt around here, it's just the nature of a community that has been together for 10+ years, try not to take it too personally, many people have made 'bad' starts and ended up as respected members of the community (Cobra, I'm looking at you :p), so best bet is to put it behind you and soldier on :)