[Deka1184]

Based on the private encouragement of a number of individuals, I've decided to (a) return (b) come to you guys with a proposition.

I would like to assemble a team to, collaboratively, run through Relentless and polish it up to current community standards. I see one way we could do this is to get a group of, lets say ideally, 26 individuals reasonably experienced in FRED, each one goes through one mission and really polishes it up. Of course all these individuals will get their name in the credits. Once this process is completed, "Relentless 1.5" will be released as an open beta.

It will be hard work though. I began writing this when I was 13. All the guts of the missions are labeled strangely and whatnot, I clearly never intended the guts to be seen by anyone but me. It will be an interesting experience if you choose to offer your assistance, to say the least.  

In return for this assistance, I would be willing to add a few SOC loops to the main campaign for "Relentless 1.5", maybe some other bonus content too.  

"Relentless 1.5" will be an open beta. It is only after the community's remaining concerns with the campaign are dealt with then the finalized version of Relentless, Relentless 2.0, will be released. It will be acceptable by community standards, because it will be scrutinized by the community before its released, instead of simply the team I manage to assemble. This will then be the definitive version of the campaign, something that I and all the others who would contribute could be proud of.

In additional return for all this, providing I am not able to obtain summer employment (I live in Detroit, so this is a near-certainty) I would also make a sequel to Relentless:

Spoiler:

This sequel would follow the rest of the GTVA as it struggles to survive the Shivan onslaught.

So, what say you?

EDIT: I would like to add that if you are interested in becoming part of the fix team in any way or amount, please send me an email at [email protected] as well as relevant notes if you want.

[TopAce]

I suggest you make the sequel instead of polishing the version that you already have.

Or you can do what the ST:R team did to the original Silent Threat: Let your imagination fly and rework it completely.

[Deka1184]

I suggest you make the sequel instead of polishing the version that you already have.

Or you can do what the ST:R team did to the original Silent Threat: Let your imagination fly and rework it completely.

Well the problem with that is that the version of Relentless that is currently available is not up to community standards, so I've been told. I've also had a lot of comments to the effect that its a solid mod that just needs a few more tweaks. Basically I'd like to turn it from a laughing stock into a respectable campaign before I move on to other things.

[The E]

What TopAce is suggesting is to take a close look at the plot, and the existing missions, stripping both down to the bare basics and then rebuilding it in greater glory than before.

[General Battuta]

Getting a team together is unlikely because talented FREDders are at a premium. However, the polishing work probably won't be a crushing burden even for a single FREDder.

I'll try to play through and give you some suggestions as to what you can fix up.

[Deka1184]

What TopAce is suggesting is to take a close look at the plot, and the existing missions, stripping both down to the bare basics and then rebuilding it in greater glory than before.

That's exactly what I'm trying to get a team together for. Quite frankly I think only a few missions really need to be rebuilt from the ground up  The rest are just due for lots of technical/detail troubleshooting where I see an endless stream of beta releases if I am the only guy working on it (release, fix, release, fix, etc..)

Getting a team together is unlikely because talented FREDders are at a premium. However, the polishing work probably won't be a crushing burden even for a single FREDder.

I'll try to play through and give you some suggestions as to what you can fix up.

Its a lot more work polishing your own campaign than polishing someone else's. As I've said before I'm really sick of it. I would be willing to go through and tweak/add content but I'm not willing to put every mission under a technical/detail magnifying glass myself. Clearly, I'm not very good at that anyways. Fresh eyes and perspectives can also fix the things that I would continue to overlook. For example, I believe I am in the minority when I consider that a cinematic mission where A1 doesn't play a crucial role is a good thing. Someone with a more mainstream perspective on the subject could tweak the mission in such a way that it would be more enjoyable by the whole community.

[General Battuta]

I'm sure many people would be happy to provide feedback, but you'll probably end up having to do much of the actual fixeage yourself.

It's work, but with other people pointing out what's wrong and giving suggestions, it's not awful work.

[TopAce]

That's why my first suggestion was to make the sequel instead. If you're sick of the first episode, then it's not worth working on it.

[Deka1184]

Well.... I made my proposition clear. If the community liked a lot of what they saw in the mod and wants a solid Relentless imma need some volunteers from the community to help me. Heck, I would even make a "credits mission" at the end of the campaign as some people do.

Even if I only get 5 volunteers, having each person go thru 5 missions to patch up wont be more than a few hours for each of them, and once it is released as 2.0 and highlighted their names will be immortal since it will be a really polished work, furthermore, the community will end up getting a far improved campaign AND a sequel campaign. I really think I am meeting you guys in the middle here.

I'm making this thread to get a barometer of interest in my proposition, so far its not been so positive but there have only been 3 people posting. I would like to add that if you are interested in becoming part of the fix team in any way or amount, please send me an email at [email protected] as well as relevant notes if you want.

First post updated

[High Max]

;-)

[NGTM-1R]

Maybe if I find the time and lack of procrastination to finish my existing active commitments I'll sign up to test.

...and possibly scream at the plotholes.

[Deka1184]

I played the first mission so far and it was enjoyable. I was going through the second mission and the freighters stopped for a while at the destroyer without anything happening. I didn't know if an event was broken, so I set time compression to really high for a few seconds and before I knew it, a destroyer jumped in, wiped out everything, and killed me.

Edit: It is good you didn't give up, Deka.

That, sir, is the only mission to my knowledge that actually needs reconstructing from the ground up to elimate that obnoxious delay. I'd handle that one myself... heh. 

Maybe if I find the time and lack of procrastination to finish my existing active commitments I'll sign up to test.

...and possibly scream at the plotholes.

plotholes? do tell. with spoiler tags of course. also, please wait till you finish the campaign before you think you've spotted a plothole. 

[TopAce]

I believe NGTM-1R is experienced enough to know that.

[High Max]

;-)

[TrashMan]

Personally, I had no problem runnign the campaign. No crashes or anything (but that was with E's fixes).

IMHO; you should work on your plot a bit more. It has quite a bit of holes and look like you tried to cramm everything in it at once.

[Deka1184]

Okay, now two people have mentioned plotholes, and I am still seriously confused as to what plotholes you are referring to. 

[TrashMan]

Spoiler:

You military isn't really acting like the military
- you got ships shooting at other ships without having a positive ID. In fact, you have ships opening fire simply because another unindentified ship asked them to. The Snipes thing. You'd  think he had an IFF on that fighter.
- Ordering execution not only for minor infringements, but also something the commander couldn't see coming or do anything about it (AWACS destroyed by supernova)? And then giving that same commander who's execution you ordered (and who knows it) a fleet under his command and sending him off?
- the player even following with the moronic rebellion
- the GTVA actually agreeing to handing an Orion over to the pirates
etc..

- Pirates having a vast amount of resources without any explanation
- a single small transport (elyisum..that thing can't carry more than two dozen marines) capturing a Orion destroyer..the same Orion destroyer just standing there waiting to be captured and NOT wasting the transport and the frigate with his beams
- pirates having a secret high-tech frigate
- pirates retrofitting an Orion into a super-destroyer within days..with no shipyards to boot
etc..

[-Norbert-]

Spoiler:

- Ordering execution not only for minor infringements, but also something the commander couldn't see coming or do anything about it (AWACS destroyed by supernova)? And then giving that same commander who's execution you ordered (and who knows it) a fleet under his command and sending him off?

Spoiler:

The way I saw it, that ordered execution wasn't what it appeared, but rather a ruse to get the general to show his true colors, which he did. From ingame messages it looks like they were onto Lennes and suspected him of putting together a rebellion well before the AWACS was destroyed, but lacked solid proof to act on.

[TrashMan]

Spoiler:

And if he wasn't a traitor?

Condeming a man to death (guilty or no)kinda pushes him into not going back, or rebelling, don't you think?

[-Norbert-]

Spoiler:

I'd say it pushes an innocant man to run and hide.
A rebellion isn't something that happens form one moment to the next, it has to be build up. If command was wrong and Lennes had tried to run on his own, or came back to either face the sentence or try to get a fair trial, they could have changed the punishment to something more just (probably dishonorable discharge and some time in prison, to plactate the Vasudans).