I might end up having to do the same thing. Like you said, ZED is mostly functionable, but I don't think JK can even run in accelerated mode in wine.

*raised eyebrow* I've been called many things in the community, but in the six years I've been editing JO/JA, 'complainer' is a new one. I don't feel my comments were in the nature of a complaint, so much as it was a critique. I stated an opinion, and gave some feedback on how it could be addressed. No more.

As to the notion that projects that have been worked on for "several years" are not likely to be completed at this point, I would beg to differ based on personal experiance. My sole SP project that I started and completed took 3 years to do so. And that was work interrupted only by Navy mandated moves, which took several months each between pack up, move, unpack, and reconnection. Regardless, a large amount of time. While I understand that you, Brian, didn't want to discourage people from dropping current projects, I don't believe it to be a level playing field for such a contest.

At least from the JO/JA side. For me, a completed and releasable SP project needs to have a decent plot, voice acting, cutscenes, updated text crawl, etc, all of which by themselves can take two months by themselves, nevermind the actual mapping process itself. One single cutscene can take upwards of two weeks to get set up and executing correctly. Maybe it's different in JK/MotS... I wouldn't know, never having edited for them in the past.

Now, that said, I was willing to do a SP project in a two month time period. It would have been very rough and unpolished, and would definately have needed to be 'finished' after the contest ended. But in no universe would I have expected it to BE polished in two months. But, when those standards are to be placed against projects that have had longer development time, I refuse to release something that doesn't HAVE that polish on it, as it would have to be there to have any competitive chance.

Again, let me stress that this is not a complaint, from my standpoint. It is an arguement against the current ruleset. I realize it's not going to change in this instance, but if this were to be done in the future, I would hope that this inequality would be addressed.

And finally, to the poster who commented that I would only be mapping for the 'grand prize', I simply ask you to go look at other works I've done in the past. I don't publish maps to get acclaim. I very often don't even do any publicizing of it, unlike many these days who go so far as to do trailers of their maps. I map as a hobby because it IS fun, because I enjoy the challenge of creating a new location from nothing, and making it live and breathe in the SW universe. To say something like to anyone who maps the way that I do, which I believe would be about 90% of those on these forums, and other just like it, is an insult. Here, of all places, I would have hoped to have a repite from such comments.

Call me what you will - as from this point, it doesn't really matter to me. But if a situation like this arises, something should be said, not to change it that time, but to prevent it's recurrance. In any contest, the competitors should be starting from level ground. What they've done to prepare for it may be more or less intensive beforehand, but any race starts from one line.

Any mapping project starts with a blank GTK screen, and allowing people to use projects previously started is like allowing a sprinter to start several yards ahead of his competitors.

it's not about winning; it's about having fun. i don't map for winning contests and things of that nature. i find it to be a lot of fun to get something out there that other's can play in and enjoy what i've created. who cares if others have more progress than you?

i'm pretty sure that brian's intentions were not to sandbag the contest, but to get more entries into the competition. to be honest, massassi hasn't had many files submitted in a long time. this contest could get people motivated again, and at the very least, get people coming to massassi.

Except no one is truly whining. "Complaints" so far have been reasonable. I don't see why people can't voice their opinion about the contest in this contest thread, no one is trying to discourage anyone else from doing work so far. Shadriss brings up valid points.

Your posts can be easily be read as "Shut up and get to work. If you can't, get out because I want to play some levels."

These two comments seem to be contradictory.
If the sprinter really is running for the sheer joy of running, why would he care if his compeditors got a head start?

Indeed; he might allow it, to increase the challenge for himself.



That might fly for the Special Olympics, but not for the Massassi SP Contest!
(just kidding)

Meh, I really don't want this to turn into a negative thing. If people don't feel the contest is fair, by all means, don't enter. However, I again stress the point that the original post, announcement, etc., specifically stated that small, fun maps should be the focus, because I do not want to get into a situation where everyone starts making a level that will take 8 months to complete, then 95% of the people will drop out, and if you do the math based on the number of people who have said they are entering, we may end up with a single submission, if we're lucky.

i'm going to try my damnedest to get my project finished. my only big obstacle is cogging. i can't do overly-complex cogs, which is why i've pretty much stayed away from sp altogether. jon'c said he'd help out, but if he baulks i need a backup.

Zeq has offered numerous times, I would take him up on it.

Maybe two tiers in the contest would settle this? (what I think they should do in the rugby world cup as well, but that's another matter...). A Prize for the SP levels which have been thrown together for the contest, and another for the ones which have been going on for years? Give people the freedom to enter for both, neither or one or the other. Although, some discretion should be applied regarding entries for the lower tier (ie no mammoth 8 year cutscene filled epics).

If it goes that way, I'll see if I can borrow my mates paypal account to throw some $ at Brian for a second prize. I owe him something for 8 or 9 years of downloading levels. My only SP level is an abandoned 3do from 2001, so my only gain would be more levels to play.

As I've said before, I'd gladly donate.

Also, GHORG, what about that huge, labrynthine level that you'd been working on the the better part of forever?

That was MP (players being able to find each other wasn't a major concern of mine). It actually started as a Team-Fortress-esque concept if that gives you some idea of which century that level was begun in. Yeah, I stopped on that in 2003 for the current pair of MP levels I'm working on.

I almost threw my hat in the ring last night and was going to start Level 2 of Legacy of Yun. I was thinking of a cool way to start it, etc. But when I got up this morning, I realized I was delusional and there was no way in a monkey's hairy butt that I would finish anything before Sept. 30.

I haven't had that much time and I've still gotten a lot done in maybe 2 weeks time worth of work. I think you could do something if you aim small and stay there.

Do it! Do it!

Yeah Chewbubba, I loved that level!

Yea, I was considering taking another tackle at my Dark Knight plotline, where you play an exiled Sith Lord, some thousand years BBY, who infiltrates his cult's temple and slaughters them all.

Lightsaber ftw.

But then I remembered :

- My track record of completed JK projects
- The fact that there is only a month left
- The fact that I forgot how to use JED
- The fact that I was never really good at COGs

This probably should have been hyped up for a longer period beforehand so more people would reach "critical creativity mass."

Also, Jep - you never responded to my PM!

O_O

Yes I did! I said I gladly would!

That would make an awesome JA level, though.

Thats what it was originally planned for :

Screenshots here


And this is how it ended :

Screenshot here

Those shots are so freaking cool.

Yeah, they are.

Hey Jep. Whatever happened to that SITH HUD you promised to send to me like, four years ago?

I'm definately out. It's the usual story, not very quick with editing, school starting, went on vacation, etc. Looking forward to the other entries, though.

Don't tempt me.

Consider yourself tempted.

Every time I entertain the thought, I KNOW I don't have the time to do this.

But I want to...

i don't either, but i'm giving it hell. i'm not going to be extravagant by any means, but i know i can put out some quality work that'll give about 5+ minutes of action.

Crap. See what you guys have done now? You have totally wrecked my life.




Now... how do you use this thing again?

ditch that and get zed. it's linked on the hub, and it's jed with some minor modifications.

I can't. I can't! I can't!! Gah!!!


I'd love to do this, but I simply can't. The duo I play bass for signed a record contract with Warner Bros. a couple of months ago, and any free time I have I need to spend "woodshedding".

I realized the other day that if I had spent my time (or at least some of it) practicing instead of playing games the last 8 years, that my playing wouldn't be in the sorry state it is now.

Not to mention I just started back to work AND I'm supposed to be working on a Flash site for a client.

You have no idea how much I want to finish the series (heck, it's already done on paper), but now simply isn't the time. Maybe someday if I'm not doing the teaching gig anymore (and MotS will run on "Windows 4005 Splenda Edition"), Yun will have his alternate story told.

Nooooooooo!

But real life def takes priority. Oh well. Maybe someday in the future.

Plus, "Chewbubba" still gets a cameo in TFoJ2!

Score.

I'll sweeten the pot only for you, Chewbubba. If you finish and submit an awesome level, I'll release part of your soul. Trust me, this is the easiest part you'll ever win back.

OMFG! Brian hasn't dealt in souls since the Darth Evad fiasco...

Are you sure I can't wrestle you for it or something? How about a fart contest?

Really, like I mentioned above, I'm already over committed, and I absolutely have to focus on my bass playing. Big things are afoot.

I can't think of any other medium that I'd tell the story with, but I simply don't have enough hours in the day right now. Besides, even if I only did the first 1/2 of LoY: Part 2, I wouldn't get it done before the deadline. And after looking at it the other day, I'm not sure the MotS engine can pull off the architecture I've got planned out without some redesigning.

The script for the whole series is finished (of course, there are always rewrites and additions during production), the maps are all drawn out for the whole series, as well as major puzzles and such.

Time is the missing element.

Speaking of missing elements, my computer died (hard drive failure) and I may not be able to recover any of my data. My critical data was all backed up, but not the most recent developments on my campaign.

Luckily, I released a pretty-near-done beta of the first level, so I may just release that as a standalone entry. Maybe not, though.

Your soul is mine.

You know, someone should do a statistics project studying correlation between massive JK projects and hard drive failure.

I wonder if it's possible J/ZED cause hdd crashes...

Stick it in the freezer and try to salvage what is left?