RS man in a GR world, part 1-2

[Cocobolo]

I've been working on GR for a little while now, learning the ropes and blending into the community, and I have noticed some things about GR's community as it relates to the Rogue Spear community which, of course, is the backbone of DTD.

I'd like to post some of my observations on the modding communities (not the games per se) and compare/contrast, please keep in mind that at no time am I attempting to put anyone down or offend anyone, although I'm sure someone won't agree with me. I welcome everyone to post their observations and opinions as well!


>>Rivalries.
GR's group of modders is much smaller and close knit than RS's in general. Mainly, modders cooperate/collaborate with each other, as there aren't that many teams/people specializing in the same type of things. There isn't much animosity and there is a general feeling that everyone is still discovering and learning things together. There are those who may not like a mod's content or topic, and there's some jealousy also, but that's normal I think. GR's community is still very young.
 
RS's community is/was much larger and more developed, due to the amount of time it had to mature into what it eventually became. There were many teams competing for downloads and doing the same types of mods, so the cream rose to the top. In order to stand out you have to do something that hadn't been done yet, or do something that HAD been done, just better/different than the rest. We (DTD) have had some serious rivalries with other teams/individuals and I always felt that it helped us go even farther. Conversely, we always are up for collaboration with others that are serious, the product is usually better as a result and you try things that you normally maybe wouldn't.

>>Mod quality/innovation.
GR has some very talented modders, and also has tools to use that were not available to RS modders, such as the creation of new character models and vehicles. In RS, we could edit characters using Milkshape3D, but not create new ones and the milshape process was not widely known. So GR has opened up avenues to pursue that can lead to amazing results. Most of GR's potential has not even been tapped yet. (look at Piggyson's alternative fantasy characters for GR)But the truth is that GR's community is still inside the box/framework of the original game, and because everything that RSE has included in the games hasn't been used in mods yet, it will take some time for that pool of textures, sounds, etc, to become stale... At which point modders will be forced to create their own. For the most part, this hasn't happened yet and mod reviews reflect this.

RS's community was already quite developed by the time I got into it, and the competition was steep. I was determined to make my mark and try to be "up there" with guys like Nishi, Serellan, TeamHak, Sputnik Satelite, UMM, Mel Ebbles, etc. (Same way we wanted to enter the GR scene) I was a skin modder at first, later I got into modelling and missions. At the time, I wouldn't think of using one of RSE's textures if I didn't have to, it was just common knowledge that you wouldn't get respect for it because all that had been done years before. Virtually all of the top modders were making all their own stuff anyways, and reviews reflected this because once somebody does something new, you can't go back. Everything should be compared to the most advanced mods curently available. This way, the community progresses.

continued

[Cocobolo]

continued from above

>>Plaigerism.
GR will always have people who will steal others' work, just like any game. It hasn't happened in a widespread way yet to my knowledge, but those who are victims of it know the pain! Hours of work only to lose the credit for it is a tough pill to swallow... My advice? Get over it. Keep modding and move past it. It's no reason to quit modding, unless you are only modding for the fame, right? There's still a lot of things that haven't been done yet-Do something nobody has done, and nobody can take that credit from you. You will always be the first, that's it.

RS's mod community was rampant with theft, even by so-called top level modders. We've been victims of theft from other modders based on the SAME SERVER, Planetrainbowsix! One time,  a modder actually posted pics of his "new mod" on planetrainbowsix's main page, featuring my texture, with the balls to put a "copyright" statement on the pic! After I confronted him, HE said he was going to quit modding, lol. I didn't go as far as trying to get him dropped from the server but I could have. I did make him post an apology on his homepage though. We also had a whole BETA of our Expert Handgun mod stolen and released by an MP clan from Australia. They were cocky about it so we contacted their webhost and got the site pulled. We released the mod and it was highly praised, even scored a review in the UK's PCZone magazine. You CAN take action if you want to, don't let a thief pull you down, too many get enjoyment from your work!

That's the end of part one-two, till next time!

[WardenMac]

Hehe, I like the title bro. You know I feel the same way. Actually broke out the USTAC last week on my laptop. Still love that game. I dont think this R63 is gonna give us our fix either bro. Maybe we will be the last few still playing UO. OH well, what the hell  

[Cobra6]

I guess I could say that I am a Rainbow Six man. I miss the days when I would spend all day on MPLAYER either playing or chatting with friends.  I remember the days of Sputnik Satelite, MARS, MOM and some other great modding groups. I used to love to play the M.O.M. maps for R6 (I even converted one of them to UO) Anyone here remember the Scorpio Airborne Assault maps for R6?

I look at Planetrainbowsix's web page where the links are and almost all of them are dead or have not been updated for six months or so. Look over at Pies (By far the best R6, RS, and UO website) and its dead there.

The dawning of a new age I suppose...

[dave-s]

Yes I am guilty of leaving RS/UO for GR. I no longer have RS/UO on my machine anymore - mainly because I only have a 10 gig HDD and it the game + mods took nearly 3/4 of the space up. I now have the PC power to play GR, only taken me what 12 months??? and I think I prefer it, no longer do the enemy spot you from a million miles away, ad the thing that really annoyed me was when you spotted an enemy and his/her gun was pointing down or head turned the wrong way then from nowhere there is a muzzle flash & dead.
The other thing was I was getting bored of RS/UO and the downloads for mods were getting too big for my 56k.
But, I have to admit it took up what, about 4 years of my life, I wonder how much trouble Ive been in from my then Girlfriend & now wife for playing the game for hours?

As for modding, I cant say for GR, but there was a lot of snobbery in RS/UO modding. Unless you did something spectacular you were for the most ignored. This forum has been guilty of it occasionaly but thats understandable considering who this section belongs too and the quality of the mods being generated, and I have to admit Ive ignored people to and originaly only came here to see whatthe latest release was.

Anyway, whens part 3 up

[Raven2367]

Oh yeah the good old UO days...
I remember playing , I think it was Expert handgun mod with cobra and there where guys shooting DTD into the wall
lol once somebody booted cobra out of the game cos he didnt like him  

[{E}LuSiVe]

i actually do think raven shield will be just as good. the graphics are amazing, its supposedly much more mod-fiendly, and they've combined the Unreal engine with the old r6 'feel'. every preview i've read is saying its worth the wait. the screens are looking better with each week, and the weapon selection is absolutely incredible.

imo it'll be a fine addition to the series.

[Grendel_BHZ]

I like GR, I like RS/UO and still play both alot...not so much online cause my current connection. I've been playing UO for the last 4 days straight. US TAC and HK ITD...givin those tangos some well deserved FMJ's. what sucks is there are no more mods for UO being created. yes, GR is cool. but...when I have the itch to play some CQB I turn to UO...Coco, if you and cobra made another mod for UO, I'd DL it. DTD are my fav mods by far. even IDF for GR blows anything else out of the water that I've used. just keep doin what you do man...everyone here supports you guys. keep it up.  

[TRD_Ghost]

    I too remember those long nights or even few days with n sleep but now im out and not playing uo or r6 or anyof them at that . i remember ghetting into it so bad that i wanted mods and even had cobra and coco make the pistol mod for me and spent various amount of time with cobra testing it and ideas and all but when i put that back on my machine and i see the graphix and detail compared to all the stuff i play now well it hjust dont compare no more,. but im hoping when raven shield comes out it will mend my graphix problem and show me that they are making games that have detail again. but untill then i will stick with IL2 Sturmovick...........................raven sheild shall bring the   out of me once again hehehe

[*DAMN Silent Killer]

when is ravenshield relieased on PC?

[Casper]

Feb. 14 - 16 2003

[kazan]

The good old days of R6\RS\UO i to used to spend all night playing on line i think that the DTD mods keep it alive heel i went out an got new copew of RS\UO cause my disk where so f'ed they would no longer run.but now all i seem to play is GR\DS an MOHAA have'nt got IT yet not releasd in NZ yet i think Raven Shield looks good just hop they keep the RS feel to the game.an i think one last DTD mod for RS\UO would be great.

[Whisper_44]

 
I am a long time visitor to this site, have had a few email conversations with Coco on occasion. I miss R6/RS/UO alot, technical problems prevent my playing, but I give all credit to my missing this game to the guys here at DTD_Pro, you guys made this game for me. I welcome the same quality that I have grown to expect, and know that you all will deliver time & time again.   maybe.. but that's my two cents.

Well said Coco