What's Happening to the Content Creators?

As to why some don't even reply yes or no to a request, I wonder if it's a bit like when you see unsolicited religious or political door-knockers coming down your street. You don't need to talk to them to know you're not interested, so you pretend you're not there rather than get snagged in an awkward conversation. Rude but possibly understandable.

I've never done this. I've always replied. There as been a few PM's come in lately of people requesting DEM maps. I stopped making them some time ago, but I still reply to them to tell them that I'm no longer making them. I think it just common courtesy...apparently other folks don't see it that way.
 
As to why some don't even reply yes or no to a request, I wonder if it's a bit like when you see unsolicited religious or political door-knockers coming down your street. You don't need to talk to them to know you're not interested, so you pretend you're not there rather than get snagged in an awkward conversation. Rude but possibly understandable.

LWVRR said:
I've never done this. I've always replied. There as been a few PM's come in lately of people requesting DEM maps. I stopped making them some time ago, but I still reply to them to tell them that I'm no longer making them. I think it just common courtesy...apparently other folks don't see it that way.

Sadly, I've run into exactly the same thing with reskins of stuff. I email, PM, and even message people on their own forums to get met by nothing. Crickets. Silence. If you are not interested, even a simple, "I'm sorry, i don't allow reskins of my stuff." really doesn't take that much effort. And no, I'm not talking about people who may no longer be involved in Trainz.
 
Perhaps content creators could come together to put together a series of small tutorials, not exactly in depth ones like Paul Hobbs' but instead handy hints that may not be covered in detail by the introductory tutorials...

I agree with this idea and had been considering doing something like this.

johnwhelan said:
Creating a tutorial takes time, ...

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Trainz is a reasonable place to put them and although adding images is a pain in the neck it can be done. More to the point the tutorials can be updated by any one.


I've done a couple of tutorials and I suggest the problem is trying to write them from the reader's perspective. Not easy to do and getting the sequence right is tricky. There are a host of tutorials for Blender on the Web but many of the tutors assume some knowledge and go rather fast, even for the average user. I frequently have to rewind and try and work out what was just done.

As John noted, uploading images for Wikibooks is painful since you have to make all sorts of declarations about copyright. Writing the same tutorial for the TrainzDev WiKi is far easier.
 
I've never done this. I've always replied....

Personally, me too, I always reply one way or the other.

It's been mentioned before, but the new standards/features supported in modern versions are taking a toll on creative 'productivity' for those creators that want to use them. By the time you have added both summer and winter seasonal textures, normal maps, and maybe 3 LODs for each seasonal version, that's 6 meshes and at least 4 different texture images that must be created, even for a simple building. For splines/tracks, the insanely complex configs and absence of an understandable creation guide are also definite impediments.
 
Personally, me too, I always reply one way or the other.

It's been mentioned before, but the new standards/features supported in modern versions are taking a toll on creative 'productivity' for those creators that want to use them. By the time you have added both summer and winter seasonal textures, normal maps, and maybe 3 LODs for each seasonal version, that's 6 meshes and at least 4 different texture images that must be created, even for a simple building. For splines/tracks, the insanely complex configs and absence of an understandable creation guide are also definite impediments.

Exactly!!!

It's what I warned of when all of these new standards came about without a CCG, and please don't refer me to the WIKI. It's useless as I've said many times before. It seems that demands keep being made for professional grade content from 'hobby' creators. I warned that content creators would start disappearing. Creation used to be fun, but the fun has gone away. It's more like work these days and that's not what I look for in a hobby. I've already got a job. The average member used to be able to create content and get it uploaded, but no more.

Mike
 
...and please don't refer me to the WIKI. It's useless as I've said many times before...

this must be one of those opinion peices. the wiki sure has helped me out a bunch.

from my view it is pretty sad when we are given a much larger potential for great content and just because creators can no longer be at the top of the game they just quit all the while complaining it is the new content standard that was the problem. that sure is disappointing.

I warned that content creators would start disappearing.

well that's nice but... just what were people supposed to do, NOT want great looking content with new features? does this mean you have to 'leave'? if you dont want to go the extra steps to make something better then don't. continue doing your hobby creation.


and about the rest of that up there. nobody owes anyone anything either, so not wanting to help on one project or another doesnt make anyone a bad person, or doesnt mean 'the community just doesnt want to help anyone anymore'... oh please. just because you have spare time to sit down and email all your favorite creators about the fantastic route you want for yourself but badly need content for does not mean they have all the time in the world to respond to your needs or dedicate the time to help you. if they do and they think it will be a fun project then great! if they respond at all you should be happy if it is a yes or no answer. this attitude about 'you owe me' it is really just ridiculous.
 
...and please don't refer me to the WIKI. It's useless as I've said many times before. ...

Well, I agree it could be better but I don't think it's useless. There is some great stuff in there but a tad hard to find. The CCG is in there as well, courtesy of PEV, but it needs to be read in conjunction with the changes. When I got started in content creation, about 18-24 months ago, I printed off the CCG, switched off the computer and sat down and read though the CCG. You can't do that with the WiKi. I'm not even sure you can get a list of pages which would be a real plus.

Getting started in content creation is hard work and takes lots of time. Perhaps that's what scares folk off. I still think its fun otherwise I wouldn't be here.
 
I agree with this idea and had been considering doing something like this.



I've done a couple of tutorials and I suggest the problem is trying to write them from the reader's perspective. Not easy to do and getting the sequence right is tricky. There are a host of tutorials for Blender on the Web but many of the tutors assume some knowledge and go rather fast, even for the average user. I frequently have to rewind and try and work out what was just done.

As John noted, uploading images for Wikibooks is painful since you have to make all sorts of declarations about copyright. Writing the same tutorial for the TrainzDev WiKi is far easier.

Having had to respond to alot of support questions in my time I know how tedious and difficult it can be to write a concise and thorough tutorial.

This is why I was suggesting split them between a group of creators who could come together as a group to provide small ones at a time, just helpful hints, that the reader can take away and apply to their craft as an answer to many questions. Of course this is heavily dependant on enough of us being interested and from each of the major software series, myself being in the 3DS Max camp, if Blender is has indeed changed trhat much from when the last tutorials were penned then maybe its time for some new ones of those as well?
 
Personally, me too, I always reply one way or the other.

It's been mentioned before, but the new standards/features supported in modern versions are taking a toll on creative 'productivity' for those creators that want to use them. By the time you have added both summer and winter seasonal textures, normal maps, and maybe 3 LODs for each seasonal version, that's 6 meshes and at least 4 different texture images that must be created, even for a simple building. For splines/tracks, the insanely complex configs and absence of an understandable creation guide are also definite impediments.

None of that is mandatory, and some is even ill-advised depending on what you're making. You are free to make content with one mesh and one texture if you want - you can make quite good content that way. Again, it depends on what you're making. I also find the configs to be fairly easy to work with. Feel free to shoot me a PM or email if you need one written for you. Knock on wood, but, so far, there hasn't been too much I haven't been able get done the exact way I wanted it.
 
this must be one of those opinion peices. the wiki sure has helped me out a bunch.

from my view it is pretty sad when we are given a much larger potential for great content and just because creators can no longer be at the top of the game they just quit all the while complaining it is the new content standard that was the problem. that sure is disappointing.



well that's nice but... just what were people supposed to do, NOT want great looking content with new features? does this mean you have to 'leave'? if you dont want to go the extra steps to make something better then don't. continue doing your hobby creation.


and about the rest of that up there. nobody owes anyone anything either, so not wanting to help on one project or another doesnt make anyone a bad person, or doesnt mean 'the community just doesnt want to help anyone anymore'... oh please. just because you have spare time to sit down and email all your favorite creators about the fantastic route you want for yourself but badly need content for does not mean they have all the time in the world to respond to your needs or dedicate the time to help you. if they do and they think it will be a fun project then great! if they respond at all you should be happy if it is a yes or no answer. this attitude about 'you owe me' it is really just ridiculous.

Just my opinion for what it's worth. Apparently not very much and I never said that anyone owed anyone anything. The original question was what has happened to content creators and I was only giving an opinion as to what has happened to some of them. Not really important whether you agree with it.

Mike
 
yea only the part under your quotes was addressed to you dont get excited.


to me the original question was "what happened to content creators? they dont want to help anyone anymore"
 
and about the rest of that up there. nobody owes anyone anything either, so not wanting to help on one project or another doesnt make anyone a bad person, or doesnt mean 'the community just doesnt want to help anyone anymore'... oh please. just because you have spare time to sit down and email all your favorite creators about the fantastic route you want for yourself but badly need content for does not mean they have all the time in the world to respond to your needs or dedicate the time to help you. if they do and they think it will be a fun project then great! if they respond at all you should be happy if it is a yes or no answer. this attitude about 'you owe me' it is really just ridiculous.

You should read a bit more carefully. What you are commenting about hasn't happened to me. What I have happen is creators say they will help and then disappear. This seems to be a pattern now a days. As far as an email reply...as I said before, it is just common courtesy. You must be very high up there on your pedestal not to believe this.

Never once did I say somebody owes me!
 
You should read a bit more carefully. What you are commenting about hasn't happened to me. What I have happen is creators say they will help and then disappear. This seems to be a pattern now a days. As far as an email reply...as I said before, it is just common courtesy. You must be very high up there on your pedestal not to believe this.

Never once did I say somebody owes me!

It could be that they haven't got round to it yet in the queue. I have somethings that people have expressed interest in, they will be done but they aren't at the top of the queue.

Cheerio John
 
Same here. I've got a project or two to help other creators, but due to other commitments, it's ended up getting delayed.

Shane
 
It could be that they haven't got round to it yet in the queue. I have somethings that people have expressed interest in, they will be done but they aren't at the top of the queue.

Cheerio John

I could understand this, but it wouldn't hurt for them to tell me that.
 
sorry maybe i misread. it just seemed like you were saying creators had changed somehow because not all of them were jumping to help. i did see somewhere back that someone said they were willing to consider it, but if they were not able to help that is just how it goes.
 
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