[Micky C]

Now that we've entered the post-DNF era of Duke 3D modding, I was curious about how strong the modding community is so I decided to make a thread about it. For it'd be nice to know how many mappers/coders/art designers there are on these forums.

Update: you can now vote for multiple options.
Even if you're a well known mapper like Gambini or coder like DeeperThought, please vote anyway and maybe leave a comment.

If you vote as say a mapper, then it'll be assumed that you've either released a map, are going to release a map, or at the very least be confident you know all the control and might release something in the distant future. The same applies to other categories.

Take note before you vote: this poll is supposed to be a gauge of how many active and capable contributors of work in each category there are in the community.

[Jblade]

I can map, code and texture but I enjoy coding the most now so I've put that down.

[Micky C]

Nice choice, I've always seen you primarily as a coder.
I believe that anyone who can code should put coding as their option. It's relatively easy to learn to map, and creating textures can be applied to any game, but CON coding is more difficult and specific to eduke32, so I would have thought coders are in more demand and are one of the more important people types in this poll.

Edit: This poll only has any meaning if basically anyone who can do anything votes, so don't hold back, it only takes a click of the mouse

[CruX]

Micky C, on 19 July 2011 - 02:40 AM, said:

I believe that anyone who can code should put coding as their option.

Guess I'll be going with coding then. Unfortunately, because I'm such an undisciplined flake, mapping is the only thing I've really got anything to show for, but I've got quite a few tricks up my sleeve when it comes to con code, and I typically do what I can to help others on the forum out with stuff like that.

[Daedolon]

Hard to exactly answer only one.

Like most long-timers here, I've had to learn all the skills as it used to be pretty hard to find a certain kind of skill on your team to help you on your TCs. I do textures, 3D models, sound, music, mapping and programming, so who knows what I should answer.

[Hank]

deleted - no point is putting myself on record for a changing poll

[Micky C]

@ Daedolon: I've added a "basically everything" for people like you, Muesla and others. I also had to add a "nothing" option, and I'm guessing that's going to get pretty good use

@Hank: Hmm I wonder if I should add a "waiting for things to settle down" option, this could either be waiting for certain eduke32 features to mature, or if someone has personal issues they want to iron out first, but only if there'll be demand for such an option.

[zykov eddy]

"basically everything", I guess. I can do everything I want.

[Mark]

I opted for the "do everything" vote. I don't do any coding but I have done mapping, textures and models so that seems the closest choice.

[Daedolon]

I'm not sure if the voting for "what you do most" would be the best idea after all, seems like we're getting a lot of votes in the last option and not good statistics.

[Micky C]

In my original post I said if you do more than one thing, you should:

Quote

choose the option that you represent a larger proportion of

Which basically means if you have a rarer skill like IMO con coding, you should go with that.

If you have a look at the people who actually voted for the "basically everything" option, I think you'll find those votes belong there. There's yourself (obviously), Marked (who has said he does mapping, texturing and modelling, which is definitely quite a lot of stuff) and Zykov Eddy, who has done the Sonic the Hedgehog TC and other stuff, so he's covered. Technically James should be in there as well since he singlehandedly did the Imagination World TC. He wouldn't have done every single art asset but he would have done some.

Although I admit if we want a good representation of where the community is at, we're going to need a better approach then a thread poll. Something where you can select an option like "mapping and coding", and it'll add one to the count for "mapping and coding" but also separate points for "mapping" and "coding" coming up with 3 pieces of information with a single vote, which could then be graphed and analysed, but I wouldn't know how to go about that.

[Daedolon]

Optimally, if it would be possible "basically everything" should be it's own tick box and the rest should be radio boxes like they are.

But yeah I don't think for me there's anything really specific that I do more than others, though originally I answered coding since that's very EDuke32 specific.

[Lunick]

Nothing :X

[Micky C]

Come on Lunick, crank out mapster and mess around a bit

It'd be interesting to see what the poll says in a week or so. So far I'm the only (sole) mapper who's voted for that option, I would have thought there'd be more.

[Daedolon]

I guess some of the people from the HRP thread will fill the empty texture artist option.

[Micky C]

I swear I saw Chicken in here before. I thought he was a modeler, oh well... I guess he was too chicken to vote

[Loke]

Mapping is the only thing I've done with anything regarding to EDuke32. Started back in ~08 and have sporadically released maps over the years. I've never tried doing any coding, texturing or modeling. As I tried it out at an early age I guess mapping is what I'm only good at.

[Micky C]

Finally another mapper

I've decided to change the poll so that you can vote for more than one option, and deleted the "basically everything" option because it just just too broad.
I've also sent PMs to those who have already voted but suggested that what they voted for wasn't necessarily all they did, so they could come back and make a more complete vote. Same for those who voted "basically everything."

[Spiker]

I've decided to vote for mapper, modeler and texture stuff because that's the things I was messing with. Though I'm still considering myself a developing talent if you know what I mean. I thought I will do some 3d movie and I got inspired by Freddy Kruger and decided to do a similar main hero for it although this one is going to be positive. You can preview it in the attachement, no textures and pretty early stage but everything is made from scratch. When I get some motivation I may go back to do some more work with the pig cop.

[diehard]

Mapping

[MusicallyInspired]

Mapper, I guess? Though, I'm not very good. I'm decent, I suppose. Haven't mapped anything new since my Black Mesa attempt a couple years ago. Does musician count?

[Mike Norvak]

MusicallyInspired, on 19 July 2011 - 07:47 AM, said:

Does musician count?

Yeah Micky you forgot "Sound artistist" or something like that, i voted for mapping so far my only skill on modding.

[chicken]

Micky C, on 19 July 2011 - 05:19 AM, said:

I swear I saw Chicken in here before. I thought he was a modeler, oh well... I guess he was too chicken to vote

Hehe, the www is a village. You can't do a single step without your neighbours watching you.

Yeah, it's modeling for me i guess, that is what i've been doing a lot lately (behind the scenes for PBS).
Also some mapping and texturing (small bits). Although i'm behind the latest developments in all aspects.
Coding? Nay.
Sound? Huh?

[Carl Winslow]

I model and can texture some, but that's not really worth anything to the community since I don't understand the engine well at all.

[Jimmy]

I can do everything except for modelling, I have no use for it.

[rasmus thorup]

I do coding and mapping. I would love to be able to texture and model too But i think making the sounds/music is a great talent too and should be on the list.

[Daedolon]

Colon Semicolon, on 19 July 2011 - 10:19 AM, said:

I model and can texture some, but that's not really worth anything to the community since I don't understand the engine well at all.

What do you mean? If you found a mod you liked to work on, I'm sure the team would help you with importing your work into the game. Especially now that more and more mods are starting to use models and previously there weren't many capable people, 3D modellers should be fairly wanted talent.

[Danukem]

Mapping is the skill most in demand, and the lack of mapping is almost always the bottleneck that holds up projects. I'm now going to explain why.

• Maps are not very reusable. Code, models, and textures can all be easily recycled. One can go a long way towards creating a project simply by gathering or ripping existing resources. But when it comes to maps, it's a different story. Unless you are making a gameplay only mod, you've gotta have new maps. And even when parts of existing maps would be suitable, ripping from them is generally not tolerated unless you were the original map author.
  
  
• Mapping is extremely labor intensive. In the time that it takes someone to build a single, large, high quality map, a coder of comparable skill could code an entire TC, complete with new enemies, weapons, effects, etc. (assuming that the art/models for those things was already done). Even the so-called "one hour" or "one day" CBP maps that get released from time-to-time generally take months to produce. Back in the old days, it was common to produce a map in a week or two, but standards were lower and the people doing it were usually teenagers on holiday who could map all day. There are some mappers today who are capable of producing a quality map in a short time, but that's only because they spent countless hours doing it when they were younger, and now it is seldom that they have the time or inspiration to go on a mapping spree.
  
  
• There is nothing that can be substituted for an unfinished map. If code is lacking, then the project can usually go on without the missing feature, or a cheap substitute can be easily created. If models or textures are lacking, then there is the option of ripping some from another project, or doing a minor redesign so that they aren't needed. But if a map is missing, there is fuck all you can do about it, except finish the map.

In my opinion, the optimal ratio for getting projects released is about 3 mappers for every coder, modeler or texture artist. Of course, I'm not helping matters, being a coder myself. But that's why most of my releases have been gameplay mods.

[Simon_Croes]

I voted for mapper and modeler. I'm pretty good at making maps even if I say so myself and also if I got the time and inspiration. About modeling, I can't model at all. I'm more of a model "ripper" meaning I can rip (almost) ALL models out of games. I do learn more about it using the programs like 3ds Max and Milkshape. But thats about it. I didn't check the con code choice because I only can understand con code, not write it. Except for some really really basic stuff.

[rasmus thorup]

Can you "rip" models from playstation games?