Author Topic: Iron Modder 3 Discussion  (Read 34572 times)

Offline Dark Raven

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Re: Iron Modder 3 Discussion
« Reply #100 on: May 17, 2004, 08:45:44 PM »
And quite a tip of the hat it was, 30-odd posts by the people who actually run the place accusing me of rigging it.

Rigging it how, JC? Preferring certain people over others? IIRC, you advertised IM3 in several places and personally sent offers to people (*coughWeimercough*) inviting them to participate. Just because most of the 8 entries came from people at PPG doesn't mean the contest is rigged. It means other people were lazy. If NotMrT and other people wanted to squawk about how unfair it was, they should have written a mod and submitted it themselves. THEN they'd have the right to complain.

(Hey, if I can make a store and storekeeper in four hours, anyone can do it. Trust me on this one. ;))


It wasn't really about who participated, but who won.  Because Bons & Icelus won the contest, NotMrT (and others in that thread) inferred that the judges were horribly biased towards the PPG moderators and/or the votes of the judges other than JC counted for nothing.
Let them cry their little heads off. If they thought they could be worthy to enter they would have done so. Another example of those who talk the talk and don't do anything.

And of course this link seems to be missing. Edit: Dead link removed
« Last Edit: July 01, 2005, 10:44:16 AM by Bons »
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Offline Kismet

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Re: Iron Modder 3 Discussion
« Reply #101 on: May 17, 2004, 08:59:05 PM »

As for other competition ideas, it's also been suggested that some sort of "rookies" category or special competition be created for Iron Modder. The trouble with that is, as Bons said, sometimes your first Iron Modder attempt just doesn't go the way you hoped, and I'm not exactly convinced that working under the tight deadline is the best way to do your first mod.

If people want to see what they can do in a set amount of time, I suggest doing a dry run.  Get a friend to give you a theme and see what you can get done in the alloted time.  That's what I did before the first IM contest.  It certainly highlighted what aspects of modding gave me trouble (making spells!) and what I should avoid trying to do in my first entry.
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Offline St. Josephine

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Re: Iron Modder 3 Discussion
« Reply #102 on: May 17, 2004, 08:59:46 PM »
I haven't gotten to look at the entries yet, but Pir, you made a mod. What's more, you had the guts to jump in, give it a shot, and you made something work. Alas, not the Pirate Pancakes (*sniff*), but still, you accomplished something that only a fraction of people have tried under the constraints of the Iron Modder competition.

You accomplished what I did not.  You were smart and started small and finished.  Me?  I became obsessed with a story/tale/quest that I didn't have enough skill to execute and still haven't finished.  My eyes were way too big for my plate and by the time I realized that, my brain had broken and that was all she wrote (or didn't write, as the case may be).

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You know, I think even with months and months of rehearsal, you're not really prepared for Iron Modder until you've done an Iron Modder. Until you're in the midst of that four-hour deadline, WeiDU spitting syntax errors right and left, scripts misfiring, typing with all the agility of a duck in boxing gloves, you can't really know what it's going to feel like. The competition itself is a learning process.

This is so true.  Even though I didn't finish, I know now what to expect.  And I did learn A LOT the hard way about planning and keeping it simple.  I should have stuck with dialog.

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Yesterday, it was neriana and St. Jo who ran late. Next round, I bet they'll be smackdown steamrollers because they now know what to expect.

Uh, well, I personally wouldn't go that far but I do hope that I will be actually able to complete something that works within the time constarints.  I tend to be a "cautiously optimistic" kind of gal.  :)   
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Offline Cuv

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Re: Iron Modder 3 Discussion
« Reply #103 on: May 18, 2004, 02:17:05 PM »

Maybe there can be some sort of Training Day competition for people who have never modded before and want to learn how. All the newbies cling to famous modmakers (like how I borrowed Andyr's help) and make something centered around a basic theme, maybe one of Weimer's one-word suggestions. Fun for the whole community.


I might be able to teach a one-day training on area creation and door placement, if anyone is interested.   Could be fun and rewarding for me as well.

Cuv

Offline neriana

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Re: Iron Modder 3 Discussion
« Reply #104 on: May 18, 2004, 02:37:27 PM »
Uh, well, I personally wouldn't go that far but I do hope that I will be actually able to complete something that works within the time constarints.  I tend to be a "cautiously optimistic" kind of gal.  :)   
Same here :). Hopefully I will avoid this next time: (http://home.earthlink.net/~neriana/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/manynobles.jpg)


I'm looking forward to playing your completed mod, St. Jo.
« Last Edit: May 18, 2004, 02:58:55 PM by neriana »
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Offline Pirengle

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Re: Iron Modder 3 Discussion
« Reply #105 on: May 18, 2004, 03:45:50 PM »
I haven't gotten to look at the entries yet, but Pir, you made a mod. What's more, you had the guts to jump in, give it a shot, and you made something work. Alas, not the Pirate Pancakes (*sniff*), but still, you accomplished something that only a fraction of people have tried under the constraints of the Iron Modder competition. You go, girl!

*sniffle* Thanks for your encouragement, Bons. And to everyone else for theirs. I should believe what I've been spouting for the past few days and be happy that I finished and finished on time, and that it works. I still remember how elated I felt when I ran my mod in game and found it worked perfectly.

Maybe I'll still a little unhappy that I'm not as good as everyone else. But Bons, you reminded me that with time and practice I will be just as good. And for that, I thank you.

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I suddenly had a vision of those workshops at Home Depot where people learn how to tile their bath in one Saturday morning. :)

Hehe. I pictured a Junkyard Wars-style competition where a couple of first-timers and newbies like myself are grouped with an experienced modder to create a specific kind of mod. Sorta like Iron Modder, but instead of building a mod around a theme, groups build a mod that do certain things, like dialogue, initiate combat, etc.

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Flashback IM2, my slime bit was my first completed mod. I didn't finish in time to be a judged entry. I tried to do too much. I didn't manage my time well. The deadline came just as I was wrapping up my .tp2, little realizing it would take me a good two hours more to debug the thing so that it was remotely functioning. Yesterday, it was neriana and St. Jo who ran late. Next round, I bet they'll be smackdown steamrollers because they now know what to expect.

I've gotten a chance to play all the entries, now that I've reinstalled BG2. I think if St. Jo finished on time, she could've given the winners some serious competition for the title. ;) And I keep forgetting I'm not the only new modder in the pack--congrats, ner! Maybe I can be your sous-chef next time around and we can show these old fogies how to mod it.

A Junkyard Wars/Training Day/Pro-Am type setup as Pirengle mentioned has a fair few challenges. I'm not saying it's impossible, but I am saying that I probably have enough things to organize that I personally am not going to organize it. :)

I am all for doing Scriptyard Wars. Problem is, I want to be a contestant. :P Which means I'm either going to have to find someone to run the show or actually do that one-month NPC I've been crowing about. Decisions, decisions. ;)

*is in a much better mood than yesterday*
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Offline jester

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Re: Iron Modder 3 Discussion
« Reply #106 on: May 18, 2004, 04:58:41 PM »
Cuv, that would be quite interesting. How is that gona work?? IRC?
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Offline jcompton

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Re: Iron Modder 3 Discussion
« Reply #107 on: May 18, 2004, 05:02:20 PM »
WebEx or similar might be a better way to go, that way he can SHOW you what he's doing.
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Offline jester

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Re: Iron Modder 3 Discussion
« Reply #108 on: May 18, 2004, 05:48:26 PM »
What is WebEx? The reason sounds solid though. :) I am all for it.
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Offline jcompton

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Re: Iron Modder 3 Discussion
« Reply #109 on: May 18, 2004, 05:50:35 PM »
WebEx is an online conferencing system. Among other things you can share a desktop to any number of users via a browser interface.
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Offline jester

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Re: Iron Modder 3 Discussion
« Reply #110 on: May 18, 2004, 06:01:01 PM »
Nice, online teaching. I bet it is available for a small license fee at your friendly neighbourhood dealer from Redmond.

So we could set it up and Cuv tells us a specific date and we are ready. :) Online modding university.
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Offline jcompton

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Re: Iron Modder 3 Discussion
« Reply #111 on: May 18, 2004, 07:05:28 PM »
WebEx is (as the name implies) a Web-based service, you don't buy it as software... although you do have to pay for it, ALTHOUGH they seem to be running a free trial at the moment.

One could also use NetMeeting and the whiteboard, one could also use VNC... there are a lot of ways to solve this problem.
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Offline Cuv

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Re: Iron Modder 3 Discussion
« Reply #112 on: May 19, 2004, 03:07:57 AM »
That could be an interesting way of doing a class.... hmmm.    I willl have to look into getting that.    In the mean time, maybe a specific curriculum might be in order.... a specific aspect of area creation?   Or perhaps a basic first class on how to get a new area in the game?   I won't hijack this thread.   I'll start a new one and see what people think.

Cuv

Offline Riklaunim

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Re: Iron Modder 3 Discussion
« Reply #113 on: May 19, 2004, 10:30:13 AM »
Quote from: Grey
An idea spawned from the aftermath of Iron Modder 3 was a sort of "pro-am" learning scheme...

Why not make a lesson-contest thing... like:
A. Posting tutorials how to make cutscenes
After few weeks...
B. Iron Modder like contest where a cutscene have to be used :)

The same for areas, NPC, monsters, spells&items... what do you think?

Offline neriana

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Re: Iron Modder 3 Discussion
« Reply #114 on: May 19, 2004, 02:13:16 PM »
For everyone's information, I have found all the modders at PPG extremely receptive to questions and incredibly helpful about answering them. I'm not sure formal lessons are at all necessary. Some more area-creation tutorials would be an excellent resource, though.
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Offline Cuv

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Re: Iron Modder 3 Discussion
« Reply #115 on: May 19, 2004, 02:24:53 PM »
I don't seem to really have the time to create any more tutorials  (are mine even here?).   There are currently two at IEModders that you are welcome to transfer here in a tutorial thread.  But I can set aside a day to be online and answer questions and guide a group through area creation.

Cuv

Offline Imrahil

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Re: Iron Modder 3 Discussion
« Reply #116 on: May 19, 2004, 07:55:56 PM »
Any downside to installing all the IM MOD's all at once?  I've downloaded all 3 IM Packs, but have yet to install them (pending my current game getting done & doing a complete re-install).  Any reason I shouldn't just install all 20+ MOD's & have them all in effect at once?

- Imrahil

Offline Kismet

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Re: Iron Modder 3 Discussion
« Reply #117 on: May 19, 2004, 08:29:02 PM »
Any downside to installing all the IM MOD's all at once?  I've downloaded all 3 IM Packs, but have yet to install them (pending my current game getting done & doing a complete re-install).  Any reason I shouldn't just install all 20+ MOD's & have them all in effect at once?

- Imrahil

You should probably check out the various readmes.  I know my IM2 entry requires a reload after it's done (unless you want to play the rest of the game with your party polymorphed.)
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Offline jcompton

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Re: Iron Modder 3 Discussion
« Reply #118 on: May 19, 2004, 08:38:37 PM »
Yeah, Slimes in particular has a couple of entries that you might want to be careful about installing.
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Offline Cuv

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Re: Iron Modder 3 Discussion
« Reply #119 on: May 20, 2004, 02:42:09 AM »
Yeah,  my first mod had several characters called IRNCUV... and so does my last one in IM3.   They are completely different characters though.   You should try each of mine seperately and uninstall between.

Cuv

Offline Userunfriendly

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Re: Iron Modder 3 Discussion
« Reply #120 on: May 21, 2004, 09:00:33 PM »
iron modder 4...how about 6 hours???

start at 10 am, and end the contest at 4 pm as usual...


i'm concerned about the number of people who rushed thru bugtesting on 3... ;) ;) ;)
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Offline jcompton

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Re: Iron Modder 3 Discussion
« Reply #121 on: May 21, 2004, 11:35:41 PM »
While it's always unfortunate when people run out of time, I think 4 hours is an excellent length of time. It's not too short that it can't be done (neither was 3 hours, but 4 seems better) but it still severely punishes procrastination.
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Offline Cuv

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Re: Iron Modder 3 Discussion
« Reply #122 on: May 22, 2004, 02:16:21 AM »
4 hours is plenty.   That's my vote ;D

Cuv

Offline Ghreyfain

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Re: Iron Modder 3 Discussion
« Reply #123 on: May 22, 2004, 03:29:36 AM »
Yes, us old modding farts can't mod for six hours in a single stretch like we used to.
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