Post by thePOSTALmodder on Mar 4, 2008 16:12:52 GMT -5
As many of us probably predicted, Edges of Existence project is dead. It's been that way for about a month. You can read all about it here: tesiveoe.30.forumer.com/index.php?showtopic=427
For those who do not know, the goal of this project was to create all of other provinces of Tamriel. I am not attacking a person in particular, or even the EoE group itself, but I must say, I am not at all surprised this has happened. First of all, the scale of this project was exceedingly large and nowhere near doable in a reasonable amount of time and up to a reasonable level of quality.
Once again, I'm not trying to attack anyone personally, but for the interest of the modding community, it also needs to be said that what the founder did was very unethical, apparently abandoning the team without notice and without even uploading the work in progress (a heightmap apparently). I know what some will say, "the heightmap was his intellectual property and didn't need to share it with anyone", "he had more important things in real life", "he's not getting payed to do this". Fine. But he broke his promise. It is, essentially, betrayal. A one-man mod is different, but when there are other people involved, you can't just quit. This has nothing to do with intellectual property or real life issues, it has to do with misleading countless team members and modders into investing time and energy that will go to waste because nothing is ever released. I do not know whether or not this mod ever had even the slightest amount of progress (an NPC, a model, a script etc.), but if it did, that work is more than likely useless now. A model could be released independently I guess, but it's possible it will have little value on its own, especially if the modeller cannot use the Construction Set to integrate it into the game. Well, half of them probably know how already and the other half can learn pretty fast, but I think my point still stands.
I hope that this will be a lesson to modders everywhere. Project leaders should have a realistic plan (a rough plan, it doesn't have to be a sophisticated, mathematically rigorous plan, not even close) and actually have at least an idea of how they will do it. Good Construction Set skills are vital, not optional. In the event that they can no longer mod, they should at least upload their work so someone can continue it. A project leader should also be willing to do a large portion of the work as well. If he cannot, then perhaps sticking to small mods is a better alternative. Modders who join projects should first consider if joining a project is truly worth it. Three questions should be asked: 1. "How much progress has been made?", 2. "In how much time has this progress been made?" and 3. "What are the skills of the leader, besides 'having ideas' and how much does he actually contribute to his own mod?" Nobody should join a project simply because "OMG, OMG, that idea is sooo cool".
Now, as my invitation to former EoE members and supporters, it appears your forum is closed to new posts, but I would like to personally invite all of you to join the SoVvM Team and help make at least part of your dream come true, namely a recreation of Solstheim, Vvardenfell and Mournhold. You don't need to do anything more than contribute at least once, in a meaningful way, in one of the following positions: 3D modelling, texturing, interior building, lore, voice acting, testing and music. So technically, you don't even need to know how to mod, all we ask is that you be serious and qualified in the position you choose.
This is a serious project where the core has done work without expecting others to do it all. Help is certainly appreciated, but we don't just sit back and give orders around. Don't believe me? See how much progress has been done: postalmodding.proboards105.com/index.cgi?board=sovvm I should add, I am a co-leader in this team now and will not abandon it. If I ever do leave it, with the exception of an unexpected sudden death, I will at least make sure the work in published first in an acceptable and playable form.
The time has come for me to leave EoE. No, this is not a threat or a complaint. The simple fact is that this mod is dead. There are no worldspaces done for people to do any work with. And the one space that was actually ready to be worked on has disappeared along with the founder of the mod.
I have stayed true to EoE from the beginning and gone through numerous struggles about whether or not to leave. Through all those times my faith in what this mod could be has always kept me going. But alas the time has finally come.
The is some discussion among the admins and moderators to keep this forum open for discussions of various modding ideas. So for now at least the forum will remain open. I will be spending my time on Oblivion Source and Cerberus Mods. The "full" site for Oblivion Source is supposed to be coming on line in the near future and will once again be including a mod library. Cerberus Mods is all about modders and getting together to work on projects.
In my heart I still hope that Microwire will return and bring Valenwood to life, but at this point it does not look very promising. I also have a ton of ideas to bring to life and will begin focusing on some of those. I am also open for the idea of assisting other mods in a leadership role. Those of you that know me understand the value and benefit that can bring to a project.
Although you will likely not see me post here again (it's not impossible) I will continue to receive notices if someone sends me a PM and I will follow up on them. Other than that look for me on Oblivion Source.
I wish everyone the best of luck and the happiest of lives.
I have stayed true to EoE from the beginning and gone through numerous struggles about whether or not to leave. Through all those times my faith in what this mod could be has always kept me going. But alas the time has finally come.
The is some discussion among the admins and moderators to keep this forum open for discussions of various modding ideas. So for now at least the forum will remain open. I will be spending my time on Oblivion Source and Cerberus Mods. The "full" site for Oblivion Source is supposed to be coming on line in the near future and will once again be including a mod library. Cerberus Mods is all about modders and getting together to work on projects.
In my heart I still hope that Microwire will return and bring Valenwood to life, but at this point it does not look very promising. I also have a ton of ideas to bring to life and will begin focusing on some of those. I am also open for the idea of assisting other mods in a leadership role. Those of you that know me understand the value and benefit that can bring to a project.
Although you will likely not see me post here again (it's not impossible) I will continue to receive notices if someone sends me a PM and I will follow up on them. Other than that look for me on Oblivion Source.
I wish everyone the best of luck and the happiest of lives.
For those who do not know, the goal of this project was to create all of other provinces of Tamriel. I am not attacking a person in particular, or even the EoE group itself, but I must say, I am not at all surprised this has happened. First of all, the scale of this project was exceedingly large and nowhere near doable in a reasonable amount of time and up to a reasonable level of quality.
Once again, I'm not trying to attack anyone personally, but for the interest of the modding community, it also needs to be said that what the founder did was very unethical, apparently abandoning the team without notice and without even uploading the work in progress (a heightmap apparently). I know what some will say, "the heightmap was his intellectual property and didn't need to share it with anyone", "he had more important things in real life", "he's not getting payed to do this". Fine. But he broke his promise. It is, essentially, betrayal. A one-man mod is different, but when there are other people involved, you can't just quit. This has nothing to do with intellectual property or real life issues, it has to do with misleading countless team members and modders into investing time and energy that will go to waste because nothing is ever released. I do not know whether or not this mod ever had even the slightest amount of progress (an NPC, a model, a script etc.), but if it did, that work is more than likely useless now. A model could be released independently I guess, but it's possible it will have little value on its own, especially if the modeller cannot use the Construction Set to integrate it into the game. Well, half of them probably know how already and the other half can learn pretty fast, but I think my point still stands.
I hope that this will be a lesson to modders everywhere. Project leaders should have a realistic plan (a rough plan, it doesn't have to be a sophisticated, mathematically rigorous plan, not even close) and actually have at least an idea of how they will do it. Good Construction Set skills are vital, not optional. In the event that they can no longer mod, they should at least upload their work so someone can continue it. A project leader should also be willing to do a large portion of the work as well. If he cannot, then perhaps sticking to small mods is a better alternative. Modders who join projects should first consider if joining a project is truly worth it. Three questions should be asked: 1. "How much progress has been made?", 2. "In how much time has this progress been made?" and 3. "What are the skills of the leader, besides 'having ideas' and how much does he actually contribute to his own mod?" Nobody should join a project simply because "OMG, OMG, that idea is sooo cool".
Now, as my invitation to former EoE members and supporters, it appears your forum is closed to new posts, but I would like to personally invite all of you to join the SoVvM Team and help make at least part of your dream come true, namely a recreation of Solstheim, Vvardenfell and Mournhold. You don't need to do anything more than contribute at least once, in a meaningful way, in one of the following positions: 3D modelling, texturing, interior building, lore, voice acting, testing and music. So technically, you don't even need to know how to mod, all we ask is that you be serious and qualified in the position you choose.
This is a serious project where the core has done work without expecting others to do it all. Help is certainly appreciated, but we don't just sit back and give orders around. Don't believe me? See how much progress has been done: postalmodding.proboards105.com/index.cgi?board=sovvm I should add, I am a co-leader in this team now and will not abandon it. If I ever do leave it, with the exception of an unexpected sudden death, I will at least make sure the work in published first in an acceptable and playable form.
