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Collaborating modders

R

RobC

Landlubber
Hey,

I've just seen a good example of how all modders are very willing to help eachother out, and how eager everyone is to work together. As in my line of job (ict projectmanager) I've noticed time and time again that this provides many, many difficulties. But there are numerous solutions to this, and there are many collaboration tools on the market, allowing for a little more structured, but definately much easier way of working together.

I don't know how often it happens that people work together on mods, but it would be fairly easy to find and setup a freeware collaboration tool, allowing you to keep track of 'projects' online and for people to contact eachother and share their work with eachother. And if something like that isn't freely available it could be written in two or three days.

Now I got a family vacation coming up (day after tomorrow) and I'll be taking my laptop with me as my girlfriend can't come along, and I'd be happy to put some work to something like that.

Only thing I'd like to know is how much people would be interested in using something like that. I think it could be a valuable addition to a thriving modding community such as we have here, and it would definately compliment the forums...

I hope to hear from all of you whether or not this idea tickles your interest <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />.
 
Heheheh, and just as I thought I had found something new... <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

Though I must say that I feel completely lost when looking at that website. There's so much! Where do I click? I think it could be so much easier to use if they would cram a little less info in a tight spot, because I think if we used that at the office for our collaboration needs it would cost us time instead of save it.

No offense meant, but does anyone here use that site and does it actually save time?
 
We're a little loose around here, Rob, so perhaps not. There is a large modding group called the Pirates of the Caribbean Modding Team, or the PMT (for short) that is working on a huge project to expand the game with 30 new islands and a bunch of other stuff. It's a project that has been in the works for quite some time now and no one really knows what's going on there except the members of the PMT because they don't share much info with us...

I used to be a member of the PMT but quit (voluntarily) - and I'd say that if any modding group needs something like this, the PMT is one!

Who knows? They may use it, and I just don't know it. It's a great idea for a large group effort, but I'm not too sure it's really needed here... We're just a few, and our projects have been sparse and fairly easily trackable.

Either that, or the projects are done by someone like me, who prefers to pretty much work alone... I will help others, but if I have my own project I like to keep it my own. (this is me with my `one-side`-`quest-under`-`my-belt` vast experience, LOL!) <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_mrgreen1.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":cheeky" border="0" alt="icon_mrgreen1.gif" />
 
Yeah, alone is the way to go. The forum itself seems to function as a tool to keep track of things. Generally, people create a thread announcing what they are working on, the post updates and people make commments. Like Cat said, its all very laid back.

Just thinking about the POTC modding community now... there have really been a lot of fantastic mods made. What's really amazing though is that all of the mods work so well with each other that Nathan (originally) and now others like Kieron are able to either include all of them in the builds or at least give the option of including them via the buildsettings.h file. When you think about other games and their mods, this isn't the case at all. You download a bunch of files for the game and sort of make your own version. Sometimes they work together, sometimes they don't. But here, things just all work out together. Fascinating.
 
I'll drink to your comparison between potc mods and other mods! <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/par-ty.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":cheers" border="0" alt="par-ty.gif" /> Sadly for fans of other games this is very true <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />.

Thanks for clearing this up. When I saw that I created a mod and suddenly `4-5` people were willing to help I really thought that this was probably done alot here.

I agree that when you're working small or with 2 or 3 people, then indeed the forums are all you need. When you start working on more and more it could get icky working like this. That's where such a site could compliment the forum in functionality.

When I'm on vacation I'll see what I do, if I don't have anything to do then I might still... <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /> Heheh
 
Enjoy? I'll be sitting there, missing potc, missing my girlfriend (who's in Italy while I'm in Czec, the lucky b*tch!)... I'm not taking my laptop along for nothing <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="icon_wink.gif" /> Hey, maybe it can run potc... <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />
 
We tend to be a fairly good bunch, here, RobC, we like to share and we like the feedback - we're all learning from each other, nobody steals anything from anyone else, and we all try to work with the spirit of cooperation and giving...

For myself, my mod (the Fred Bob quest) was started as a "gee I wonder if I could do that" project when Fred Bob asked me if I could do a skin of Maurikio from Sea Dogs for PotC... It expanded from there with ideas from lots of folks, and before I knew it, it was a side quest!

I love the whole sharing thing - I made this side quest for my friends and I'm glad to be able to give it so you all can have fun with it.

I'm also glad to be able to help people - if they're just learning to mod, I'll try to give them advice or assistance as I can - I'm not a wizard at code, but some of it stuck to the old grey matter between my ears, so I can help those that are were I was just a few short months ago - wanting to do something but not having the knowledge...

I guess that's the whole atmosphere around here, and we like it that way. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_mrgreen1.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":cheeky" border="0" alt="icon_mrgreen1.gif" /> Welcome aboard! <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/hi.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":gday" border="0" alt="hi.gif" />
 
Well, I'm very willing to help, and the atmosphere is very nice here indeed. I've been programming for over 10 years and currently only program when I'm not managing people, but I still love to sit down and do some hardcore C# coding <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />. Only drawback is that I never coded good old C and there's no decent documentation of the functions available from the scripts and the engine. I believe this is built into the WIKI but sadly faaaar from finished. Perhaps if I get around to it I'll try to contribute quite a bit to the WIKI too, describing functions and their purpose etc.

Anyways, if the forums is all you people need for colaboration, then so be it. If you need anything then feel free to ask.
 
The WIKI hasn't been in existence very long, and most of the people who would contribute to it (from the PMT) are VERY involved in their expansion package projects and really have no time to put out tutorials...

We just had word recently that someone in the PMT has finally figured out how to put new character models into PotC - previously we'd not been able to do this - reskins, yes, but not new MODELS... We're wondering when someone will share that info with us, but as busy as they all are, I can't see much hope in having that info anytime soon...

If you can figure that out, that would be WONDERFUL! (but it took the PMT quite some time)
 
Oh, don't expect me to do anything in that area! <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /> Coding, sure, but graphics/modelling, no thanks, I'll not bump my head on that sort of stuff <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="icon_wink.gif" />.

I could try to find out how to get the code for the models right, but I'd rather wait for those PMT guys to spill it <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="icon_wink.gif" />.
 
Hey now, let's not get mad at eachother here. I'm sure they're very busy with their mods, and the rest of their lives. Eventually they'll have to share their knowledge by providing their mods (and thus the source code) and I'm sure that when they're done they'll share their knowledge!

But I must admit that I always do have my questions when people start giving themselves a name, do they want to distantiate themselves from us? You could also call us the Pirates Ahoy Modding Team, but that would sound like others aren't free to join and part when they wish... Anyhow, if they want to mod together and keep others out by making it an 'official modding team' then so be it, I'll mod on my own then, or together with anyone who's interested.
 
Rico, it's nice to see you haven't been "sucked into the PMT" either. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="icon_wink.gif" />

However I don't have a beef with ALL of the PMT. I have a lot of friends in the PMT and I respect all of their feelings about what they do there - it just didn't happen to be "my way", and so I left.

Just because I don't agree with some things they do, I'm not going to spill any sour milk over all the work they are doing on this expansion package... They do what they do what they do. If we ever see any of it, it will be a gift from them to us (well, to the public).

Rob, the "politics" (if you want to call it that) of the PMT are that it is open to anyone who wants to join. And if you wish to depart (like I did), you can. But they are working "under wraps" with no one allowed to tell what's happening over there - because that's the way they want it. They have their reasons for working this way, and if that's the way they want it, well none of us should be crabbing about it because again, what they will offer to us will be a gift.

Small note, my "Guild of Nefarious Modders" is a joke - there are no rules, no membership, no requirements, and no organization - it exists no further than myself. The motto is "teach learn give" - and that's how I look at modding. The motto ALMOST was "We're not THEM"... <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="xD:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" /> I'm a nefarious modder because I'm NOT in the PMT... <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="icon_wink.gif" />
 
"Teach Learn Give"? How `anti-pirate`.

I don't know much about the PMT (you now have me picturing a bunch of Druids in robes skulking about somewhere above us, looking down from hidden places), but after the lovely builds they released they're a great bunch in my book. I don't see that they're "withholding" anything from anyone... and the cabalistic nature of it, waiting for word from them as they silently work off away somewhere, is a little fun I think.

Meanwhile, I see a lot of balls rolling around here and can't wait to see where they go...
 
<!--QuoteBegin-alan_smithee+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(alan_smithee)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->"Teach Learn Give"? How `anti-pirate`.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->Heh... I mod, therefore I am an idiot! <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="xD:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" />
 
<!--QuoteBegin-CatalinaThePirate+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(CatalinaThePirate)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->We just had word recently that someone in the PMT has finally figured out how to put new character models into PotC - previously we'd not been able to do this - reskins, yes, but not new MODELS... We're wondering when someone will share that info with us, but as busy as they all are, I can't see much hope in having that info anytime soon...<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Hi Cat,
I wonder where you got that information from. I don't mind sharing my work at all, but I'd like to decide myself when to publish.
I used to share your opinion that PMT is much too secretive, but this sort of thing is precisely the reason.

And this is my message to the rest of PA forum:

Yes, I have exported some characters:

<img src="http://home.arcor.de/swigard/Pictures/Lara.gif" border="0" class="linked-image" />

<img src="http://home.arcor.de/swigard/Pictures/GMan.gif" border="0" class="linked-image" />

You can get them from

<a href="http://home.arcor.de/swigard/Downloads" target="_blank">http://home.arcor.de/swigard/Downloads</a>

I'm making a tool to automate the process and I'll publish it when it's ready and not when Cat thinks I should.
 
<!--QuoteBegin-Inez Dias+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Inez Dias)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I don't mind sharing my work at all, but I'd like to decide myself when to publish.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->Yes, and like I have said, that's up to you, and your gift to whomever you decide to give it to. Like I have ALSO said, it's also your right to withhold it if you so choose.

<!--QuoteBegin-Inez Dias+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Inez Dias)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I'm making a tool to automate the process and I'll publish it when it's ready and not when Cat thinks I should.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->Pardon, Inez, but I did NOT make a value judgement on whether you will or will not share this with us. I have been most careful not to make a value judgement about your willingness to share or not share this with us. All I said was:

<!--QuoteBegin-CatalinaThePirate+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(CatalinaThePirate)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->We're wondering when someone will share that info with us, but as busy as they all are, I can't see much hope in having that info anytime soon...<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->I'm not trying to tell you what to do. Maybe English is not your first language, so if that's the case, and if it will help, in the interest of being perfectly clear I'll break this down for you -

  • Since this news, we ARE wondering...
    <b>Fact:</b> The PMT is busy (no duh!)...
    <b>Conclusion:</b> Because they're busy, they might not be able to share this with us right now.
    <b>Opinion:</b> Because they're busy, I can't see much hope in expecting to see this info for quite some time.

    • That was not a value judgement. I did NOT offer my opinion about what you should or should not do. I even quite generously gave you an excuse - "We're busy, so you won't know about this yet." Nothing further needs to be said, and most people would understand. My statement was actually designed to help people understand any delays in your allowing this process out to the public, and it was NOT meant in any way shape or form to undermine the PMT or you. It was meant as a shield for the PMT.

      Besides, you seem to have formed some sort of mistaken impression that what I think or say around here makes any difference at all. I'm flattered, really, but I'm not all that important... These people can get along quite well without me, and what I think doesn't run this community. Far from it, actually. I try to lead by example, but that's not being some kind of dictator - everyone here has their own free will and their own opinions. I wouldn't DARE presume to tell ANYONE here what to think because I respect them and their right to form their own opinions, and express them if they so choose.

      Like I most honestly and sincerely DID post previously in this forum, the fact that you've found out how to do this process after working at it for so long is absolutely WONDERFUL, and I'm glad you found it. I DID say it before and I'll say it again, CONGRATULATIONS! <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/me.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":onya" border="0" alt="me.gif" /> I have nothing but respect for you and your accomplishments, Inez, and I do NOT have a beef with you. I don't even know you. But please, if you have something to say to me, if I've offended you in some manner, or WHATEVER, then say it TO ME IN PRIVATE. Thanks...
 
Ines,
I have to jump in on this as well, I think you have somehow misinterpreted Catalina the Pirate's comments. Catalina is one of the most supportive people that I have come across, for anybody's accomplishments, anywhere, and I recall seeing a posting from her where someone had mentioned your accomplishment and she expressed nothing but admiration for what you have done.

Occasionally there will be a comment made around here with regards to the PMT that could be construed as being unappreciative of their efforts or negative in some way, but I have never seen any such comment made by Lady Catalina, and often when someone makes a comment like the ones that I have described, Lady Catalina will be the first to remind the person that the members of the PMT have real lives, have been extraordinarily generous with all of us regarding sharing their accomplishments, and will generally defend the choices of the PMT of how they want to operate.

In good fellowship, pirates and modders all, let's break out the rum and patch up this misunderstanding. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/par-ty.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":cheers" border="0" alt="par-ty.gif" />
 
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