Von Osten _Topic Split

[Deleted]

Dear all,

I regret to announce the following; I will no longer collaborating on this forum.

There are different reasons.
The main reason is lack of time. Another is I've done all that I had in mind; texturing, infantry, sound effects etc.
But what made my discission mostly is that I not feel comfortable on this forum anymore..

Much has changed over the year. I will not explain all in detail, but I think the forum has become more like an 'old mans club'..many offtopic posts, a lot of 'friend this and that'.. I not like this ass kissing one bit. I'm sorry to say it rude.

So, to all good things comes an end, and I think this is for me the moment.
I advise to check my mediafire from time to time, since, I guess, I will not entirely stop texturing and so, but it will be on a rare occasion.

Thanks for all the good times and the support over the years.
I hope our game will last for the next century; there is enough material to fill in a hundred years!

I want to thank all modellers - mod and mapbuilders for making this game unique in its sort.

Robbert 'Von Osten'

[Mat]

Robbert i Thank You!
edit: we will keep contact, im sure

[Major Pain]

No Robert...   If I can tough it out, so can you.  

If the old-men (oldtimers) do not lead the younger generations, who will do it?

Send me an email before you decide.

[Stanenberg]

Much has changed over the year. I will not explain all in detail, but I think the forum has become more like an 'old mans club'..many offtopic posts, a lot of 'friend this and that'.. I not like this ass kissing one bit. I'm sorry to say it rude

So true....

[gagarin]

Wittmann
Too much for a well-educated person "I" in the text.

Robbert - this is "overtraining" (as in sports). Take a small creative break. Soon you again arise interest.
Do you have a talent for drawing from it it is not easy to get rid of.
In the community there are too few people who bring new things to the game. Do not want to lose these people.

[Major Pain]

Joe/Wittman

I really don't think he was referring to any one person, but rather the mood of the forum.   However, if anyone did more harm than anyone else, it was me.

My health issue followed by my decision to retire was a lot for this community.   My rethinking my decision was very much due to Von Osten who I have always considered one of my best friends in this community.    But I rather now think his decision is due to my actions.   Perhaps the change was brought on by me, I don't know.  

As a Moderator, I try to not interfere with discussions if one of the posters is on his own topic.  If he wished to go off-topic, then I consider this his prerogative.   If the topic goes off the rails, I'd tried to correct it.  But during the last several months, I was not able to do much about any of it and likely caused a lot of it.   I cannot expect others to not do what I myself have done.    So in this sense, I have ignored much or just turned my head.  

If VO does in fact leave the community, the community truly loses a huge amount of the leadership and the so-called Glue that binds us together.   He is a Giant among the Artists and his name will always been remembered as long as the game has a community.  

I do not totally agree with what he cites but I find agreement with him on his frustration.   At some point there comes a breaking point for some of us.   Perhaps he has crossed his threshold.    I do hope he reconsiders and stays around.   His presence is just too important as to who we are.  He helped build this community.  He mentored many new artists.  He is patient and kind and shares his knowledge freely and willingly.   Its tough to wrap your head around all of that and knowing it may be lost.  

Take a break Robert.   The community will be here when you come back.    Take the same advice you gave me, and others gave me.   Pull back if you must but do not end your work like this.   The loss of your talents will be a very difficult blow for all of us.


MP


 

[gagarin]

Sept 18, 2015 23:45:29 GMT 1 @espwittmann said:

Sept 18, 2015 23:29:21 GMT 1 gagarin said:

Wittmann
Too much for a well-educated person "I" in the text.

Thank you very much for helping Gagarin.

Big Joe.

No, no - you Whitman. I'm not going every week to remember your new name.
My Big Joe bigger than your. 

Certainly please!

[Major Pain]

Quite possible but improbable.    That would take a huge amount of time...    and I would lose what hair (Peach Fuzz) I still have.

[ariete]

i could understand all reasons of this world because a person have to quit, but because this forum have too off topic posts or (social) discussions (also just for fun) beetween the members .. it seems ridicolous.
i always thinked behind a desk there's at first a man, or woman. we meet here because we love this great unique game. but we can also talk, comment, make friendship (for what can be obviously). i'm not an expert, and i can say this is the only forum i'm so active, and i prefer pass here and read always something new, also just to fun, just to talk, this is an active community i believe. anyway i know, maybe someone prefer a site like this www.geocities.jp/kwx50/en/index_EN.html but it's another thing for another use. then maybe i'm wrong, and i'm in the wrong place.

[Deleted]

Sept 19, 2015 14:03:20 GMT 1 ariete said:

i could understand all reasons of this world because a person have to quit, but because this forum have too off topic posts or (social) discussions (also just for fun) beetween the members .. it seems ridicolous.
i always thinked behind a desk there's at first a man, or woman. we meet here because we love this great unique game. but we can also talk, comment, make friendship (for what can be obviously). i'm not an expert, and i can say this is the only forum i'm so active, and i prefer pass here and read always something new, also just to fun, just to talk, this is an active community i believe. anyway i know, maybe someone prefer a site like this www.geocities.jp/kwx50/en/index_EN.html but it's another thing for another use. then maybe i'm wrong, and i'm in the wrong place.

Ariete; maybe for you it seems rediculous. I just have another opinion. Ofcourse there can be offtopic chatter, but lately its too much about nothing for my taste . Take a look at this forum a year or two ago.. Remember BKP?? There where many discussions and sometime like vulkano's, but at least it served a usefull topic, namely WWII and material+ game..
For me its not necesary all kind of stupid jokes, senseless videoclips and I don't know what more. They just don't relate to the game. We have a special threat, called "offtopic" we have a special threat for "music you like". But recently I have to go through many pages of crap to find someting relating to this game. There is enough social media outhere to spill all these, and why must this become a trend on this forum?

Maybe its an idea to make a special threat called "Crap & Nonesence".. That way members who are interested in WWII and gaming are spared and not be bothered by post-puberal sillyness.

Geocities by the way, is a great resource for all kind of stuff made over the years. To be honest, I would prefer a little more of that;
I'd prefer a little more 'creative input' from more members. Now old 'Veterans' can't even retire because they deliver the most worthy material.
But this said, there are other reasons for me as well to step back.
Mainly because I really have to focus on my personal life. Living in Russia is a full time job, and in nothing comparable to spoiled Europe. 
To be honest, I still have many ideas about BK, and even still a dream to make a successor, a "re-build", a true BK III: a version that answers more on all expectations. But it needs more then one person, I know the Major once started, but there just not seemed to be enough manpower to make it work, simply because most members just like to chat and not spend their blood, sweat and tears.

[gagarin]

For an interesting communication on abstract themes, there are social networks.
For the most part you're right. Forum resembles балаган. Not having to game nor any relationship.
To some it may seem that it is too rough - but also already infuriates this verbal garbage. Too much talk and too little work.

And why am I here constantly tries to embrace what that the man?

[ariete]

i don't remeber BKP because at that time i haven't an internet connection. this could be ridiculous but it's true, i started to connect in 2009 with the internet key i have yet, after the brief previous experience using the modem 56K when i was 16-17, then, because at a certain period, to spread the fast lines, those servers were closed, i didn't have internet beetween 1999 and 2009.
for me, it hasn't never been a priority, as well as today. i had an account in facebook for 2 years, one of the worst error i could do ... anyway i don't know, i follow the wave, i didn't created a new one, but if for the benefit of this forum and of this game (because your works are part) it needs change the route, let's change it. it depends all by the about 50 members who follow this forum, and the 1950 who never said (or did) nothing.

about little work and abstract themes, i readed just people who talk, then if this place is became more a recreation point where people meet rather than a factory, bho! i don't know, i 've always just readed by those about 50 members .. no more

[Major Pain]

Let me add this Robert.

Ever since I became ill, my productivity went to hell.   Perhaps most of the issue is due to that.  There have not been any new models for a very long time, and I still can't sit long enough to deliver any of the projects.   This is why I was hoping to pass my knowledge on to others, so there would be more models coming into the pipeline.  I intend to still complete the MAYA Classes, because it is vital that there are guys in the community to do this important work.  

Robbert you are one of the towering members of this community.   If you walk away, then we have lost another important part of the community.   You opinion is noted and some seem to agree.   I'm sorry, perhaps I need to pay more attention and see what we can do to change this.    But again, I'm still not close to the end of my healing so stuff can get past me without too much issue right now.  So I must depend on the members to stay on task and topic.

Robert states it well that the artist in the community spend countless hours giving their time, sweat and sometimes blood, to deliver their work.   Most of us know the work is appreciated.   I don't think Robert is even talking about whether it gets praised or not.   I think he is more speaking about the number of artist versus the number of players and members who never speak or contribute to any topic.   It is vital that we hear from you new guys.   The entire future of this Community, whether you wish to believe this or not, will rest on your shoulders.  

There are just a handful of members that have been around since 2002 when this game came out.   Von Osten, Hungary Blitz, Eisenhans, BB, damn, who else, me, have been here forever...  (My apologies for missing most of you... brain is not working today.)   We have put ourselves into this game, not for recognition, but to make the game better.   This task hopefully will never end.   There always seems to be something else that released.   Many of us call this community our 2nd home.   We make friends and cherish those relationships.    We are truly an International Community, and more members are joining every week.   What will be lost in the next couple of years if we do not increase participation and continue with new ideas... will be a huge loss in gaming.   But the few of us that do the research, create the skins and build the models, and create maps and mods...  must have more help.   He spoke of the Blitzkrieg III Project and GENERATION II.   These are huge undertakings and need a lot of support.

In the last few weeks, some of us have expressed that we are worn out on some levels.  I started this with my announcement I was going to retire.   Well the time is not right for that.  I rethought it and still feel the same way I did all of these years.  If I were to walk away, then what will I do instead?   What replaces coming here to visit with my friends and share ideas?      There is nothing else, and it is important for me to keep my mind and talents sharp.   This is the ultimate proving ground for me.   So for me to walk away would mean days where I have nothing to do in the short term.   That does not appeal to me much.

I can only hope that Robert realizes this also.   I think he knows it deep inside, just as I did.   But his situation has changed drastically over the last year.   He moved from his home in Holland (Did I get that correct?  Brain fart.) to Russia.  Never mind the culture shock, but he also just recently got married to a sweet gal there.   So he has some new priorities that have to be met.  The job and language is starkly different from what he knew, so I'm sure his frustration level gets peaked at times.  

I do not wish for Von Osten to part company with us.  But I am not going to beg him or try to guilt him into staying.   He knows how most of us feel about him.   If he needs to step back and take time, I plan to be here, just as many of you can say for certain you will be here.   If he does take time away, I just hope is is not a very long time, because each day you are gone, it gets easier to put it behind you.   Some times we need to be shaken to remember our part in the community.   Well many of you shook me hard... especially Von Osten who reminded me of who I am.

If we must shake him later, we will do that.   But for the moment, I'm going to shut up for a bit and let you guys work him over.   Let's keep it short and to the point, please.    He has so many friends we can fill 30 pages easily if everyone chimes in.  Well do it guys... don't let this fine man walk away without wishing him well and reminding him of who he is here.

If Robert does not mind, I will split this discussion from his work Topic so it does not transition to an ending.   I will do this in a few days.

I'm thinking we still have a lot to learn from this man.   So if he ever inspired you... here is your chance to state it.  


MP



Pardon me for a while... I must beat up on my grand kids in CoH.

[Stanenberg]

I fully agree with gargarin and vonosten. Somehow it feels not that great when the most active thread is the music or the film or whatever offtopic thread and a new map or campaign gets hardly 2 or 3 comments. Are we a offtopic random forum or a BK forum? If people would post a fuckload of BK screens and videos and screens instead of funny videos, that would be great.

The other problem is that threads are totally spammed with posts that don't fit into the topic at all (this post of mine too actually. This thread is for VOs skins and not for spam issues). Why don't you use the forum chat for jokes and random videos? It was created for this kind of thing.

I am a little bit disappointed how few people seem actually interested in new maps or chapters (something you can actually PLAY) compared to music videos and other offtopic stuff. The only reason I didn't give up yet is because mapping is just fun to me. The rare feedback compared to other more active threads doesn't really motivate to spend "blood, sweat and tears".

greetings,

Stanenberg

[Major Pain]

There is a real danger here members.  If a majority feel the Forum is not serving its purpose, then we does that leave us?    Does this lead to the Community folding up the tent stakes and bugging out?   Or is there enough still holding us together to keep us viable.

It sure looks bleak to me since some of the older members seem to be losing their focus and do not believe we are anywhere close to where we should be.   I have to take note of this, and all of you must also.


It has been said several times that there are only around 50-60 guys that keep this community going.     That is pretty much a fact.

For those of you that never say a damn thing, I hope you have enjoyed the free ride.   Yea, that was pretty hard, and perhaps some will never come back.   But it is true, when most never interact to even try to give us a chance to know them.      I cannot truly think of these people as members since we do not know a thing about them.  I actually know about them than the rest of you, but I cannot share that info.   But as to many of them, you are not missing much.

I see many posts from new guys that are only interested in one thing, then they never come back.   So what's that about.   Is it too much trouble to read a little through the hundreds of topics and thousands of posts to see if we have already discussed an issue or problem?  

Perhaps we should dump so-called members who do not contribute anything or even post messages over a certain period of time.   They are kind of like dead weight and mostly frustrate us.   Then perhaps we should not allow the topics to be read without a membership.   Maybe the restrictions should be tightened so only die-hards are allowed to enter.    Well, that defeats what we are about and our purpose.   But I would like to hear thoughts on this anyway, since you all have a bigger stake in this community than the silent majority.

Don't get me wrong here.    I do not mind helping someone with questions or issues, but it is a two-way street.   If we give you something, then you must give us something back.   How about a little of your time for example.   The very few who did try to interact with the members have become very stable members here.   And this must continue if this is going to survive.


So guys, have we reached the end of the yellow brick road?   Yeah, I think everyone is thinking about this right now.     We may as well get this out on the table.    Is it too late to get it back on track?

I do not personally think we have reached the end, but we are at an impasse.    What happens in the next couple of months will define the next year.


I'm all in anyway...   no matter what many others wish to do.    I just have to trust you guys to do the right thing for yourselves.