[56k Warning] The "Too much time?" Thread

[Red Slug]

Well, thanks for ruin this thread which nearly turned one year.

I think that I'll just re-open it.

So, Post your work here, but please don't spam.

A very useful (at least in my opinion) sidenote from RavenGT:

This thread is for posting products that you create in your spare time, and decide to present to your fellow forum mates. Your "products" can be anything from outside projects (school art or something) to content that you may or may not release.

and some rules set up by toadie:

1) There are two kinds of posts allowed here, production posts and discussion posts. Production posts are to follow the following rules:
- the preferred content type is half-life/source related material, though other stuff can be posted if you really want to. Pictures of maps, models, 2d art, animations are all acceptable.
- no Intellectual Property theft. you are not allowed to post other people's work, let alone claim it as your own. If someone calls you on it, prepare to back yourself up with proof of ownership.
- it has to be of a quality that can be critiqued ( ie, no stick figure illustrations representing concepts, mostly complete (no undiscernable scribble and such))
- has to follow forum guidelines
- Include information about it: What it is, what it's for, whether it's going to be released here or wherever or whatever, tools used, etc..
Discussion Posts are for the complimenting and critiquing of production posts. There is to be no spamming, no ego-tripping, no flaming, brawling, or mishbehaviour of the any variety. Especially no circle jerking.

I think that we can live with it.

[redhood]

I think the other thread was shut down due to more reasons than the spam. For instance; the thread contained no actual releases, the majority of work being hastened posts with mock-ups and other trifle unrelated works to the boards goal, as well as being a self congratulating thread with no extended feedback and the authors expecting immediate praises all around. The previous thread discouraged folks to follow through with their project and make an appropriate release in other areas of the board where it could be critiqued and a comprehensible discussion could take place. It instead encouraged everyone to showcase uninteresting, uninspired, and generally bad work several times in a short timespan. It also took away attention from alternative threads, or potential future threads because folks wanted to continue feeding the too much time beast. It wasn't so much the spam that did the thread in, because spam and such is bound to happen to threads like those, but that it simply became a hassle to moderate, a bore, and long out lived its intentions and needed to be shutdown. Honestly, I think, every post in the too much time thread was spam. That was the concept; are you bored, then post here about unrelated nothings. It certainly wasn't about releases, proper showcases, or feedback.

[random salad]

In other words, it was a useless circlejerk thread festering on the lifeforce of this community.

[hydeph]

actually, i was the only person who posted stuff without releasing it.

it's just the hydeph style.

[halflifedave]

Guess I'll be the first one who will actually post work I've been doing 

I converted the PoE SMAW rocket launcher to DC Coop (only the W for now)

[redhood]

You weren't the only one Hydeph. I'm positive there are dozens of unreleased maps and renders in there somewhere. Normally I would do the research and go find sources but, honestly, I'm not going to dig through a hundred plus thread. Which is another reason the thread has had its due; you can't reference, or discuss squat. It is the dumping ground of mediocre work. As I said before, the thread is spam. I also don't think notebook sketches and Photoshop manipulations constitute releases. Not that anyone every claimed they were but just to strengthen the point concerning released, or even WIP material, in the releases section.

Salad said it best in IRC, the thread appears to be more of a safe bet for anyone not wanting to have their ego ruined but still wanting to show others their work.

[James]

Personally, I thought it had the potential to be quite a nice little thread (Apart from the fighting and spamming). I guess I just like the idea of people saying "Hey, here's my work. I know it's not much, but this is what I've been doing in my free time". It should technically be a nice place for giving critique, comments, suggestions etc. to other people's work, but I guess it did turn into a bit of an ego fest. However, I think given a kind of solid rigidity in the form of "No pissing about, or the thread gets instantly locked", the thread could be a great thing. I for one would whole-heartedly support the idea of a single place where people can show off what they've got (Only for suggestions for improvement though). I know there is the Work In Progress forum, but eh...I dunno, I'm rambling now. Sorry this post isn't very eloquent, I'm a bit tired.

[CiviliaN_SoldieR]

I'm one of them people, who cares? People never ever commented my work, i can put hours of work into it yet people cant spend a few minutes giving Crit/suggestions.

[redhood]

Well technically any discussions, whether that be fights or spam, is constituted in a thread entitled too much time as the thread doesn't request any one medium of work. Who is to say that those posts were not contributions as a result of too much time. But, of course, this is naturally against the board policy. I do agree with you however Minuit, I like the idea of folks showing what they do with their free time but a large portion of the work posted has little to do with HIT's focus, that being HL related material. This isn't a GFX/art board. There are other places, more appropriate outlets and message boards for that sort of thing. The occasional artwork thread isn't bad and I would encourage it when someone has something worthwhile to show and wants feedback but the board isn't a dumping ground for sketches, photo manipulations, etc. Most folks don't tolerate releases that were two minute unoriginal model hack jobs, it shouldn't be any different for work posted in another medium. Especially since that work, most likely, has nothing to do with HL and since we are in the business of game modifications not critiquing sketchbooks it should be taken elsewhere. But like I said, the occasional artwork is good, the primary sketch to concept work for a mod for instance. You want feedback before coloring and then, while coloring would be acceptable. As far as renders and maps; showcase projects in the WIP board.  If the work isn't ready to be showcased, or you don't believe it's deserving of a thread then go with your instinct and don't post it because the rest of the board will, probably, feel the same way.

Also, Dave, this is a message board used to relay messages, ie discussions. Not just a place to throw up images and one-liners. So, please, don't be so self-assertive. As I said before, it's a too much time thread. I could share my opinion on the matter, with too much time, all day long.

[hydeph]

Personally, I thought it had the potential to be quite a nice little thread (Apart from the fighting and spamming). I guess I just like the idea of people saying "Hey, here's my work. I know it's not much, but this is what I've been doing in my free time". It should technically be a nice place for giving critique, comments, suggestions etc. to other people's work, but I guess it did turn into a bit of an ego fest. However, I think given a kind of solid rigidity in the form of "No pissing about, or the thread gets instantly locked", the thread could be a great thing.

fo real

simple rule

if you have nothing to show, don't post.

[End Of Days]

What a great way to start a new "Too much time" thread guys. Spam it to hell with why you think this is thread is good or bad. If that's the case, slug it out in the Off-Topic forum.

[benky]

Good to see the "Too much time" thread is back 

[hydeph]

What a great way to start a new "Too much time" thread guys. Spam it to hell with why you think this is thread is good or bad. If that's the case, slug it out in the Off-Topic forum.

We aren't spamming it, we're discussing the FATE of the thread itself. Posts can be deleted anyways. Spam is considered anything irrelevant to the topic at hand. C'mon, your post is the most worthless.

When we've decided, we can just get some lazy moderator to clean it up. Like Kain, he loves cleaning up after me

[halflifedave]

fo real

simple rule

if you have nothing to show, don't post.

yet you and everybody else still haven't really posted jack shit 

and to not be yet another hypocrite, Here's a PoE hummer conversion replacement for Deleted Scenes (not done yet)

[hydeph]

i'd rather post something when it's ready to be shown and not some ugly discombobulated pile of ass.