Sorry lionhard

[oudysseos]

I was having a reallt really bad day- shouldn't take it out on you. Sorry for the unfriendly post on the now-closed thread. For an honest answer to your question: there has been a lot of excellent progress lately, but a release of a playable beta is still a long long way away. There is a lot more work in doing a total conversion of every element in M2TW than there is in a mod that keeps to the medeival theme. We're doing our best. We need people badly, but the majority of people who apply are either not good enough or never actually do any work once we let them in the dev forum: there's something like 5,000 threads and 185,000 posts there and it's a lot to deal with. Being a history buff is not really enough: we need people who are already knowledgable, not people who would like to become so. We need skinners, modelers, coders, text editors, everything: but we don't need any more time wasters and invisible lurkers.

[Megas Methuselah]

Hey, only a real man has the balls to apologize, brotha. Apology aside, I know I don't need to worry about EB dying out; you guys are regulars and professionals. The work will get done, little by little.

[Subotan]

One drop, one inch, one line of code at a time

But yeah, punctuation and good English is not only considered polite online but it's also a necessity in the modern world (Unless you're a non-native English speaker, of course.)

[B-Wing]

That was a pretty good post, oudysseos, in that it was both honorable and informative. Good job. Two things I wanted to add/ask:

1) To respond to lionhard's previous question, which was basically, "If people can understand what I mean without using good punctuation, why should I start?"
As has been said already, using poor grammar, punctuation, and failing to capitalization frankly makes one look dumb. Or worse, too lazy to articulate properly. And while one may get along fine on AIM or in some teen chat room with that sort of approach, on a forum like this one, most people are not going to take you seriously. Honestly, I typically don't even read posts which are "challenging" to read unless I get the immediate impression the poster cannot speak English fluently.

It may take you a few extra seconds to occasionally add commas or hit the shift key, but it takes everyone else who reads your posts longer to comprehend what you're trying to say, plus adding an annoyance factor. To put it another way, it costs the forum community (as a whole) a lot of time while saving you very little. So if you want people to give your post any attention, write it like you actually care.

2) I would really, really like to be able to contribute something to the development of this mod. I love EB1 very much, and I think that when combined with the features and graphical improvements of M2TW & Kingdoms, it might just truly be the greatest game ever made. Clearly, that's something I'd like to play, and as soon as possible. If there's any way at all that I could contribute to its development, I would, but frankly I just don't have the degree of talent or knowledge that you guys need. Is there anything minor that us nearly useless dolts could do to help? Even if it was just proof-reading and spell-checking lines of text, I'd be up for it. I'd buy you guys cookies if I knew where to mail them.

[Ibrahim]

That was a pretty good post, oudysseos, in that it was both honorable and informative. Good job. Two things I wanted to add/ask:

1) To respond to lionhard's previous question, which was basically, "If people can understand what I mean without using good punctuation, why should I start?"
As has been said already, using poor grammar, punctuation, and failing to capitalization frankly makes one look dumb. Or worse, too lazy to articulate properly. And while one may get along fine on AIM or in some teen chat room with that sort of approach, on a forum like this one, most people are not going to take you seriously. Honestly, I typically don't even read posts which are "challenging" to read unless I get the immediate impression the poster cannot speak English fluently.

It may take you a few extra seconds to occasionally add commas or hit the shift key, but it takes everyone else who reads your posts longer to comprehend what you're trying to say, plus adding an annoyance factor. To put it another way, it costs the forum community (as a whole) a lot of time while saving you very little. So if you want people to give your post any attention, write it like you actually care.

a much more articulate expression of what I was trying to say. have this

@Oudysseos: that was very polite of ye. as MM said, only men can face a mistake, and apologize.

[oudysseos]

2) I would really, really like to be able to contribute something to the development of this mod. I love EB1 very much, and I think that when combined with the features and graphical improvements of M2TW & Kingdoms, it might just truly be the greatest game ever made. Clearly, that's something I'd like to play, and as soon as possible. If there's any way at all that I could contribute to its development, I would, but frankly I just don't have the degree of talent or knowledge that you guys need. Is there anything minor that us nearly useless dolts could do to help? Even if it was just proof-reading and spell-checking lines of text, I'd be up for it. I'd buy you guys cookies if I knew where to mail them.

This is an important point that I want everyone to understand:

You don't have to be a member of the team to work on EB

This is going to be hard, but you or anyone who wants to help will have to be proactive and self-motivated. Come up with an idea, something you think you could work on, or a group project (like quotes, or wonders). Dig into the modding tutorials, open up all the text files in EB/data and bash away at it. Basic 2d art is easier than you think- download GIMP or something and get started. Your first attempt at something will not be good enough for us- but your seventeenth try might.

What I am outlining is exactly the path that I and many others took to get on the team: I started the bibliography thread years ago, then researched new M2TW mechanics like guilds and put out a thread, then did a detailed faction proposal. Eventually someone said, 'Ask that guy if he wants to join'. Our very newest member just joined today because he solved a problem for us on his own and then passed some tests. So if you want to help, help- and if you stick at it, it could very well lead to membership. But we need people who don't wait to be told what to do and don't need their hands held. Show us what you can do first, then we might give you a small job.

Best thing to do is learn to skin. Get a program, dig the unit skins out of EB/data, and go nuts. After a few months you might show us some work.

[jabarto]

2) I would really, really like to be able to contribute something to the development of this mod. I love EB1 very much, and I think that when combined with the features and graphical improvements of M2TW & Kingdoms, it might just truly be the greatest game ever made. Clearly, that's something I'd like to play, and as soon as possible. If there's any way at all that I could contribute to its development, I would, but frankly I just don't have the degree of talent or knowledge that you guys need. Is there anything minor that us nearly useless dolts could do to help? Even if it was just proof-reading and spell-checking lines of text, I'd be up for it. I'd buy you guys cookies if I knew where to mail them.

Maybe I'm about to say something really stupid but perhaps my thoughts are appropriate here, so...

I used to feel the exact same way. I will never be an EB team member, and frankly I'm glad of that; I think there's more going on there than I would have time or interest in doing. But nor will I even contribute in any small way like Oudysseos described. However, the one thing I can (and recently did) do is donate to their server funds. I like the feeling of knowing I did *something* to help keep the mod alive, even if it just means another few days of staying on the servers.

I know this is coming off hackneyed, but donations are probably the best thing those without the proper skill sets can do to help EB. Maybe you've already done that though.

[bobbin]

Our very newest member just joined today because he solved a problem for us on his own and then passed some tests.

Oh my! My ears are burning.

Seriously guys anything you can to help would be apreciated, even if it is something as small as finding a couple of images for the face database or writing a short wonder description, it frees up members time to work on other things.

And while modelling and skinning may look intimidating, they are not as hard as you think.

ps if you really don't fancy learning to skin or model then providing quotes, wonder descriptions and face pictures are probably the easiest ways to contribute, just remember to read the initial posts in the respective threads so you understand what is needed.

[Krusader]

Oh my! My ears are burning.

Seriously guys anything you can to help would be apreciated, even if it is something as small as finding a couple of images for the face database or writing a short wonder description, it frees up members time to work on other things.

And while modelling and skinning may look intimidating, they are not as hard as you think.

ps if you really don't fancy learning to skin or model then providing quotes, wonder descriptions and face pictures are probably the easiest ways to contribute, just remember to read the initial posts in the respective threads so you understand what is needed.

Ey! Someone ain't using an EB Member sig!

[anubis88]

Ey! Someone ain't using an EB Member sig!

So bobbin is the new team member? I think he derves it. It seems he has a good idea how the MTW2 engine works, knows a lot about history and of course he found the Cimmerian Bosphorans :).

So I dedicate my 1,000 post to congratulate you(him or however you want it:D) :P

[lionhard]

I was having a reallt really bad day- shouldn't take it out on you. Sorry for the unfriendly post on the now-closed thread. For an honest answer to your question: there has been a lot of excellent progress lately, but a release of a playable beta is still a long long way away. There is a lot more work in doing a total conversion of every element in M2TW than there is in a mod that keeps to the medeival theme. We're doing our best. We need people badly, but the majority of people who apply are either not good enough or never actually do any work once we let them in the dev forum: there's something like 5,000 threads and 185,000 posts there and it's a lot to deal with. Being a history buff is not really enough: we need people who are already knowledgable, not people who would like to become so. We need skinners, modelers, coders, text editors, everything: but we don't need any more time wasters and invisible lurkers.

Haha no worries man, ur rite my grammer can improve though :p, ill have a look at what you guys need help with and if im atall handy with anything (doubtful) ill let you know. Al i know is i love history and i love EB and will do anything in the time i have to help :P

[JMRC]

However, the one thing I can (and recently did) do is donate to their server funds. I like the feeling of knowing I did *something* to help keep the mod alive, even if it just means another few days of staying on the servers. I know this is coming off hackneyed, but donations are probably the best thing those without the proper skill sets can do to help EB. Maybe you've already done that though.

And let me tell you that without people like you, probably EB2 would not be possible to do at all. Without financial capacity to pay for the server that houses the SVN and FTP, producing this mod would be very difficult. So, I think I speak for all in the team when I say thank you very much to all those who donate money to keep us working.

[Djurre]

Hey guys.

Ive been on this forum for ages, one of the first eb1 betas. I gotta say, there are a _lot_ of people that await the arrival of a playable beta. As usual. the minority of the interested people check the forums from time to time, and a minority from those pp like to complain. Most of us find the long wait unbearably inherent to this kind of a product. if it could be done easily, it would be sold as a commercial expansion to mtw2.

but to get on topic. There is quite a fanbase for this mod (if i may inlcude the ppl that go "ah eb, yeah that **** was off the hook"), and that has everything to do with you excellent work on the last project.
Now, if i may make a suggestion?

The problem, as it has been discussed over and over, is the splintered field of modding. You guys need something of a "pr" plan on getting more people on board. You guys need to convince others that everybody will become happy when eb2 is finished. and i mean, go further than your average "eb help required" topic. i dunno, this is an ancient debate but obiously skilled labour is the bottleneck here....

[Madoushi]

I'm dumb and not only lack any artistic ability and besides only have Paint on my computer.
I want to help, but I think I should just stick to making a donation. :(

[Subotan]

It cannot be sold.

The Wikipedia article is marketing enough, really.

[jirisys]

It cannot be sold.

The Wikipedia article is marketing enough, really.

Somebody should make an article of only EBII (maybe i can do it) because there's not much info about the new release, i'll do it tomorrow maybe, but i'm going to need other people in order to keep it posted (keep me posted, in third person) since i do not know everything about the new release. Anyway i know this is very OT but i just wanted to say that.

On a side note i would like to add that i would really want to help the EBII team with skinning, i have already posted on the help required, but just as a reminder

~Jirisys (currently playing EBIII)