Sharing is caring, the community and addons

[granQ 293]

I am writing this because sometimes it needs to be reminded to people.

Sharing is caring, and you might say why I write it here in a message board for addons, like the place were people are sharing, well without mention names there is many that doesn't share their stuff but are happily to use others.

I am talking about say a group of players that make their own community and download addons, make missions and play... but never share their missions or addons they make, not because they lazy but because of "policy". You know who you are and there are plenty.

Just a quick look on youtube you can find groups of people that running over a custom made island, someone that spent months or more of his life making it for free, and played with someone that doesn't share their missions...

Once in a while we get to see great mission packs get released and groups that share their addons. (For instance SimHQ's mission pack for arma2, excellent).

So to all groups that runs with closed message boards, closed servers and so on, just atleast share your missions to all people that spent hours making the addons you using and didn't have time to make missions.

Signed by granQ

[concurssi 11]

My missions kinda suck so I don't share them outside my squad :)

But I'd be happy to see others upload theirs.

[rexehuk 16]

SNIP

Would be happy to... the main reason we dont release at HC is cause people need our HAVOC pack and generally the takeup would be small.

We have released a DAC pack but have lots more missions that are kept private for this reason.

I'll talk with my group and see if we can put something together.. like 40-50 missions in an ACE package.

[gossamersolid 155]

We release all of our stuff to the ArmA 2 community and I actually encourage people to go ahead, dePBO our stuff and see how we did it.

I learned that way and I hope that new addon makers/mission devs can continue to learn that way too.

We never ask that people contact us for permission to edit our stuff or even re-release it, only thing I ask is that original credits are left intact.

I do love that an user from the OFP Era (2001 registration date) finally came out and made a post like this. I agree with you 100% and hope to see things become less hostile between certain addon makers and the community.

[hellfire257 3]

Would be happy to... the main reason we dont release at HC is cause people need our HAVOC pack and generally the takeup would be small.

We have released a DAC pack but have lots more missions that are kept private for this reason.

I'll talk with my group and see if we can put something together.. like 40-50 missions in an ACE package.

Furthermore, although we have mod makers, all of their stuff is distributed on here for the community. It may be tested internally but so far it has always been released openly. Although I've only ever made one mod (the replacement pack for Stalker's units) I made sure it was released for the community, simply because I felt obliged to give something back to everyone. I'm sure Rexehuk feels the same on this matter.

Like you say, it is a shame that certain groups don't give out their addons. It is almost certain that, as Gossamer says, they learned their skills from the community. By rights they should give something back.

Edited February 13, 2011 by Hellfire257

[icebreakr 3157]

Yup, I'm guilty. I have over than 250 missions made for my team, but rarely an outside players experienced more than 5% of them. Why I don't share? Because I used bunch of addons since A1 and it would take me weeks to put together a mission pack with all the modification that could fit in a smaller addon pack needed...

[granQ 293]

yeah but you release nice islands so you excused ;)

Hellfire says its best, we all learn from eachother, atleast in one stage of our life and we for sure enjoyed each other addons.

There is also a huge difference "i been lazy" and "we don't share because its our squad/clan".. the first is acceptable and understandable, the second one is what I am refering to.

[Serclaes 0]

To be honest, the missions built in our squad are rarely something releasable. They sometimes require interaction by the designer. None of them has briefings. Some were designed to follow a certain path, like a pre selected LZ.

Tho we have developped a campaign of 8 missions with the intent of releasing it in the next 2-3 months (we have to play it first, then they need to be adapted).

[mosh 0]

My missions kinda suck so I don't share them outside my squad :)

But I'd be happy to see others upload theirs.

Mine suck worse, but they are always available for download. ;)

If one persons enjoys any of my stuff, then it was worth the time to make it.

[concurssi 11]

Mine suck worse, but they are always available for download. ;)

Hahhaa you haven't played mine :rolleyes:

30 minutes of nothing happening? Yes sir!

[dmarkwick 261]

Well I've got a few, but while they are fun they are unstructured with no real briefing, and people seem to want briefings :) And goals. And a purpose. And an end condition. I only ever have a goal, because in my view end conditions are decided by the people on the ground, I don't like magic "you have killed all the enemy" etc missions ends, it ends when you decide it ends :)

Plus, there's my own esoteric mix of addons that may or may not have dependencies in the mission. Common courtesy would compell me to list them all, as well as link to them all, and really who can be bothered to do all that for a simple testing mission that most people would find directionless? :D

[W0lle 1050]

Same here, most of my missions are either really crappy and half finished, or converted OFP ones which either are bugged as hell or I use a couple of my 'internal' 'underground' addons. They are just not worth releasing them, or it's too much work to make them run with vanilla A2/CO.

However if I think something is worth it and at least somewhat enjoyable I push it out. :)

Edited February 15, 2011 by W0lle

[celery 8]

I'm not releasing my missions if none of you guys are. Everyone join the Arma 2 non-releasing mission makers front! :p

[mr burns 132]

Everyone join the Arma 2 non-releasing mission makers front! :p

Yea right, that´s what we needed :p

[Gunter Severloh 4057]

I have a bunch of missions I usually make and like said before theres no briefing or anything that really tells you what you do,

I mean your ingame and its like now what, I see the enemy but what are my objectives.

I never really got around to making briefings, I usually just put notes on the map itself, but I have a bunch of great and

fun missions a few friends and I play regularly on our game server.

I suppose i should make them public they are a real blast and dont require any addons or mods, im always open to

feedback on them too, i ask my buddies sometimes but they get dumb on me and somehow cant think of anything.

Suppose i will release my missions sometime soon then this will be a first for me.

[mr burns 132]

I have a bunch of missions I usually make and like said before theres no briefing or anything that really tells you what you do,

I mean your ingame and its like now what, I see the enemy but what are my objectives.

Briefings and corresponding end conditions are piece of cake once you´ve bitten through the nasty part.

(5 minutes of work as iv´e "hamster tested" lately with a newbie mission makers mission).

If you accomplished it once and it works, you´re going to re-use it over & over again. That applies to briefings, end-conditions, nifty scripts, and anything else that makes a mision worthwile aswell.

PS:

The things hindering us from seeing more great missions really are:

• people not getting past #1 [briefings and end-conditions]
  
• people resorting too much to known patterns (kill this, explode that, americuh winz)
  
• people using so many random addons that nobody else gives a shit
  
• users having over the top expectations
  
• users barely giving any feedback at all

Most of us know the usual dull missions from ofp.info´s bad times when simply anything was posted on front page ... it was just a bunch non-inspired & unmotivated meh :(

ArmA has raised the mark for good missions alot since then and the community hasn´t literally grown .. so whaddaya expect?

In the end: Sharing is scaring - but mostly appreciated :)

Edited February 15, 2011 by Mr Burns

[MeIvin 10]

This thread made me release my only finished mission (well it's never finished, but it will do.)

I guess many of us can be a bit "self-conscious" about the stuff that we make, I know I am, because there is such a vast amount of good addons and whatnot out there.

So for me this was a push in the right direction, and as Mosh said: if one person enjoys it then it's worth the effort :)

Melvin

[gossamersolid 155]

I have a feeling this topic is more towards addon makers of this community.

I'm sure they know who they are.

Well at least we'll always have new missions rolling out because Mission Makers are awesome (obviously, I'm not biased or anything :P)

[[frl]myke 14]

I have a feeling this topic is more towards addon makers of this community.

I'm sure they know who they are.

Well at least we'll always have new missions rolling out because Mission Makers are awesome (obviously, I'm not biased or anything :P)

Erm...what have addonmakers to do with missions? Missionmakers decide what they built in, AFAIK an addonmaker can't influence that in any way.

people using so many random addons that nobody else gives a shit

If i'm not misinformed, it is the purpose of addons to be used.

[mr burns 132]

Myke;1856387']If i'm not misinformed' date=' it is the purpose of addons to be used.[/quote']

Addons don´t make a mission worthwhile, it´s the mission itself that counts ;)

PS: Personally, i could´nt care less if im running around as USMC, US Army, or Lampukistanischen Special Forces.

[[frl]myke 14]

Addons don´t make a mission worthwhile, it´s the mission itself that counts ;)

PS: Personally, i could´nt care less if im running around as USMC, US Army, or Lampukistanischen Special Forces.

Great, so i can stop doin what i'm doin. Finally someone said it: addons are worthless.

[sickboy 13]

Addons are great - don't listen to the anti-addon society Myke! :D

New islands, vehicles, weapons etc, features, add a lot to this game incl the longevity.

The problems with addons in MP has always been the hassle of everyone getting the correct collection and the same versions of addons.

But even that isn't a problem these days with AddonSync and Six Updater :D

(just for those stuck in the past :D)

As to 'people play missions not addons' - that might very well be technically correct - but there are plenty of things missions can't provide you that addons can - face it :D

In all fairness, IMO they each are as important as the other.

Edited February 15, 2011 by Sickboy

[concurssi 11]

Finally someone said it: addons and missions are two entirely different things, and addons don't make a mission a mission.

[gossamersolid 155]

Myke;1856387']Erm...what have addonmakers to do with missions? Missionmakers decide what they built in' date=' AFAIK an addonmaker can't influence that in any way.[/quote']

Just to remind you, this is the topic name: Sharing is caring, the community and addons.

The OP is addressing addon makers pulling this "threatning to not release" issue that we are seeing from a few groups.

[concurssi 11]

Just to remind you, this is the topic name: Sharing is caring, the community and addons.

The OP is addressing addon makers pulling this "threatning to not release" issue that we are seeing from a few groups.

...I am talking about say a group of players that make their own community and download addons, make missions and play... but never share their missions or addons they make, not because they lazy but because of "policy". You know who you are and there are plenty...

Not just addons ;)