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Whatever happened to Orpheus?
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 Re: Whatever happened to Orpheus?
Posted by BlisTer on Tue Aug 30th at 11:19pm 2005

? quote:
I'm sorry to say that Orph has gone, probably forever, though in a way he's still around...


you want to elaborate on that ? <img src=" SRC="images/smiles/icon_wink.gif">


Anyway, it's true HL2 peaked interest levels at first but has quickly lost all that interest compared to HL1. I think it was the huge amount of great mods that gave HL1 editing such a long life. I dunno how most of you ended up here but for me it was via one of these mods. Maybe when, and if, HL2 brings loads of great mods we will have a revival, just like how the ice ages are cyclic.

anyway, as Dred furst says:

? quote:
apart from that, help people out, dont look down and say "what has this place turned into?"

this is one of the only communities that i really like, and im abusing this opportunity to say i love you all, even though i dont post much i'm here a lot.



These words are my diaries screaming out loud



Quote
 Re: Whatever happened to Orpheus?
Posted by Agent Smith on Tue Aug 30th at 11:40pm 2005

? quote:

? quote: Cassius
AS

Newb image


My apologies, but I thought you were referring to Alien Sniper. If not than I am in fact a newb <img src=" SRC="images/smiles/icon_smile.gif">.

THANK YOU ! <img src=" SRC="images/smiles/kitty.gif">


Ham and Jam Contributor
http://www.hamandjam.org

'Get your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!'



Quote
 Re: Whatever happened to Orpheus?
Posted by gimpinthesink on Wed Aug 31st at 12:21am 2005

? quote:
Well, Valve tried to raise interest for HL2DM with that competition,


Did Valve ever release the wining map cos I carnt remember hearing anything about it from them apart from them announsing the winner.

I miss orph he was a laugh sometimes apart from when he and Doc got into there little spats.

I havent done any mapping for hl2 really I have started a couple of maps but then lost interest and insparation in them.

Oh and cass and think you may have forgoten another from that list <img src=" SRC="images/smiles/wavey.gif"> I'm here I havent gone any where yet.


<B><A HREF="http://www.ben-hodgson.co.uk" TARGET="_blank">Tinterweb site</A></B>
<B><A HREF="http://gimpinthesink.deviantart.com" TARGET="_blank">Deviantart</A></B>

<FONT COLOR=gold>Human knowledge belongs to the world</FONT>



Quote
 Re: Whatever happened to Orpheus?
Posted by Dark Tree on Wed Aug 31st at 12:45am 2005

? quoting gimpinthesink
Did Valve ever release the wining map

Yes, they did.




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 Re: Whatever happened to Orpheus?
Posted by Captain P on Wed Aug 31st at 12:47am 2005

Those maps were indeed released. The top 3.

I've started some HL2 themed (or close to that) maps but that quickly left me without inspiration. So, I'm going to learn modelling for HL2 and sharpening my texture skills to produce a more unique level. I've got a layout ready now (which is unique for me, I usually start detailing a room and see where it ends up - usually in the trash can) so we'll see... <img src=" SRC="images/smiles/icon_smile.gif">



Create-ivity - a game development blog



Quote
 Re: Whatever happened to Orpheus?
Posted by Myrk- on Wed Aug 31st at 12:48am 2005

I just don't have the same love for HL2 mapping. HL1 mapping I was renowned for being a wizzard of bizarre unmappable ideas (which really were unmapable due to HL1's engine limits- just needed more w_polys!). I created environments like swamps, which looked good! And I created the first non-particle fog, which valve now use in thier maps.

Nowadays I find there are few ways I can baffle people with new ideas, the things which once let me be different and unique have gone because everything I created is now accessable to all... apart from me and Natus' black hole we created- genious I tells ya!

With the loss or Orph too, I just feel the snarkpit will lose its uniqueness, which it has been for a while now. Soon I'll probably leave (apart from general banter, which is a nice place to chill sometimes and ask questions).




-[Better to be Honest than Kind]-



Quote
 Re: Whatever happened to Orpheus?
Posted by Captain P on Wed Aug 31st at 1:04am 2005

Heh, that's true there, Myrk-. Back in the old days, say, volumetric light was real good, now it's just throwing in another model.

I think it now comes down to creativity in themes and gameplay over good looks. And with those HL2 textures bad maps are easier masked. Fine textures, but that has a drawback that good stuff isn't noticed so easily anymore. A map now almost has to have custom content in order to be good, to stand out from the masses, concerning the look.

Or is it that with the current quality standards, maps look like they're going to take so much time that it becomes disappointing, rather than challenging?
Or... do we expect to be able what we did in HL just as easily as in HL2, and was the transition smooth on the outside but on the inside, things are more different? Like the model usage in HL2, that's quite something to get used to I think, certainly if no HL2 models fit your map you're left alone...

Well... what is it?



Create-ivity - a game development blog



Quote
 Re: Whatever happened to Orpheus?
Posted by Nickelplate on Wed Aug 31st at 2:08am 2005

I think lots of things caused the decline in quality.

  1. HL2's less-than-fulfilling content
  2. STEAM's nazism and annoyingness
  3. the DELAYS made lots of people sick of it before it began
  4. Valve's greed in wanting to cut out the publisher
  5. ppl's Slow dial-up
  6. HL2DM's stupid 2 maps
  7. the gravity gun stuff got WAY annoying in online play.
  8. proprietary textures and props, if you're gonna release textures and props, make some good ones that fit OTHER stuff besides a crappy eastern eauropean city!~



I tried sniffing coke, but the ice cubes kept getting stuck in my nose.
http://www.dimebowl.com



Quote
 Re: Whatever happened to Orpheus?
Posted by fishy on Wed Aug 31st at 2:13am 2005

? quoting Nickelplate
I think lots of things caused the decline in quality.

  1. HL2's less-than-fulfilling content
  2. STEAM's nazism and annoyingness
  3. the DELAYS made lots of people sick of it before it began
  4. Valve's greed in wanting to cut out the publisher
  5. ppl's Slow dial-up
  6. HL2DM's stupid 2 maps
  7. the gravity gun stuff got WAY annoying in online play.
  8. proprietary textures and props, if you're gonna release textures and props, make some good ones that fit OTHER stuff besides a crappy eastern eauropean city!~

i'll vote for 4.




i eat paint



Quote
 Re: Whatever happened to Orpheus?
Posted by Dark Tree on Wed Aug 31st at 2:19am 2005

I still believe the grav gun should be a much less used weapon....IE....have it be a weapon you have to find to use in DM......instead of spawning with it.....

You spawn with FOUR freaking weapons.....just doesn't seem neccesary. The gravity gun should be a special weapon and a lilttle harder to find.




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 Re: Whatever happened to Orpheus?
Posted by French Toast on Wed Aug 31st at 2:24am 2005

Indeed, DT. However, I am completely useless with the Grav Gun, so it doesn't bother me <img src=" SRC="images/smiles/icon_smile.gif">




Quote
 Re: Whatever happened to Orpheus?
Posted by Addicted to Morphine on Wed Aug 31st at 3:02am 2005

? quoting Captain P:
Heh, that's true there, Myrk-. Back in the old days, say, volumetric light was real good, now it's just throwing in another model.

I think it now comes down to creativity in themes and gameplay over good looks. And with those HL2 textures bad maps are easier masked. Fine textures, but that has a drawback that good stuff isn't noticed so easily anymore. A map now almost has to have custom content in order to be good, to stand out from the masses, concerning the look.

Or is it that with the current quality standards, maps look like they're going to take so much time that it becomes disappointing, rather than challenging?
Or... do we expect to be able what we did in HL just as easily as in HL2, and was the transition smooth on the outside but on the inside, things are more different? Like the model usage in HL2, that's quite something to get used to I think, certainly if no HL2 models fit your map you're left alone...

Well... what is it?


I think its all the things you mentioned. It's funny I was going to mention the custom content thing too, and its something that I think I remember CJ talking about months ago. HL1 was great because when I compared my work to something good, I knew it was crappy architecture or a bad idea or poor texture application or laziness that was holding me back --- and not the fact that I didnt have a team making custom content for me. I'm not saying that's the only thing that's holding me back now (because hell I haven't run Hammer in months), but I can see how someone who was a great mapper in the HL1 age can get bogged down and frustrated because they can't create good props or custom materials for their level.

I guess it's a move towards catering for the "development team" mapper whose part of a mod, but I'm afraid it leaves the more casual or solitary mappers in the lurch.




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 Re: Whatever happened to Orpheus?
Posted by DocRock on Wed Aug 31st at 2:17pm 2005

I think Orpheus' pride was bruised.

He loves the snarkpit and loves to help people.

There was a thread not too long ago where I released a map and Orph was upset that I released it at such a late stage (when actually it wasn't nearly half done); and even tho he didnt want to do it, he reviewed the map with some suggestions for fixes.

I fixed those things, did more work on the map, and then released a final. Orph thought that the map was officially released - in the readme of that final map, I didn't thank anyone on the snarkpit for their help and suggestions on the map - which hurt Orph's pride immensely, so he lashed out on me and anyone who stood in his way to make me look like a complete and total waste of a human being.

What Orph doesn't know is that there are 2 places where I officially release my maps. That is on Global Assault and my site.

The release he got so upset on wasnt a final official release, but if you look at the readme on my final official release you'll see that I thanked people on the snarkpit for their advice for fixes on the map. The map is on my site, called dm_mesabase.

Anways, this is all water under the bridge.

Orpheus, come back to this site. I know you're reading all of this, and have read every thread since you left. People need you here, and you are one of the most valuable members of this community.

Let's leave what happened behind us and go forward. I won't reply to this thread. I'll leave you alone, Orph. Do the same to me.




Condemnation without Investigation is the Highest Form of Ignorance!



Quote
 Re: Whatever happened to Orpheus?
Posted by rival on Wed Aug 31st at 6:08pm 2005

im starting to get depressed, its starting to sound as if the whole snarkpit is dying out.
im going to miss Orph, im actually quite sad that hes left.




Bullet Control: $5000 for a bullet.
&quot;I would blow your f**king head off! ...if I could afford it. I'm gonna get another job, start saving some money... then you a dead man!&quot;



Quote
 Re: Whatever happened to Orpheus?
Posted by French Toast on Wed Aug 31st at 6:32pm 2005

Indeed Rival... indeed.




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 Re: Whatever happened to Orpheus?
Posted by Captain P on Fri Sep 2nd at 1:32am 2005

I was just browsing around the site a bit, looking for a review of my map Detention, since I'm spicing up my portfolio site once more (I'm actually creating more content for it, too... <img src=" SRC="images/smiles/icon_wink.gif">). Orpheus did one but the links don't work anymore. Anyway, browsing along came a whole host of 'good old times', the times that the Snarkpit had, in my eyes, a sort of elite status so I never really got to know the regulars here.
Most regs now have gone elsewhere, or stopped mapping, I think. It's a bit sad to see all those familiar names gone, and it sure did gave me feelings of nostalgia, but I also think there's other sites now that house the newcomers. The VERC is getting deserted more and more, and also some other well-known sites are dieing a bit.
But there's the Valve wiki which is actually quite active, though being less personal without a real forum. There's quite some activity but it seems new sites are taking care of that. Maybe it's sometimes good to move on. Maybe just with a bunch of regs... or maybe we could get new life into the site, though I really don't know how we would do that. Advertising on the newer sites, perhaps, trying to get some more resources for HL2 up...

How did this site establish itself as a top-of-the-notch HL mapping site at first, bytheway? Got some stories about that, some insight to give? I'd be interested to hear how things evolved from the start...
And I'm also interested to hear what plans Lep has for this site in it's current state...



Create-ivity - a game development blog



Quote
 Re: Whatever happened to Orpheus?
Posted by ReNo on Fri Sep 2nd at 2:42am 2005

Not sure if you've seen it, but if you haven't you might want to check out the about page to find out a bit more of the history. I've been around the place for a fair while now and I don't think I could really pin down what caused the snarkpit to become as popular and successful as it has been at times. While its certainly got on many people's nerves on numerous occasions, I think our unacceptance of n00bish behaviour and harsh (but honest) feedback on maps were two of the things that defined the ethos of the site, and set it apart from the "anything goes" other communities such as the VERC forums. We had a good backbone "crew" of people writing tutorials (Lep was a machine back in the day ) and so the place would be linked to often on other communities. With the addition of the somewhat more recent features like the complex user profiles, lots more people signed up purely to take advantage of this easy to maintain portfolio and news system, and some of those would delve into the forums and get taken in for the long haul.

All in all I wouldn't say there is any one thing that can be attributed for whatever success the place has had (other than Lep's persistant improving of the place, that is) - reviews, tutorials, prefabs, maps, help, profiles, and of course the wonderful community, all pulled in their fair share of people.




Designer @ Haiku Interactive | ReNo-vation.net



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 Re: Whatever happened to Orpheus?
Posted by rs6 on Fri Sep 2nd at 3:15am 2005

We need to revive that. We need people to start writing reviews for HL2 maps (there are only a couple HL2 map reviews and mmost are 0/10 killbox reviews.)



Quote
 Re: Whatever happened to Orpheus?
Posted by BlisTer on Fri Sep 2nd at 11:01am 2005

? quote:
easy to maintain portfolio and news system, and some of those would delve into the forums and get taken in for the long haul.



yup, this was one of the main reasons for me at first. this combined system that links maps with your profile, news and forum really is unique afaik. most other mapping sites are just a forum + tuts. i also like how everything is clickable, lets you navigate quickly.



These words are my diaries screaming out loud



Quote
 Re: Whatever happened to Orpheus?
Posted by Captain P on Fri Sep 2nd at 11:23am 2005

Sure I've read the about page, I was just wondering about the point of view of the regs on how this site got it's status.
I think it's also the activeness of the people themselves. A site only doesn't make a community, people do. And the Snarkpit has always been a great community in my eyes. Quality work, good tutorials... hey, that 2003 competition is what made me finish a map in the first place... <img src=" SRC="images/smiles/icon_smile.gif">



Create-ivity - a game development blog




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