Asset Distribution

[TheImperialDragon]

Starting now, a new system regarding asset privacy will be in place. It will probably be fully in effect shortly after the next public release (v.2).

1) Assets that are considered exclusive to this mod* are kept private until the very final release, being available only to modders on our team.
2) Assets not considered exclusive (like modder resources which are going to or have already been released publicly) will be distributed openly.
3) Alternative versions of the exclusive assets are made available in the public mod so that it is still playable.**
4) A new Member Group is instituted. Through completing claims, a member may be moved into the user group, giving him or her access to The Source board where business goes on as usual - only just not seen by everyone anymore. ST core members have access too, naturally. Since modders would mod with the alterior versions of the exclusive assets, great care needs to be vested in them so that the plugin the budding ST modder makes work with both the public and the private assets.

[indent][/indent]* Basically - This means the Dunmer stuff, which holds little interest to most other mods. These assets are of course available to BC projects. ( - Discuss with Razorwing first plz )
[indent][/indent]** The collision meshes with rudimentary mapping will be used as the visual meshes initially.

This practice of keeping files private would seem to be fairly common in mod teams devoted to other games. An example from our own scene was the Wizards Islands mod for TESIII:Morrowind. They kept it completely private, only releasing images and maybe videos, which might just have actually helped build interest in their mod.

The advantages of that practice are many. When it's finally released (final version) players will get a complete, bug-free mod with tons of stuff to do; other teams won't take assets until the final release; and there is a definate allure to becoming a member of such a team, finally getting to be one of the chosen few to gawk at the cool stuff. If a person is able to do that after having contributed to the project as a whole, odds are he or she has vested himself or herself in the team and begun to care for it, and would not turn around and distribute the assets. Ultimately, it is up to the core to decide on and promote these individuals.

Unlike other teams, this idea would not cut off players completely. They would still get to play our mod and enjoy the quests, it would just not look as good graphically. Who knows, low-end players might still favor the public versions of the assets even if they were promoted into the new user group.

And of course, once the final version of our mod is complete, it can all be released publicly. Possibly with the exclusive clause, but without any worry about our work being stolen.

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A general guideline for gaining access to the Source board:

This has changed. Basically, if you're an active member and have contributed sufficient high quality content to our mod, you're likely to be promoted.

[indent][/indent]A completed claim means one with a pathgrid, dialogue, NPC's, everything. Because this system is new, previous work will be taken account for all claims prior to March 18th, 2007.

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green[/hr]

This system is still under construction, so please wait until a bit after the public release before expecting to see the board (if you've met the requirements and all). Trust me, you're not missing much right at the moment. In fact, the last post was in February...

[IAMTHEEMPEROR]

My subliminal messages sense is tingling for some reason...Must be a false alarm.

Basically, things released to the Modders are the Alpha stages currently under development, and the rest of the public will get the Beta version completed and ready for testing? Is that right?

[TheImperialDragon]

The public - and those who do not have access to the Source board will have models that don't look as good. The good models (real models) are restricted to modders who have access to the Source board. There are several reasons for this, one is asset privacy (for models that should be exclusive to Silgrad Tower).

[IAMTHEEMPEROR]

So, the models as are will be kept in the public flow. Newer, updated ones are restricted to the Modders?

Then what if we have need for a new model in the next public release? Will we make a crappier alternative?

I'm confused still. Will there be no more public releases? Only private until it's done?

[TheImperialDragon]

Originally posted by IAMTHEEMPEROR
So, the models as are will be kept in the public flow. Newer, updated ones are restricted to the Modders?

Then what if we have need for a new model in the next public release? Will we make a crappier alternative?

I'm confused still. Will there be no more public releases? Only private until it's done?

No, the models in the public release will be the collision meshes with rudimentary UV mapping.

Yes.

There will be public releases, but only the lower-end models will be used for those.

[The Old Ye Bard]

Wouldn't it be easier to just BSA the files, and not make people look at the horible versions of the meshes, and put a strict no-model-use in the ReadMe?

[TheImperialDragon]

Originally posted by The Old Ye Bard
Wouldn't it be easier to just BSA the files, and not make people look at the horible versions of the meshes, and put a strict no-model-use in the ReadMe?

I wish. No, BSA compression with 7Zip compression is worse than just 7Zip compression. I know, that's weird. Not only that, but not everyone seems to be listenning to the strict no-model-use in the readme.

[SACarrow]

As a modeller, how do the lower-end models get made? My final models are quite crappy enough, thankyavurramuch, and as much time as they require, the idea of spending more time to create additional models that are even poopier is every bit as inviting as syphilis.

Very confused here,
Steve

[WhiteWizard]

Originally posted by SACarrow
As a modeller, how do the lower-end models get made?

the models in the public release will be the collision meshes with rudimentary UV mapping.

[TheImperialDragon]

Originally posted by WhiteWizard

Originally posted by SACarrow
As a modeller, how do the lower-end models get made?

the models in the public release will be the collision meshes with rudimentary UV mapping.

Thank you WhiteWizard.