A suggestion for Sparky & DooM Dude....

[ReX]

We're approaching 2 years since the beginning of this project and it's still in flux, with no end in sight. Perhaps you should impose a date, say December 31, 2004 for release. That gives everyone about 4 months to complete their maps, a couple of weeks to put it all together, and a month to beta-test the megawad.

Set a date of, say, November 15 for all map submittals. Four months is more than enough time for people to finish their maps, so you shouldn't get any complaints there. Close the project for map submittals on that date -- if people haven't sent their maps in by that date, then those maps will be excluded from the megawad.

For slots that become empty on November 15, ask team members to contribute maps they have already released. That way we'll have a complete megawad, even though not all maps will be new. The project will at least see the light of day, and having a deadline might actually give people the incentive to work on and complete their maps.

[iori]

That is a good idea. I support it, heh. Which reminds me...
*Starts mapping his second map*

[Sparky]

hmmm
i did set a date at one time, i cant remember when :p
its not a bad idea. lets see what DD thinks

[-Ki-]

I don't like it.. >.< I hate working with a deadline. even if it's fare off it always gives me the feeling that I need to hurry. then the stuff I do comes out like shit X.x

I've been working on my map on and off. I take my time. and make sure things look and feel right. If I'm stuck I take a few days. or even a few weeks to think something over.

as is my map has 4 paths and I'm still not sure what order I want the player to travle down each one.

[FATAL]

I like the idea. I work the best when I'm under pressure, even a low one. It'll help me make my maps finished some day. Thumbs up.

[Mystic]

I seem to do better work under pressure too, my best maps are the one I made for freedoom (map06) and the two I made for this project. And they never took me long to make, just Im also working on lots of my other personal projects too.

I dont mind knocking up a couple of modified, tarted up, previous releases for the project if its needed.

[MasterOfPuppets]

thats not a good idea, in my opinion. whether or not some people work better under pressure, rushing the job will not make things better.

[Sparky]

well its up to you guys really
im not mapping :) but i can see that some people want one and some want the other sorta thing
i want to make this fair for everyone

[PumpkinSmasher]

*grin* i wouldn't mind a deadline, it might motivate me to start mapping again.

[ReX]

whether or not some people work better under pressure, rushing the job will not make things better.Actually, the point of setting a deadline is not so much to pressure an author, as much as having a finite point to shoot for. Moreover, four months for authors to complete maps on which they've already presumably been working is hardly putting people under pressure. Also, after a year and a half of woking on this project, trying to finish it in two years is not really "rushing the job", is it?

The main reason for my suggestion was to attempt to weed out those authors that are not taking the completion of this project seriously enough. Many team members have voluntarily dropped out since the project started, and others have been removed because they were not responsive. Meanwhile, we're having a heck of a time trying to get the remaining handful of maps done. I believe that setting a firm deadline will ensure the team has members serious enough to want the project released.

Of course it's up to the project managers to make this kind of decision. I was simply putting forward a suggestion that I thought would be productive, and it's good to have feedback, whether in support of or opposed to my ideas.

[-Ki-]

Yeah but still.. for me a deadline will still make me feel like I need to rush, even if it's more then enough time to finish something. Plus other stuff that comes up takes away mapping time.

Plus the "weed out those authors that are not taking the completion of this project seriously"

I'm taking it seriously, but dang. I'm only 40% or so done with my map, and how long have I been on the project? O.o I'm even working on the map this very moment. But the fact is other stuff dose come up. Plus some people take longer time to map then others. I can end up pushing a project aside for a week or so just cause I'm stumped on an idea. or no ideas are coming to mind. Or I've done so much work just feel like giving it a brake for a bit.

and it would be totly unfare to drop people for such reasons.

[Mystic]

Ki, he isnt aiming that remark at you, we all know you only came on board a few weeks ago, round about when I came back to newdoom actually. But 4 months is plenty of time, gives us a target (ok mine are finished so its a bit cheeky for me to express an opinion).

Sorry, just that, like rex, Im worried this will never get finished, if it was a legacy project I would suspect some doomworlders were sabotaging the project by taking up slots and deliberately not finishing the maps. I guess Im not the only one who gets 'writers block' though, I had it for almost a year.

[iori]

Exactly. I need some kind of incentive to get this done, and as of now the majority of the mappers that have posted here need that incentive as well.

BTW Sparky, what was my prize for finishing my map in May? *dark*

[Sparky]

zuh? *weird*
what prize *roflmao*

[iori]

You trixie bastard. Motivation INDEED!

http://forums.newdoom.com/showthread.php?t=22019&page=3

[Wicked Anime Kid]

Good idea, head on with it then:D

[PumpkinSmasher]

Whatever yall decide is fine with me. I personally don't care if there is a deadline, but I tink we should all shoot for getting this done before the end of the year.

[Sparky]

errr :) NO MORE QUESTIONS!!!!...

[FATAL]

So, Sparky what do you think about this case?
As your not so personal and not so much of an assistant, I would suggest making a deadline to this project as ReX describes.

[Sparky]

deadline eh
hmm
nov 15 sounds fine

[PumpkinSmasher]

alright that sounds far enough off that i can finish this with ease.

[-Ki-]

Ohh mannn.. >.< this is going to suck... I hate deadlines....

[Sparky]

its ok Ki
if you dont get done then its fine. i dont want anyone to rush. :P
were just going to aim for that date and see how many are done buy then

[Mystic]

Ki, Im pretty sure you will make it, probably a lot faster than you think. Hurry up I wanna see it.

just kidding about the hurry up part.

[Doom_Dude]

What's going on? I seem to have missed all this....

[PumpkinSmasher]

they set a date for us to try and finish this by. Though chances are it will be extended by a year or two.

[Sparky]

hehe :) no doubt it will

[FATAL]

That's the spirit. I was getting worried about the whole case, PHEW!

[PumpkinSmasher]

So we start off assuming that we wont finish by the deadline, that sure creates some motivation.

BTW: This is my 1900 post

as of now 777 posts till i reach doom_dude. such a holy number

[Mystic]

you wont make it, DD is just getting warmed up, we know how to keep him busy. watch out for when aliotroph? gets his finger out, makes me look shy

[PumpkinSmasher]

I guress there is a reason they both had over 10000 posts.

[iori]

Bah we have to have a solid end date. If there ends up being no date set, it's safe to say that that project will never be finished. Its probability. And I dont know about anyone else, but if we're mapping for a project that will never get finished, then what in gods name is the point? Anyone can do 1 map in half a year, that is more than enough time. Instead of talking about this and debating it why not just post a poll, set a small closing date for it, and (finally) set something in stone. All in favour?

[Frades]

Sounds good to me.

[Mystic]

I have to abstain, my maps are both finished already.

[PumpkinSmasher]

Go ahead with the Poll idea.

[ReX]

If there ends up being no date set, it's safe to say that that project will never be finished...... And I dont know about anyone else, but if we're mapping for a project that will never get finished, then what in gods name is the point? Hear, hear. I got done with my first map in December 2002 and volunteered for a second map a little while back, which I'm partly done with. But if there's no end in sight for the project, then like some others, I will have little motivation to put my heart into it.

Anyone can do 1 map in half a year, that is more than enough time. Instead of talking about this and debating it why not just post a poll, set a small closing date for it, and (finally) set something in stone. All in favour?I thought the whole point of having a project manager(s) was so that such decisions would be made. Having a poll might be democratic, but it might also tend to bog down the whole decision-making process. Sparky (and DooM Dude, if he has any project management role) needs to set a reasonable date and not waffle about it.

Still, if there's a poll, I'm in favor of setting a deadline. I thought that December 2004 was a reasonable one.

[Ninja_of_DooM]

I'll maybe just make a few odd tweaks to my map, but it's finished all the same.:D

btw, 1000th post.

[Doom_Dude]

I was never leader of this projectile. I'm just the website guy.

[FATAL]

"I don't know anything about any projects going on, I just run this website here" :p

[Mystic]

Now that Im finished my mind is playing tricks on me, I keep worrying theres glaring errors in my maps that wont be noticed until its too late.

[iori]

I found a glaring error in my map the other day, ill have to resubmit.

[ReX]

Now that Im finished my mind is playing tricks on me, I keep worrying theres glaring errors in my maps that wont be noticed until its too late.Have the map beta-tested and you can put your mind at ease. Hopefully.

[Doom_Dude]

Its too hot here to even think about mapping. :p

If it was me id set a date of Dec 31'st. I don't think I want to be worrying about all this NDCP stuff for anouther year. But I'm just the website janitor guy so I'll just go back to my broom. ;)

[FATAL]

You should do that, the whole place was all dirty the last time I was there. What are you still waiting for?

[-Ki-]

I still need to send in the textures I added to the resorce wad. (some I used, some are for others to try out iof they want)

[Doom_Dude]

*sits back in janitors room drinking a beer and reading a Playimp magazine*

Maybe I should update my site and the ndcp site....

[Mystic]

I made a nice door (a bit like the one in duke nukem but with doom wood texture) if anyone wants me to send it in.

I did submit my maps for beta testing (I think) nobody has complained about them yet.