User:Akalabeth
Straight from the horse's mouth
Hello everybody, I'm Akalabeth (Angel). I've been a member of HLP since, looks like 2003 by HLP count. Though I was absent for a year or two as I became less interested in the game and since most of the campaigns seemed to require computer sophistication beyond what I had available. But since then I've gotten a new computer which is slightly better and also have a bit more interest in modding. Here's a few of the projects I've involved in:
My own campaign. I started this years ago, it was a little too ambitious and too time consuming so I gave up. But kept the files, and later decided to release what I had as a sort of Chapter 1. The story is currently in a little bit of flux right now, since I'm not sure what exactly I want to tell. Though I do have a chapter 2 planned out, I haven't done any work on it. It doesn't entirely help that I haven't decided on a final end to the story.
Yet another overly-ambitious total conversion mod for Freespace 2. This old game from FASA always enthralled me with the epic sized warships on the front of the Leviathan [game]. The mod is currently in a bit of hibernation since I'm the only one who's really done any ground work on it, and I've not been interested in it as of late. (Though it should be noted that starlord has done quite a bit of organizational work and first suggested that idea). But I'll get interested in it again, eventually. The mod isn't dead yet. So far I've done 3 or so models for this game but haven't gotten any of them in game. A parallel mod for Starshatter however is still ungoing and I've contributed what I have to their endeavour.
- Modelling
Modelling is really my current focus at the moment as, unlike Fredding, it actually is useful to me in real life because I work in the animation industry and so the potential to do CG modelling and actually get paid is right around the corner. Though currently I work primarily as an Animator (see my student film [[1]], its the first one with the robots). At the time of writing this I've got one model close to actual release GVF Anouke, just need some debris for that baby. In future I intend to do a bunch of Vasudan models and release them in packs since I find the content for the Vasudans is sorely lacking, though not as lacking as I first thought. I'm also trying to help Blackwater Operations with a model or two to get it up to HTL specs. Though whether I deliver on that front remains to be seen. In general I try to avoid working with other people, because in real life I already bring other people's ideas to fruitition, so I don't want to do it in my spare time as well. And in general I don't care about other people stories, I enjoy reading/playing them, but not working on them.
- FS Wiki
Lately I've also been doing a bit of work the Freespace Wiki, specifically the Ships section of the Mod Database (User-made_Ships). Because quite honestly, it was severely lacking prior to this. Since actually starting this project, I've been pleasantly surprised to discover quite a few designs that I was otherwise unaware of. Though the page is still a work in progress, hopefully upon completion browsers and campaign creators/FREDders can find many new ships to use that they were otherwise unaware of. Both enhancing their own product and through use of the model paying homage to its original creators.
Some irrelevant Info on the User Name
The name "Akalabeth Angel" originally comes from a board game called Blood Bowl where two players control teams of medieval fantasy type creatures in rugby-esque game of sport. The Akalabeth Angels was the name given to one such team controlled and created by me, and was a team of High Elves who were named after various angels appearing in the anime series Evangelion. While Akalabeth comes from Lord British's first RPG game, which predates the ever-class Ultima series. The name was originally used as a username on a yahoo.group which organized the players, due to laziness and unoriginality the author continued to use the name for many new websites. Though of late the "Angel" has been dropped in large part due to its feminine connotations.
