User:Snail
FreeSpace Biography
The Darkness Rising Era
I have been a member of the community since May 2006, though I had been playing FreeSpace for quite a long while before that.
My obsession with FreeSpace started in early 1999, when the new family computer, a Dell, I believe, arrived at our house. Along with the Dell came an old joystick and a small thing called Descent: FreeSpace Darkness Rising. This turned out to be the OEM version of FreeSpace 1, an early demo version with afterburner trails and planet bitmaps (this is all in FreeSpace 1, remember). At first I got bored with it as the initial training missions weren't exactly much fun. However, after skipping all the training missions and playing through the campaign, my mind was absolutely blown.
Unfortunately, Darkness Rising included only one third of the campaign, ending at the capture of the Taranis mission (First Strike). For about two years I obsessively played through the same missions over and over again. I think those days were the best days of my life. I had all the time in the world to do what I loved best, playing FreeSpace. I still believe now, 9 years later, that those first ten missions were the best missions ever created for FreeSpace. They had an unforgettable atmosphere that I still can't place today. Maybe it was those old explosions or sound effects, or that old school lighting. Maybe it was the old, eerie nebulae or that spooky music. Whatever it was, I will never capture that feeling again. Not now.
Eventually in what I believe was 2002 I (sadly) lost some interest in FreeSpace. Playing the same missions over and over again just wasn't that great all of a sudden. It was during this year (I think) that I began to play Halo: Combat Evolved and Sim City 3000 on the PC instead of FreeSpace. Those were dark, horrible times.
The FreeSpace 2 Era
Fortunately, after a year of losing FreeSpace, in 2003 I got a new laptop, it was a Sony VAIO. Some time ago I found some old disks called FreeSpace. Fondly remembering the times of FreeSpace, I randomly decided to look up "FreeSpace" on Google. I was surprised. There was not only a continuation to FreeSpace Darkness Rising, called FreeSpace The Great War, but there was a FreeSpace 2 also. I think I pestered my parents so badly that they couldn't put up with it any more. While on holiday in Singapore, I came home to see my laptop on, and my dad sitting in front of it. I was dumbstruck for a second. I went over to my computer and my dad revealed it all to me: FreeSpace 2 had been installed on my computer! Holy shit!
I think at that moment I screamed and started jumping around the room or something, I don't really remember. My FreeSpace obsession was now more than that. I really can't describe it. For another few more years I played FreeSpace 2 and FreeSpace 1. At the climax of my FreeSpace 2 obsession, I think I could have named all the ships, in order of appearance in the FreeSpace 2 Ship Database. Well single-player ships anyway. Now I could come quite close, but definitely not perfectly. You may think that at the time I would have been a good player of FreeSpace, but I wasn't; I played on either Very Easy or Easy. Despite FreeSpace 2 being better in all respects to FreeSpace 1, it still couldn't give me the same feeling I got while playing Act I of Darkness Rising. I don't know why.
Era of New Campaigns
After exhausting my love for FreeSpace by playing the entire main campaign upwards of 20 times, I again got bored with playing FreeSpace over and over. So again, I searched the web. Exactly what I searched for, I do not know. The first website I found was Tech FreeSpace, connected to FreeSpace Watch. I frequently checked the FreeSpace Watch sites and all their hosted sites quite a lot for a long time. After I had realized I had dicked around a website that would never be updated for long enough, I searched again. The second website I found was Sector Game. After following a string of links, I found something called BlackWater Operations. I'm not sure which links I followed, but eventually I came across the campaign known as Derelict.
I played it.
There were no words to explain my complete surprise after finishing it (in one weekend I think). The mind blowing madness of its mind blowing mind blowingnyness was mind blowing. I didn't play Derelict over and over again. My mind aimed higher. I had to get more. More, I say.
I don't know the exact series of events, but soon after that, I downloaded Inferno Release 1 and played that too. "WOW SO MANY NEW SHIPS!" Inferno Release 1 frightened me and made my mind reel with possibilities. It was at this point in time (early to mid 2005) that I inevitably considered FreeSpace 3. So I looked FreeSpace 3 up on Google at some point. The link brought me to 'The FreeSpace Oracle,' more commonly known as 'Karajorma's FAQ.' After reading the whole section about FreeSpace 3, as well as the rest of the site (minus the modding and FREDding bits) a few times, I somehow was brought to the old Hard Light Productions site in late 2005.
For a long while I didn't sign up, and simply checked the Inferno sites of all the projects as well as their forums over and over again (obviously, being Hard Light Productions, the websites were never updated). After playing a few more mods (including, but not limited to: FreeSpace Port Silent Threat, Deep Blood, Sol: A History) I got bored and returned to Volition Watch.
The Modding Era
After a bit more dicking around FreeSpace Watch, I downloaded several modding tools and started making a mod of my own. Having delusions of grandeur, I downloaded everything on Volition Watch and Sector Game to make a big ass mod like Inferno. It was called The Third Risen. As you could guess, it died.
For all this while I refused to use the Source Code Project (I couldn't get my mind around it). After biting the bullet in early 2006, I got the Source Code Project working (with much difficulty given my stupidity at the time) and signed up to the Hard Light Productions Forum. Still, I did not post. I lurked.
Eventually, after playing Inferno Release 1 many times, it became my favorite mod (Huge fleets of overpowered juggernauts killing each other. What's not to love?). A month after I signed up, I posted my first thread in the Inferno board. It was called "Inferno SCP Storyline". It was a stupid complaint about the removal of the Inferno mystery race and the so-called 'Great Rebellion' (commonly mistaken for a new HoL). After being Welcome Beamed by Sarafan (who proceeded to burn me for heresy), I did a few random things, posting around the Inferno board, etc.
Then my post ratio went up considerably after I realized that the FreeSpace community was a much better community than the Halo one (I will not expand on that point). Now, I have joined a few projects and spammed the forum up. This is where Snail stands today.
- Snail
Projects
Ancient-Shivan War
- Main Article - Ancient-Shivan War (campaign)
Contributions
- FREDding
- Testing
- Writing
The Ancient-Shivan War is the most recent project I've joined. Though my contributions have been minimal currently, I plan to put my FREDding skills to work and expand this amazing mod into a fully-fledged campaign.
Description
The Ancient-Shivan War takes place in the distant past, putting the player in the role of one of the many Ancients as they fight desperately, and ultimately futilely, to save their empire and home from the Shivans. The player will have the opportunity to pilot numerous Ancient ships as he takes part in their struggle for survival.
Apocalypse III
Contributions
- FREDding
- Tabling
- Testing
- Grammar Checking
- Plot
- Writing
Apocalypse III was among the first of the projects I joined (after Machina Terra). Initially my contributions were merely advice on tabling and planning it out, however as the mod began to stabilize and our goals became clear, I began to do a lot more for the project, going so far as compiling a completely new modpack for the project (the third complete rebuild of the mod). Though I have not yet FREDded very much for the project, in the near future FREDding will begin. Because the other main contributor to the project, Shiv_PL, is Polish, it is necessary that all of the writing in the mod be checked for correct English. Though my English may not be absolutely perfect myself, all that is needed is to get rid of the very obvious language errors. I also help a lot with the testing of the mod and getting rid of the many bugs.
Description
Apocalypse III is set in a completely different universe in which humanity has developed in a very different way from FS2. However, with the appearance of the Shivans, the futures and ideals of the human race are shaken to their core.
Earth Defense
Contributions
- Secondary Project Lead
- FREDding
- Testing
- Grammar Checking
- Writing
- Plot
Earth Defense is the project that I've committed the most to actually working on. Early on in my involvement, I did very little work for the project, and what I did do was mainly grammar checking or bug-testing missions. However, as the project grew I began to contribute more and more to the project, culminating in a complete re-write of the plot, for which I have earned the title 'Secondary Project Lead' (a title also held by Blowfish).
In addition to that, I contribute additional bug-testing, grammar checking and mission design.
Description
Earth Defense tells an epic story which is intended to end the FreeSpace saga in a climatic and spectacular conclusion.
Though the initial plan was to release multiple smaller campaigns to tell the story, it was eventually decided to create one, longer campaign to conclude the storyline.
It is to be noted that the first demo received critical reviews from most members of the community. This was mostly due to a last minute decision to release the mod on Christmas, before any real testing had been done on the project. Hence, there were multiple bugs and errors, as well as balancing issues, that were not fixed when the first demo was released. Regardless of this, that demo is already rendered redundant as the plot has evolved quite a bit since the initial plan.
Earth Defense will contain multiple unique, high-quality ships and weapons, as well as a compelling plot engineered to end the FreeSpace trilogy. Earth Defense has an very experienced team, including Axem, Shiv, blowfish, GenericCorvette, Hades and many others.
Machina Terra
- Main Article - Machina Terra
Contributions
- FREDding
- Tabling
- Writing
Unfortunately, due to the time of development of Machina Terra, it has virtually degraded into an organizational nightmare, with old stuff mixed in with the brand new. My work for Machina Terra was mainly to get everything sorted out before work continues, including cleaning out the tables and writing out tech descriptions for the project. Other than that, I did a minimal bit of FREDding for the project, but this has gone largely ignored (since there are much better fredders on the project anyway ;)
Description
"He saw a veil of darkness surrounding the entire alliance, as the enemy blackened the stars. He felt the wrath of revenge, the heat of battle and the coldness of death. He saw the blood of his compatriots painting whole worlds red, as streaks of energy crossed the land.
He saw the rest of his life before him, fighting a lost war.
He felt the fear of a whole race."
The Shivan threat is gone again. Years have passed since the supernova, since the cataclysmic battle that took so many of our brothers' and sisters' lives. We prosper again, rebuilding lost cities and regaining lost pride. People remember the horrors of the war against the destroyers, but few are those who truly understand them - few are those still alive who bore witness to the death of a star and countless souls. Fewer still are those aware of the ripples of movement spreading throughout the Alliance, a stirring capable of crippling people's faith and bringing back ghosts from the past. Buried memories will arise and forgotten prejudice will be remembered; fear and destruction will soon become once more the only view on the Terran and Vasudan horizons.
Teeth of the Tiger
- Main Article - Teeth of the Tiger
Contributions
- FREDding
Teeth of the Tiger started off as a small mod based around a few models - But has grown into a much bigger endeavor. I joined the project late in 2008, and after a hiatus began mission-design work on the project.
Description
Shortly after the Capella incident, the prospect of a third Shivan invasion of Terran-Vasudan space looms just over the horizon. Exploration of fringe systems and unexplored Jump Nodes leads to an unexpected encounter with a new species...
Controversy
Inferno Alliance
On the subject of why I quit Inferno Alliance:
Well, the story goes that I actually started off enjoying working on Inferno Alliance. Both me and Mobius added our creative input to the missions and we actually got along pretty well for the most part. We worked together on some things, and we helped each other flesh out the plot. When there was a disagreement we would work out a compromise. Our creative inputs onto Inferno Alliance were pretty much equal.
As FREDding continued, though, he started getting really stubborn and eventually stopped taking into account my inputs. At the beginning he'd at least take into account my opinions on different subjects. But later on he just kind of ignored them and dismissed them as stupid ideas - In the most infuriating way possible ("If we all ignore Snail then there's no problem." "No, that's an idiotic idea." "Delete that post!"). I got into several large arguments because of these 'creative differences,' if I can borrow that phrase. Eventually the tide turned. The mod was not longer a mod which we all owned. It was his. He held creative dominance over it. Despite me resisting and trying to at least give my opinion on different subjects, he ignored it outright with the most flawed logic imaginable.
Then came about the "Labour Limae Phase", which is when most of the missions had been completed. The "Labour Limae Phase", as Mobius called it, was supposed to be a time when the missions were 'harmonized' - ie. tested, grammar checked, 'characterized', bug fixed, etc. etc. This is the point where I just couldn't stand working on Inferno Alliance - Because now, instead of FREDding and giving my own input, my role was limited to fixing Mobius' horrendous grammar and dicking around with send-message-list SEXPs for hours on end. It wasn't creative. It wasn't enjoyable. It was tedious and dull. At this point, instead of even trying to give my creative input, I just stopped trying. There really was absolutely no point trying to discuss something with him. Instead of getting angry about this and trying to continue pressing the point, I just stopped trying altogether. Inferno was no longer something I had any motivation to work on. If I couldn't creatively contribute to the project, I would not contribute at all.
Then came the big change. Woomeister (Inferno's team leader) basically decided that he had done enough for Inferno Alliance and that there was work to be done on the main mod, Inferno SCP. He posted a thread that said that people who would work could go into Inferno SCP. When I began working for Inferno Alliance it was with the distant dream that I would be able to become a full Inferno member and work on the main mod. It had always been my dream that I would be able to work on the legendary mod that is Inferno. That dream was very close - All I had to do was just say that I was in. But I knew the same thing would happen with Inferno SCP. Mobius would be abusive, stubborn and arrogant and run around waving his authority. Mobius, of course, eagerly agreed to the deal and gained full Inferno status. He then became more or less the team leader - Now Mobius was the big man. He was the one calling the shots. He was the one who was yelling at everyone telling them what to do and so forth. He was the de-facto leader of Inferno. I decided that Inferno was, well, dead. To me anyway. Note that testimonies from other Inferno team members noted a big change when Mobius came onboard. From what I've heard - They don't enjoy working with him either.
I will also admit that Mobius did earn his place as de-facto leader. He did make several amazing missions for the mod which I have no doubt the community will greatly enjoy. I am not accusing him of not working - He is one of the most advanced FREDders in the community. However, his FREDding skills are no excuse for his egotistic behavior. If anything they're the very reason his ego has been so inflated.
The last straw was very recently, when Mobius changed some things on this Wiki. He did things differently to how I would've done them. Thus, I went there and I changed some of the things to my personal favorite method. It worked just fine. The only problem was, it was different. Mobius took serious objection to my actions and claimed that I had made "a horrible mistake" and that his way of doing it was the only way of doing it. To clarify: I wouldn't have minded if he had simply reverted it. What I did mind was him asserting that I was completely in the wrong and that he was completely in the right. Things are never that simple.
Then he added his name to a list of members on the Ancient-Shivan War mod, even though he wasn't a member. He was listed only in the special thanks section, for giving advice. When I removed his name from the list, he took it as a personal offense. He said "Snail, instead of undoing my edits... do something useful". Of course, it was not a personal attack - I was simply clearing up the mess that he had made all over the Wiki. User:ShadowGorrath, the team leader, also agreed that Mobius should not be on that list, but wished to stay neutral. Eventually, the Ancient-Shivan War team members list was changed to include Mobius in a separate section. Other things that I take objection to is the massive amount of Inferno material currently on the Wiki. It seems the Wiki is more of an Inferno wiki than a FreeSpace Wiki now. I now view this Wiki as a deluded source of information - For only one reason: Mobius. Once again, to clarify: I am not saying that he does not have a right to add this information - Only that I disagree with it. And that is just my opinion. This is something Mobius will never understand, that his opinion is just another man's opinion and not god-given law.
Eventually I came to the realization that working on Inferno Alliance was something that was not within my interests. For one, my creative input to the mod was nil. I was more of a spellchecker tool to Mobius than a person. Wherever I disagreed with Mobius, I would be beaten back and ranted at until I gave up. I decided there was no use in talking to Mobius. I hated Mobius, and was being forced to work with him on something that was his and his alone. There were only a couple of reasons at this point why I wanted to stay working on Inferno Alliance. The first reason was in a distant hope that when we moved on to work on the sequel, Inferno Alliance 2, things would change and that I'd be once again able to contribute creatively. I realized this was never going to happen, and that Inferno Alliance 2 would be just his own thing. The last reason I was still hanging on to Inferno Alliance membership was for the usergroups badge under my name. This was no reason to take Mobius' endless bullshit. I quit - Vindicated, if you will.
In summary, Mobius acts as if he has authority where he doesn't. He sticks his ugly head into places where it doesn't belong. He is egotistic, excessively authoritative and narcissistic. He is prideful to the point of arrogance, persistent to the point of stubbornness, and assertive to the point of abuse.
Comments
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| Wikipedia | In contemporary speech, the expression "a snail's pace" is often used to describe a slow, inefficient process. |
