[R-DEV]Tim270 wrote:Yes.
There is quite a backend to these assets where after the model and texture is done, you then have to do a interior, texture it. Create the optimized LODS, export it then code it. People come and go from the team so someone has to pick up the slack left by someone else and everyone already has a lot to do so it is indeed a balance of what gets done.
Pretty close the what I was going to type. Thumbs up.
As Tim stated, there is a lot more involved with creating and releasing any asset for the mod. You could have the most beautiful model ever made, but just because something looks finished in a render doesn't mean it's "game-ready". There is a lot involved with getting anything added to the game, which requires the work of several categories of team members. Modelers, texture artists, animators, coders, testing team, etc. Even just changing one line of code to add an extra magazine to a kit requires a lot of effort, not just in adding it but testing it out across all aspects to make sure it functions correctly and doesn't offset the game's balance.
As for releasing an unfinished project to the public to finish, this isn't always a viable option. Those assets retain a copyright, so if an artist decides that he wants to use the item elsewhere, they want to retain full "ownership" of the item. Handing it off to the public means they are giving away that item for free, no longer able to license it elsewhere. Sure, they'll have something nice to add to their portfolio, but it's personal choice to distribute something freely or not. What's wrong with an artist wanting to get paid for their time and effort?
If said artist decides that the project is not worth their time or effort to eventually finish, either for PR use or elsewhere, then they might decide to just dump the unfinished item into the public domain for someone else to play with. But if that artist feels they want to keep it, finish it later, or what ever, that is also their rightful decision to make.
Also be aware that there is a LOT of stuff going on with PR behind the scenes. The team of talented staff are working their balls off day and night, without compensation, to keep the mod going. Not only are tons of new assets being developed, but old assets are being fixed up or tweaked, new features are being added, old features being tweaked, bugs worked out, and testing is done over and over after every little change.
Think of it like an anthill. From the surface, you see little activity. But under the surface, the place is a mad-house with people running back and forth keeping things going. Priorities change constantly, new things pop up daily, and the staff is often so busy actually working on their projects that they lack the time to properly update their blogs or post news releases on the forums. A lack of posts doesn't mean lack of activity.
I'm not part of the "production" team, my role is basically to offer up advice and answer questions regarding matters that I have knowledge and experience in such as military- and law enforcement-related topics, firearms and weapon systems, explosives and demolitions, etc. So while everyone else is running around working on new weapon models or adding cockpit textures, I get to sit back and read through topic posts to follow their progress. Sure, there have been times I've seen some really badass stuff that I couldn't wait to see in-game, but I just have to wait like everyone else. And I can tell you honestly that the team forums are buzzing non-stop with active projects, and I'm constantly amazed at the progress being made overall.
Yes, some projects might be placed on the back burner for a while when other projects are given higher priority. But when you are dealing with an unfunded mod with a staff of volunteers, who are trying to work on the mod in addition to balancing real life such as family and work and/or school, it can be expected that things will never progress as fast as a fully-funded product. Give the team a break, be patient, and you'll have plenty to play with when the time comes.
