Thoughts

[+Stephen1918 1,473]

When I started here several years ago, First Eagles had a lively community of modders - a lot of people were making planes, skins, ground objects, terrains, sounds and campaigns. None of it was perfect, but all of it was good.

Over the years, we modders, working together, have pushed First Eagles far beyond the original game. When it was released, First Eagles covered the last two years of the war on the Western Front. After TK opened the game up for modders, we have added the early years of the war, opened three new fronts, added dozens of planes, skins, weaons, FMs, ground objects, campaigns, menu screens, medal packs, sky effects, terrain tiles, sounds, and visual effects. No one person has done it all, we did it together. We should be proud of what we've accomplished.

Recently, I've noticed an increase in the level of criticism, and the number of modders has dropped off. I don't know if they're connected, but I, for one, don't like spending weeks making something only to be told that it doesn't meet someone else's standards. There is a way to suggest improvements, and a way to offer help that is not insulting. I'm not seeing that anymore, and I've stopped uploading.

We seem to have lost our respect for each other. We may not like what someone has uploaded, but we should respect the effort they put into it, and their willingness to share their efforts with the rest of the community. How can we get back to that?

[+whiteknight06604 931]

the "core",well the 3-5 of us are still very appreciative but as old hands drift away and newer fans come things have been diluted some. I'm not happy with that. FE players and modders are a dying breed we really should be supporting them rather than driving them away. All of us know the feeling of wanting a certain plane or a certain variant but all of us should just be grateful that there are a few modders left who put so much time into making anything. the modders are under no obligation to take orders for downloads. they make what they want to and I for one am eternally grateful for the time and effort they put into keeping FE alive. Stephen,thank you for all you have done for this community and I'm sorry that we as consumers of your hard work have made you and the other modders feel this way.

[+ojcar 157]

I started to mod the game for my own use, and I know my campaigns and FMs are far from perfect (I'm not a computer expert, nor Aeronautical engineer, nor historian)...but I like to make them and play the game. And I couldn't care less if them doesn't meet someone else's standards. I'm not a game professional and don't pretend to be one.

 

Do you like them? Cool, I'm happy with that.

 

Do you feel my mods can be better and want to make some kind of (polite) feedback? Cool, I'll try my best  to make them better for all of you and me.

 

Don't like them and want to be like Ubizoo people (the old Il-2 Sturmovik forum, plenty of rivet counters and all kind of trolls)? Not cool. I'm not forcing anyone to download my mods. Don't like it?  Don't use it.

 

I feel your pain, Stephen, and I don't like some things I'm reading here lately. But I'll keep on modding, because I love the game.

 

BTW: one of these days I'll bite the bullet and install all of these new FMs. I'm sure they'll be better than mine!

Edited September 13, 2016 by ojcar

[MigBuster 2,861]

Being a hobby site, over the years the policy has been along the lines of:

 

If you don't like a mod you have downloaded, delete it from your hard disk.

If you don't like a mod then you are free to improve it yourself and you can distribute it with the relevant permissions.

 

 

If anyone gets arsey about a mod you have spent months creating from free then you can also report them to the moderator team and we will be happy to educate them in basic manners.

[Czech6 15]

It's a sign of the times.  Younger flight simulator enthusiasts (FNG's) don't realize that all these mods are being provided by individuals putting their own time, effort, and expenses into making changes to make these simulators better, historical, and more fun to play.  They don't know what it was like in the Chuck Yeager Air Combat, Secret Weapons Of The Luftwaffe, or European Air War when you were pretty much stuck with the basic sim.  No frills, no graphic enhancements, no new campaigns.  They think this mod community is an offshoot of the original game being provided for their pleasure.  Please don't stop your efforts to make this sim a better and more enjoyable game as you have contributed so much to it.  Just write those people off as "duh, you don't know jack, cherry".  Czech6

[+VonS 1,423]

Hello Gents', thought I'd drop by with a word of support - rest assured that some of us appreciate each and every one of the mods brought out over the years for FE and FE2. Thank you for taking the time and effort to bring out such mods. It's a pleasure to fly FE2 and tweak further the FMs for FE2 - rarely does a flight sim offer such a great balance of fun, realism, and expandability.

 

Happy flying,

Von S

[+gterl 1,204]

Pls wait...I think a lot of us are somewhat (age?) busy with RL and spend the remaining available time within FE nontheless.

Me (as example)

- Stopped being active in the forum (unless I've realy something to contribute)

- Busy with myself (health) and family

- PC 'burned' down, but saved my FE installation, incl. my ongoing work

- Using another PC for modding, but not flying....that show's how much I love this game!

 

Chin up!

 

[jeanba 1,915]

Yes, I have the same problem, I would like to mod, but I cannot even spend some time to play and understand the game

 

As to critics, they have always existed and I have seen often this kind of things.

 

Best is to work for the people who like your wrok (such as me : stephen, I bought FE2 because of your planes)

[+RAVEN 414]

As a note. I Mod and it's not always perfect. If you don't like it. TDB. Nuff said.

[Nicholas Bell 117]

I certainly respect and am grateful for the talent and hard work of those who have and continue to work on mods for FE2 (and the SF2 series in general).  Thank you!

 

This is not a new issue, unfortunately.  Wasn't any different back in the mid-90's when I was hex-editing AOTP and AOE.  I've always blamed the anonymity the internet provides for enabling the people to behave badly.  I firmly believe that most people wouldn't say the things they write in a face to face discussion, where there might be consequences to what one says and how one says it.  Then again, the concept of civility in our society seems to be fading memory of the past.

[Stratos 3,167]

I apreciatte yours and other modders work, have deep respect for modders and always try to be positive and constructive with my comments. Maybe is better to totally ignore the insulting critics?

[vonOben 55]

Hi all

 

Without the mods I wouldn't even have bought FE2, so i'm very grateful to all modders, past or present!

The modders do their work on their free time and give it away for free to the community, so what is there to complain about?
Everyone is doing as good as they can and as others have said:
If you don't like a mod - don't use it!

 

I've been doing mods for other games, but nothing for FE2 yet.
My experience is that if you share a common interest most people are helpful and appreciative and give feedback in a friendly way.
But there are always exceptions of course, nothing much to do about it but to ignore them as Stratos wrote.

 

Best regards

 

vonOben