Okay, enough of all this!
Granted, I'm known for causing more than my fair share of problems around these boards, Lord knows I could go after RD because despite being American he has more English problems than Zero Wing, but Higgins isn't exactly the easiest person to get along with either. Both parties involved have their faults, but it seems some people continue to keep at it.
Let's go over some facts here and my opinions.
1) FACT: The weapons initially included MP5 hands, which have since been supposedly changed over to the new hand style.
OPINION: If he really wanted to show they'd changed, he could have posted a screen shot and not made them so confusable. And do something different--when was the last time anyone saw a miner tape their hands like that? I haven't. If you're nVidia-sponsored (not that it doesn't happen, but I have my doubts), what exactly would be the issue of following the professions?
2) FACT: At least three people have been banned from the boards because of this topic.
OPINION: Again, Higgins isn't exactly easy to get along with under normal circumstances (depending on how high on the noob meter you rank), but he had a bit of a reason this time. Some people, this is how they make the money it takes to buy their webspaces, get their tools, and other things like that. Then again, at least to my knowledge, Higgins' cave packs didn't include usable weapons. The other two, I don't know their story, nor am I about to make any judgments.
3) FACT: Disturbing13 has now left due to the lack of response about the virus that is apparently being sent.
OPINION: This is why I don't use MSN anymore. And quite frankly, I'm hurt about this. D13's one of the more reputable modelers from the forums, and the fact that this is even occurring is just sad. I understand his reasoning, I've done the same in some other groups I've been a part of. But at least some of us still have a way to get ahold of him.
4) FACT: Locrian's "School Daze" pack was brought up.
OPINION: The circumstances of Loc's pack was a little different than this. That time, the situation was reversed--some recent addition to modeling was trying to make a profit by offering models that, when compared to the rest of the material available to FPSC users at the time, wasn't of like quality. Locrian felt that the guy was ripping people off and wagered he could come up with a better pack in three days, so it was more of a test to himself to see if he could really do it.
As far as RD's material goes, sorry, I'm gonna stick with the people I trust. Yeah, might actually have to pay, but Butters and Higgins have supported other community members since they started posting here; it's only fair they get the same support back, especially with their quality proven time and again. Offering a quality-based pack for free when a quantity-based pack is available is a little different than offering a 'freeware' pack beside a quality-based pay pack, especially when said 'freeware' pack has already been tagged as having license issues.
5) FACT: The mods have been enforcing the AUP by modding comments and banning people.
OPINION: While I don't agree with IanM's "grow up" comment (as an author and musician myself, I feel strongly about copyright issues and the like), I comment him and the other mods for stepping up and at least being fair about both sides of the argument. The one thing I would have done different? Lock the thread about the first time banning comments were made.
My final opinion? If RD really wants this to be a freely-available deal, he should consider wiping clean everything else and keeping the weapons ideas, but make the hands easier to skin or make the weapons handless. At least then, he couldn't get tagged on copyright issues, and he could still offer something cave-related, yet not cause any conflicts that could cause future abandonments of the forum.
And RD, nothing against you personally, but please try to organize your thoughts better. If you're really a nVidia-sponsored American modeler, your way of talking in your posts should reflect that, not make everyone think your English comes from Babel Fish. I even had trouble understanding what you were trying to say, and I've spoken to my fair share of people who have English as a second or third language.
This is my one and only post on this topic--any more would give it attention that I don't feel it deserves. Technically, I shouldn't have even had to post this one, but as I consider D13 a friend, I felt it necessary to at least try to be civil about my response.
Gemstone Games is now Cornett Media
