How to Upload

[fanseelamb]

So, we need to decide exactly how we're going to upload our stuff.

There's the old-fashioned method of creating a group account and putting everything in one big thread, uploading the items in comment posts. But that sort of thread is really big and messy - hard to write, hard to read through, and particularly hard for moderators to moderate.

So Lee and I were thinking we'd upload each item (or small set) to it's own thread. So one thread for the coffin itself, then one thread for MLC's table and shelves, one for Nix's music box, etc. This method has multiple advantages. Each item gets its own spotlight - its own thumbnail and proper upload post. Each item's primary creator can take their own pics and write their own upload post. Overall it's just easier to compose, to read, and to moderate.

The disadvantage to this method is that it can get a little spammy. Each group upload will show on each member's profile page. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I'd hate for my weird little addons to totally spam up your pages, y'know? And I wouldn't want to take credit for something I had no hand in making either. So I was thinking the MAIN items - the ones that were true group efforts - can go in the group account, but little addons (my freezer bunny and decorative Tru Blood, for example) can be uploaded to our private accounts, with credit to the group for inspiration.

Thoughts?

[Honeywell]

I only really worked on the coffin and don't have any individual items so I'm fine with whatever is decided. That said, my preference would be for fansee's last suggestion which is the mix of group and individual uploads.

[NixNivis]

I also think the last option sound best. I'm like Fansee, I wouldn't want to take credit for anybody else's work, so it would feel distinctly weird to have, say, MLC's set show up on my profile.

[fanseelamb]

Hmm. I was thinking MLC's set would probably be counted as one of the group uploads which would appear on all our profiles. (Not saying it MUST, just that it was my assumption. I'm happy either way.) But you make a good point, Nix. Well I guess there are a couple other options that I hadn't considered before.

1. Instead of making a group account, the primary creator of each item/set uploads to their own account, giving credit (name, link, how they contributed) to the others who helped with that particular item/set. To keep a group feel, we could all tag our uploads with the keywords "the coffin crew" and link to that tag's search results somewhere in our posts.

2. We make a group account, but those who feel uncomfortable taking credit for all of the group uploads is not technically included in the group. We could list all our names and links in the "about me" area of the profile instead of adding everyone to the group. Then those who aren't technically linked into the group account can upload their items to their own personal account, and that's all that'll show on their profile. Again, we could tag things with "the coffin crew", plus we could link to all the team uploads in the "about me" spot on the group's profile.

So. Honestly I think option #1 here is simplest. I'm totally cool with everyone uploading their items to their own accounts. The only item that I feel I actually worked on enough to warrant being on my profile is the coffin itself. But if Honeywell and Lee want that item on their profile too, I certainly don't wanna deprive them! There would be no working coffin without them so of course they deserve credit!

Right. So. Thoughts?

[Honeywell]

fansee, I'd like to be included in a group with you and Lee for the coffin. I'm not concerned with credit at all but the group achievement would be nice since I don't have that.

[fanseelamb]

Alright, so we'll definitely do a group for the coffin at the very least. :)

[NixNivis]

I absolutely think there should at least be a Lee-Fansee-Honeywell group for the coffin. :)

For myself, I'm of two minds. It feels weird to have the group uploads show up on my profile, since I haven't actually contributed anything to them - I'd be getting/taking undue credit (and people doing that makes me absolutely livid). But at the same time I'm absolutely, completely cool with my music box being a group upload and showing up on your profiles, since 1) it's using Fansee's coffin and 2) I'd never have got the idea for it in the first place if it weren't for the group, so it's definitely a group effort IMO.

So, yeah. Nix who can't make up her mind can't make up her mind. :P .

[leesester]

hi hi

Well, I talked to fansee about this. It is a very long and tragic story (I won't bore you all with it) but I only want ONE modding group to show on my profile page as otherwise it will break my profile picture........ :blink:

I am actually a member of three modding groups at the moment (only one on my profile) and a fourth is cool, but I won't be officially in it. Also, on the coffin - it is fansee's mesh and Honeywell's lid, and though I know I made encouraging noises from the side lines I think I did very little in the actual creation (though would be very chuffed to have my name in the credits). It is the same on the alarm clock/music box - B is very proud that Nix ran with her idea re a mini box and is doing something so cool with it, but she doesn't even have an account on MTS and again, I would be honoured to be mentioned in the upload, but no official membership.

Of course, if this profile picture glitch ever gets fixed then I will be wanting to be an official member of these groups. :beer:

Proposed avatar attached :D

[NixNivis]

You are a very wise fish, Lee. :)

Me, I think I'd be the most content with only being part of the modding group in thought - i.e., nothing shows up on my profile and I don't have any kind of official membership, but if anybody wants to mention me in their upload for some reason, I'll be thrilled (but not be offended if they don't, since I didn't actually contribute anything other than the occasional "encouraging noises from the side lines", to borrow Lee's phrase). :) And I'll give credit to everybody in the Crew (including B, if that's all right with her and Lee; I wouldn't say anything about who she is, just something vague like "credit to B for the idea") in my upload and link to all the other Coffin Crew items.

Love the avatars, Lee! Even though the last one gives me the same run-for-the-hills feeling as I do when some American friend says "we'll have to nix dinner"... ;)

[Michelle 111]

I'm just going to sit back and do as I am told by you guys. However, I think it would be nice if we had a Coffin Crew logo, one that can be included in upload posts.

Sorry, got bored so started playing around in gimp.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz30/Michelle-111/MTS/crew2.jpg

[fanseelamb]

That's a real cute graphic, Michelle. :)

But I'm extremely confused now. Are we still The Coffin Crew, or are Honeywell and I the only ones forming an actual group account (called HoneyLamb)? Does MLC have an opinion?

I'm still tweaking the coffin, btw. Trying to close some tiny gaps in the mesh (if I can do so without screwing up the functionality) and making some recolours. Then I'll have to take some additional pics, so it's not quite ready to upload yet.

[mustluvcatz]

I'd like whatever is easiest/best for everyone else- including those who will download this stuff. Would it be too confusing to a downloader to download the coffin then have to go to other threads to get the rest of it all? It might be for some of them. I know it's not rocket science but considering some of the PM's I've gotten about my own stuff..some people just don't get CLICK THE LINK TO GET MOAR STUFF.

Personally (since you asked) I think the main furniture- coffin, table, shelves- should be together with the coffin as the main focus. That's a room set. (And I might get a dresser done.) I also think the deco parts of it should go together with Nix's music box as the main focus. Guess all that would mean everyone would have to be in the group and everything would show up on everyone's profile. But isn't there an option to not show group/team uploads on your profile? Ah..fakey edit. :) There is, but then that would mean none of the stuff would show up. (Didn't think that one through, silly me.)

[fanseelamb]

Having the furniture together with the coffin sounds fine to me. It's all repositoried to the coffin so that makes sense. My only concern is that we manage to fit everything into 12 pics. We need a few angles of each object, plus pics of all the recolours. Even with collaging, that's a lot of stuff to show. And I wouldn't want every pic to be a collage since I think single pics draw the eye's focus better.

I'm not sure about the deco stuff. On one hand they do follow a theme, but on the other hand they're not really a matching set the same way the coffin and furniture are. I kind of think each piece would shine better on its own, with its own thumbnail, rather than clumped together in one post. I just find that when I'm looking for something with the site search feature, it's much easier to find what I want when the thumbnail clearly shows the item.

So. BASICALLY I'm thinking of this in terms of thread thumbnails:

- 1 thumbnail can show the coffin and side table with shelves above them

- 1 thumbnail for the music box - 'cause I think that will totally deserve it's own thumbnail - perhaps an animated one showing the vampire pop up

- 1 thumbnail showing Shell's grungy coffin recolours

- 1 thumbnail showing Shell's bears

- 1 thumbnail showing a closeup of my vampire bunny

.... and I think that's it? Don't think I'll be uploading my decorative Tru Blood here since the full case is rather high poly (~2000) and the little sign I made uses clipart which may not be shareable (or good enough to share, for that matter)

[mustluvcatz]

Hmmmm.. the bears and bunny could be on the shelves and that would be a good lead into the links to those. :)

[NixNivis]

I basically agree with everything Fansee just said. :) I also don't think the deco is a comprehensive set the same way the furniture is, even if it's part of the same theme. Maybe it would be better/less confusing if the deco wasn't uploaded by the group, but by the individual creators? But still referred to and credited the Coffin Crew and had the same tags as those downloads when applicable? (Edit: And maybe that's what Fansee is saying... or am I misinterpreting things completely here? I'm too tired to think straight right now.) I really don't know what's best, for us and for the downloaders (who, as MLC pointed out, aren't always the brightest crayons in the tool box :P ). What does everybody else think?

I am NOT at the picture-taking stage yet, BTW. I'm working as fast as I can, but my body likes to be uncooperative at unpredictable times, so it's very hard for me to say how soon I'll be finished. (Which might be another reason for me to upload individually - I don't want to slow everybody else down. I'd hate to get to a point where you're all ready to upload, but I'm not because my arm thinks it's a good time to be out of commission.)

Edit: @MLC, and the music box could be on the nightstand. :)

[fanseelamb]

Yes that's what I was thinking. A group of Honeywell, MLC, and me for the coffin and furniture, then the other stuff on people's individual accounts. Then we can just credit/thank each other in the post and link to the other threads in the "set" like you would with any other upload. That way we only get our own stuff on our profiles too.

And take all the time you need, Nix! I'm not ready yet either. Still fiddling with the coffin mesh and recolours, and haven't taken pics yet. In any case there is no rush, especially since we're gonna upload separately. We'll just tease people by telling them to watch your profile for an awesome addition to the set. :)

[mustluvcatz]

Nix: How could I have forgotten? Yes, you're absolutely right. :) Even if it's not 100% ready yet it could still be in the screenshots.

[NixNivis]

@Fansee, yay, then we're completely on the same page. :D And it makes me extra happy that we're not on a deadline or anything like that - I don't do those very well.

@MLC, I can give you (and everybody else) the static deco version of the music box; at this point it has joints, but no animations and no music, so it isn't good for anything other than just sitting there, but it works for screenshots. Right now, the mesh has the lid closed so you can't see the vampire, but I can easily open it and have the vampire sit up for you for effect if you want.

@Everybody, re the music box music - does anybody have any suggestions/requests? I really wish I could use the "I wanna do bad things with you" part of the True Blood intro, but there's copyrigh0t so no can do. So I was thinking about having the music box play an excerpt from Mussorgsky's "A Night on the Bald Mountain" instead - it feels suitably demonic. That, and I like Mussorgsky. :) (Then again, I could do something completely un-demonic, like Tchaikovsky's Sugarplum Fairy... and yes, I watched Fantasia as a kid. Why do you ask? ;))

[fanseelamb]

I had to look those songs up on YouTube, and BOTH sound like perfect choices! I think I like Night on the Bald Mountain best for this.... maybe it could be timed so that the vampire pops up at an appropriate spot in the song? Not sure if that's possible but it would be neat.

Oh BTW, I edited the coffin mesh a little bit - closed some very small cracks and adjusted the lid so it lines up with the box better (did not mess up any animations, I'm happy to report). I'll just attach the newest version here in case anyone needs it.

[NixNivis]

I should have thought of adding a YouTube link myself, sorry about that. I prefer Bald Mountain, too (even thought it would be... unexpected to have a vampire wake up during the sweet dance of the sugarplum fairy :P ). And yep, my plan is to time the vamp reveal with a dramatic spot in the music; in theory, it should just be a matter of tweaking the length of the animation to fit. Exactly how tricky it will be to do it in practice remains to be seen. ;)

[Michelle 111]

I've done some grunge stuff and thought I would see what you guys thought, before moving on to Medieval & AL wood. I will be changing some of the handle colours.

http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/zz30/Michelle-111/Leefish/coffinbed.gif?t=1340375336
Colours are: Birch, Black, Brown, Cracked, Red, Riekus09, Riekus13, Silver, White,

[fanseelamb]

My poor clean sleek coffins, what have you done to them! All that grunge OMG! * fanseelamb gets out some sandpaper and varnish.... :giggler:

But seriously, the textures look good! I especially like the slightly distressed woods. I like those better than the ones with the really big cracks. Although it's hard to really see when they're flashing so fast.... soon as my eye starts to take in the pic, it flashes to the next one. It does make for a cool effect though. And OMG that poor little dirty dog.

PS: Where'd you get a copy of MLC's table? I don't have one! Or is that an unfinished version?

[mustluvcatz]

Nix: The vampire sitting up for the screenshots would be awesome. If I'm not mistaken- fansee's taking the screenshots? So she'd be the one needing the mesh for those.

Michelle: I like the distressed woods too. Those textures would make good additions to my textures folder.

fansee: Apparently I uploaded it because it's sitting on my desktop in a .rar. :) Not sure if that would be the finished version or not. (Why do I not remember uploading it though? Hmmmm..lol.)

[Michelle 111]

Where'd I get a copy of MLC's table? Try post #42 here (http://www.leefish.nl/mybb/showthread.php?tid=3710&page=5).

Sorry MLC I can't share the textures, I made them up as I went along, didn't save them and don't think I'd ever be able to reproduce them. I do have some grunge .png overlays I've made...if you want them.

[fanseelamb]

Ah right, I did scroll past that when it was posted. Thanks for the link! I'll wait for MLC to share the finished version though, since obviously that's the one that needs to be in the pics. :D

[mustluvcatz]

Am I really getting that old and forgetful? I don't think that's the finished version. I seem to remember working on the shadow mesh after that was posted.

[fanseelamb]

Alright. I think we're ready to go. Here's the WIP version of our main upload post (http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=479178), complete with files and pics. Please look it over and report back any errors (typos, missing info, whatever). If it looks okay I'll go ahead and submit it through the Upload Wizard under our shiny new group account (http://www.modthesims.info/m/7543856). I put ALL our names in the "about me" box of the group account, which will appear on our profile page when we get the "creator" designation after uploading.

[mustluvcatz]

This is so exciting. :) I really, really mean it.

[mustluvcatz]

Double posting cat on the loose!!! Well, I wanted to make sure this was seen- and I'm going to do my best to be very diplomatic (or some bigger word like that) in what I have to say:

I saw BO and Lee's posts at Leefish. They've been deleted and I don't know who all saw them..but I did and BO and Lee know what was said too. What I got out of BO's posts is that he's feeling kind of left out because he wasn't invited to join the group. Yeah, I could be wrong about that- but there was a lot of *sarcasm* added to the posts. Sometimes that means just what it means- if I found out someone went swimming in a pool of piranhas and I said "Gee, why didn't you ask me to go? *sarcasm*", well, that added *sarcasm* would- to me- mean "What a bunch of idiots. I'm so glad you didn't ask me to go." But life has taught me that things aren't always what they seem and some people use *sarcasm* to cover up how they really feel about something. Have you ever heard someone say "I don't care?". I have- and "I don't care" doesn't always mean the person really doesn't care. It's been my experience that people who say "I don't care" MIGHT actually mean they DO care and sometimes they might use sarcasm to cover that fact up.

Now, it might very well be that BO would've turned down an invitation. If my 'hypothetical someones' had asked me to go swimming in that pool of piranhas, I would've turned the invitation down. (And rolled my eyes while doing so..but hey, what a stupid idea!) But that's not the point- they say it's the thought that counts.. sometimes "the thought" could be bypassed (ie swimming in a pool of piranhas..really, no need to think of me and ask me to go) but in the majority of cases it might be welcomed. If my 'someones' were going to go out to eat at 5-Star Burrito (a really popular Mexican restaurant here..I don't like their food but only because I've had way better..Mi Margarita! Omg, the BEST food ever there!) I'd probably turn the invitation down since I really don't like the food there..but I'd appreciate the fact that they asked me to go.

I'm not posting this to make anyone feel bad. Feathers seem to have been a bit ruffled and don't need any more ruffling.. a bit of smoothing might be what's needed. :)

[fanseelamb]

Oh damn. I didn't see any of that discussion on Leefish. Thanks for bringing it up here, MLC. Honestly since BO said early on that he planned to post the mod with all his other mods on Leefish, I figured he wasn't interested in officially being part of our team. He is of course more than welcome to join the official team if he wants. Gah. :(

[mustluvcatz]

Well, his mod is part of the whole thing. It's not something you have to have to make everything work but it is a handy thing to have. And he did update it.. and heck, I might be talking out of my rear end, who knows? (But I don't think I'm wrong in this case.) Don't feel bad though- all this time he could've said "Hey, what about me?!? " and added an LOL if needed. Because, you know, sometimes people add an LOL so they don't seem like they're really serious when they really are.

I didn't want to bring this up at Leefish since the posts were deleted- besides, I didn't feel it was something just anyone should be able to read. So I brought teh dramaz here! LOL <-- that's an honest LOL there.

All that said: Bo, if you ever get to read this *hugs*.. I tend to speak my mind when I feel it should be allowed to speak and if I'm wrong, I'm wrong. :) If I'm right? I really hope you don't feel you were asked to join the group out of pity- that's NOT how it is. You updated the mod for this upload which means you earned a spot, if you want it.

[NixNivis]

I also saw a few of those posts. I had a long reply written up here, but it was pretty vitriolic (towards BO, not towards any members of this group) so I'd better not post it. Long story short, I don't like BO and I don't think his feathers has been ruffled by anybody but himself. I also don't think we owe him any kind of apology for not inviting him when he 1) hasn't shown any interest in the thread over at leefish and 2) constantly harps at MTS and at how ridiculous it is to have mods who are so clearly inferior to him (yeah, like Lee and Fansee) evaluate the quality his work.

And now I'm going to step away from the keyboard before I start spewing vitriol again. :P

[fanseelamb]

Gosh. Now I wish I'd seen those posts.

Well, I do think he deserves to be part of the team - an "honorary" member at least, same as other folks who are posting their parts separately. I just honestly didn't think he wanted that since he wasn't really participating in the thread and seemed to view the mod as a request, planning to post it in his own forum long before we even talked about how to upload the set. That's the only reason I didn't send him an invite.

I will gladly PM him and tell him exactly that, and also TELL him (not ask) that he's an honorary member of the group and will be listed as such, unless he doesn't want to be listed.

If that's okay with you guys, of course. :)

[mustluvcatz]

Nix: I agree about the feathers thing.. I didn't really mean that not being asked/included was what ruffled his feathers. But I didn't want to bring up exactly what was said in those posts- they don't exist anymore and it's not my "job" to recreate any part of them. I also agree about not showing much interest in that thread- but I'm the same way. It's not that things don't interest me though..I just tend to be quieter. :) And a full blown apology was never suggested. People don't always appreciate a long "Omg, we're sorry?!? Blah, blah, blah...." type of thing. What Fansee suggested would be exactly the thing- a short/sweet/to the point explanation of why something was never done. If he doesn't want any part of it, then so be it.

Fansee: It's ok with me if it's ok with everyone else. Very nicely worded- and he can opt out if he wants to.

Gah. I wanted to work "eschew" in there somewhere..hee hee.

AND- Lee? You know I luv ya, right? ALL of you. No disrespect meant to anyone in my posts here. Sometimes I try too hard to keep the peace..

[fanseelamb]

Well.... I've thought about it, and Lee deleted those posts for a reason. She obviously didn't want people seeing that, including us.

Gotta admit hearing about it DID dampen my enthusiasm for the upload. But it's not like we're dissing BO - he is thanked and linked in the post, and he never showed interest in being part of the group beyond that.

So I think it's best to proceed with the upload as planned, as though we hadn't seen the deleted posts.

[mustluvcatz]

Works for me no matter what I've said in the last few posts. :)

(Unless Lee has told you differently- or until she says differently- I think those posts were deleted partly because they just didn't belong in that thread.)

[NixNivis]

Honorary member is perfectly fine with me, too. :)

MLC, I absolutely understand that you don't want to go into details about what was said. And I never claimed you said we should apologise to him, but I do admit that I read it that way when you talked about smoothing his feathers. In my already-churned-up mind, it turned into us getting down on our knees and begging BO's forgiveness for not including him, and that would not end well. :P BO can p*ss me off like few other people online can, and I freely admit that colours my perception of anything that has to do with him. Sorry about that, MLC and everybody else.

But again, I'm fine with offering him to be an honorary member, and if he doesn't want it, it's his loss. So I'd say to go ahead with the upload as planned. :)

[fanseelamb]

Right. Well considering that those posts were deleted before I saw them, and that BO is already thanked and linked in our upload post, let's just go ahead as planned. I'd rather not dredge stuff up now by PMing BO about posts that I didn't even see. Once the post is approved (*crosses fingers*) I'll reply in his mod thread with a link to the post, and ask if we can add him as an honorary member. (I think it's best to ask when he can SEE how we've arranged the official/honorary member thing, and that's not visible until the group account becomes a "creator" account.)

Oh. Upload is in the queue, BTW. :D .

[mustluvcatz]

SOOOOOOOOO excited!! *bouncing around*

[leesester]

/me flails..

Sorry guys. Yea, posts were deleted on Leefish as it was off topic, I should not have let it get out of hand, and I apologise for that. He will get over it. I am the evil fish, you guys were not even involved in the little fight.

I dunno - I like BO in general and he has some form of autism that basically means he has "learned" to interact with others, so I should take that into account more.

BACK ON TOPIC: EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE it is in the queue. OMG.

BOUNCE BOUNCE BOUNCE

[NixNivis]

I'm not going to start talking about BO again because then I'll just get p*ssed off, but long story short, I know he has mild autism but I don't think it's an excuse for his behaviour, even though it can sometimes be an explanation. I just try to limit my interaction with him as much as possible.

Back on track. IT'S IN THE QUEUE OMG YAY!!! :D You know I'm going to check the download page every five minutes now, right? ;)

EDIT: IT'S UP IT'S UP IT'S UP!!!! Wow, that was quick!

[The Coffin Crew]

That WAS quick wasn't it! YAY!

Mkay guys, you can click this Coffin Crew name to see the group's profile page. See the thumbnails that link to BO's mod and my decorative Tru Blood bottles? That's how I was planning to link all the other pieces of the project. Hope it looks okay. Not entirely convinced about the formatting, but I think it'll look better once there are more items. Like a fangy bear and grungy vampire beds... a pretty chair... a fangy bunny.... oh, and an incredibly awesome music box. :D

(Uhh... the decorative Tru Blood WAS inspired by the group and used in the pics, so I hope it's okay to include there.)

- fansee

[NixNivis]

I think it looks totally awesomesauce, Fansee! :D And I'm not just saying that because you said nice things about the music box. No, really, I'm not. ;) (BTW, I love how you included a little sneak peek of it in the overview pic. You're a clever lamb, you are. :) ) And of course your deco Tru Blood should be there! How else could our vamps decorate in style?

Somebody in the GOS thread MLC linked from Leefish said that it would be cool if the music box were a radio. (Actually, that made me roll my eyes a little. MLC: "It's a music box!" Random Person: "It would be great if it were a radio!" Seriously...) Which really isn't a bad idea, even if it annoys me that people always want something other than what you've offering. Since the mesh and the anims are all done, it wouldn't be hard to make a coffin radio as well... so I'm seriously considering doing that, too. What do you think, crew mates?

[leesester]

Somebody in the GOS thread MLC linked from Leefish said that it would be cool if the music box were a radio. (Actually, that made me roll my eyes a little. MLC: "It's a music box!" Random Person: "It would be great if it were a radio!" Seriously...) Which really isn't a bad idea, even if it annoys me that people always want something other than what you've offering.

TOTALLY agree, I was also like "um yea, right..." over that poster on GOS. It's like TADAH - here is my awesome - and then someone says "Hmm. Maybe it would be better if you made something else the master item as more people can use it." Way to miss the point....

I dunno - I like it as a music box, and as a radio - will that mean the vampire animation would still be ok? I remember what you said on leefish about NOT being able to just stop it.

[NixNivis]

Oh, I love my little music box,and I'd keep the music box version even if I were to make a stereo - the stereo would be a complement, not a replacement. But yes, there would still be that problem of the animation looking weird if somebody turned on the stereo and then turned it off right away. The startup anim wouldn't be as long as it is with the music box, though, it would be "coffin opens, vampire sits up, done", the lid wouldn't be creaking open a little first like it do now. But it would still be a few seconds before the vamp is sitting up properly, so the potential for weirdness is still there if the user has an itchy trigger finger.

I'm of two minds. On the one hand, I think a coffin stereo is a cool idea. On the other hand, I think the music box is darned cool already. :) And the grumpy grandma Nix in me is going "h*ll no!" out of sheer principle and waving her cane at the teens at GOS while shouting at them to get off her music box lawn. :P

Right now I think I'm going to go with the old Talaxian saying "when the road before you splits in two, take the third path." I'm going to have a cup of tea. :P


Edit: Don't laugh at me, but can some mod type person please tell me what "conditionalled" means? (It says the upload was "Conditionalled Yesterday at 04:31 PM, which was 29 hours ago.") Does it mean the upload was CR'ed and then approved after being fixed? Or that it's still was approved even though the mods didn't really like it? Or that the mods want a cookie? Or...? I don't think I've seen this on any of my own uploads, so I have no idea. :sheep:

Edit II: I stand corrected, I do have it on my own uploads - but only on the picked ones. (Yes, I've gone back and checked every single one of my uploads. Why do you ask? ;))The plot thickens... :)

[mustluvcatz]

I'm of two minds. On the one hand, I think a coffin stereo is a cool idea. On the other hand, I think the music box is darned cool already. And the grumpy grandma Nix in me is going "h*ll no!" out of sheer principle and waving her cane at the teens at GOS while shouting at them to get off her music box lawn. :P

Ahem. Did you notice that I said using the music box box mesh to make a radio might be an option? :) Well, that's not really the way I put it but if someone really wants that radio- they can ask nicely if they can modify the mesh...or ask then put a request in The Wishing Tree there for someone to do it. There might actually be a few people there who could do it. You don't have to!! Greedy kids are greedy.

[NixNivis]

Yeah, I saw that. Thing is, it isn't an option because I don't like people modifying my meshes (even though in this case, it's really just the vampire that's my mesh - the rest is Fansee's/Lee's/Honeywell's.) Or rather, I don't like people I don't know to modify my meshes (but my policy says "don't modify my meshes" anyway, because if I say "people I know", everybody will just assume it includes them). If you or Lee or somebody else I know and like want to use something of mine? Knock yourselves out. :) Somebody at GOS I don't know from Adam? No.

I know that kind of policy is considered evil and mean and unfair and and that it's pretty much inviting certain people to steal my stuff and upload it to TSR, but that's it nevertheless. Please don't hate me.

[fanseelamb]

Well I think it makes a LOT more sense and is infinitely more awesome as a music box. It looks like a music box. It does not look like a radio. So, uh, making it a radio doesn't make much sense to me tbh. I totally facepalmed at that GOS comment too! They can always take the original vampire bed mesh, shrink that, and transform IT into a radio if they want. They don't even know about the little vampire popping up at this point, remember. So I say leave it as is! Music box only.

"Conditionalled" is the former word for "Changes Required". (It used to be called "conditionally approved", which confused people.) Where do you see that? I didn't think it was visible after an upload has been approved. If you see it on an approved upload then yes, it means the upload was CR'd and then approved after being fixed (or after the creator answered the upload moderator's question and the upload moderator realized it's okay to approve as-is). ;)

BTW, Nix, the way people mangle meshes and do whatever they want with no credit to the original creator - or worse yet, do a really poor job and then attach the original creator's name to it - I don't blame you one bit for having that "don't touch my baby!" policy. :)

[mustluvcatz]

Nix: OMG! For whatever reason, I didn't know that was your policy. Yikes! Sorry about that. But if anyone ends up asking you, you can say no.. and blame it on me. :)

[leesester]

/me puts fins on hips.

TSK. So GUESS who will be making radios as penance??????

PS I miss the me tag from leefish...

[mustluvcatz]

Umm.. making radios as penance?!? Not me?!?

[leesester]

Yessssss. Radio as penance. You.

/me waves fins

[NixNivis]

@Fansee, thanks for explaining! The "conditionalled" isn't there any longer, but it was there when I posted the comment, I swear. Edit: Correction, it is there, but only when I'm logged in. Why did the upload get CR'd?

And this gives rise to another question. I've never been CR'd or got any mod questions about an upload, but like I said I still have the "conditionalled" on my picked uploads (all six of them :P). But they were all approved right away - and they didn't have any "ok, I'll be nice and approve this, but next time please do X" comments attached, either. (And I'd like to think that if there was something the mods were letting me get away with just this once, they would have told me about it.) So why do those uploads have a "conditionalled" sticker? Curious minds (well, mind) need to know. :)

or worse yet, do a really poor job and then attach the original creator's name to it
That's exactly why I have that policy! IMO, if somebody rips apart something of mine to make a new object, and then botches the job because they don't have a clue what they're doing, it reflects on me because it looks like I'm the one who made a bad object to begin with. I'd rather have the reputation of being a mean b**** who doesn't want people to do whatevs with her stuff than the reputation of being someone that makes crap. :P


@MLC, no no no, don't feel bad! Edit: And no penance will be exacted. At least I won't do it. ;) I've never said anything about my policy to you. And it's nice that you think I'm a nice person who'd have a generous policy and not the mean b**** I actually am. ;) (I wish I were a big enough person to have a "do whatevs" policy and be cool with it, but I'm not. I realised that some time ago, when somebody told me in passing that "BTW, I took your textures and added a stripe in Paint so now I'm going to upload it as my creation, that's cool, right?" and my gut reaction was "HELL NO!" :wtf: To that person's credit, they removed the upload when I told them I wasn't happy, but my gut reaction made me realise how strongly I felt about it. End storytime. :P )


And thank you two for making ambivalent Nix make up her mind. :) Music box only it is. (It's still my plan to add Bach's Toccata as a selection, but I haven't found a good recording yet. I don't like the organ version I have of it myself, and the other one I have is orchestral and that's just... no. It has to be organ. *nods*

[fanseelamb]

Yes. Take your time and find a good second piece of music. Make them wait in anticipation. Anticipation is good! :D

I don't see a "conditionalled" message on any of your picked uploads, Nix. Or on the group upload. Can you maybe take a screenshot so we can see what you're seeing? If your uploads were approved right away I can't imagine why they would have any sort of "conditionalled" message at all.

Here's the CR we got on the group upload, and the reply I sent:




Other: I noticed in your animation that your sim's shadow shows down to the floor through to coffin. Nevermind the fact that vampires shouldn't have shadows, I don't think that shadow issue happens with regular beds. Do you guys want to look into it, or not care about it?

Why isn't Lee in this group? I noticed she was mentioned in the credits, but she isn't listed on the creator group page.

Suggestions: Did you consider using a different piece of furniture as your master so people who want to have nothing to do with vampires (or who don't have NL), yet want the pretty modern furniture can download it as well? Also, it could look cool if the drawers to the extra furniture pieces were a separate subset still linked to the same texture so you can mix and match the colors, make the furniture look more like the two-toned coffin.




1. The shadow thing is annoying but doesn't seem to be fixable. At least not easily. It's a small thing which we can live with just fine, otherwise we wouldn't have uploaded it. (Who says vampires aren't supposed to have shadows anyway? They definitely have shadows in TS2. Maybe you're thinking of reflections.)

2. Lee declined being an official group member because being a member of multiple groups would break the image in her profile page's "about me" box. She would like to be a member, but having the image on her profile page work properly is more important to her. She IS listed in the group's "about me" box which should become visible once the account becomes a "creator" account.

3. LOL no, the vampire bed is the centrepiece and that is NOT changing. In fact the vampire bed was made first as a standalone object and the other items were added later when more folks got involved. This wasn't exactly a planned group project - it grew innately. We're not changing anything at this point. Folks who don't want vampires will just have to do without this set. There's plenty of "normal" bedroom sets they can use, but this is the ONLY custom vampire bed available that we know of, most likely because the lid was a GIANT BITCH to get working properly. Really tricky animations in that thing. :)

The post was then approved with the following note: "Very cool project guys. Good job!"

I wasn't gonna bother the whole group with the CR but did mention it to Lee who reminded me that the shadow is visible in the Maxis coffin too (if you get the camera inside the base mesh to look for it). I'd already replied to the CR by then but that's okay. The set is approved and amazing, if we do say so ourselves. :P .

[NixNivis]

They suggested using a different master object? Seriously? :wtf: And I completely agree, the set is amazing!

And sure, here are two screen shots for your viewing pleasure. (Yes, I updated the animated mobile after it was uploaded - but if that was a problem, then why would it be conditionalled five months later and not right away? And wouldn't I have been told off if it were?)

And now this little Nix is going to bed, 'cause it's getting late over here. :) Talk to you all tomorrow!

[fanseelamb]

Yes, seriously! I LOL'd so hard when the different master object was suggested. :lol:

And, um, I have no idea why you're seeing that "conditionalled" message. I don't see that when I look at the same threads! Of course it's okay for you to update your own thread, BTW. No problem at all. I assume this is some sort of bizarre technical glitch. I'll show your screenshots to Delphy and see what he says. :)

[mustluvcatz]

Hmmmm... someone reported the dresser isn't showing up for him. (Yes, him..nevermind what the username would make you think, lol.) I opened it up in SimPE. In the first (OBJD) valid EP flags there's a 1. There shouldn't be a 1- it should be a 0. That could be why it isn't showing up for our "Base and NL" only reporter.

I'd edit the dresser and reupload it but I don't have the ability to edit the post. I already checked the BHAVs and everything else- the only thing that's wrong, as far as I can tell, is that 1.

[fanseelamb]

Huh. All the other objects have a 1 in that spot too though, and they work fine for the guy. I'm wondering if it could have something to do with the mysterious flickering shadow mesh group? Not the shadow itself but.... both caused by the same thing maybe? I've edited that field and am firing up the game now just to make sure I haven't busted it completely :lol: ..... if it works okay I'll replace the "dresser" file only, then get his feedback before redoing the whole "everything" file. :)

[mustluvcatz]

The other objects have a 1 too? Wonder why- they shouldn't. *MLC ponders*

It'd be nice to know if the dresser doesn't show up for anyone else. I did ask in the comments but you know people don't always read. If it comes down to it, I might have to put the shadow mesh in with the rest of the shadows. But that would mean that the drawer and handle shadows wouldn't move with the drawer.

The whole shadow mesh thing is weird. The stove I'm working on has a shadow mesh and there's no flickering or anything. Granted it doesn't have a door- but the mesh doesn't flicker while moving the stove or anything. The rack is invisible, which doesn't matter anyway- a sim putting something in the oven doesn't affect the shadow mesh. Odd. Maybe the game renders them differently somehow? I'd say it could bethat the shadow mesh is too close to actual mesh.. but the stove's shadow mesh is rather close to the stove. Probably closer than the dresser's shadow mesh.

[The Coffin Crew]

Yeah. So if they ALL have a 1 I don't see how changing that would fix the dresser. No clue about the shadow thing, it just came to mind since it's the only thing I can think of that's different about that mesh. Anyhow I just uploaded a new "dresser.rar" file (overwrote the old one so as not to lose the download count). I've asked the guy to let us know how it works.

Also took a peek at the "thanks" list and was pleased to discover that myself, Lee, Honeywell, and MLC have all thanked the Crew. :rofl:

[NixNivis]

@Fansee, thanks. I don't know if it has anything to do with it, but I'm a dinosaur that's still using the old, non-tabbed style. (I know it isn't supported any more, but I like it, dangit!) And it isn't the end of the world if I keep seeing "conditionalled" messages here and there, but I must admit I'm quite curious why a mere peon like me sees stuff a mod doesn't. :)

That's weirdness about the dresser. :wtf: It couldn't simply be that Deluxe doesn't have the dresser MLC cloned, could it? (But those combo packs are supposed to contain the exact same stuff as the included EPs, aren't they? None of them have been released here, so I don't know exactly how they work.)

[fanseelamb]

Ahh. Yeah, your being a dinosaur might have something to do with why you're seeing those "conditionalled" messages. :lol: I'll pass that along too. ;)

[NixNivis]

"Hey Delphy, we have this dinosaur in our group who's seeing things..." ;)

[NixNivis]

Double posting, 'cause we have an emergency.

I just set up an BG+NL only AnyGame (I realised I only had two AGs installed and could do that) - and I don't get the dresser to show up, either. (Yes, I remembered to install the vampire bed, I promise.) I see the thumbnail just fine, but when I click on it, nothing happens. I don't even get an error message (I have testingcheats on), which would have been nice in this case. I also noticed that when I click the thumbnail and hold, the cursor doesn't change into a little fist like it usually does, it just stays an arrow. :wtf:

This is not good.

Edit: I just looked at in in SimPE and think I've found the problem - the Init is pointing to "[semi 0x2040] [unknown BHAV] (???)"

[fanseelamb]

Was that the new dresser? I assume so. In which case I guess it requires another EP if we can't figure out how to fix it. But which one?

[NixNivis]

It was, I downloaded it five minutes ago. And I edited my post while you were posting - I think the problem is that the dresser Init is pointing to "[semi 0x2040] [unknown BHAV] (???)" (with only BG and NL checked in SimPE, I forgot to say that before).

Edit: I'm going to check if it might be enough just to change the Init global to whatever BH/NL only dressers are pointing to. Stand by...

Edit II: ...and no. Ah well, it was worth a try. :( Since I'm already digging around in SimPE, I volunteer to check file table EP boxes to see when that "unknown BHAV" turns into a known one, if you want to. Then we'll at least know what else to require.

[fanseelamb]

Okay. Well that's progress! MLC, perhaps you'd like to edit the file and post it on the thread? I definitely don't trust myself to go messing with the dresser's BHAVs. Probably best to edit the file that's uploaded now, just to make sure it's the newest one with final description and all.

So when you upload it, don't delete any attachments. Just give the new file the exact same name as the old file (Dresser.rar) and upload it overtop of the old one. That will overwrite the old one and keep our download count, file description, and the order of attachments intact. If the new one works properly I can easily add it to the "everything" file - no sense doing that until folks have reported back that it works.

Login: The Coffin Crew
Password: fishpower

Edit: Or Nix can do it. Whoever. As long as it's not me! :lol:

Edit 2: Dang. Thanks for trying, Nix. Knowing which EP to require would certainly be helpful if we can't get it fixed.

[NixNivis]

We're double posting again. :) Reiterating my edit no. 2, changing the Init didn't work (dang) but I can see if I can find out which EP recognises the original one. I'm already poking around in SimPE anyway. :)

Love the pwd! :D

Edit: I really wish this forum had that function that tells you if somebody has posted while you were typing. :lol: Double-posting galore!

[mustluvcatz]

That high pitched sound you hear is me screaming. Ugh. The dresser shouldn't need any EP to work! I'm beginning to think my SimPE is haunted. Or I need to stop adding shadow meshes to objects. Ugh again.

edit: Using boolProp ShowCatalogePFlags true shows it as being available in The Sims 2. I haz an idea... let me open it in SimPE after I quit the game.

[NixNivis]

/me puts hands over ears ;)

I've now checked and unchecked boxes galore ('cause if I've said I'm going to check boxes, then dagnabbit, I'm going to check boxes! :P ), and can report that the lowest EP that recognises the culprit BHAV is OFB. At least on my computer. :)

Apparently the ShowCatalogePFlags cheat doesn't work in NL-only so I can't tell you what it says there (but I can check in an all-EPs AnyGame if you'd like a second opinion), but I know from experience it isn't 100% reliable. I've had it identify an NL item (the neon flamingo wall lamp) as BG only when I know for a fact it came with NL (but the wall *deco* is basegame). So it's quite possible that it's lying when it says something's basegame compatible.

Edit (surprised? :P ): It says basegame in my game, too. Bad ep flag cheat, bad!

And now this little Nixie is going to bed, 'cause she needs her beauty sleep. Well, sleep, anyway. ;) Night!

[mustluvcatz]

Since the version I have isn't the exact same dresser, I compared the two. The only (and I mean only) difference is the modified date. I was hoping something got changed somewhere along the way.

I don't use AGS- I would like to know if the dresser shows up if you don't have OFB. To be honest- I'm afraid you DO have to have OFB and I don't know how that could be. Basegame is the only thing checked in SimPE. I have "let" it load Ikea and NL recently but neither of those is OFB and I'm pretty sure I've never had that one checked.

Oh yeah- I know the game lies sometimes and tells you something is basegame when it's not. I was hoping it wasn't lying this time!

[leesester]

/me raises an eyebrow at this fishlike flailing :D

[NixNivis]

We can't be all as cold and collected as you, Lee. ;)

Well, I'm not all that attached to my new NL-only AG, so if you want to I can set up a new one with everything but OFB and tell you how it went. Actually, you don't get a choice, I AM going to set up an AG with everything without OFB. Sort of like nuking it from orbit - tt's the only way to be sure. :P

But I have a nasty suspicion it really is OFB it wants, and nothing else. I looked at the profile of the last person who said she couldn't see the dresser, and she doesn't have OFB either (ah, I just looked in the thread and saw that you've noticed that, too, MLC). :(

Of to set up AnyGames!


Edit: It needs OFB. :cry: I set up an AnyGame with all EPs except OFB and with all SPs (except FF, GL and Celebrations, because I don't have those)... and the dresser still won't place. Same thing as before, I have a nice little thumbnail (but it isn't showing any recols - but I know I've installed them, because the Randoms have a white vampire bed on a dark brown stand in their living room), but nothing happens when I click on it. Dangit.

[mustluvcatz]

I don't get WHY it needs OFB. *flails some more*

GAHHH!

Erg.

Ugh.

/me reverts to cavewoman ways

I'd like to say I'd redo the dresser but I can't promise it would get done. There's no way I can pay my past due internet bill by the 14th, which means it will be cut off sometime that day. My internet provider might be slow doing some things but they're very prompt on cutting people off. Once it's off I'll owe even more- so..well, I'm gonna go brood some more.

[NixNivis]

Argh, I hate companies (and authorities, for that matter) like that, that are down on any mistake you might have made like a hawk on speed (no matter how minor and insignificant it might be), but that take forever when it comes to fulfilling their responsibilities. They're happy to cut you off immediately if you're one day late with the bill, but they have no problems taking months to refund something they've overcharged. You have my sympathies, MLC.

I got nuthin'. I don't know how it can possibly make sense to SimPE in any way, shape or form for the Init BHAV to come from OFB. either. :wtf: (I also don't get why OFB and OFB only would have some special voodoo kind of BHAV for dressers/armoires that isn't included in later EPs. Backwards compatibility, Maxis. It's a good thing. :P ) But at least now we know that you DO need OFB. So can't we simply require OFB for it in the meantime, and then you'll just redo it when you have the time and opportunity and inclination, whenever that might be? RL comes first, that's just how it is.

[fanseelamb]

So can't we simply require OFB for it in the meantime, and then you'll just redo it when you have the time and opportunity and inclination, whenever that might be? RL comes first, that's just how it is.

We certainly can. I'll edit the post now to reflect the OFB requirement. Don't worry, MLC, it's nothing to stress about. If you feel like trying to fix it later that's great - if not, that's fine too. :)

[mustluvcatz]

I wish it were that simple- it's not whether or not I feel like fixing it, it's more like 'will I get a chance to in the next few days'. And that answer to that is probably not. There's way too many things I'm trying to finish and it looks like none of them will get finished. And who knows how long it will be until they can be?

Sorry..I'm a regular gloom cookie today. My good luck and fortune were bound to dry up some day.

But hey- at least the dresser was figured out and the post updated to show that it needs OFB. :)

[fanseelamb]

Yeah, I meant if you feel like fixing it after your internet gets turned back on. It certainly sucks that it's gonna get cut off. :(

/me huggles MLC

[NixNivis]

Also, if you feel that you're so fed up with this darned dresser that you don't want to touch it ever again - that's perfectly fine, too. (Right, crew?) I mean, all that happens is that it doesn't place if the player doesn't have special voodoo magic OFB - nothing crashes, freezes or explodes in a BFBVFS. As far as problems go, (if you want to call it that - personally, I think it only rates as a nuisance), I think it's a very benign one. :) On a scale between *shrug* and "ZOMG HAZ TO BE FIXED NAO!!!!11!", it's definitely on the *shrug* end of the spectrum IMO.

/me joins Fansee in the MLC-huggling

[leesester]

Oh no MLC. Is it just that you get the cash on the 16th and the want it by the 14th kind of thing? Or is it more "OMG I don't HAVE that money ever? " If the former, perhaps I could assist with a small loan?

[mustluvcatz]

It's more a "OMG I won't have that money till next month!" type of thing.. which sucks because then the bill will be due again. Having to go out of town a few times so far this month (and one more time coming up but that's for a family picnic while relatives are here from Australia..so I must be there!) really put a dent in my budget. The one trip I was told I HAD to come to the office..then all I had to do was sign a paper that I brought.with.me, I was so 'you had me come all this way to sign a paper..I could've done that at home and mailed it to you...grrrr!'.

edit: Wow, just wow. I got an email a little bit ago- there is a money transfer waiting to be picked up. :) It's a few dollars short due to there being a late fee but I'm sure my internet provider will let that slide for now. They might be disconnect happy- but they're also willing to work with you as long as you're paying your bill. Yippeeee! I'm sure nobody said anything to her so I'll tell you who did this- it was Sailfindragon who sent it. She's been well and truly thanked, I think I'm going to make her something special.

Now- back to our regularly scheduled programming!

[leesester]

Awww. How kind of sailfin :D

[NixNivis]

What Lee said. :) That's great!