Been a *really* long time, so I figured I'd post something to let folks I am not dead.
No update to the site. In fact, if it does get an update I'll probably rewrite it from scratch. I have made a new TRO like page for mechs, which looks better I think, but haven't pushed it out. I keep my own database updated with the latest releases, but haven't pushed those out yet either.
I play battletech, on average, about once every 2-3 weeks still. What I don't have is motivation to dive back into the site.
My life in the last 6 months:
- Bought a new car
- Bought the wife a new car
- Flooded my game rooms trying to wash said new car in April, still not totally done fixing
- Started playing the hell out of WarThunder, a pretty decent tank sim
- Moved from battletech to real world stuff as my primary interest
- Watched more TV/movies. Decided I'd much rather see nudity than violence (Game of Thrones, I'm looking at YOU).
- Got my Micro 3D printer. Printed 2 things, it broke, got a replacement, printed 10 things, seems broke again. Can't really do 1/285 armor or mechs. I printed a 4" skull that looked good, and a 1/100 Tiger tank that looked like crap. It is great at straight lines, details it sucks.
- Became completely disillusioned with Kickstarter. I'll never back another technology or "little" KS on it, and will be VERY cautious on any others. In fact, if they don't have enough bonus crap to be worth it, I'll just wait for retail. Lose less money that way, less pain, less BS, etc.
- Decided our best presidential candidate is Bernie Sanders, all the rest suck horribly and he has some really good ideas if you can look past the hair. I was hoping for John Stewart, but I think he's too chicken. Oh well.
Maybe when IO comes out (or one of the 2-3 books IO turned into) it'll motivate me again to get back into Battletech, but I don't know. Without much of a fan base, no forums to post and get feedback, I can't see enough demand to justify my time. I haven't even purchased the last couple products, and not sure if I'll even keep up with errata anymore.
I do still want to make a real time, planetary scale, BT game using megamek icons that is 100% faithful to the board game. However, there may not be much of an audience for it so I may be wasting time even thinking about it.
Anyway, that is why there has been zero progress. Sorry, but the battletech folks basically said "they don't want me anymore". Stupid reasons got me banned (no, I wasn't a troll/ass/mean/etc) and they decided that one of their few community developers they had producing new contact was not worth any energy. I went ballistic after that, probably cemented my chances at 0 for ever getting back in, and now all my projects have basically died. Perhaps if they re-admitted me on the forums I'd consider jumping back in, but being insulted for volunteering thousands of hours of your own time kinda makes it hard to get over. I even tried talking to Randall at Gencon, who said email him, and who has never replied to me.
I still respond to emails if you have anything to ask, but I probably won't be doing anything Battletech related for quite a while.
So, if you still read this, assume me and all of my Battletech projects are dead until further notice.
Yeah, it gets to you, but that's what comes from being over involved with something you love.
ReplyDeleteMe, I haven't played BattleTech for a couple of years, not painted any mechs; unless Heavy Gear suits count? Played a bit of Heavy Gear, but it's Star Wars: X-Wing that is my go to game a the moment, after a long period of Ogre/GEV demoing I did for SJG that has ended now that they are no longer pushing the Designer Edition (not interested in demoing the cheap B&W version, not when I have a shed load of miniatures that look gorgeous on the colour map boards).
So I'm writing a novel with mecha action and making models for it so I can play games set in my own universe, but that's the way I roll. Keeps me happy anyway.
Randall ALWAYS says 'email me'. So does Coleman. That's the Passive/Aggressive's code for "I refuse to deal with you in person where I have to be unpleasant, I would much rather foist you off on email messages I can ignore by labeling them Spam and, hopefully, never hear from you again."
ReplyDeleteIgnore those fuckwads and do what you like to do. Write it for yourself, write it for the scads of people who are NOT omnipresent on the company forums, do it just because it brings you pleasure to do so.
On the other hand, it is nice to be recognized by one's peers. Unfortunately, most of the people associated with BT cannot say that they are your peer. We're all special snowflakes, but the bottom line is that people are people and politics is politics. Randall and Co. are good at the Inner Ring stuff and only middling at running a business.
I went through this whole thing back in the early 1990s with Star Trek Fan Clubs in Seattle. Same sort of people, same sort of shenanigans. Do what you love. If that isn't BT anymore, too bad. There are a lot of other things in the world that beautiful and a blast to do. I am currently refurbishing Atari 2600 consoles. What a hoot!
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ReplyDeleteDamn it! But what do you expect ?. You might not have a legion of followers who can conquer all the Inner Sphere, but I assure you, Bad Sintax, you do not lack readers including myself included, and we still patiently waiting for your opinion about The long awaited "Interstellar Operations (although it is in Beta). Hey!... Nobody says that you deserve a break and not have to dive into the real world from time to time, but even though you retire to a Zaniah’s monastery, after a long time return to the front line.
ReplyDeleteSo... Awake !. We need your opinion and critical vision that other point of view that you usually bring about the published material and background of the universe of Battletech (it is not a joke… I thought that Kerensky was a great man until I read your review of the War of Liberation of the Star League, and - you're right !, this man had no regard for the lives of their own troops !.
So, I encourage you know!. We will wait whatever it takes to see new post yours!.
…And sorry for my possible mistakes in English spelling and grammar (you know ... google translator :-P)