-Tercero-

Well, I didn't want to say anything as of this point, as the status of the drive still isn't a 100% certainty, but my father (thankfully a computer technician) has managed to get the drive to read files in DOS after many, many tries to get it to do anything. I still haven't gotten a chance to pull any data off and try to load it, but I should have a chance to see what the story is this Friday or Sunday. I would have done it today had I not gotten called into work. If things can be saved, I have been rebuilding some sections of the model that I was unhappy with from scratch, so I'll throw some things together and come out ahead of where I was. Until then, I'll be keeping my fingers crossed... Tercero-Lord of Lies ^ Is it pompous for me to put my name in front of my title? tercero@mailcity.com

Atsuri, The mod team that I was working with kinda fell apart when a merge with AOTC:TC went horribly awry. My main jobs with the mod were modeling and designing a saber combat system that would look more like the movies, and control a bit better all in the same stroke. I did design a saber system that did this without requiring new animations, but in the chaos of the merger, it was eventually decided to scrap my saber system to add more guns and such. The improved saber combat was what really was holding me to the mod, so without that, I left. If anyone who's reading this is interested in helping me get my combat system in game, just send me an e-mail or a PM and I'll be more than happy to share my design notes and assist in any way possible. Also, on the model front, my computer's waning health has seriously been slowing me up of late. My hard drive has been going on me for quite some time, and alas, it is on it's death bed. I'm going to build a new computer soon, which could actually wind up being the fastest home PC in all of Jersey, so I'll keep you posted.

Just thought that I'd say my peace on the whole flaming thing - I really don't care if people flame me about how long this it taking - it honestly is taking forever, and as I have said before, I am very grateful to the people who have waited patiently for me to get this done - they drive me forward to create the best model that I possibly can. As to JKII being used as a coaster when this is done, I honestly can't say that it won't. I am going to take as long as I have to on this one so that when I'm done, Hayden's mother won't be able to tell it's not him. If you don't want to wait for that, the answer is simple - don't. Also, for those who want to flame me, please do it in a PM. I realize that this is a bit of an invitation, but it's silly to clog the thread and start a flame war. If you're unhappy with my progress and feel the need to voice it, it's much simpler to voice it directly to me and keep the forums free of needless posting. I'm coming back from my vacation now, so I will be working on the model again. It probably won't progress quickly, but when it's done, it will be worth the wait in my opinion. Sorry about all the delays. Thanks, -Tercero- tercero@mailcity.com Oh, and Seka - if you're reading this - "Heh heh - this is taking longer than a feature length movie..." - and yes, I know I'm a dork.

Hey, I just wanted to say that I fully understand people being a little upset that the model isn't released yet - hell, I am too. My perfectionism has been making it take a lot longer than it would have if I had just thrown it out there - some of you who have been following this thread from the start probably remember me rebuilding the model three times and retooling it a lot along the way. I think that the payoff will be great in the end, though, and I plan to put this model into more games than just JKII, so it will get some exposure even if the game is dead. That being said, JKII will likely not die, if for no other reason than the pre-movie marketing push that will crop up sometime next year. I warily anticipate a possible expansion that could revive the fanbase of this game. And while the fanbase has dwindled a bit, it is still there - there just isn't that initial push that there always is when a game is first released. I remember working on Unreal Tournament when the game was 'dying' - and a LOT of people still play it. Also, Darth Vader III, you asked what I need for the model, and I can pretty much sum it up in one word. SHADERS. I have some experience with the creation of shaders from my background in 3D, but I don't really know how to implement them in game. I actually have shaders planned for virtually every surface of the model, but I have absolutely no clue how to get them there. If anyone can give me a hand with that, it'd be greatly appreciated. One more thing - please remember that I am doing this model free gratis, and on my own free time, which, might I add, Is rather limited. The model will be released when it is released, and flaming me about how long it's taking will not affect the release date at all. I want to create a model that really pushes the limits of realism and what the Q3 engine can do, and that takes some time. You guys really are updated almost as much as I am, and the only reason that I go for periods without releasing screens is because there isn't anything to show, or because I have stripped a part of the model to rebuild it, and it looks completely ass until I finish it. Right now, rest assured that it is the latter. Sometimes things have to get worse before they can get a lot better. And to those who have stuck it out and continued to support me, thank you - it is you guys who have given me the strength and the will to keep on going - I'll try not to let you down.

Okay - reading all this, I realize that I did not properly explain why I haven't been working on the model recently. I've been working around 60 hours a week at one job, and ten to twenty at another - I really just haven't had the time. As far as my girlfriend breaking up with me, that did affect me a while back, but not nearly to the degree that ShogunBlade made it out to. The real reason that I haven't been working much on the model is and always has been WORK. Yes, it has taken too long - that happens when nobody is working on it - nothing gets done, but, honestly, work that I get paid for has to come first. I have bills, I have needs, and I have my priorities, and while this model is one of them, it is not the first. That being said, I have a little more free time now that the christmas season is over, so I should be getting back to work on the model soon, though I am considering taking a short vacation first. I'll post them up when I have some new updates. Thanks to everyone who has been so understanding and patient. You've really kept me wanting to work on this project when it would be very easy to just drop it. You guys are great - thanks for giving me that focus. Oh - and it's good to be back...

Just to clear the whole beta issue up, I am going to be running an open beta in association with jediknightii.net, but it will only be available here in the forums. I'm doing this to avoid multiple versions of the model getting out to the general public. So, in esssence, everyone is welcome to join in on the beta, the only thing that I ask is that you give me a bit of feedback and download the final version when it is released. Also, sorry that I've been a stranger lately - I've been living at work for the past few weeks, and probably will be into next year. Updates will come soon after I get back to having a real life, though!

Aru-Wen is right on both counts - I will not be able to finish the model before the end of this year due to my work schedule, but I'm hoping to get a preliminary beta out sometime toward the end of the first quarter of next month. As far as the screenies, he getting to the point where he will be ready for more soon, I'll put them up as soon as he's looking more himself...

Atsuri is right as to the status of the model - it's been more problems in my life that have been slowing me up than problems with the model. I have sorta tested it in game - some of you might remember seeing screenies of a silhouette of a previous version of the model in game, but it didn't have UV's and it was a far rougher model than the one that I'm working on now - that was back before the first remodel. I basically just asked Toonces to put it in game for me so I could check how it was deforming and change the model's structure to get it deforming better. As far as new pics, I'm trying to get him looking a bit more presentable for his next photo-op, but work has been really slowing me up. I'm cutting my hours after Christmas, so I hope to really get back on track then. I'll keep using what little time I do have to work on it until then, but it'd probably be unwise to expect any major updates until the holiday season is over.

Just a little taste of things to come... <--------------------------------------------

-s/<itzo-, I'm doing the hilts when I am done with the model. Right now my focus is to get the model finished and released, at least in a beta stage without LOD's, before I do any other modeling. It still will be a while, but I think it will be worth the wait... Sorry to keep everyone in the dark for so long...

Heh - Seka has an interesting point of view on my model, as she gets to see in almost as much as I do. She is right, though - I've been working hard at taking the detail and accuracy to the next level without increasing the polycount, which has been a big part of the delay. I think that Seka said it well - I'm trying to raise the bar, more for myself than anything else. I want this model to be the best that it can be, and I'm trying to take all the nececarry steps toward that end. The next update should be BIG, though it might still be a little ways off.

Fear not, Darth Vader III - I haven't left this thread or dropped the model. Seka mentioned that I was waiting to release shots of the next update because I want it to be something big - and she was dead on. I'm going for a new level of photo realism on this model, and I've been retooling parts of it as such. The only things is that things tend to get very messy when I'm tweaking things the way I am, and most of the time the model has to look a lot worse before it starts looking a lot better. This in mind, I don't really want to release screens of the model looking this way, so I've held off on screenies for some time. It is true that Team Assault is taking up some of my time, but the majority of my time is still going towards work and my social life. My only duty aside of team leader in team assault right now is the Anakin model, and the team is very supportive of this model. I don't think that my time on Team Assault is wasted, though - I feel that the changes that we are making will make Jedi Knight II a much more fun and immersive game, and for that I'm wiling to dedicate a little of my time. Primrodo - you mentioned that you had some shots of Anakin's costume - it'd be great if I could see them - they'd help immensely! There are still some points on the costume that I'm a bit uncertain about, and if you have some more screenies, I'm sure that some of them would help clear things up for me. Thank you everyone for being so patient!

First I wanted to say how great it is that the thread is open again - thanks to everyone who got it started back up! This thread is a real inspiration to me - whenever I start to lose sight of why I'm still making the model, I can come here and am reminded. As far as hilts and blades, the model will come with every hilt that Anakin uses in Ep 2 and Luke's from Ep 4. As for the blades, the model will also come packaged with my Tercero-Sabers, which are TCK mod compatible so you can create custom colors, and will also include a script written by Garik Loran and myself that will let you load and change saber color profiles on the fly. I'm going to include the Episode II color pack with the model, and the rest will either be available with the next release of Tercero-Sabers or they could also possibly wind up packaged with the model. Also, for anyone interested in Tercero-Sabers, the new version will feature new collision sparks, new sounds and some slight improvements on the blades themselves, along with a number of color packs. The new version is actually tailored to work with the changes that we are making to saber combat in the Team Assault mod, but they look and sound pretty good in the standard game too. They are a lot better than the previous versions in my opinion. If you want a beta of some of the new changes to the sabers, just drop me an e-mail and I'll send 'em over! And to those who are worried about my personal life, I just got back from a date with a really wonderful girl who I'm rather enamored with, so things are really looking positive for me right now. Now I'm just hoping that things keep on the way that they are going. Okay - enough off topic for me... just wanted to let everyone know that I'm okay and that I'm doing a lot better. Thanks for your support, and thanks for ressurecting my thread!

Thank you again Wei, for driving the point home. You are right on one thing - this board does have a freedom of speech policy - you can say anything you want about the model, but then again, don't complain when people bash you. After all - if free speech applies to you, it applies to everyone else too, and when you are as insensitive as you have been, people will speak up. I also wanted to thank you for showing your gaming knowledge - JKII and MOHAA both use the same engine, there, buddy. Also, as far as Jedi_Anakin_S - you tell him to stop with the weak arse flaming - you need to take a look in a mirror, there buddy. It's one thing to talk about me or my model, but it's quite another to talk about my friends. I really pity you if you think that friends sticking up for eachother means to you that they are kissasses. The reason that you put people on the defensive is that they know that my life has been a piece of crap lately. It's been improving of late, but if you read the forum (and I really hope you didn't - cause if you did you're even more insensitive than I thought) you'd know that I've been going through some tough times lately. I assure you that I have less time to model for fun than you do - far less. If my having a life outside this forum and this model bothers you so, and if you really care as little as you say about the fate of my model, stop posting here. I personally plan on ignoring any of your further posts, and I suggest that other people who are fed up with this do the same. And one more note - the people who post here are not ass kissers - they are people who respect the fact that I'm doing this as a hobby in what little free time that I have. They are people who understand that this is a labor of love for me, and that I'm putting my best into this model to make something great for all of them. Please - do us all a favor and grow up. Do yourself a favor and grow up. -Tercero-

I just wanted to thank Wei St Paliv for being so sensitive toward my problems and saying such kind words of encouragement. I know how many models he has churned out, and it is so kind of him to be so paitent waiting for mine. Thanks Wei - you're a real class act. [/sarcasm] Okies, now for the real post. I've been thinking about the idea of banning or closing the thread, and in some ways I agree, but in more I don't. I agree in that many of the posts lately have deviated far from the topic, but I strongly disagree in that this thread also bears the true story of this model's creation - it shows how much the input I have recieved has affected the model, and I'd hate to close it for that reason alone. I mentioned a few pages back that I was going to put a link to this page in the readme to give all the people who have helped in the creation of this model at least a little recognition. I would like, however, to clean out some of the off topic posts if that is in some way possible. I'll try to contact a moderator about doing that. Also, I don't think there are any topics that are not worth my attention or time. If it is worth someone posting it, it is worth a reply in my opinion. I will, however address the more common questions less often (release date... - which, by the way, is still unknown, and still probably a little ways off...). I also regularly check my e-mail and have this site set as my home page, and I try to respond to most if not all of the e-mail and PM's I get. Like I said - if it's worth it to someone to write it, it's probably worth it to me to respond. Also, as far as other games coming out and overshadowing Jedi Knight II, this model is just that - a model. It is created with the intent of putting it into JKII, but not created specifically for the game. It could potentially show up in a couple of Star Wars to come, and will definitely be included in the Team Assault mod when it is released.