Wheres sswift?

I cant believe he was banned for:
From sswift


From marksibly


Its an opinion for god sake why is it that BRL seem to take every single critism as if its a personal attack, we remember when you first 'remarked' about Max3d back in 2005 it was a comment relating to that. Personally if it was only this complete I would have bit the bullet and said go with one of the more complete engines like Leadwerks or minib3d.

Back on topic why not reinstate him its not as if he has been as obnoxious as some of the people on the forum. If one comment gets you banned you might as well ban everyone as almost everyone has 'criticised' BRL at some point.

EDIT: Stupid post. Deleted

True maybe mark should be banned ROFL

I expect the topic to be locked, they usually are when someone questions the 'regime' here :)

http://www.blitzmax.com/Community/posts.php?topic=82150#928845

hmmm, it was Mark that called sswift "an obnoxious tool of the highest order".....
Apparently.....

I'm not even sure what to say..
I'm just shocked at how unprofessional that is. Well I think my time on this forum is finished as I don't use any of the product anymore, and it seems that petty is a flavor shared between the community and it's lords.

Although most will hold Mark in extremely high standings with regards to his abilities many fail to see that he is just an average Joe who happened to release a couple of products at just the right time for them to become popular. He's only one man, and regardless of what he would like to see himself releasing, or when, he will fall to the human factor of missing deadlines, running into tough bugs, and getting distracted with the real world.

Releasing Blitzbasic, then Blitz3D (just as DarkBasic was failing to meet their commitments to customers) was an excellent move. I fear that Blitz3D was the pinnacle of his BRL career though. Regardless of what you claim about Blitzmax, it will never be what it was supposed to be.

So essentially he is just another bedroom coder who did well for himself (no offense intended to him on that). He is just another one of us (well, some of us), with the difference being we're using his tools, and he's using someone else's tools. Those who forget that believe he is the be-all-end-all of programmers hanging on his every word as if it were a God handing down scripture and tend to hold him to some higher level of efficiency which is unreachable, not only for Mark, but for the one holding him on that pedestal.

I have updated the first post to reflect what was said and by whole, tbh calling someone a obnoxious tool is worse than someone making a point that you have been building peoples hopes up for nothing tbh.

>>You, sir, are an obnoxious tool of the highest order<<

While this is a bit hardcore comment I still do believe that mr. Mark didnt fire it on to personal level..I still do believe he is a gentleman..ok, he likes beer..but still gentleman..yahh..anyway..I would like to see Swifty boi back.. hes just guuuuut :)

I'd say with some confidence that after eight years, Mark's getting sick of all the crap he gets from this forum; "Mark said this", "Mark said that", "Mark promised blah".

I've been here virtually from day one, and there is no community spirit now compared to what it used to be like. There's always somebody arguing about something, or making veiled threats/accusations and trying to bring everybody else down to make themselves feel better.

He gave MaxGUI away free to anybody that had Blitzplus. He gave Max3D away too and what happened? He got shot to crap for it. Not a sniff of gratitude. The only thing that surprises me, is that SSwift's banning is the only time I've ever known Mark to snap like that. I guess we all have our limits.

I think we're lucky this site is still open. If it was mine and I was paying for this... vessel for people to bitch at me through, I'd have probably said to hell with the lot of you by now.

Oh and for the record, we all have a lot to be grateful for. I know I do. I've made plenty of money from the Blitz stuff and done things and been to places that never would have happened without Blitz. So perhaps you should start being thankful for the things you do have, get your heads down and do something with it.

</rant>

Cheer up, everyone :-)

The best time I have had with Blitz3D was when BlitzCoder was alive and well, just before the Idigicon Split. That was such a lovely community feeling and spirit....I am really feeling that Blitz is now on a decline in terms of what its used for and its original soul (to help non technically minded people code and have fun making games)

Yea...you can make games still with all the products, and BlitzMax is a more capable language at least in a technical sence, but where is the fun? You have to do so much more now in terms of code to make the same game, even stuff you really shouldn't have to do, such as using the correct audio driver for each version of windows...sigh

The community is on a decline. Blitz is what it always was but people just aren't seeing that any more.

I don't understand. Blitzmax is no less 'fun' than anything before it.

....or just use OpenAL.

Maybe your right GfK. Maybe its just we are all getting older.....

yeah theres no need to make those negative comments when something is released for free

I'm not a big fan of the moderation around here, its got a little bit 'one rule for one, one for another', and some of the banning raise an odd eyebrow or three.

I vent my fury at some of the stuff elsewhere though, because it'll not last five minutes on here... But, I do love Blitz to bits though, its been there since I started tinkering on a PC, and even though I could technically move to C++/DirectX or XNA... I'm pretty comfy dabbling in BlitzMax and always return to the language when I try to break the shackles out of spite! ;)

The one thing that really grinds my bones on the forums is the people that think they are the 'uber' elite, yet somehow, the eliteness isnt backed up by anything other than an unfinished project in their sig.

Then when you try to state why they are wrong they get all defensive and it usually ends up being a bit of a slagging match... Even if you post evidence why you are right, they still wont give in.

I also used to help in the language forums, until I posted some code, which did the job the author of the topic asked for... Yet, a user decided to pop in, post a "Ewwww, thats so unoptimized" comment, with nothing more to add, not even a reason why it was unoptimized... So I thought why bother, why take being put down by someone when your only trying to help... I'm game to learn a better way, if someone has something better than mine, show me it, dont take the piss.

Basically, these forums are hard work, and it manifest's itself to negativity (Which I do argree I carry that a lot over here)... any community feeling was ripped out years ago, which was when Blitz got a bit too big I think, maybe not big, maybe the word popular is more appropriate.

Maybe BRL need a refresh, new site, new forums, new layout... To take a step back, take stock and rebrand... Maybe!

Dabz

P.S. Love ya's all though! :P

I'm not surprised people are drifting away, it's been going that way for years. In many ways it would be simpler to simply shut the "General Discussion" and "General Help" forums and just keep it to purely programming issues.

That is obviously how they want to run the site, I keep feeling like I'm talking in a library and frequently being told to "Shh!". However Mark is paying for the site so it's up to him how he wants to run it.

Nothing at this stage is going revitalise the community that was once here and it's time to move on, unless of course, you still have some Blitz programming to do.

Darkheart

Well that is typical of any online discussion... its easy to be negative when you hide behind your own anonomynity.

I keep that in mind when someone says something negative (and unconstructive) about my code, and easily avoid any arguments.

I there is still a lot of good to be done on these forums if only everyone would quit getting so wrapped up in Max3D and Blitz3D's age and just start making games. There are only a handful here that do games for a living and most of us are just here to make games for fun.

It seems like no one is doing that anymore, too wrapped up in money or high tech.

I still like being here. I help as best I can in the BlitzPlus section whenever a question is asked, and I get my questions answered when I post them. I'm still making things in B+ and am rather content.

Don't be so quick to abandon the forums... there is a lot of good being done and a lot of good yet to do.

I personally believe that mark was offended at sswift's comment. I would be too.
I just hope sswift is not permenantly banned.

Thats my two cents :)

See that's the thing... I highly doubt he will me, he's just getting an internet 'time out'.

Big deal.

Maybe instead of discussing how the community is going down, maybe we should be discussing ways to improve the community?

How about (new) community projects for each of the BRL products, to stem growth in community bonds, help beginners, and prove the continuing quality of BRL products?

Once I met a man who was not there.
He had no face, he had no hair.
Empty eyes with no piercing stare.
Tickled not my neck upon the stair.
I twirled around - twas no one there!
An empty space 'cept for pain and sorrow.
I wonder if I won't see him again tomorrow?

I don't normally comment on bans/locks (doing so may cause Saurons eye to focus me! :P) but this one does seem a little 'harsh'.

Well, the last time we tried to get the community 'together', it didnt go down too well with the admins.

It was a Blitz online chess club, everyone that was interested posted, we were just discussing what software to use then 'bang'... Apparently, it had nothing to do with games, so it got deleted!?!

Unless the admins allow the community to prosper with stuff like a plain and simple chess club, I imagine community building will go down the swanny pretty quick, which will obviously raise tempratures again.. Thus, back to square one!

Good luck anyway! ;)

Dabz

I've got to say it is getting a bit communist around here...or even a bit Atari Jaguarish with relation to all the own goals being scored by those who pull the strings.

Lets make a MUD! :D

good idea

I sense sarcasm...

The community is migrating because there is so much competition and a plethora of alternative and often better game dev solutions outside of blitz products to fit every pocket.

Plenty of API's or tool and editor based development platforms out there to choose from when 5/6 years ago there was only really B3D and Torque.

Plus the forums don't really lend themselves to socializing and team building so no real sense of community, just individuals that don't know if they share any common interests or incentives to work together. There isn't really much to attract non coders here like artists and musicians so about 95% of people here are coders. Just isn't much incentive for people not interested in programming.

Bit rubbish really. Without some way for people to get to know one another your not really promoting any kind of community spirit. Sometimes wonder if this place will still exist in 5 years time.

Banhammer thread! Avoid!

I think the whole setup is going down the toilet. There's been nothing truly innovative offered here for some time.

Maybe I'm just jaded from recent changes happening in my life, but I'm going to concentrate on things that show some promise and positivity. XNA and C# appear to be a way forward.

BMax has been great for rapid development and I don't regret its purchase, or that of Blitz3D. However, if people are going to be booted out of the community (temporarily or otherwise) for purely personal and emotional reasons, this is no longer a place I want to be.

C'est la vie.

Maybe someone hacked Mark's account :)

So about that MUD... who wants to do networking?

This is Mr. Sibly's sandbox.
He let's us play in it as long as we don't throw sand in his face.
Sswift threw some sand and now he has to sit in a corner with the dunce hat on.
Silly boy.

a very good point markcw

Not really sswift posted an oppinion, if you can be banned for an oppinion that doesnt agree with BRL then loads will get banned sooner or later.

Consider this:
- you spent 3/4 years 'working on/developing' several 3d engine incarnation - starting it, stopping it, changin it and - maybe - deleting it - before the current one;
- your customers ask you a demo, a worklog, some screenshots, a public beta - something;
- you decide to make it 'public, open and free', allowing all to access the source and asking for suggestions/critics (this is implicit when you release something public...);
- the first comment you get is a 'strong critic' (acceptable) with a 'sarcastic message' about timing and about the source...

To be honest my reaction will be the same...

In any case I thing the 'detention time' can be considerd out for sswift.