I Need Your Help Getting Valve's Attention - Games

I've been working a lot lately on mods for TF2 that improve elements of or even fix issues with the game, and I've been thanked by a lot of people for it. It's made me really happy seeing the big, positive responses I get, and some projects, like the [url=http://www.fpsbanana.com/guis/20854]expanded tips[/url], wouldn't be what they are without the help of people who cooperated with me or simply made helpful suggestions and constructive criticism. One question I get asked all the time, though, is "when are you going to email this to Robin Walker?" It's been pretty much every time I've put something out in the vein of TF2 improvement that I've gotten that question. "They should really put this in the game." Not to sound self-important or anything, but I have emailed Robin many times and I've never seen a response. Either he just doesn't get to reading my emails or he doesn't care. Either way, [url=http://communityfortress.com/tf2/news/robin-walker-on-competitive-tf2-and-future-updates.php]a recent interview with Robin[/url] unearthed this quote: [quote="Robin Walker"]If you have ideas for how to improve the game, the best thing you can do is to post them in the TF2 Steampowered forums. We read those forums daily, as well as a bunch of other gaming forums throughout the net. Posting your ideas publicly is useful because you’ll get feedback from other players, and you can use that feedback to improve them. It’s also useful for us to see what other fans think of your ideas. If you have bugs or exploits to report, you can do send them to me privately, via the Valve software email form at [url]http://www.valvesoftware.com/email.php?recipient=Robin%20Walker[/url][/quote] So the TF2 team is more likely to notice a game improvement submission if it's posted on the forums and they see the community response to it. The obvious line of action to take is to post all my work on the Steampowered forums and hope the TF2 team notices it. This is where [b]you[/b] come in: I'd like any FPers who like my work to comment favorably on it and help give it some attention when I post it. I've posted on the Steampowered forums maybe once or twice ever, so I have no clue how the community really is over there (other than the horrible bits FP has brought to me) and I don't know anybody there. I'd like people who frequent the forums often to help me out, especially giving me suggestions on how I should present it. I don't want to post it at a bad time or in the wrong place with the wrong presentation and watch it sink to the to the bottom of the forum because my execution was all wrong. I really want this to work and I really want to finally make some noise that Valve will actually hear. As for me personally, [highlight]I'm not seeking fame or a community weapon or anything.[/highlight] I'll state that in my Steampowered thread, too. I just want fixes like proper UberCharge textures and fixed HWM VMTs in the game. I want my helpful tips to reach out to the people who [i]don't[/i] know where to go to get them. I want my little graphical updates to be in the game too, and It's not because I want credit, it's because things like this [i]should've been in there to begin with[/i], and the fixes to them are so simple. Why hasn't Valve done it themselves yet? Who knows. Maybe they just don't have time. I've already done them, though, and I just want them to take a look at it and slip it into the game if they approve of it so I can finally stop noticing all these errors when I join an sv_pure server. [b]The mods I've done that I plan to include are:[/b] [b][url=http://www.fpsbanana.com/skins/71675]Fixed HWM VMTs[/url][/b] so Jarate works properly with HWM models enabled. [b][url=http://www.fpsbanana.com/skins/74875]Fixed UberCharge textures[/url][/b] so characters no longer transform into their beta designs with extremely low-res or even broken (Engineer, Scout) textures. [b][url=http://www.fpsbanana.com/guis/20643]Updated weapon bucket icons[/url][/b] so they no longer have old beta designs all over the place. [b][url=http://www.fpsbanana.com/guis/20854]Expanded loading screen/spectator/stats screen tips[/url][/b], bringing over 100 new tips to the game to help educate newer players on some of the more mysterious stuff in TF2, like unlockable weapons and commonly unknown mechanics. (I'll probably remove those Uber icons, since I don't think anybody uses them anyway.) [b][url=http://www.fpsbanana.com/guis/22296]Updated backpack icons[/url][/b] for the original set of hats added in the Sniper Vs. Spy Update to fit more uniformly with the rest of the hats. (This one is obviously low priority, but it's worth a shot.) One other thing I'd like to do is get some help spiffing up the presentations of these submissions. I'm a shitty graphic designer, as can probably be seen by the pictures in each link, so if someone could help me with taking sleek new screenshots and making pretty new renders for the main pictures, that would be excellent. I'll work on cleaning up the descriptions to be far less cluttered. The reason I want this is because Valve employees have stated on multiple occasions that they absolutely love it when people make spiffy graphical presentations of their ideas and work using styles Valve has presented through TF2, whether it be mocked up to look like a class update page or what have you. [b]Conclusion:[/b] I know, wall of text. I'm just trying to make sure I'm thorough with this so I get some help. Valve doesn't want to put anything into the game that the community at large doesn't want in the game, so if I don't get the community to back me up on it from the get-go, Valve won't bother to take a glance. This will, of course, also depend on the Steam Community Forum's response. I'm just hoping FP can help me get off to a good start. Get the thread's blood flowing as soon as I post it. Thanks a lot for any help I get. I know half of FP is cynical and will post comments about how this is pointless, but I'm aware of the other half that also wants stuff like this in the game. Most of the thank yous I get for the mods I've released have come from FPers, so that's why I'm turning to FP. [highlight]And as a last thought that I just had: if anybody else has made an improvement mod like this (not overly custom like a hat), let's see if we can't include other people in on this, too.[/highlight] "Community improvement pack" sounds nice. Just don't expect a big reward from Valve, because I'm not going to ask them for one. [b]EDIT:[/b] Let me make an addendum here before people get confused: If you want your work submitted with mine then you have to remember that [b]I am seeking no reward from Valve, and I am making it a point that they know this.[/b] It would take effort on their part to single out everyone who contributed to the pack and give them stuff, and I'm going on the assumption that they don't want to do that based on their refusal to include a pack of the works in Daimao's Mod Emporium after they learned that multiple people were involved. This is meant to be a [b]no-hassle-to-Valve[/b] collection submitted with the simple request that they look at it and toss whatever they like out of it into the game. This is to help ensure that they at least take a look and consider doing the teensy bit of work it takes to inspect the submissions and toss them into an update. They are no doubt very busy with a lot of other things behind the scenes, so let's try to make this easy for them. [b]ALSO![/b] If you're looking to suggest or submit other people's work, make sure you get their permission for it first and tell them what the goal of this project is. I can't just make a "best of the community" pack and toss it at Valve while going "don't reward me, just look at it" when it turns out the fifty authors who got thrown into the pack want to be paid for their work.

You got my kudos man, getting your work in the game would be smexy. And you deserver it, your mods are the first things I get when I update mah TF2.

I'll support.

I want cool particle effects :c00l:

You deserve a community weapon.

I support that too, you should get that fixed scottish resistance model (forgot who made it :saddowns:) too in if you make it.

I'll fully support this. I'll also [i]try[/i] to do some designs if you'd like.

[QUOTE=LiLBliNg;19924800]I support that too, you should get that fixed scottish resistance model (forgot who made it :saddowns:) too in if you make it.[/QUOTE] And the 4-slot grenade launcher.

[QUOTE=cs_bunny;19925124]And the 4-slot grenade launcher.[/QUOTE] and the flamethrower hose

The thing about the four-shot grenade launcher and the hosed flamethrower is that they're made by someone on FPSB named Kitt, who is very protective of his work. The person who got him to make those models, Ampersand, actually paid him to make them, so no doubt if it came down to submitting them to Valve he would want to do it himself and he would want to be rewarded for it. And on top of that, I already asked to use his work in a compilation pack I've been putting together of community fixes to post on FPSB (some day whenever Lamp finishes his gibs...) and he never responded. So unless you guys can track him down and get his permission to submit them to Valve for free, I don't feel comfortable just including them.

[QUOTE=LiLBliNg;19924800]I support that too, you should get that fixed scottish resistance model (forgot who made it :saddowns:) too in if you make it.[/QUOTE] Someone already made this. And thanks for the jarate fix, didn't even know there was one out there. :cheers:

God damn it, I was literally just about to post this.

There used to be a whole big list of improvements on the Steam Forums... If I ever come across it, I'll post it here. Meanwhile, I'll post what I remember/can find. [b]Actual Fixes:[/b] [url=http://www.fpsbanana.com/skins/82220]Phong and Critical-Weapon-Glow fix for Buff Banner Bugle and Scottish Resistance[/url] (Originals didn't have these) [url=http://www.fpsbanana.com/skins/81732]Jiggleboned Tough-Guy's Torque[/url] (The last one had flaps that never moved) [url=http://www.fpsbanana.com/skins/80630]Jiggleboned Sniper Rifle Wire[/url] (Original has stiff wires) [url=http://www.fpsbanana.com/skins/61893]Four-Barreled Grenade-Launcher[/url] (Origional has six barrels, against the 4 grenade clip) [url=http://www.fpsbanana.com/skins/66904]Ambassador bullet hole fix[/url] (Last one has no bullet hole) That's some I found. Hope it's helpful!

You got my attention. Good work!

[QUOTE=LegndNikko;19925462]There used to be a whole big list of improvements on the Steam Forums... If I ever come across it, I'll post it here. Meanwhile, I'll post what I remember/can find. (BUNCHA LINKS OVER HERE) That's some I found. Hope it's helpful![/QUOTE] Moar pl0x. These fixes are wonderful.

i am terribly sorry for being so late with my gibs i'll try to hurry now

[QUOTE=LegndNikko;19925462]There used to be a whole big list of improvements on the Steam Forums... If I ever come across it, I'll post it here. Meanwhile, I'll post what I remember/can find. [b]Actual Fixes:[/b] [url=http://www.fpsbanana.com/skins/82220]Phong and Critical-Weapon-Glow fix for Buff Banner Bugle and Scottish Resistance[/url] (Originals didn't have these) [url=http://www.fpsbanana.com/skins/81732]Jiggleboned Tough-Guy's Torque[/url] (The last one had flaps that never moved) [url=http://www.fpsbanana.com/skins/80630]Jiggleboned Sniper Rifle Wire[/url] (Original has stiff wires) [url=http://www.fpsbanana.com/skins/61893]Four-Barreled Grenade-Launcher[/url] (Origional has six barrels, against the 4 grenade clip) [url=http://www.fpsbanana.com/skins/66904]Ambassador bullet hole fix[/url] (Last one has no bullet hole) That's some I found. Hope it's helpful![/QUOTE] Valve fixed the bullet hole already themselves, I believe.

oh wow, I had no idea about the jarate problem. I thought it was intended. We also need artek_sc's killicons.

Once upon a time the Demo drank so much one night that he had a stroke, but luckily, the only part of his brain that was damaged was the part that governed how many grenades he should load his Grenade Launcher with. And that's why :downs:

[QUOTE=FEARME!;19925625]Valve fixed the bullet hole already themselves, I believe.[/QUOTE] Checking the VTF, to verify this... Then again, what do I know. I can't skin for shit, so I don't know where the bullet whole would be.

I support this. Maybe Valve can add this to the Community Update together with the custom hats and stuff.

[QUOTE=FEARME!;19925625]Valve fixed the bullet hole already themselves, I believe.[/QUOTE] They didn't, I just checked. [editline]09:18PM[/editline] [QUOTE=Lamp;19925606]i am terribly sorry for being so late with my gibs i'll try to hurry now[/QUOTE] Well don't rush it. I don't know how long those Spy gibs you showed me took, but they sure looked awesome. :buddy:

What "bullet hole"? You mean the hole at the end of the barrel where bullets come out?

[url]http://www.fpsbanana.com/sounds/7989[/url]

I only see one bullet hole of any sort, and that's for the outside, where the bullet is fired from, not goes through from the barrel. When did they update it? I haven't played in a long time, so my GCF may be outdated. Was it before the WAR! Update? I have files from that.

You should improve tf by removing the scout and replacing it with a block of cheese.

Also, the updated backpack icons? that's just downright Obsessive Compulsive

[QUOTE=Cheesedragon;19925812]Also, the updated backpack icons? that's just downright Obsessive Compulsive[/QUOTE] THAT'S THE POlNT.

[quote=xpod1;19925873]that's the polnt.[/quote] numbnuts How come every time something is in all capitals in my post, it goes to all lower-case? Even quotes?! It ruins jokes... It's N-U-M-B-N-U-T-S, not n-u-m-b-n-u-t-s.

[QUOTE=Cheesedragon;19925812]Also, the updated backpack icons? that's just downright Obsessive Compulsive[/QUOTE] I won't really push those so much as the other submissions. I only did them due to requests, though, so it wasn't just me...