I Give Up

[Vraciu]

Well, gang, that's it. 

I give up. 

For my latest Pony skin to be rejected means I will never qualify.   That was my best effort of all.   It's better than 4/5 of the Mustang skins in the game now by far.

http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,385287.msg5123371.html#msg5123371

(Funny thing is I used it to try attracting interest in AH3  from non-players---Facebook, screenshots on my phone, etc.--and got a lot of attaboys for it.  Go figure.)

I am done.   Nothing but subjective, over-criticized, grief lately and I simply can't take it any more.    You can post a skin that looks like a cartoon (I don't direct this at anyone specifically) and if you're one of the favorites you'll be patted on the back for days, but I can post something that's pretty darned nice and I am lucky to get two compliments.

I spend my time around real airplanes every day.  I think I know what they look like.   Garbage trucks they are not. 

It was fun guys but that's it for me.  I'm proud of how HORSE'S ITCH came out and it looks very good. It would have been a worthy addition to the game.   Franky, I'm crushed.   This is the last kick for me. I'm literally in tears.  Stunned, frustrated, disbelieving tears--even though I just KNEW this would happen. 

If there were more slots maybe I wouldn't be so discouraged.   But there aren't once this one gets filled so it will quickly become academic. 

I really really really enjoyed doing these, but hopefully I will spend that time with my family, now. 

Any way, you all get what you want--rid of me.   That writing on the wall has been legible for some time.   Maybe hitech will even pull all my other skins so the cartoonists can fill those slots with more airplanes that look like they came out of a landfill or flew through volcanic ash.

(One of my colleagues just asked me what's wrong.  It obviously shows in my face and in my sighs while writing this.)

See you around.  Keep the ball centered.  Goodbye and good luck.

  

[Zoney]

PM sent.

[oboe]

I'm sorry, Vraciu.  I have been where you are at right now and I know it hurts.   Rejection stings, no other way around it.   With skins unfortunately the rejections often come on the day of a skins release, and that makes it doubly hard.   We put much time and effort into a skin and we put ourselves out there when we display it or submit it for critical analysis.  It's very hard to take when others don't see the skin the same way you do.   But I don't think anyone is trying to get rid of you; I noticed HiTech even offered some advice in another thread, and I've not seen him do that before. 

Take some time and clear your head; let your emotions settle.  Take my advice - don't get rid of your skin files, resources, research, etc.  Save it all somewhere.  Odds are its in your blood and someday you might be glad you didn't get rid of them.

[Arlo]

I actually hoped you'd keep at the 'Horse's Itch.' From the thread, Hitech posted to give you a hint on what would help it make the cut.

[Vraciu]

Sorry guys.  Just a bit hurt right now.   Initial gut reaction.  Perhaps a tad irrational. 

Yes Hitech did offer help and I should probably take time to try his suggestions.   It looks damned good on my end but I suppose it's possible I uploaded the wrong files or something.    Still, this was more than worthy of inclusion.  I could have updated it for next tour with the input. 

Just felt like I got a Darth Vader choke when I saw the rejection notice.   Soul crushing.   I am embarrassed to be hurt over it this much as I've been rejected before. 

Oboe is right about the timing.  Spent a week ignoring my other half to finish this thing with her encouragement.   Now we have to wait a whole new month in the hope it won't get canned again (and that presumes someone doesn't beat me to the punch on the last slot). 

I know they're busy but a quicker review or shorter approval process sure would alleviate anxiety and disappointment on this issue.  I bite my nails and pace the floor like a nervous father over these submissions. 

I get to go fly shortly.   I'll think it over at FL410.   Maybe it will seem better when I land in three hours. 

[Devil 505]

Well, this is unfortunate. I understand the frustration, but I encourage you to continue progressing in the art. Horse's Itch looked to be your best skin yet, and based on what I've seen is worthy of inclusion in our game - and I think that there are many in game that should be scrapped, so that you should tell you something. Maybe there was indeed some flaw in the spec maps that did not show in your screen shots, but that should be simple to fix as the spec maps can be very, very basic.

[Vraciu]

Well, this is unfortunate. I understand the frustration, but I encourage you to continue progressing in the art. Horse's Itch looked to be your best skin yet, and based on what I've seen is worthy of inclusion in our game - and I think that there are many in game that should be scrapped, so that you should tell you something. Maybe there was indeed some flaw in the spec maps that did not show in your screen shots, but that should be simple to fix as the spec maps can be very, very basic.

Well, after sleeping on it I think I have a bit of a handle on why I took this one so hard.  This is the first skin I've made for a pilot who was KIA.   When I read the story of Maj. Hiro's last mission it bothered me for days.   He got killed in a fight that wasn't even supposed to happen.   Had he survived he was going home.   He dove in to help others, downed two, then got taken out an instant before another Mustang pilot took out his attacker. 

It's a sad story.   One of many. 

And I admit I thought about it constantly.   For some reason this just got to me. 

I wanted to pay tribute to a man who deserved it by skinning his airplane.   Had I known it was already in the game previously I might have skipped it, but I didn't.  In any event, I guess this one became slightly personal.   

So any way...   For me to whine about a skin being rejected is a tad shallow considering the man who flew it for real lost his life at the age of 27 without a whimper.   



Maj. Hiro.

[Vraciu]

PM sent.

Thanks for reaching out, Zoney.   

[Arlo]

  Maj. Hiro.

[jimson]

Hey buddy, if you want to keep going, I need default skins to put in the terrains I use for missions, but don't have time to learn this.

They will definitely be used in AVA on Tuesday night's.
PM me if you are interested. I have two requests to start with.

[Skuzzy]

We do not like to reject skins.  We know people put a lot of time into doing this, and we appreciate those efforts, but we have established a bar in Aces High III and we are going to stick to it.  One of the limitations of static shots is they do not show everything there is to see.

It is due to those limitations I will normally avoid making any comment about the skin, until the skinner has a history with us showing he/she gets it.

That said, we are also more than willing to help anyone who has a passion for doing this.  We do the best we can to provide constructive feedback.  It is not as timely as I would like it to be, but we are working toward making that better.  It is difficult to make constructive comments until you see all the files which go into the skin.  At that point, very precise comments can be made.

You (collectively) have no idea how many times I have said, "I wish I could see the files going into that skin." so we could provide more accurate comments as to what could be changed to make it better, if it needs it.

That is the most difficult part of this process.  Having to wait until you see all the files, before you can pass judgement on the skin.  Waiting, after a skinner has proudly shown off his/her work, only to have us reject it is not fun at all, for everyone involved.

Hopefully we all find ways to make this a better experience.  The B29 example skin was step one, for me.  I see things I need to add to it, just from going through this last batch of skins.  Maybe a video?

[Owlblink]

Hopefully we all find ways to make this a better experience.  The B29 example skin was step one, for me.  I see things I need to add to it, just from going through this last batch of skins.  Maybe a video?

Do you mean to suggest a video giving examples and information about common missed or overlooked areas that hold skinners back from getting the green light? If so, I do think that would be helpful. Or, perhaps you mean a video version of the example you have already gave, showing the model at all angles; also helpful if it comes with some detail highlighting to important parts.

P.S. Vrasciu you clearly put your heart and soul into your skinning, I really hope it works out for you soon! They say if one refuses to give in then they have all but reached their goal, it is just a matter of time.

[Vraciu]

Do you mean to suggest a video giving examples and information about common missed or overlooked areas that hold skinners back from getting the green light? If so, I do think that would be helpful. Or, perhaps you mean a video version of the example you have already gave, showing the model at all angles; also helpful if it comes with some detail highlighting to important parts.

P.S. Vrasciu you clearly put your heart and soul into your skinning, I really hope it works out for you soon! They say if one refuses to give in then they have all but reached their goal, it is just a matter of time.

Thanks OB (and the rest of you).  Gonna take a break for a bit, let my eye reset, then come back at it again with the suggestions offered and see if we can get it across the finish line.