Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Custom Skins => Topic started by: Greebo on June 01, 2020, 12:41:40 PM
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Lyric1 has been talking to me regarding the number of old skins in the game which lack the latest AH3 lighting files. Without these files these old skins have a "chrome-like" surface finish which looks awful and is not a good advertisement for the game. So we would both like current group of skinners to be able to update as many of these as possible to the latest AH3 standards.
The skins produced for Aces High can only be submitted by players with an active AH account. When a player with skins in the game closes his AH account then after a period of time (used to be a year IIRC) his skins become available for adoption by current skinners, who can re-skin the same subject and put their own name on it. Skuzzy used to periodically update the list of retired skinners' adoptable skins, but it hasn't been done for a long time now. As a result there are many skins in the game from ex-players that can't be adopted by the current group of skinners.
Hitech has apparently told Lyric1 he will consider requests from current skinners to make an old skin adoptable. I guess it depends on if or how long the player in question has been out of the game as to whether the request is granted.
So to avoid wasting his time with unnecessary requests what I would like to do is establish whether any of the players in the following list still have an active AH account, or whether they have any intention of re-opening their account in the foreseeable future and updating their old skins. Essentially this is every AH skinner who has not submitted a skin in the last year and whose work is not already on the "adoptable skins" list. The year in brackets is when they last submitted a skin.
49MERLIN (2013), cactus (2014), F77 (2013), Fester (2008), Frenchy (2014), ftJR (2017), HornetUK (2014), Jawwzy (2006), Kanttori (2008), KaZaN (2014), Kilroy (2018), Krusty (2015), Larry (2018), Nomde (2008), Oboe (2018), Saxman (2009), T2Maw (2012), TDeacon (2006), Tilt (2009), TrueKill (2008), Waffle (2006), Widewing (2006)
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FTJR is still in the game. He submitted a P-40 last month that was either not accepted/rejected or was not submitted properly.
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TrueKill is Larry, he came back for a short time and was on the CM team but is no longer on it, but I don't know if his account is still active.
I think the main gripe was that the skinners did not want to take full credit for the skin just because they were updating it to remove the shiny aspect...would this allow them to update while still retaining the original player's credit?
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I had a discussion with FTJR a few weeks ago about his P-51 skin too, I must be going senile. Sorry FTJR you are obviously an active skinner and I think we can include Larry in that as well.
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For what I know Kanttori is no longer interested in AH.
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I had a discussion with FTJR a few weeks ago about his P-51 skin too, I must be going senile. Sorry FTJR you are obviously an active skinner and I think we can include Larry in that as well.
You're not going anywhere I've not already been! :banana:
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Anyone who wants to redo one of my skins and wants the original file let me know. I have them in photoshop psd format and the submitted bmp. I should have all the electronic references as well. Some came out of books and I had notes as to that info's location. But you are not getting the books. :aok
At last count I had over a 100 skjns in the game, and even before my latest health issue, I was in no shape to sit at a desk for hours updating them. Even if I could I cannot afford the $ for a game I cannot play anymore.
Note this includes sopwiths, fokkers, Panthers, Fireflies and both 75 and 76mm Shermans.. always need more tanks. Someone wanting to do 17s, I do have the updated size base file rivets and panel lines fairly well along as well.
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Redacted.
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Sorry Greebo.
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Deleted as promised.
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Is any of this necessary, V and Fencer ?
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Is any of this necessary, V?
I'll delete my posts if he deletes his.
(Deleted as promised.)
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Sorry Devil505 quite correct, my appologies.
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This is a good move! I'm glad this is happening, it is badly needed IMO.
In FSO, I typically tell my squaddies to grab anything by Devil or Greebo to avoid an "Iced" plane.
:aok
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It doesn't work when you try too hard. Indeed, it has the opposite effect.
:ahand
I'm really sorry I won. Really.
(No, not really.)
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In FSO, I typically tell my squaddies to grab anything by Devil or Greebo to avoid an "Iced" plane.
I turn off reflections and that helps. :)
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Even with reflections off they have a pretty noticeable shine.
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Even with reflections off they have a pretty noticeable shine.
It's too bad we can have a default P map that is just black. Then you would have no reflections at all. That's better than the SuperShine (tm).
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This is a good move! I'm glad this is happening, it is badly needed IMO.
In FSO, I typically tell my squaddies to grab anything by Devil or Greebo to avoid an "Iced" plane.
:aok
Thanks, but I still have a couple of icy ones left to eliminate.
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Hi Greebo,
I’m a retired skinner and do not have an active account. No plans to come back in the foreseeable future. I have a number of P-38s that probably suffer from the shininess problem.
Let me know how I can help.
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Anyone who wants to redo one of my skins and wants the original file let me know. I have them in photoshop psd format and the submitted bmp. I should have all the electronic references as well. Some came out of books and I had notes as to that info's location. But you are not getting the books. :aok
At last count I had over a 100 skjns in the game, and even before my latest health issue, I was in no shape to sit at a desk for hours updating them. Even if I could I cannot afford the $ for a game I cannot play anymore.
Note this includes sopwiths, fokkers, Panthers, Fireflies and both 75 and 76mm Shermans.. always need more tanks. Someone wanting to do 17s, I do have the updated size base file rivets and panel lines fairly well along as well.
I'd happily take your P-39 and Ta-152 files, if you please.
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Excellent, pm me how you want to do it.
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I had a discussion with FTJR a few weeks ago about his P-51 skin too, I must be going senile. Sorry FTJR you are obviously an active skinner and I think we can include Larry in that as well.
Senile.... isn't that one of the streets in town?
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It's too bad we can have a default P map that is just black. Then you would have no reflections at all. That's better than the SuperShine (tm).
Its actually the lack of a specular map that causes the glazed appearance. Essentially what AH3 does to our skin files is to combine them into two four channel textures. The first contains the red, green and blue data of the diffuse file together with the specular data while the second contains the normal map's X and Y data, as well as the power and environment data.
This problem arose when AH3 came out and HTC converted all the existing skins over to the new format. The later AH2 skins which had bump and specular maps looked OK after this, there was enough data to create the first texture correctly and it just substituted the default skin's existing texture for the second. The glazed appearance happened with the oldest skins that lacked even a specular map. As the converter had no data to create the specular channel for the first texture it just used an overall white value instead giving a fully gloss finish. Correcting this now would mean modifying the converter to use an intermediate grey value if there is no specular data available. However even if this could be done HTC would then need to reconvert the hundreds of old skins in the game and then have every player download them all over again and this is not practical for them to do.
Thank you to Fencer for offering your templates, it is very generous of you. I'll have to decline however as I really like my skins to be all my own work.
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Senile.... isn't that one of the streets in town?
I have found as I get older my brain tends to stop working by late afternoon, so I should really only create complex posts like this in the morning. Apologies again to FTJR for overlooking him.
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I'd happily take your P-39 and Ta-152 files, if you please.
We want the Cheeto!
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Its actually the lack of a specular map that causes the glazed appearance. Essentially what AH3 does to our skin files is to combine them into two four channel textures. The first contains the red, green and blue data of the diffuse file together with the specular data while the second contains the normal map's X and Y data, as well as the power and environment data.
S map. My mistake.
I realize it's a job, but for the sake of the game it might be worth it. A black/dark gray S map would just make everything look flat. That's better than looking like a glazed doughnut.
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The deal I agreed to with Pyro to join the skin team to work on default skins was a lifetime comped account even if I didn’t remain on the skin team. HTC did not honor this agreement and I never made another terrain, skin or kill in Aces High after they cancelled my account years? later.
All the photoshop files of the default skins I made (B17, B25, P39) and player made skins ( p38g, p38j, p51d) we’re uploaded to the server the skinner team used for default skins etc.
Greebo you have my permission to update my default and player made skins with current effects layers but I wouldn’t give that permission to anyone but greebo.
I would prefer my name remain on them if the bmp is still used if possible but whatever. I was already handed my hat and had the compensation I agreed to withdrawn ex post facto per my arch enemy skuzzy who I categorically despise. Good riddance.
But cheers Greebo you always had my respect and admiration as an artist, pilot and tireless contributer and seeing screenshots of your work is the only reason I still visit this forum.
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Guilty.
Every time I started to recreate the B-17 skin, Lil(?) Patches 42-31678, the Terrain Editor dragged me away from it. Sadly, the skin has been out of AH since AH2.
If anyone is interested, go for it. I still have a major TE project taking up my spare time.
My files are available is anyone needs them.
:cheers:
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The deal I agreed to with Pyro to join the skin team to work on default skins was a lifetime comped account even if I didn’t remain on the skin team. HTC did not honor this agreement and I never made another terrain, skin or kill in Aces High after they cancelled my account years? later.
All the photoshop files of the default skins I made (B17, B25, P39) and player made skins ( p38g, p38j, p51d) we’re uploaded to the server the skinner team used for default skins etc.
Greebo you have my permission to update my default and player made skins with current effects layers but I wouldn’t give that permission to anyone but greebo.
I would prefer my name remain on them if the bmp is still used if possible but whatever. I was already handed my hat and had the compensation I agreed to withdrawn ex post facto per my arch enemy skuzzy who I categorically despise. Good riddance.
But cheers Greebo you always had my respect and admiration as an artist, pilot and tireless contributer and seeing screenshots of your work is the only reason I still visit this forum.
Regarding the last bit, apparently not.
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Regarding the last bit, apparently not.
:bolt:
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Greebo you have my permission to update my default and player made skins with current effects layers but I wouldn’t give that permission to anyone but greebo.
I would prefer my name remain on them if the bmp is still used if possible but whatever. I was already handed my hat and had the compensation I agreed to withdrawn ex post facto per my arch enemy skuzzy who I categorically despise. Good riddance.
Well, if your account is inactive, don't really need permission. :rolleyes:
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Custom skin forum... greebo new skin posts... gawk in awe and enjoy the mastery of a great artist.
Inspiration. Admiration.
Arlo I salute your attempt to provide the only contribution you were ever good at... irritation.
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I still have an account last I checked a long time ago. I still have this bbs account too. I spoke my wishes in terms of someone else updating my skins in a quasi last will and testament and the only one I would ever trust to do that is greebo. I elaborated my circumstances of what I view as a grave injustice that ended my participation in this diversion permanently until the restoration of the terms of the agreement I made for said artistic participation which will NEVER happen.
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For for clarification HTC owns all skins . And we have not changed any agreement.
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Arlo I salute your attempt to provide the only contribution you were ever good at... irritation.
Well, I don't tend to stroke myself in public, either. I've enjoyed your contributions. It's just you I don't like. :aok
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Well, I don't tend to stroke myself in public, either. I've enjoyed your contributions. It's just you I don't like. :aok
And I had my agreement rescinded what nearly a decade ago and what I did make you enjoyed to the extent you now mention it to me?
With my abrasive personality and excessive honesty in such matters do you get the sense that I am being completely forthright in what I agreed to and what Pyro in HTCs name offered me for my artistic contributions until said agreement was rescinded years later?
That I am still upset by it when I left this virtual world behind on principle even though I still miss it nearly a decade later and in that time I created kids and a family and became a success in my career and made lots of money in the real world...
And still I look back at Aces High and the decade I spent here. The many many enemies and a few friends and I do miss it once in a while
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Obviously you are indeed upset. I merely observed that your claim that all you use this forum for is to log in and appreciate Greebo's work is not what you are doing, presently. Seek professional help and try to get past this. :D
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Obviously you are indeed upset. I merely observed that your claim that all you use this forum for is to log in and appreciate Greebo's work is not what you are doing, presently. Seek professional help and try to get past this. :D
Cute. Until next time if there is one try not to choke on your own self righteous sanctimonious smugness until then Arlo.
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Buh bye? :)
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Custom skin forum... greebo new skin posts... gawk in awe and enjoy the mastery of a great artist.
We have numerous artists here. Greebo even helped train some of them.
Just sayin’...
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We have numerous artists here. Greebo even helped train some of them.
Just sayin’...
Proficient and decent is not the same as prolific and genius.
The guy made AH what it is visually in terms of aircraft texture mapping. I revel in the details greebo intricately infused into his artwork.
He himself will even extoll the virtues of his fellow skinners here because he’s a nice guy.
I am not nice and I will find fault with almost anything especially artwork and yet I stand in awe of Greebo and always have.
You can be the judge of why that is.
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(https://media.giphy.com/media/l1J9sNmwisd59FmA8/giphy.gif)
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Proficient and decent is not the same as prolific and genius.
The guy made AH what it is visually in terms of aircraft texture mapping. I revel in the details greebo intricately infused into his artwork.
He himself will even extoll the virtues of his fellow skinners here because he’s a nice guy.
I am not nice and I will find fault with almost anything especially artwork and yet I stand in awe of Greebo and always have.
You can be the judge of why that is.
Profligacy tends to come at the expense of genius.
I’d say he has plenty of competition, btw, and that takes nothing away from his skills. After all, I speak as one who has stepped up my game directly due to his (and Devil505’s) help. They’ll be the first to objectively describe to you the intricate detail we all place in our work and not out of charity or being a “nice guy” (tm). Greebo has no monopoly on intricate detail—anyone who doubts that can compare the canopy frames on my P-38s as they’ve evolved to ANY in the game as but one tiny example.
Iron sharpens iron, and we are all made better skinners through cooperation and friendly competition for lack of a better term. My work takes a back seat to nobody (and vice versa where those two men are concerned).
Now, if you and your mini-me are through making a spectacle we would like to unhijack this thread.
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(https://media.giphy.com/media/l1J9sNmwisd59FmA8/giphy.gif)
Oh, imagine that, the troll is back. :D Your butthurt and envy are stale.
Looks like a new name for the ignore list. :banana:
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Profligacy tends to come at the expense of genius.
I’d say he has plenty of competition, btw, and that takes nothing away from his skills. After all, I speak as one who has stepped up my game directly due to his (and Devil505’s) help. They’ll be the first to objectively describe to you the intricate detail we all place in our work and not out of charity or being a “nice guy” (tm). Greebo has no monopoly on intricate detail—anyone who doubts that can compare the canopy frames on my P-38s as they’ve evolved to ANY in the game.
My work takes a back seat to nobody (and vice versa where those two men are concerned).
Now, if you and your mini-me are through making yourselves look like arses we would like to unhijack this thread.
I could objectively tear your work to pieces and describe to you all the subtle detail you do not yet see in your monotone endeavors devoid of rivet deformation, metal fatigue, paint blotching and fading, baked in effects which while less needed with procedural environmental and bump mapping still help sell the skin as authentic but I would be wasting my time because you have to be able to see such intricacies before even attempting to recreate them.
I salute your progress and enjoyment in your artistic endeavors but I do not have any personal interest in your skins which are in the category of proficient and decent.
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I could objectively tear your work to pieces and describe to you all the subtle detail you do not yet see in your monotone endeavors devoid of rivet deformation, metal fatigue, paint blotching and fading, baked in effects which while less needed with procedural environmental and bump mapping still help sell the skin as authentic but I would be wasting my time because you have to be able to see such intricacies before even attempting to recreate them.
I salute your progress and enjoyment in your artistic endeavors but I do not have any personal interest in your skins which are in the category of proficient and decent.
Oh you could, could you?
See, my skins have ALL those items and then some. You people think everything is a nail so you always wield a hammer, usually a sledge Airplanes are actually much more subtle than even I make them. (I have overdone some of them in these areas to appease the “expectations” even if that remains unrealistic. It’s a willing concession. As is anything you inaccurately describe as monotone—that’s by design and is anything but.)
Swing away...........
I’m looking forward to your expert analysis. It will be of great benefit to my continuous improvement efforts. :aok :cheers:
Alas... Proficient and decent beats snarky and bitter any day. In any case you’ve clearly not even seen my work with a ridiculous assesment such as that.
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Dull, monotone and lacking the illusion of photorealism which I enjoy admiring Vr. I have no interest in clubbing baby seals here but don’t puff up with pretentious ego and vanity over your creations and think you are now vet when you are still dweeb.
If it is amazing to me I will call it amazing. If it is not I will not comment unless provoked and antagonized into responding as I have here.
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Dull, monotone and lacking the illusion of photorealism which I enjoy admiring Vr. I have no interest in clubbing baby seals here but don’t puff up with pretentious ego and vanity over your creations and think you are now vet when you are still dweeb.
Again, dull and monotone are the words of a man who has not seen my work. Dweebery indeed.
If it is amazing to me I will call it amazing. If it is not I will not comment unless provoked and antagonized into responding as I have here.
You’ve been antagonistic, without provocation, from the jump. Frankly I find you to be a stuff-stirring waste of bandwidth.
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Again, dull and monotone are the words of a man who has not seen my work. Dweebery indeed.
You’ve been antagonistic, without provocation, from the jump. Frankly I find you to be a stuff-stirring waste of bandwidth.
And that’s sad, btw, because until this thread I actually had some respect for you.
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If you cannot detect the difference in realism in the desert and OD b25c he posted pics of and your most recent p51 and P38 skins then it is clear you have reached the limits of your artistic perception abilities and thus artistic abilities.
But as long as you are happy with the results of your projects good for you. That is all that matters.
As for me I could wonder if you are familiar with my ancient outdated work in this game but I honestly don’t care.
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If you cannot detect the difference in realism in the desert and OD b25c he posted pics of and your most recent p51 and P38 skins then it is clear you have reached the limits of your artistic perception abilities and thus artistic abilities.
But as long as you are happy with the results of your projects good for you. That is all that matters.
As for me I could wonder if you are familiar with my ancient outdated work in this game but I honestly don’t care.
I find as many flaws in some of his work as you do mine (and anything I’ve ever pointed out to him he has at least acknowledged). It’s all about perception.
My most recent P-51 skins are metal. And they’re about as photo realistic as you can hope for short of 2048 resolution. As Greebo himself has stated, you cannot expect detail equivalency from a 1024 P-51D in comparison to a 2048 SBD.
My 1024 OD P-38 is is not intended to look like a 2048 desert B-25 with splotches everywhere. It is designed to look as close to my interpretation of the photo evidence as a cartoon allows given: 1) the resolution limitations of the game—or skin in question i.e. 1024 vs. 2048, etc., 2) the 3D shape’s deformations, and 3) idiosyncrasies with how the engine translates the 2D art. In some cases, like the nose of the P-38 and P-51, the skinner is forced into at least one of a number of bad choices. We do our best.
Yeah, I know your work, which is what has made your commentary in this thread (beyond that directed at me—I’m a big boy, I can handle criticism, legit or not) so disappointing.
As for my being happy with my work, no, I’m never happy. But I have an inbox crammed with messages from players who are, and they’re the ones I’m doing this for.
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I’m a has been never was of an artist and the only work I was ever compensated for with a comped account was rescinded and the promise broken and this thread has stirred up the but hurt I still have about that betrayal.
So I agree. Sad indeed but on the bright side I turned my high powered perception and energy to real life and succeeded brilliantly.
So the virtual tragedy of the Artist and notorious virtual combatant known as Fester had a happy ending in real life.
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I’m a has been never was of an artist and the only work I was ever compensated for with a comped account was rescinded and the promise broken and this thread has stirred up the but hurt I still have about that betrayal.
So I agree. Sad indeed but on the bright side I turned my high powered perception and energy to real life and succeeded brilliantly.
So the virtual tragedy of the Artist and notorious virtual combatant known as Fester had a happy ending in real life.
I think public airing of grievances, particularly in regard to a man not present to defend himself, only diminishes you. In any event it does nothing to advance your cause. :salute
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I think public airing of grievances, particularly in regard to a man not present to defend himself, only diminishes you. In any event it does nothing to advance your cause. :salute
Aren’t you precious. Sweetheart I am dust in the wind just passing through and I literally just said in public the only one I give permission to take my babies (skins) and teach them new tricks is greebo who I have known for almost two decades. I don’t know you and your work is good but not great to my eyes and I looked at it as often as greebos.
That’s what this reply was about before it went off the rails with a stroll down memory lane of the catalyst for quitting this game permanently all those years ago.
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Fester's delusions are a good read. Great thread :aok