scapino said:
I read RGP (rec.games.pinball) every day (and have for the last 5 years). Peoplae are always linking to pictures of their "shop" jobs, or ebay auctions. I snag every picture I think I can use, even if it is for a table I am not particularly interested in. Never know when I might be. :) I have 1 dvd (3.9 Gigs) full now, and am working on my next 4 gigs.
Mr. Hide occasionally helps with stuff as well. As does everyone else for that matter. All you have to do is ask. If I have any pics you need, ask and I'll send them.
There are a lot of tables I have nothing on though. I had to re-draw the playfield for Eight Ball Champ, Supersonic, and Strikes and Spares, as there were no good pics available. You gotta do what you gotta do.
Kurt
Right kurt. I've amassed 16 gigs of pics by searching all corners of the internet.
You'll find me on RGP as well, just searching for info, interesting topics, and the occasional pic.
It isn't exactly a treasure trove of pics, but if you are willing to be a trooper and sift through all those posts, you can find some stuff.
And I put this all back into the community.
I've never even had to talk about it until recently. As I've worked harder than ever in getting resources to the community and even getting a couple noobs a reason to start building (and I hope they stick with it). I clicked, pic by pic, 10 gigs of pics a couple weeks back.
Now that is a chore! But I knew that even though I wasn't going to be building 98% of the tables, the community would love this stuff. Especially as FP takes off with the tons of cab shots I got as well.
I have uploaded nearly 2 gigs since I downloaded that 10 gigs (now 6 gigs after ditching the crappy pics).
Now, I only mention this because a certain odd couple chooses to call me selfish, arrogant, and wanting to destroy VP, and chasing me out of VP.
And that couldn't be further from the truth. So its sad but now I actually have to say that yeah, I spend as much time helping others and the community behind the scenes as I do on my own projects.
I've never bragged about it, but its true. And I have a lot of people that will come to my defense about that.
But I think, aside from PD and his fanboys, those that know me know what is true.
Anyhow, like some people posting in this thread might do, I could of hoarded tons of great pics all for myself, some for tables I would eventually like to do.
But I was so excited for the community, that I kind of dangerously posted about the pics before I even downloaded them all and told people to contact me if they needed something in the list.
I had to be careful as I didn't want the guy (private site, locked folders) thinking I was going to give his password out or tip off where I got them because his site would of surely crashed. And no more access for me.
Yet, I was excited and I thought other people would be excited as well.
Those that posted in my thread, mostly just insults and accusations that I'm lying. I don't need thanks for doing all of this and for all the time I spent on it, but at least hold back filling the thread full of insults and false accusations (tiltjlp). Anyhow, there is now well over a dozen people that PM'd me for pics, coming up on 2 gigs uploaded.
Most of them didn't say thanks and I know I won't get much credit (if any) for the tables made better by the pics, which is fine as I know the pics will go to good use and that is all I ask, but at least they didn't insult me.
It's pretty bad when at VPF I actually take "no insults" as compliments!
Really, the bad vibes come from just a few bad apples, but you know what they say about just a few bad apples.
They will sit here all day and swear that I'm the one that is "ruining VP". Let em. I've never once said I want to see the VP scene destroyed.
I might of said I wouldn't mind seeing VPF get a fresh start, but don't equate that to me hating the VP community. Again, couldn't be further from the truth.
There is probably only a couple people willing to be selfless and drop their own projects to help others.
I'm one of them. And Kurt certainly is another, as he said, he is always willing to help. He has helped me. Him and a couple other people will help, no strings attached, no politics involved. That is how it should be, and I try to give the same back.
So even though I'm saying I do give a lot back, I have also recieved a lot from certain people. Also, there is a selfish side of sharing and giving.
Me, I like to play tables, I love seeing new authors, I love seeing GOOD things happen to the VP scene (no corporate BS, just good old free passion for pinball like the good old days). And when I share, it benefits all those things. And I even get to play new or better tables because of it!
Unlike some, I realize I can't build every table in the world from scratch, so I do collect pics and info so others can (in a selfish way) do it for me.
Honestly, why would I have 16 gigs of pics and manuals (ect.) if I only cared about myself.
I'd say 95% of the stuff I share, nobody but the person that recieves it finds out about it. But a table gets improved, an author is made happy, users are happy. Nothing but good things.
Only problem with some people in the scene and at VPF is that if they don't see you do something, you must not do it, you must be selfish.
That is a lack of trust and faith in the good things people do. Have faith. I see it all the time. Get immersed in that private world of helping others, rather than gloat about yourself in public (PD).
