History of SDTM part II

[nc]Slngshot]

Compdude said:

Kinda sucks that he ain't here no more. I'm not changing the name, and only Skelito can tell me otherwise. On HIS FORUM. (which you locked)

Skel's not here. Skel's not even in Halo any more. His servers aren't here. And bottom line is, I don't care what you feel about my using the name. Nobody has had an issue for 2 years now...kinda shows your level of activity in Halo too.

You killed off your own SDTM community, in fact, it was in tatters (HD being the only really alive clan) when I came around in cs]. I believe you forfeited any say in the matter the day you locked the Skelito forums and ran everyone off.

You seem to be trying to push me into Ownership of SDTM, it ain't like that, buddy. WE ARE THE SUPPORT SITE for SDTM...in the absence of the Skel forums, we have become the place to get the mod stuff. Maybe not all of it, but what we have collected or made. At this point, you could say we "own" it. But we don't. SDTM is a community mod...no one can claim ownership of it...with the possibility of Skelito, although I doubt he would do that. We can call the mods anything we like as long as we maintain the SDTM spirit.

Where many other SDTM clans have fallen, we are standing...and you come here to tell us we can't be here? I dare you...

Thanks for locking the thread dude I really appreciate it

Firstly, I never locked Skelito's forum...he did and anything I did in the SDTM forums was at his request. No one "ran everyone off", Skelito had to move on in his life, having (finally) recovered fully from a devastating accident in 2005. He decided to close up shop, not me. So don't start that rubbish please. The SDTM forum was locked up on the 12th of January 2008, which means you have been using SDTM as your "updated" mod since before the SDTM community closed up. So you were well aware of Skels wishes and you chose to do otherwise.

And bottom line is, I don't care what you feel about my using the name. Nobody has had an issue for 2 years now...

I was unaware of you using the SDTM9 as the name of your mods.....It only came to my attention recently. As for the length of time that you have been using the SDTM with your mods, well since th eSDTM forum closed . I never left the Halo scene, I meerly stopped using my well known name and spent the year using an alternate name.

I am really shocked at the attitude you display..."I don't care" is what you said, shows me that no matter what, you will never carry out the wishes of the original SDTM creator.

WE ARE THE SUPPORT SITE for SDTM

Not The Support site, but one of many. This site was created around Jun 16, 2008.

SDTM8 is also a support site, having been around longer than this one, it was created Sept 1, 2007.

This was 5 months before the closure of the SDTM forum. It was created to give all former SDTM members a place to stay in touch and keep the SDTM community alive. I am one of the Admins of this forum, and helped set it up so we can continue to support the SDTM family. The link to this forum was posted here for everyone to see and be informed.

As for you saying I am trying to get you to claim ownership, sorry I'm not. All I set out to do is ask you to respect Skelito's wishes. You have acted very immature with this and really shown your true colors....

I'll leave you with a quote from your own writing:

And bottom line is, I don't care........

[seamonkeys]

Bottom line is, you're coming on a site for the first time, to attempt to force a clan to do something that it doesn't have to do.

There is no immaturity, its protecting and preserving his clan. Every single person in the §§ clan will stand behind him with the same "attitude" if this is the way it has to be.

Your definition of how Skel left things and wanted things to be, and Compdude's or the §§ clan's definition could be different, but both be can very well be correct.

Skelito isnt around to handle the matter on his own, so lets not force the issue anymore. Its not fair to the people who are newer and have no clue about the old SDTM except for what was written down or if servers still play the original maps like mine.

[nc]Slngshot]

I'm not trying to force the issue, but when I'm attacked for posting up my opinion, I have the right of reply.


I made a suggestion...the conversation went in the direction that the subsequent replies took it. Since the replies were quite abrasive towards me, I felt the need to back my opinions up with facts....

Next thing I see.....thread locked by Compdude, that is after he laid out his opinion with a challenge to me. Why lock the thread if you are not willing to have me reply to the statement he made.....

*not to mention the repeated editing of his last post to continue his say without any way for me to reply....




ok you talk about my definitio of Skels request:

Okay, here is the problem I'm having with modding the mods. People come here and download the maps. They go into a SDT server and things get screwed up because of portals and other changes.

The name Snipers Dream Team is suppose to represent the mods that are in the download section of this forum. Server Hosts like Bestyanks and Bordr knew this. They did make custom gametypes to their liking, which was AWESOME! It gave players different options on the same mod.

Hey, by all means mod away! Just indicate in your server name that your maps are different then what players have downloaded here.

Modded SDT Mods {yourname} would be a good example. Then come here and advertise and even put the mod up for download.

Note the Orange highlighted words....How clear does he make it??


Hey, by all means mod away! Just indicate in your server name that your maps are different then what players have downloaded here.

Modded SDT Mods {yourname} would be a good example.

Direct translation......

If you mod my mods: Indicate (or show) they are different...

He then gave an example of how it could be done, while still representing the SDTM.

[§§}Compdude]

You're right, I won't carry out the wishes of the guy who started SDTM. We have kept SDTM alive...you have done...what? Nothing. Dead forum, no servers, and now all of a sudden you want to rule the world again. Do the work...all I've heard out of you is words- and all I've seen you do is hide, run, and act like the school bully.

However much you might think you are, you are NOT the SDTM police.

And I'm not quite understanding how you construe "Snipers Dream Team Mod8" to be the same as "Snipers Dream Team Mod9" or "Snipers Dream Team BBT" or "Snipers Dream Team ModA"

Now if you OWNED or COPYRIGHTED the name, I could see it being an issue...but that isn't the case. Not to mention, any attempt to copyright it would be promply shelved by Skel anyway. What you're trying to do would be as laughable as Microsoft telling people they couldn't use "Halo" in their server names...

[nc]Slngshot]

Dead forum: No

SDTM8

There is also the nc] Clan forum, but that address is for nc] members only (Probably can Google it though).


No Servers: Yes there are. Try looking in The Halo lobby, there is over 12 servers running sdtm mods.

There are 6 nc]servers currently running the original SDTM8 mods. (and yes they are dedicated servers, often running two or 3 at a time, depending on who has available bandwidth). Run by the following nc] members: Vortex, Gasman, Casper, Zulu, Samuel and LadyV are running these servers.....

Rule the world: Nope

Just want the SDTM to be kept pure and just as it was when it was created. Nothing more.


It is you that is making things worse. I had no recourse but to fight back after you started getting argumentative. As for:

owever much you might think you are, you are NOT the SDTM police.

I'm not the SDTM police, but considering I was one of the very people who helped develop and fine tune the mods that you are now modding, I feel that It is my Duty to put in my opinion.


With regards to this comment:

We have kept SDTM alive

You were not solely responsible for keeping the mod alive.....
The SDTM has stayed alive through the people who love it, continuing to use it. The SDTM is more prevalent than you think.

..and this comment:

You're right, I won't carry out the wishes of the guy who started SDTM.

There is the conclusion to my argument....you know what you are doing is not right, yet you do not care and will not do what is right....

You my friend just cooked your own goose!

[§§}Compdude]

And you just got banned.

PS: It's kinda difficult for players to play the SDTM mod when there are no servers left for them...or the standard ones bore them to death.

[seamonkeys]

I'm not the SDTM police, but considering I was one of the very people who helped develop and fine tune the mods that you are now modding, I feel that It is my Duty to put in my opinion.

Your side of this is exactly that, an opinion, which is just like an a**hole, everyone has one. But your "opinion", you were attempting to force it down our throats.

Another quote from the SDTM8 site contradicts your position on these changes of mods

These other servers are only milking the SDTM name for popularity.

Vortex's server nc] (I think this is what he uses )
Casper's server nc]1
Sam's server nc]2
Zulu's server nc]3
and
Gasman's server nc]4


Gasman occasionally runs his own mods, which are slightly modified versions of the SDTM, but the fundamentals are exactly the same.

Our servers are of the same type as Gasman's server, same fundamentals with slight changes. Talk about a HYPOCRITE!

[§§}Compdude]

[seamonkeys]

blank

[[HÐ]UnKnown]

I just feel I need to make some kind of comment/opinion in this matter even though I have dropped out of the SDTM for quite some time now.

I can understand both sides of this "argument" which of course, In the past year or so SDTM has been filled with...Arguments * DRAMA

I can understand wanting to keep SDTM original as possible. In my opinion, SDTM should ONLY consist of the ORIGINAL mod created by the ORIGINAL modder. In my opinion, I do NOT consider these new mods with all of the extra portals/modified weapons (If any, I don't play that much) to be an SDTM.

Back when I re-introduced HÐ to Halo and into SDTM, things were pretty good. Original mod and MINIMAL drama. Many can vouch of how much an impact we were to the SDTM community and keeping it just how it was. It wasn't too long before I realized the direction SDTM was going. ... (Another story..in which everyone..Who was apart of SDTM back then..knows..and I don't mean you new people..Don't need your comments)

I really can't say much as I have been away from SDTM for quite some time and into other gaming profiles...

However, I still notice the drama and bullshit (excuse the language) that continues to run throughout the SDTM Community.

Honestly, I support Sling and his initiative to keep SDTM as orignal as possible. I barely know the dood but, I can see where he is coming from.

However, I can understand clans trying to expand SDTM to make it better..but, Why make it better..when it is the best it can be? Modifying the original Mod..is just...well, It doesn't make it original. No one has the right to modify it in a way in which it appears as if the original creator has made changes to it.

The best thing to do it is to make it known (Like Sling has mentioned) that it is a MODIFIED version of the original SDTM.

Seriously, How can you not understand where the original players are coming from? Something they cherished and took part in for so long being changed to suit other clans/peoples needs?

The majority of the SDTM servers have been changed so much. Alot of them making unfair advantages for players.

Take Counter Strike: Source for example. ALOT of mappers use original maps created by Valve and modify them..and don't give original credits. It's basically the same thing. You cannot take the original SDTM..Change portals/weapon effects and claim it to be a new version of SDTM when the most recent version was SDTM8.

There is NO SDTM9 & there will be NO SDTM9 UNLESS the original creator..Creates it.

Yes, SDTM installers and the maps were made for general public use however, It wasn't intended to modify as they are today.

I probably didn't make any sense here whatsoever..and didn't make an type of impact. Can't blame it..I don't play Halo that much anymore nor do I participate in these new "SDTM Communities".

I'm an original player and I keep it that way but, I DO want to get to my point:

DRAMA

This is one reason why the SDTM Community will NEVER go anywhere. Nobody can tell me it has/will either. There is toooo much bullshit around here (Not SS, The ENTIRE community)
SDTM is based upon competition, Idiots and much more. There is no basic principles and standards for this community (SDTM Community not SS)
There is NO organization. All I have seen (due to previous experiences & apparently current-day) is nothing but drama and the most cocky-es people I have ever dealt with in the gaming "industry"

The SDTM clan should be working TOGETHER and not AGAINST each other. The SDTM Community should come together to make it a better place to game and have fun, Not to do the exact opposite.

Bitch, Bitch,. Bitch, Fight, Fight, Fight...DRAMA....That's all anybody does in the SDTM Community anymore. Whether you're aware of this or not, SDTM is DEAD. If you do not agree...Explain why it isn't? Just because they're clans still active within it..doesn't mean a damn thing. Think closely about what keeps a community alive and well respected.

I respect the ORIGINAL SDTM. I back up the initiave that Sling is suggesting.
I do understand the part about coming to the SS site and telling Compdude to change his servers names etc.. I myself would have reacted in the same way. However, You do need to respect the original SDTM and keep it just as it was.

Once HÐ gets it's server's back up, We will feature the ORIGINAL, LEGIT, Version (SDTM8) with the ORIGINAL MODIFCATIONS.

Again, There is NO version of SDTM past SDTM8 nor will there ever be unless Skel creates it himself.

I know I haven't said much to help this much less made any sense but, I hope I made some kind of point here..Mostly the part about the DRAMA. Stop being slutty bitches and do something to make SDTM BETTER. One of the reasons I left SDTM. Too much BS and little kids running around claiming to actually be something within SDTM. You're not. Remember this.

Not all of this post is directed to SS, It's meant for EVERYBODY to read and aimed towards EVERYBODY.

HÐ kept SDTM going when we came in. Things WERE quite dead..There is no denying this. I plan on doing this again.

If nobody else wants to read this and think carefully about it, Fine. I myself and my clan will bring SDTM to where it SHOULD BE and HOW it should be. Fun, Organized, drama FREE community.

I'm not saying change the way your clans run but, Do something to make SDTM better...If not, I will take matters into my own hands.
Not being cocky, Just being real. I think SDTM deserves much better than this.

I like SS (Some of you..lol) Compdude, you're cool with me ..Saleen..me and you got some deals going on..bout them toes? ...I don't really know/care about anybody else..Lol.

SS should last for a long time however, I hope you understand what I am trying to say here. If not, Send me a PM on Xfire..and I can explain myself better.

To end this:

I support Sling. My clan supports Sling.
I am NOT however, against SS in anyway. From what I can tell you're an organized clan but you do lack the initiative to make SDTM a better place. Modifying the original SDTM isn't the way to do it and just ruins the fun of the idea.

Like I said, Message me on Xfire and I'll be glad to explain into more detail of WHAT I am meaning here.

This post was in no way directed to one person or clan instead, It was directed to EVERYBODY. STFU WITH THE DRAMA.

Respect the original SDTM & keep it original. Respect the original creators wishes. By the time HÐ comes back into SDTM, I expect to see alot of changes in the best interest for SDTM. If not, We will make that happen.
Like I said earlier, I do not consider these new mods SDTM. I think you know why..

P.S Hi SS

[§§}Associus]

I will be posting my own follow up to this later. In the meantime, I respectfully suggest that everyone take a step back to neutral corners and consider how you are phrasing things here, especially those of you posting here that are not regularly contributing members of this forum. In many cases, word choices used are unnecessarily inflammatory, when alternate words would get the point across without flicking the ARM button on the flame thrower.

Fair warning to all. Any future posts here that I deem to be contributing to a flame war will be dealt with according to the rules of our forum. Translation: From this point forwards, if anyone continues this budding flame war with poor choice of words, I issue warning bars, ban from the forum, etc. as needed to bring the debate / discussion back down to a more polite and responsible level.

[§§}Associus]

I'm exercising my staff member option for intentional double posting here to separate and highlight both of my posts since no one posted since my last one.

---

Jul 27, 2009 20:37:13 GMT -8 nc]Slngshot said:

I'm not trying to force the issue, but when I'm attacked for posting up my opinion, I have the right of reply.

I would beg to differ, it may not be your intent, but the way you have approached this by expecting an instant capitulation to your "request" gives all the appearances of trying to force the issue.

Jul 27, 2009 20:37:13 GMT -8 nc]Slngshot said:

I made a suggestion...the conversation went in the direction that the subsequent replies took it. Since the replies were quite abrasive towards me, I felt the need to back my opinions up with facts....

Next thing I see.....thread locked by Compdude, that is after he laid out his opinion with a challenge to me. Why lock the thread if you are not willing to have me reply to the statement he made.....

*not to mention the repeated editing of his last post to continue his say without any way for me to reply....

You have backed up your opinion with quotes, which is something that I appreciate. Quotes (the actual presence of the words, not necessarily their meaning), if directly quoted, are facts in and of themselves, but the intent an author's original words is open to debate. If the original author is not around to engage in the debate to provide clarity, then the people debating the author's intent do not carry the original wordsmith's authority in the matter.

Jul 27, 2009 20:37:13 GMT -8 nc]Slngshot said:

...

Direct translation......

If you mod my mods: Indicate (or show) they are different...

He then gave an example of how it could be done, while still representing the SDTM.

From the Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary: Translation 1: an act, process, or instance of translating: as a: a rendering from one language into another ; also : the product of such a rendering b: a change to a different substance, form, or appearance :

In the case of your quotations, definition 1b is most appropriate, " a change to a different substance, form, or appearance".

Anytime someone translates something from one language to another or from one set of words to another, the meaning can be subtly or drastically changed. Also there is always the danger that, with the change in words, the bias (unintentional or intentional) of the translator can inadvertantly slip into the translation. Also no one, other than the original wordsmith, can speak to the author's intent with the same authority or credibility as the the author can. This applies no matter how close that person may be or have been to / with the author.

I never knew Skelito, but, from what I have read in your quotations, I believe that yes he was ok with people modding his mods and that he wanted them to indicate that they were different via the naming convention that they used. As I have said previously I think the beginning of the schism here is due to fundamental differences in the semantics of how each of us perceives his intent of how to indicate that the mods are different.

From Skelito per your quote.

sling said:

...Hey, by all means mod away! Just indicate in your server name that your maps are different then what players have downloaded here.

Modded SDT Mods {yourname} would be a good example. ...

"Modded SDT Mods {yourname] would be a good example."

I refer you back to your own translation of your quote from Skelito.

sling said:

If you mod my mods: Indicate (or show) they are different...

He then gave an example of how it could be done, while still representing the SDTM.

"He then gave an example of how it could be done..."

It comes through in his original words and in your translation that it is one example, indicating that there may[/u] be other other acceptable possibilities than the one presented. Without Skelito here to clarify, beyond his original example, whether we are close to or far away from his intent, your assertions that we are wrong, in how we have chosen to indicate that our mods to his mods are different, are simply your opinion just as our assertions are our opinion. Continuing to charge forwards with what appears to be an attitude of "My interpretation of Skelito's intent is the only right interpretation." is, in my opinion, a recipe for a flame war.

I personally was not totally averse to renaming our servers in some fashion. Some of our staff have been discussing that very thing for different reasons. However, ultimately we will choose how we opt to name our servers and our mods to the original SDTM mod. Hopefully we will ultimately come up with a way of doing so that pleases most people. Unfortunately, the reality of life is that one sure way to fail is to try to please everybody. I won't try to do that, but I will support trying to achieve our goals by taking a path that appears to us to be morally right. To date, I feel that we have done that by how we have chosen to name our version of the mods. Obviously there is disagreement about that decision.

Since I first started drafting this post, I found out that you nc]slngshot were banned from our forum so you may not be able to respond to this, but since I had taken the time to put down some of my thoughts on the matter, I felt it appropriate to post them anyway.

I always welcome reasonable, responsible, respectful, thoughtful discourse and debate. On the other hand, I do not well tolerate agressive and inflammatory language. So I expect any future posts from anyone on this matter to be phrased in light of that.

Sincerely,

[nc]Slngshot]

Foreword: This post is a little long, but I ask everyone to read it all.....


Thank you for unbanning me Associus, I appreciate being given the opportunity to come back and perhaps clarify more carefully my intentions.. I do apologize for being so blunt, but the SDTM is part of me in a way that I'll explain a little further into this message.

I also thank those who posted in support of me, I know that you understand where I am coming from, and how much the SDTM means to people.


Firstly I better introduce myself,

I am nc]Slngshot and I am Co-Leader and Co- Founder of the nc] Brotherhood. We were formerly known as the nc] Nighthawks. The nc] was the first SDTM based clan in the Halo world. We formed while Skelito and the original SDTM crew were testing and fine tuning the very first version of the SDTM mod (which I still have here someplace on a shiny cd). The history of the SDTM was posted by me in the other thread where this debate began.

My connection to the SDTM mod is more of a personal nature, rather than just an awesome game enhancement. I became friends with Skelito at the time where he first opened his server to test his 1st attempt at the mod. After about 3 months of constant testing and altering, the small group of us had shaped the SDTM mod into what it is known as today.

I also became Skelito's 2nd in command, governing his server and the forum he ran as the support forum to advertise and deliver his mods to the world. I had developed a decent friendship with Skelito, and we became trusted friends (actually was in touch with him yesterday!!). It became part of my daily life routines to work on the SDTM forum and server, taking up to 9 hours of my personal time each day, for the entire time Skel's forum and server was running. I was doing all this without anyone knowing that I was doing this. It was revealed to the public that I was 2nd in charge and had the responsibilities of SDTM Forum and server guardian. It was only revealed after I slipped up while dealing with a certain somebody that will not be named.

Within seconds I was subjected to all kinds of threats, accusations of power misuse and more. I am not in this for the fame nor am I in it for the power. I was chosen by Skelito to look after things, purely because of my honest desire to keep the server clean and friendly, and keep the forum working in the way that it was intended.

Because of the hours I had to put in on a daily basis, the SDTM with all its good and bad, became a large part of my life. My family fully supported what I was doing, because they realized the significance of what I was doing. During the time that the SDTM ran under Skelito's banner, I saw hundreds of young kids starting off as smart mouthed, disrespectful individuals become people that care about others, have a bigger respect for their parents even begin to pick up better marks in school because of the support the SDTM members were providing.

Check out this thread: skelito.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=Anounce&action=display&thread=2

This will give you all an indication of what the SDTM meant to people. Oh do you realize that Skels forum once breached 1000 members. On many occasions we pruned out the banned or unused accounts. If these all remained to this day, there would be a little over 2000 members...


Now the next thing I need to address is the SDTM mod and the way people deal with it.

Compdude admitted to not caring what Skelito wanted to happen with the names people used when modding his mod.
He also said he just doesn't care...period. This made me so mad, that I had to say something. He does not care about the SDTM because it means nothing to him. Yes he had an account on Skelito's forum which by my recollection was opened in November 2006. But he never contributed to the forum, making only a few posts and disappearing until recently.

It is clear to me that the SDTM means nothing to Compdude, and he really does not care that he is wrongfully using the SDTM mod name.

All I'm asking is that you stop using SDTM9 as your mod name, because there was never an SDTM9 mod made. It is only a small thing, but to the SDTM community, it means a whole lot. I'm all to happy to try to help you with a suitable replacement name for your mod, that reflects its SDTM base, while reflecting its new direction.


I am not trying to own the SDTM mod and all it's fame, I am simply doing my job in educating the newer SDTM players about the history of the mod and what the mod means to a large group of people.


With regards to a comment made about this forum being THE support forum, I still say that is is one of several support forums. If any forum had claim to that title it would be the SDTM8 forum, run by the original SDTM crew that had helped develop the mod in the first place. The SDTM8 forum was created 5 months before the official closing of the original SDTM forum. Note the name of the forum....SDTM8, this a dedication to the final version of the STDM mod..mod8. Because there are many forums dedicated to supporting the SDTM mod, no forums can really claim the title of being THE support forum, not even the SDTM8 forum

As for Compdude saying that this clan kept the SDTM alive:

Jul 27, 2009 20:37:25 GMT -8 §§}Compdude said:

You're right, I won't carry out the wishes of the guy who started SDTM. We have kept SDTM alive...

He has to be made aware that there are lots of clans out there still running the mods, and they never stopped. Just because there were very few servers running with the mod advertised, does not mean the mod was not used. With the ending of the original SDTM community, many clans simply renamed their servers to reflect their clan name, rather than the mod name. This was because the SDTM community had suddenly ceased to exist, and they simply turned back to using clan names, while still using the mods they loved so much.

Many say that I disappeared for a year and "suddenly" appeared recently. Well I have to say, I never left the game not for a day. I still played in SDTM servers, and with other groups, but I used another name. After 3 3/4 years of spending all my available time doing SDTM stuff, and being harassed every minute, I wanted to play the game without this annoyance. For 12 months I remained a regular player in the servers, seeking out as many SDTM based servers as I could find...and there were a lot that I found, believe me.

I only started using my real name once again, when there was a call for the nc] to be reunited once again. I have been back as Slngshot for around a year now, and I tell you, I nearly stopped playing again due to the abuse I received while appearing as Slngshot.....


Forgive me for being passionate about the SDTM mods and the SDTM community, but for me the SDTM is in a huge way part of my life, and is responsible for actually turning my real life around.

Before the SDTM I was a very angry, twisted and bitter person who was very negative on life and unwilling to trust anyone at all. Through meeting Skelito and my good mate nc]Vortex, and later my nc] mates, and the SDTM community that I was part of, I became a different person. I developed a huge level of self control, my anger issues are non existent now, and I trust a whole lot of people again.

I am not the only person that the SDTM community has helped, there are hundreds of people who owe the SDTM a debt of thanks.

I know of 3 marriages that were saved because of the support and advise of certain SDTM members, and I know of at least 40 people who transformed from a-holes into really decent people with a great outlook on life.



Ok here is the part where I get on my knees and ask one more time....Will you please follow Skelito's original wishes and change the name of your mods Compdude.

The SDTM is more than just a mod, it is a way of life. Just ask any of the SDTM community that were around from day 1 until now.

[§§}Associus]

I have not had time to read your most recent post in full Slngshot as I got home late this evening and need to get to bed for work. However, I will respond to the very first part of your post.

Since I had received your communication, I had not had a chance to discuss your ban with Compdude. He is the one that unbanned you of his own accord so he is the one you need to thank for that.

[nc]Slngshot]

I stand corrected, I thank Compdude for unbanning me.

[§§}Compdude]

Jul 28, 2009 18:36:50 GMT -8 nc]Slngshot said:

I stand corrected, I thank Compdude for unbanning me.

You're welcome. It was a little hasty, but I needed a space to sit back and think.

Much of what you have said has merit, but I'm not the kind of person you can just walk up to and say something and expect it to happen with. Yes I bowed up when you basically demanded that I change the name. But yes, we are considering a new naming schema that will be different from the current one (and more friendly to Skel's naming suggestions).

I do respect old names in the community...I don't respect them believing they have seniority because of it.

PS: I should mention we aren't really a newbie clan per se...we were cs] first before we jumped off that sinking ship.

[nc]Slngshot]

Compdude, I should have introduced myself more clearly in the beginning.

Being one of the very first to be involved in the SDTM mods, I feel it is my duty to remain around the Halo community, trying to make sure that the Wishes of Skelito are carried out. No he is not here as such, but he is still very much remembered for what he has done.

Because of what I have done, and the time I have dedicated in my life to stand beside Skelito and make the SDTM community what it was, I can't sit back and let people who don't really know much about the origins of the mod, simply erode its memory by slowly changing what it is.


You mentioned in an earlier post that I killed off the SDTM community, and I really would like you to elaborate more about your thoughts here. I am interested in where you got this information and why you feel that I was responsible.


But to rebut your comment, I have to say no. No I didn't kill off the SDTM community, all I did is carry out Skelito's orders in taking my part in shutting down the SDTM forum. He himself threw the final switch, I only cleared out old waste, and useless rubbish. Nothing I did was done without 100% support from Skelito. Every action I made was documented in the hidden staff room, and pre-approved by Skelito himself. While it was running I spent around 56 hours a week, maintaining Skelito's forum behind the scenes and later in full view. This includes time spent in the server playing and governing as my job description stated.


The nc] clan closed down for a year, because the leadership group needed a well earned break, and a chance to regain their love for the mod and the game.

There are a lot of people in this current SDTM community that do not know who Skelito was, and who created the SDTM8 mod they love. I read through the thread titled "What is the Snipers Dream Team mod", saw the variety of answers, and the general confusion about the whole thing. Church and Whø (a person I think I know the real identity), were around in the beginning and had a lot of input in the testing phase of the original mod (If I'm remembering correctly).

This is why I posted up the history of the SDTM mods...I only hope that people see what the mods mean to people and grow to love them as a lot of us already do.

[§§}Compdude]

I've got a request pending to Skel on his thoughts on the matter. If he says he doesn't want it (in the present) we will change the names.

The real erosion of the memory was started when the skel forums were closed and the server taken offline. The existing clans were left to fend for themselves, but they lost the anchor by which they gained new visitors and by which people could find their forums. You can google SDTM all you want when you're looking for where a clan is, but all you ever get is the Skel site...which no one wants to view because it has no pertinent info for what they want. Orders or not, you killed off the one real resource to SDTM community (and history) simply by moving it out of the spotlight. Your new forums got little to no traffic in the matter, as the whole support for SDTM had fallen to the clans. One clan dropped out of the picture after another. Eventually, the whole livelyhood of SDTM was split between HD and SS (with GI and RG getting an occasional server up). Then HD had it's breakup, for reasons not related to SDTM. SS was the only truly alive clan with a website left, besides the Xfire SDTM community that xs] was kind enough to manage. So basically, we were left as the only active support for the Skelito mods, we hosted them, we advertised them, and we kept them alive.


You are correct that many people do not know who made the mod, but when they ask, I tell. At no time have I ever told anyone that I made the SDTM. However, I do appreciate your writing up an SDTM history. I don't know how many people will actually be interested in it, but it's there at least, hence my not deleting the other thread.

However, I would point out that not many people play straight SDTM8 any more. Some do for old times sake, but people always want NEW stuff. Halo itself is declining, in part because people get tired of the same stuff over and over. Gotta mix it up a little. It oscillates though- eventually people do want the original stuff again...hence I run a smattering of both old and new.

[nc]Slngshot]

I tried being polite and sincere Compdude, however your reply is acidic and accusitory.

Why do you lay the sole reason for the collapse of the SDTM on me?

Oh I know...I was the person that took the wrap for a lot of rubbish in the past because of my position in the pecking order, and seems still taking the blame for everything now. Fine blame me, but those who know me and those who know Skelito know the truth.

On the accusation:

Orders or not, you killed off the one real resource to SDTM community (and history) simply by moving it out of the spotlight.

Here, let Skelito explain it in his words:

After all these years, the server finally died. For the past year, it has been getting harder and harder to start the computer. The power went out last week and so did the server's motherboard.

Sad to say, but I will not be replacing it. System was stripped down and turned over to the recyclers. It has been a good run and all things must come to an end.

Now for the forum! Alot of you know that I haven't really been active in all this for about a year. Things change, people move on to other things. (alot have) As of Nov. 4th 2007, my account for the web host is up. I will not be renewing it.

Soooooo! Just leave the forum up...huh!! Well, there is a small problem with that. All the supporting files for the forum are on that host. When they wipe my account clean, a big chunk of the forum is useless. Best if we just let it go.

BUT! Help yourself to any files here and spread them around to anywhere you know!!

There are so many to thank for all this that I'm just going to say.....

"Thanks guys for all your help, you are and always will be the best"!

It truly has all been worth it, and in my wildest dreams, never thought it would go this far.

To all.....Thanks and happy gaming!


Skelito

Quote taken from here


See I didn't kill off anything........There is the proof.

Please stop accusing me of things.


You also said this:

So basically, we were left as the only active support for the Skelito mods, we hosted them, we advertised them, and we kept them alive.

If people wanted to get hold of the mods, all they needed to do is go to the old SDTM forum, readily found in Google, and look up a member there and click on any of the contact links in the mini profiles next to any post in the forum. This is why the forum was left as read only, just so the SDTM contacts could be maintained if people were willing to make an effort. There were and still are places to find the mods, you just need to dig a little sometimes.

There were and still are a lot of members contactable, and would be only too happy to help people attain the SDTM mods. If anyone had of bothered emailing me, I would have hosted the full mod download myself and handed them out, but no one thought to ask.


I am trying to keep this all friendly and professional, but it seems that you (Compdude) don't really want to be civil about all this. I do not understand why such hostility is warranted, let alone used.

If you feel so strongly about keeping these mods alive, why are you being so arrogant and defamatory?


It seems to me that there is more than just these mods eating at you. I sense (well it is not that hard) that you are taking this opportunity to unload a year or two of pent up frustration onto me about the demise of a forum and community that you were only just becoming a part of. I am sorry for your loss, but please stop accusing me of these things.....like you I was devastated when Skelito called it a day, but the fact remains, that to truly keep the SDTM community alive, the mods need to be kept original and unchanged from the SDTM8 mod. Any altered versions of this mod, do need to be identifiable as a modified version. The SDTM9 name is too close to the original name and can (to a newer SDTM player) be misidentified as an original Skelito mod.

I thank you however, for your earlier comment:

But yes, we are considering a new naming schema that will be different from the current one (and more friendly to Skel's naming suggestions).

This is the first step in cleaning up this horrible situation.....

[§§}Church]

I would like to point out, that based on previous statements that newer players dont even necessarily know who Skelito was to begin with, so they wouldnt know that SDTM8 was created by him, and SDTM9 was added to by others. It still contains the name SDTM, so the player, if they want to look it up, can still search for SDTM, and find the information they seek.