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http://dynamic3.gamespy.com/~mercil...ct=ST;f=2;t=573
Hello everyone... here is an interesting topic.. it is not as much as for us but the affiliates therein.
We have been looking at various other development groups to create a "joint alliance" with them and help develope a server side mod after v.4.1.4 comes out.
After contacting many many groups such as Forgotten Hope, BattleGroup42, The Lost Battalion, Real Plane Mod, Weapons of War, Pacific Shores, and the Operation Overlord mods, we have attempted to merge forces to work on what we call PROJECT X.
PROJECT X is an alliance of teams and developers to not redundantly reproduce the same things from 2 different groups but to work in unison to release more content with teamwork. Not only is this more efficient but the sharing of maps, models, skins, sounds between the alliance would only sensibly increase the progressive development of the entire project. Why have 4 individual groups do the exact same thing in competition? Why not have all 4 groups work in unison in "divisions" or "campaigns" and share content between them? For one you will get much more content, much more fans and much more quality alone.
Now the negative aspects here... unfortunately we have seen vast resentment about larger groups joining PROJECT X. Why? Leadership and pride. Merging or joint alliances will double or triple the amount of "development leaders". If you have 2 teams merge, for one thing, who is in charge? The leader of one team? The leader of both teams? Who controls both teams? Every current development group is happy and content with their design group and their leadership currently. This is understandable. Everyone in all parties of PROJECT X must put away your pride and resentment to alliance. Teams should unite and leadership should progress as it is but together.
Right now, as I said, most groups do not want to "lose hold" of their 5 seconds of fame. The have created a name for themselves and want to get their spotlight when they can. Human nature.
What I do not understand that is if GROUP A and GROUP B alliance into something called PROJECT X, both leaders of GROUP A and GROUP B will still control their own groups. Now there does have to be a unified COUNCIL or TEAM of leaders that vote or debate everything for PROJECT X. If your development team is not willing to share leadership and allow debate, this is selfish and a negative attitude to leadership and the skills you discern. Remember... the PROJECT X leaders now can debate all GROUP work and make suggestions, this isn't one sided.
Change is a fearful thing, especially when you are warm and happy and content in your little corner.
We at Merciless 1942 are an "Enigma Rising". We do have alot of multi-job oriented talent here. Not only does a single person on the team do their job but also they have many many other skills. This is our greatest asset to the our past developments. When one team member is away or out of the group actively contributing, we also know how to manage and progress releases not matter the situation. We are not the best seeing as we are only a client side addon but we do strive to release the best possible for the community.
This alone yields the desire for PROJECT X. Where we are not doing alot of content like GROUP A or GROUP B already has, they do not have the content we have produced. Merging alliances of both or more groups will produce a unified release of both content and much much greater quality and promotional power for everyone involved.
We are not seeking to rule the world here... just do the right thing. After many debates and discussions internal to our team, beta testers, and fans, we have finally taken the steps to attempt open the doors for a friendly joint alliance with other groups in the community.
Our decisions to focus on 3 main groups are contributed by the past workmanship with the community, the public relationships with fans and competition/ other groups in the community, quality of work and thorough skills therein.
I personally have chosen 3 main groups as our PROJECT X focal point -
Forgotten Hope, BattleGroup42, The Lost Battalion
Other groups therein are either on board PROJECT X or considered to be secondary additions into PROJECT X. The more we have the better. Now, we have successful acceptance of PROJECT X from -
The Real Plane Mod
Global Conflict Map + Design
Weapons of War
Active 9 Map + Design
We have sent out many emails and posts regarding PROJECT X to the main 3 mod developers. As of right now all of them debate this internally and never get back in reply. They all seem to "want all or nothing". Granted we will joint alliance but we will not just "hand over all of our work" and stop working on stuff from there on. I myself do wish to actively be one of the many leaders over PROJECT X along with the group leaders of the other mods, respectibly. A new structure of team work and team member standing should be designed for PROJECT X.
Here are some examples I suggest...
Leadership Council (Group Leaders of each current mod)
* Lead Artist
** All artists therein under him/her
* Lead Modeller
** All other modellers therein under him/her
* Lead Mapper
** All other mappers therein under him/her
* Lead Sound Designer
** All other sound editors therein under him/her
* Lead Coder / Core Designer
** All other coders / designers therein under him/her
* Lead Beta / Tester Leader
** All other beta testers therein under him/her
* Lead Website / PR Manager
** All other assistant web or public relations therein
Now that was just a sample... if GROUP A and GROUP B alliance... it will take team work and leadership from both. Each will need to communicate and work together.
The entire team must pick a defacto communication standard such as AIM or ICQ, using email alone is not enough to run a large development and not have real time results.
The entire team needs ftp and http access for beta, promotion, website, and releases. This is easily accountible for any group... but merging of such resources can make all of these above much more effiecient and reliable for backup security alone.
This soapbox alone has me personally tired of trying to get other community development groups to "see the light" or realize that a unified project will reach TEN TIMES as many people than both groups can do individually. Point made that Forgotten Hope is a merger of many community designers and look how they have grown. Look at Battlegroup42 and their talent that they keep growing with the acceptance of the mod that adds in their Russian gap to fill.
Anyway, this debate is nearing an end. If any group does not wish to work with us then that is completely up to them and actually hurts them seeing as we provide a hell of a lot of content and team power and talent for the future. We may be small and client side but you all fans know what we have produced and for another development group to consider us "insignificant for a unified joint alliance, it amazes me.
Now to calm the above quote, we have had over 100,000 downloads of Merciless 1942 v.4 to date. This doesn't include the texturepacks or prior releases.
"You are either with us or against us."
