Hello everyone!
Today I want to start the article explaining the current situation to users.
We never wanted to sell this project for a money, it is and will be free. But each product requires minimal investment in it. The first part of the modification cost us ~ $150. I am grateful to those four users who helped us financially (their names were added to the credits), but unfortunately this was not enough and we cannot continue to bear all the costs, therefore:
We are announcing a fundraising company for Azure Sheep: Part Two – we even created our Patreon page.
At the moment, our goal is to raise the amount of $200. We'll be silent till the end of this year now. After that, we will make a final statement.
If you think that this project deserves to be continued and developed, please support it, all finances will be spent on its creation.
Also, we're still working on the Part One. We are aware of the complete Xen Beta release, and we'll be fixing anything that this update broke. Also we're expanding the mod, adding some of the cut locations.
P.S. Many users asked us if there would be a second part and we gave one answer to everyone: It all depends on you.
Links
You can join and chat with us on Discord and support us on Patreon where we post some exclusive content!
Your support really matters to us.
Donated a little something. Hope it gets made!
When I can, I will.
Thanks for the support.
I will give a report after the winter holidays.
Isn't this arguably illegal? And not to mention kinda anti-modding? You guys are running on a commercial product, reimagining another mod team's idea, using Valve's IP, distributing content made by my team, Valve, and other creators that aren't your team. I know running a project can be expensive, PSR costs me over $500 a year at this point. But that's the bullet we bite as modders, putting our own time to give back to the community our labor of love. I feel like saying "we're not going to finish our mod unless you give us money" is the least modding community-friendly thing I've seen in a while and is probably literally violating the rights of numerous creators that aren't your team.
This. I'm not gonna dive much into how the mod is untruthful to the original (cutting out so much essense because "not canon"), but... it's also kinda the point, riding off other people's original idea, yet not caring to fully preserve it, and then saying oh we can't really do it because "unbearable costs".
Truth is, ANYTHING can be fueled by pure enthusiasm alone if you wish to persist at it and if you care enough. I've been working on a big mod for *a decade* now and I'm not even trying to estimate the costs... because there are no costs. I was willing to spend time, energy (including literal, electrical, energy), because I cared. And if I had to upgrade my PC, that served me in more ways than just modding.
And what is 200 bucks even for?.. I can only imagine paid voice actors, and... no, that about it. Is 200 enough to pay for someone's living so they can quit their job, concentrate on a mod? Let alone for a team? Or is it only a "first portion"?
Are we looking for profit? Do we say that: we will release the mod only after receiving a certain amount of money?
No.
The mod is being developed and will continue to develop in the same way as in the first part.
I repeat, such projects require minimal costs, and this problem cannot be solved, regardless of how many thousands of hours I spend on the hammer editor. I can not do some things.
Personally, I invested my money in the project. I am ready to do this for part 2. I am ready to work, a year, two, as long as it takes. But why can not we ask for help at a time when we do need it?
200 dollars, is that such a big amount of money? This is even funny.
I was sad to read this.
You state that "product requires investment", "we cannot continue to bear all the costs" and "users asked us if there would be a second part and we gave one answer to everyone: It all depends on you." I'd say yes, you have strongly implied that "no money - no part 2"
What are these costs anyway?
These phrases can be understood in different ways. We represent a people collective, a lot is created due to the help of other users who help us. Anyone who can create at least one texture can contact us and his work will appear in the modification.
But we have the basis of a team that cannot be replaced in any way.
I wanted to give a report in January about where and how the new money would go. I can tell you where the finances went for the first part.
Basically it was the support of the guys who created inaccessible content and materials for me, such as: Xen, soundtracks, scripts, video and a website on ModDB. There are 7 people in total. I think by dividing this amount you understand how much it was a small investment for each in one big project.
You still needed to read this to know how people feel about it. It's a responsible thing to deal with this feedback.
200 isn't a big amount and that solidifies the point to me. Plus, you're a multi-person team, right? So you'd even split it among yourselves, and it becomes even less.
What I read today will be very useful for me. First I will see the reaction of people.
You are right, there are many of us, we cannot even divide this amount. We can only use it to create very important things.
You don't know how copyright works do you? They are not selling this mod they just ask for funding, whitch is not illegal, on what planet is this anti mod? If someone wants to donate to them then what's wrong with that?
Did you know that black mesa devs were getting payed by the lead develepor when it was a free mod, by your logic black mesa devs are anti modders and should be sued, If you can make a mod for free good for you but that doesn't make you better and not everyone can do it, also imagine saying that someone anti modder because they wanted to make a mod but couldnt afford to spend 200$ from his own wallet so he asked for funding, youre a horrible person if you think that there's something wrong with that
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Can't wait for this.
If this mod is pure quality and is a very long game, then yes I'll be happily to pay for a retail game for less money, like how Eyaura is doing it for her G String game. Asking for donations is okay but I think it's going to require way more than $200 for an obvious extended development. Remember that you devs are doing it on your free time, and only if you have the time.
you are doing too much at once.. and a lot of "mistakes" ...[as always..]
first you ask for money while none of your mods are working or i should write : playing...
restart them all : hc 2.1 , black ops and azure sheep ... and create an update capable of installing these files correctly with current beta of bms with xen...
then you will get money from "happy players" or not..
Are we to blame for the fact that every time game developers make an update it breaks our modification?
I was in a hurry when I released the mod, for this reason. Users had a whole month (I thought it would be less) to play the working version of the mod.
Think about how much time we would have spent if each time we updated all of our projects.
All our forces are now devoted to only one project.
To update all the old mods, it will take more than a month of work. I need to test all the maps, add changes. Many mechanics no longer work, many files are scattered throughout the PC. You do not understand how much work this is. So is it easier to switch to the old version of the game, or should I spend so much time hoping that the new update will not break the game?
Sorry, I can't clone myself. I have no way to sit at the computer 24.7.
If you can’t get through the installation, I can advise you to take tea and watch a video of people like:Bolloxed
yes.. i understand..i am an old cs player.. and with css valve was updating once a week ..with bms that should be more stable during the coming month..
problem is that you made files at moddb and steam that are using different distribution .. i have all from here ..the main bug with your previous mod is a missing file : game+mod bms/improved_xen.vpk
i have no idea if it is in bms beta.. i downloaded it [9.2 Go] but i wait the next little update that should follow to play..plus i am really busy..on something that should be great and somewhat "never seen before.." [ that may be you will want to port to hl2... ]
for azure sheep , i am a big fan..and integrated some parts of it in my mod : assault strike
i hope you will think to add a sexy sequence to your hl2 mod with kate wearing a hev in the "asmap05b" map...
i have few others ideas for updating this mod.. the main thing is to have something that run .. 3 mods are may be to much but you can try to assemble all best parts in one..and then apply qualities updates.. if you do a great job with you friends , selling it for 3 or 5 euros can be a good way to make a lot of money..
Hope you guys will find the funding for this! It would be a shame if the project would stop here.
The project gained too much speed to stop. Just at the initial stage of development, need help.
Good luck!
Can you make the weapon changes optional? And add the option to replace the poolbstick with a stun batton?
I have a feeling that Part 2 will have a Stun Baton, since the second melee weapon in the original Azure Sheep would have been acquired around that point.