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General => Terragen Discussion => Topic started by: Dune on April 29, 2016, 02:31:05 AM

Title: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: Dune on April 29, 2016, 02:31:05 AM
So, has everyone moved his TG discussions to Facebook? I might consider leaving as well . .  .    .     .              .                                  .                                                           .                                                          .                                                              .                                                                       .
Title: Re: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: AP on April 29, 2016, 02:50:15 AM
The lack of activity here?
Title: Re: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: Upon Infinity on April 29, 2016, 03:34:36 AM
I think it's a little quiet there, as well.  :P
Title: Re: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: masonspappy on April 29, 2016, 04:48:02 AM
I think that after the intense effort of getting entries prepared for the last contest, folks are a bit tired.  That's true for me.   I still come here a lot but don't actually post very much.   

Couple of days ago things were so quiet that I started reading the  blue nodes documentation again.  (Which is still of no help because for the most part I can't figure out how to actually apply that information to the Terragen  process.)  Starting to appreciate how people who are unfamiliar with Blender feel about it.

Title: Re: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: mhaze on April 29, 2016, 05:05:04 AM
I'm busy doing other things at the moment.  I shall wait for tg4 before getting stuck in again.
Title: Re: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: AP on April 29, 2016, 05:11:12 AM
No doubt, Terragen 4 certainly will make participation more active again. I have been working on a very large set of Blue Nodes so I can share those soon. I have been working on some other projects as well.
Title: Re: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: Hannes on April 29, 2016, 09:05:17 AM
Honestly, I don't like this Facebook stuff. I'm a member though since a very dear friend "forced" me to. From time to time I'm having a look, but all in all FB is not that important to me.
To me THIS is the place to discuss TG content.
Title: Re: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: Kadri on April 29, 2016, 09:16:24 AM
Quote from: Dune on April 29, 2016, 02:31:05 AM
So, has everyone moved his TG discussions to Facebook? I might consider leaving as well . .  .    .     .              .                                  .                                                           .                                                          .                                                              .                                                                       .

I wouldn't say that there is more "discussions" per see. It is that there are more "Like""s.

I don't like Facebook.
Searching for something is bad and real critiques are rare.
It is more like someone made this and that and others pushing the like button.
Depends on the user base too of course.

Here it is more personal if you ask me.
But Facebook is unfortunately like a Black Hole for sites like this probably.

I use Facebook since 4 years but i will stay here around too.
Forums and Facebook are different medias so why not use both of them.
And who knows Facebook might go away in the end.
Most people i know don't post so much on Facebook as 1-2 years ago...

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2012/mar/17/facebook-dark-side-study-aggressive-narcissism
Title: Re: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: PabloMack on April 29, 2016, 09:24:36 AM
A long time ago I got a facebook account but it pestered me so much that I had to disable the &@%# thing. I couldn't turn the useless emails off. I prefer a forum (like this one) that let's me peek in whenever I feel like it. It is not invasive like FB which is not one of the virtues of the Suckerberg Frankenstein.
Title: Re: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: ajcgi on April 29, 2016, 09:28:17 AM
Recently I've been loitering here, mainly thanks to intensively working on a project that at my end is entirely Terragen work. This is an excellent source of info and discussion, for which I'd like to thank you all.
Facebook is something that I use to follow a few that I know and photographic groups, but the overarcing problem with Facebook imo is that flippin' like button. Or indeed the new reactions. It gives an incentive to just say, "Yo... appreciate this," without even saying why or what it is they like about it...
Title: Re: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: Dune on April 29, 2016, 11:21:09 AM
Thanks for all your encouraging reactions, guys. It's just that I had a look out of curiosity, found a Terragen group and discovered some discussions/posts and people who never show up here. This is indeed the forum for Terragen stuff. So lurkers and grabbers, get your asses over here, and join actively!
Title: Re: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: yossam on April 29, 2016, 11:51:55 AM
There are quite a few that only post on Facebook............need the likes I guess. After making the contest entries, I thought about taking a little break to rest my brain from working on 3 different scenes at the same time. But, I made that mistake b4 after the "road" contest. Took too long of a break and had a hard time getting back into it............never again. I think I took a weekend this time to unwind. But you are right..............it is deathly quiet around here.  ???
Title: Re: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: KlausK on April 29, 2016, 12:38:21 PM
Never was on fb and never will be.
Title: Re: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: Dune on April 30, 2016, 02:45:18 AM
Good to hear that!
Title: Re: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: AP on April 30, 2016, 03:41:20 AM
I do not use Facebook either.
Title: Re: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: luvsmuzik on April 30, 2016, 09:21:44 AM
I use Facebook because my cable system has an app that I can share my work directly to big screen tv. My family then can then see it in true image size rather than on their phone or tablet. It is easy for them because they are not real computer saavy. Most of my stuff is crap anyway, but they are happy to see me doing something. I have been busy still trying to make my own objects and textures rather than get kicked for "borrowing" others. In addition to testing programs still working with Windows 10. Fun times. Probably easier to resign that I am never gonna get a touch screen pc or laptop to just Draw on....oh well. I do enjoy reading all the advice and what I sorta get about the technical stuff.

There is no feeling to compare your letdown when you spend hours masking images suitable for a texture and someone says your work looks like "Elvis Art" and compares it to wall hangings sold out of box trucks on weekends near shopping malls. Thanks goodness I have a sense of humor.
Title: Re: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: bobbystahr on April 30, 2016, 10:45:12 PM
Snared by my guitar as much as anything but I'm quietly working in the background. Got a great technique going for making stained glass  with all the colours procedural..trying yo mix a semi opaque milk glass. re: FB...kinda necessary for music on a local level and got my guitars fixed for free bot 2 years back...I post there for the peons who don't use TG so that I can make them drool and feel klutzy, hee hee hee
This is my fave place and I come her more than any place since I retired from renderosity.
This is the only really worthy forum I know of at present so rest easy Ulco...
EDIT

here's a couple of quickies from 2 aspects; inside and outside light.
Title: Re: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: Kadri on April 30, 2016, 11:02:31 PM

I had a look at the forum stats just to see it a little more unbiased.
Yearly page views aren't so much different. But new topics are less of course.
But for a new software i think it is normal that it does have more topics in it's first years.

With new version's and some challenges like the last VR it will go up and down naturally.
How about a yearly official Terragen challenge by the way?

More participation is a little related to the nature of the software too. Terragen is harder to use then some others.
And not everybody uses forums anyway.




Title: Re: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: Upon Infinity on May 01, 2016, 01:29:36 AM
Also, after such a time, the knowledge base is pretty built up here, by now.  Maybe more people are finding their answers with searches instead of posting questions.  As for images, of course, I've many on the go, however the economic crisis here has forced my hand to reprioritize things.  I have not posted in quite a few months, now.  I'll probably be back on the rendering bandwagon again in the next few weeks.
Title: Re: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: AP on May 01, 2016, 02:13:54 AM
Same with reprioritizing here as well. Still, a few weeks should be nearly in time for Terragen 4 if all goes well for release.
Title: Re: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: Dune on May 01, 2016, 02:24:49 AM
You're probably all right, and I am glad with the guys/girls who post regularly anyway. But formerly there were more discussions, tests and requests related to shady areas of TG, of which some were very useful for the development of TG (if I may say so). And more people sharing their work, open for C&C, which is nice, challenging and educational (mostly).
I'll shut up about this. I'm sure TG4 will bring up more posts  ;)
Yearly challenge would be nice, but who will cough up all the prizes?
Title: Re: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: bobbystahr on May 01, 2016, 03:44:07 AM
I may be a bit AWOL as I got a bunch music stuff going on, depends on how much art therapy I need for the music.
Title: Re: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: otakar on May 02, 2016, 12:44:41 PM
I can only speak for myself, but I just don't find enough time for TG (other than following the forum). I have become rather addicted to a couple of mobile games (almost requiring daily activity) plus messing with the new VR headset. It is just lots more comfortable to pop myself down on the couch in the evening than sitting at my desk at home. I already spend 8 hous a day at a desk. Furthermore, my experiments with TG yield rather mediocre results compared to what is being posted here. I could get better results only by spending more time, which takes me back to my first point. I will keep trying though. Still love the software and this community.
Title: Re: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: fuzzyEuclid on May 02, 2016, 01:21:05 PM
Time. I've never been deep into the boards, and only recently have I dusted of my TG3 software (TG4, after all!), not for lack of love, but simply an almost total lack of time. I was attempting to get something up for the VR challenge, but nope. I'm still attempting to get it together to post as it's own thing anyway - lunch hours at work are pretty much all I got to spend, and those tend to get interrupted very much a lot.

So maybe I'll have something to show before we ring in 2017 :)
Title: Re: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: TheBadger on May 02, 2016, 03:56:25 PM
whats Facebook?
Title: Re: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: bobbystahr on May 02, 2016, 06:22:27 PM
Quote from: Dune on May 01, 2016, 02:24:49 AM
You're probably all right, and I am glad with the guys/girls who post regularly anyway. But formerly there were more discussions, tests and requests related to shady areas of TG, of which some were very useful for the development of TG (if I may say so). And more people sharing their work, open for C&C, which is nice, challenging and educational (mostly).
I'll shut up about this. I'm sure TG4 will bring up more posts  ;)
Yearly challenge would be nice, but who will cough up all the prizes?

I think a challenge should be for simply the mastery of it and voted by peers; whereas a contest is a 'competition' and prizes are offered, subtle difference in my mind.
Back in the Imagine days we had many challenges and that's where I learned a lot of what I know about 3D; and none offered any prize but the accomplishment of making something new and maybe more difficult than before.
Title: Re: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: Dune on May 03, 2016, 02:35:17 AM
You're right, Bobby. Only with real prizes the incentive would be bigger for users to do their utmost, but we could have a challenge every year.

Lack of time is a pity, really, so I even more appreciate any posts coming in.
Title: Re: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: mhaze on May 03, 2016, 04:31:09 AM
I agree bobby.  Back in my old povray days there was a prize free challenge every couple of months - there was always plenty of competitors and the standard of entries was good to brilliant.
Title: Re: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: AP on May 03, 2016, 06:06:33 AM
Same here in full agreement.
Title: Re: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: fleetwood on May 03, 2016, 09:49:34 AM
Maybe the lull is somewhat a seasonal one in the Northern Hemisphere and warmer weather for many means more time on outdoor activities.
No like for FB, refuse to join.
Title: Re: It's quiet out here.....
Post by: ajcgi on May 03, 2016, 12:05:20 PM
Quote from: otakar on May 02, 2016, 12:44:41 PM
I already spend 8 hours a day at a desk.

This. I'd rather be out in the evenings exercising and socialising than clicking more buttons at home.
My testing of TG is done between contracts, my current one being a TG one. So I'm getting 8 hours a day of TG anyway atm. Quite enough.  8)