So.
Quite awhile ago I started a project known as Ouden. Several other talented people joined the team and for a brief moment, we had the talent and capability to create something that could have (and should!) have been awesome. I learned a lot of C, C++, and OpenGL programming, but unfortunately, real-life intervened.
As some of you may know,.. I am married. Yes, I'm a fully grown male human, in wedlock, with an attractive female human. This is to save any of your precious remarks (No pictures, sorry). Any way. A couple of things happened at home that should never really happen, and I was forced to move 440 miles with two hours notice to a city I'd never been to, abandon my classes and the people here at the forums, all while in a stolen car.
Well, this was during the time in which Ouden was just starting, and needless to say, it put a huge damper on my efforts. I spent several months in a city I'd never been to, in a *state* I'd never been to, working hard to pay off my over-priced apartment and trying to make life work with my wife.
About two or three months later, I get word that my dad kicked the rest of my family out and they're struggling as well. I'm pulling eight to twelve hour shifts doing a job that I despise and I can barely afford my apartment, let alone paying for the car that I stole. Eventually I'm forced to move back before I drown in financial issues, and I was able to re-enroll in my vocational technical classes on financial aid. I picked up a job that I could stand doing before I found another. Fast forward a few months, and here we are today.
I have a job opportunity in another state that will come available to me within the next six or seven weeks. A lot of it is still in the air right now. Unfortunately, this means that I may disappear again for quite some time. I don't know what will happen or if I'll return within the months after, or what, but I want this to be my formal apology to the Ouden team.
You guys were awesome. We all were. I'm sorry that real-life became such a burden to the project. Maybe some day it will be realized. Also,.. I still have every single thing ever created or used by the team. The forums are backed up, the GUI that was created, artwork, etc. is all saved and stored on my HD and on CD. One day maybe we can pick back up where we left off.
In either case, should these be my last few weeks with Soldat, I want to thank everyone for all the awesome times I've had. Michal has produced an amazing game, and his works are nothing short of awe inspiring. That one man could forge a community of such size is a proud statement to big-game industries everywhere. I want to thank all my fellow moderators and forum-goers. Geo for the progress he made with his map, Styx for being so awesome even in his busy schedule, and everyone in general.
Soldat has made so many strides since I first came to it. I believe Chakra said it best, when he asked me, "Who are you?", and I think then I realized just how little touch I had with the community any more. So, rather than simply fade from view, I'd like to make this my quiet farewell, with hopes that I see you all again soon.
Chakra, if you could change my title to "Missing in Action", on these forums and the next, I'd be most appreciative.
I'll be back soon, guys. Or maybe not. That's how life goes.
Stay frosty.
- Jake
Quite awhile ago I started a project known as Ouden. Several other talented people joined the team and for a brief moment, we had the talent and capability to create something that could have (and should!) have been awesome. I learned a lot of C, C++, and OpenGL programming, but unfortunately, real-life intervened.
As some of you may know,.. I am married. Yes, I'm a fully grown male human, in wedlock, with an attractive female human. This is to save any of your precious remarks (No pictures, sorry). Any way. A couple of things happened at home that should never really happen, and I was forced to move 440 miles with two hours notice to a city I'd never been to, abandon my classes and the people here at the forums, all while in a stolen car.
Well, this was during the time in which Ouden was just starting, and needless to say, it put a huge damper on my efforts. I spent several months in a city I'd never been to, in a *state* I'd never been to, working hard to pay off my over-priced apartment and trying to make life work with my wife.
About two or three months later, I get word that my dad kicked the rest of my family out and they're struggling as well. I'm pulling eight to twelve hour shifts doing a job that I despise and I can barely afford my apartment, let alone paying for the car that I stole. Eventually I'm forced to move back before I drown in financial issues, and I was able to re-enroll in my vocational technical classes on financial aid. I picked up a job that I could stand doing before I found another. Fast forward a few months, and here we are today.
I have a job opportunity in another state that will come available to me within the next six or seven weeks. A lot of it is still in the air right now. Unfortunately, this means that I may disappear again for quite some time. I don't know what will happen or if I'll return within the months after, or what, but I want this to be my formal apology to the Ouden team.
You guys were awesome. We all were. I'm sorry that real-life became such a burden to the project. Maybe some day it will be realized. Also,.. I still have every single thing ever created or used by the team. The forums are backed up, the GUI that was created, artwork, etc. is all saved and stored on my HD and on CD. One day maybe we can pick back up where we left off.
In either case, should these be my last few weeks with Soldat, I want to thank everyone for all the awesome times I've had. Michal has produced an amazing game, and his works are nothing short of awe inspiring. That one man could forge a community of such size is a proud statement to big-game industries everywhere. I want to thank all my fellow moderators and forum-goers. Geo for the progress he made with his map, Styx for being so awesome even in his busy schedule, and everyone in general.
Soldat has made so many strides since I first came to it. I believe Chakra said it best, when he asked me, "Who are you?", and I think then I realized just how little touch I had with the community any more. So, rather than simply fade from view, I'd like to make this my quiet farewell, with hopes that I see you all again soon.
Chakra, if you could change my title to "Missing in Action", on these forums and the next, I'd be most appreciative.
I'll be back soon, guys. Or maybe not. That's how life goes.
Stay frosty.
- Jake