Special thanks to/for OMB.
Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 4:22 am
Folks, any of you that have been around with us for a while, KNOW how critical OMB has been to our work here.
I feel the need to make that clearer again.
What has OMB done for CTP?
1) Doors: All tilesets in release One that had tileset specific doors, were fixed by OMB.
2) Generic Doors: OMB created MANY generic doors for us and fixed the rest that we included in our Generic doors hak on the vault. Which has attained HOF status and was primarily HIS work, that it accomplished that lofty goal.
3) Rod of Mantis: (And many other aspects of the testing tools we use on our test server). These tools give us sooo many options that it would take pages to list them all. When OMB joined us, we had some working stuff, and some stuff that almost worked, and server connects that did NOT work. He cleaned all of that up, gave us the Rod Of Mantis that is indispensible to our testers AND to our bug fixers. Those semi-autmated bug reports gives our bug fixers soo much detail, that it is almost easy to find and fix the actual bugs now.
4) Open Office macros: Ever wonder how our Rod of Mantis actually gets the tile name and places that into the bug report for you? Well, OMB did that. He gave me a set of macros that reads in an area file (after some leg work on my side) and generates a hidden placeable that listens for you to click the Rod to make a report. This hidden object contains the actual tile's name. That is grabbed, and the physical location is grabbed (with a LOT of leg work by OMB's scripts) and generates the header info for the bug report for you.
5) MySQL server links: For this, even NOW, I still need his help. He provides it, quickly, and concisely. OMB is the reason we have a working connection between our multiple test servers and Mantis. Need I say more?
6) Clean Models 3: This tool, well, it does soooo much grunt work for you that it leaves me completely dumbfounded. It automatically cleans up those pesky sparkles. Most of our present members have not seen sets that have not been passed through this at least once, but some of you will remember how HUGE the bugs counts were with just sparkle issues. CM3 also cleans up/ fixes, so many other fairly major bugs that it is not funny. I can honestly state that without CM3, CTP would probably not be possible. If it DID ever get done, it would be literally YEARS of manual labor.
7) Ideas, Work Flows, Tips, Tricks, Tutelage: Ohh boy... how many times has he politely suggested that I get my boot out of my rear and actually do something SMARTER for a change? I hesitate to even attempt to count these. It is a large number though, believe me.
8) What am I missing? I know, absolutely, without doubt, that I am missing things in this small listing. None of it is without merit and all of these deserve a HUGE thank you. But geese... Thanks just doesn't seem to cover it.
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P.S. Friendship: No, I didn't forget this, I deliberately saved it for last. OMB's friendship is nearly unbounded. It is also absolutely IMPOSSIBLE to cover. And yes OMB, I know, 'The impossible isn't and miracles only take a bit longer' with you. But I am completely without words to express my heartfelt gratitude for all you have done and continue to do for CTP. May god bless you. May you have as long a life as you wish to have and may that life be full of love, friendship and good food! (Or great beer, depending on your preferances)
I feel the need to make that clearer again.
What has OMB done for CTP?
1) Doors: All tilesets in release One that had tileset specific doors, were fixed by OMB.
2) Generic Doors: OMB created MANY generic doors for us and fixed the rest that we included in our Generic doors hak on the vault. Which has attained HOF status and was primarily HIS work, that it accomplished that lofty goal.
3) Rod of Mantis: (And many other aspects of the testing tools we use on our test server). These tools give us sooo many options that it would take pages to list them all. When OMB joined us, we had some working stuff, and some stuff that almost worked, and server connects that did NOT work. He cleaned all of that up, gave us the Rod Of Mantis that is indispensible to our testers AND to our bug fixers. Those semi-autmated bug reports gives our bug fixers soo much detail, that it is almost easy to find and fix the actual bugs now.
4) Open Office macros: Ever wonder how our Rod of Mantis actually gets the tile name and places that into the bug report for you? Well, OMB did that. He gave me a set of macros that reads in an area file (after some leg work on my side) and generates a hidden placeable that listens for you to click the Rod to make a report. This hidden object contains the actual tile's name. That is grabbed, and the physical location is grabbed (with a LOT of leg work by OMB's scripts) and generates the header info for the bug report for you.
5) MySQL server links: For this, even NOW, I still need his help. He provides it, quickly, and concisely. OMB is the reason we have a working connection between our multiple test servers and Mantis. Need I say more?
6) Clean Models 3: This tool, well, it does soooo much grunt work for you that it leaves me completely dumbfounded. It automatically cleans up those pesky sparkles. Most of our present members have not seen sets that have not been passed through this at least once, but some of you will remember how HUGE the bugs counts were with just sparkle issues. CM3 also cleans up/ fixes, so many other fairly major bugs that it is not funny. I can honestly state that without CM3, CTP would probably not be possible. If it DID ever get done, it would be literally YEARS of manual labor.
7) Ideas, Work Flows, Tips, Tricks, Tutelage: Ohh boy... how many times has he politely suggested that I get my boot out of my rear and actually do something SMARTER for a change? I hesitate to even attempt to count these. It is a large number though, believe me.
8) What am I missing? I know, absolutely, without doubt, that I am missing things in this small listing. None of it is without merit and all of these deserve a HUGE thank you. But geese... Thanks just doesn't seem to cover it.
---------
P.S. Friendship: No, I didn't forget this, I deliberately saved it for last. OMB's friendship is nearly unbounded. It is also absolutely IMPOSSIBLE to cover. And yes OMB, I know, 'The impossible isn't and miracles only take a bit longer' with you. But I am completely without words to express my heartfelt gratitude for all you have done and continue to do for CTP. May god bless you. May you have as long a life as you wish to have and may that life be full of love, friendship and good food! (Or great beer, depending on your preferances)