The Sourceforts Team has been working very hard to put together V2. JLF (our team leader and coder) has been working like a crazy dog to get a version up and running so that we could start doing internal betas and make Sourceforts the game that it should be. It became clear however that we needed an interim version as 1.4.2 wasnt very stable. We discussed it several times and concluded that since V2 wasnt about to be released anywhere within the next few months that he should code 1.5. However he was going to work on it in parralel to V2 which would take more time.

As if fate had been listening in, out of nowhere Nick contacted JLF saying that he would be happy to code a clean version of 1.4.2. Naturally we accepted him aboard as a junior programmer so that JLF could have the freedom to code V2 unabated.

After a couple of weeks Nick had usable code and beta testing started. However, whilst this Beta testing was going on, JLF was out of the country for two weeks. In this time period Nicks behavior amongst the staff and community became erratic, unpredictable and immature. He (a junior member) started hiring staff willy nilly without authorisation and insulted almost the entire staff in one way or another and claimed he had superiority over the senior members. Sometime in the two weeks a "leak" of the code occured which we later found out was actually started by Nick himself. We never really found out why he wanted to release an unfinished product. Although he claimed to want to give the public a fully functioning version of the game (which it wasnt) he also stated quite clearly that he just wanted to revel in his glory. This was backed up by paranoid claims that we wanted to "steal" his code and give him no credit for the work he had done. On the contrary, one of the first things we ALL said (when we heard he was going to code 1.5) was just how much credit he should be given for his work in keeping Sourceforts alive.

JLF (an experienced Linux coder) asked Nick if he could see the code so he could write linux binaries so that we could have the most stable servers possible. He declined on the basis that he wanted to do it himself. He then gave JLF an ultimatum: Release the game (which still didnt have everything implemented, nor linux binarys) or he would release it himself as a standalone mod. Since he felt that he had a card to play he started making even more demands: That his name be on every menu screen. Credit where credit is due, yes, but things just became plain unreasonable and we cut him loose since he was, quite simply, impossible to work with.

Now, I dont want to sling mud here but it seems clear to me and most everyone who has had enough exposure to Nick that he is just a glory hound. He saw a great idea, wanted to be a part of it and then quite quickly wanted to have the whole pie for himself. If anyone is thieving here it is him. If he had just been a team member he would have had all of the recognition he had coming to him but sadly he has left himself looking like a plagiarist.

Its true that none of the current Sourceforts team actually came up with the idea, it was actually the brainchild of a 12 year old coder who called himself Knifa and I have nothing but respect for him. He left for one reason or another and passed his idea into the capable hands of JLF.

JLF has left the country again for another two weeks. The reason the forums have been closed is because in those two weeks the rest of the staff needs all of there free time to work on V2 and take the time to moderate 24/7 in an inevitable mudslinging contest that was sure to ensue. We understand it is an inconvenience, but it is a small one in light of the our inconvenience that would only slow our progress.

I would also like to clear something else up. JLF is one of the most reasonable people I have ever met. He takes every arguement and suggestion and spends as much time as necessary to decide if it is the best course of action. He thinks things through himself and then asks the team (or those relevant) how they feel about it, stating his reasons if he has come to other conclusions and then asesses those he gets in responce. All he ever wanted was a complete article to give to the community and tollerated Nick through all of this in order to give it to them.

The Sourceforts Team has been working very hard to put together V2. JLF (our team leader and coder) has been working like a crazy dog to get a version up and running so that we could start doing internal betas and make Sourceforts the game that it should be. It became clear however that we needed an interim version as 1.4.2 wasnt very stable. We discussed it several times and concluded that since V2 wasnt about to be released anywhere within the next few months that he should code 1.5. However he was going to work on it in parralel to V2 which would take more time.

As if fate had been listening in, out of nowhere Nick contacted JLF saying that he would be happy to code a clean version of 1.4.2. Naturally we accepted him aboard as a junior programmer so that JLF could have the freedom to code V2 unabated.

After a couple of weeks Nick had usable code and beta testing started. However, whilst this Beta testing was going on, JLF was out of the country for two weeks. In this time period Nicks behavior amongst the staff and community became erratic, unpredictable and immature. He (a junior member) started hiring staff willy nilly without authorisation and insulted almost the entire staff in one way or another and claimed he had superiority over the senior members. Sometime in the two weeks a "leak" of the code occured which we later found out was actually started by Nick himself. We never really found out why he wanted to release an unfinished product. Although he claimed to want to give the public a fully functioning version of the game (which it wasnt) he also stated quite clearly that he just wanted to revel in his glory. This was backed up by paranoid claims that we wanted to "steal" his code and give him no credit for the work he had done. On the contrary, one of the first things we ALL said (when we heard he was going to code 1.5) was just how much credit he should be given for his work in keeping Sourceforts alive.

JLF (an experienced Linux coder) asked Nick if he could see the code so he could write linux binaries so that we could have the most stable servers possible. He declined on the basis that he wanted to do it himself. He then gave JLF an ultimatum: Release the game (which still didnt have everything implemented, nor linux binarys) or he would release it himself as a standalone mod. Since he felt that he had a card to play he started making even more demands: That his name be on every menu screen. Credit where credit is due, yes, but things just became plain unreasonable and we cut him loose since he was, quite simply, impossible to work with.

Now, I dont want to sling mud here but it seems clear to me and most everyone who has had enough exposure to Nick that he is just a glory hound. He saw a great idea, wanted to be a part of it and then quite quickly wanted to have the whole pie for himself. If anyone is thieving here it is him. If he had just been a team member he would have had all of the recognition he had coming to him but sadly he has left himself looking like a plagiarist.

Its true that none of the current Sourceforts team actually came up with the idea, it was actually the brainchild of a 12 year old coder who called himself Knifa and I have nothing but respect for him. He left for one reason or another and passed his idea into the capable hands of JLF.

JLF has left the country again for another two weeks. The reason the forums have been closed is because in those two weeks the rest of the staff needs all of there free time to work on V2 and take the time to moderate 24/7 in an inevitable mudslinging contest that was sure to ensue. We understand it is an inconvenience, but it is a small one in light of the our inconvenience that would only slow our progress.

I would also like to clear something else up. JLF is one of the most reasonable people I have ever met. He takes every arguement and suggestion and spends as much time as necessary to decide if it is the best course of action. He thinks things through himself and then asks the team (or those relevant) how they feel about it, stating his reasons if he has come to other conclusions and then asesses those he gets in responce. All he ever wanted was a complete article to give to the community and tollerated Nick through all of this in order to give it to them.