1+2) where? the SP? If someone asked me to review or critique something I do so, and truthfully, as many of the member here would. I havn't seen much since someplace else that has drew anything close to "this is the best..." Rimrook and Kasburgs maps are some of the few I feel show the skill to be the best, and I have a very high standard.
And the whole stroke their ego's thing. I don't do that, and I hope others don't do it purposefully either. many new mappers however see someone who is better then them and go all "OMG THATS SO AWESOME" to every killbox they see.
And getting your name in the credits for giveing the odd piece of feedback is BS. if you were a beta tester, or a mapper, or modeler etc. I think you should get your name in the credits. If however you are just one of the mass of people on a site who helped the guy out when he was learning or gave a tip or two when the mod was wip you don't deserve to be anything but part of "The gang at Snarkpit"
When I see "The gang at TWHL" I know its refering to me as well as others, I don't need to see my name in writing because I know I helped, I did my part and can rest in piece. Don't stroke your own ego by saying that you deserver some special place in credits few people read just for helping slightly.
3) however many grow away there are always people replaceing them, which is amasing seeing as Half-life is 7 years old now. TWHL doesn't have the 40 member a week growing spree that it had for a few years anymore, but they still come in, and they are stay active.
Yes many of us have or are developing commitments that perclude us from mapping. Many of us have university commitments, and most have jobs. take satchmo for example, he is a doctor in LA. yet he still visits us, and im sure opens up hammer here and there to have some fun. he may not ever finish a map again, but he still maps sometimes.
Kasburg is a full time architextural student in Spain, and Rimrook is going to get a degree in some area of game design. Yet they still map because its part of what there learning, and is a learning experience in itself. They take their time to make the art they have put on display even if they have a huge amount of schoolwork to do.
Rabid's been asked to provide a resume by ravensoft, so if he wants it he probably has a full time level design position with the guys who made quake 4!
And this site is just some kind of nexus for all these people. Its like a civilisied blackhole in the net. there are many who have left to pop in here and there to say hi, when that happens you know a site has left a mark on people.
I've been mapping since a few weeks after TFC came out. back them I wasn't much, nor did I donate enough time to learn anything.
I discovered Snarkpit in December of 01, and TWHL not long after it debueted. back then I just read and watched, I started to learn. I know now it was a mistake to wait so long to become a member and start talking to others and giving back. I saw all the SP'rs when they were young nub's. I watched them grow into really great mappers, and then to there own elite subculture. which is why I didn't join there until long after I had joined TWHL.
I watched TWHL grow into the greatest site on the net. It had found moderators who were smart and good at what they did, who knew that level above anarchy where a site runs perfectly. I have met so many people here who just by their existance alone motivate me to stay on this site.
I am 16 today, I have been in the trade of level designing for nearly 6 years. I have competed in the junior olympics, Overcome every challange set before me, and seen the power of people congregating on the internet.
To me Half-life is dead when I leave the internet behind.
/end long, tangent prone rant