Requesting Rules PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING A REQUEST (1 Viewer)

[stuntcock]

[EDIT] The rules have been simplified and merged with the Reference Shot Guide, that is now the Requesting Rules & Reference Shot Guide.
Please go there for up to date rules, this thread is kept for archival purposes only.

What is a Request?

Spoiler

• A Request thread is an appeal for a specific hairstyle or clothing item to be be packaged into a new mod, and thereby made available for SDT gameplay.
• The thread should reflect the preparatory work which you've done before posting it. Lazy or sloppy threads tend to be ignored by the community; such requests will remain unfulfilled.
• Upon opening your Request thread, an artist or modder should be presented with everything they need in order to begin work.
• You are allowed to include several characters or items in a single Request thread, so long as they all come from the same source material (e.g. anime series) and you have provided adequate reference material for each element.
• Your Request cannot be fulfilled until someone chooses to volunteertheir talent and free time to your project.
  • That "someone" can be you. There are useful tutorials and guides available on the forums. Many of our senior modders will happily offer mentorship support to a sincere novice.
  • SDT modders will tend to look more favorably upon requests made by a member of the forum community, than upon those of a stranger. Get involved!

What a Request is NOT

Spoiler

• An appeal for technical support. "Hey guys I installed a bunch of mods and now my FPS has fallen to 5." Post on the Help board.
• An appeal for assistance in finding something. "Hey guys I'm pretty sure there's a mod that does doggystyle but I don't know where it is." Use the Search tool.
• An appeal for new features. "Hey guys I'd like to be able to squeeze the girl's boobs by double-clicking on them." Post on the Loader Request board.
• An expression of interest in a topic. "Hey guys the new Zelda game has some cute girls, has anyone thought about adding them to SDT?" Do the prep work, find reference images, and post a proper Request thread.
• An open-ended fishing expedition. "Hey guys it would be pretty cool if you added more clothes to the game." Choose a specific item, find images, and post a proper Request thread.
• Revenge porn. "Hey guys I'm stalking this girl at school. Here's a creepshot. Could you put her face in the game and make her suck dick?" Asking for real people is against the website rules.
• A repost. "Hey guys I asked for Zelda hair a week ago and nobody made one, so let's try this again." Duplicate threads are not allowed. Improve your original thread, or just be patient.

Respect the artists

Spoiler

• Your request thread must include Reference Images. These images show the artist what the character or item looks like when viewed from the side.
  • Some TV shows use a visual style which doesn't match the style of SDT (such as the flat colors of Rick and Morty, or the masked layers of Gankutsuou). Screenshots from 3d videogames tend to include smooth color gradients instead of three-tone shading. Photographs are terrible references unless you're asking for a photorealistic mod (click here for explanation).
  • When you submit a non-standard reference image, you force the artist to put in additional work. They must creatively re-interpret the image so that it fits the visual style of SDT.
  • If your image has a non-standard camera angle then the artist must work harder to correct its orientation and perspective.
  • You may include non-standard images, but you must try to find anime-style fanart as well. If you fail to do so then your Request will be much more difficultto fulfill; it will probably just be ignored.
    • Please sort your images so that the most usable ones (i.e. anime-style side views) appear at the top of each list.
• If you're requesting more than one character or item, then please organize your Reference images into separate lists, with the name of the character (or item) preceding their images.
  • You are encouraged to use Spoiler tags - they help keep things tidy.
• Please don't extend your Request to include additional characters or costumes after work has begun. This is greedy, and it tends to annoy artists (because it denies them the satisfaction of actually completing a Request).
• Do not abuse the username-tagging system in order to "call out" an artist, unlessyou've already discussed it with them and they've agreed to work on it.
  • Aside from pestering the artist, you're also screwing yourself. Apprentice modders aren't going to work on your request if they think that @dantethedarkprince is already on the case.

Prepare yourself

Spoiler

• Before posting a Request thread, you must check the Archive and search the forum.
  • Update: SyntaxTerror has kindly transcribed the contents of the Archive into a forum post. You won't need to download and manually inspect the Archive, because a standard forum search will probably find any relevant matches.
  • Nonetheless, I encourage you to grab a copy of the Archive anyways. There's a lot of useful content in there, and much of it is orphaned (i.e. it cannot be found in the Imports subforum and it will never be added to the Downloads section because we don't know who created it).
• If you request a character, then you'll usually receive onlya custom hairstyle.
  • You can match most of the character attributes (such as breast size, eye color, and skin tone) via SDT's in-game menus. This will probably involve a few minutes of tinkering.
  • After the customization work is complete, SDT can generate a complicated string called a "charcode". Charcodes can be shared on the forum and loaded by other users, allowing anyone to view the customized character. Check the newbie guide for more details.
  • If an artist needs to spend time preparing charcodes then they'll have less time available for drawing. It's much better if you create the charcode in advance and share it alongside your request.
• SDT supports three different types of hairstyle mods. Ideally, you ought to explain which one you want and why.
  • Static hairstyles can include highly detailed brushwork and shading. They also allow for very complex or fanciful shapes. PNG hairstyles can be created using freeware tools, so a static PNG request will usually be fulfilled more quickly than a SWF.
  • Dynamic hairstyles are more visually bland, and the hairstyle must be shaped in a somewhat realistic way. Animation of the hair strands may add enough "charm" to compensate for the simplified appearance ... but it might not.
  • It's silly to ask for "a static or dynamic hairstyle, I don't care, whatever's easier." A friendly and easygoing attitude is fine, but you'll get better results by being specific.
  • Take a few minutes to study the documentation (or compare a few examples), and decide which type would show the appeal of your character. It's best to express a preference because doing so demonstrates a respect for the craft and the people behind it.
• Before posting a costume Request thread, you should be familiar with the gameplay of SDT and the configuration options that it provides.
  • If you're asking for a set of gloves, then we need various camera angles so that we can draw them in open-palm, clenched-fist, and handjob modes.
  • If you're asking for a Bra or Top, then tell us how it ought to interact with the breast slider.
  • If you're asking for a bodysuit, then let us know whether it should be possible to equip the top half and bottom half separately.
  • If you want the new clothing item(s) to fit a non-standard bodymod, then you must say so explicitly and tell us which one.
• Your reference images should be uploaded to a dedicated imagehost (such as imgur or postimage).
  • The forum attachment system can be used for reference images, but this is heavily discouraged (because it wastes disk space, and because you guys always forget to remove your images afterwards). Unless you have a very good reason for using the attachment system, I'll just move your references to offsite hosting.
  • Hotlinking is a bad idea. If you're looking at an imageboard then just provide a link to the post itself. If you're looking at DeviantArt then link to the submission. If you've found something via Google Image Search then don't link it directly - rehost it on a proper imagehost instead.

Don't waste my time

Spoiler

• Search the forum before posting a new thread.
• Search the thread (Ctrl+F) before replying.
• Avoid bitmaps. Use PNG or JPG formats for your images.
• When you're including a character name in your post, please use the complete name.
  • The Search tool doesn't care about surname precedence, so neither do I. "Homura Akemi" is acceptable. "Akemi Homura" is also acceptable.
  • The Search tool doesn't understand fan nicknames, so don't use them. "Homerun-chan" is not acceptable.
• If the item already exists but it shows low visual quality or poor workmanship (which is sadly true of many items in the Archive) then please setup a Revision thread instead of a new Request.
• Avoid cliché phrases. "I'm surprised that nobody has asked for this yet" is irritating. "I'll be super grateful to anyone who makes this" is often insincere. "I'd do it myself if I knew how" tells me that you're too lazy to read the tutorials, or that you're unwilling to learn a new skill.
• Your thread title should clearly identify the source material (if applicable). If it's a solo request then the title should also include the character name. If you're asking for the whole cast then please don't try to squeeze thirteen names into your title; just call it "DBZ Girls" or "Sailor Moon Request" or whatever.
• If your request includes a costume then please say so in the title. "Cowboy Bebop: Faye Hair and Costume" is fine; so is "One Piece - Nami Outfit".
• You may add tagsto your thread.
  • This is not mandatory; please feel free to skip it.
  • If you do choose to include tags then please follow the guidelines.

Contribute

Spoiler

• Don't create a half-assed Request thread and assume that other people will reply with usable reference images. Your thread will be exiled; your Request will go unfulfilled; you will not get what you've asked for.
• If you're replying to a Request thread, then you must make some kind of useful contribution.
  • Perhaps it's an additional reference image, or a suitable background image, or a set of vectors, or a partial charCode.
  • It could be a scope increase - adding another character or costume from the same source material. Remember that you must provide usable references when doing this!
  • It could be a response to an artist's question, or constructive criticism of the work done so far.
  • It might be a Youtube link showing the character in battle, to demonstrate how her hair and/or skirt should be animated.
  • If you intend to work on a Request, then you may post in the thread to say so. I'd prefer for your first reply to include a WIP screenshot, but a simple "dibs!" post is okay so long as it's sincere.
  • Anyone can post in a thread to complain about broken links, or to provide an alternate download link if the original is broken.
  • Anyone can point out that the thread is a duplicate and ask for it to be merged. Anyone can provide links to existing mods which the first poster overlooked when creating the thread.
  • If you have participated in a thread and it has recently been completed, then feel free to offer kind sentiments to any artists or modders who have worked on it. Please don't necrobump a thread merely to say "Thanks."
• If you want to express support for a thread but you don't have anything specific to contribute, then just click the Like button.
• If you simply want to keep track of any developments, then use the "Watch Thread" button.
• Do not post in a thread merely to voice your support. Similarly: do not post merely to bump the thread.
• If you're annoyed by the lack of progress, then you can take initiative and vector-trace the reference artwork on your own. This is a crucial step in the creation of SWF mods and it can jump-start a stalled Request thread.

Be specific

Spoiler

• Your Request must identify any pre-existing content, and explain why it is inapplicable. Don't assumethat everyone visiting the thread is a fan of the series who will instantly recognize the differences.
  • "The long-hair version of this girl has been made by Dante, but I'm looking for her short hairstyle from Season 3. See reference images for details."
• Spoilers are okay! The purpose of a request thread is to provide an SDT artist with useful images and informationso that they can do their work.
  • If there's a really good reference image available, but you refrain from posting it because it would reveal a plot twist or a character's secret identity, then you have fucked up.
• Artists and modders usually want to walk away from a Request thread with the sense that they've accomplished something and fulfilled someone's expectations.
  • If your references are inconsistent and your expectations are vague, then it's hard to fulfill them. Your Request is less likely to receive attention from modders.
• Tell us what you actually want. Please don't include wishy-washy upgrade appeals. "I'm just looking for a quick PNG hairstyle, but I won't complain if you decide to make a dynamic SWF and a custom outfit!"
  • Congratulations, dumbass. You've just alienated many PNG artists, who will refrain from working on your Request because they're worried about being one-upped by a SWF modder. Meanwhile the SWF modders will ignore you because you asked for a simple PNG.
• Text is okay! You mustsupply reference images, and a Request thread with perfect images doesn't really need much explanation. Nonetheless, you can supplement your images with writing - if you want to.
  • You might include a paragraph to explain any visual inconsistencies among your reference images.
  • You can ask for specific color variants or RGB-shifting features.
  • You can identify your favorite Loader mods and ask that the new mod include support/compatibility for them.
  • You can point to existing hair or costume mods, and mention various aspects which you'd like modders to imitate (or avoid) while working on your Request.

Don't show off your character

Spoiler

• Many requesters assume that they need to impress viewers, in order to attract interest to the Request. Their images show the character making cute poses, or performing acrobatic stunts, or engaged in crazy sex acts. Such images are neat to look at, but they're usually not useful to artists and modders.
• Good reference images tend to be boring and unsexy.
  • If you're asking for a hairstyle, then the standard reference image is an anime screenshot in which the character is standing still and talking to someone beside her.
  • If you're asking for a costume, then the standard reference is a few screenshots in which the character walks around. A single standing screenshot is insufficient, because the arms will always block part of the costume. Seated or kneeling images may also be useful, depending on the size and shape of the costume.
• If you've already included the "proper" reference images then you may add sexy or action-packed images if you really want to. Please put the side-view references at the TOP of each list.

 

[Huitznahua]

I don't know how to post that but I've got some tips for you guys in order to increase requests to have more chance of being accepted

 

[The Hacker Known As Snow]

Can we actually drop all requesting rules? The game is basically dead and these rules aren't helping, staff just yells at you with a huge lists off all the mistakes you made and it scares people away, then thread gets hidden where no other users can contribute not that they'd bother with these overly demanding requirements. My thread was still scrutinized... and it still didn't get made even though I put like two days into it. I think we're asking way too much with the state of the game.

We should move to more open healthy conversation about what still needs to get made. There is still an ton of people who lurk here and come back regularly, and the few moders around need inspiration because things are getting dull around here.

Thanks for coming to my TED Talk

 

[SyntaxTerror]

The Hacker Known As Snow : so basically, as the game is supposedly having less players, requesters shouldn't follow rules anymore?
You really think it will lead to more mods being made?

Rules may be simplified a little, but should stay in place: they show the requesters what modders need to do the job easily (as most requesters have no idea about how a mod is really made).

If you want to make mods for requesters that didn't bother to follow the rules, you can pick any from the Invalid Requests section.

 

[The Hacker Known As Snow]

Rules may be simplified a little,

I just dislike staffs enforment policy to bombard requesters

they get very upset, and usually end up leaving the forum

[USELESS ATTACHEMENTS REMOVED BY A STAFF MEMBER]

I have no idea why this hostility is necessary,

Also, what the fuck?

I think it could be handled more gently and more encouragingly

 

[SyntaxTerror]

I think it could be handled more gently and more encouragingly

You're welcome to do so! I don't see you much in the request section...

For sure, we're the bad guys, spending hours to write the rules and guides so detailled they take a whopping 5 minutes to read, then taking even more time to explain to some lazy cunts that nothing can be done with the reference they took at least 30 seconds to find on Google image.
Then they come, not saying hello, please or thank you, like they're waiting for their mum to cook dinner for them, and get angry cos no one wants to spend time to look for usable refs as they weren't able to do so, in addition to the hours it'll take to draw the mod.

And after you wonder why no-one is taking requests anymore?

You speak of negative things, but you bring nothing.
You can learn to draw mods, there are tutorials for this here, in addition to the dozens of general drawing tutorials on the web.
Then maybe you'll see why these rules are what they are.

 

[The Hacker Known As Snow]

then taking even more time to explain to some lazy cunts

idk man... I don't really have the mentally of "fuck people" I think its nice to be nice.

You're welcome to do so! I don't see you much in the request section...

okie dokie :D

 

[antsstyle]

If I may add an opinion to this:

I can understand that when the rules were originally written, there were a lot more people requesting stuff, and so there was naturally a reason for both moderators and rules to be strict (as otherwise, people would waste time going through requests that turn out not to be valid, and there were a lot to go through).

That was at a time when anime characters were all over the place that people wanted mods for. I'd argue that - outside of the occasional new release that happens to be in an anime style like say Genshin Impact - most characters for which it's even remotely easy to meet the current rules have already been done. For quite a lot of characters, it's impossible to get anime style refs.

As Syntax has correctly stated, that doesn't make it any easier for modders to work with non-anime-style refs; what I *do* think it means is that there isn't much point screaming to requesters "ANIME STYLE OR GO HOME" in an unnecessarily hostile manner (by which I mean: assuming all requesters who didn't meet the rules are just lazy on purpose), because you might as well just shut down the request subforum on that basis for the most part. It would be easier to simply state clearly in the rules that while it's possible for a modder to work with non-anime-style refs, it's far harder and thus much less likely to be fulfilled, and if a requester ignores that - that's on them.

I may be wrong, but I'd hazard a bet that a sizeable chunk of new requests that are invalid aren't so due to laziness, but a genuine difficulty in finding refs that meet the rules to a tee. At the moment, outside of an occasional static hair, I'm not convinced it's even possible to meet the requirements being specified for 99.9% of characters.

 

[SyntaxTerror]

So.

The requesting rules have been simplified and merged with the reference shot guide (as well as Huitz' Tips for requesting clothing or outfit): it has become the Requesting Rules & Reference Shot Guide.

They are now a 6 points list that contains the minimum for a acceptable request.

Rudgar's Requesting Rules PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING A REQUEST (tl;dr) have also been unpinned as it was counterproductive.

 

[antsstyle]

It's definitely an improvement on the old "several rules threads" and such, imo, so good work on that.

However, I still think it would be best if requiring anime-style references, as a part of the rules, was changed from mandatory to more of a "highly recommended" thing. I have proposed a few alternate ideas below:

1. Declaring anime-style images as vastly preferrable but not essential, whilst making it clear that those without anime-style references, or those that meet the other reference criteria, are very unlikely to be fulfilled.
2. Making requests of characters that do not have anime-style references a separate subforum. This would allow modders to see at a glance which requests require redrawing and which do not. (I think this option is better.)

The reason for this is the same as I've explained before, that right now it is almost impossible for anyone to meet the rules. The Hacker Known As Snow isn't remotely new here, spent two days making a request thread for a character who is present in hundreds of anime episodes, and still couldn't meet them; it seems therefore astronomically unlikely that any other user is going to manage it, let alone new ones or lurkers. It only seems remotely plausible for static hairs alone.

I feel it would be better, given both the state of the game and the fact that the 'pool' of requestable characters is now largely non-anime, to have non-anime-style referenced requests as a separate category rather than classed as invalid. I can see why other rules, like e.g. 90 degree angle refs are still appropriate, and there'd still be moderator discretion in determining what does or does not count as a 'lazy' request for instance.

 

[SyntaxTerror]

antsstyle : haven't you just said...

There is no use in the rules stating "You may include non-standard references images, but you must try to find anime style images" if what that really means is "if you tried and did not find any anime style images, do not post your request".

The goal of the rules is not to make the life of requesters easier, but to make the work of modders easier.
Making a request has never been a right, it is a privilege.

Modders are essential to the community, resquesters aren't.
Especially since modders get nothing in exchange for their time (not to speak of the potential cost of the softwares neccessary to do the job), sometimes not even a "thank you" (and we're not even complaining about that).

Most of the content for SDT isn't due to requests anyway, this section could close tommorow and nothing would change much...

I'm really starting to be fed up with all this.
Rules are what they are, they have been designed by people that knew what they were doing and that contributed much to SDT, and I can say that I am part of them.
So excuse me, but I'm not interested in spending more time on this, unless if people that know what they're speaking about get involved. It can even be you, there are tutorials for this.

 

[antsstyle]

For the love of all that's good, if you could stop assuming the worst of everything I say, it would be nice. I did not at any point imply anything you have just said. I made it clear in the post you quoted above that I was referring to the requirement for anime-style images not being explicitly written as a "requirement" in the previous version of the rules thread. That is now fixed, and is a separate issue about the clarity of the rules.

The rules are there to make the life of modders easier; they're also there to *inform requesters about how to request valid things, to make the modders' lives easier*. As a result, a ruleset that effectively bars any and all requests does nothing except waste requesters' time. You could modify it to allow static hairs only with current requirements or close the request forum altogether.

I suggested the changing of the rules in my post above on the implied (I should have thought it was obvious) basis of "if moderators and modders wanted to keep the request section open". On the assumption - for now - that you are the sole arbiter of what all modders are willing to do, then on the grounds you are arguing, then closing the request forum would probably be easier.

When I tried suggesting that modders be paid for their work in requests, you said no. I tried suggesting reasonable prices that don't make it unworthy of the modder's time, also no. I suggest changing the rules so that more than 1 request a decade can be valid - also no. I attempted to commission a mod here, you made it clear you did not want that to happen.

At this point it seems you are completely opposed to anything that would actually allow the request forum to function in any meaningful way, so I have no idea why it is even open. There is zero use in a rule thread - or this request forum - if it says, for all practical purposes, "don't submit any requests, end of story".

 

[fleet]

Although nobody asked:
In my opinion, the last several posts between antsstyle and SyntaxTerror should be a private conversation. I recommend further discussion of this issue between these individuals be conducted via private conversation.

Very respectfully,
fleet (global moderator)

 

[antsstyle]

Although nobody asked:
In my opinion, the last several posts between antsstyle and SyntaxTerror should be a private conversation. I recommend further discussion of this issue between these individuals be conducted via private conversation.

Very respectfully,
fleet (global moderator)

The reason I posted it here and not in a DM, is that given this is a discussion about how the forum would work and would thus affect other users, it doesn't seem of much use to discuss that privately. Others should be able to see it so that they can choose to give their thoughts if they wish.

In any event, I do not have anything further to say to that user. I have done as much as I can realistically do to suggest possible changes here; it's up to others to decide what to do, if anything.