On Usurpation

Rant #1, let's dive right in (this should give you some idea of just how petty I really am).

Okaci, a new papercraft designer, has lifted my method down to the last detail. Now let me make it abundantly clear: I am upset about the fact that I wasn't mentioned in any way. I posted the video, I explained what I could, obviously it was meant to be utilized. However, when you produce shitty layouts for models I've announced I'm going to build (and in the same order as I've listed them), without even mentioning something like "oh and you should check out this guy Kaizo's blog, it's where I picked up all this shit," you display an utter lack of tact. He even has some kind of abortion-doppel-ganger version of my coversheet, for God's sake. I would be happy if my blog were linked in some list of other blogs. That would be enough. Go check out my papercraft blog right now. Look at the list of related links. He's there, "Okaci Papercraft."

Now, in a way, I'm happy that someone immediately put my effort to use (two days after the video went up, he released his abomination-Tifa). But what bothers me is he didn't listen to the whole thing. Maybe he doesn't speak English very well? Clearly he understands enough to have gotten the whole method for fixing the eyes. I'm glad for that, because Jamis and Sane Person ended up with insane looking eyes, and I'm pleased I've made some kind of lasting contribution. But he clearly didn't pay attention to shit in the rest of the model editing process, nor the layout process. He seems to have a learning curve, as the Yuffie (notice the "i"?) layout looks strikingly similar to my own models, at least in the face. And the coversheet, wow. But you can't just leave these models as composed of blocks. It looks like shit, and you have intersecting faces. I'd like to see a finished version of one of these, because I'm quite sure it's impossible to mimic the PDO's pose exactly.

It came up, while I was discussing my lament with friends, that I should be happy that someone is clearly following an example I chose to lay down. A friend of mine, Ian, even went so far as to cite the old "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" line (well actually I said it, but I was filling in the blanks he didn't really know to fill). It's almost comically appropriate that a quote on Google's /ig homepage right now is, "Listening, not imitation, may be the sincerest form of flattery - Dr. Joyce Brothers." If he'd listened to everything I had to say, the models would be much better as a result. Another friend, Byron, said I should look at it this way: "you have a disciple now." I took immediate issue with this, primarily because I already have disciples. The difference between a disciple and a copycat? The disciple acknowledges his master. I don't want to sound like some pompous fucker (though I am), but I have kids who have actually referred to me as mentor in regards to this shit. That's fine...I don't really want to be anyone's mentor, but I won't fight it. Why? Because they also tell other people I'm the one responsible for their learning. If you refuse to acknowledge your influences, you're just a fucking asshole plagiarist. When I started doing coversheets and photo-instruction guides, I credited Ninjatoes before I even started. I began using coversheets and instructions in an effort to be more like Ninjatoes, and I informed everyone as such. Every step of the way in papercraft design, I've made mention of the papercrafting pantheonm, for whom I have great admiration: Ninjatoes, Urashiman, Chamoo, and Billybob. Go look at the Final Fantasy Papercraft Compilation in my Mediafire account. Look at that readme and tell me what it says next to Goblinguy's name. "Thanks for getting me started with design." Every God damn step of the way I've thanked everyone who helped me.

I think the worst part is, if you have a look at the selected items in the Tifa PDO, you'll see exactly the thing I mentioned as an example of how to fuck up a model: internal polygons. Little white triangles, set off to the side, because they don't fit anywhere. Why don't they fit anywhere? You carelessly edited the model, and didn't bother checking your work. When you discovered your failure, you just brushed it to the side, literally, and kept not altering the default layout. You're even using Pepakura 3 for Christ's sake. I made specific mention of how great 3 is, because you can reload the model after editing it further in Sketchup.

Sigh...

On the walk home from the second of my two exams this afternoon, I decided it wasn't worth fretting about. I've clearly opened up a Pandora's Box of inadequate copycats. I should just make videos detailing the extraction and editing process for all the model types I know and just retire. It'd certainly give me less bullshit to worry about. I wonder if anyone would remember my short run in papercraft design as a boon to the community...

I guess what it boils down to is, I can try to give them every drop of knowledge I have, but if they won't open up their God damn mouths and drink it all, they're always going to wind up dehydrated (man, look at all those water metaphors...brilliant, no?). This Okaci character clearly took about the first 10 minutes of the video, jumped ahead to like three points along the way, then just ran along to release two models in about a week. Have I done the same? Yes, I've done two models in two days. And they were excellent. But come on...pace yourself kid. You've got a long way to go before you can pull off the same shit I can.

And with that bit of boastful, self-indulgent assholery, I say good day to you, copycats of the world.





Edit: ARGH! He's already started on the child version of Cloud. Jesus fucking Christ, kid, try getting a model right before starting on another one.

Yes, my first models were all shit. But you know what, I told people they were untested, and I didn't have someone giving me specific fucking instructions as to how to make them awesome.

GRARGH! >_<