WTF happened to Godot? AND Future of Union Bytes Painter!
Hello users and followers,
since month I wanted to reach out to you, but I was struggling with right formulation and words. The text I wrote was already half done … but then something odd happened in the Godot community, the engine I used for my program: Union Bytes Painter.
I’m sad and shocked what happened there, but first I want to apologize to all users which bought the software, wrote me emails and I didn’t answer to everyone.
I’m sorry for that!
But the last two and a half years, my family especially my 2 years old son, needed the most of my time.
Then, after I finally found some time to rewrite the software in Godot 4.3, in this year, something stupid happened. Also I will attach screenshots from my progression so far, the most stuff was performance optimization, but also some cool new features were planned. Like Project folders for meshes with more then one texture \ material or projects for multiply meshes.
But in the last days a totally unnecessary conflict started in the Godot community, which divides the community and will slow the development of the engine down.
Normally I stay out of such conflicts and stay neutral / quiet, because no matter what you will do, it will be always the wrong and to your disadvantage.
BUT the current community, with its community manager, declares everyone, who want to stay neutral or to stay out of political discussion, as an enemy.
Which is absolutely stupid! And I don’t let push me to a corner in this stupid war, I’m too tired for this.
I dislike loud people, who can’t discuss a topic normal, calm and argue with facts or even make things up and can’t stay at the truth.
Facts and logical thinking don’t reach them anymore, which is sad ☹ but proven a lot on X. This does not correspond to the evolution of humanity. Also, unfortunately this makes a constructive discussion impossible and I’m too old and too tired for this.
This senseless and unnecessary division of the community will have a serious impact on the development of the engine, and THIS is something which concern me. Not that it is particularly fast now.
That is why I have decided to stop the new version in Godot 4.3 and look for a new engine and new projects. I don't feel like having political discussions when I am working with Godot, and I don’t have time for this either.
This way the community can create its own little world, in a little bubble and live in it, that is fine with me and everyone is happy.
But I will not let myself be declared as an enemy just because I want to stay out of it and don't like political discussions here. It’s already enough if supermarkets tell you, what you shouldn’t vote for. No thanks, I am capable of thinking for myself.
And then I constantly ask myself, don't these people realize that with such actions they are only achieving the opposite? And that the other side are only getting more upset? Just like the climate glue people (Klimakleber)? – Everyone I know hates them :D
I mean, if that's your goal / way to get more benefits, then good luck.
There is a lot more to say, but it’s already too long.
Now, at the end, I will stop the 4.3 version, compile the latest version of the tool in a few days in Godot 3.6 and remove the Godot start screen. Maybe the compiling in a newer Godot version solves also some problems with rare crashes.
If you still have problems, until all users got the problems solved by updating the drivers.
After this I will remove the EA tag and it will be version 1.0
I’m thankful for each user and your patient. I’m sorry to let it end like this. The software will stay up, but no further updates will be released.
I’m so sorry for all of this, but this world is just getting more crazy.
Kind regards
Union Bytes
Get Union Bytes Painter
Union Bytes Painter
Sprite and Texture Painter similar to Substance Painter, just for pixel art.
More posts
- Where the hell is the next update?Jul 09, 2023
- Update v0.672 (2022-11-27)Nov 27, 2022
- Update v0.626 (2022-10-16)Oct 16, 2022
- Update v0.614 (2022-10-08)Oct 08, 2022
- Update v0.405 (2022-04-21)Apr 21, 2022
- Update v0.402 (2022-04-18)Apr 18, 2022
- Update v0.324 (2022-03-26)Mar 26, 2022
- Update v0.307 (2022-03-10)Mar 10, 2022
- Update v0.201 (2021-11-20)Nov 20, 2021
Comments
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I recommend taking a look at PirateSoftware's video on the whole Godot drama, it actually brought to attention a lot what actually happened.
And I mean Thor from the channel that made Heartbound XD
Is it possible to see a sale in Black Friday?
Would you consider making this tool opensource so people might port it to newer versions of godot?
I bought this tool 2 years ago and it was a bit buggy bit I still gave it a chance, I knew all the issues would be fixed eventually.
Not happy with this decision but understandable. I'll report anything wrong with the latest version, thanks and good luck in future projects.
Yes, please do this. If someone finds a bug and I can fix it, I will still do it. I will not let it fall like a hot potato 😊and try to give support and fixing bugs if they get reported.
But the last year I got mostly only 2 Bugs reported, which I couldn’t fix. The drawing bug in the 3D view, I couldn’t repeat it or find a reason why this only happen on some systems, and the bug with the crash at start, which is mostly a problem with the engine \ driver itself. Most people could fix it by updating driver.
Otherwise, I didn’t get much bug reports, maybe because the interest on the software itself was not so big. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Kind regards Union Bytes
The interest in the software could have been massive, but you never advertised it and also just stopped working on it for years, so people (rightly as it turns out) assumed it was abandonware.
Either way, I've gotten plenty of use out of it so cheers for making it (I really mean that, it's a great product and you should be proud of it).
Shame it won't be going forward over some nonsense twitter drama. I always knew this would be the outcome of Godot's open source volunteer nature: everyone eventually falls out and packs up their toys.
Best of luck with your future projects!
Just wanted to thank you for the all of the work you put into an awesome product. I understand the way you feel, and while sad to see progress ending on it, I support you in your decision. Good luck on your future ventures!
Thank you very much.
Honestly if that's your takeaway on how things played out, however tired and having other focuses as you are, I'd like to request a refund.
Godot at the end of the day is just a tool and that shouldn't deter you from developing it further because some drama happened, which may or may not affect the development of the engine as you claim it will.
Godot addressed all the backlash it got from the controversy, and if you still have trouble with that I can only think your problem with it lies elsewhere.
Please process my refund.
Thanks
Hello Zellator,
first I need to say, the software still works and will be still available in the future. When you bought the software? So, I need to check at which time you bought the software, because if it’s to long time ago, it will be hard, because I also must pay taxes and give itch.io there part.
Also, until now I didn’t get a refund request from itch.io. Did you start this request already?
If it was recently, I will have no problem with a refund.
And to the rest of you post, I would like to say some small things to it:
As you can see, I started already with the Union Bytes Painter 2024 Version, I also increased the performance. And I was happy to work on it again, I had fun.
Of course, this incident was not the only reason, but It’s the current biggest one and pissed me of.
Especially the reaction from the Godot Foundation is a pure joke! Aside from this, I waited a really long time for a requested features like drawable textures or texture buffers, which would increase the possibles for this a lot like size and performance. But they use to much energy for politics and their agenda/activism, with this they lost a lot of contributors.
Just on 23 September 2024 they (Godot) wrote: “As a reminder, we are always in need of more help. The rendering team is very small and none of us are working on the renderer full-time. …”
For me, what they did was super stupid and unnecessary. And if I can’t work with one group of people, then it’s the stupid ones or people who are blinded by any ideology! In order to communicate with someone, I need a minimum of logical thinking skills.
If Godot want to be an activist and ban everyone wo says "Focus on the engine!", okay, but without me!
I’m already long time with Godot, I guess it was since 2019, before this I wrote my own OpenGL \ Vulkan Engine. I was always unhappy with the way\speed it developed. But the community was cool, and the Engine is light weighted.
This was the last straw! I don’t get the features I need, and they divide the community further.
Kind regards
UnionBytes
Are you seriously this upset about twitter drama? :Ddddd
No, by far not. ^^
But I have a Problem with the result out of it and the future of Godot.
I also have no problem with the start post of the CM from Godot itself. I have a problem with the reaction to other posts they had, the answer of the Godot foundation and what impact this will have on the future of Godot. Also only one side was blocked while the other was much more extremist and had a much more violent\nasty language. If you do this, do it on both sides!
And personally, I don't want to be part of an activist group that is even "supported" by the Godot Foundation. <- Just my personal feelings ;-)
Sorry, I'm also trying not to write too long replies anymore, because it seems, that some people can't extract the important information out from them and maybe misunderstand me. Or, maybe it's just because English is not my native language. :)
Kind Regards
UnionBytes
Hi,
I have several issues with your reply, which only cements that the issue that you had with the engine is that they are "woke". This makes absolutely no sense. How do you even assess that "they use to much energy for politics and their agenda/activism"
Also, don't you see that Godot is mainly built by volunteers? Why should a Twitter post even matter, it was made by the Community Manager! And they already addressed the bannings.
But the most important thing: Godot is a tool, first and foremost. If you don't want to be involved in drama then just don't. You chose to be when you made this blog post. You are doing the the exact opposite of what you said: 'I don't feel like having political discussions when I am working with Godot, and I don’t have time for this either."
Just think it through, and maybe you'll actually see how you are not making any sense and just needlessly involving yourself in this.
Hi Zellator,
okay, so I never said the I problems with Godot wokeness. I mean since years they made rainbow flags everywhere and changed the discord icon regularly to it. So, for me it was always clear that Godot is “woke”, and I had absolutely no problem with that.
But I have a massive problem in how they handled it. Blocking people who just said, they should focus on the engine, is censorship and totalitarianism. Just look at the twitter post they blocked. A lot of them are neutral!
There is a reason Redot was pushed out now, even if they planned already a long time to do it, but it was just a plan so far, as I understood. And the Feedback to it was huge and massively positive.
And YES, I have a personal problem with censorship and totalitarianism, for me it doesn’t matters from which side there are coming, left or right! I don’t want to live in a world, where other people tell me, what I have to think. And as I said the Godot Foundation supports in MY eyes this censorship and totalitarianism by keeping this CM and the non-apology apology. The CM failed on each aspect of the job.
Yes, it’s made by volunteers. But, did you see that a lot of people moved to Redot? I must be honest; I don’t understand totally how this works with the forks (Will they benefit from each other? Or will they separate more and more?), but if a part of the community separates, I assume it’s a problem. And as I posted before they said by themselves, that they have less people for the render pipeline work already.
So, of course, it’s the sum of all the problems I mentioned. But this Drama showed me, which way Godot will still going! And yes, I will see this also as a chance to evolve myself and learn something new. I was already long time not sooo happy with Godot anymore.
Please understand me, this “drama” is not the only reason, but it is a reason and a big catalyst for it. Like the maker of redot said.
I also think, like mentioned on X(twitter), this action is, more or less, a purge and the community will drift more in one direction.
We have different opinions, on the amount of impact, this will have to the Engine and this is legit. But from my point of view, this will be a bigger one. I guess such dramas will repeat even if they will not all be public. Also, because the CM seem to be “on the right at this point”, it will get more conflicts.
And to the last part you wrote: “If you don't want to be involved in drama then just don't. …“ I need to say I do, I will not post anything more about it or get more involved. BUT I will always respond to my customers here on Itch.io try to explain my decisions. I will not be involved in any conversation about this outside of it.
Kind regards
UnionBytes