- Why call your site "momirfarooq.com"?
Uh... my name is Momir Farooq. Get it?
- OK, but why call it *".com"? Are you a company?
No, I'm not a company - I just wanted a *.com because when I started this page, just about everything used the *.com domain name. Everything on this site is free. Since a lot of this stuff is based off other people's copyrighted works, I couldn't charge people even if I wanted to. Now, that being said, if you wanted to give me a donation, I wouldn't be too proud to accept it! There's a Paypal button on the home page. The total cost of running this site (domain name registration and webhosting) are displayed on the front page, with a notice of how much revenue has come in from advertisements and donations. Can't get any more transparent with my finances then that!
- What exactly is the purpose of this site, anyway?
There really isn't one. It's just a place where I can post whatever I feel like posting. Mostly resources for Role Playing Games, since I'm such a geek. ;)
- I tried to visit your site the other day, but it wasn't up... now it's back up again. What gives?
My webhost limits my bandwidth to 1GB per month. When people download files that exceed that limit in a single month, the site is automatically taken off-line until the first of the next month. It sucks, I know.
- Can you make a model of...
Maybe, but I won't promise anything. This isn't my job; it's a hobby. Creating a model can be a very tedious, time-consuming process, and I have other things to do. Having said that, it is a hobby I enjoy, so if the project is interesting enough, I may pick it up... just don't give me a deadline to meet, and don't get offended if I decline to help out.
- What are you working on now?
At any given time, I'll probably have 3-6 models in the pipeline, at various stages of development. Sometimes I post preview pictures to my DeviantArt account.
- Did you know that some of your models are not accurate / not in the right scale?
In many instances, yes. All the models on this site were intended to be used as gaming pieces. Ideally, I want these models to be easy to assemble (becuase you're don't want to make just one... you want a dozen of each to field a decent army) and to be relatively sturdy (since they're going to be constantly picked up and moved around a gaming board / table). And if they get too big, they become impractical at representing relative movement. Sometimes, I have to take artistic license to meet those goals.
Having said that, there are times when I have not been able to find enough reference pictures, and I have to guess at what kind of textures / details to add.
- May I distribute / print / play with / host your models on my site?
All files on this site may be downloaded for personal use. That means you can view them, print them, and play with them... with just 2 exceptions...
You may NOT distribute the NinjaBurger cartoon or the Lightsaber Duel video. It's not that I
don't want people seeing them, it's just that I don't have exclusive rights for them. I may have drawn the Ninjaburger cartoon, but it is owned by Aethereal Forge. I may have filmed & put together the lightsaber duel, but I couldn't have done it without my friends Diego and James.
All other files (Models, Tokens, Paper Miniatures, GM Tools, etc) may be distributed, or even hosted on your own website... provided that you do not claim they are your work, and provided that you do not alter the file.
- Can I modify your models and re-post them?
Yes, if you're playing a game that requires slightly larger models, or if you want to make alternate models with different color schemes, you may take the models located here and edit them as you see fit. However, there are some limitations:
- Any credit to third party sources (in other words, anyone who isn't you or me) listed in the original file must be preserved
- You must credit me for creating the original model OR mention that the original model was obtained from www.momirfarooq.com (whichever you prefer)
- You must add credit to yourself for modifying the model
- You must not make a profit from selling the modification
For example, if you take one of my models with a disclaimer saying that "textures were obtained from the X-Wing Alliance video game", then your final product must have a disclaimer saying something along the lines of "Original model obtained from www.momirfarooq.com); Textures from X-Wing Alliance video game, modified by (insert your name here)."
I'm not a lawyer, so I don't care so much about how the credit is worded... I just want everyone to be credited where it is due.
- May I link to the files (cartoons, models, etc) on your site?
I would really, really prefer it if you didn't. Don't get me wrong- I'ld love to have more people linking to me,
but it would be much better to link to the front page ("www.momirfarooq.com" or "www.momirfarooq.com/index.html"). The
index page is guaranteed to be there. The other pages and files may be moved to different directories, or I might
rename them.
- Can you link to my site?
Probably. Drop me a line (you can use the Feedback form), and give me the URL.
- Can I send you something to put on your site?
Sure. But don't send me an attached file right away. Either send me a hyperlink, or else send me
your e-mail address and a description of what you had in mind. If you send me the file first, it might fill up
my mail spool. Or I might not know what to make of it. In any event, I won't post anything without your permission,
and I'll naturally give you credit. If you don't want your work to be on the same page as my work, then that can probably
be arranged, too.
Photos of games using my models would be greatly appreciated! ;)
- How long does it take to make a model / cartoon?
If you're asking how long it takes to construct the model, most can be done within 2 hours (though I would highly advise you to take longer and wait for the glue to dry before attaching each piece).
If you're asking how long it takes to design a model, it really varies. There are some models that I was able to complete within a single day. And there are some that I've been working with off and on for over a year. I would say most take a couple of months. It really depends on how complicated the shape is and what kind of material I can find to start with (images, 3-D models from games, etc).
- I'm trying to put together one of your models, and I'm having a really hard time with it. How do you put together something so small?
A lot of this just comes with experience - you start to learn little tricks that help you out. Being near-sighted can help! The best advice I can give you would be:
- Print the model on cardstock (available at any office supply store) using an inkjet printer. Laserjet printings have a tendency to rub off while you work with them.
- Make sure the area you're working in is clean and well lit. A lot of these pieces are very, very small, and it's all too easy to loose a piece if you drop it in shag carpeting (I speak from experience).
- Cut out pieces only as you need them - don't cut all the pieces at once. Some paper modelers are very adamant about using a hobby knife on a cutting board and never using scissors because scissors usually don't cut a straight line. I never really bought that arguement, however. Most of my model pieces are so small that it generally doesn't matter, and I think scissors are a lot easier to use.
- Use a hobby knife to score all fold lines, and then crease all the folds to weaken the cardstock so that it naturally starts to bend where you want it to. THIS IS CRITICAL - if you don't do this, you will have problems with the model not looking right.
- (optional) If a piece is a dark color, use a marker of the same color to darken the edges. This will minimize the number of stark white lines that will detract from the finished model's appearance.
- Before you glue two pieces together, hold them together and make sure they fit. Understand how they fit together, and how you will need to hold them when you are gluing.
- Glue pieces together with standard white craft glue (like Elmer's glue). Do not use Superglue or other types of glue unless you know what you're doing. If it's too hard to hold the pieces together, use a pair of tweesers, or squeeze them against the back of your hobby knife and your thumb nail. If you're having difficulty controling how much glue comes out when you squeeze the bottle, or if you're having a hard time dabbing a drop of glue into a tight location, then use a "glue probe" - just take a small strip of discarded cardstock, place a drop of glue on one end, and then use that strip to smear glue over the desired location.
- Wait for pieces to dry before moving on to the next one.
- Be patient, and don't give up. You may ruin your first few attempts at a particular model, but just keep at it, and you'll get it.
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