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Hmm, Ken or Minto were Bioware employees?

No, they weren't, but you were the one who said Gaider was famous for being a modder and not a designer - and I said "uh, no."

Yes, I said it - but it is not complete what has been said. Gaider has not been "normal" modder, he has been from Bioware. You can call it as you want, "Bioware modder" maybe... But this is the role that primary made him "famous". And note that in "Bioware modder" is not "genial designer" or something... That's why people know him...

Avellone is maybe better designer, however he is not "known" for community like Gaider. For people in IE modding Avellone is - compared with Gaider - rather anonymous head somewhere in corporation. Maybe people out of IE modding know Avellone more rather than Gaider (simply because they don't know about Gaider at all) and (...and thus) give Avellone more glory - because such people don't know IE modding, Gaider, Ascension, etc. at all. But we are in IE modding here, in IE modding where Gaider has been active, Gaider is familiar for us - all we know that he has worked on BG2.

One notice, maybe it has some importance, maybe not - from all IE games is BG2 the most popular, for modders probably too. And Gaider has his credit on BG2. Not Avellone. Avellone has his Torment (and IWD, and Fallout, etc. let's stay on Torment, his most noticeable work)... well, Torment that is for me much, much better than all Baldur's Gates, but many people don't like Torment or don't play it. So someone who likes BG2 more than Torment could simply prefer Gaider more... This could be one of additional (but probably minor) reasons why Gaider and not the others. We cannot see it as black and white world "Gaider's glory = he is designer-god: yes/no?"

I don't see anyone attributing Khalid and Jaheira's names to Minto or Ken, whose "achievements" in the modding community should be on par with - if not even greater than - Gaider's.

(Nobody talks about Ken anymore. )

I can only say again and again that it's unwarranted, because I don't think he's good enough to be worthy of the status. I find it ridiculous that his name is held in such high regard, even after all this time.

Hmm, Ken or Minto were Bioware employees?

By some people the fact that Gaider is from Bioware can be considered as very "cool". Bioware made the engine, made the bg games, so the input from one of creators can be seen as somehow unique.

ad Ken... I think that the sentence written by JC ("...by time the first public version of WeiDU proper was released (in other words, when it was finally possible to make interesting mods without having to put one's head through a brick wall...") could attract his attention suppose he would read this thread (that was one of my first impressions when I've read it... remember the disputations about the role of weidu in IE modding during Ken's last active era)  

SConrad: I see your point, but not the point of this discussion. I'm not active in everyday discussions and chats on IE modding boards recently so i cannot consider exactly whether there are some "godlike praises" about Gaider. However, I doubt about it - why? Because Gaider is in the scene due to his position -  as has been said here, the position "the one from Bioware who helped with modding and cooperate on some mods".
And people know this. So people know Gaider and the fact that he is Bioware employee and the fact he is employed there as designer. See... the path to "Gaider's glory" is lead through his input to modding. People here and on other forums simply know him and the rest is normal process - someone could add some rumour and fiction, but the reason is not in Gaider - designer but in Gaider - "modder".

GeN1e: well said.

Just one notice - in fact, Gaider is/was not "the only one" from Bioware involved in modding. The truth is there were another guys - I don't remember the names but in Infinity Scripters and IEEAIS groups were other Bioware employees - many years ago, but I think Bartel, Winski (? I'm not sure about him) and some others has been (more or less; rather less ) active in these mailing groups. There were another contacts with Bioware in early years of IE modding, I don't know all details about it. However, Gaider was remarkable (as could be "proven" by the fact I can remember him and can't remember the others ) - and that's why most of people involved in modding know him (or the "legend" about him )

Hmm, to be honest I don't understand the point of this topic. Yes, SConrad has wanted to say he don't think that Gaider is designer-god. OK. But is it necessary?

Gaider did quite noticeable work in modding... already mentioned Ascension and inputs to yahoo mailing discussions like Infinity Scripters. Except some others from Bioware who provide some input to modding community as well, he was (is) quite unique in the IE modding scene - someone from Bioware who gave us hints and experiences about scripting, effects and other aspects. This gave him a status "the one from Bioware", more precisely "the one from Bioware who is interested in modding and his name is David Gaider". Here you can see the roots why his name is so often used in discussions...

Actually I haven't noticed that he is praised for his design work, there is just his "legacy" for his interest in modding. You can compare him with Avellone and you will get some result of this comparing, however it is totally out of context - it is not about Gaider's design, it is about his involvement in modding - and maybe not due to the real, concrete modding achivements but just because of the fact that he is the one from the "mysterious" Bioware employees.