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[Miguelito]

Well sure, your're perfectly right. And it's absolutely reasonable to expect someone to do communicate.
I'm just not certain it's contract material.

Believe me, it's all subjective anyway. And my personal, and probably incorrect, opinion is that I wouldn't sign a contract with things like "You have to communicate in this and that way" simply because it would make me hugely suspicious of the author.

There might be a story like this behind it all, but then again, that's something you probably ought to discuss in advance and see how the person at the other end reacts to it, rather than unilaterally postulating it in your contract (and secretly hoping the other guy is going to oblige).
If he's a mature, understanding, literate guy and doesn't just go lol and kk and ur so rite, then I'd feel much more secure than only through a contract.

[Zaphos]

I don't think contracts need to be unilateral things, and there shouldn't be anything 'secret' about them?  You can discuss everything in the contract, and contracts can be negotiated.  So it doesn't have to be 'only' a contract, and you can know there's a story like this behind it because Craig (or whoever else does this) can explicitly tell you that.

Also it needs to be in the contract if Craig wants to be able to replace someone who disappears without risking that they'll come back with finished work much later and he'll suddenly owe two people for the same job.  Just discussing it as an expectation wouldn't really protect him from that I think.

[MattG]

payment on delivery has allways worked well for me. IE

"I need these 3d models with these specs by this date I pay 650.00$"

No models no money

[chubigans]

payment on delivery has allways worked well for me. IE

"I need these 3d models with these specs by this date I pay 650.00$"

No models no money

Yeah, I always start out like this with new contracts. Then on the next project I let them invoice me when they need to.

I'm also one of the guys who can freak out over a 48 hour period of silence, hah. Sorry to hear about your woes.

[cliffski]

This topic rings bells with me, and most other indies I talk to. Finding decent artists and coders etc is very hard, but finding reliable ones is way way harder.
It is basically a sign of unprofessionalism, and a lot of people hide behind 'I'm an artiste' as an excuse for not acting like a grown up in terms of reliable communication.

Essentially, what it comes down to, is that people who stay in touch and are reliable get a lot of repeat business, and those who are unreliable are always scavenging for work.

If in doubt, ask for references from other indies that someone has done work for. Indie devs can be pretty candid about the pros and cons of people they have worked with before :D

[Leroy Binks]

I wouldn't wait more than a week before sending a very pointed letter or phone call. I personally have avoided people for a day or two past a deadline if I wasn't finished with a project.(Of course I younger and less mature than I am today.)

I do offer you this on the contrary.  The artist on our project has been terribly slow about getting us the art we need, feeding us little bits at a time.  I am aware that he has other projects, but it was holding us back from progressing.  I had a upfront conversation with him and within a week he turned in a huge chunk that will allow us to make some major advancements while he finishes his other freelance work. 

So if in all other respects your contractor has been good, give him the benefit of the doubt and explain your needs.  If he has a history of letting you down, let him go.