A Cross Roads....

[Mathias]

You know Bill, I don't know if it helps in any way or if it even applies to your current situation, anyway ,here goes:
I' ve skipped FS9 entirely because of the dreaded 4mm weld issue.
We've been doing 3d gauges since back in CFS2 days but FS9 was a step back due to said bug. We've been modelling for CFS3 instead.
Interest in the civil FS line came back with the possibilities FSX had to offer, and you know what? You're a desinger by heart who wants to push the limits and inspite of the FSX bugs there's nothing better around right now so go with it. You can always talk your users through the FSX configuration whoes but you will never feel good with something that you know of could be done better on another plattform, simply because you want it to be right.
Happy new year to you and all the fellow SOH members!

 

[heywooood]

I will stop whining... I will stop whining... I will stop whining...

<-- smacks self

bah - its the time of year for adding things up and taking their measure to see what its all costing and whether it is worth the battle

it looks like FSX allows for more detail but with added work and some amount of frustration that is absent in the older format...also that your extra efforts are less appreciated (or even understood) by your constituency, and that rankles a bit.

Having looked at 3d modeling in the most rudimentary terms myself and having some experience in 4d balsa and plastic scale modeling - I feel competent to say I understand where you are coming from.
One pursues perfection in all aspects of modeling - form, fit, function and finish - pinpoint accuracy in all the details is the goal.

I can only say that your works are sublime - and beyond that, you provide unequaled service and support.

I do hope you will continue to make FSX better than its creators imagined it could be - FTX, REX and Lionheart Creations give us virtual flying that is as close to real as it gets - thats FACT

cheers Bill - and thanks for the great planes :ernae:

 

[DB93]

I will stop whining... I will stop whining... I will stop whining...

<-- smacks self

You know what? None of it sounded like whining to me (at least not until the above post I quoted... lol j/k). It sounded like someone who needed to vent about some things and did so. Sometimes venting can be a great way to work through things, as it allows you to verbalize the many thoughts in your head, and can help you to sort through them. It can also help you see them with a different eye once they've been sorted through. So I say vent away. It's good for you, and may help alleviate some of the stress and depression you've been feeling over all of this.

-George

 

[jmig]

Bill my friend, I am strictly a consumer. I buy airplanes and scenery and other FSX stuff. The only FS9 add on I have ever purchased in the last two years is the VRS F-18. I bought that for two reasons, one I wanted to see what it could do and two, I wanted to support them so the FSX model would come out. I do not have FS9 on my computer any longer.

I have purchased all of your FSX aircraft except the Tailwind (of it will help I will buy it too.) However, I am not posting to talk about FSX or FS9. I want to talk about Bill and Lionheart Creations.

I will put it very succinctly, you Billl, are one class individual. I am a very discriminating consumer. I am big on customer service. I will buy one airplane from you that I like, the second will be purchased because I am happy with the support I receive, if there are problems.

You are not the only one who does this but, you are very visible with your support, updates, etc. It is obvious that you care. A piece of your heart goes into every airplane you make. I respect that and I respect you for being so.

As to advise? I have none. You know best what is best for you. I just want to thank you, on this occasion, for making my world a little nicer.

Happy 2010!

 

[michael davies]

Bill,

Been there done that and my advice is to ignore everyones advice here , thats not malicious but bitter experiance, some will agree, some will not, either way they are not you, only you and you alone can decide where you go.

The cross roads sounds like not which sim to develope for but which fiddle to play, sounds like your trying to please others rather than your self, thats the wrong way to go, its the correct commercial head but its the wrong emotional head. Dont make what you think others think you should make, make what you want to make, the rest will fall into place. Granted some may complain at the potential loss of your work, but at what price to you ?. Self sacrifice is great bit sometimes me is important.

Personally I found deleting FS9 and all the addons (expensive) the only way to walk forward, technically FSx wins hands down, for game play then FS9 wins hands down and as I'm an engineer and a modeler far more than a gamer the choice was made easier. I dont agree with developing for both, its time consuming and emotionally draining.

And thats my one post a month used up on day one LOL.

What ever you do, you must be happy with yourself.

Sincerely

Michael

 

[Kiwikat]

Personally I found deleting FS9 and all the addons (expensive) the only way to walk forward, technically FSx wins hands down, for game play then FS9 wins hands down

Really? FS9 and FSX coexist on my machine just fine (and many others', including developers).

FS9 wins hands down for gameplay? I don't know what sim you're flying, but FSX is worlds smoother and looks far better than FS9 ever did. I rarely touch my FS9 anymore and it will be completely gone once the VRS F-18 is released...

:mixedsmi:

 

[CodyValkyrie]

Bill, whatever your decision, I am sure the community here at SOH stand behind you regardless.

On a more personal note, I have seen more modelers drop FS9 completely because of these pains. They are only multiplied by having to develop on two different platforms. So, the perhaps you need to write down the benefits of both and weight it out.

FS9
-Easier to develop for
-Better customers
-Less customer support issues

FSX
-Higher profits
-Push personal limits further in regards to modeling, etc

What I am curious about, is what is your hold out? I am concerned with the core issue of why you are having such a hard time adjusting (besides trying to develop for TWO platforms). I think it comes down to what you personally want in a simulator, which only you can define, and as such Michael Davies raises the valid point that only YOU can decide which is best for you. FSX has been polarizing and subjective, but I myself have bought into it lock stock and barrel, and am enjoying it both on the development side but on a consumer side as well. Our expectations are perhaps different though.

I dropped the whole idea of "what it COULD have been" and just started enjoying FSX for what it was, an aging platform forced into the NOW. I now enjoy what guys such as yourself present, along with some of the other very talented developers. The stuff that doesn't perform well or doesn't fit MY tastes, I drop and move on. I only keep what makes me smile. I'll be the first to admit though that the biggest single factor in my enjoyment was figuring out how to make FSX work, which frankly required a purpose built machine. Once I got over that hurdle, the playing field wasn't quite as steep.

Anyways, I'm rambling. Good luck friend.

A word of advice perhaps... sometimes sleeping on it or taking an absence from things makes things much more clear. This goes for almost anything. I have my moments when I want to throw my computer out of a window. I rest or walk away, and when I come back I have renewed energy. When you are head deep in water, you focus on the bottom of the water, but when you take a breather you see the beauty that is the glistening surface.

 

[harleyman]

Hmmmm Bill.....

I buy all your planes ..For sever reasond, as stated above...

Your models work on both FS9 and FSX, usually latly they do..I like that..

Second , ther are always highend, great flight charestics

Thirdly..I buy from you, I not only get a plane, but a person that has truely put blood , sweat , and tears into making it the best you can...

And that my friend is the worth of a Lionheart creation to me...I get the plane, at a great price, and I get a friend for life...


I say pick your platform..Do what makes you happy..if ya end up in the poor house I will save a big cardboard house for you to live in, right next to me....LOL

You sir, are one top shelf, stand up developer...And a friend...

 

[Lionheart]

Thanks guys for your advice, input, and kind words.




Bill

 

[Chacha]

Hey Bill,

You know I have all your planes....

I am so blessed that I have a good friend that cater to my addiction! :ernae:

I love FS9 it is more easier to learn and doesn't have a lot of problems. (Like adjustment every time I change aircraft..) but I like the ice candy I get from FSX....

I fly both sims, I crash aircraft either FS9 or FSX.... I am so spoiled I would fly in both sims and see the difference.... I can't use the technical terminologies you use, but I can speak of enjoyment and satisfaction I get flying either sims. On my FSX, Lionheart's eye candy on his aircraft has a lot more to offer!

So either way you go, Bill... We are on your side.... I know you will never abandon FS9 as long as you are making models.... It is your first love and it will never die! :ernae:

Have a Prosperous 2010! May God Bless you and Lionheart Creations more abundantly...

 

[michael davies]

Really? FS9 and FSX coexist on my machine just fine (and many others', including developers).

:mixedsmi:

Well good for you.

I said personally, that doesnt make it a subject for your condescending disection. Other people in this thread have said FS9 is smoother than FSx, why pick my post apart, you've been doing this for several years now and its wearing a little thin, its about time you let go of what ever perceived wrong doing I've done to you and flog another horse.

Account / subject closed.

 

[Ferry_vO]

Behave boys!

Bill, I love your work and it will be interesting to see your future models! You've always been a master of detail and FsX gives you a lot more room for that.
I still fly Fs9, but I find myself more and more flying in FsX, now that the community is gradually improving the sim bit by bit.

 

[AusWilko]

As someone who has struggled to stay with fsx because my hardware is still a step behind but can run 9 at full tilt it is very frustrating to be torn between the 2 as I would love to use a single platform for both heavy tubes (FS9) and choppers and lights (FSX) but that is still at least 6 months away.

Your one of the good guys so support will follow no matter what so chose as you must :salute:

 

[grunau_baby]

Bill,

sometimes it´s time to let something go, to lose semething to gain another...
But finally it´s your decision...

I look at from the customer/"enjoyer" point of view which might be parallel to your developer point of view. I loved my FS9 isntall with all the things/and money I stuck into it over the years, runing it all maxed out. But I uninstalled - why?

When I grew on FSX - involving new rigs, constant tweaking, draw backs and successes, so now it runs allright (not superb, but fine) - and aircraft and scenery evolved, I wanted more, more detail, more eyecandy. I need things that I feel push the limit a little further... So at a point there was no way back in enjoyment, even though it meant more tweaking and even more support-issues and draw backs with some products.

The parallel might be IMHO that moving forward - which I feel is one thing you really want, but which involves time, more work and "pain". These sufferings might also keep you from leaving the easy way (fs9) behind. But really: do you like to walk backwards (even though it´s downhill and easier;-) "True love travels on a gravel road". But that´s just my two cents...

Make up your mind when and however you personally feel. We´re with you!:ernae:

Regards
Alex

 

[empeck]

I can't imagine myself going back to FS9. I wanted to make my Pirat for FS9 too, but when I started there was so many things I'd have to remove (like all those small parts in VC, detail textures, 2048x2048 textures, winch, and more), so I gave up. I have started working on Orlik again, and here are even more things I'd have to remove. For me FS9 is history, just like CFS2, Jane's WW2 Fighters, Red Baron, etc. These were good simulators, but times changed, I want better sceneries, detailed aircrafts, better lighting, dynamic shadows, better physics...

There is only older simulator I fly from time to time - it's EECH because of Mi-24 made by Arneh.

 

[Cazzie]

Bill, I still go both ways and really at the moment could never leave FS9 simply because so many really great airplanes are available for free. For me, it is not the scenery as much as the airplanes, I have always had a fetish for things that fly, be it birds or airplanes.

I am strictly a skinner and I love doing paints for both FS9 and FSX.

For FS9, I can whip out a paint in a day or so, for FSX native, that might be a week or so due to the extra bump and spec textures that must be done.

But whatever you do, there will always be some Lionheart planes in either sim I have.

And I also know your true love lies in Sci-Fi.

Caz

 

[cheezyflier]

pshew! for several posts i also misunderstood! i'm glad you cleared that up.
after the awesomeness you have released this year, i shuddered at the thought of seeing no more new stuff from you. i have a crap computer that is from 2002. fs9 runs alot better on my box too. somehow, through the use of alacrity pc, and who knows why else, it (barely) runs FSX.
your kodaik defined this year (sim-wise) for me, and i'm sure many others.
i hope that somehow, things become less of a pita for you.
2 cor 12:9 hang in there bro

 

[Penzoil3]

:salute:
Sir; I have most of your products. I fly them both in FSX, and FS9. Personally I fly FSX, but I multi player with friends who have FS9, so I fly that too.
So for my two cents, I want you to continue developing planes that I can use in both sims. But just keep developing! You are a valuable asset to the flight sim community!
Thanks for all your hard work! BTW, I have never had a problem with any of your products, on 3 different systems. They install flawlessly in both sims. ( keep building faster systems for FSX, LOL )
Thanks
Sue

 

[Piglet]

Maybe when the economy gets better, get a day job, and go back to freeware? Part of what keeps me going is the simple fact that I can do whatever, whenever. Maybe the only way to truely follow your heart's desires is to NOT make it a job.

 

[Milton Shupe]

Maybe when the economy gets better, get a day job, and go back to freeware? Part of what keeps me going is the simple fact that I can do whatever, whenever. Maybe the only way to truely follow your heart's desires is to NOT make it a job.

Them's wise words there. :salute: