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  • Please see the most recent updates in the "Where did the .com name go?" thread. Posts number 16 and 17.

    Post 16 Update

    Post 17 Warning

I'm retiring..

Sometimes we need a break, whether it's short or long term or even permanent. Whichever way it goes: all the best!

Mike
 
oh dear, that's sad to hear..

I do understand tough, I haven't touched any paintbrushes for a while now, no time really...and no time in the foreseeable future either. Too much (real) work, too much travel, moving house this summer...The only thing I occasionally touch is...the P-61, but things are slow, very slow.
But we'll get there, Pam, let's make the widow the best one yet!!
 
warchild said:
The way i see is that, the A-7s were mywork, so was the A-10, the pasped, the BD-5, Most of the p-36, The Iris F-14 and Vulcan and a few others, and I pioneered the flight physics behond the SU-37 and showed the world it could be done realistically. The result of that last being a fantastic little SU-27 and Now Davids F-22. I have a lot of pride in my works. they're loved by a lot of people.. I didnt want to retire under these conditions, but i knew it was inevitable.. A glass only holds so much water and sooner or later it runs out.. I had a very tall glass, and its been a true honor..
Always
Pam
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear...you've modeled wonderful FSX platforms. I went ugly early, falling for the A-10 back in the mid-80's, you brought it to me in FSX and I can't thank you enough.
I'm really enjoying the F-22 too. What a challenge that must have been. That jet is a RW monster with corners of the flight envelope that would have been considered "arcadish" a few years back, but not for this machine. Now we know a lot more about its "numbers" and can fly it in FSX to get a feel for whats going on during RW displays. Thank you for all that.
Here's a link you'll enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5Z_Eg5QFbM
 
Hello Pam,

I know exactly how you feel and did exactly the same thing just after xmas and retired from commercial modeling, I gave up the dream job (Aerosoft) and dream aircraft (F-14) under the illusion that I was no longer good enough or competative, truth is, and like you, we are still good enough. However there comes a point where the reality of what we do finally sinks in, the reality that every new project that stretches in front is going to eat up many many man hours. Not only does the mountain get higher but it gets steeper and we have to climb it faster.

I'ver 'retired' many times before LOL, think this'll be my third :), we never retire just fade into the back ground to bounce back later, sadly though this time I don't think I will, I just don't have the drive any more and commercial work is getting harder and harder and I suspect like me and quite a few I've spoken too, it has outstripped peoples needs and wants. The minority who crave the utmost detail are drivng along the market, reality is most people just want to have fun and would gladly accept default plus a few extras as their means of flight, sadly though if you made commercial models to that level either FDE or mesh, you'd be picked to pieces by those that crave utmost detail. I've no issue with those who strive for this perfection, just less than impressed when its labled as what everyone wants.

A break is good, its been three months now and I caught myself looking at books and such the other day, not for long but long enough to recognise that some glimmer of interst remains, and also long enough to realize that what went before will not happen again. for me the killer was the deadlines, the pressure of completion and the added weight of dependants whos work was also tied up in the project.

I wish you well and if you do come back, do not make the same mistake that I did and try to drop right back into the same old routine, you just end up getting more dis-illusioned faster and for longer, try to change something to make it appealing again. What ever you do, make sure 'you' are happy not every one else, because that's what commercial work is all about, making every one else happy and usually at your own expense.

Have a safe one.

Michael
 
cheers Pam - take a break from the code, I'm sure it is much needed and well deserved.

Thank you for all you have done for us FSX'ers
 
Hmm...

Hi Pam,

You know I've been semi-retired from painting as well. The high point being when we did the Goose with Steve. (it was a great team project)

I've done quite a bit of painting since but did not for the life of me have the energy to publish what I did. It was then that I knew I needed more than just a break, the magic was gone.

I've read Michael Davies reply and I know...

Who knows one day when we have had the chance to rest and recharge we could all get together and put together the best freeware package for Flight.

I still want to do the default Maule and I need someone to fix the FM, one of these days I am sure I'll find someone. :)

Don't be hard on yourself, enjoy your break.

Cheers
Butch
 
I was hoping this was an old post from April 1st that I had missed but now I see it is not. Sorry to see anyone leave part of the hobby without a light heart. Hope to still see you involved in the forums in any case.
:ernae:
 
I think Michael Davies and Pam should get together in their contented retirement and, at a leisurely pace, make a Curtiss C-46 Commando for us. No rush, no rivet counting, just a nice thing to dabble with, and keep those joints supple. That or a Vickers Valiant...I'm not fussy..:)
 
Hi Warchild

I just want to say best wishes on your decision. I know how hard these are to make. I once built models for a hobby and was acknowledged as one of the best in my region. Then one day life took over and I just stopped. I never gave up the passion but the need to continually raise the bar just meant the desire to start a new project wasn't there. Every time I looked at my stock of kits I didn't see completed models any more, I just saw the hours of work doing research and striving to achieve the level of perfection that others, and myself had placed on my work. The burden became too much and removed the joy of the hobby.
It has been 15 years now and I am finally at a point that I can look at the kits (I still have them) and see joy again in creating the replicas that live there. However one of the things that has changed is my eyesight. So now I need to allow for that. However I am now in a place that I am about to start a project for me. For the shear joy of working on a physical thing and turning raw material into a crafted finished product. For me.

So. Enjoy your decision. Live for yourself for a while and don't fret the loss to this hobby. There is no loss as your existing work is still here to enthrall us all. And at some time in the future, maybe you can look again at this space and see the joy that it once was creating something from raw material with your skill.

Cheers and thanks for everything you have done.
Paul
 
Pam, enjoy yourself, you deserve it. Glad to hear you're going to hang around the forums, it's always good to hear (read) your comments. Enjoy the flying just for the fun of it. (Something I need to get back to, someday.)

Like Paul, I have so many irons in the fire, time get's in the way. I have a huge stash of models that I hope to get back to, someday. Right now, my R/C is getting all my time. I can feel another break coming up for it, in another year or so, tho'. Then I'll go back to one of my other hobbies, including the flightsim.

If you don't have one, start another hobby, maybe remotely connected to the flightsim, in some way. It helps.

Enjoy.
Don
 
padburgess said:
Hi Warchild
Then one day life took over and I just stopped. I never gave up the passion but the need to continually raise the bar just meant the desire to start a new project wasn't there. Every time I looked at my stock of kits I didn't see completed models any more, I just saw the hours of work doing research and striving to achieve the level of perfection that others, and myself had placed on my work. The burden became too much and removed the joy of the hobby.

Paul
Click to expand...

Bingo, thats exactly how I felt, it wasn't insidious or a slow process, suddenly one day whilst working on the F-14 that was it...just not interested. I even went so far as to cleanse my hard drive of old projects I knew would never be done, threw out about 60% of my books (couldn't even be bothered to ebay them) I had never looked at in years and knew would be of no use in the future, just virtually wiped the slate clean.

Like Don I just changed to something else, I already had several other hobbies but took up a new one on a whim after just seeing one thumbnail on the web, R/C warships and I've never been happier, when the sawdust settles and you can finally touch something you have created, you loose that satisfaction in a virtual world.

It is very hard to step away from something that as been such a large part of your life, but sometimes you have to be brutal, because staying is often more damaging than changing.

Kindest

Michael
 
Paul K said:
I think Michael Davies and Pam should get together in their contented retirement and, at a leisurely pace, make a Curtiss C-46 Commando for us. No rush, no rivet counting, just a nice thing to dabble with, and keep those joints supple. That or a Vickers Valiant...I'm not fussy..:)
Click to expand...

Actually.... I was more in mind of a B24, B29, B36, KC97 if it had to be a prop LOL.

Best

Michael
 
michael davies said:
Actually.... I was more in mind of a B24, B29, B36, KC97 if it had to be a prop LOL.

Best

Michael
Click to expand...

Well yes Michael, any and all of those would be very welcome, I'm sure. My father was a flight engineer on RAF-operated B-29s, and I hold out hope that one day we'll have a native FSX one.
 
Hi Pam,
Yea a Hobbit here, I don't fly FSX but I know when we lose a wonderful person in the sim family.. Retirement sounds Great.. I do pray you enjoy yourself and have the time of your life.. Now you can wreck planes like I do all the time.... Okay maybe not..
May your retirement be wonderful.. And I pray all the happiness and peace possible for you..
Thanks for all the fun, I shall keep a eye open for you in the forums..
God Bless you..

:salute: :salute: :salute:
 
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