The bliss of ignorance...

[Bjoern]

I've been sitting here almost all day thinking of what to do for FSX today.

Finish up that one scenery, continuing modeling that aircraft, making this panel mod or that repaint or just start an entirely new project altogether. I'm totally lost.
I've got the (basic) skills for almost everything (except for creating sounds and FDEs), but I just don't know what to apply them to. All I know is that no matter what I do I'm going to invest a lot of time for relatively little benfit. Then again, it's quite satisfying to see a project more or less work out in the end but when you've spent hours on a project and still have quite a long way to go, the autobahn suddenly turns into a rocky and steep backcountry road. Urgh!
If I fire up FSX I sometimes don't see a flightsim but a huge sandbox; millions of construction sites screaming "I want your attention!". The temptation is really hard to ignore, and as I said a "Hey, let's quickly improve this and that" turns into a "I wasted half the night for *that*?!?!?!" really quick.

So here's a kudos to you "regular" guys who would never dare to touch any kind of development tools for FSX and just go flying day for day.
Or to you guys who only limit your skills to one single field of expertise like repaints and gladly ignore other fields of FSX development.

Because too much knowledge sometimes hinders you more than it benefits you and ignorance can really be bliss once in a while.

Rant over.

I need a beer...and a decision.

 

[spotlope]

First and foremost, it seems to me you've got to decide what you enjoy doing for FS the most. I like designing airports, but I only choose certain ones that I find quirky or unusual. Like you said, the rewards aren't exactly excessive, so it's a good idea to make something you'll enjoy yourself. If everyone else likes it too, that's a bonus.

 

[MCDesigns]

Boy, I can sooooooooooooooooooooooo relate. I'm convinced you have those that fly in the sim and those that tinker in it (sandbox theory).

Now that I have a new rig, I figured I would get some quality flying in, but I tend to focus on everything but the beauty of being in the virtual air. Good thing I have other games/ virtual aspects to deal with and not just FS.

 

[empeck]

Hehe, Bjoern, I understand you

I have one plane in beta testing (SZD-30 Pirat), one quite advanced (Orlik), and two others in early stages. I did two quick and dirty airfields for my own purposes (home of Polish F-16's EPKS and my hometown EPIN). I have to finish that all

I can't remember when I just flown a plane in FSX

 

[gera]

Bjoern amigo.......Just si down and work!!!! either it comes out fine or its a dud.....so what? you had fun and maybe learned one new trick......I drive home and start by thinking I am flying over the jungle (all that darn traffic looks like it) oviously a beautiful lady is sitting by me as my co-pilot!!!..then I start thinking what adventure I will be flying with the lady....then I get home, fire up the PC have some wine and cheese, say hi to the wife and make sure a new lady is sitting by me and start FSX, Sbuilder, and a new airfield gets built in the Macao Jungle of Buna......then I fly in and out of it and if I like it I start a New FSadventureFlight or Mission.....an on and on and on....or I paint a plane, or I fly into a hurricane or......Oh well I guess you get the picture...( Did you see the girl??)....blond, slick, long legs and Purry!!!!!....pretty no????....Zoooooooooom Crash!!!! where did that palm tree come from????:ernae::ernae:

 

[Bone]

Sometimes, Bjoern, you have to stop and smell the jet fuel. Put the chores aside, gas it up and fly.

 

[limjack]

I am one of the "regular guys" (even got the mug to prove it!!!) just enjoying and reaping the rewards of all those who share their work. If I were you I would work on what makes you most happy. That will get those creative juices flowing and help motivate you about your paticular prodject. I know for me when I get a brain blast I think about it all day and night and can't wait to work on it. Ok, that was my adivice.

Jim

 

[CBris]

...and on those long sleepless nights, when you wake up at 3:30 a.m. to an "Old man's call" you end up turning on the PC just to see who's there.

Me? I would like to model things as well. I've dabbled a bit with the other things, but mostly I paint. Preferably the more difficult schemes - anyone can do a simple colour change. The more convoluted the paintscheme, the better.

Or I put in another beta hour for some project or other.

Or I go fly the Eagle.

There just ain't enough hours in a lifetime to do all the things I'd love to do, so I go to work occasionally - for a sleep and to do something that fills the CC back up after the last addon...

As the others tend to hint here - just enjoy. Learn a new trick or two. As the master once said:

"Do or do not; there is no try."

 

[Bjoern]

First and foremost, it seems to me you've got to decide what you enjoy doing for FS the most.

Ha!

Toughie...everything is a PITA one way or another...

Good thing I have other games/ virtual aspects to deal with and not just FS.

Yep, that's another thing. The fun applications on your PC. But it's the same problem with them. Too many to choose from.

either it comes out fine or its a dud.....so what?

If it only was that easy. With all the quality stuff around that is spoiling your FSX experience, you'll set your own standards quite high - and that's what makes it so hard.

Sometimes, Bjoern, you have to stop and smell the jet fuel. Put the chores aside, gas it up and fly.

*Sigh*

Even that isn't as easy. See the "construction site" part in post one.

If I were you I would work on what makes you most happy.

Well, that would be the 328, but I still have to map lots of meshes, do the master textures, do the animations, test the whole thing in FSX, do the FDE, model the VC, texture the VC, do the VC animations, do the gauges, test it in FSX, go hunting bugs improve this, improve that...

Et voilà, motivation evaporated.

"Do or do not; there is no try."

Wise words now resting on my chalkboard in the kitchen.

 

[VFR Reviews]

Hmm. To a certain extent, I have a very similar problem. Any more, all of my limited FS time is spent with the latest review plane. I can't remember the last time I booted up in an old favourite and just flew around default scenery and had fun. There's such a different to flying A2A's Cub over Orbx's new SP3 DVD and flying the default Cub over the AU Blue demo. lol, does that make any sense?

I'm not ready to give up reviewing yet, but it's coming....

 

[Bone]

wise words now resting on my chalkboard in the kitchen.

chalkboard? Maybe we should start with that. They're too messy, and the sound of fingernails on them can be a killer. Upgrade, Upgrade.

 

[simkid22]

I like the smell of white board pens....oh right the topic...90% painting, 8% checking paints in game and 1% flying and 1% crashing (both plane and computer), why do i love it, because i get to procrastinate on calculus homework

 

[Bjoern]

There's such a different to flying A2A's Cub over Orbx's new SP3 DVD and flying the default Cub over the AU Blue demo. lol, does that make any sense?

Yep, it surely does and if viewed in that regard, FS addons have started to be of a *too* good quality.

We've reached a point at which the difference between default and add-on stuff is a difference between day and night!
That's certainly a contributing factor to all the lethargy surrounding me and partially the FSX freeware scene.

chalkboard? Maybe we should start with that. They're too messy, and the sound of fingernails on them can be a killer. Upgrade, Upgrade.

Okay, it's not really a chalkboard, but more of a magnetic board.

Yet, it's great for (de)motivating MOTDs from me to me.

 

[jimjones]

I used to do a lot of photoreal city and terrain design for FS. Became burned out after several years converting from one FS version to another. As one gets to my age, I'm hesitant to get involved in a long time development project.So, now flying is a major part of my FS life and great fun. One problem though there is more time to develop wish lists for planes and sceneries costing retirement $. When developing there was less time for wishing.