jdhaenens
July 28th, 2009, 11:07
Inevitably after a release or a WIP post, I'll be asked what I'm going to do next. I've gotta tell you, I may not know. Here's why:
I have a folder on my desktop for about every Airport I'd ever want to do. These folders change, sometimes on a whim. Each folder contains data in the form of pictures, diagrams, plans, orthoimagery, descriptions, etc. Whenever I'm looking for things on the net or anywhere for that matter, I always seem to find stuff for one or more of the folders.
I have reference books: The two volume series: “Naval Air Stations of World War II” (signed by the author no less…). I also have plans for many of the hangars courtesy of my internet research and the National Archives (I paid out of my own pocket for the research and archive prints.)
Folks send me stuff, pictures and reminiscences about places or certain times in the airports' history. More valuable data comes from people than the internet. The internet may gave a lot of data, but a picture of two buddies in front of their planes with a hanger in the background and a personal description tops just about anything you'd get surfing the net.
From all of those folders and data, an airport will emerge for one of a few reasons. First of all, I have to want to do it for some reason, because I think it's cool, because its folder has reached critical mass, because of outside influences in the industry, because it will stretch me in a direction I haven't taken before, or if the fancy just hits me.
Fallon has a few things going for it: The folder was almost at critical mass. I figured I could do a decent job on the flight line buildings at least. There are two or three things that are happening in the industry that will enhance the base's popularity:
The Vertical Reality Simulations FA-18 E/(maybe F as well) for FSX will start Beta later this year, probably sooner than later. I'm begging and pleading for a place on the Beta team, but the Super Bug needs a place to play.
FSWeapons is in development and is probably one or two coding breakthroughs (maybe less) from making us ABLE to go blow stuff up and shoot stuff down. Did I mention I'm putting targets in all the range training complexes?
Although industry-wide there is no such thing as having “dibbs” on an aircraft or airport, in such a small niche as military air bases/stations, I have the very realistic ability to hurt someone’s livelihood should I release an airport that some payware folks have worked on for an extended period of time. Whether better or worse than the payware version, the payware folks can’t beat my discount plan. In a thread last year sometime, I asked Mickey D from Team SDB if they had any plans to update their Fallon scenery for FSX. Mickey indicated that they had no immediate plans, and that I should feel free as there is no such thing as too many NAS Fallons. At that point in my mind, I established my obligation to do Fallon because as someone pointed out a while back, there are too darn many aircraft and sceneries that have been left undone because someone had told everyone they were doing it, but didn’t follow through. I’m not that guy, and it's specifically for that reason I'll generally announce pretty early on in the cycle what I'm doing next if I feel it may be commercially viable.
Having said all that, here are the folders I have on my desktop (no particular order):
NAS Kingsville, TX: I was in conversation with the PAO at Kingsville about some plans, etc, but they had a hurricane and we lost contact. I still have quite a bit of stuff, and a commitment to Dino Cattaneo that I'd get around to it.
NAS Point Mugu including the range complex: I love this place, but it's a HUGE undertaking and would have to include the sloping runways and trek up the hill to the P-3 Hangars. I have quite a bit of info, but quite frankly, until I learn the custom ground-poly ropes, I won't even try to start this one. It deserves a lot more that I'm able to give at this point.
NAS Jacksonville: I really need to go back and re-do JAX. They have completed a HUGE 1000 foot long P-3/P-8 hangar next to the VP-30 hangar, and they have taken out 2 of the Type BM Hangars on the seawall and are putting in a huge UFC-4 Helo oriented hangar. I have a few pics, and I need to recompile the old FS-9 stuff into FSX/SP2 to make it more framerate friendly.
NAS Pensacola: I know I've done Pensacola to death, but the Air Force is moving some NFO type training from Randfolph AFB to Pensacola and I have pictures from NAVFACENGCOM. I haven't been able to figure out where on the base these new hangars and facilities are going yet. I also need to fix a crash problem with the tarmac markings. Seems that with the release of the DodoSim 206, folks actually like to fly it with crashes on. I didn't think to put the "Nocrash" attachment on the markings. It doesn't matter for aircraft, their wheels are not generally crash points. Apparently it matters a lot when your skid points are actually on the ground.
NAS Whiting Field: Mostly south. Same "Nocrash" problem as above, and I continue to work on the NOLF's as I can. This scenery was used during a presentation at the Air Force Academy a few weeks ago for some training stuff someone is looking at doing.
NAS Alameda: I've had a number of requests for this one and it may come up on the list as Michael and Javier finish their new Carriers. There's quite a bit of info out there on this one, I just hate the fact that the DBS brothers did such a bang up job in FS-9...LOL.
NAS Whidby Island: Having already tackled Oak Harbor you'd think that the NAS would be second nature. Well, much like NAS Alameda, John Stinstrom did a heck of a good Ault Field for FS-9. So good, in fact that I made some autogen excludes for some folks that wanted to use it in FSX. (Damn the framerates, full speed ahead!) I'd just be copying John's already fine work, although if Orbyx or someone like that had asked me to do it for their PNW scenery, I probably would have.(They didn't.)
NAS Oceana: I'll eventually go back and make this FSX/SP-2 native. It's more FS9 than FSX right now.
University of Oklahoma Research Park North, Max Westheimer Field (KOUN): OK, I work for OU (my day job). I've already done Wiley Post Airport, and I live less than two miles from Max Westheimer. OU has an aviation department and offers degrees in Aviation Management, etc. I keep building stuff in and around the field (that's where the doppler radars and my oil pump will be located) and I'll eventually have enough stuff to finish it off.
Altus, Tinker and Vance AFB's: If I'm going to do an AFB, I want to do a local one first. I don't have any local contacts as yet, but I have the possibility of an introduction at Vance.
Stuff for freeware folks: I started modeling before I started building airports, but some folks get the scenery bug first before the modeling bug hits. I still pretty well use freeware objects in quite a few of my sceneries, but with FSX, there are just not the "Easy Scenery" or API packages that we've seen for other iterations of Flight Simulartor. I'll ocasionally build packages that I've seen previously or just believe the freeware folks need to make a decent airport.
The only way to influence what comes up next is to send stuff. Don't bother with internet stuff. I'm reasonably adept at finding that stuff myself. So if you've been there, done that and have pictures or stories, send 'em. When I was doing NAS Jacksonville originally, Bob Folsom sent me pictures of 100 Catalinas on the seawall. A P-3 pilot sent me some stuff on VP-30, and it's been pretty well the same reaction when I've announced my next project. The community helps itself.
Unfortunately, I believe the freeware designers' time is limited. Although I disagree with some of Mathjis Kok's opinions of the market, there's enough truth there to make me apprehensive. Although the community was built on freeware, the demise (or drastic restructuring) of the Aces' Studio puts a note of finality to the process. I'm not sure if Microsoft will make any more MVP's, and I really haven't seen any heavy community involvement for those that exist except for Arno Gerretsen and John Masterson. I'll read Owen Hewett's blog occasionally, but as I understand the MVP process, who will answer the questions at Microsoft? Paul and Tim look to be the only ones left and Paul hasn't updated his blog since May (maybe longer). I'm not even sure if they are still distributing FSX, as I haven't seen a copy at my local Best Buy in forever, and a customer base is unsustainable when there is no longer a product to buy.
This may indeed be part of the marketing plan for FSNext, but until then, for freeware folks: No MVP's, No industry awards for freeware any longer (Avsim was the last to consider them, but with the cancellation of the Fancon, who knows), ...nothing to strive for except the thanks of your fellow simmers, and I got fewer "Thank you" emails on Corpus christi than I got "you screwed up" emails. With a shift towards "pay for Play" sims, the freeware developer is being squeezed out of the picture. No profit=No play.
I'll continue to do my airports until I feel the pain is greater than the gain.
I'll get off my soapbox now.
Jim
I have a folder on my desktop for about every Airport I'd ever want to do. These folders change, sometimes on a whim. Each folder contains data in the form of pictures, diagrams, plans, orthoimagery, descriptions, etc. Whenever I'm looking for things on the net or anywhere for that matter, I always seem to find stuff for one or more of the folders.
I have reference books: The two volume series: “Naval Air Stations of World War II” (signed by the author no less…). I also have plans for many of the hangars courtesy of my internet research and the National Archives (I paid out of my own pocket for the research and archive prints.)
Folks send me stuff, pictures and reminiscences about places or certain times in the airports' history. More valuable data comes from people than the internet. The internet may gave a lot of data, but a picture of two buddies in front of their planes with a hanger in the background and a personal description tops just about anything you'd get surfing the net.
From all of those folders and data, an airport will emerge for one of a few reasons. First of all, I have to want to do it for some reason, because I think it's cool, because its folder has reached critical mass, because of outside influences in the industry, because it will stretch me in a direction I haven't taken before, or if the fancy just hits me.
Fallon has a few things going for it: The folder was almost at critical mass. I figured I could do a decent job on the flight line buildings at least. There are two or three things that are happening in the industry that will enhance the base's popularity:
The Vertical Reality Simulations FA-18 E/(maybe F as well) for FSX will start Beta later this year, probably sooner than later. I'm begging and pleading for a place on the Beta team, but the Super Bug needs a place to play.
FSWeapons is in development and is probably one or two coding breakthroughs (maybe less) from making us ABLE to go blow stuff up and shoot stuff down. Did I mention I'm putting targets in all the range training complexes?
Although industry-wide there is no such thing as having “dibbs” on an aircraft or airport, in such a small niche as military air bases/stations, I have the very realistic ability to hurt someone’s livelihood should I release an airport that some payware folks have worked on for an extended period of time. Whether better or worse than the payware version, the payware folks can’t beat my discount plan. In a thread last year sometime, I asked Mickey D from Team SDB if they had any plans to update their Fallon scenery for FSX. Mickey indicated that they had no immediate plans, and that I should feel free as there is no such thing as too many NAS Fallons. At that point in my mind, I established my obligation to do Fallon because as someone pointed out a while back, there are too darn many aircraft and sceneries that have been left undone because someone had told everyone they were doing it, but didn’t follow through. I’m not that guy, and it's specifically for that reason I'll generally announce pretty early on in the cycle what I'm doing next if I feel it may be commercially viable.
Having said all that, here are the folders I have on my desktop (no particular order):
NAS Kingsville, TX: I was in conversation with the PAO at Kingsville about some plans, etc, but they had a hurricane and we lost contact. I still have quite a bit of stuff, and a commitment to Dino Cattaneo that I'd get around to it.
NAS Point Mugu including the range complex: I love this place, but it's a HUGE undertaking and would have to include the sloping runways and trek up the hill to the P-3 Hangars. I have quite a bit of info, but quite frankly, until I learn the custom ground-poly ropes, I won't even try to start this one. It deserves a lot more that I'm able to give at this point.
NAS Jacksonville: I really need to go back and re-do JAX. They have completed a HUGE 1000 foot long P-3/P-8 hangar next to the VP-30 hangar, and they have taken out 2 of the Type BM Hangars on the seawall and are putting in a huge UFC-4 Helo oriented hangar. I have a few pics, and I need to recompile the old FS-9 stuff into FSX/SP2 to make it more framerate friendly.
NAS Pensacola: I know I've done Pensacola to death, but the Air Force is moving some NFO type training from Randfolph AFB to Pensacola and I have pictures from NAVFACENGCOM. I haven't been able to figure out where on the base these new hangars and facilities are going yet. I also need to fix a crash problem with the tarmac markings. Seems that with the release of the DodoSim 206, folks actually like to fly it with crashes on. I didn't think to put the "Nocrash" attachment on the markings. It doesn't matter for aircraft, their wheels are not generally crash points. Apparently it matters a lot when your skid points are actually on the ground.
NAS Whiting Field: Mostly south. Same "Nocrash" problem as above, and I continue to work on the NOLF's as I can. This scenery was used during a presentation at the Air Force Academy a few weeks ago for some training stuff someone is looking at doing.
NAS Alameda: I've had a number of requests for this one and it may come up on the list as Michael and Javier finish their new Carriers. There's quite a bit of info out there on this one, I just hate the fact that the DBS brothers did such a bang up job in FS-9...LOL.
NAS Whidby Island: Having already tackled Oak Harbor you'd think that the NAS would be second nature. Well, much like NAS Alameda, John Stinstrom did a heck of a good Ault Field for FS-9. So good, in fact that I made some autogen excludes for some folks that wanted to use it in FSX. (Damn the framerates, full speed ahead!) I'd just be copying John's already fine work, although if Orbyx or someone like that had asked me to do it for their PNW scenery, I probably would have.(They didn't.)
NAS Oceana: I'll eventually go back and make this FSX/SP-2 native. It's more FS9 than FSX right now.
University of Oklahoma Research Park North, Max Westheimer Field (KOUN): OK, I work for OU (my day job). I've already done Wiley Post Airport, and I live less than two miles from Max Westheimer. OU has an aviation department and offers degrees in Aviation Management, etc. I keep building stuff in and around the field (that's where the doppler radars and my oil pump will be located) and I'll eventually have enough stuff to finish it off.
Altus, Tinker and Vance AFB's: If I'm going to do an AFB, I want to do a local one first. I don't have any local contacts as yet, but I have the possibility of an introduction at Vance.
Stuff for freeware folks: I started modeling before I started building airports, but some folks get the scenery bug first before the modeling bug hits. I still pretty well use freeware objects in quite a few of my sceneries, but with FSX, there are just not the "Easy Scenery" or API packages that we've seen for other iterations of Flight Simulartor. I'll ocasionally build packages that I've seen previously or just believe the freeware folks need to make a decent airport.
The only way to influence what comes up next is to send stuff. Don't bother with internet stuff. I'm reasonably adept at finding that stuff myself. So if you've been there, done that and have pictures or stories, send 'em. When I was doing NAS Jacksonville originally, Bob Folsom sent me pictures of 100 Catalinas on the seawall. A P-3 pilot sent me some stuff on VP-30, and it's been pretty well the same reaction when I've announced my next project. The community helps itself.
Unfortunately, I believe the freeware designers' time is limited. Although I disagree with some of Mathjis Kok's opinions of the market, there's enough truth there to make me apprehensive. Although the community was built on freeware, the demise (or drastic restructuring) of the Aces' Studio puts a note of finality to the process. I'm not sure if Microsoft will make any more MVP's, and I really haven't seen any heavy community involvement for those that exist except for Arno Gerretsen and John Masterson. I'll read Owen Hewett's blog occasionally, but as I understand the MVP process, who will answer the questions at Microsoft? Paul and Tim look to be the only ones left and Paul hasn't updated his blog since May (maybe longer). I'm not even sure if they are still distributing FSX, as I haven't seen a copy at my local Best Buy in forever, and a customer base is unsustainable when there is no longer a product to buy.
This may indeed be part of the marketing plan for FSNext, but until then, for freeware folks: No MVP's, No industry awards for freeware any longer (Avsim was the last to consider them, but with the cancellation of the Fancon, who knows), ...nothing to strive for except the thanks of your fellow simmers, and I got fewer "Thank you" emails on Corpus christi than I got "you screwed up" emails. With a shift towards "pay for Play" sims, the freeware developer is being squeezed out of the picture. No profit=No play.
I'll continue to do my airports until I feel the pain is greater than the gain.
I'll get off my soapbox now.
Jim