Emma Where Have You Gone?

[falcon409]

After seeing Francois thread about "News, news" from FSAddon I found my heart-rate began to quicken and I became lightheaded at the anticipation of great things coming my way, but alas, it was not what I had hoped. . .it was not Emma. As my pulse returned to normal and I wiped the sweat from my brow I found myself remembering a time when Emma flourished in her magnificence, when the sounds of dogs barking and evening Barbecues were a regular occurrence. I can remember Fritz there to greet us as many of us drove through the gate and made our way to the hangars to begin a new day. Ah the memories. . .fly-ins that brought pilots from virtually every corner of the world, all manner of flying machines parked in the grass and the small ramp and pilots and friends alike tinkering over their craft, making sure all was ready as one by one the sounds of engines began to fill the morning air. What times those were. . .what times indeed.

Now, those memories are all but forgotten, save a few that we, the faithful cling to. There once was a time, that Emma's Forum bustled with the anticipation of a new day, yes, we were giddy I would hasten to say at the thought of a new day, a new Emma Field and all the greatness that promise would bring, but alas. . . . the excitement, the anticipation has melted into the dust that has settled over what was once a proud monument to flight and the pilots who touched down on her runway for so many years. Her name is spoken with reverence in the Pubs and Bars that dot the world of Simulated Flight, her memory is revisited from time to time as some who remember her soar over the remnants of her resting place in the Cascades and remember what might have been.

Sniff, sniff. . .cough. . . .sorry, I had something in my eye. . .I thought. . .it was just a memory though. . .
I hope that maybe someday, when our Children or our Children's children are passing over the virtual skies of some future sim, one of them will look down and see the faint outline of what once was and maybe, just maybe they'll remember the stories told by us and smile and beyond that. . .remember a promise our fathers made to us and we made to our future generations. . . .Emma Field X is "Coming Soon". . . .sigh. . . .:salute:

[Francois]

Well....... ask Bill !

[falcon409]

lol, lol.

[stiz]

*sets up chair with switchable electric current and shackels*

hey bill you look tired, wanna take a seat?? :monkies:

:icon_lol:

[falcon409]

lol, almost 100 views and two posts. . .maybe that has something to say about the "Who Cares" factor, lol.

[AusWilko]

OK I'm viewing so I'll respond :salute:

I honestly hadn't come across Emma before so I now have something to go investigate and learn about which I always enjoy so thanks.

[Willy]

Hope they build it for yall.. Merc Air usually isn't allowed in respectable joints ;)

[Aviator32]

Emma died a long, long time ago. She belongs to the past now. Things have moved on so far beyond anything Emma promised - she was just a tiny snippet of land after all which no one would buy if it was released today as a new product, or if they did they would complain about it and say 'Is that all there is?'. Orbx has far, far surpassed anything she had to offer. As much as I loved her at the time, like an old car or an old girlfreind, I say - let her rest in peace!

[Francois]

I'll have to disappoint you Rueben....... ;-)

[mmann]

That's one thing about Microsoft Flight Simulator some think game and some think simulator. Perhaps Microsoft dropping the Simulator portion of the title will be a good thing and change our perception of what is being presented to us.

I must admit that in my case I don't like to use nonexistent aircraft, airports or scenery. On the other hand I can see that would appeal to those with a more imaginative mind than myself.

Regards, Mike Mann

[GaryGB]

Emma died a long, long time ago. She belongs to the past now. Things have moved on so far beyond anything Emma promised - she was just a tiny snippet of land after all which no one would buy if it was released today as a new product, or if they did they would complain about it and say 'Is that all there is?'. Orbx has far, far surpassed anything she had to offer. As much as I loved her at the time, like an old car or an old girlfreind, I say - let her rest in peace!
Well, that'll be one less fellow I'll be buying a drink at the bar when a nice new Emma Field X is released ! :icon_lol:



I'll have to disappoint you Rueben....... ;-)
That's the spirit ! :naturesm:

After all, I'd be disappointed... if Reuben wasn't eventually... er, "disappointed" ! :pop4: :applause:

FYI: in 2011, after a 13 year wait, "faithful" fans will finally be celebrating the release of "Duke Nukem":

http://www.pcworld.com/article/204844/pigs_fly_duke_nukem_forever_to_ship_in_2011.html



NOTAM: Francois once said he'd retire "when Pigs fly", so to keep our beloved Fritzois from retiring prior to release of EmmaX, Emma-ites should shoot down all "Flying Pigs" around KEWL ! :mix-smi:


<ahem...> <ahem> They'll be used for the Barbecue on "Grand Re-opening Day" at Emma Field, of course ! :ernae:


GaryGB</ahem></ahem...>

[Francois]

I am sure I'll not get rich from publishing Emma X - or ANY FS title for that matter. But that is no reason to just roll over and give up. Even 'my' developers finding 'other' things or other publishers is no reason. I'll find 'other' developers if need be.

Emma Field is 'personal' to me.... and not just because I sank a lot of money into it over the many years.
More likely because to many of us it means more than 'just another game scenery'.

I learned a now good friend to FLY there, via multi-player. And because of that he actually took up real flying afterward.
I have actually VISITED the REAL location... half a world from home, and loved it. (Actually, I saw it from the air again a few weeks ago).

And of course the concept has been copied now, but Emma Field was the FIRST REAL computer flying club out there, and STILL has followers (see above *grin*).

So, no, I won't give up....... may even start on it myself if push comes to shove.. Sketchup 7 is a lot more powerful than many people know..... ;-)

And after all....... I need a HOME, don't I ??????

Fritz

[Aviator32]

I am sure I'll not get rich from publishing Emma X - or ANY FS title for that matter. But that is no reason to just roll over and give up. Even 'my' developers finding 'other' things or other publishers is no reason. I'll find 'other' developers if need be.

Emma Field is 'personal' to me.... and not just because I sank a lot of money into it over the many years.
More likely because to many of us it means more than 'just another game scenery'.

I learned a now good friend to FLY there, via multi-player. And because of that he actually took up real flying afterward.
I have actually VISITED the REAL location... half a world from home, and loved it. (Actually, I saw it from the air again a few weeks ago).

And of course the concept has been copied now, but Emma Field was the FIRST REAL computer flying club out there, and STILL has followers (see above *grin*).

So, no, I won't give up....... may even start on it myself if push comes to shove.. Sketchup 7 is a lot more powerful than many people know..... ;-)

And after all....... I need a HOME, don't I ??????

Fritz

You sound like you've just escaped from one :icon_lol:

I'm sorry Francois but Emma has become a myth. It formed part of a (then) much larger world when you included the Georender sceneries but in and of itself it wasn't even that good, not when you look back on it from todays FS world. And someone else made a good point about it being fictional. I think the modern simmer has moved on and flying from an imaginary little airstrip which doesn't exist in the real world isn't what people are looking for anymore. It was as much about the Emma Field Forum as it was about the tiny scenery and a cursory look at that should be more than enough to make you find something new to come up with as that forum has been in deep slumber for years. By all means re-create it for the small number of romantic old timers out there but for goodness sake don't remortgage your house or anything!

23972

[Anneke]

But has Bill stopped developing on EmmaX? I thought an EmmaX was to become available which would fit OrbX PWN?

I hope ...

[Aviator32]

But has Bill stopped developing on EmmaX? I thought an EmmaX was to become available which would fit OrbX PWN?

I hope ...

Now if ORBX came up with a version, I might be interested but it would still feel like a nostalgic theme park :costum:

[GaryGB]

Reuben:

You're entitled to your opinion, although I doubt anyone here (especially someone from Orbx) would really appreciate seeing an apparent "Orbx Fan Boy" continuing to manifest such rude behavior as you have in this thread. :173go1:

GaryGB

[Aviator32]

Er ............. ok! I have a grand total of three ORBX products. But thanks for your input :icon_lol:

[PRB]

... I'm sorry Francois but Emma has become a myth. It formed part of a (then) much larger world when you included the Georender sceneries but in and of itself it wasn't even that good, not when you look back on it from todays FS world. And someone else made a good point about it being fictional. I think the modern simmer has moved on and flying from an imaginary little airstrip which doesn't exist in the real world isn't what people are looking for anymore. It was as much about the Emma Field Forum as it was about the tiny scenery and a cursory look at that should be more than enough to make you find something new to come up with as that forum has been in deep slumber for years. By all means re-create it for the small number of romantic old timers out there but for goodness sake don't remortgage your house or anything!


Well, I don't know what a "modern simmer" is, nor am I convinced that fictional airports are not what "people" are looking for. Certainly some people clearly are. Nothing wrong with that. I have a couple myself. I rather like them. There is room enough in this fictional world for a few fictional airports and fictional planes. One is not required to install them if one does not want to...

[mmann]

From a scenery developer's point of view, fictional is great! No worrying about trying to match a real world building's shape and textures. Sizing and positioning become infinitely easier. No one pointing out that something isn't looking right. Many times I wish I was interested in fictional scenery, life would be greatly simplified.

Regards, Mike Mann

[Panther_99FS]

By all means re-create it for the small number of romantic old timers out there

And ah....
This "small number" is determined by ?

[Aviator32]

And ah....
This "small number" is determined by ?

Well there hasn't exactly been an overwhelming response to the OP's question in the last 24 hours has there! Apart from the OP, the original publisher and one more it's fairly apparent that any interest in resuscitating the old girl is minimal. If I hadn't replied the thread would probably be on page three by now.

Like I said, re-hash it, re-release it it's all the same to me. Emma was never about the scenery itself anyway, it was more of an ideal and the coming together of a group of like-minded people who have long since dispersed and moved on to bigger and better things. Re-releasing the scenery in an attempt to bring those times back is a mistake. It's like a middle-aged man buying the car he had when he was a teenager in an attempt to re-capture their youth - all the friends they used to drive around with are dead or married or living in Tasmania!
Move on! :running:

[stiz]

Now if ORBX came up with a version, I might be interested but it would still feel like a nostalgic theme park :costum:

Bill also did Stark Twin Oaks for FTX PNW :wiggle:

[Panther_99FS]

If I hadn't replied the thread would probably be on page three by now.



So therefore, you are the only "negative" in the equation and thus your one negative caused a whole lot of support ;)

[Aviator32]

Bill also did Stark Twin Oaks for FTX PNW :wiggle:

He did, and Starks is no theme park or nostalgia trip but a real place. And as one of the three ORBX products I own I can tell you, a great job he did too!

[falcon409]

I will admit that I usually base the release of any work I do, be it panel artwork, repaints or scenery on the response I get from posting here on sim-outhouse. If I post something and it goes the way this one has, I wouldn't bother at all, as despite the posts, most are more bickering over reality versus fiction rather than a true desire to see EmmaX completed and released.

That being said, I think the release of Orbyx-PNW has had an effect, albeit minor, in the amount of work being done on EmmaX, as both primaries (Bill and Holger) are probably working diligently on upcoming releases for new airports for that package. The only discouraging part about the work on EmmaX is that it seems to take a back seat, time after time for "other production work".

I would like to see EmmaX released someday, and my original post was a "tongue-in-cheek" jab at the length of time, from it's original announcement that it was being worked on, until today, knowing that probably not much is being done on a daily basis to get it completed. Yes, I agree that the original patrons of Emma Field, for the most part, are long gone. Some, not even online anymore, and some have moved beyond the expectation that they'll ever see Emma Field for FSX.

I'm sure Francois wants the production completed and to have it released, but I think the excitement, the original anticipation of the "New and Improved Emma Field" has waned considerably and it remains to be seen what, if any, excitement can be generated once it is finally available. JMO!:salute:

[Francois]

Whether it will be Emma or any other, similar product, I don't think the success will have much to do with how it looks technically, or who makes it. Those will be factors, and important, but not the decisive one.

What WILL be of crucial importance for such a product is the 'soul' that we should able to get into it again. The community - be that the existing, not-so-waned-as-one-may-think, or a new one that we'll be able to raise again. THAT will set it apart from any of the other current products, and that will make it a true FSAddon product again.
The success of Emma Field was the sum of parts and the enthusiasm of many, kept alive by a few. I haven't seen that since...... even Andras Field doesn't seem to attract the same enthusiasm and neither does Orbx.

When we'd fail at that - and yes, MAYBE those times are over - then I could agree on some of the points made above.

All the same, I'd still publish it if only for personal reasons ;-)

[mal998]

"It's like a middle-aged man buying the car he had when he was a teenager in an attempt to re-capture their youth - all the friends they used to drive around with are dead or married or living in Tasmania!
Move on! :running: "

That's a pretty cynical outlook...if I could get my hands on the '67 GTO convertible that I owned back in the day, I would do it in a heatbeat, oh, and I'm still in touch with the guys I used to drag race around town with. So much for us middle-aged, er, old guys re-visiting the past.

All just a part of who I am today http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/images/icons/icon22.gif

[Helldiver]

I know that Emma Field X is paramount in Bill's mind but also is earning a living. Somehow the work overshadows the fun stuff. I've seen some of his Emma X material and it is remarkable. But like great wine, he will only introduce it when it's ready.

[Francois]

Meanwhile we'll continue to publish other great products and further both flightsimming and real aviation :-)

[Overshoe]

Meanwhile we'll continue to publish other great products and further both flightsimming and real aviation :-)

And meanwhile, those quiet non-posters of us who still cherish the memory of the Emma Field Flying Club will continue to wait with patience and anticipation for EmmaX to base our club's heart & soul in the middle of Orbx's PNW. Those who don't understand that have never understood that and will never understand that. And that's OK. Frankly the Emma Field Flying Club is NOT for everyone.

And I wouldn't want a 1956 Austin Healey 3000 to relive my youth, just to pick up girls. :jump:

[Francois]

LOL ! With you there, Tom :-)

[dexthom]

The good things are always worth waiting for...

[2Low]

I had yet to discover flight simming when the original Emma was active. I did stumble into it in my virtual travels and it blew my mind. The scenery was a focal point to bring a crazy, fun loving, bunch of loons together. The real spirit of Emma lives in it's community.

I've been checking for news on it more than any other add on for over a year now. I've gone through a lot of Emma "historical society" (past forum) pages and it had tears coming out of me in laughter.

I see many others asking about progress too in various places and believe the community will thrive again once Emma X is released.

Francois, keep the faith. Build it and we will come.

Ed keep at 'em :salute: don't want them to forget.

[falcon409]

. . . . . .Ed keep at 'em :salute: don't want them to forget.
Nah, for all my sarcasm, I still want EmmaX released. At least once a year I'll post something to revive the question. . ."Will it ever be released?", lol.:salute:

[Bushpounder]

When EMMA came out, the scenery showed what could be done with FS. Many of the effects in it had never been done before. It showed simmers the future. Now that some years have gone by and simming technology has moved forward, I for one cannot wait to see what these guys will include in it. I hope Fritz will still be working there. He owes me money! ;)

Don

[dexthom]

When EMMA came out, the scenery showed what could be done with FS. Many of the effects in it had never been done before. It showed simmers the future. Now that some years have gone by and simming technology has moved forward, I for one cannot wait to see what these guys will include in it. I hope Fritz will still be working there. He owes me money! ;)

Don
Yes, not to mention his over due tab at Joe's in Dexterville!

[Francois]

:ernae:

[spotlope]

Sorry for being so quiet through all this. I had to find my lights, get new batteries for the video camera, and remember how to upload to YouTube.

Anyway, here's my take on things: http://iblueyonder.com/closing-doors-and-opening-windows/

[falcon409]

Thanks for taking the time to do that Bill. My only comment on the apparent demise of Emma is that while no one save a few select folks in your circle probably saw this coming, many of us, while not exactly psychic, lol. . .felt this was inevitable simply given the length of time in production (or on hold as you mentioned) and lack of any really serious periodic updates. So enough of that. . . .

Great to hear about your Cushman Meadows Project and I would guess that in very short order after it's release, it will become "the" gathering place for all the old and new that would have populated Emma Field. . . .looking forward to it.:salute:

[Aviator32]

Sounds very good and makes a lot of sense especially with the Orbx libraries which are a great and constantly improving resource.
In with the new :ernae:

[captdoug]

Francois,

Thank God you never tire...

All MS Flight Simming leaves something to our imaginations whether we add a fictious airfield to our FS World, or rather choose to only replicate a wide screen version of the real world. Emma Field FS9 added some color and character to the sim, if one decided to install it, and no harm no foul if not used. I trust when released or if not... it will be a quality and interesting place to visit.

for those of us who have "flown in " it would be good to hear some music on the patio again.

Hope it remains a project with a delivery date.

Comparing it to Orbx PNW is not by any means a equal comparison is it? It's a small airfield with associated scenery compared to a geographical region. Perhaps I'm wrong. Intigration into the outstanding PNW could be accomplished to some degree.

More importantly hope to see it someday soon.


Captdoug, SW Florida

[Francois]

Captdoug, pls see Bills 'message to the people' to the end......