Might wanna be sitting down for this one...

[N2056]

After I made the initial post I headed off to the gym to work off the initial shock...now I'm back, and still stunned.
I really hate to see people out of work, and I do hope that somehow these talented folks find some way to get back together and continue the legacy. I have been addicted to this simulation from the very first version that I flew on an Apple IIe many moons ago. Hard to believe it might actually be done.

I am very thankful that we have a version that is certainly workable in terms of developing content for. We will at least be able to enjoy what we have now for many years to come

[Gibbage]

Hi guys. Im sure a lot of you know me from my work on both IL2 with the P-38, Go-229 and many many others, and many of my FSX add-on's.

In October, I started my dream job at MS, working on the ACES team as an artist for an un-announced title. Due to NDA, im sure you can understand me being vague. All I can say is I lost my job this morning, and what has happened has not fully sunk in for myself.

Needless to say, I am going to start back to work on 3rd party add-on's. FSX is far from dead, as the engine still has a lot of room for growth, and lots of developer tools for us to work with.

Again, due to the NDA, and the fact that I want to work in the game industry again (Breaking the NDA will kill my chances of any new job), I cant say any details at all about what happened, other then I myself no longer work at ACES.

Anyone need a good aircraft modeler with LOTS of experience?

[harleyman]

Gibbage... I am truely sorry to hear this for you and your family...It is indeed a sad day for all...

What the hell are they thinking over there???????

You and all the MS folks will be in my thoughts during these rough times....

[LonelyplanetXO]

Certainly agree that its sad to see good people lose their jobs, but there may be a silver lining to this. The problem with both FS9 and FSX were that they were heavily entrenched in M$' doctrine of "force hardware upgrades" and "force people to buy our rubbish OS products" which led to some really crap code and resulting performance issues which is what split the community in the first place. Fact is only Microsoft can get away with that sort of behaviour. The FS franchise itself is a valuable title - possibly the worlds longest running game so the rights are worth $$$. What if someone like EA gets hold of it? Imagine a version of FS that runs smoothly on any machine...even a Mac, or Linux machine! Maybe MS selling off FS is the best thing that could happen to the title. And all those talented developers would find an open door if that occurred.

LPXO

[stlkrash]

Gibbage get with me ASAP

[Kiwikat]

Certainly agree that its sad to see good people lose their jobs, but there may be a silver lining to this. The problem with both FS9 and FSX were that they were heavily entrenched in M$' doctrine of "force hardware upgrades" and "force people to buy our rubbish OS products" which led to some really crap code and resulting performance issues which is what split the community in the first place. Fact is only Microsoft can get away with that sort of behaviour. The FS franchise itself is a valuable title - possibly the worlds longest running game so the rights are worth $$$. What if someone like EA gets hold of it? Imagine a version of FS that runs smoothly on any machine...even a Mac, or Linux machine! Maybe MS selling off FS is the best thing that could happen to the title. And all those talented developers would find an open door if that occurred.

LPXO

This may be a bit off topic but I have to entirely disagree with you.

EVERY other type of "game" or entertainment title advances hardware or software design somehow. Hardly anyone could play Crysis a year ago, now its "easy" for computers to run. I don't want the next flight simulator to look like Xplane or FS9, I want it to look like FTX or better. If you want to play a version that runs on a 5 year old machine, play a 5 year old sim. I prefer cutting-edge technology.

[fliger747]

Gibbage:

Good luck with the future. There are always places for talented individuals, though the adjustment when you have finally advanced to the first circle, to shovel coal to feed the fires at some lower level can be difficult.

Good folks and good camaraderie here, so hope to see more of you!

Cheers and good fortune! Tom

[jmig]

Gibbage:

Good luck with the future. There are always places for talented individuals, though the adjustment when you have finally advanced to the first circle, to shovel coal to feed the fires at some lower level can be difficult.

Good folks and good camaraderie here, so hope to see more of you!

Cheers and good fortune! Tom

What an uplifting and positive post. I too wish everyone at Aces the best ion the future. It is not an end. Only the start of a new adventure.

[Pepere]

FSX Dead? Man if I were an addon developer I'd go for it. Now they can make addons that will really make this sim (pardon the expression) fly! This version of flight sim can go for years and only get better. :amen:

David

[Prowler1111]

and further - I would hope that some of the 3rd party groups would get in contact with any ACES people that might be available for hire directly or for consultation - to help with ongoing FSX related projects..or in Razbams case future 'from the ground up' flight simulations...EULA's and NDA's notwithstanding ofcourse

Well, just to add, we need the following:
- particles programmer (effects, flames, smoke trails, sparks, bombing/napalm/white phosphorus etc)

- interface programmer (menus, map, mission editor)

- campaign programmer (mission builders)

- gfx shaders programer (especially post production ones like HDR lighting)


Sorry for hijacking the thread............................................ .............................Not HighJacked at all.....Thanks for putting this out there for any former ACES members to see...It may help.....(Harleyman)

Prowler

[Gibbage]

Gibbage:

Good luck with the future. There are always places for talented individuals, though the adjustment when you have finally advanced to the first circle, to shovel coal to feed the fires at some lower level can be difficult.

Good folks and good camaraderie here, so hope to see more of you!

Cheers and good fortune! Tom

I cant say I agree with you fully. Doing 3rd part work is in now way lowering myself. Lowering my pay? Yes. But NOT in ANY way degrading. What I was doing at MS is the same thing I did when I was working on the 3rd party stuff freelance.

Here is how I look at it. I LOVE aircraft. I love creating things. I love flying. There is NO BETTER job I can think of that combine those 3 aspects into 1 nice little package. A lot of times I had to ask myself "They PAY me for this?" since I was doing what I love! Modeling aircraft!

Working with the guys at Aces was GREAT. An amazing group of people, and a vast wealth of knowledge. I will miss working with them very much, and will keep in contact with them as much as possible. Im just hoping that I can continue to do what I love, and model aircraft! I do have an F4U I need to wrap up. It was put on hold a bit once I got the job at MS.

Gibbage

[heywooood]

Well, just to add, we need the following:
- particles programmer (effects, flames, smoke trails, sparks, bombing/napalm/white phosphorus etc)

- interface programmer (menus, map, mission editor)

- campaign programmer (mission builders)

- gfx shaders programer (especially post production ones like HDR lighting)


Sorry for hijacking the thread............................................ .............................Not HighJacked at all.....Thanks for putting this out there for any former ACES members to see...It may help.....(Harleyman)

Prowler

Hijacking ??! Hell - just what I meant to see when I said it - prolly music to some ACES ears Prowler

Razbams Korean Combat flight sim might just have found a bullpup to the fast track

[Smudge]

Bugger...

Firstly, my thoughts are truly with the boys & girls at Aces and their families. Regardless of the industry, jobs around the world are being lost and people are finding times hard. In this industry, sales are down...sure I'm managing to keep the bills paid and will continue to pump out planes until I have to get myself a 'real' job..lol. Hopefully then there'll be one for me!

In either event, generally when one door closes another one opens, which whilst probably unrealistic is a nice optimistic way of looking at things today.

I doubt if the guys at Aces decided to form their own design house outside of MS to focus on a new breed of civilian flightsim, would be able to make use of any FS branding, code etc due to it being MS IP, although someone with some legal experience might be able to shed some light on that. In that case, chances of MS renewing the FS product down the road would purely be on a profit basis.

One thing I though about after the 'oh my god' feeling subsided is the simple fact that the main reason FS is STILL going after all these years is one major point... US. The flightsim community is a varied and close knit group of people, and regardless of your point of view, many would agree it is the FS community and fans that keep the product alive.

WE keep buying it every new version, WE keep downloading freeware work from talented designers who have a passion for one aircraft, airfield or another. WE keep a plethora of small businesses in the payware industry afloat (a point that I am immensely greatfull for!) because WE purchase their work, be it good, bad or ugly..

Whilst ACES is no more, and whilst MS may well have put the stop on any FS releases for the forseeable future, please let us all remember that WE as a community of flightsim fans are the glue that holds it all together. Providing WE continue to support commercial developers, freeware developers, virtual airlines, military fans etc, there will ALWAYS be an avid flightsim following, because simply it is of our making.

I only have to think of the huge fan following of the Falcon 4 sim.. That sim was dropped more than a few years ago from Microproses stable (If I remember correctly) yet its huge fan following, and large ability to mod (much like the FS product) has kept it going to the point where the source code was released many years after for a new build. (again, someone correct me if I'm wrong.)

My heart goes out to the families of those affected by the job cuts, however what would be an even bigger shame would be for the community to drop the hobby just because MS has ceased development of the core program. There are many years left in FSX, many many years in the hobby, and many people who have invested years of their lives at keyboards, mice and joysticks, often to the chargrin of wives/sons/daugters/husbands/dog and/or cat!

I for one will be developing my wares right until Karen tells me to get a real job..lol.

And so it should be.

:woot:

[n4gix]

Wow, I really feel for the employees, but can't help but be angry, especially if the decision came from the bean counters. That would probably mean that the console design studios within MS are still going strong, at least for now. if true, yet another reason to NOT support consoles for me.

According to another article from Gamasutra:

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/new...hp?story=21971

"The company says that while Xbox 360 platform and PC game revenue drove the increase, it was offset by a decrease in revenue from the company's Zune music player."

How does it make any financial sense to kill one of the cash cows to support a spavined mule? :faint:

[CodyValkyrie]

Gibbage, I sent you a message. I'm sure you already know. I would like to talk if you don't mind.