Bill "styckx" has left the room

[PapaXpress]

Not sure how many of you follow Styckx's blog, but he just announced that he has up and left RWA.
http://notch8.blogspot.com/2011/12/good ... unity.html

I have many mixed emotions about this, and I am really holding my self back (I have this tendency to stick my foot in my mouth). I will say this.

Bill, you will be missed.

[PapaXpress]

I received a PM from styckx moments ago. He will talk about his on his blog.

[Samwolf]

Don't know what the story is, but sorry to see Styckx leave.

[arizonachris]

I hope it's not health related. Gonna miss you, Bill, I always enjoyed reading your posts and you've helped me quite a few times, even if I never said thanks (or didn't often enough)

[Chessie8638]

If you read ukts you'll see why.


And I agree with him.

[BNSF650]

Cant seem to find his post over there?

[Darpor]

He just updated the blog with an explanation. Interesting reading really, I fully understand his reasoning.

http://notch8.blogspot.com/2011/12/why-why-why.html

[Chessie8638]

Because I don't mind kicking things up. Link to his blog:
http://notch8.blogspot.com/2011/12/why-why-why.html


I want to say thank you to all those that have released freeware sound packs, scenarios and routes.

[buzz456]

I have to speak up and say that I don't quite understand. His prime complaint that I have seen is that no one is doing free scenarios for American Routes. Well I have to say that it is peoples choice if they want to list them here. There are quite a few scenarios out there if you look around at NEAR site or over where the grumpy people live. I haven't made much effort to find all the stuff out there but there's a bunch from Michael also.

Maybe he'll rethink after a while. In the mean time just keep what you are doing Hawk. You are tops in my book.

Buzz

[Kali]

Yeah, you kinda missed his point by picking the example out as the point...

[buzz456]

Yeah, you kinda missed his point by picking the example out as the point...

I'm kinda dense that way. I try not to tell others what they should and shouldn't do.

Buzz

[SMMDigital]

I don't agree with Styckx that he should pack up his toys and go home. Everyone gets a bit frustrated from time to time with the state of the Railworks disunion, but the better thing to do is push on through it until you get back to your happy place again.

I heartily agree though with his reasoning for wanting to depart the US community. If I might add though, there are two sides to the greed that Styckx mentions in his blog. You can't make it Payware unless there are people out there who are gullible enough to buy it. I'm not saying that everything in Railworks should be free (it's a nice thought), and there are some things I would be more than willing to pay to get. But the sales pitches are getting to be a bit on the ridiculous side. The one that phisses me off the most is the constant barrage of adverts in the loading screens for Railworks!

[NDORFN]

Ah. Stick around Styckx... or should I say Styckx around. I agree, the payware scenarios are crap. I wont name names (I don't have to single anyone out, I've bought from all of them and they're all crap!). Never-the-less... what Railworks America has is a select few members who are not only in a league of thier own but are as generous as they are skilled. Take Canadian Shortliner for example. A 15 year old who has created what is hands down the most realistic route for RW. And he refuses to accept financial gain from it. I understand why too... Creating for Railworks is as much fun as playing it. Infact, if you look at the game from an outside perspective you'd be forgiven for thinking the primary purpose of it is to create stuff, rather than drive trains around. So it's on this basis that I strongly agree with Stycks... RW creation IS playing, and it's wrong to charge people for the by-product of your play time!

[PapaXpress]

I can see Bill's point, but he is going about this all wrong. I am still roiling mad about this, but I will try to express myself in clear manner.

Who was it that helped me get into repaints (his tutorials are here in RWA)?
Bill

Who was it that showed of fantastic in game shots and made me think "I can make my route like that"?
Bill

Who was it that gave us a laugh when the thread needed it?
Bill

There are countless other things that Bill has done for us and more to the point, all of my work with the exception of the repaints for the RWA donationware (because I want to support this site) has been and will be freeware, but it all started with Bill. If he hadn't been there I may have been flailing around longer, which gets to my final point. Bill was here when someone (because I know he inspired others) in the community needed his talent, now he is complaining about "balance".

HEY BILL, YOU JUST TIPPED THE SCALES TO PAYWARE!

What Bill should have done is set up shop here and teach more people how to get into creating great freeware products. Instead of complaining about it, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

And here is where I put my money where my mouth is. I too am trying to bring this balance around, so I made my own blog site and put up tutorials of things that I felt would help people.

Finally:

Kali, GreatNortherner, SMMDigital, KCJones, MadMike, and I am sure that I am missing others I apologize. Thanks for teaching me how to repaint, weather, create models, script, AND HAVE FUN with trains.

[harryadkins]

I don't want to "stir the fire," but I do want to point out the Railsimulator has twice as much payware for the UK crowd as for the US group. A quick scan shows 60 add-ons for UK and 26 add-ons for US. Let's face it...we live in a commercialized soceity. I too would like to see more freeware for RW and have never considered charging for my work. However, it is simply my choice whether to purchase payware or not. It is not an issue that would cause me to "pick up my toys and go home."

I appreciate Styckx's many contributions and would urge him to rejoin the community. Even with its faults, I enjoy my relationships here at RWA and appreciate the many kind souls who have helped me solve issues. We are better together than apart.

Harry