Why does it seem like all the good people?

[BNSF650]

It seems like all the good people who know how to make stuff for this game keeps leaving.. Why is this? Is RSC Really pushing people away like this? Or is it that Railworks dont have very much to offer like MSTS or Trainz? I really dont understand everybody that leaves? What is the deal? Also seems like when they do come back they dont stay very long? So is RW really on the move to diging its own grave?

[jpetersjr]

Again, I'll probably stay after I can get this computer to work right so 3DC will stop destroying my best models.

[SCLALINE]

well its not the same back in 2001 when MSTS came out it was the only game in town, thats where all the creative effort went with many people making tons and tons of 3rd party content, both freeware and payware, there is a lot of the gimme attitude these days and the younger people cant understand why the older people get grumpy about it, when trainz showed up the community split, and then RW came out and the community split again, things go in cycles

[RCAP]

Several of those talented souls are now part of RCAP.

[Chacal]

Been there, done that. This is by no means particular to RW or even train sims. I've seen it and in several very different gaming communities. Creating stuff for games attracts creative people, and yet it is a technical, tedious and grueling process, which creative people are not made for. They are also very enthusiastic, and can't understand people who are less so.

So, unrealistic expectations leads to disappointment. Being of artistic temperament, they will rather plow ahead and pile up resentment until they suddenly explode and slam the door, than take the time to learn properly and get proper tools.

[ArcticCatZRT]

If people want to create content for a game, they need to first please themselves, its the internet, not everyone is going to be happy! If a person is going to develope just to recicve praise, they will get burned out quickly. They try to push everything out the door so quickly they do not want to take their time, learn new processes, etc. The people who do it for fun are the ones that stick around!

[NDORFN]

Emotional bunch.

[thebigroyboyski]

I hate to hear that another talented member of RWA is leaving. I fully respect all of their decisions to leave. The thing that annoys me is there seems to be one thing that is mentioned far to often and that's people receiving abusive emails and being put under pressure to get things done. For people who do this as a hobby in their spare time to be put under any kind of pressure to make things or release their work for FREE then get abuse for it is just totally unacceptable.
I like how Mike shared a pm with us that named a culprit. I think anyone who receives these messages should tell buzz or the admin team straight away. If a warning from them doesn't work then they should be named and shamed and banned.

Roy

[Rich_S]

Like Jason stated above, I agree it's a different world now in more ways than one. I started with train simulators back when Train Master was what we called a side winder. It was basically a bunch of squares following a line up and down stair steps or a flat line for level track. No switches, but you did have signals and they were pointed at you, not at the train. The best part, you viewed all of this action on the screen from what seemed like 100 miles away. A few years later the original owner of Train Master came out with a new version of Train Master where you actually viewed a 3D world looking out the front cab window. This is the version you can still purchase today from P.I. Engineering. There were a couple of simple tools that were additional purchases that allowed you to create your own consists, but not a world editor to create routes.

This was train simulation before 2001, then Microsoft released their Train Simulator and the train simulator world changed. We now had a complete 3D world equipped with a Route Editor and people began creating locomotives, rolling stock and routes for this new 3D world we called MSTS. Some folks realized they could make a few extra dollars by selling stuff for MSTS. A former MSTS payware vendor is a member of our community and if my memory serves correctly may have been the very first MSTS payware company. He was followed by a guy who originally called himself "North of 49", who started another payware company selling routes and locomotives for MSTS. Not long after that it seemed like every other week we saw the announcement that a new payware company was either releasing new locomotives, rolling stock or routes for MSTS. The early years were the glory years but there were problems, like the "Great White Void" and front coupler issue.

In my opinion what really launched MSTS to the next level was a guy who got nicknamed MSTS Bin George. If it wasn't for George and the work he did, MSTS would not be half the simulator it is today. George was able to correct many of the bugs in the simulator that Microsoft had walked away from. Well as time went on, things changed in the MSTS world and the forum seemed to change overnight from a friendly place to a bickering atmosphere. People started demanding things and the name calling and flame wars started.

At that point some of the creative people either created their own forum or started working on stuff for a new train simulator called Trainz. A few years later Rail Simulator was released and as mentioned above the split happened again. What is my long winded post really all about? What brought most of us here is a interest in trains and railroads. If you are doing this as a hobby, then create what makes you happy. If you decide to release your hard work, stay true to yourself and the biggest thing, learn how to say "NO". Never forget this is your hobby, unless you want to turn this into a part time business, then in that case you need to start charging for you work, otherwise create what you want or need and learn to say "NO".

[Derek]

It is really hard to keep the creativity going for many years, lives change and so do circumstances.

At work I have made many routes, many more locos and probably about 50 000 assets or so and I know how hard it can be.

At home I tinker with my Route (thanks to a kick from Bob) I am now spending an hour or 2 a day on it, this is because I enjoy what I do.
Before Kids I would spend about 4 or 5 hours 3D modelling outside of work, now my time is not my own so I have far less.

People come and people go, that's ok and nothing to be concerned about.
Change is normal and to be embraced.

Now then, where did I leave those mince pies.

d

[fecrails]

People come and people go, that's ok and nothing to be concerned about.
Change is normal and to be embraced.

Well said! This is a hobby for most of us and we all have many interest and commitments besides RW. People will constantly be revolving in and out of here.

[BNSF650]

Thats good to hear i guess guys. Glad we have RCAP now hopefully these guys stay around..

[arizonachris]

I think a lot have left saying they weren't appreciated for what they had created. But, a lot are still here, and I don't think this sim will die any time soon. But it is very, very sad to see talented people leave. Real life does get in the way at times, tho.

[artimrj]

Yep people come and people go. Lots of new people here recently. Who knows, may be the next great train artist will be among them.