Smokebox: Central Pacific Railroad #60 "Jupiter" 4-4-0

[mrennie]

Me thinks I wonder why with your level of famousness (I just invented that word) that you really need DTG or you would be better off just marketing direct? Like how many FB friends do you have and so forth? Kind of from a sort of marketing guy not having a clue how many copies were sold at retail, sales, discounts including cut for DTG Steam and anyone else in the food chain.

Good golly I sound like the Old Prof.

Steam has millions of subscribers of whom (according to steamspy) around 800,000 own/play TS, and RSC/DTG's own FB page has over 174,000 likes.

My "Smokebox" FB page currently has 823 likes, which equates to approximately 0.001% of the number of owners of TS.

So you see, when you compare the reach my page has to that of DTG and Steam, there's no contest. If I were to forego Steam and sell on my own, there's no way I'd earn as much, even allowing for not having to share a very large chunk of the revenue with DTG and Valve.

I can't give out sales figures, but suffice to say that not even my FEF-3, which in real-life is possibly one of the most famous and iconic steam locomotives in the entire USA (844 is certainly up there with the Big Boy, Challenger and N&W J-Class 611), has sold in the numbers that I had hoped for when I was developing it. I strongly suspect that steam locos are a very niche product and I'd have been better off making diesels, electrics or modern pointy trains ... but they don't inspire me the way steam locos do and it takes a lot of inspiration to finish a 1-2 year project without giving up along the way. Sadly though, steam locos are the worst choice if you want to make a living from doing this. The way I do them (meaning with a massive amount of detail, accuracy, functionality, etc.), they probably take longer to make than anything else, but they also sell in fewer numbers than other types of loco, so the ratio of revenue versus effort (and time) is probably the worst it can be, even when the models are sold through the Steam platform.

That said, I often feel like giving it a go anyway. I should probably have a chat with the likes of VRC, Creative Rail, Dick Cowen and others to see how they fare going it alone.

[TheEmmaSweeny1]

smokebox, it seems DTG is getting their act together.. look at where your products are

[bnsfsubdivision]

Me thinks I wonder why with your level of famousness (I just invented that word) that you really need DTG or you would be better off just marketing direct? Like how many FB friends do you have and so forth? Kind of from a sort of marketing guy not having a clue how many copies were sold at retail, sales, discounts including cut for DTG Steam and anyone else in the food chain.

Good golly I sound like the Old Prof.

Steam has millions of subscribers of whom (according to steamspy) around 800,000 own/play TS, and RSC/DTG's own FB page has over 174,000 likes.

My "Smokebox" FB page currently has 823 likes, which equates to approximately 0.001% of the number of owners of TS.

So you see, when you compare the reach my page has to that of DTG and Steam, there's no contest. If I were to forego Steam and sell on my own, there's no way I'd earn as much, even allowing for not having to share a very large chunk of the revenue with DTG and Valve.

I can't give out sales figures, but suffice to say that not even my FEF-3, which in real-life is possibly one of the most famous and iconic steam locomotives in the entire USA (844 is certainly up there with the Big Boy, Challenger and N&W J-Class 611), has sold in the numbers that I had hoped for when I was developing it. I strongly suspect that steam locos are a very niche product and I'd have been better off making diesels, electrics or modern pointy trains ... but they don't inspire me the way steam locos do and it takes a lot of inspiration to finish a 1-2 year project without giving up along the way. Sadly though, steam locos are the worst choice if you want to make a living from doing this. The way I do them (meaning with a massive amount of detail, accuracy, functionality, etc.), they probably take longer to make than anything else, but they also sell in fewer numbers than other types of loco, so the ratio of revenue versus effort (and time) is probably the worst it can be, even when the models are sold through the Steam platform.

That said, I often feel like giving it a go anyway. I should probably have a chat with the likes of VRC, Creative Rail, Dick Cowen and others to see how they fare going it alone.

Have you ever thought of 3D printing your model and perhaps turning it into a H0 loco?

[mrennie]

smokebox, it seems DTG is getting their act together.. look at where your products are

Errr, have I missed something

EDIT: Ah, you mean this: http://train-simulator.com/introducing-the-classics-and-pro-ranges/. I didn't realise they'd already announced it.

I see it says " where simple controls, HUD and controller support are not required as standard". Well, I decided not to be lazy and went the extra mile (and a half) and made sure that mine work in absolutely every mode, including Simple mode.

[mrennie]

Me thinks I wonder why with your level of famousness (I just invented that word) that you really need DTG or you would be better off just marketing direct? Like how many FB friends do you have and so forth? Kind of from a sort of marketing guy not having a clue how many copies were sold at retail, sales, discounts including cut for DTG Steam and anyone else in the food chain.

Good golly I sound like the Old Prof.

Steam has millions of subscribers of whom (according to steamspy) around 800,000 own/play TS, and RSC/DTG's own FB page has over 174,000 likes.

My "Smokebox" FB page currently has 823 likes, which equates to approximately 0.001% of the number of owners of TS.

So you see, when you compare the reach my page has to that of DTG and Steam, there's no contest. If I were to forego Steam and sell on my own, there's no way I'd earn as much, even allowing for not having to share a very large chunk of the revenue with DTG and Valve.

I can't give out sales figures, but suffice to say that not even my FEF-3, which in real-life is possibly one of the most famous and iconic steam locomotives in the entire USA (844 is certainly up there with the Big Boy, Challenger and N&W J-Class 611), has sold in the numbers that I had hoped for when I was developing it. I strongly suspect that steam locos are a very niche product and I'd have been better off making diesels, electrics or modern pointy trains ... but they don't inspire me the way steam locos do and it takes a lot of inspiration to finish a 1-2 year project without giving up along the way. Sadly though, steam locos are the worst choice if you want to make a living from doing this. The way I do them (meaning with a massive amount of detail, accuracy, functionality, etc.), they probably take longer to make than anything else, but they also sell in fewer numbers than other types of loco, so the ratio of revenue versus effort (and time) is probably the worst it can be, even when the models are sold through the Steam platform.

That said, I often feel like giving it a go anyway. I should probably have a chat with the likes of VRC, Creative Rail, Dick Cowen and others to see how they fare going it alone.

Have you ever thought of 3D printing your model and perhaps turning it into a H0 loco?

Sounds complicated. I'd have to modify it a lot to be able to make room for the electric motor and other assorted gubbins, besides modifying the wheels to sit properly on HO rails, and a lot more.

[TheTeenageFoamer]

How did I know you were going to joke about HO scale!

[Griphos]

Well, I'm going to sound like Old Prof's grandpa, but that's one of the main differences in the modern world and the world not so long past: craftsmanship and the pride that goes into making whatever you make not only well, but as complete and as perfect as possible. In the mass produced world, where no one will pay for the labor necessary to make things by hand, one at a time, such craftsmanship is almost lost. Just look inside your Timex and screw off the back of a 1910 pocket watch. Not only is the inside of that pocket watch an engineering marvel, but the engine turning on parts you never even see unless you open the thing up, is just beautiful.

That's what Smokebox's models are like. The detail that goes into parts most users won't ever see is the difference between "good enough" and real craftsmanship. I've paid full price for everything he's made and always will.

Perhaps something as iconic as an American loco will generate broader interest. I sure hope so. I'm sure looking forward to it.

[mrennie]

Well, I'm going to sound like Old Prof's grandpa, but that's one of the main differences in the modern world and the world not so long past: craftsmanship and the pride that goes into making whatever you make not only well, but as complete and as perfect as possible. In the mass produced world, where no one will pay for the labor necessary to make things by hand, one at a time, such craftsmanship is almost lost. Just look inside your Timex and screw off the back of a 1910 pocket watch. Not only is the inside of that pocket watch an engineering marvel, but the engine turning on parts you never even see unless you open the thing up, is just beautiful.

That's what Smokebox's models are like. The detail that goes into parts most users won't ever see is the difference between "good enough" and real craftsmanship. I've paid full price for everything he's made and always will.

Perhaps something as iconic as an American loco will generate broader interest. I sure hope so. I'm sure looking forward to it.

Here's what I've spent most of the afternoon and evening texturing ...

20160430010059_1.jpg

It's a landmark in the development of my first American 4-4-0. the first bit to be textured (I always start with the wheels).

[ZekTheKid]

I always start with the wheels.

Is it simply just easier, or do you just like doing the wheels first?

[mrennie]

I always start with the wheels.

Is it simply just easier, or do you just like doing the wheels first?

I like doing the wheels first so that I can get something rolling along the tracks early on, like in this old video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SRZMc_UV8U

[ZekTheKid]

I always start with the wheels.

Is it simply just easier, or do you just like doing the wheels first?

I like doing the wheels first so that I can get something rolling along the tracks early on, like in this old video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SRZMc_UV8U

Ah ok. At first I thought it was because when you look at a steam loco, the first very notable moving part are the wheels and the drive rod.

[TheEmmaSweeny1]

does this mean the model itself is done? if so, please more screenies

[mrennie]

does this mean the model itself is done? if so, please more screenies

It's almost done, but I'll do screenies when there are more textured parts to see in-game.

[TheEmmaSweeny1]

you have a date for her release, and is she going to be wood or oil fired?

keep up the great work!

[mrennie]

you have a date for her release, and is she going to be wood or oil fired?

keep up the great work!

No date yet (I won't know a date until I've finished her), and she'll be wood-fired.