Thoughts to ponder

[Guest]

Avsim moderators...I don't want to start another flame war here. So if it turns into one...lock it or delete it.Just wanted to toss out something that many people may not realize. I've seen several posts lately about the shape of the nose being wrong on my 727. This highlights a real interesting thing about designing aircraft and responding to user feedback. I got an e-mail last week from a gentleman who says he works on 727's every day. He told me that the thing he likes most about my model is that I nailed the shape of the nose exactly. And this is not an isolated case. I get conflicting feedback all the time. For every note that says something is too long, someone else says its right or too short. I got two e-mails on one of my Condor liveries recently. One said the tail was too orange and should be more yellow. Another said the tail was too yellow and should be more orange. So who do I listen to? Who drives the fixes? Just something to think about.Mike Stone

[Donmo 6]

Mike. I've said it to everyone in here who designs anything. Do it YOUR way and to the best of your ability and to the best using the resources that you have available. Don't worry about the folks who condem everything. Pictures can lie. Different angles that they have seen the planes in may vary. Lighting in their or your examples may vary. That will always have a big impact. These are OUR interpretations of things, not a Boeing rendering. Like I told you before, stay the course you are going. You will NEVER satisfy everyone. Make yourself happy first. The way I look at it is whereever I got my software to do all this, they probably have more there. The constant complainers need to go get it and show us how it's done. Until then, don't let it drive you nuts. This also brings in flight dynamics. With the poll taken lately, only about 15% of visitors have flown real aircraft. I want to know how someone who NEVER has flown a C-150, knows what a 747-400 feels in the sky. I am a pilot. I can tell you by looking at an aircraft pretty much how it may handle. With modern technologies such as fly by wire, all that even changes. Don't let all this and the armchair quarterbacks get your feathers in a ruffle. You make it the way you want (which is fine enough for me) and make it fly the way you want (with the most educated guess you can make) and you will have a nice plane. Let them dig for "exact" air files, being they have the 85% no-experience at the real thing. Let them buy the paint programs and add the yellow or orange. It's a damned good thing forums weren't around when Dali and Picasso were painting! Look at the sh** they would have gone thru! They seemed to come out ok. Your eyes, your hands and your mind are your tools. Keep using them as you have been. Keep them (the complainers) out of the equation.Don

[Guest Aidi]

I think you make some good points here Mike. From my point of view, I wouldnt even know where to start if i wanted to build something for FS. Wouldnt the world be a dull place if everything was perfect? Hopefully its just the minority who actually make comments and say "Thats not right.. if your gonna do it at all do it correctly" Those sort of comments make you wonder if what your doing is really worth it. On the other hand, as you stated above, you will get emails from those who have a very detailed knowledge of the real thing, and might make a comment that there is a slight indiscrepency, and point you in the right direction.. That type of comment can only make you more determined to look into it a little more and see if you can rectify and area that has been hightlighted.But i think the most important thing is that you have taken the time and the effort to try and recreate an aircraft as authentic as possible.... which i might hasten to add is more than the majority of us can do. Its the likes of yourself and others that make the world of FS what it is.. A fun, enjoyable and way to make some great friends. You have to take the rough with the smooth just like anything in life, but if you can sit back at the end of what YOU have created and say "yeah i like that" then rest assured the majority will agree with you.http://www.avsim.com/vfr_center/avsim_sig.jpg

[Guest]

Mike,The old saying goes, You can please some of the people some of the time, but you cannot please all the people all the time. There will be those who will argue with a light post just for the sake of arguing. For those who complain about the paint job, PAINT IT YOURSELF! Get off you lazy duffs and do something other than complain. Paint it, load it up on Avsim, and watch the amount of mail you will get because you couldnt get it perfect.Keep doing what you are doing, your current crop of fs2002 aircraft are the best I have used in FS2002. Dave

[Guest]

I know this story and there is only one truth I was told by a art teacher no two people see a colour the same way ,it is dependant on what you percive it as as with shapes and objects ,If you loved a girl called Marie ,Then the you will be thinking good things of people who are also called Marie even before you meat them, or if you know a girl called Marie who made you crazy then people called Marie will be at a disadvantage with you .I Think this is how it works but I think if you do something the way you percive it Then it is right For you And That is the End of the matter ,Because in reallity it is not ever going to be like the real thing because (I think People Forget )It is called Flight Simulator and the Aircraft are not Material they are Computer code and not Metal at all (some people just fell off there chair I expect)I look at photographs and your nose is looking P R E T T Y good from where I sit :)Your Aircraft are good also lolHope this helps .........lol .........DOHAnniette xxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Guest]

Mike,This is exactly what I was trying to convey from my thread yesterday!If I freely download a "Mike Stone" aircraft, I consider it a "GIFT".It is a DONATION from one person to others out of a mutual respect for their community and the love of flight simulation. A GIFT comes with "unspoken" rules. A "GIFT" should be accepted with thanks and appreciation OR QUIETLY DISCARDED if it is "another ugly tie". I've never told my children on Christmas morning, ..."thanks but I wish it were blue instead of bright orange"....WHY CAN'T EVERYONE OF US CONSIDER FREEWARE CREATORS AS PROVIDERS OF "GIFTS"?????????????I've said my piece, I'm outta here. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE BEAUTIFUL BOEING "TIES" (i.e., 727, 757, etc etc} HANGING IN MY CLOSET (HANGAR):-beerchug Vincent J. CarloVirginia, USA

[Guest Aidi]

Good anology Vincent!http://www.avsim.com/vfr_center/avsim_sig.jpg

[davido53 2]

Amazing the temerity of those who look the gift horse in the mouth...they are hard to ignore but please do so Mike...a lot of us don't write you to thank you but believe me you are a top designer in our book...I d/l one a/c that looked like it was put together by duct tape (not one of yours) and I didnt even complain about that one...anyway, try to ignore these malcontents and rest assured you are treasured by the flight sim community...

[Guest The Ancient Brit]

Mike,Oscar Wilde on being asked by a theatrical manager to make some changes to his play

[Guest CharlesH]

Hi Mike:I totally agree with the above comments. Who am I to tamper with your excellent aircraft. You are a truely talented designer who I deeply admire. Keep up the good work, I do appreciate it. Your gifts to the flight simmulation make flying fun. Your dedication to our community is very much appreciated.Charles

[Steve Cannell 4]

CLONING !!!!I think we need to re examine the issues. There's just not enough of these great FS addons being released. I'm getting old and who knows how much time I have left. More scenery, 2D and 3D panel and aircraft designers are needed, freeware or commercial. I want everything now, please. :-)This waiting is killing me.SteveCYYZ

[Guest BrianC]

Maybe we need ICC profiles to be embedded in the texture bitmaps? :)

[Guest]

>Avsim moderators...I don't want to start another flame war >here. So if it turns into one...lock it or delete it. >>Just wanted to toss out something that many people may not >realize. I've seen several posts lately about the shape of >the nose being wrong on my 727. This highlights a real >interesting thing about designing aircraft and responding to >user feedback.Mike,Before I forget, thank you for all your wonderful contributions to the flightsim community. I have enjoyed flying all of your creations, even though my first love is light and twin GA. I am fortunate in having two wealthy friends who allow me to fly their planes whenever our schedules allow, but between the Lear 45 and the Merlin III, I must confess that I prefer the latter... :)I don't think that you frequent the Panel Design Forum, so I'm taking the liberty of reposting a reply I made yesterday to someone, regarding this very issue (partly because of a delicious pun, watch for it!)...#4, RE: Mike Stone's 727's - Question to Bill, Avsim OmbudsPosted by n4gix on Sep-05-02 at 06:41 PMIn response to message #0>Bill, I admire your candor and welcome your insight. Again, >I think Mike is making a tremendous contribution to this >hobby. Hi, back at 'cha!After reading and rereading your message, in spite of the Subject line of "...Question...," I'll be darned if I can find one!A question, that is...As far as such minute details go, having seen the pitiful results of my own efforts at a/c modeling, I'm not about to throw stones (pun intended!) at anyone else's work (except possibly someone who's stuff looks even worse than mine!) But, even then I'd most likely not say anything to the author, who undoubtedly thinks that his stuff is the "cat's meow." Far be if from me to dissuade or otherwise discourage anyone from trying. No one can hit a home run everytime.I learned at a very early age not to "look gift horses in the mouth," and am not likely to begin now, in my declining, not-so-Golden Years.I mean, I slaved for hours yesterday attempting to model a rather simple fuselage, having had great success with wings, horizontal stabilizer and a spectacular vertical stabilizer!All I could think of when I exported the model to FS for a quick looksee was, "looks like the Playdough Express to me!"Either that, or a much battered Gumby after a few years on booze,amphetamines and steriods...I guess the bottom line for me is quite simple. These a/c are offered up freely, and ultimately I have the freedom to either use 'em and enjoy 'em, or not. It's not as if someone had a gun to my head, or had managed to coax a few bucks out of my wallet.After all, I do have my standards! If I don't like something, I delete it or keep it until something better comes along, or fix it myself to my own liking.I've been asked by several people to collaborate with them on one project or another, but after looking at some examples of their work decided to pass on the opportunity. But I do so in a manner, which will not hurt their feelings or cause any possible resentment. The simple truth that I already have far more to do that I will complete in one lifetime is an honest enough reason, I needn't indulge in full disclosure.If someone sends me their work, and solicits my opinion privately, I will - of course - be totally forthright with my criticism. After all, they asked for it! But, I am quite circumspect with such criticism publicly. I'm not a "rivet counter."I wrote a mini-review of the new Dash-8 last week, and rightly judged that it is destined to find a niche only with a few, hard core, simmers because of its immense complexity. But even so, for everything I found somewhat confusing or possibly problematic, I balanced my critique by offering a workable solution or work-around to overcome the obstacle.