Simulators aren't enough...

[Guest Quaxo]

... to compensate for the bad things in life. It's as simple as that.For several months now, I've been working so hard on the UK scenery project, I've spent countless hours, and an almost ridiculous amount of work on it... just to realize that it isn't enough. It can't help. Because a simulator can distract, that's true... but at last you turn off the pc, and find yourself with the same problems. And the same low points. Which won't go away... a simulation is just that - a simulation, and can be nice, funny, can improve your passion and your knowledge and your skill, but can't help your life, or replace what you've lost... especially when you look inside yourself, and see that your biggest dreams all turned to regrets.Maybe that's just because the dreams were too big? No... Richard Bach once said that you're never given a dream, without the possibility to make it true. And I agree with him. But the possibility alone isn't enough... You have to SEE that possibility, and then to CATCH it, and then to HOLD it and make your dream come true. And you won't have endless possibilities. If you don't catch the first, maybe there will be another, and another, but not forever...It's just that we always do mistakes, and learn from our mistakes. But sometimes, the mistakes are just too HUGE, or we don't realize in time of what we're doing, until it's too late...Today I finished the flattening process I was doing for the UK. And then I found myself "without work", and turned off the pc. And I suddenly, unexpectedly, opened my "inner eyes", and looked around me, at my own life. And I didn't like what I saw...So I ended up going out, for a long walk in the country, thinking... and writing to my virtual friends... Trying to communicate. Communicating... isn't it what the world's all about after all?Oh well, what a "rant"! Saying that this is an off-topic message would be quite an understatement...! Sorry...Take care folks,Cristian

[Guest qvdg]

Cristian, I agree that simulators are enough but what you have done has given an enormous amount of pleasure to our FU3 community and I have been proud to have been one of the early contributors. I often thought what FU4 would have been like new aircraft (real and AI) and most importantly new hi res scenery. Along with the other contributors you have brought us FU4 - Bravo.By the way if you are ever in Paris I promise to take you up for a flight (PA28 or Robin HR400) just to say thanks for bringing this project to fruition.Cheers, QvdG

[Guest jonpoint]

Cristian,'Off topic'? Not really, I have been having similar thoughts with the GeeBee project. THIS time I decided to keep a log of time spent and, even though it's probably pale by comparison with your efforts, it's a long time!Fortunately, I have a 10 y.o. daughter to bring me back to reality a few times each day but I know THAT feeling when you've done all you can do (until next time) - a big, empty space. Then you go for walk outside and feel like an alien, watching others go about their lives.Yep, we all need a regular dose of reality and communicating with others is the right way to do it.BTW, thankyou for your efforts to date. When I get the GeeBee finished I'm going to spend the next 6 months FLYING, hopefully with some new scenery :-)Jon Point*************************(effyouthree@hotmail.com)*************************

[Guest Quaxo]

Quentin, Jon,Thanks for your words of encouragement! :) But I think I didn't make my point clear... The problem isn't that having finished the UK work, now I don't know what to do (not that UK work will ever finish anyway)... The UK is not the problem.The fact is that I used the UK project to get away from problems in my life, which were there before. That's why I concentrated so much on UK, so I didn't have much free time to think, and so I was tired enough to fall asleep at once at night... :) And after having finished the current UK work-run, I just couldn't escape from myself anymore! Oh well...Thanks anyway! This is why I always feel comfortable here, there is such a warm atmosphere! ;-)Cristian

[Christopher Low 5,332]

Cristian,I know exactly what you mean. When I first started using FLED (in July 2001), I was determined to eliminate everything that disappointed me about FU3. I wasn't happy with some of the (clearly rushed) work that had been done on airport taxiways and AI pathways, so I decided to strip down and rebuild virtually every airport in the Seattle scenery. This took a great deal of time and effort to achieve, and during that time I hardly ever had the time (or indeed the desire) to actually fly in FU3. I was just so determined to remove all of those little flaws that annoyed me so much. I didn't WANT to fly in a virtual world that I knew needed more work to make it acceptable to me !By this time, I was riding on the crest of a wave. I needed to do more work with FLED. If I wasn't upgrading the existing material, I was creating new stuff. Twenty new REAL airfields in the Seattle scenery alone, masses of trees at virtually every airport and airfield in the region, six lighthouse packages..........and then there was the San Francisco scenery. Thanks to Bogdan, I could now add Seattle region models to the San Francisco scenery. After upgrading the AI planes at almost every airport in the SanFran scenery, I set about adding yet more trees to the vast majority of THESE airports. I added five new REAL airfields to this region also...........in addition to creating a fully working, tower controlled version of Hamilton AFB. This was followed by over FIFTY separate scenery packages in my San Francisco STAR scenery pack....and then an endless amount of tweaks and modifications that are still being done today.I have no idea how much time I have spent using FLED over the past 18 months, but it's a considerable amount. However, it is very easy to get ensnared by this kind of work. It starts to be the ONLY thing that matters during any spare time that is available. It begins to take over your life. Have I done this little upgrade yet ? Why is that piece of taxiway still not lined up properly ? Why have I just seen an AI plane fly right into the airport.......and then disappear ?That's when you need to take a step backwards, and REALISE that you have already overstepped the boundary of common sense. That is the time to take a break, and do something else for a while. I don't mean half an hour either. I mean a few WEEKS. I have felt this in the past whilst developing my add-ons for FU3, and it is something that I have felt recently regarding the internet as a whole. Why am I constantly obsessed with visiting the AVSIM forums, or any other forum for that matter.........every day ? Why do I NEED to see if anyone has posted any messages ? Why am I secretly hoping that there are a few more e-mails in my INBOX ?In short, there are other things in life that matter far more than my PC, the internet, and Flight Unlimited 3. We just need to keep some kind of perspective.........and that's why I am not going to rush with my current project. I have set myself the task of building a few airports in the new UK high resolution scenery, but this is something that I will be taking my time over. I intend to develop each airport SIMULTANEOUSLY. Firstly, I would like to be able to create realistic runways for each of these airports. This is the ONLY aspect that I will be considering in the near future. You never know, the first release of any UK airport pack might be nothing more than a collection of runway models !So yes, I can understand some of what you are feeling, Cristian. I am sure that there are plenty of others who feel exactly the same. Just be comforted to know that you are not alone in this. I am happy to have found an entire bunch of new friends on this forum, and that is an enormous help in itself. If we can get Ben to sort out that download tool of his, then maybe I will be able to provide a great deal more help with this aspect of your work. I would certainly like to be able to do this, since the time it has taken me to download enough images for just TWO megatiles has given me an appreciation of just how much hard work you have been doing.So let me know if you would like me to keep plugging away at those images, or even better........get that Ben bloke to sort his software out :-lolBest Wishes, and take care,Chris Low,ENGLAND.

[Guest jonpoint]

Cristian,Sorry for not saying it quite right. I too have found, when doing large projects it's easy to become escapist. An argument with the girlfriend, problems in the office, an overdue power bill - all magically disappear about 5 minutes into a project session. When you're done, these things are still there but forgotten - for now. As I said, fortunately at 7AM, MY reality comes crunching down on me and it seems like last night was another world!Jon Point*************************(effyouthree@hotmail.com)*************************

[Guest Motormouse]

I know what you mean there Cristian,currently I'm not doing much sim flying,but am spending many hours on the job search sites.With all the turmoil in the airline industry it seems as if I'm going to have an enforced 'career break' from 31st March.quote from someone famous (can't remember who,maybe Oscar Wilde) "Life is what happens while we are busy doing other things":-wavePete

[Guest Staggerwing]

Cristian,Many of us have constant life problems on our backs and others just waiting to jump out and bite us when we least expect it... Another little saying is "Don't sweat the small stuff" decide just which problems are worth worring about and deal with them. Forget the little things that just don't matter anywhow.I'd have to say this about your time on the computer during life problems.. MANY turn to drink or drugs at these times and make things SO much worse for themselves ! Be glad you have your computer work to turn to instead... Don't hide from your problems, they will always catch up to you in the end. Turn and fight them head on, turn things the direction you need them to go.From a far from perfect person in a far from perfect world :-)Best to you !

[Guest Robs]

Christian,From the film bladerunner -"The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long ...and you have burned so very, very brightly.""I have done questionable things...""Yes, but also extraordinary things ....revel in your time!"Rob

[Guest twsimfan]

Cristian,Stag has a good point... losing yourself in your computer is far better than a bottle or pills. At least your withdrawal should be more pleasant... and you have created something that many will find much pleasure in. :)Way back when I was working on my planes I went through many of the same problems... meaning I would focus all the time I should have been spending on other things into my projects. I have learned over time to force myself to take note of other things... my wife... my dogs (even Holly ;-))... my truck... my RX-7... lots of things.Be well! :-sun1

[Guest twsimfan]

Pete,Sorry to here of your career problems. I have been through that sort of thing a few times myself... it is not pleasant. I hope you get back on your feet quickly. In my case the minning industry left me hanging... twice! I guess after the 1st time it was my own fault... I should have known better.Best wishes...

[Guest Quaxo]

Well, folks, thank you to everyone... really! :)The computer work has often helped me to "escape", and not to think to my troubles... but you all often helped me to go on! :) Thank you sincerely! ;-)Cristian