FSX Steam Teamspeak Channel

[Travis]

It is evident that things should be left as they were. Thanks for all the input everyone! And for anyone that has ideas on other changes, I think all the staff encourages you to bring it up here on the forums, Your idea may be a great one we would all like to hear!

[-TK-]

I personally do not have the Steam Edition of FSX and wouldn't want to go into TS one day and be the only one in the boxed edition lobby while everyone else is in the steam lobby that has the steam version.

Just an FYI, this is how some new people on Steam feel now. I've talked to two people via chat that said they don't go on the TS because of this since I started (no one using Steam on TS). I've initiated conversations with several other Steam users to try to get them to TS multiple times and most just ignore me or don't see my message. I put the (Steam) tag on my name because it let's people know they are not alone. I think for the first half a dozen times I logged in here I was the only Steam member on, and still I feel I'm flying alone most of the time. The only other semi consistent Steam user I've seen is Space Taco. And now I'm logging in to only a couple other people on the Steam server. None of them on TS. But if they don't think anyone from Steam is using TS when they go to the website, why would they be motivated to log in?

While I don't mind flying alone, I'm guessing most people joining multiplayer don't feel that way and don't hang around. And when people come on to the website and don't see anyone in the Steam room on TS Viewer, that isn't going to help. At least when there wasn't a room people thought, 'maybe some of those people are on Steam'. The fact of the matter is that Steam is the future of FSX and it will be Steam providing new players for the community.

[CaseyRyback53]

Another thing is, that u guy's think, that we get alot of new members because of FSX-Steam. Extremly WRONG! First is, more than the half of new Steam users are kids Who don't know nothing about Flight Simulation like we old Simmers do. They think it is a Arcadegame, they jump into servers just on the Hostairport and doing there trolling with some fighterjets. Second is, they communicate via Ingame chat like"did u see my landing" or "do u see me" ect...Real New Simmers are Rare like in FSX Boxed, how many new members we got on Boxed, just a couple and with Steam it will not be more, because the most of new Steam pilots are just change over to Steam or use both. Just think, we would change all from Boxed to Steam(what will happend somewhere in the future), but we will not be a so much bigger group than we are now, because it is still a Simulator not a Game and all these young fellas don't have the passion to stay on it like we do. FSX is a time eater, nothing where you just Start it, play it a hour and than do something other.

An other thing is, most of real simmers are all on tons of addons, and scenery's, on Boxed and Steam, what makes it complicated to fly with newcomers.
"what plane are u flying? or "Why are u under the ground " ect...

Our Commnity will not grow so fast, because we have Steam now...So the question is, are we here to join our Hobby, or for catching tons of new FSX users, who have not a clue about it, bombing us with millions of questions, stealing our flight time and never show up after some adwises?? I'M NOT! I come here to fly with my friends, talk with my friends and enjoy FSX, where i spend thousands of hours by investigate the internet for questions i have, writing pages of informations into our HP, what the most of our new members don't even read, to make it nice running and looking! You all know that you can find most of the answers in tons of fs-websites and forums..they just to lazy to do this.

I learned flight simming the OLDSCHOOL way, and i realy loved it to grow with MSFlights. Thats what makes us REAL SIMMER'S! And we we will allways be just a small group, who grows very slowly........

[Wingman]

TK, I appreciate the reasoning behind adding the (Steam) tag and will begin to do so myself when in a session. Great idea!

Casey, don't worry; we don't want to cast a big net to catch every online flight simmer/gamer there is. That would be called recruiting, and you know that 'recruiting' is a curse word in my vocabulary. What we try to do, instead, is be welcoming of those pilots who go out of their way to find us on TeamSpeak3. I don't think that the type of young gamer you talk about will do this as much as the inquisitive sim-er. Consider this scenario: A reasonable individual picks up FSX-Boxed after the closing of GameSpy's services and flies for years in Free Flight. Then, he/she (ok, probably he) finds out about the new Steam Edition and, since he knows what Steam has because he plays games on Steam, realizes that there could be a new unexplored world of online FSX, so he tries it. He's the kind of guy you want in our TeamSpeak3, I believe, and I also believe he's the kind of guy that would find us.

[-TK-]

Another thing is, that u guy's think, that we get alot of new members because of FSX-Steam. Extremly WRONG! First is, more than the half of new Steam users are kids Who don't know nothing about Flight Simulation like we old Simmers do. They think it is a Arcadegame, they jump into servers just on the Hostairport and doing there trolling with some fighterjets. Second is, they communicate via Ingame chat like"did u see my landing" or "do u see me" ect...Real New Simmers are Rare like in FSX Boxed, how many new members we got on Boxed, just a couple and with Steam it will not be more, because the most of new Steam pilots are just change over to Steam or use both. Just think, we would change all from Boxed to Steam(what will happend somewhere in the future), but we will not be a so much bigger group than we are now, because it is still a Simulator not a Game and all these young fellas don't have the passion to stay on it like we do. FSX is a time eater, nothing where you just Start it, play it a hour and than do something other.

An other thing is, most of real simmers are all on tons of addons, and scenery's, on Boxed and Steam, what makes it complicated to fly with newcomers.
"what plane are u flying? or "Why are u under the ground " ect...

Our Commnity will not grow so fast, because we have Steam now...So the question is, are we here to join our Hobby, or for catching tons of new FSX users, who have not a clue about it, bombing us with millions of questions, stealing our flight time and never show up after some adwises?? I'M NOT! I come here to fly with my friends, talk with my friends and enjoy FSX, where i spend thousands of hours by investigate the internet for questions i have, writing pages of informations into our HP, what the most of our new members don't even read, to make it nice running and looking! You all know that you can find most of the answers in tons of fs-websites and forums..they just to lazy to do this.

I learned flight simming the OLDSCHOOL way, and i realy loved it to grow with MSFlights. Thats what makes us REAL SIMMER'S! And we we will allways be just a small group, who grows very slowly........

This seems like a very poor attitude to have towards possible new members. I don't know where you're getting that anyone is saying that the community needs to grow 'fast'. It will help to remember that not everyone is necessarily as internet savvy as you. Just because you have years of experience, doesn't mean that someone coming in with limited experience such as myself (years ago in X-Plane 9), isn't going to take FS seriously and have questions. And isn't a community there to help people along as well? I firmly believe people should do some research before spamming community members with questions, but with your attitude I wouldn't want to ask anything. It's sound more like you want to treat this like a good-ole-boys boxed FSX club, which is perfectly fine if that's your intention, but make it clear up front that you only want seasoned FS vets and don't invite Steam users. And when I say 'fly together' I'm not talking exclusively about shared cockpit as I assume it's actually pretty rare that people do that. From your post, I get that because I work a more hours than a full time job, have a family, am new to FSX, and prefer to spend most of my limited spare time actually FLYING in my flight simulator instead of spending that time on random flight simulator forums I'm not a 'real simmer'. I've been putting a lot of my free time in here since discovering you guys and this perspective is disheartening, but I'm okay with it, and I think I'm going to reconsider my participation here if this is the attitude of community heads.

You mention that you want your community to grow? Where do you think your new players will be coming from in the future? You may not have 'alot' now, but as time progresses, the bulk of new members will be Steam users. It's better not to judge a whole group of players before you give them a chance based on their client. It's easier for people to find you guys now. Sure, you'll have to weed out some of the younger more immature individuals, but I would think that the exposure of your community to such a larger audience would excite you, not fill you with contempt. You're sending very mixed signals.

I want to give you guys some perspective from a Steam user that came here looking to become part of and contribute to a FS community that had a semi-difficult time figuring some of the basic stuff out, but didn't spam everyone with random questions or take away from your flight time. Don't take this post with a bashing tone as it is not so motivated. I've only talked with a few general members in TS and they've all been pleasant, but once you have admins throwing around terms like 'real simmer' and 'old school', you start creating divisions in the community that I don't agree with. Things are called 'old school' for a reason. Time marches forward and things change. Most people don't just start out as 'real simmers'.

[Kalo]

Just an FYI, this is how some new people on Steam feel now. I've talked to two people via chat that said they don't go on the TS because of this since I started (no one using Steam on TS). I've initiated conversations with several other Steam users to try to get them to TS multiple times and most just ignore me or don't see my message. I put the (Steam) tag on my name because it let's people know they are not alone. I think for the first half a dozen times I logged in here I was the only Steam member on, and still I feel I'm flying alone most of the time. The only other semi consistent Steam user I've seen is Space Taco. And now I'm logging in to only a couple other people on the Steam server. None of them on TS. But if they don't think anyone from Steam is using TS when they go to the website, why would they be motivated to log in?

While I don't mind flying alone, I'm guessing most people joining multiplayer don't feel that way and don't hang around. And when people come on to the website and don't see anyone in the Steam room on TS Viewer, that isn't going to help. At least when there wasn't a room people thought, 'maybe some of those people are on Steam'. The fact of the matter is that Steam is the future of FSX and it will be Steam providing new players for the community.

This is exactly why I think labeling a room would be a good idea. Thanks for giving your input TK, most newer members are usually shy when it comes to topics as these, I appreciate the input.

I think the perception that labeling a room for Steam would segregate the community, is a bit out of proportion. If the majority of our current community uses boxed edition, I can see why a new pilot from Steam may think we are ONLY for the boxed edition. If you sign on a few times and each time most people are flying boxed, and you see no group flights hosted in Steam one would get the impression that no one here uses Steam...so why get on teamspeak? If it was labeled something like Free Flight B (FSX: Steam)....it would be a easy way for Steam pilots to get together and fly. Just because people are in that channel doesn't mean you can't pop down and say hello.

In regards to what Casey said, I agree we will run into alot of annoying kids, but we will also find the occasional gem (haha) of a community member that has happened so many times in the past. Since boxed edition has been discontinued I would like to keep the Steam avenue open and welcoming. After all it's not like were adding a room for a completely unrelated game, this is FSX on a different platform.

BTW TK, in the past I was hosting Steam flights, but my computer has got some sort of virus that makes everything laggy so I am due for a Windows reinstall (hoping to get that done in the next week), so I am going to schedule a Steam flight for the Saturday after next at noon ET.

[CaseyRyback53]

Well. Nice writing , Mr. TK, but sorry, I don't know you and you don't know me. You do not hang around here day by day and have to deal with all this. I'm here one of the most helpful person, ask around. But getting questions from people like "CAN I JOIN, what are u flying and where and what steam or boxed and after you answer this all they ask you is how to fly a plane and how do I do Multiplayer; just some dudes without any basic knowledge...I still stay for my point, I'm here to enjoy my hobby with friends, I'm not a flight instructor....If you come to me with your basic knowledge and have some technical problems like tweaking, connecting, ect... You would always get any help...

And finally, NO! I don't have a "very poor attitude" against new members, just against these annoying fools, who drive me nut's every day....and if you ask around, any of our long-time members don't even show up here so often anymore because of exactly this issues.....and that is a sad situation.....you are just a newcomer here, you don't know whats going on.

[-TK-]

I respect your position, Casey, and my post was not a personal attack on you nor did I say you’re not helpful, so please don’t take it as such. I think every adult has had to deal with those types of people in their life. It’s not exclusive to the flight sim community and it does get very annoying, but I just don’t think you should drape a blanket of contempt on an entire burgeoning community because you have to deal with a handful of people like that. You should be able to log on and enjoy yourself however you deem fit, so maybe you shouldn’t be the one handling the new people coming to the server and shouldn’t venture outside of the members area on TS. Perhaps someone with more of a tolerance for those types should be addressing them and I thought that is why TS is set up how it is; so those people will rarely make it through to annoy members. On a side note, telling me you don’t have a ‘very poor attitude’ against new members and then ending your post with ‘you are just a newcomer here, you don’t know what’s going on’ with the tone of your post is not very reinforcing.

The people I’ve interacted with on TS have been pleasant and you all have been helpful on the forums. I realize this is an established community and the recent changes to FSX are still new so a lot will have to be figured out as you go. After my last post, I feel I should point out that I have seen Robert Dunn (I believe is his name) go out of his way to try to greet new players, Steam and Boxed alike, and get them integrated which is probably why I was thrown off by Casey’s post. I also think it’s awesome that you guys do all of these flights and have such great turnouts. Seeing the Steam server in multiplayer drew me here, but the active community is what made me consider staying. I will say I was disappointed at first that I was so separated from the majority of the community, to the point that I’ve been scoping out boxed edition on eBay, but I’m a fairly patient individual and realize that it’s a matter of time until people move over to Steam or something else comes out that the community jumps on, and in that time I have a lot of skills to work on.

I saw that there were some Steam flights happening a few weeks ago so I know they happen, but I also know after learning the two clients can’t play together that it will be a really slow process for an already established community to transition to a new platform and get everyone integrated. I’ll go ahead and bow out of this thread as my lunch is finished and I don’t think there is much more to say that would be constructive on my end. Thanks for the discussion.

Clear skies!

[Travis]

Please, more feedback from other community members that have not yet spoken!