fabs79 Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Hi, since I`m relatively new to ORBX and getting increasingly addicted to their fantastic work, I`d thought it would be nice to get to know some of the people who contribute to this great team which made me enjoy flight simming again after years of absence. I know you`ve all got a lot of work to do but maybe some of the developers could tell us how long they`ve been into the scenery design "business", which projects for ORBX they worked on so far and so on. Of course you slowly get an impression of who`s who in ORBX land by checking the forums regularly, but I thought it might be interesting for us new customers to meet the people behind the scenes. So if anyone of you has got the time to share his story, I`d be eager to hear it. Cheers, Fabian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Goff Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Hi Fabian, I don't think I've done a public 'meet-n-greet' yet, but I'll give it a go and hopefully I won't be alone! I've been a part of Orbx since April, 2011 so a little over two years, before that I was at OZx for about a year. Since then I have been a part of about ten projects. For a quick rundown, my first airport was W52 Goheen in the PNW, back in 2011. After that I contributed autogen annotation to New Zealand South Island, the photoreal for 0S9 Jefferson Co., worked on 2W3 Swanson with Tim, did all of the photoreal areas along with a little autogen for New Zealand North Island, worked on KWYS West Yellowstone again with Tim, did all of the photoreal areas for Southern Alaska, modelled some of the WWII hangars you see at the default airports across the UK, helped Jim out on 65S Bonners Ferry, and I am currently doing the photoreal for Northern California along with my own airport project PAYA Yakutat. Beyond work, I am a full time student studying information technology and geographic information systems (GIS). I currently live in a small town about 4 hours from Atlanta, GA. Regards, Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack the Swede in Spain Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Super idea Fabian! Suddenly I feel as a part of the ORBX-family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Hill Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Hi Fabian, and all...Actually I thought this was a great idea when I first saw this thread but was busy with other stuff. I'm glad Alex jumped in, he's one of a group of extremely talented youngsters that's working with ORBX, hopefully Eddy and Misha will chime in as well.I'm at the other end of the age spectrum, just turned 75 (and lovin' it). I started by contacting Holger about helping with airports for "Emma X", an update for the Olympia Peninsula in Washington State, USA, he was working on (it eventually became the "demo" area for the NA regions). Prior to that I provided airport revisions for FS9 via Avsim. Anyway Holger said sure, he'd be happy to have the 40 or so airports in the area he was working on done. He was just starting work on PNW with ORBX and after seeing my work asked if I would like to work on the airports for the whole PNW area.Since then I've done almost all the airports for NRM, CRM, PFJ, SAK, ENG, WLS, SCO, NIR and the upcoming NCA and IRL regions. I helped also in NZSI and NZNI as well. Lately I've released several groups of FTXG airports.My main focus is airport upgrades but I've helped with land class (LC) work in the NCA region and other misc stuff. I can attest that you CAN teach old dog's new tricks, but it ain't easy!!I've been married for 49 years to a VERY understanding wife, am a college graduate, have two kids and three grandchildren, two of which are now in college. My main occupations "were" electronic technician (think tubes and old radios of the 1950's) and toward the end of my working career a Program Manager for a large multinational company. I have had a "ham radio" license (now K7NH) for almost 60 years.That about sums it up. I really enjoy what I do, it's like making 3d art that others can enjoy. It also keeps me busy and out of trouble, which my wife appreciates.Cheers, Neil (the airport guy) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holger Sandmann Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Hi guys, If you don't mind something a bit more dated (~3 years old) there's a FSBreak podcast available that featured a bunch of us chatting about our work on PNW, the universe, and everything: http://www.fsbreak.net/podcast/2010/3/24/fsbreak-61-orbx-developer-interview.html Actually, another interview took place six months before that in #43: http://www.fsbreak.net/podcast/2009/11/17/fsbreak-43-john-venema-and-holger-sandmann-talk-about-ftx-na.html Cheers, Holger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bushmonkey Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 I was listening to this while visiting Seattle and staying on Bainbridge Island while traveling on the ferry. But I also remember Holgar and JV's getting together at Avsims Dev Conf and Convention in Bellevue Hilton back in 2007. Every one in FS was there as well as the ACES crew. Awesome times. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edward Boyte Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Hello everyone, I'm in my early 20s and joined Orbx in 2011. I was a beta tester first (thanks to Tim and John! ) then I showed them my work on default airport upgrades that I've been doing before I was a beta tester then I got changed to a FTX Developer. I mainly work on the default enhanced airports with Neil (and some airstrips) for FTX Regions - NZSI, NZNI and ENG. I'm currently working on some default enhanced airports in Southern Ireland, Norway South and FTX Global. I hope to release my very first freeware airport sometime when I get the hang of Photoshop and Gmax then onto payware and maybe more freeware. Other hobbies are playing games on PC (BF3, BF4), making Youtube videos, filming with the GoPro and photography. So yeah... that's pretty much it. lol Cya! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ripcord Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Holger, thanks for posting. It is cool to listen to your voice and JV's and hear about how it all came together in the early days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hightman Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 hay guys jst wondering how the next 2 ftx aircraft are coming along. i have an idea for the next 2 aircraft the 182 JT-A and the piper archer LX and tx. and a third the learjet 85. who does the modlling for the aircraft. chad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paddler Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Fabian, Wonderful idea, thanks for bringing it forward. I have enjoyed "meeting" Alex, Neil, Holger and Edward and look forward to hearing from the other developers ( and others staff) in the ORBX Team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misha Cajic Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Where to start... Well first of all, Orbx was the second flight sim forum I ever joined back in September 2011 (after OZx in August) as I owned a couple of products and required support, like most others. Of course I stuck around and was awestruck at the work that the developers were doing, in particular I drooled over Russ White's work at Fall City and thought if I would EVER be able to create any scenery of my own. Along came February 2012 and someone at OZx suggested in starting up the team there again to create some more Aussie scenery. As I had greatly admired the work of Orbx developers I keenly put my hand up and volunteered to join. I didn't think I would get much past the bare basics of scenery design but I kept pushing to see what I could do. Back in April I got in contact with Alex here and he helped me enormously in all aspects of design, and gave me my first GMax lesson in June. From then on it was all uphill, I experimented on my own, picking up small tips on the way, and eventually got to be quite a competent developer by about August 2012. That's when I also got in contact with Ken Hall, who taught me all the tricks and techniques I could use to bring life into my scenery and really make it feel real In October I started on making some freeware North American scenery, but Ken managed to convince me to make it payware instead because of the quality he was seeing in it. I was anxious and uneasy at first about this but I got through the package and created my first payware scenery released in May 2013, of 3 little airstrips in Southern Oregon. A couple of months ago I got into contact with Orbx with the desire to join the team. John kindly agreed and here I am! Since I've only been at Orbx for a couple of months I don't have too much of a portfolio to share, but at the moment I am working on a payware airport in the Pacific Northwest. It's name will be revealed within the next few weeks but what I can say is it's got 2 challenging airports recreated at massive detail level (complete with brand new dense grass vegetation objects) and a huge coverage area You will also see a bit of my work in the last NA freeware airport package, I helped Neil by creating a new NA generic hangar library which is much improved over the old objects. So I've only been in the scenery house for 19 months but I've learnt so much on the way and met many great friends. Beyond scenery design, I am a school student in grade 10 in Australia. Cheers, Misha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmerhead2 Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 Keep it up guys! Inspirational to hear your stories, and great to see so many youngsters getting into the hobby! With the awesome work you are creating I'm sure we can win over a few more new recruits to join the ranks of FS addiction Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vlad Maly Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 Hi guys:I am 67 years young, retired for seven years now. Born in what was then Czechoslovakia I’m a proud Canadian now – for almost forty years. In the last seven years we were spending spring and summer in our 17th century house, about 40 km from Prague, CZ, renovating it, battling the system, but enjoying it. And my hobbies - I guess too many. Our MX5, skiing, tennis and now finally full time painting, too. I shouldn't forget the GTR2 sim - I hope that it keeps me somewhat mentally fit even though my wife thinks otherwise... Flying would have been always my passion, but, when I sort of had money to do my PPL, didn't have the time for it. Now with theoretically having the time (retired guys do NEVER have time), I feel too old for this and definitely don't have the money for it! Didn't play any computer games until I got hold of the FS9. That was five or six years ago. I was overwhelmed by all the freeware available. So I set myself a goal one day to pay back to the community with some freeware of my own... Four years ago I bought (what I thought would be good enough) i7 based PC and purchased FSX and at the same time discovered ORBX and PNW. Didn't fly much, spent 4/5ths of my time trying to get the beast going - at least so that I could try to enjoy the PNW. At the same time I started to collect the information and bits and pieces so I could one day put it all together and get some design going. Pretty mind boggling process! Then I got under the protective wings of Ken Hall and he was nursing me from my first feeble and meek attempts to [for me] new elevations. Talking about teaching an old dog new tricks!! My new (now old) laptop also helped, I could now enjoy the ORBX in its full glory, if I only would have time to fly... My work thus far – CEN4, CEF4 and CEJ4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 It is really fantastic hearing from the developers, you add so much to our flight sim hobbie, and make it what it is today. Thank you and it is very much appreciated Cheers Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Lincoln Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 Great thread,remember though that this one is worth looking at if you want to put a face to the name http://www.orbxsystems.com/forum/topic/7095-member-photo-gallery/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benny Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 Neil, at 75 I have one word for you: RESPECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm very impress. Misha, you one mature gentlemen for you age and what a passionate guy you are. Wow! Vlad, I'm very glad to see that your happy in Canada! I'm also impress by how you manage to work so deeply with computer at 67. I guess your on the west coast looking at your work. To bad for you because since I started flying back 2 weeks ago you would have a free ride... and you could put your hand on the stick. I mean it. Still, I'm still rusty a bit. Edward, I truly enjoy NZ stuff and still think it's the best thing ORBX has done. Thanks to all of you for posting. No I didn't say nothing about the master "" Holger""". I have seen his name everywhere since a few years... Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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