Big Smooth one3 wrote:checkerz wrote:Ohagan75 wrote: I personally make content for the game for my own enjoyment and nothing else. I truly do. But releasing those creations to a community in the state is in now, doesn't interest me in the slightest.
Your whole post is so very true, but this line really stood out to me.
Although, I'm not quite off that cliff - I'm getting closer. The rope that caught me temporarily at least was the support from the community when I did charge.
Very well said Ohagan (don't worry, I had to erase the end and re-spell it to not get it wrong... again.)
Either of you care to explain further? This line stood out to me, also, and I was about to quote it before I saw your response Chris. I genuinely don't understand what you mean in saying that you make content for your own enjoyement, which is then tarnished by releasing to the "community in the state it is now." To me, that reads as the enjoyment you feel from creating content, and the motivation to do so, are now mostly driven by external factors. Are you saying that a lack of the ability to communicate appreciation for the content that you have created is single-handedly playing the largest role in diminishing your motivation to keep contributing said content?
I ask not out of judgement, but I simply don't understand the logic. If I do something because I inherently enjoy it, and for that reason alone, what a group of people I have little respect for say doesn't impact my enjoyment. Maybe the inherent satisfaction is just gone now? Like someone else above me said, every game runs it's course, perhaps that's where we're at?
To clarify for myself...
I create content because I enjoy doing so. I release content or offer my "services" on other projects because I want to build a community. Those are two distinctly different pieces for me.
The joy of creating content hasn't diminished if I'm building something I thought up or had the itch to build just for me and my buddies. That is the creating content. I don't see that going anywhere soon.
Offering my services, I would classify as working on the replica tracks that I don't honestly enjoy much. I build to be creative, and while a challenge, I don't find it that relaxing or fun when building a replica. It used to be easy to push through that because I felt like we were all a big team and working to grow this game together. I don't get that feeling so much anymore (more on that with the next paragraph).
That goes along with the releasing content part. I am finding it more and more difficult to release my content because I'm starting to feel taken advantage of. It is my belief that new tracks and the efforts that I have been a part of with rF are a large part of the driving force that brings in new players and keeps the old players playing. Without this, there is not a market for anyone to sell their stuff. So when guys start selling their stuff, I feel they are taking advantage of my (our) efforts. That is a huge turn-off for me. That is why I created a "pay for" event with the RBSR, not for my personal gain, but to raise money for those who I felt are on my "team" still focused on building the community. That is why a majority of those profits were donated to other creators around the community. It felt good to reward them for doing "the good deed" of still creating and releasing their content.
Hopefully that helps answer the question a bit more in depth. And that brings us to here...
For me, I still plan to release my content for the time being. As I said before, the support for RBSR was really awesome. I can't tell you the countless people who sent me messages and said they didn't care about the race, they just were donating as a thank you. It was the note, not the money that meant something to me. It gave me hope that there is still more good eggs out there worth going the extra mile for. In fact, I'm working through thoughts of hosting a "big pay day" type race like the old SX Open and I don't want it to cost anything to the community. Figuring out a way to get a purse together without coming out of my pocket to do it is a challenge, so it may end up having some up front payment, but then go back into the event. But that isn't here nor there. I also want to run a custom straight rhythm for free. Because again, I've had some hope resurfaced for the time being.
And then there is this track. Since we hijacked his post. (great advertising having this happen BTW, keeping it bumped at the top haha).
Part of me wants to really support this because, hey, he did a great job it appears and I do feel his time is worth the price tag.
The other part of me wants to give him the middle finger and ask what makes him so special to get paid for his track when he hasn't done half of what others have for free. I am severely bothered by the fact he doesn't mention or think he owes anything to those whose work is included with his sale either. And then also the fact that the community helped him along the way taking time to educate him on how to make this work better. I know I wanted to see this project grow and bring in a new creator to help bring things to a new level. All of this without realizing the end goal was to charge everyone.
So I'm stuck in the middle. I haven't paid yet, not sure whether I will or won't.
Either way, I won't fight for either side of the argument anymore. I've learned it is a never ending battle that won't go anywhere. For now, I will continue enjoying what I'm doing and for now, sharing it with everyone for the greater good.
