OvS

Thanks fellas! I'll come by now and then a drop in. I'm as excited about the new release as all of us are. From what I can see on the website, and posted videos, it's going to be really special. :) Finally, the game that will topple the great RB3D is upon us... but then again, we toppled it with Phase 3... LOL!

Widow, what you do is harder than my job. Comforting someone after a tramatic experience such as total loss, loss of life, property, heirlooms.. etc, is not easy work by any means. Any help and support you give to victums is as worthy as the work it takes to fight the fire. I've already seen my share of 'combat', and I can say, it's devistating to see someone loose everything they own... so much that a roll of toliet paper is worth crying for thanks. You stand in the chared remains as you rip down the sheet-rock off the walls, pictures falling... small stautes breaking, old furniture destroyed... etc... and think... wow... this is someone's life, all gone. How do you recover. The worst are the kid's rooms... like 4-9 years old. All the stuff that gives them security from the 'monsters' at night... favorite teddy bears, blankets, toys.... whatever... gone. Sucks balls. You just put your head down as you walk by the family, huddled by the neighbors house, and say 'sorry for the loss'... and then they thank you... kinda ironic. We have a saying in the Fire Service... "I have met my enemy, and to my enemy, my name is Fuel and water is my weapon".

The other day I decided to pop-in and say hello, only to find so much has changed. Wow... SimHQ... for those wondering or interested in knowing where I've been... Several months ago, last summer to be exact, I decided it was time to make some personal changes. Some call this the 'mid-life crisis'... I don't know... I don't believe that. At a ripe 41, I joined my local Volunteer Fire Department. This life-style is not new to me, my father was a Chief, my Uncle (his brother) was a Captain, my cousin was and still is and active EMT in another district. So I basically grew-up in a Truck house, climbing all over the euipment, running around in Dad's boots... sitting behind his desk and drawing pictures.... and of course, being the Chief's son, operating the sirens while going on calls!!! ... so it was only a matter of time before I accepted my linage... and joined. I knew what I was getting in to, it was no suprise to me. Needless to say, I really have little time for anything else... I've been through Fire School, which normally takes 9 months, I did it in 3. I am 20 years older than the next probie, and because of this, I am like Pappy Boyington of 'Black Sheep Squadron'. I keep the boys in line, and well 'groomed' for Fire Service, now and then I have to beat the crap out of one... you know... to keep the pecking order correct. I now conduct and orchestrate the 'Probie Drills' on Saturdays, which is funny because Probies (as I am) are not supposed to do that... but age is on my side, and with that wisdom and knowledge. I know to teach them what they need to pass school.... not to be better firemen, they'll learn that in school and from our officers. I'm in the gym constantly as every f'n tool and piece of equipment in the Fire Service weighs a ton! You HAVE to be in shape to do this job. My Scott pack and combat gear weigh 30lbs alone, tack on a Water can, and a 6' Halligan pole, or a set of Irons (Axe and Halligan) and man, I've got 60 lbs on me, climbing up a ladder to do a roof job, that's on fire. Whew!!! Not bad for an old guy! I now drive the Ambulance on a regular basis, I am on the SCUBA Search and Recovery team... which is slowly picking up with Summer boat season coming, and intend on being a part of our Marine Team as well as we own a HoverCraft, and 2 Fire Boats. Our department is extremely busy with us rolling trucks at least twice a day, even for 'false alarms', the ambulance calls are insane.. we averge over 2000 calls a year!!! ... we also back-up 2 very large districts which have some of the worst low-income areas in Long Island (Brentwood/Bay Shore) so I've already seen my share of bad fires.. and will see more I am sure. My OFFing days are few and far between... with little contact, and not much time, I don't promise anything to the Devs as it's only fair to them. I never know how long calls will be, or how often they come... but when they do, I drop everything and run. Not fair to folks that expect you to meet deadlines, but when Mrs. Jones needs help, I answer the call. But when they need something, I do it, no questions asked as I know it's important to them and the OFF Community. Other than that, life is good... I'm of sane mind... well... really depends on how you look at it... ;) My Nova is STILL not completed.. I'm waiting forever for a friend to do the body-work so I can start putting it back together... My Harley is doing well... although LI is offering us crappy weather lately... seems like it rains every day... family is good as always. All I can say... is I am really happy. Talk to you guys soon....

Final Countdown.... A bit cheezy in the effect department for today's standards, but other than that, who could not love the expression on the Zero Pilot's face as he's engaged with the Tomcat. Not to forget the tight-formation, sub-sonic, low-alt fly-by over the Senator's Yaught. Loved the F-14 forever after that movie... untill.. it happened..... Top Gun.....

Hi fellas... from a conversation with RAFLou, I was inspired to ask... Are any of you active/retired Firemen? I am active duty volunteer, and a member of West Islip FD: Truck Company 4 : H,L & Heavy Rescue (Hurst). If you are, post where and what... I would like to trade patches if you would like to. :) All the best, OvS

Thanks a mil Lima... I'm to 'blame' for the skins on the Brizzy... Wait till you see what Ted and I conjured up for the Bristol in P4... ;) As much as I don't like the Bit planes, I love the Bristol... it really is a work of aviation engineering art. Reading about it's performance in combat compares it to some of the best WWI fighters on both sides of the fence. OvS

Sounds like: 'Tar-Get' pronounced tärgt

Well.. some ideas are simply better off left on paper... Like this psycho... sorry for the 'tanget line' on this subject, but you get the idea... extremes are always dangerous to play with. OvS

That sucks... I liked it.. hell... it's just another thing we all in the OFF Community have in common... :(

Hey Lou, you're a fireman? ... me too.. I'm in a Truck company.. H,L and Heavy Rescue (Full Hurst). Nice to meet another Brother! :) See... this forum totally rocks!!! :) OvS

I can tell you for certain I have been studying RoF's texture techniques, as I am sure they did ours.. all that holds back our graphics is the DX engine. If we had the ability to produce the lighting that RoF does, you would be astounded at how amazing this sim looks... even as good as P4 looks now, which is freakin' incredible without the aid of DX11 shading ... ;)

Lou, Best luck! If I can give advice here... P90x. As much as I am not a big fan of easy-fix diets, crappy work-out vids... etc. P90x really works because it's based on something A LOT of people don't understand when they work-out... it's based on personal development, meaning, what is good for your body may not be good for the guy next to you. 10 reps might be hard for you, it might be a breeze for me... etc. Get it? AND>>> it's all natural WORK... meaning WORK, like you are really performing work. It's all push, pull, lift, jump and move.. that's it... and man, it really works. I've done it 3 times and also work-out with weights. It works. It bangs your body into great shape, and all around better physical condtion... uh... skip the yoga stuff though... it sucks. I'm 42 now, a Volunteer Fireman, and not as active as I'd like to be, but I work-out as often as I can, I eat fairly well... something that provides the personal gain and energy that P90x does is not easy to create in a gym pounding weights. Using your own body to do work is better. It's better for you, and better for your body. I can bang-out 50 standard push-ups then bench 225 10 times in the same work-out routine. To me, that's better than banging out 315 twice, saying I did it, and being spent for the day. After P90x, I feel like a youthful machine again... and the ladies notice it too... ;) Plus, doing it in your own home is priceless... no a-hole steriod freaks, that lift 200lbs on the bench and sit there for 20 mins thinking about it... no hoodie jerks doing bicep curls so wide, so you can't pass... I've been there, done that. At 42, I weigh 193, my chest is 48", waist is 32"... I want it to be 185, 50" and 30" by summer. Good luck to you, post here for support! We're behind you all the way... hey .. throw down the gaunlet... ;)

The Lost Brigade Captured American during interrogation by German CO. : "You not going to win this. You're in a gang war with a bunch of poor Micks, Jews, Guineas and Polocks from the streets of New York" Right up my alley... ;)

Wow,,, if it works that hard while driving a car sim, I can only imagine what it would look like for OFF!! HEADLINE NEWS: Pilot KIA during dogfight in living room. 1st post WWI victory filed by German pilot since 1918. Merry Christmas to all!! :)

Hiya Cappy... good to see you around. :) Hope all is well with you. Merry Christmas! James "OvS"