I don’t get why people think they’re just going to be told when the updates coming just because they’ve messaged.
Not sure what it accomplishes knowing the date either.
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Throughout my life I have always been a volunteer. Whether it was at an organization, or helping friends with house projects. I work full time. Normally around 50 hours per week. I have a family. Life in general gets busy.
For me, Infinite flight has always been something I’ve enjoyed since my first flight. And then finding out about other organizations within Infinite Flight. I always want/wanted to keep going further. I do this because I genuinely care. I never really looked at my positions as “jobs” but rather that I am having a great time being able to do the things I do. I never went in to it expecting a paycheck or to be quite honest, never really thought about it that way. That’s why I have my full time job.
After some time of being around the community, and holding various roles, I have met some great people and most I interact with on a daily basis. Interesting isn’t it that a sim can have such a huge impact on your life. I like that people feel comfortable coming to me and that I can perhaps be a positive influence on someone’s life or even inspire them to just try. And that is one big area that does it for me. Being able to help people and contribute to our great community. And overall, I just enjoy what I do here. So at the end of the day, it isn’t really “work” for me.
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He already mentioned he’s doing it without pay, so not a part-time “job” per se.
My wife doesn’t understand it either. But she tells me “if that’s what you like to do, then who am I to tell you not to.”
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I’m not high rank but I have put many hours into creating resources for this community (mostly some very in-depth guides).
I put together these guides because it’s information that I would’ve liked to have when I started playing this game (and Infinite Flight only provides vague information on the matter).
Take my recent fuel burn guide for example. This was a huge project and I chose to undertake it solo so I could include what information I thought was important. Obviously, this ended up being a monstrous amount of work. Gathering the numbers took roughly 30 minutes to an hour per each of the 41 aircraft, and then the implementation of the calculator was 30 minutes each. Additionally, the development of the methodology (mainly pertaining to the calculator) took a couple more hours of planning to make it as accurate as possible without making it overbearingly difficult to implement. On top of that, writing up the post was another couple hours.
No one paid me to do this (or asked me to do this, to be honest), but I chose to do it as one last gesture to help the incoming pilots while I move away from Infinite Flight and towards college. Additionally, I learned more information about various fuel burns that I could ever need, so I’m better prepared to help people on the forum even though I haven’t actively played in over a year.
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Same thing here. But like almost everyone else here, I’m not gonna give up IFAET or anything else over a couple dollars.
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I mean, he is working enough that if he was paid he would get over £3000 a year
Well yea, but as he said if at any moment he starts not to get satisfied for doing “something like a job” he will stop, as probably everyone else would.
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Of course, I understand that
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I don’t have any role/rank in IF, but just wanted to say thanks to the volunteers and mods who make this whole community what it is. From the devs that work on the sim itself to the mods and staff who devote countless hours to helping people develop their skills or solve issues, every single one of you is what makes Infinite Flight much more than just a flight simulator.
To be truthful, when I look at titles on the forum I don’t really give it a second thought. I think “Oh that person does something for the community,” and don’t think more of it. But what I have never realised properly is the extraordinary commitment and responsibility you undertake. It’s easier for someone to say “I want to be this and this in the community,” but to dedicate that amount of time some would consider concerning or extraordinary. Regardless if you like it or not however, I do hope the Infinite Flight Team is thankful for your sacrifice and don’t take it for granted. Do what makes you happy in the end.
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You can volunteer and work alot. They do go hand and hand. For example being on a Search and Rescue Team or Disaster Relief can be a Full Time Volunteer effort. Similarly to some of the stuff done within the forum or VA/VO’s you do it because you see the potential in it and have the drive to do it. Same could be said about Volunteer Fire Departments. Your missing the point of Job. The job can be doing work but not being payed but being payed in the satisfaction of others or yourself in doing it. A job should be something you love and enjoy doing.
Hello!
In addition of what’s been said already, you can tell from the timing of my reply that I wasn’t available earlier due to other commitments. Being busy in life doesn’t mean we can’t contribute in our free time, and volunteering a couple of hours doesn’t make it a full time job. Secondly, all mentioned positions weren’t achieved overnight. For example, supervisors were apprenticies once, and trainers were trainees etc. They’ve just decided to share the knowledge and expertise they acquired with the newcomers.
That said, assisting others voluntarily tends to improve own mental health and reduces stress. And working in no pressure environment improves self confidence and positive thinking. That proved to be a major asset in lockdown times when the community came together. So it’s no wonder that everyone is so proud and motivated to assist without any financial incentives. That what makes this community is so great ❤️
-Omar
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FYI, that isn’t healthy. I’ve said similar in VA’s I’ve been with in the past when I’ve seen young kids setting alarms to wake up in the middle of the night to land a flight on a school night. People are people and they can do what they want, but as one of the ‘maturer’ folk, I’d like to see IF do more to educate and encourage a healthy balance of playing a game (which is what this is) and life.
For those of you who question the capacity of the VARB and its support of the VA’s in IF, one event springs to mind that I would refer anyone to where you can see just how VARB isn’t a talking shop for IF.
That event is when the IF devs announced the end of custom callsigns without a real solution for the VA’s to enable users to identify as being part of their organisation. I remember this well: VARB said this wasn’t good enough. The end result was showing VA/VO labels beside usernames within the app. It took some convincing of finding solutions and I remember narking with @schyllberg at the time, but VARB pushed to make sure something happened.
Whether it’s IF or any other game, you will always have people that commit bonkers amounts of time to be part of a community, I did myself 16+ years ago when I first started playing any games online. But I’d encourage IF to promote awareness of not allowing yourself to be too consumed. I know it’s not for IF or VA’s to do so, people can make their own choices, but it’d be nice to see.
The whole premise of this thread is a bit silly. Volunteers have been building game communities and helping developers for donkeys years, to give them a sense of being in a community and for fun/enjoyment.
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Actually quite interesting thought.
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That concludes todays TED talk.
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It was great to listen to, thank you.
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Helping out in the community definitely takes time and motivation out of you. But it can be rewarding and fun in the end, for example seeing your 3D airport being released or getting a trainee through the training phase into IFATC. I’ve had to sacrifice certain roles and re-think my time-management to make sure I’m taking enough time away and not burning out. Remember to take time away for yourself! It’s an easy thing to do, and has happened to myself and others. It’s great fun being part of the Discord moderation and appeals which are my focus, along with other stuff I do here. You’ve just got to find that right balance:)
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this here i think, otherwise you start doing it cuz you “have” to
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