The future of PureSim

[dnelms]

Shaun... I've been with this since the alpha & tech preview days and will continue to appreciate anything you add to the game. You have made the RIGHT decision. Family comes first and this was in your case a part-time job (though I'm sure your wife though it to be full-time). My kids are 18 now and I'm glad I stepped back and did as much as possible with them as they grew up. Of course it was all sports You made the decision for family and it is the right one. Enjoy everyday with them.

[SirWolf1960]

So, I guess this means PureSim Indoor Lacrosse is out of the question now???? [:D][:D][:D]
 
First of all, thank you for countless hours of enjoyment, stress relief, and fun with this wonderful game. I have watched this thing grow from about Preview 8 or so, and have been amazed.
 
As much as I hate to admit it, I believe you have made the right decision. I know in my life, more times than not, if the wife suggests a change in my life, she is usually right. (I sure hope she doesn't read this forum...I hate to admit how often she is right)
 
I know we have had a few long conversations, and I believe I have some understanding of how much family means to you. And you are right.
 
I do hope you decide to tweak the game as you can. I suppose, next year, you can call a group of tweaks PS2008, and release it as freeware. I also hope this fine community of players will continue to chat it up on here. I just got done reading a wonderful story from one player's high school days. I love that type of stuff.
 
In closing, I wish you nothing but the best in whatever direction life takes you. May God be with you.
 
Steve

[PadresFan104]

Shaun -

Wanted to say thanks for letting me be a small part of your development process, and I hope I can continue to help out in any way you'll let me after the game goes freeware. Working with you and supporting this game has been an incredibly fullfilling & rewarding experience. Please thank your wife and kids for me as well!

Al

[XCom]

Shaun, the time you miss with your kids can NEVER be recovered. They grow up so fast and before you know it you wonder where the time went. People grapple with this kind of decision all the time, and I'm afraid too many of us make the wrong choice. You've made the right decision and it is with great respect that I tip my cap to you for all that you've done for this community.

[The Monkey]

Shaun, sad to hear you wont be going fulltime with Puresim or releasing newer versions...but happy to hear you've moved up in your career & will be spending more time with your family. I for one, will be very interested to see additions to the game, at whatever time or pace you feel like adding them. You should also setup a donation mechanism to allow people to contribute to your efforts when they feel inclined.
 
I dont suppose you'll be working on Puresim Football in your spare time as well? [:D]
 
Best Regards,
Steve

[bigpapag]

Shaun

The last 3 years, Puresim Baseball and yourself have helped me and my family get thru my illness and then a little storm called Katrina. THANK YOU.[&o]

My friend Always be proud and hold yourhead up high for the work and support you gave Puresim, it was unreal. Other game designers can learn from you.

Have a good life.

Big Papa G

[kmac]

Shaun -

Ditto to what everyone else is saying - good luck!

[Cantankerous]

Shaun,
 
It's sad to hear that you're "leaving", but good luck and good for you for making the decision that seems best for you.  Sometimes decisions like that can be very tough.
 
You mentioned that you are still going to make updates for PSB2007, so are there any chances that some of your work already done on PSB2008 will make it into PSB2007 updates?

[Fanshawe40]

Shaun:

First, thanks for such a great game. I have really enjoyed playing.

I hope the community you've created on these boards can stay together; it's a great part of the pleasure of the game.

Best to you and your family,

Jim

[puresimmer]

ORIGINAL: Cantankerous

Shaun,

It's sad to hear that you're "leaving", but good luck and good for you for making the decision that seems best for you.  Sometimes decisions like that can be very tough.

You mentioned that you are still going to make updates for PSB2007, so are there any chances that some of your work already done on PSB2008 will make it into PSB2007 updates?

Absolutely.

[puresimmer]

ORIGINAL: Fanshawe40

Shaun:

First, thanks for such a great game. I have really enjoyed playing.

I hope the community you've created on these boards can stay together; it's a great part of the pleasure of the game.

Best to you and your family,

Jim

Yes this board remains. I got an incredibly nice email from David Heath, the CEO of Matrix telling me so. Let me tell you, he is a solid individual who I loved working with. Letting him down was giving me fits and then he sent me a really nice note.

I can't imagine any publisher besides Matrix that would be so understanding.

[DonBraswell]

Man, I feel like the wind was knocked out of my sails.
Don

[mking55]

I always wondered when this day would come. It always looked to me like all your free time went to the game when perhaps it should have went to the family. Of course if it went to the family I wouldn't have had this game to enjoy.

I congragulate you on your achievements with this game, but most of all I congragulate you on your ability to see what is most important. A man who doesn't put his family first isn't much of a man.

I sincerely wish you all the best. Thank you for the game. Enjoy your family. It's the best thing a person can have.

[jzicc]

Thanks for your dedication -- and congrats on your decision.

On a business note -- don't release the game for free -- you put too much time into it... Also set up a paypal link where at least we can "reward" you when you release nice upgrades --- at least this way you can give Matrix a cut (for the forum) and show your wife that your continued "messing around" with the game is bringing some small amount in...

[Cantankerous]

ORIGINAL: puresimmer

ORIGINAL: Cantankerous

Shaun,

It's sad to hear that you're "leaving", but good luck and good for you for making the decision that seems best for you.  Sometimes decisions like that can be very tough.

You mentioned that you are still going to make updates for PSB2007, so are there any chances that some of your work already done on PSB2008 will make it into PSB2007 updates?

Absolutely.

Outstanding!

Thanks again. [:)]

[motnahp]

A good choice, Shaun. May the Lord bless you and yours.

[puresimmer]

Thanks for all the encouragement. I figured I'd update you guys on my current thinking.

Some of my first acts as a hobbyist developer will be to focus more on the modding aspects of the game, whether it be discussing how to do stuff, opening up/unprotecting the database, adding more hooks to the game etc... It would be great if we could get a whole community of developers contributing mods.

I think the combination of more "modability" and just perpetually, incrementally tweaking the game at my leisure will end up being really fun. No deadlines, no pressure to come up with a "big enough" release to warrant a "2008", no additional fees for you guys and the game stays alive and well.

I have also decided that all future updates will be built on the PureSim 2007 v1.51 code base, so folks will still at least need to have purchased that final commercial Matrix version before being able to get any of the free (but not officially supported) updates. This lets me build from a known baseline and also establishes the "line in the sand" on what exactly is officially supported by Matrix and Myself (with PureSim 2007 v1.51 being the last officially supported release).

I thought about it, and if I just went ahead and released a full free version it would not be fair to Matrix. Especially in light of how understanding Dave (CEO) was with my 11th hour decision to stop with commercial/retail releases and the fact that they are letting us continue to use these forums. *And* of course the fact that they are still actively selling PS 2007! If a publisher is that cool, then I owe it to them to not diminish any sales potential for PS 2007. In fact my approach may help them sell PS 2007 for a lot longer into the future, which they are entitled to do for a number of years based on our contract. And yes, I still get royalties, so maybe it will be my beer/hockey/golf fund.

I think it will be the best of both worlds. If I get an inspiration or want to try something I can put it in and release an update. Modders can constantly add cool stuff and release that. If I want to do nothing for stretches, play World of Warcraft with my sons, go fishing, or do some research or play with other technologies I can do it without the obligation of working on the next commercial release of PureSim 200x gnawing at me. Best of all I can spend more time with my boys.

I can't put in words how much better I feel just in these past three days -- my wife nailed it. I was stressed out. Of course I'll miss the annual income that comes with a new 200x release, but hey that's the trade-off.

Shaun

[SirWolf1960]

Shaun, I like you thinking here. But may I make one more suggestion?
 
Come out with one more tweak version supported by Matrix. Put in a few of the changes you have already been working on, make it a free upgrade for those of us who already own the game, and take off the "2007" from the title. That would make the game more "evergreen" for lack of a better word. And it would make it easier for Matrix to market it into the future.
 
Steve

[lynchjm24]

I was wondering why you were going to continue to sell the game to those who hadn't at least bought 2007.

I think you'll also find that you'll enjoy developing the features that you want to add to the game, instead of those you feel will make it more commercially popular. After reading the PBP thread and the recent FOFC thread I could sense that you were starting to feel that no matter what you did you couldn't 'win'. So much of what you've done is try to cater to the fans of your game, but everything you said seemed to bring a negative reaction from some group or person. You could almost see your level of frustration rising - so congratulations on your decision.

[PadresFan104]

Sounds awesome. I love the idea of contributing some mods in the future and hosting them on my website.