Completely New

[Momorin]

Hi all,

I'm new to both rigs of rods and sim monsters. Ive been aware of both for a long time but didn't really get into it because I had Beamng.drive and the CRD Monster Truck Mod. Bigfoot and Gravedigger along with maybe 3 other real trucks, and a track selection of about 5 decent ones is really getting old though.. I still haven't really started downloading anything yet but I just felt I should introduce myself. Also very surprised the community is still somewhat active after so long! 

Edit: This is my About Me, I put too much effort into it for something no one will probably see so I'll put it here too.

I've loved monster jam since before I can even remember. I went to my first show when I was a little kid, I don't even remember how old I was but the only thing I remember distinctly is megasaurus (that car crushing metal dinosaur). I've been to a number of shows since. Between the end of middle school and the end of high school I lost interest in monster trucks but the spark has been reigniting ever since. In February of 2018 I attended my first show in over 5 years, and plan on completing my childhood dream of attending the world finals. How lucky am I that I missed the last one in Vegas? Anyway, I've started collecting 1:64 and 1:24 scale diecast and my room looks like something of a 7 year old's all over again. 

Some things have changed in monster jam that have come as a rough surprise to me.

1) The drivers have changed. Okay so this one is a given, I know Dennis Anderson isn't immortal and that some drivers were bound to leave, but the overall demographic is completely different from what it was just a decade ago. I remember watching the first couple world finals and seeing them good old country boys with money having fun and wrecking their trucks they could hardly control. The way it is now, no one has a southern twang in their speech and everyone seems to be 30 yrs or below. I'm not complaining though, it feels nice that the sport has expanded from just one demographic, but there's just something about it that seems different. On the upside, they can drive the trucks a lot more skillfully, but that leads to the next surprise.

2) It's a whole lot less like a monster truck show and a lot more like a circus with wheels. No crush cars, no camper vans, no boats, no 15 foot tall ramps, what gives? Everything is a backflip or an endo "2 wheels skills". Don't get me wrong, I couldn't believe what I was seeing when I came back and saw O'Donnell or Meents balancing their trucks like a unicycle, and especially with Ryan's bicycle to moonwalk, but after seeing it every show it just kind of wears off? I don't know. Before, you got the crowd excited with guts and bravery: "Is he really gonna go for the triple? Is he really gonna go for the camper van at the top of that hill?" and now its just 15 seconds of balancing acts. It is absolutely amazing how skilled the drivers have become in controlling their machines but I feel that its not enough to make up for the excitement of seeing a truck go up a water fountain and taking a box van with it for example (Monster Mutt at 2007 WF8).

3) Tracks. I don't even have to say anything for this one. I know it levels the playing field but jeez, do they have to be so bland?

4) World Finals. The tracks starting from 2014 I think, I just don't like them. They're very different and it makes for an interesting show but after a quarter of the field goes they just look like piles of dirt, granted that is what they are but it loses all color and to be honest it just looks bad. Also, I know I may be in the minority for this one, but I think the World Finals leaving Vegas is going to be exciting. I'm sad that I didn't get see a Vegas WF live but they weren't the same anyway.

[ThiccRicc]

Welcome to Sim-Monsters! I agree with all of the points you made btw. I think the sport is forgetting about it's old school fans. Granted, im only 14 turning 15 in December, but I liked it the way it was 10 years ago. Now I don't even watch Monster Jam anymore. If you ever wanna play, my Discord is RacingRichard#3475. 

[avenger7777]

1.When monster trucks strated most of the drivers were not all southern folk the drivers came from everywhere

2.you dont need huge jumps to make a truck go that high

3.getting dirt is getting more and more costly and the same with cars exc.

[Momorin]

On 11/20/2018 at 1:01 AM, avenger7777 said:

1.When monster trucks strated most of the drivers were not all southern folk the drivers came from everywhere

2.you dont need huge jumps to make a truck go that high

3.getting dirt is getting more and more costly and the same with cars exc.

1. But you cant disagree with the fact that they're much more diverse now than before

2. No but it calls for a more exciting looking track

3. Feld is a huge corporation. Shouldn't be a problem.

[NtheDiggerfan]

This hots the nail on the head. I've been nearly persecuted for my views on this here before, lol. I'm glad another person is speaking up. We dont hate the sport, we just are not fans of some of the recent changes and additions.

[avenger7777]

Let me start by saying that i also miss the old days. But times have changed and grow up.

1.  I agree it has became more diverse. In part of monster jams efforts to put more then white males in the drivers seat.

2. Granted the track looks more threatening. But its equally as exciting to see a truck go higher with a smaller jump

3. The last point was more about the independent promoters and to show how cheap monster jam is.

[SS™©®]

I haven't posted in God knows how long, but I had to come from out under my rock on this one. I have to agree with everything Momorin is saying. Now I know I'm the old crusty AARP card holding senior citizen guy around here, and I come from the days of TNT Tough Trax and the Redman Monster Truck Series, but to hear this coming from you younger generation guys and how you feel it has changed in just the short 10-12 years is really interesting. At the end of the day we all love the sport, but it does get to a point where you ask yourself, "Am I loving this for what it is, or am I loving this for what it was?". It's hard for me to walk away completely from Monster Trucks because for me it takes me back to a time of being a kid and hanging out with my Dad going to shows and taking that drive to different venues, and those moments are held so near and dear to my heart that, monster trucks are attached to that as a by product of the nostalgia. At the end of the day its a special sport, and hopefully someday they will be able to find that "magical" formula to mix the old with the new and we can all be excited about it, instead of reminiscing about the the "old days". But I bet for those young kids who are just now discovering the world of monster trucks, it has to be exciting for them to see all the amazing stuff these guys do today. Their eyes are probably wide open in amazement and to see those kids that happy and amazed, that's what its really all about, because what we all have in common here is, we were once those kids. Thanks for the thoughtful read gentlemen.

[mando]

im fairly new also. ive had an account but havent used it. Hmu on discord and we can play sometime ItzLyfe#7250

 

[NtheDiggerfan]

3 hours ago, SS™©® said:

I haven't posted in God knows how long, but I had to come from out under my rock on this one. I have to agree with everything Momorin is saying. Now I know I'm the old crusty AARP card holding senior citizen guy around here, and I come from the days of TNT Tough Trax and the Redman Monster Truck Series, but to hear this coming from you younger generation guys and how you feel it has changed in just the short 10-12 years is really interesting. At the end of the day we all love the sport, but it does get to a point where you ask yourself, "Am I loving this for what it is, or am I loving this for what it was?". It's hard for me to walk away completely from Monster Trucks because for me it takes me back to a time of being a kid and hanging out with my Dad going to shows and taking that drive to different venues, and those moments are held so near and dear to my heart that, monster trucks are attached to that as a by product of the nostalgia. At the end of the day its a special sport, and hopefully someday they will be able to find that "magical" formula to mix the old with the new and we can all be excited about it, instead of reminiscing about the the "old days". But I bet for those young kids who are just now discovering the world of monster trucks, it has to be exciting for them to see all the amazing stuff these guys do today. Their eyes are probably wide open in amazement and to see those kids that happy and amazed, that's what its really all about, because what we all have in common here is, we were once those kids. Thanks for the thoughtful read gentlemen.

Perfection. 100% perfection.