A designer speaks out.... not everyone is perfect

[Guest]

From a scenery designer..I heartily agree with Brian. I simply ask those of you that receive freeware from those of us that provide it, to have fun! Feel free to be constructive, but please don't forget you are in possession of a gift. If you want me to do more for you, or faster for you, or be better than I can be, please never forget that you should look first to yourself to provide those wants. Think of telling the person who gave you a birthday present that they should have given you two birthday presents....not going to happen, right? Why folks feel its ok to behave that way in this situation, I'll never figure out.And never forget that this is all for fun. Whenever you think that payware is forcing out freeware, then you should stop buying payware. Amazing, how much you'll begin to realize how cool the freeware is, after all! Kind of like enjoying the song of birds, after turning off the TV.Bob Bernstein

[Guest JDH]

Brian,I appreciate and understand your point, however in some cases this is a two way street. True, there will always be some people who revel in mouthing off about other people's aircraft, they let the side down. But there are many people who do provide constructive critiscm and many designers welcome that.There are unfortunately exceptions and a certain (name censored) is a good example. His general attitude is that ALL feedback for his work is rubbish and if you don't like it tough! So, when he released his MD-11 which is hopelessly inaccurate, unsurprisingly people pointed it out. This included people simply sending photos of real aircraft to compare with his, but as far as he is concerned, we are all morons and idiots for wanting aircraft that look realistic.I have given feedback to designers before, often when my knowledge of a particular aircraft or livery or scenery might be useful. Such comments are addressed politely and so far have been met with polite responses and thanks for the input. I know that this just would not happen with Mr (name censored). Unfortunately, I cannot address any of this on his website, no matter how politely as I'll get flamed to death by his merry band of devotees!So, yes not all users are perfect. But neither are all designers.

[Guest danowat]

Hi,This seems to me to have gone off at a bit of a tangent.I have MASSIVE respect for people who do freeware for FS, yourself included brian.I don't think that anyone (at least in my opinion) in the previous posts have BASHED freeware, they are just stating that if this is a payware preview then the developer is using it as a yardstick so people can judge his/her work, and make a decision as to weather they are going to pay money for it.If someone were to ask my opinion I would say that on judgement of the preview it is not worth spending money on.I love freeware, I also love payware, but the line between the quality of the two is starting to become a bit blurred.Dan.

[Guest]

If it was a case of a minor problem like that I'd fix it myself or ignore it. But when the problem starts with the installation, continues with the panel, flight model & sounds then it becomes a real struggle to be positive about it. How about: Nice wheels?And when it is a preview of a commercial product due shortly then I believe it is right to express the concerns exactly as we have done here. "Money changing hands changes everything," as the saying goes. Yes, even the polite niceties applying to `normal` freeware (which this clearly is not).Once a `payware preview` product is released to the public domain, why should we discuss it directly, quietly, with the developer? I see no reason to defend saying that panel, flight model and sounds are substandard in public, because of that commercial product just around the corner. If it were a genuine freeware release I would do as I usually do - ignore it, correspond privately or remove it. One could just as easily argue that no-one is forcing the developers to read this forum and therefore there is no obligation on them to respond or even improve their payware release from what they have planned. However, if they release a commercial product to the sim community of this poor quality I'm sure you would be among the first to complain that simmers are being ripped-off. ChasW

[Guest]

Randy, And by doing so you have created a divide in your own expectations and actions between how you deal with freeware and payware. That's exactly what I have done too, except that I have decided that this download, however free of charge, is not really freeware.Anyway, the file is removed, the problem's in the public domain, the developers have an opportunity to fix what needs fixing before uploading again. Let's just hope they don't just replace the corrupt files consider the possibility that this release may be damaging potential sales of their commercial product and fix it all.ChasW

[Hornit 3]

IMHO JDH just above this post has hit this nail right on the head. I also have personally given some constructive criticism on a good bit of freeware that I use. I would say that most of the time, if not all the time, the criticism is recieved very well and better freeware has resulted. Its all in the attitude of the designer(and of course the user!). I personally have learned how to paint (still learning too!) due to this being something I see frequently needs attention. I don't have the time to model at this point. I also do my own scenery which is very enjoyable. I have learned that good constructive criticism is important and I SEEK it with my repaints. I know my work is almost always improved by it. I see no reason to not continue doing this and I welcome those who can make my creations that much better! Some designers just don't seem to want to do this. I know who they are and don't bother them anymore, simple as that :)Hornit

[Guest]

i like designers who like progress in to the developing world of flightsimulation and want there design as real as it gets. What i see by some is that they don't want progress, what i can't understand. I mean why should you refuse to make 0pening doors in your planes or trust reversres. It is simple, planes without opening doors or working trust reversers and in the near future virtual wings and cabin won't do anymore. The joy of flightsimulation is realism and progress.Best regards,

[Guest Joe]

http://forums.simflight.com/viewtopic.php?...c7ee5adb5ff6a26http://myweb.cableone.net/joesumralliii/hook5.gif

[Bearracing 3]

As a person that is continuely downloading, testing, and evaluating various FS files (aircraft, utilities, scenery, etc.) that are freeware in nature, I do believe that I tend to force myself to see things from a more unbias position. I will expound on the positives of any given file, while I will at the same time, tend to minimize any shortcomings I find.If you were to go back and read my reviews from over the last couple of years, you should recognize, based on my presentation style, that I purposely see things from a glass is half-full attitude. In otherwords, no matter what the

[Guest]

So Bear, where do you stand on `pretend` freeware - such as low-spec introductions to payware products shortly to be released? Do you still treat it as freeware, with all the critical responsibility removed, replaced by sycophancy. Or do you tell it like it is, in the hope that it convinces the developer to raise their game or at least the simmer to consider VERY carefully before making that purchase? Where do YOUR loyalties lie when money is involved? The problem is, if you treat it like `normal` freeware your review may directly be the cause of some simmer wasting time, money and effort on some substandard pap. I can't be the only person who has purchased payware on recommendation of a forum review only to find it substandard in many areas - and then failed to get my money back.ChasW

[Guest]

I should perhaps mention that the review was not one of Bears`!;)ChasW

[Guest]

Geez....I'm just about to upload my first freeware (for real) completed aircraft....yikes...telephile

[Guest]

y'see, we've confused this poor simmer by failing to define the boundaries of freeware and where tolerance ends and scepticism begins!Upload it anyway, who cares what anyone thinks?ChasW

[Guest]

ChasWOh, yeah, I'll go ahead and put it up. It's being tested by someone now.I've poured countless hours of research time and work into it. It's the best I can do, at this point. The way I see it, there's always "Delete"!Best;telephile

[Bearracing 3]

ChasW,I'm not quite sure what your meaning or insinuation was by the question "Where do YOUR loyalties lie when money is involved?". My reviews, of payware packages, can stand on their own and you can trust that I have been as precise and as accurate (honest) as I can possibly be when providing a review of a commercial product. I take great offense to your insinuation that I somehow take bribes to provide a favorable review of a commmercial product. I suggest that you go an read the AVSIM criteria for our formation of a commercial product review and I think you will see, that we here at AVSIM, are quite proud of the way we provide reviews and the fact that we never leave it up to the reviewer alone to determine the overall scoring (awarding of stars). In the event a reviewer has requested a 4.5 to 5.0 stars, that review then goes before a committee (review board if you will) that must ultimately and unaminously agree with the reviewer's findings, before that review is posted.As far as reviewing a product (freeware) that I know is nothing more than a teaser for a later to be released commercial product, then I'll wait for the final release before I would bid to do that review and not before.I would also say that if someone is intending on a commercial release, then don't you agree that the quality of the pre-release freeware teaser should be of similar quality as their later commercial release package? If it is not, then don't you think then that this file is self-reviewing? Bear!