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John_Cillis

"Sad of the Year" award

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Guest Toni Rauch

Having visited their slightly updated web site, I'd like to be the first to congratulate 'Bobbo' and his 'team' at Ariane for winning their VMAX award which boasts 'pride of place' on their front page.This most prestigious award was made to Ariane by a very obscure FS related web site which has a total of 31 members, was launched on January 15th of this year and has not been updated in any way since January 18th.They must be so proud!Toni.(Whatever happened to those running that web site?)

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I've learned to enjoy the Ariane site for it's entertainment value, the same way I enjoy infomercials for the claims made. But, having said that, I am happy to see many freeware developers coming out with repaints of the Ariane, especially in the European liveries that seem more creative than the ones we have in the States. Also, a recent release of a real livery offers a "poor man's" Ariane BBJ. There's a funny blurb on the Ariane site about them threatening to pull the "repaint sale" link, because (to paraphrase) "promises" made by users to purchase more liveries haven't been kept. Sadly for Ariane, the FFX project got underway. Free liveries, worth waiting for (in the case of the coming 300/400/500). Liveries look great for screenshots. In the cockpit, I'm too busy to care whether my aircraft is green or blue. Well, actually I do care, because I at least want a high visibility livery so traffic can see me :)Once FFX got going, they produced (or are in the process of producing) aircraft which IMHO are superior visually in external views to Ariane's. I'm not talking about the views in close, where Bobbo likes to cite accuracy to the last bolt. I'm talking about FFX's overall view, the use of dynamic shine, etc...FFX's dynamic wing views aren't photoreal, but they are really close. I think Bobbo wants to place blame on his users for lack of sales, instead of looking at the competition, his "style", and the pocketbooks of the average consumer. I have over twenty liveries for FFX's outstanding, superb, amazing 737-200 (and I am happy on the outstanding Aircal livery). At the cheapest rate Ariane charges, such a collection would cost me about $150 US. FFX came in and saved my pocketbook, so I could spend my $$$$ on Eaglesoft's Beechjet :)Edit: I really need to note, I've been incensed since reading Ariane's blurb about the repaints, and had to post my thoughts. Commercial vendors blaming users for anything is really bad style, and the blurb I'm discussing was buried in their news section....I only caught it because I DO check Ariane's site for some of the freeware liveries being produced...

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Guest Toni Rauch

JohnI also understand that although a commercial release, the forthcoming Precision Manuals (PMDG) 737NG series will fully support free repaints from the outset, and there will be hundreds of liveries available at no extra cost. Sounds similar to the Dreamfleet policy of allowing free repaints.By allowing some repaints and refusing others, I believe that Ariane is trying to give the impression of helping the freeware painters whilst still retaining control based on greed (and presumably, a desparate need for sales revenue). It seems that any approaches to release certain paint schemes that Ariane can claim 'they thought of first and are releasing their own (payware) version' are being refused upload permissions, and it's only a matter of time as to whether or not those liveries will indeed appear.It's great to see those repaints appearing in the Avsim Screen Shots area but sad to read about the frustration felt by uploads being refused by 'Bobbo'. Such a waste of talent.I hope those very talented 'painters' will be more appreciated in the FFX and PMDG arenas, as they truly have been when repainting the Dreemfleet planes.<..."promises" made by users to purchase more liveries haven't been kept.> What's that all about? Did a number of Ariane customers promise to buy more liveries from Ariane but didn't end up buying them? If I was 'Bobbo', I'd have such customers shot! Fancy breaking a promise like that? Shameful!!! :D :D :D Toni.

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I was sad to hear that the PMDG 737 series won't include the photoreal "dynamic" wing views that make casual simming such a pleasure with the FFX birds.I told Bobbo in an email once he should come down on pricing for his liveries. I said people would buy--but I think that was before he started the famous "date" game. But what kept me from buying was the confusing prose on his site--making it seem to me at least that a livery pack wasn't as up to date as the full fledged package. I think he could have done himself a favor by releasing a base model package, and separate livery packs. On bandwidth and server space alone, he would have saved a fortune. I guess we have to face that there are two types of businesses in our community. Those that make money in partnership with our community, and those that make money on the shoulders of our community. I think businesses in the former category have "day jobs", and aren't in it as the sole means to feed their families. Businesses in the latter category can get caught up in it all, falling into the dot.com mindset that every consumer it the potential ticket to "easy street". That's my read on it. Whatever the situation, there are more choices today, and more importantly, choices with more thought and work behind them, like Eaglesoft's project. If I am going to spend my money, I want to know someone worked hard to get it, instead of when the mood suited them.

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Guest cw1011

"I guess we have to face that there are two types of businesses in our community. Those that make money in partnership with our community, and those that make money on the shoulders of our community."Couldn't have said it any better myself. Colin

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Guest fly4beer

you got it, thats like it is.few years even months ago, the scene was clean, proper, sober...Now everyone able to spell aircraft is a devel and wants to make money out of the hobby.worse than wallstreet....

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I don't mind people wanting to make money from the hobby.... I wouldn't mind doing it myself. It's how I do it that would weigh on my soul.... I certainly wouldn't want to position myself above, or somehow apart, from the customers. In customer service (paid that is, since some hold freeware to this standard), when the customer says "jump", first words out should be "how high".... Not "whaddaya think its worth?" Only thing like that which comes to mind is an experience with a gung-ho salesperson at a car dealership. I'll never forget one who I met--I asked him if a car I wanted had ABS. He said "Sir, all cars today have ABS"....

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Guest fly4beer

thats what I meant, two types of business, one ok, one not! too much of the "not" type currently.I agreed with Colin, he posted a quote from yourself, so I agree with you.

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Guest Toni Rauch
Excuse my lack of technical knowledge, but on the assumption that the wing 'dynamics' are realistically animated (e.g. when seen in spot view), won't it be quite easy to create the views you want by moving the eyepoint down the fuselage etc. (similar to Ariane's original 'wing' views)?Toni.

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John and Toni,I had a correspondence recently with some idiots running Ariane's "support." E-mail me and I can send you the series of e-mails that are rather amusing, for how they show just how disfunctional and ridiculous the whole Ariane operation is.

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Guest Marvel

I own their TCAS II panel thought, hope they could fix some system logics in the update maybe. I fly it with FFX and yeodesigns model

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Guest Marvel

I own their TCAS II panel thought, hope they could fix some system logics in the update maybe. I fly it with FFX and yeodesigns model

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"Excuse my lack of technical knowledge, but on the assumption that the wing 'dynamics' are realistically animated (e.g. when seen in spot view), won't it be quite easy to create the views you want by moving the eyepoint down the fuselage etc. (similar to Ariane's original 'wing' views)?"No--and this has been discussed before. The shifting of the eyepoint in spot view is a fudge, and is nothing like having the wings cloned so they can be viewed from cockpit/vc mode. The biggest drawback of the spot view "trick" is you can't pan around as you could from the cockpit or a pax perspective. I posted a message on PMDG's forum, and received a quick (and very professional, btw) response saying that they did not intend on including such views in their model. So an edit to the eyepoint in the aircraft.cfg will yield no wing views, since they are not part of the virtual model. PMDG's strength I believe will be for those who want to fly based on cockpit drill. And FFX's 737-3/4/5 and NG series will replace Ariane's as "the choice" for those who like the virtual, dynamic wing views. IOTW, cya Ariane! I can fly any livery I want now :)

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Guest Toni Rauch

...and no doubt there'll be published solutions to be able to fly the FFX planes with the PMDG panels etc. Then you'll get the 'best of both worlds.' And free liveries too! Can't wait...FS2004?FFX 737-3/4/5?PMDG 737 plus panel, systems etc?Adios Ariane, PT, 'Bobbo', 'Nev' etc?Looks like Christmas may come early this year! :-lol Toni.

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