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CaptainAdlai

Why Freeware Is and Isn't Dead

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The market development for FSX did not turn out in freeware's favor.

Freeware people can build airports and aircrafts where profit margin not a concern.

Payware only follows where most $$$ can be made and demand sufficent to justify it.

 

Still, so much to do, but so little motivation. *Sigh*

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Thanks. I just loaded up on some freeware airports with custom buildings to replace those I was currently just running updated AFCADS.

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Here's another link of various GA, Biz Jets, and legacy aircraft. There are a few still in service today of the airliners, but not many! Built by Alejandro Rojas Lucena! These even feature a working lite FMC!

 

http://simviation.com//fsnd/Downloads.htm

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Freeware development isn't dead as long as someone is still doing it. As long as there are people who likes doing it and people who likes to use freeware add-ons everything's fine.

 

Me, I don't touch freeware unless I have to. As far as I'm concerned it could just as well be dead. Nothing I've seen comes close to the quality produced by A2A, RealAir and PMDG to mention a few, and why should I put up with less than what floats my boat when a good payware plane costs roughly as much as a couple of nights at the pub?


Rolf Lindbom

wHDDh6t.jpg

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The lack of detailed and accurate systems is what keeps me drawn to 99% payware, aside the JB stuff (which I might look into as a fill in until PMDG comes out) and Project Tupolev there are not many detailed planes in terms of functionality.

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The lack of detailed and accurate systems is what keeps me drawn to 99% payware, aside the JB stuff (which I might look into as a fill in until PMDG comes out) and Project Tupolev there are not many detailed planes in terms of functionality.

 There's actually a lot of freeware with good systems, such as the ones I included in my original post, among many others. Another example is the great Embraer 110, which, aside from WX Radar, has all systems simulated. You can download it here. http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/fslib.php?searchid=12316966 It ports into FSX without issue.

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Freeware people can build airports and aircrafts where profit margin not a concern.

Payware only follows where most $$$ can be made and demand sufficent to justify it.

 

Sure, freeware is allowed to do anything.

 

 

As far as I'm concerned it could just as well be dead. Nothing I've seen comes close to the quality produced by A2A, RealAir and PMDG to mention a few, and why should I put up with less than what floats my boat when a good payware plane costs roughly as much as a couple of nights at the pub?

 

Pay my bills, food and socialization cost and I'll produce stuff just as good as that from the aforementioned companies. Oh, wait...that principle sounds familiar...

 

 

 

The lack of detailed and accurate systems is what keeps me drawn to 99% payware, aside the JB stuff (which I might look into as a fill in until PMDG comes out) and Project Tupolev there are not many detailed planes in terms of functionality.

 

Well, there's a very good reason for this as freeware is, in the majority of cases, a one-man show.

 

If anyone has ever experienced how much effin' effort it takes just to make, say, an untextured model of something, apprectiation for freeware might just be a bit higher.

 

 

 There's actually a lot of freeware with good systems, such as the ones I included in my original post, among many others. Another example is the great Embraer 110, which, aside from WX Radar, has all systems simulated. You can download it here. http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/fslib.php?searchid=12316966 It ports into FSX without issue.

 

And is not easy to repaint by default. I've made a crude paintkit, mainly by adding part outlines to the textures.

Anyone interested?


7950X3D + 6900 XT + 64 GB + Linux | 4800H + RTX2060 + 32 GB + Linux
My add-ons from my FS9/FSX days

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Bjoern, on 11 Jul 2013 - 7:51 PM, said:

Pay my bills, food and socialization cost and I'll produce stuff just as good as that from the aforementioned companies. Oh, wait...that principle sounds familiar...

No thanks. I have my own bills to pay. You have to start by producing something first and put it on the market. If it's good enough for me I'll buy it. If not I'm sure there are plenty of others who aren't as picky.


Rolf Lindbom

wHDDh6t.jpg

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If anyone has ever experienced how much effin' effort it takes just to make, say, an untextured model of something, apprectiation for freeware might just be a bit higher.

 

 

 

 

+1

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To be blunt it's that very pickiness that's driving the hobby into the gutter....

 

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No thanks. I have my own bills to pay. You have to start by producing something first and put it on the market. If it's good enough for me I'll buy it. If not I'm sure there are plenty of others who aren't as picky.

 

You've missed my point.

 

I tried to say that I can produce stuff as good as PMDA2AAir *for free*, provided I get to invest enough time per day. Which, frankly, isn't possible when you have to pursue another job to pay for your cost of living.

So, unless any side invests *way* more patience in making and waiting for new add-ons, freeware efforts will simply not ever be on the same level as fulltime commercial (team)efforts. Period.

 

Also, you don't realize how much you're twisting the knife in the wound by pointing out that freeware is not your cup of tea. Stuff like this and the pickiness that Pict has mentioned is why way less people are developing for free.


7950X3D + 6900 XT + 64 GB + Linux | 4800H + RTX2060 + 32 GB + Linux
My add-ons from my FS9/FSX days

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Bjoern, on 11 Jul 2013 - 4:23 PM, said:

Bjoern, on 11 Jul 2013 - 4:23 PM, said:

 

You've missed my point.

 

I tried to say that I can produce stuff as good as PMDA2AAir *for free*, provided I get to invest enough time per day. Which, frankly, isn't possible when you have to pursue another job to pay for your cost of living.

So, unless any side invests *way* more patience in making and waiting for new add-ons, freeware efforts will simply not ever be on the same level as fulltime commercial (team)efforts. Period.

 

Also, you don't realize how much you're twisting the knife in the wound by pointing out that freeware is not your cup of tea. Stuff like this and the pickiness that Pict has mentioned is why way less people are developing for free.

It's a circular argument. You're saying that you can't quit your day job to produce PMDG quality freeware because you need to earn money to live. Why do you think developers produce "payware" that generally is of a higher quality then something somebody does in the evenings after their real job? Maybe you should marry an heiress and then you could develop PMDG quality models all day long and give them away completely free! :p0814:

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Great post Adlai!

I can tell you as a freeware painter, giving back to the hobby has a special feeling all its own, and is what keeps most freeware contributors giving you planes to fly, scenery to enjoy, etc.

I know I've painted many freeware and payware models that were lacking liveries either from the vendor or other painters who were working on other planes.  And I've found that most freeware liveries painted for commercial products (PMDG, iFly, A2A, RealAir, etc) are far superior to what the vendor includes with their model.

 

And when a model comes out form a vendor that is...well...horrendous, just google POSKY merge and you'll see how many great freeware models are mated to a great cockpit from a commercial vendor (with a horrible external model).  I've got a 777 and 757 I love that I would not fly without a POSKY merge!

 

There are many, sometimes obscure ways the freeware community contributes to this hobby, and it doesn't take a commercial effort (or price) to receive enjoyment from what someone took the time to design, develop, and lastly UPLOAD (which for those who've never done it can't appreciate the effort it takes to properly package a product for upload) a file to one of the dozen flightsim sites....which are also a form of freeware by the way  :Doh: 

 

Regards,

Steve Dra


Regards,
Steve Dra
Get my paints for MSFS planes at flightsim.to here, and iFly 737s here
Download my FSX, P3D paints at Avsim by clicking here

9Slp0L.jpg 

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Maybe you should marry an heiress and then you could develop PMDG quality models all day long and give them away completely free!

 

Sure. Do you know one?


7950X3D + 6900 XT + 64 GB + Linux | 4800H + RTX2060 + 32 GB + Linux
My add-ons from my FS9/FSX days

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