Payware objects etc.

[landnrailroader]

I don't usually complain but more and more I see objects, primarily rolling stock or locomotives that look great and there is this nice paragraph describing them, and finally at the end is a statement that some specific objects, delivered with a payware route, or other payware is required. This, in my opinion will drive off a lot of potential users. I don't much care because routes are my thing and having spent time at the throttle of mostly diesel engines during wildcat strikes, I don't get excited about activities. But could we see more material distributed under the GNU license type and less payware required.

Jerry Sullivan

[caldrail]

Always been my policy. I don't see it as fair to demand that people use payware to complete the enjoyment of something that otherwise they're getting for free. If it's a commercial route like the stuff Rich Garber produces, no problem, and I observe the commercial rights by not using his route assets in my own projects, unless released to the community. However, there's a lot of stuff that we used to pay for hiding away in internet archives. I downloaded a heap of Streamline archives last week. Technically there's no obstacle to using that, other than the source of the assets must be included or even included with the route, since there's no restriction described in the readme/license files.

[geepster775]

It's a generational thing.

Old schoolers grew up in the file library era. Current generation is growing up in the self-contained, one-click install, turn-key payware, less file library futzing era. Going to a fantasy CEO's private forum for that one download of a sound pack is no longer popular or required (hallelujah!). Steam makes gaming so easy and that is what newer folks are used to. And all the spin-off train simming software franchises involve add-on content that only requires a credit card and quite a bit less user puttering.

I am grateful to all content creators, but the Trainsim.com content sharing era of 2003-2010, specifically for North American content, is never coming back. The code itself is even starting to squawk now when track laying is sub-par from inexperience, so that role is also shrinking and falling into a smaller group of engineering-minded hands. Even the route beautification/turd polishing efforts involving early routes are starting to land a bit flat, lest the trackwork be superior from the start. Nobody wants to modify (correct) any track flubs these days lest it disrupt the old activities. But in my unpopular opinion, I say break it, bring on the disruption and make those existing acts and the rolling stock they were built around obsolete. Fresh start.

I have seen activity packs that literally required 500+ downloads of freeware from libraries. I know, because I counted them one time. I cannot fathom downloading 500+ rolling stock items, gathering any dependencies, installing them, making any decompression/compression mods, and troubleshooting them before I could enjoy the act. To me, THAT nonsense drives off newbies nowadays. Something tells me that back in the day, Bob Pickering had the better idea, of needing 3 or 4 payware routes to accumulate all the rolling stock needed for the freeware Pokey or Saluda or Cajon activities he made. So even back then, you really needed payware to get anywhere.

[pwillard]

Getting someone to pay me for what I do is a painful thought. I would not want the hassle of dealing with actual customers. No way. My stuff (granted, not much) has always been free. I agree that I produced more stuff early on when I was part of a development team, but my whole team disappeared for various reasons after a few years.

I've only purchased a dozen Payware pieces in twenty years, but I don't focus on "activities," so it's not required.

I've said this before: I will always keep my stuff free. ( I won't chase away people willing to help me keep my website running) I make stuff on *my* dime, not yours.

[rdayt]

Luckily I live in an era where it doesn't effect me.
I've made a few payware purchases over the years but rarely run any of them.
It does keep new people away because it is such a hassle and we can't afford that.

Randy

[oper190]

I guess if you don't want freeware, through a library like this. then this just isn't the thing for you. I think it's great that there is so much freeware out there. Have several payware routes I never run after a first look, and sure have freeware ones as well, but they didn't cost me anything but some time.

[pwillard]

I never really liked anything in the Railworks series because it seemed fueled by payware DLC, and only a few people were making third-party content. So, our situation could be worse.

[CSRX]

Boy, people really aren't going to like me then with my routes as well as rolling stock requiring payware purchases..

[derekmorton]

I for one don't mind.
If we don't support our very small world of payware, it will go away.

I will always have my budget set aside for such things.

[commec61]

I also like having repaints of payware as that gives me more content for my buck. It's the added repaints that really make the payware more affordable. This hobby from it's onset has required work, so if newbies aren't willing to invest the time to better understand the hobby, it's really their lost not ours. Content creators are the reason that this particular branch of the hobby has lasted for so long. All hobbies require some sort of investment of time and energy to really be appreciated and enjoyed. After all patience is how you learn to relax and enjoy those special times in life. A huge thanks from me to all of the content creators and payware vendors out there. I have and will continue supporting you all.

Steve Hopkins
USAF Veteran
Fantasii Route creator

[EldoradoRailroad]

Given what I am reading here, I have spent a fortune on models. My tastes have changed since 2008 with what I find acceptable. I really applaud and enjoy some of the work that is being done in these last years. I wish that more effort was placed on texturing as to me that is where the real money is. I have spent a lot of time and money on models/sims from "all walks of life". In doing so, and reusing what I paid for, I have learnt a lot and extended what most can never see in Open Rails given the current "constraints". Being able to work with the models, often to the polygon level is where the real fun is for me. Mostly I do not pay a lot of attention to activities and if I did I would surely modify them to run with what I have stored here. While I hardly know everything there is to know, the voyage of discovery is what keeps me interested.

I am most likely the exception and not the rule, where as noted, pre-packaged and ready to run just invites me to hack and tinker. For the few, younger than myself, who are working with Blender, a BIG thank you for teaching this old dog some newer tricks! There comes a time where so so much data has been amassed that keeping it intact has become a bit of a headache. Hot,long summers keep me away from this hobby for many months as running a 400+ watt space heater is more than I want to subject my dwelling to, not to mention that almost every single system I run has a UPS attached to it. Rambling here...

Steve