The future of freeware

[nelson]

I think it will balance out eventually, it's early days yet. It'll become like MSTS with just as much freeware available as payware. Look at what we're getting from China, Germany, etc, all good stuff. The future's bright.
I still think we need to keep paying for add-ons to help keep RS.com going. It's ok saying MSTS still lives on through the community, but can the community make changes to the core programming like RS.com are currently doing? MSTS might have millions of free and payware items but the core programme has never changed much after all these years except for the Bin tool.

[miglietto]

...but the core programme has never changed much after all these years except for the Bin tool.

Exactly, MSTSBin took place after MSTS become abandonware (by MS) and the developping turned in the hacking of the assembly code.
Crossing my fingers that this story will not repeat another time.

[growler37]

Comercial producers seem to have no intrest in route building,so they will have to rely on the freeware route builders for somewere to run those locos they produce.

Not strictly true, what about Bristol to Exeter? Despite the lack of updates, they have recently said on this forum that the project is very much still alive.

Hi
True, this route has been in development for a long time now,it just goes to show the amount of work and time needed for a prototypical route,starting from scratch,i doubt if it can be financially viable to comercially develop routes,as the price needed to recoup build costs could not be realisticly passed on to the consumer, £20 is about the most i would pay for a highly detailed actual world route,it would also have to contain stock and scenarios aswell.
My point was there is a healthy spread of people producing payware locos,because that is the were the profit is, and faster turnaround,route building takes time, time, time, and time as we all know is expensive in the business world, i think if route building was able to turn a profit there would be more payware route creators out there.
Regards
Kevin

[Sly401]

Hi Kev

Feel that I must take issue ( in the friendliest of ways ) with your comment about loco builders building loco's because that is where the profit is...........

I can obviously only speak for myself with absolute certainty...... but it has absolutely nothing to do with any desision that is where my time would be most profitably spent... period

I would not even be in this game if profit was my main motivation .

The desision about what to make is because that is what I want to make.

Also the comment about plenty of payware loco builders ... for the UK scene, I make it 8.

He use of the term commercial builders is bandied about a lot...
but the fact is I actually don't know of any artists working full time on RW content outside of myself and RS.com.

I suspect most houses offering payware are supplied by artists working part time and not using any moneys generated as their main income.

There is nothing to stop payware routes from being even more lucrative than loco's or rolling stock... this will be demonstrated

As mentioned much further up the thread .. there is proportionally a nice sized group of loco builders producing payware and it is up to someone else to produce the other payware and freeware.

Don't knock the healthiest area of RW for being healthy LOL

Stay Happy

Sly

[simuk]

but the fact is I actually don't know of any artists working full time on RW content outside of myself and RS.com.

You can add Just Trains to that list!


Simon
Just Trains

[Sly401]

Hi Simon

No disrespect was meant,
I was not aware of Just Trains employing any full time artists..
In that case tell him to get his finger out Only kidding

Sly

[RSAdam]

this route (Bristol Exeter. Ed) has been in development for a long time now,it just goes to show the amount of work and time needed for a prototypical route,starting from scratch

Hiya,

Can I just say that the time being taken to developer Bristol Exeter (in excess of 3 years now I think) should in no way be considered a yard stick for producing routes in RailWorks. The Isle of Wight took 3 months from scratch. Look at all the Route Building Challenge routes produced in a week. Finally, take a look at TestTrak which was produced in 24 hours. The purpose of which was to prove it doesnt take long to make routes. All these (with the exception of some of the RBC routes) are prototypical.

Regards

[maddog989]

can't believe i missed this, very good to hear the Bristol-exeter route is still going strong! noticed an update on their page of a 153 tbc to be included with the route, which seems an odd choice, as i'm not sure they're used much on the main bristol-exeter route? maybe on local lines around bristol and exeter but not between them, but then most other locos used in the area has already been made available or in development, such as 67s, and DRS 20s. and joined together 153s can represent other units. Really would love to see an update in pictures/video!

[3DTrains]

but the fact is I actually don't know of any artists working full time on RW content outside of myself and RS.com.

<raises hand>

[Sly401]

Sorry Mark

for our sins eh

Sly