What's new in Godzone...

[toprob]

My enthusiasm for simming in NZ is at an all-time high lately, mainly because of what I've seen using Timmo's Vector Landclass beta. This will be the sort of milestone which I've only seen two or three times in the past. FSX is all grown up now, and NZ has not been left behind.

Not all milestones are good news, unfortunately. Sometime over the last 24 hours my website has reached a milestone -- the one thousandth visitor this month from a single link on an illegal-download site, offering one of my major product releases. Since this link appeared two weeks ago, my sales have plummeted more than 50%. I know that this isn't a suitable subject for discussion here on NZFF, but it can't really go without a comment.

This is the first time that I've actually seen a direct impact on sales following one of my sceneries becoming available illegally. And really we are talking about the difference between profitable and unprofitable -- if this trend continues, then I go broke.

I suspect that the uploader -- using the name 'blakenz' -- thinks he's doing NZ flightsim fans a favour, but this just isn't true. There is no way to justify this sort of behaviour. Which is one reason why piracy is not up for discussion on NZFF. There are always people who will try to justify it, based on nothing but ignorance of the law, lack of morals, and the safety of anonymity.

All I can ask is that anyone who subscribes to the 'try before you buy' justification for illegal downloads, please consider the next step, and actually buy the scenery if you wish to keep it.

Ok, enough of that.

One thing I've been reconsidering is the freeware which I produce from time to time. I love to do this, because it makes some scenery available which doesn't fit the requirements of 'Real New Zealand' payware. I do in fact have a couple of projects in the pipeline at the moment -- one is the Wanganui scenery covered in a previous scenery thread, and the other is an update of the old Godzone 'Lake Kaniere', a little gem of an area on the West Coast of the South Island.

It does seem weird to be putting aside time for freeware projects, when the payware isn't, well, paying its way, but this was always part of my idea of how Godzone would work. I don't have any real plans to change this at the moment, but I want to make it clear that one supports the other -- if I'm not supporting myself with payware scenery, then the freeware goes as well.

As far as Wanganui is concerned, I've offered my help for an airport project, even if it is just offering help for someone who wants to learn scenery design by producing an actual airport. I've been thinking maybe a specific tutorial to get started -- maybe a step-by-step on producing the classic NZ regional tower, which covers a lot of different techniques.

However my current setup works for FSX only.

One of the reasons why I have a renewed interest in the old photoreal projects, is the upcoming Vector Landclass. One thing I've noticed testing the scenery is that the blend between textured landclass and photo scenery is not as jarring as it used to be, and that it is possible to fly into a photo scenery area without noticing the transition, which gives us the best of both worlds -- an interesting, accurate landclass scenery with photo real areas to start from or arrive at.

Lake Kaniere fits into this category -- a real West Coast landscape, with an airport close by, but actually Hokitika airport is not included in the photo scenery, so I've been trying to source an image for this. If I find one, I'll produce an airport to match. Freeware, hopefully, but I'm toying with the idea of budget airports. If I need to pay for imagery, and people are stealing my payware, then I need to do something to fund this.

One last thing -- I didn't announce the release of Norfolk Island, as there were other things taking my attention at the time, but I'm pleased to have been part of this cute little island scenery. Islands are fun, that's for sure, and although it isn't New Zealand, I hope that it is sufficiently of interest to New Zealanders.

Ian Warren has been busy doing his autogen magic, first with Norfolk Island, and now he's helping with Wanganui and Lake Kaniere, so keep tuned for screenshots....

[waka172rg]

QUOTE (toprob @ Mar 18 2010, 08:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I suspect that the uploader -- using the name 'blakenz' -- thinks he's doing NZ flightsim fans a favour, but this just isn't true. There is no way to justify this sort of behaviour. Which is one reason why piracy is not up for discussion on NZFF. There are always people who will try to justify it, based on nothing but ignorance of the law, lack of morals, and the safety of anonymity.

WoW just to put the record straight if anyone is curious this idiot "blakenz" is not myself this is the first of this to my attention.
Cheers
Blake

[ZK-MAT]

There's most likely a few Blake's in NZ... you know for sure that is him, Waka? He looks like he is more into cars not planes. Be careful in assuming.

[waka172rg]

QUOTE (ZK-MAT @ Mar 18 2010, 10:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There's most likely a few Blake's in NZ... you know for sure that is him, Waka? Be careful in assuming.

True that Mat comment withdrawn.

[ZK-MAT]

rgr mate, that one is a member of Performance Car forums. I don't think there is any co-relation. Delete this and my other comment if you like Rob

[creator2003]

This happened awhile ago ,and from investigating found there is only one guy in the world that uses this user name "According to goggle" i found him on other motorist forums he belongs to here in NZ ,which has his full details ,yes this is more than likely the guy who posted these downloads ,but there is nothing really that can be proved without a doubt ..

[Michael]

I code custom Content Management software for clients within Wellington. Generally its my own software slightly customised for each business.

I put a very basic version of it online for a mere $5NZD I made about $100 but the money slowed and I found a torrent on a website.

How ever, I registered and posted that I (quote) "had scanned it with various scanners, and only a couple of the less known scanners picked up a virus. Sure enough though, there was a virus"

That seemed to scare a fair few off!

[2fst4u]

Maybe time to look at having to purchase registration codes? I've never been able to see a way around them