Simviation Forums

When it comes to addons for flight sim, is payware actually better than freeware?
I personally think freeware is better and here's my argument for it. Now I know that it takes a lot of time to make addons but programs like gmax are free anyway so there are basically no extra costs. Next why buy addons for a sim that will be obsolete in a few months, and you know how M$ works, there's no guarentee that it will work in the next sim in the line. Lastly, a lot of freeware is just as good if not better that payware. Look at people like Project Opensky, great stuff for free.

Unnecessary to ask me LOL LOL LOL


I ll always support FREEWARE

I've stuck with Freeware. I did buy Flight1's Cessna 421, and I don't regret it.

There are a few payware groups like Flight1, Lago, and Bill lyons that build packages that are worth buying.

If only I had more money

I totally support FREEWARE, but like Andrew says... there are packages out there worth buying!

I have several payware aircraft...

BELL 407 By Rey Lopez
CESSNA CARDINAL By Flight1/Dreamfleet
CESSNA 421 By Flight1
PIPER SENECA By FSD-International
PIPER CHEYENNE By FSD-International
PIPER ARCHER By Dreamfleet
ROCKWELL COMMANDER C115TC By FSD-International

There are far more good FREEWARE aircraft than that of PAYWARE, but most of the time, those that design the FREEWARE stuff, don't build a lot of GA (General Aviation) aircraft that some of us look for... So, we resort to payware to get the ones we want!

I haven't purchased any aeroplane packages, but I have purchased special utilities which are not produced by anyone else.
The packages are produced by teams of people, have their own dedicated web sites and are fully supported with regular up-grades.
That's why I think they are worthy of purchasing and I am very satisfied with them.
That's not to say that I don't fully appreciate all the sterling work that the free-ware designers put into their products. My thanks to them also.
The poll doesn't include my decision, which would have to be both, free-ware and pay-ware.

Cheers...
Paul.
(England).

Maybe think of our hobby like this.

There are tons of freeware programs available.  Many of which I have, including ProjectAI which I also spend a lot of time working for.  

Take ProjectAI, add the talent and financial support of a group such as Flight1 and you have a freeware product that is souped up to the max.

Now, my intention is not to advertise an  upcoming product, but merely to get you to see what a popular freeware group can add to one of the most popular retail merchants.

It seems to me that now, we have the best of both worlds.
You can fork out a few bucks for a really nice add-on, or keep using one of this hobbies most downloaded freeware add-ons around.

Freeware and payware can live together in this hobby.

KJ

In my opinion, freeware beats payware, both in moral sense and (sometimes..depends) in quality. It all depends if the designer wants to use the money to fund an organization like the Vulcan, or they just wanna use it to pay off their own debts. Freeware designers dont care bout all that, they just do it for fun, so they could fly the aircraft they would like to see in FS. In some cases, freeware designers do as much or more work than payware makers. Freeware example:

He-111



Meljets 777


What makes an add-on payware is basically more model configurations (e.g.: drop tanks, clean, bomb payload..) more paint schemes, a good DVC, and a very nice model overall. Anyhow, i dont think more additions to a model or more paint schemes or spending much time making something in a FREE program like Gmax is not a very good enough excuse to make payware. Personally, i wouldnt like to pay for an add-on that cost almost half what the game costs.There are groups out there that do much more than this and they make freeware. Again, it only depends on the designer.

BTW, this is just my opinion

I've bought a few items, such as Piper Archer, Cessna 421, Emma Field and Flight Deck Companion. All get good reviews and I concur. I also have a few paid items that I regret buying. Many of the freeware products I got are very good. But I also have been disappointed when some of the free planes did not come with panels. The Archer payware, on the other hand, has an extremely detailed panel -- more so than any of the default aircraft. For me, therefore, it's a matter of reading reviews, both of freeware and payware, before making purchases. I know that many of us are on a budget, but spending $30 or so for a solid product is not really  exorbitant.

As Fozzer said, there are some things that you can only get payware (Radar Contact V3 has no freeware equivalent that I'm aware of, certainly not of the same standard anyway).

That aside, I agree with orenada635's original comments.

The quality of freeware these days is often exceptionally high. The Falcon 50 by Yannick (sorry Yannick - I've forgotten your surname ) is one of the first examples I can ever remember of a freeware aircraft that beat the pants off anything freeware or payware about at the time.

The Meljet series, The recently released outstanding Gazelle helicopter, David Brice's imminent Eurofighter Typhoon. These are all examples of freeware that I personally think just can't be beaten.

Looking at the same side of the coin, but from a different perspective, you can also get caught out with some payware. If you're ever bored, take a trip to Abacus's site and download one or two of their free trials (For God's sake don't buy any of their aircraft until you've tried them first.)

I've nothing personal against Abacus beyond the fact that most of their so-called FS2002 aircraft are nothing of the kind. Not everything there is bad, but I'll bet my P.C. that there's nothing in the way of payware aircraft up there that you can't find a better freeware equivalent of. As I've said before, it's to their credit that they allow a trial first.
Most payware companies don't. You buy it, and then, if you're unlucky, you discover it's no where near as good as you expected, by which time it's too late.

If you're going to go payware, search the forums first is my advice. Get opinions from people who already have the product you're looking for, and ask about the support, updates, and after-sales service in general.

I've never bought any payware for FS2002, due to being a cheap student and enjoying the freeware more. There's a lot of seriously good freeware addons out there, and whilst there's a lot of good payware addons, I don't have to pay for the freeware ones....!

Oz has a point, but in the same note... Those that are freeware designers should maybe take note, and build aircraft that others desire.  If it weren't for us desiring to fly the simulator, M$ wouldn't have a market for the FS.  In the same note, those that charge for aircraft, scenery, etc. know that they have a market because a lot of the freeware designers tailor to what they want and not what others want... I don't know how many countless times I have seen the same airplane/helicopter uploaded, but by different designers.  Who wants to have 45 different versions/designers of a DASH-8?  I sure the hell don't!  Let's have something different for a change, even if it means paying for it!!!

I still and always will support freeware, but sometimes there is no other alternative other than payware!

This is my opinion: I have several addon aircraft ranging from the Cessna 421 to most of the FSD aircraft to some of Bill Lyons works, all are great in different aspects, and I have no regrets on any of them. I usually wait and hear what others think before buying so I haven't made a bad purchase....yet. I have some great freeware that I WOULD have paided for. I see absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to sell your hard work, I know how much work goes into FS design, even more so with the new features everyone, that doesn't design, expects, so I don't complain about anyone selling it, Lord knows they are not getting rich, more than likely making up the cost on the bandwidth from a ton of hits on their site to download the product.

Most people I know spend $20-$100 a night when they go out with a date or girlfriend, what is different from that than paying for something you are going to use more than once in FS????

When you think about the amount of aircraft you BUY when you BUY the sim compared to the huge amount that you can (and probably have) d/l, you are getting an amazing bargain, so the whole argumant about 'an addon that is 1/3 the price of the sim" is rubbish and a copout.

Bottom line, I understand budgets and not having the money, so it basically comes down to either to not buy addons (for whatever reason) or do purchase one, it is choice, and everyone has one!

My 2 cents!

Freeware. Without a doubt.
I look at it like this: The designers out there upload their projects, whether it's an aircraft, or panel, or anything that someone makes available to share with others. They're doing the FS community a great favor. They don't ask for anything in the way of payment. A precious few only ask for simple considerations when downloading and using their files. As for payware, say, FS Nav, for example. I've used it since FS98. When the 4.X versions came out, it went payware. I bought it because, in my eyes, it was tried and true, and worth every penny. I can honestly say that I'll find out all I can about a piece of software, before I'll spend my money on it.

About the freeware authors:
When was the last time any one of us actually e-mailed the author of some aircraft we downloaded, just to say, "Thanks"? Or to let him or her know that we appreciate the time they spent. Even when a download dosen't quite live up to your expectations, send the dude a note, and let him know why. Or offer up some CONSTRUCTIVE criticism.

If I was a designer, and folks used my stuff, I'd sure like to get just a plain "Thank You" from the people who matter.

I am fairly new to FS having only bought MS2002 in January, now having more time on my hands to play it.  I bought the FS95 and skipped up to now.  I was amazed at the progress that has been made since that version and frankly I am impressed with everything that you can do with FS2002.  As most newby's, I began to fly the included aircraft but soon realized that I wanted better and more real depictions of aircraft.  at first I downloaded some freeware but had some problems with the panels and gagues.  I also purchased the standard FS02, but would have gotten the FS02pro if I had known more about the panels etc because of the extra aircraft included.  Next, I thought that I would try to purchase some and did.  Most of the payware was easier to install and generally worked the first time playing them.  Also, the documentation of the payware has been better for the most part.  

I like both freeware and payware but now am very careful of the freeware that I download to make sure that it has panels and gauages and enough instructions if it is a different AC to be able to fly it.  I also generally stick with more experienced designers because I have found that those AC load and operate better.  So, I would encourage freeway designers and developers to go the extra mile and make the set up as easy as possbile and include adequate intructions. If they are inexperienced, I would encourage them to get help for the set up and documentation of the AC.  I have some freeware AC in my Hanger just waiting until I have time to be able to make them work.  Another thing that sometimes helps me make the decsion to downlaod freeware is if the panel is complete.  Having the standard version of FS02 I have DL AC to only find that they required some gauges from the Baron or Concord,  very frustrating.  

I think that there is room for both freeware and payware and I am sure that it will get better and better as the hobby continues to develop and new programming and computer advances occur.  

Also, this forum has been the most help to me as I am learning FS.  The folks here have more answers and never tire of answering what even sometimes seems like stupid and repetative questions.   Keep up the good work for FS!!!

Like everything else it's a matter of preference. It depends what you want. Most people nowadays seem to demand those huge complete packages rather than take a little extra effort in downloading things like panels & sounds separately. This was always the best part of this hobby for me. It got me interested in the development side of things using the many excellent Freeware utilities.

Please remember this. The quality is not necessarily better simply because it costs money. Quality varies considerably depending on the skill & talent of the team members involved. With addon aircraft the main difference between Freeware & Payware is that one is a labour of love while the other is created to a deadline for a particular purpose. I've have no objection to Payware per se but never saw the need to puchase a payware aircraft. I also mess around creating my own aircraft & scenery so maybe I'm biased.