Should All Payware Have a demo?

[Canuck.]

i say yes

[luckeydawg20]

YES

[DaveSims]

I say yes.  Some paywares just costs so much, and pretty much don't have any guarantee other than some screenshots, that can easily be "doctored".  I've purchased several paywares, and some were worth the money, and some weren't.

[an-225]

I say no. While it WOULD be nice, why would you even consider buying the full product after? You guys all say yes without backing your choices up, except for davysims. I mean, once you download the demo, you have the product. Limited amount of repaints could easily be restocked. Time limit, CAN be bypassed. Why else should there be no demo? Well, you get a good view of the model in the screenshots. As to davysims point that they can be "doctored", there are people on these forums who buy payware. If you ask them nicely, or if its just their own free will, they will post their own "undoctored" screenshots. Its that simple. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a guy who goes nuts buying payware, and doesn't want everyone else to NOT have payware. Its a bit out of reach on my budget too. But these guys who make the payware planes/scenery are trying to make a living, and I would prefer it if they didn't give almost all their work away for free.

[Isak922]

As there's no "neutral" choice, I'll refrain from voting.

My views on it are a bit even. While, yes, It'd be nice for the Company making the plane to release a demo, they shouldn't be forced to. I'd be every bit as much satisfied with a demo, as with a video showing some of the planes features (Alphasim does this nicely). A quick tour of the VC, the external, the 2D, some of the neat little features, etc. And, An-225 makes good points. Time limits and such can be bypassed. If they were to release a demo, I'd not only put a somewhat short time-limit (5-10 minutes tops), but also reduced the quality of the plane somewhat (Stating this quite a few times throughout the planes information and demo-download page). Have some features disabled and a few other tricks like that. That way, potential buyers get a small tastes of what the plane is like, without knowing everything and with a greatly reduced chance of abuse of the demo.

[DizZa]

Yes.

Just put advertising ALL over the demo and then remove one side of the plane.

[SGT BOB]

i say no. However i would stipulate that there is at least a video of it, and a decent visual review.

Bob

[C]

I say yes. Just Flight have the right idea with them. With the Spitfire package they released a demo in the form of a Mk 1 Spitfire - just a taste of all the different varients in the package, and with the Tiger Moth they did a time limited demo, as indeed they did with the Flying Club Tomahawk.

In the case of the Tiger Moth and Flying Club I would not have purchased the full package had it not been for the demo. I can say there are several products I would not have bought having seen a demo...

CS's idea with the C-130 demo was very clever too.

[an-225]

The CS idea was the best out of all of them. "But they removed half my pla-" "I don't care. At least you don't get to have the whole thing for free"

[C]

Put it this way - I've spent the best part of

[Fozzer]

Practically all of my Payware has been in the field of Utilities, and most/all of them have included a time limited/ area limited, etc, Demo version to try out before purchase.
An excellent idea resulting in me being satisfied, and finally purchasing the product.....

Examples:

FS Navigator.
LAGO FSSE.
LAGO FSE.
LAGO Soundscape.
Abacus EZ-Scenery.
FS Global.

Paul...extremely satisfied with all of them after trying out the Demo Versions beforehand... ...!

[Stormtropper]

Movies have trailers for a $10 ticket...

...why shouldn't payware companies have demos for a $50 dollar product?

All video games have demos...

I think they should always release demos, because you simply can't see everything through a screenshot, or even a video. For example, you have no idea how it would run on your machine...

...and from my experiences, I have bought quite a few pieces that looked fantastic in the screenshots, but turn out to be garbage...e.g. CLS DC-10, Flight1 C172 (honestly, the default one is better...), and anything feelthere. (Then theres the ones that even resemble garbage even from the screenshots...but if you buy those, its your own damn fault.)

[bok269]

I voted neutral.

Based on economics alone, companies should have the choice.  Its a free market, they can do what they want to to advertise their product.

That being said, there are pros and cons.

Pro: Let your customers try out your product so they are more inclined to buy, Customer has peace of mind, not apprehensive

Con: Possibility of pirating, extra hassle for distributor

[gryshnak]

Payware companies shouldn't be forced to provide a demo version, but when they do it makes a big difference to whether I'll buy their product or not.

[F3Hadlow]

Yes they should, I hate the idea of parting with money for something I'm not sure about. I'll make the odd exception for a company I've already got several good pieces from but otherwise I won't buy without being able to test first.