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Availability of new downloads

Previews, discussions and support for projects by John Young.
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John Young
MAIW Developer
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Posts: 4206
Joined: 12 Jul 2008, 15:15

Availability of new downloads

Post by John Young »

I really don’t know what to do to make my packages available any more. My apologies to all that are waiting for them. I’m sure other contributors are frustrated too.

There have been no new files released from the Download Hangar for the past 2 months. My Westland Wessex Part 1 package has been awaiting processing for nearly 5 weeks. I uploaded Part 2 a week ago to join the queue. This was followed this morning by my Lynx package and paint kit, but I have no idea when they will be made available. I understand the personal circumstances of the library managers and have been trying to find a way around the barrier until the situation is resolved.

Both Avsim and Flightsim.com could be suitable hosts for my files, but there are no categories that cover complete AI packages that are for both FSX and P3D. The thought of writing the compulsory manual in plain text form for Avsim is antiquated and a waste of time, since the illustrated.pdf that will also be included in the upload will be a much easier read.

The packages are orientated to MAIW and the manuals contain links to files here. It sends a confusing message to upload elsewhere.

There is a last resort option and that is to upload the 3 queuing packages and paint kit to my Cloud storage facility provided by my internet service provider and paste the links in a post here. The guide to the service talks about sharing with friends and family and I don’t think wholesale public sharing is the intention. I could take the gamble and see what happens, but I would rather not. The number of downloads is not recorded, so I would have no idea what was happening in any case.

This comes after the immense disappointment with MSFS development after Asobo twice broke the AI engine. Having spent over 1000 hours learning to convert AI aircraft and producing two potential packages, I fear that was a waste of time. Lakenheath with AI F-15Es and F-35As is unlikely to see the light of day because Ian has since published a pay-ware version. Selfridge with A-10s and a new KC-135 could be uploaded and used with the new AIG AI insertion tool, but doing so would send a signal that MAIW is now in the MSFS arena, when it is not. There is nothing to follow it.

I really can’t justify doing all this work with no useable output any more. I am going to take a back seat for a while and just wait and see what happens here at MAIW and hope that we can get back on a more stable footing soon. I hope I can pick up the reins again, but for now, I am not intending to do any further work.

John
geoffj
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Re: Availability of new downloads

Post by geoffj »

Hi John,

I have no personal experience with Sim-outhouse Combat Flight Centre other than as a source for some excellent freeware downloads. Could they be a possible home for your work?

Best regards,

Geoff
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VulcanDriver
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Re: Availability of new downloads

Post by VulcanDriver »

There must be away of automating the approval system. Perhaps set it to default to approve. Then the approval team can remove them if complants etc are recieved. Its so frustrating. I don't blame John Y taking a backseat.
John

"That is the biggest fool thing we have ever done. The A-bomb will never go off, and I speak as an expert in explosives." - Admiral William Leahy
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Firebird
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Re: Availability of new downloads

Post by Firebird »

The current system was designed without myself being part of the loop.
Having said that. it is easy to see why the decision was taken to have a manual check of all uploads to ensure that no copyrights had been violated.

Whilst it is easier for a fully automatic load/download system to be employed for the benefit of the user this would create issues for the management team IF anybody accidentally/unknowingly/deliberately broke some copyright issue.

We have not had any issues of this nature precisely because of the manual screening process.

Apologies.
Steve
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Manschy
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Joined: 21 May 2009, 07:50
Version: P3D
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Re: Availability of new downloads

Post by Manschy »

I know a lot about frustration, especially since MSFS came out.

John, at this moment in time, I only can indorse Geoff and recommend Sim Outhouse where I also am a member for years, among others I uploaded my RAF Brüggen and the FS9 Harrier Hides there. It is a more than proper community and they have a very organized download centre called "Warbird Library":

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/l ... ?tabid=446

Here you can find a lot of varying sections where members do upload their work for years and got well known artists (in most case repainters).
Saying this, I would encourage you to have a look at, there are many many subcategories even segmented by developers or kind of developments for example aircraft, sceneries, liveries:

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/l ... ?tabid=446

The SOH admins are a great team and I can very well imagine, that they want to add such a great subcategory like "AI aircraft" to their Warbirds Library which is a huge enrichment for their homepage. The Warbirds Library in fact is segmented in all simulators, from FS9 to MSFS so you could add all your work into these categories, I could imagine they are very interested into your great projects.

As for an example, here you find my Harrier Hides at SOH:

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/l ... ge=5&pp=20

A big advantage is, on the right hand, you can find all details about your work/upload: Developers name, Date of upload, size of upload, download hits. That way, you can keep track of your uploads.

Newest Warbird Library uploads will displayed relatively soon after upload (called "New entries"):

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/f ... ds-Library

When you click on the upload link, you will be forwarded to a detailed description of your work with a download link at the end (which redirects you to the exact place of the download section inside the Warbird Library). A little laborious at the first time, but in my opinion clearly structured by multiple usage.

Hope that helps a little and maybe you will find there a proper alternative to the MAIW section until it is arranged again. I would give it a try :wink:
Regards, Manfred.
Delboy99
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Re: Availability of new downloads

Post by Delboy99 »

Sorry to hear you're taking a break John, I always look forward to your releases, but I fully understand your position. It must be soul destroying to put all that work to find there is no outlet for it. I hope a solution can be found soon.
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John Young
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Joined: 12 Jul 2008, 15:15

Re: Availability of new downloads

Post by John Young »

Thanks Manfred. I have been a member of SOH for several years, but I would rate it below Avsim for useability. The site is more cluttered and although I can log into it, navigate it and download, I can’t test the upload process. When I click the button, I get “you do not have permission to access this page”. I don’t know why that is and I’m not really inclined to try and find out.

There are no upload categories for AI aircraft and the best I can see is “FSX Other” and “P3D Other”. That would require a dual upload each time. Each upload has an associated feedback facility – a mini forum if you like. That means I would need to find and monitor two uploads for every upload I make, plus the SOH main forum and the MAIW forum. It’s just adding more work when all I want is for users to be able to download at MAIW as they have always done.

If copyright screening is such an arduous task and is the reason why it has driven MAIW library staff away, then it is indeed totally effective in preventing breaches. At the moment, nothing is getting though. I don’t know how copyright can be checked in any case. You can’t delve into a scenery bgl, a model file or a group of pixels, or an aircraft.cfg file, an air file and check, without something to check against. It’s not like universities detecting plagiarism with comparison software. Probably the best that can be done is to spot things like 3rd party libraries that should not be included.

Just out of interest, the biggest breach of copyright I’ve come across was with my own files. A few years ago, someone had taken each of my 5 BAC Lightning AI packages and converted them to flyable aircraft. They were then uploaded in their own name, without seeking my permission or mentioning me at all. I was only able to intervene and get the files taken down quickly, because someone here recognised the designs. The copyright breach was not detected by the web site library managers, nor would I expect them to have done because they too have nothing to compare against. Ironically, I think it was SOH.

John
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Manschy
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Re: Availability of new downloads

Post by Manschy »

Ah, that's a fact I didn't know, the details more than disappointing. So finger's crossed here at MAIW things will get sorted near future...
Regards, Manfred.
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TimC340
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Re: Availability of new downloads

Post by TimC340 »

A software-driven plagiarism check could be done for flight sim content, but I suspect the process of compiling and checking the database would be both very time consuming and expensive. I wouldn't rule it out, however, as ai-based (not our kind of AI!) software may be able to do it.

It's very disappointing that MAIW is kind of fading away. We still have FSX:SE on sale, and presumably getting new users - at this moment, there are 778 playing in FSX:SE which is a lot more than several more recent AAA games. P3D has a new version - v5.4 - out in the last couple of days, and there are credible rumours that v6 is on the way. MSFS has been a bit of a disaster for our purposes, and the latest development update gives no reason to be optimistic that AI as we are used to will ever be prioritised in their schedule. Indeed, they even claim that it was 'fixed' in SU12 (it wasn't!). So I think there is a considerable potential user base that we haven't yet attracted who could be persuaded to give us a go. That in turn would encourage new people to have a go at making stuff - our content can always be improved, as many of John's products have shown.

I'm not promoting the idea of a change of host. MAIW works well when it is allowed to work, but currently there are obstacles preventing it from doing so. That is more than a shame. I hope these obstacles can be removed and MAIW can be allowed to flourish again.
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John Young
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Re: Availability of new downloads

Post by John Young »

I am so pleased to say that Ray Parker has rescued the Wessex and Lynx packages for me and is hosting the files on his web site, while the MAIW Hangar is not operating as it should.

The link is shown in the JYAI Wessex and Lynx forum topics, but for convenience I have posted it here too:

https://rayparkerrepaints.weebly.com/

Note that the Wessex Part 2 pack is split into two, to overcome upload limits.

Please PM me if you would like a paint kit for the Wessex or Lynx, but please specify the model to be painted.

I'm remaining inactive for the time being until I know what's happening at MAIW. It's so kind of Ray, and I know he is pleased to help, but I really don't want to burden him unnecessarily.

John
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Manschy
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Re: Availability of new downloads

Post by Manschy »

Wow, good to hear this - not to finally get another premium freeware pack but being possible to share this fantastic package to all who are able to appreciate it!

I am delighted for you that you did get a solution even if it is only a small step until an option it finally deserves.

But thank you so much nevertheless for this another great gift - the Wessex and the Lynx of course now are completing my P3D sim world. There are no more other aircraft missing. All helis or jets I could ever have experienced or could build as aircraft models now are coming into alive completely.
Thank you so much for this, but I hope your and all developers motivation will go on, also in MSFS if there will finally, finally be a good SDK render new projects possible. Hopefully downloadable again here at MAIW...
Regards, Manfred.
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