AlphaSim Hunter pics

[Trev Clark]

If you think back to the days of childhood. Pocket money prices (think the old Airfix series 1 kits) were always a great temptation, however more expensive items required waiting for birthdays aor Christmas.

The old AS stuff was always classed my me as 'pocket money' (about 12 quid), that I could spend without really worrying, rather like buying a CD that you listen to once then forget about. However, I would think twice before buying an import CD for 23 quid though, that is where the current pricing of AS stuff in my mind at present. Christmas is gone for another year too!

[DaveG]

So far I've made no comment on the Alphasim Hunter, and I'm not going to, however people may be interested to know I'm in the process of updating all my Hunter fleet, from the prototype all the way up, including 2 seaters (approx 16 different models and at least double that in paint schemes), to full FSX standard.
They will include bump and specular mapping as well as many new features. No ETA as yet, but it should be worth the wait.

Oh, and by the way, they'll still be free ;-)

[Tweek]

So far I've made no comment on the Alphasim Hunter, and I'm not going to, however people may be interested to know I'm in the process of updating all my Hunter fleet, from the prototype all the way up, including 2 seaters (approx 16 different models and at least double that in paint schemes), to full FSX standard.
They will include bump and specular mapping as well as many new features. No ETA as yet, but it should be worth the wait.

Oh, and by the way, they'll still be free ;-)

There goes my desire for the AlphaSIm model.

[Michael davies]

Diverting slightly to the issue of freeware competition, your never going to win with those guys that devote there spare time over many years to one subject, DGs Hunter, Gnoopys B29, DCC's P-38, each rendition going one better than the last, experts in their one field and offering there wares for free, they are always going to win. But !, what of all the other people who like to model, what of all the other people who want to build those planes, because theres already good examples of these subjects must everyone else walk by ?, snubbed if they attempt to step on the holy grass ?, I've long loved to build a EE Lightning, but theres so many out there, all offers to several teams have been turned down, not interested because theres already one out there, kinda ticks you off after a while , effectively I'm making models that are not of the heart, who decides or says that one mans ambition and interest should be held above others with equal interest ?.

The reason of the above repose is that you are going to get duplicates, to slight them on the ground of others work is to slight the developers passion in said subject matter, its very soft ground to slight a model because one already exists no matter how good or bad, theres room for all and each should be taken in there own individual context and skill level. Take Quid 21, his ambition is the SR-71, if another turns up then should he divert his interest and skills elesewhere ?, you can bet he wont, DG hes going to update his Hunters, should he not now do that because Alphasim have produced another ?, hell no, he'll do what he feels he wants to, why should others not have the same freedom ?.

Not a rant or a bash, just something to think about and jog ones senses, model builders often go deeper than building just for the hell of it.

Best

Michael

[Michael davies]

Andy,

Ok I follow all that and agree to a certain extent, except subject matter.

Again I post and repose devoid of AS involvment, lets say devils advocate ?.

What should AS be targeting then ?, if they hit the niche market then sales will be less and prices by virtue of lower returns higher....= more criticism, or should they aim for more popular items and then be hit again with criticisim for duplicating work ?, by my simple mathematics there going to get hit either way !.

If your going to get beat then you may as well get beat for doing something you like .

Subject matter is always hard to get right, there are calls for this and that, usually from individuals but some are as you say leading towards lunacy ( F-16 ) but some are interesting, when you start out you have no idea what interest anything will have, I still remember being stunned at the interest in the F-84, suppasing and tripling many other items I'd built, to me its a fringe interest aircraft, clearly it wasnt by a very wide margin but no one knew that when it was first released.

Slight diversion, regarding the Sabre...well JVs isnt here yet, it may well be better, be free but it isnt here yet, AS stole the march there good and proper, what sales they got they probably wouldnt have got if JVs was out there, same for the Intruder and Prowler, right now, here this moment, they are the only current modeled versions available.

Right now I cannot think of one British aircraft that isnt being done, been done that would fit AS bill and give a decent return, except maybe a new run of V bombers, well Victor and Vulcan, the Valiant always was a dead duck in the interest polls. There are hints of a Bucc and that would be nice but UKMIL have one in developement....now theres an upcoming conflict already if AS pursued the Bucc, you see how easy it is to become backed into a corner and not build anything ? .

Another point about models these days, there not advancing as fast as they used too, take Ricks Hawk, super model but what extra is it bringing to the table that hasnt been done before....now before there are howls of angst and hatred think about it long and hard, Ricks skills are well know, the model is excellent and will be better than the previous, models always are, but how much better, is it measurable, what exactly is better, more polys, smoother shape and form, probably not, the advances these days are in VCs and effects ( mainly given by the FSx game engine ), my point is not to drag Rick in but to try to show that models today are going to last a very very long time in quality and skill, the % edge and gain is getting thinner and thinner. Good models built now will remain good for a good time in the future, the same goes for DGs hunter, its a good model and is standing the test of time very well, as all good models should.

Go back four years and look at models then, poor by todays standards, go back five years and theres a big difference between five and four year old models, go back to the begining of last year, is there a big gap between then and now ?, you can bet there isnt.

This now begs the question what of the future, with models so good now and with long shelf lives, theres soon going to be a dearth of suitable subject matter, there is going to be more cries of duplication, I'd seriously suspect that no one is going to attempt a Hawk for a good few years, nor Sea Vixen, our own success is going to bite us eventually as we build ourselves into corners.

Best

Michael

[DaveB]

Oh dear.. this is killing me

I don't think duplication is the real issue Michael or even an issue for that matter. We always like something different to come out so that holes are filled in collections.. that's it in a nutshell. If a payware developer decides to bring out a model of an existing 'top' freeware model, then so be it However, in order for sales to be 'brisk'.. it would be advisable for the payware group to ensure that his/her model is at least up to the standard of it's competitor and exceed it in as many areas as possible and the more the merrier ;-) If the newer payware offering is better, it will sell on it's merits and rightly so. If it isn't better overall.. then why go to the time and trouble making the thing in the first place. The only folk responsible for it's failings will be those who made it as indeed, they will be equally responsible for it's successes

IF on the other hand, a developer want's to produce models that haven't been touched for a long while, then there is the additional interest generated by it's absence and depending on type/nationality.. it should ensure as good a sales figure as can be expected. Folk will buy it because there isn't another one (and I'm guilty of that too)

Another scenario..
If a developer makes something to the very highest standards and charges good money for the time and effort involved.. it should.. if the market has been read correctly, sell. If another developer makes something that for various reasons 'isn't quite right' but still charges good money for it.. then who's going to be surprised when word get's out its a dog and not worth it. None of this seemed to bother David Chester of Addictive Stimulations ( :o ) who aimed straight at DM with his VC10 and Trident. We don't hear him dripping.. in fact, we don't hear from him at all! His models still sell though (ask Gordon at Skysim if you don't believe me)

Where has this brought us.. no idea.. I've lost the plot

ATB

DaveB :tab:

[Trev Clark]

I think we may have gone as far as we can go, and this pricing question maybe worthy of a poll!

[Michael davies]

Dave,

Sorry I wasnt trying to be comical, please dont have a hernia on my acount .

I've no idea where its got anyone else but I've gotten something from it, sorry if its taken as dripping on about something, I'm just curious about WTF AS are doing so fundamentally wrong, it isnt just here its other places as well and l'll be the first to defend CBFS if they point and claim this is the hot bed of dissent, it isnt, its just easier to pick on, perhaps because many here are more articulate in there criticism ( a good point ) and that wounds deeper than a brash, its a pile of s... believe me.

For the Hunter it looks like wrong subject matter and price for the clientel here and simply price elsewhere.

I think l'll retire to my bunker now for a few :drinkers: .

Best

Michael

[Techy111]

I promised myself i wouldn't say anything but......

Reading on AS site i came across this snippet....?

This may end up as two seperate packages to keep it affordable. There is also the issue of the panels, which are probably going to be very different, so to distinct products may be the way to go, although it's not definite yet.

For the SH-60....?

Maybe "lite" packages will become available...?

Tony

[Michael davies]

I promised myself i wouldn't say anything but......

Reading on AS site i came across this snippet....?

This may end up as two seperate packages to keep it affordable. There is also the issue of the panels, which are probably going to be very different, so to distinct products may be the way to go, although it's not definite yet.

For the SH-60....?

Maybe "lite" packages will become available...?

Tony

Ha Ha You've been itching to say something for ages, just out with it man .

Regarding that snippet, "nil comunicado", I think you know the answer already, I suspect it'll be between MH and CH-53 prices to be honest.

Best

Michael