Crowdfunding Commissioned Stock

General Trainz discussion and questions.
evertrainz
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Re: Crowdfunding Commissioned Stock

Post by evertrainz »

klambert wrote: This sounds right up my alley, it's how I've created some stuff for the other-sim. I don't currently have the time to do such a thing. However It's something I'd look at doing in the future.

To be honest I'm working to pursue a career in 3D design, so I reckon this would be an excellent way to create a portfolio, paid commissions adds a certain level of employment gravitas to portfolios. My concerns would be if I could achieve the expectations set by crowdfunding, you can get some pretty lofty expectations and god forbid if you don't meet them. In short I'm not sure if I'm good enough yet, perhaps in 6 months or so.

I'd suggest perhaps expand crowd-funding out to entire route projects rather than specific trains, in a bid to coordinate with content creators with a range of talents IE, someone to create the route, someone working on buildings, someone else on rollingstock etc.

Excellent idea and don't lose heart, these kinds of things can and do work in many areas, from web design to media projects, so I can't see why it can't be made to work in trainz with the right combination of determination and patience. Anyway I'd like to register my interest and don't be surprised if in a few months you get a message from me saying I'd like to be a part of this.
It isn't me who wants to commission stock as I am a 3D modeler myself. It's simply me worrying about the future of Trainz and how, considering the increase in difficulty to create quality models and textures for the sim, it would be sustainable.

After witnessing the UK Trainz scene vs. the rest of the world, I can safely say that American Trainz frequently get a very detailed steamer shot in the Renders screenshot thread on N3V forums. Similarly Australia is doing very well with the latest waves of freeware diesel releases. Europe is also doing more or less well, a very high-quality payware diesel was just released.

Out of all this the UK scene is lagging the most, and using expired stock. I think since SRS released his Class 37 back in 2016 there have not been any new diesel releases. Yes, considering the difficulty of CC'ing it would be near irrational to simply put out your hard work on modeling and textures for free.

Also if everyone in Trainz were to charge for their UK locos, when the equivalent is offered in Train Simulator which:
• Has more and longer routes
• More detailed stock to run the payware loco with
• More functionalities in what can be done with the loco

... why would anyone buy the Trainz version? Yes, I can create high-detail locomotives but I cannot simply run them on R3's "Porchester and Bulls Well" route forever. I quite like the Midshire Mainline route but once again how long could I run solely on these two routes for? There is not much keeping me CC'ing for Trainz apart from the new PBR materials which Train Sim doesn't have. The downside to monetizing Trainz content is that a major pull factor of N3V is that there is a huge quantity of freeware, thus those that bought Trainz for the free content would be turned away.

If the content creator could get compensated for the time and effort put into the loco, while still releasing it for free, there is still some hope left for the UK Trainz world. But if people aren't able to put their money forth then the existing UK users will turn to Train Simulator for their primary "visual/aural/physical" needs, and use Trainz as their building simulator, as the visuals and audio age rapidly. Which is what I am seeing lots of people doing now.

Klambert I really like the idea of your multipart collaboration project, it has been done before but of course across the pond: https://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthr ... on-project . Freeware, no funding behind them I believe.

If people find your idea to be a good one I had always been interested in a high-detail version of WCML Rugby to Manchester to Lime Street Liverpool. People interested could pitch in the money needed, and the route could be completed by a set distant rough deadline. But that might be pushing patience , trust, and the "hobby" aspect.

Maybe we will see more diesel stock in the next 10-15 years, as currently we have:
• The youngsters with time on their hands making what they grew up with, e.g. the newer plastic DMUs and EMUs
• The middle-aged folks busy at work, who are squeezing into their freetime the content creation of locos they grew up with, e.g. the Banger Blue era diesels
• The retired folks with time on their hands, making lots of what they grew up with: Lots of steam engines and a trickle of diesels

When the second category of middle-aged CC'ers retires, hopefully we will see a "Banger Blue Boom".
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stovepipe
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Re: Crowdfunding Commissioned Stock

Post by stovepipe »

I do think some new ways to get good quality rolling stock is needed otherwise Trainz will become moribund from a UK perspective.

One way around the question 'Why should it be released as freeware to those that haven't contributed?', how about the new item be included in a payware session with a low-ish cost? The session would not need to be anything fancy (but could be if someone wanted to create one). The original contributors would receive the session free, with the funds received from subsequent purchasers to build up a small fund to get the next item rolling, or even to be shared out amongst the original contributors.

The session could be hosted privately, or on TANE. To be clear the price if hosted privately, would be for the session with a free locomotive/coaches etc included. If on TANE, N3V will take a share under the content creation policies, and might enforce the price setting, which could be an issue, but I think in general there are far more people likely to buy some quality content for a tenner(?) or so, than risk £100+ to be one of the original contributors.

Using others scripts may be a problem or may not, depending on who's scripts they were, but going for the TANE distributution route would allow access to scripts which N3V have rights to use already. All this assumes there is someone who can create content of sufficient quality, willing to take on a commission in the first place.
pacerguy
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Re: Crowdfunding Commissioned Stock

Post by pacerguy »

(A story about younger Trainz players)
Mum Trainz has a new payware scheme can I have £100 please
NO YOU CANT you have used up all my credit card already
(no one is looking uses a torrent download for free) thanks some leaker

I can see people turning to torrent or hacking though if this happens or many depressed left out left behind players :cry:
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evertrainz
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Re: Crowdfunding Commissioned Stock

Post by evertrainz »

stovepipe wrote:I do think some new ways to get good quality rolling stock is needed otherwise Trainz will become moribund from a UK perspective.

One way around the question 'Why should it be released as freeware to those that haven't contributed?', how about the new item be included in a payware session with a low-ish cost? The session would not need to be anything fancy (but could be if someone wanted to create one). The original contributors would receive the session free, with the funds received from subsequent purchasers to build up a small fund to get the next item rolling, or even to be shared out amongst the original contributors.

The session could be hosted privately, or on TANE. To be clear the price if hosted privately, would be for the session with a free locomotive/coaches etc included. If on TANE, N3V will take a share under the content creation policies, and might enforce the price setting, which could be an issue, but I think in general there are far more people likely to buy some quality content for a tenner(?) or so, than risk £100+ to be one of the original contributors.

Using others scripts may be a problem or may not, depending on who's scripts they were, but going for the TANE distributution route would allow access to scripts which N3V have rights to use already. All this assumes there is someone who can create content of sufficient quality, willing to take on a commission in the first place.
I really like this idea of use funds from the newer session profits to get the ball rolling on the next project. I assume you mean a session for an existing route.

If the session is the purchased object, and the locos and stock are included free, wouldn't it still be considered payware? This is where things get tricky. If I was ever in a position where I was commissioned for stock that uses script that does not allow payware inclusion, I'd simply tell them the commission was for the mesh and textures, the asset is freeware.

There has to be a decent platform where everyone is on the same page with the transactions and details, emails back and forth would not cut it I believe. The bigger supporting base for the donations would probably be the N3V forums since there are much more users there.

We find many creators of content of sufficient quality in other countries.
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