Proposal

[nath9425]

Hi Everyone!

I would like to make an offer. I know this sounds strange as it "Involves Money" but I thought it is worth a try.

Would anyone be willing to pay a reasonable amount for this?

I would find all the BVE UK Routes around the internet and put them onto a DVD-RW. I of course would get permission first. Then for a small amount send them in the post 1st Class.

It would save everyone the hassle of having to download stuff if you had a slow connection ect. On the DVD Would be the installers of the trains/routes.

I'm not trying to make money as the cash would have to cover the Postage and DVD Itself.

Could I have your ideas on if you wanted BVE 2 + BVE 4 Stuff and what sort of price you would be willing to pay.

I thought I would try and give something back to the community!

Thanks

Nathan

 

[The Snap]

This has been suggested before, and doesn't tend to go down too well I don't think.

First of all, you would include routes and trains of other authors. I know you would credit etc, but because the CD would be available from your site, then people would get the impression it was your work.
I get it sometimes - just because Aldwych is on my website, doesn't mean I should get the complements for it, they should go to Kelvin.

 

[nath9425]

First of all, you would include routes and trains of other authors. I know you would credit etc, but because the CD would be available from your site, then people would get the impression it was your work.
I get it sometimes - just because Aldwych is on my website, doesn't mean I should get the complements for it, they should go to Kelvin.

Good Point there! That makes me think that with the DVD You will get a A4 Piece of paper with credits on. Like this

Jubilee Line - Dan Lewis, Chris Hynds + Richard Helliwell
1996 Tube Stock - Dan Lewis, Miles Codrington + Steve Green.
Ect.


Thats what It would look like when it's released and put onto the DVD

I thought I might as well try my luck but you never know with so many BVE 4 Routes people might like a Big Backup!

Cheers
Nathan

 

[Tom]

I don't think it would be a good idea - costs vary and therefore you would still end up making a profit.

Besides, people can just as easily make their own backups.

 

[tubenutter]

I haven't really thought about it much, but I would pay a small amount for this service. I realise that for freeware/copyright laws or whatever you wouldnt be able to make any profit on it, but if each service was priced individually, then this would surely stop any 'accidental' profit? i.e. when you make an order, Nathan buys the CD (and notes the price) then adds it to the price of P&P, then tells you the total and you pay it. And I'm sure no-one really cares if 50p extra (it's not going to be any more than that) accidentally ends up in Nathan's pocket.

Interesting idea, anyway, even it it wouldn't work!

 

[Darandio]

If your connection happened to be too slow couldn't someone just download them for you and put them on a pen drive or something? Same principle.

 

[nath9425]

I have worked out at 60P For Post and Packaging and 17P Per CD! So this is unbelievabley cheap! I would round it up to £1 but if people agreed/disagreed then that is up to them! I would of course have to get alot of Permissions off people but it's all part of the fun! Moving onto Darandio's Idea people arent always around. Meaning you have to sit and wait till they come on wasting valuable Playing time when you could have them on a disc waiting to install! It's nice to hear peoples views. It probably won't work. But if you are interested I'm a very nice 'Business Teenager'

 

[Bill EWS]

Re: nath9425
I already have many VBE 2&4 routes saved to a DVD data disc. It's simply a matter of downloading them from their web site sources. Perhaps developing a dedicated web site where you can find and download ALL BVE Routes/Trains would be the answer.

You may find it difficult to keep up with posting and packaging should the request for a DVD disc really take off. It could run into hundreds. Some may even get lost in the post and create extra work load for you, not to forget keeping a complete record of sales and money so that you protect yourelf from any accusations.

Most Routes and trains now download directly into their respective folders and usually run first time, especially BVE4. Those who don't and for new route and train makers there chould be a web page guide showing how to set this up before they publish their routes.

I know some people have difficulty setting up BVE from the start and having the the Railway, Object, Route and Train folders in the correct place on their hard drive. It may help if someone, such as myself, could have permission to send the people I know who have this problem, the correct set-up on a CD or DVD disc, with a few routes. Once they have the correct set up then they will be able to download from other sites on their own initiative. At the moment this isn't allowed and while I would like to do this in a couple of cases I respect the rule and stand by them.

Cheers.

BillEWS.

 

[nath9425]

Re: nath9425
Perhaps developing a dedicated web site where you can find and download ALL BVE Routes/Trains would be the answer.

I might have ago at taking this into serious consideration! Thanks for the idea

 

[devon_metro]

I certainly wouldn't buy it. Good idea in some cases though.

 

[Guinness]

Good idea before the age of broadband where downloads took ages. Not now seen as most of the country is on Broadband.

 

[Tom B]

Good idea before the age of broadband where downloads took ages. Not now seen as most of the country is on Broadband.

Precisely .

 

[Gavelex]

I think that the post thing is pointless, however, I would be willing to set up (or help set up) a website where everything for BVE4 is hosted, because people have to suddenley leve the comunity and websites go down, I know of some free hosts that I would be willing to get a paied account with.

 

[Tom B]

In response to the latter may I say one word : Trainsimfiles.

 

[Darandio]

In response to the latter may I say one word : Trainsimfiles.

Is that a pointer to a place where everything is stabled then Tom?
Because I am short of a bit of stock that used to be at bvetrains.co.uk

I think the main point that gavelex is making is to have one site where all downloads can be hosted rather than jump from site to site to get your bits and bobs only to find that a site is no longer available.

 

[Tom B]

Is that a pointer to a place where everything is stabled then Tom?

Nope.

For those of you who weren't around a few years ago - 2001ish. There used to be a large website called TrainSimFiles set up in the wake of the release of MSTS. Had gigabytes of downloads up there, so people flocked towards it and downloaded like hell. Free system so anybody could get anything, no registration or the like.

It lasted, what was it, 6 months? Before it had to close down having amassed massive bills.

 

[nickmanl]

Although it sounds like a great idea, why can't people just go Coxter.co.uk and access the databases? Isn't that easier and I'm sure its pretty comprehensive!

 

[Guinness]

Although it sounds like a great idea, why can't people just go Coxter.co.uk and access the databases? Isn't that easier and I'm sure its pretty comprehensive!

Never heard of that Site. You been paid by someone?

 

[Gavelex]

Although it sounds like a great idea, why can't people just go Coxter.co.uk and access the databases? Isn't that easier and I'm sure its pretty comprehensive!

The whole point is, that some websites go down or people leve the BVE comunity without telling anyone (and take their website down at the same time). On databaces, there is no way you can always keep upto date with websites that go down and the like so this website will be the "back up" for all the other downloads.

 

[devon_metro]

Never heard of that Site. You been paid by someone?

Shame that Virtual Rail site went...

 

[Tom B]

The whole point is, that some websites go down or people leve the BVE comunity without telling anyone (and take their website down at the same time). On databaces, there is no way you can always keep upto date with websites that go down and the like so this website will be the "back up" for all the other downloads.

What happens, then, when the entire collection of routes & trains is on one server, which then goes down?

 

[Guinness]

Shame that Virtual Rail site went...

It was plugged that many times, I can't even remember it.

 

[Dave A]

I think this is a good idea, but not in the way you intend to do it. I'd like to see a website with a database for all the routes & trains available, and able to download them as well.

However, instead of having them all download from that site, link to the sites where they are available for download, and get permission to be a back up site if ever the downloads go down.

 

[Darandio]

Yeah, that would be better using a site as a secondary mirror if another site was down because it would be better for the creator to have people visit their site primarily to download the route/train etc. Like I and others have pointed out above though, I think this is necessary because there are certain sites unavailable at the moment, i.e. You can download a route from Trainsimcentral but you cannot get some of the rolling stock for it from the linked site.

 

[Turbostar]

Shame that Virtual Rail site went...

It's the same site, coxter.co.uk used to be virtual-rail.co.uk.

Mart

 

[Dave A]

Like I and others have pointed out above though, I think this is necessary because there are certain sites unavailable at the moment, i.e. You can download a route from Trainsimcentral but you cannot get some of the rolling stock for it from the linked site.

The problem is though that sadly when the sites go down, the authors are not contactable obtain permissions. :???:

 

[Coxster]

Never heard of that Site. You been paid by someone?

If I was paying him I'd have ensured it was spelt correctly

It's the same site, coxter.co.uk used to be virtual-rail.co.uk.

Exactly my good friend! The only real differences are the name and design. No information has ben lost :roll:

 

[Tom B]

The problem is though that sadly when the sites go down, the authors are not contactable obtain permissions. :???:

Not necessarily... they may use a different machine as their mailserver.

 

[Guinness]

Not necessarily... they may use a different machine as their mailserver.

True, they may have a working Email Server but if the site goes down then finding the Authors email address is a harder task...

 

[tubenutter]

I think that the following would be a good idea, should anyone have the time and the will to do it:

Use Coxster's system (perhaps use the one he already has, if he doesn't mind) but obtain permission from as many authors as possible to put their route up should their website be taken down. Keep a database yourself of which routes you have permission to mirror in these circumstances (and keep a copy of the route/train/whatever on your PC) and, if a website is taken down upload a copy of the route/train to your webserver. Then put a link to it with a note declaring that it is not your work but you do have permission to host it. I suppose it would then be important to keep a permanent email address going so that authors can withdraw permission via email.

Hopefully that makes sense.