Recently Cygon and I have been playing around with VATSIM with FSX. For those that don't know, this allows players of FSX (and I think P3d and XPlane) to get on the same multiplayer network with a controlled ATC env. With real people acting as ATC.

By default, the VATSIM Client (vPilot is what we are using, there are others) uses the AirBus A320 as the default model. So someone flying around in a cessna appears as an airbus. This is less than ideal for obvious reasons. The client software allows you to use the type code for the Aircraft you're flying, so that if set properly, other players can see your aircraft (or as close to a version of it). If you don't have any corresponding model matches, you will see an AirBus.

So down the rabbit hole I go trying to solve this most annoying issue.

The caveat is that even if the other player sets his type code correctly, you will still not see it correctly unless you have a matching model, which does NOT come with vPilot or VATSIM. You must get the airplane models from somewhere else.

There are a few 3rd party companies (some free, some payware) that come with a set of models for their ATC AI programs. You only need the model set, not any of the AI itself since on VATSIM the ATC are real players.. we only need the plane models that come with those packages so that when there is a match, you actually have the model on the system to load into the game so you can see the players appropriately.

My Traffic, World of AI, IVAO_MTL to name a few.

The latter two are free - but with a restriction on the IVAO_MTL.

Interesting the latter is FREE - but due to a user agreement, it is not allowed to be used on VATSIM, though there is nothing technically stopping you from doing it. In fact there are videos all over the web showing you how to do it.() - This is FREE software - but they have decided to restrict you on where you can use it.

Once you have one of these model sets installed and run the appropriate model matching routines, you will see things correctly..

From my reading, the IVAO_MTL model set is the 'best'. IVAO is much like VATSIM - just a different network. (seems much smaller) but they managed to make arrangements with the makers of the models to include in their client install. IVAO does not make the models.. only wraps them up in an installer to be used on their network. VATSIM & vPilot have no such agreement with the model makers.

Seems like there is some beef between VATSIM and IVAO - IVAO not wanting to let anyone use their free stuff. Really seems quite silly to me. You have both VATSIM, IVAO, vPilot applications.. all of them free to use.. just not free to use anywhere they don't want you to...

Makes perfect sense as long as you don't think about it.

The whole thing seems like it really hurts the simmer more than it gains anything for either of the developers. I mean they have created software that they are giving away for free. It costs you nothing, so they gain nothing. They all claim they do it for the love of the hobby, yet when it comes to something like this, I've had to go down the proverbial rabbit hole in search of answers, only to discover this hatred between people who are both giving away free software yet don't want the other guy to use it. Littelry pointing fingers at each other threatening lawsuits!

I liken this to two football teams - who have created their own footballs, and have given the football away to anyone who wants it.. but they will crush you if you play with that football in any other place other than their field...

I don't pirate software/music/movies, etc. It's wrong. I want people to get paid for the things they produce as I expect to be paid. And I expect you want to be paid for the fruits of your labor. Plain and simple. No excuse you make will make it right. So let's not argue that point. I have no problem purchasing software. But I feel kinda in a quandary here. From all my reading, the IVAO_MTL model set that comes with their client is the most complete and accurate and will give you the best experience while on either network. But there is a user agreement that you agree to when you install their client saying you will not use the model set on any other network (i.e. can't use it on vatsim).

As a new player to FSX - I am very dismayed to see this riff in what is a very small community. I spent several hours trying to understand all of this and it was quite the ordeal digging through forums and the bickering of nerds.

I will more than likely use the World of AI packages. It's free, and the maker of vPilot choose to uses it. It will probably be fine and no huge loss if things don't match exactly. That being said, I'm curious what you all think about:

1) The stupid rivalry between these networks and how it affects the community.
2) The use of the model set in VATSIM despite the user agreement.

As I thought some more about this over the course of the day, I started to wonder if *I* do this very thing. Make a thing, give it away, and then not let anyone do what they want with it.. and I may be as guilty perhaps. I've spent countless hours making missions for our DCS server not to mention the many other games where I've been a contributor.. But if some random person off the interwebs asked me to give them the original.. would I?

They have it already in their track file. They could easily unpack it and do what they like with it.. and then repackage it and call it their own... which is not exactly the same thing. Perhaps them just taking our mission, and running it on their server would be more akin to the same example as above..

I could see how that could irk a person either way.

I believe our missions are unique and have a draw.

Perhaps the makers of the above also feel the same, and that to allow a portion of their work, to be used on a different network, may take players away from their own.

Looking back at all the games / projects that I've contributed content to over the years, weather mission making, scripting, etc. I suppose I can see it from their perspective as well. You want at least recognition for the work that you do, even if you give it away for free. You don't want another guy coming a long, using that work perhaps even against you in the sense of taking away players from the env you've created.

Would it be better for the community if we placed all our maps online, allowing anyone to download the original to modify / use as they see fit? DCS, ARMA, whatever.. should we give it away? We can't (in the case of DCS) stop them from getting the original in the sense that it's part of the track file. Not sure how easy it is to protect arma missions.

How does it help or hurt the community to give or not give away these things freely?

You tube pulls videos all the time for copywrite issues. I believe this happened to Nar recently?