Last night I found that some of my paints have been used by other painters to be released without my acceptance.
It’s sadly something that happens a lot of time, almost every week now. This includes use of my paints in both various AI packages that don’t acknowledge the people making the paints, nor do they even care about adding the names of the painters in the readme file or anywhere else in the packages.
All this just because many flightsim users want to get great AI that can easily be installed.
But that’s not how it works. All the work made available on this site, on other sites and on avsim are copyrighted to the painters that have made them. They can’t just be taken and added to a package and released without the acceptance of the original authors.
Some people though are even worse. They download a paint, modifies it a bit, and releases it to the public on i.e. Facebook, without any acknowledgement from the original author.
It’s reasons like these that really make me think if it’s worth making repaints for free. Or if it’s best to simply close the site and only paint for my own use and not for anyone else!
A sad development indeed. Personally one of my favorite things is to scan through the pages here looking for and adding the fantastic repaints that Johan and the many other talented painters create for us to make our flight simulators an enjoyable, realistic and immersive experience. How hard is it to ask for permission and credit the artist.
For one I would like to thank Johan for all the work that goes into endeavours such as this.
Regards Matt Williams
This news is very bad! Please don’t leave us without your great work!!
The paints provided on your website are top quality and curses on the people who don’t appreciate the artistry!
Regards from Australia!
Johan, I am truly sorry this is happening. Commerce is already taking over the free donations we used to have in our flightsim community, Now fraude as well….. As an author of many AFCADs on Avsim, I hope they will remove the other paints these guys have uploaded there as well and ban them.
Please keep up your good work!
Menno
Hello,
Unfortunately such a truth.
When I was doing FlightPlanes, UTT stole my flighplanes and threw them into the public UTT. And that was my plan. Unfortunately.
Because it was lazy for them, and so UTT just stolen.
Hi,
I am also painting planes for AI only. What happened to you never come with my paints, but I am not as famous as you. And I only paint what has never painted before for my needs. Since I meet Missi I am one of his beta testers. I already painted his future CS300 for SWR and BTI, almost all of his 380 and a total of more of 100 of his planes. To day I have donwloaded a Hi Fly at Juergen’s paint hangar and I found a lot a mistake compare to the same plane painted by me some weeks early. My only way to post my planes are avsim and flysim. If you want my planes I am ready to send them to you. Anyways I find on your site planes not painted by others, like mines. It’s up to you.
A big thank for the work you are doing.
Cheers, Joel
Hello everybody,
This is indeed a sad development…
The repaints here on the site are really good and the support from Johan is fast and competent.
The stealing of intellectual and artistic property is not one, because respect should be already for other peoples work.
Greeting,
Tim
I’m sorry to read this, but I am not surprised. The world today is full of no respect of others.
Myself, as a general flightsim A.I. enthusiast, I have always held the highest regard and respect for the people and the hard work behind the contributions to our great hobby.
Every paint I have in my A.I. aircraft folders has mention of the painter in the aircraft cfg.
All freeware models, flightplans and scenery etc. I install. I keep list’s with credit to the author.
With sad regards from Canada
It’s the reason I stopped making stuff. What was even more galling was when I tried calling out the jerks at Flyaway in a readme for stealing my stuff, the admins at Avsim made me take it out because “asshats” wasn’t “an appropriate way to describe your fellow simmers.”
Hope you have more fortitude for the pilfering than I did. I tossed you a beer’s worth of donation to help!
Understandable feelings, not necessarily with my FS repaints (though it has happened) but with my fan art (having my stuff blatantly recycled in 18-21+ paid art commissions with no acknowledgement nor attribution, and the “artist(s)” blocking me/denying it as the masses eat it up or show that they don’t care). A few bad apples can really spoil the bunch, and effectively take away the enjoyment of something that may be done FOR in enjoyment in the first place.
To second Matt, I too enjoy coming onto your or JB’s website or FC75 every so often and browse through whatever’s new if applicable, although I suppose some words of gratitude here and there after incorporating your paints into my setup would’ve expressed the appreciation that I had but not so much said outwardly, or reduced the “thankless” vibe that this work can entail.
Personally, I don’t think any single choice or option is more “right” than the others, whether that’s continue as before, add a paywall, or close up shop. I say do whatever you feel is right or is best for you.
Thats awful, without any respect.
All I van say is that I really appreciate the work you do. Your website (and JB and FC75) are constantly open on my tablet. I check them regularly in search for fresh repaints (Im a fs9 user, dont leave us ;-).
I really love your repaints of small American regional airlines to complete my American skies so all I can say is this: keep up the good work.
You are doing a very nice job!!
I’m sorry for your experience Johan.
Stories like this make me scared to even press the upload button sometimes. I work countless hours on various paints but to have someone just take it and make it their own in second sickens me. When I’m painting, sometimes thinking of the possibility of this happening to me and my fellow members that contribute makes me stop and think if it’s worth it. But to have those who respect and appreciate our work makes it that more satisfying.
I do hope some day we can get justice for this terrible act.
Never knew why it’s such a difficult thing to just give credit where it’s due and obligated to do so.
I understand your disapointment, but surely us the many users of your repaints, are not looking to abuse your copyright, simply just enjoy your repaints
Nothing worse than someone who steals someone else’s work and then posts them as their own. Sad that the AI community has gotten to this point. I enjoy coming to your page as well as the others that put up fine quality work (for free) and only as for donations. It seems that it might just come to people posting only pay for AI aircraft if those that “borrow” and take credit for work continues.
I am hoping that it does not come to this as there are some of us who just might not be able to afford the game if it comes to this.
it’s in the human nature of stealing.. it’s sad, but why punish us for some people who did that?
You had to suspect that this could happen a day dude… We don’t live in a easy world.
So… do not give up !
Hi there,
Sad to read this, but I guess a perfect timing to use this opportunity to say the following. I don’t know how many times I’ve visited your awesome site, so I kinda feel guilty now for not dropping this message way sooner.
While others are stealing from you and rightfully are causing you to wonder if it is all worth it, I just want to let you know that you really have earned my utmost respect! Much appreciation for the awesome work you do!
Like @meesterlijk and many others, I find myself constantly updating flightplans and visit these websites. I sometimes tweak little things myself for own use, and the time and effort those simple little jobs already take… I can only even imagine how hard it must be to start and paint something from scratch, and for that, I thank you very much and salute you sir! Fantastic job. Hope to continue enjoying your artwork for a long time. You’re one of the reasons us FS9 boys can continue to enjoy the sim.
Kind regards,
Antonio (EHRD)
Please do not punish the many appreciative fans you have because a few A$$ holes. Your paints are awesome. I am not sure, but, maybe there is a way to sign in like at FC75?
Its so easy not to even say thank you. I have only recently refound my flightsim interest and without your paints the FS skies would be a duller place.
So Im making a point to say thank you here and now and I hope you continue releasing your paints.
Name and shame em. It might help put a stop to the practice if you make people aware of whos doing it. You do fantastic work and as a (former) painter I appreciate the effort/research that goes into textures. Keep it going and don’t be put off by talentless morons. đ
I am in support of all of your and your fellow painters efforts to produce excellent AI repaints that you do. While you have all the right to keep them for your personal enjoyment, you have been generous in sharing all that you have done for free (or for a donation). Most of us are all the better in enjoying our everyday simming thanks to you! It is a shame that some people will take advantage for monetary gains without any efforts of their own.
That said, I hope that you keep doing what you have done in the past and not let a few non-responsible crooks take the entire FS environment down. I am all for banning to purchase any hacked AI products!
My simulator is a much more beautiful place because of you and others who freely allow us to use their work. I hope you know that there are many of us who sincerely appreciate the time, energy, and creativity you put into your paints. I’m very sad and angry to learn that others have stolen your work.