Quote: "I can kinda see his point, as you was releasing a pack at $25 for segments which anyone can do by just downloading Firma and learning a couple of Photoshop tuts. Whereas Cyborg Art made, animated and imported a weapon pack for $10, which is harder as you got to do alot of animations for the objects and also you have model and texture each one."
I grow quite tired of these comparisons. Just because one artist decides to undervalue their work (which is entirely up to them), doesn't mean all artists should follow suite. Everything that artists, scripters, sound/music developers, etc.; make, takes time and knowledge to create. To some, that equals some form of compensation; to others, merely a thankyou.
Cosmic Prophet could have
easily sold his work; yet he chose to give it away. Perhaps he is in the position where he doesn't need the added income, but most of us aren't. I'm sure his collections have meant fewer sales for other artists; but that's what he wants to do, and you have all been benefiting from his generosity. I'd be willing to bet that some of you would begin
complaining if he decided to make a commercial pack in the future!
I remember Wizard of Id deciding to put a password system on his downloads of free work; because he became tired of little response to his generosity. I'm sure there are similar stories in the scripting and sound areas as well.
You guys need to stop taking everything here for granted; stop comparing one artist's way of doing business to another's, and stop undervaluing someone's time and work.
I've said it before; but if you keep this up, it will discourage current artists from doing anything substantive for free or for a low price. There are other communities out there (Torque, for example) that pay much higher for similar work you are seeing here. It wouldn't take much for the FPSC artists to make the transition.
-Keith
