SynthMaster 2.0: No more C/R, Serial Number cp only!

[kv331]

its a real shock SM free did not get the massive hype it deserved! (i blame the name )

Subz

With v2.0, we'll have a demo, not a "free" version. It wont save your presets, (except in host sessions), and it'll mute once every minute, but other than that it'll be fully functional.

The SM1 "free" version was basicly hurting our bottomline in some way, as pointed out by Scot Solida in his CM May 2007 review! "The devs are shooting their own legs by distributing a powerful free versino" was the expression he used in the article.

[lotus2035]

...knowing that there won't be another Superwave fiasco.

...heard the latest?

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=252060

[lotus2035]

Hi Bulent!
I won a copy of SynthMaster 1.0 here on KVR a while back..(must have been 2007)..
Will I be entitled to a free upgrade to 2.0?

Thanks..

[kv331]

All previous NFR owners:

As long as you help us beta test, give us feedback, share your presets, songs etc made with SM2, yes, we'll give NFR licences to you again.

Right now, no plans for new NFRs though. We have enough user base right now.

[fgimian]

...knowing that there won't be another Superwave fiasco.

...heard the latest?

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=252060

Ah yeah, I had read that one a little while back, but I still feel sorry for the guys who waiting several years to get their product to work again

[lotus2035]

...knowing that there won't be another Superwave fiasco.

...heard the latest?

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=252060

Ah yeah, I had read that one a little while back, but I still feel sorry for the guys who waiting several years to get their product to work again

I was one of them
But it took so long that I had forgotton all about them so it felt like I was getting some freebies..haha

[lotus2035]

All previous NFR owners:

As long as you help us beta test, give us feedback, share your presets, songs etc made with SM2, yes, we'll give NFR licences to you again.

Right now, no plans for new NFRs though. We have enough user base right now.

Thanks for the info Bulent..

[Klemperer]

As I was one of the guys saying I'd love a synthmaster version with a serial number (these debates are quite old, we all know, but we all know too that c/r gets cracked just like anything else) - well I would buy the synthmaster the minute you gave out serials.
I understand other opinions too, as the free version of Synthmaster1 which I tested was outstanding, I really like the sounds you can get out of it, and the new price is superb. Still, as usually I demo and buy if I can more than 1 product of developers who are great , I'd be happy a keyfile like in EnergyXT or for Bigtick Rhino, or serials would be used. Maybe a version where the serial contains the name of the user, like some companies do. Rayzoon for example give each user a personalized website for download, and have a system that allows to see how often that site was used. Or whatever, if it is userfriendly .

Great to make such a poll, guys! That's listening to at least some of your users, I really appreciate that!

[kv331]

How about this:

We switch to serial number protection, but...

Product updates are done using the serial number+email combination

Preset uploads/downloads are done using the serial number+email combination

Users are encouraged to do preset sharing through the web site, to punish warez users.

This way, warez users are punished as they cant access the web site for those perks...

Bulent

PS: The above services will be implemented as web services, and will be available through the plugin interface! i.e. online preset downloader/uploader + version checker + product downloader.

[Francisco Cepero]

@kv331: You have every right to copy protect your product, but within reasonable limits. That said, I wouldn't think about purchasing a program or plug-in which didn't have challenge/response in the first place. I made three or four mistakes with that already, and I'm disgusted because I have to use those programs on the same computer which I have Internet access. And that is irritating because I have McAfee Service Center, which is causing a general degradation of system performance. Although my computer still runs fine despite it all, I would like to use software, free or not, copy-protected or not, on a computer which is kept OFFLINE.

A serial number for copy protection is OK. I would prefer a system like FabFilter or Quikquak, for a program or plug-in to run in demo mode until a proper alphanumeric code is provided.

You know, you could also consider providing a license key to customers. Something more or less like Tone2 FilterBank3, in which the full version of the plug is provided, but refuses to function unless the license key file is placed in the same folder as the plug-in. That would be even better for me than serial code or challenge/response.

Just expressing my thoughts this lovely afternoon.

[Klemperer]

Great idea! Adding stuff to the site, like Native instruments (alas, with c/r, but they are a big company and we would burn their house down if they ever vanished and don't give us serials immediately ) does with the Reaktor user library and so on, is a superb idea! Some companies release, say, the synth with 128 presets, and other factory presets have to be downloaded at the site, where you have to register with some data of your purchase. I think soniccharge does it that way!

A userbase with presets is generally a superb idea, just to find out what other users can do with the synth!

Additionally I got the impression that the way for example Cockos and Reaper handle things, meaning not to wait 1-2 years until the next big update comes out, but adding this or that or fixing this or that bug within, say, weeks or a few months, is another good thing. Some people crack (as we cannot get rid of crack-kids, there is even a "pirate party" that wants to allow cracking for "personal use" in a way, as they think knowledge belongs to all or something). But if they crack, say 1.0, and 1.04 adds quite some interesting things...

Yes, that might sound naive, as for sure in a few weeks they'd crack 1.04 too. Still guys, try it! Maybe the userbase is growing, which will lead to more people using your synths, posting songs at kvr music café with it, which will attract new users....
At least one way to make a great synth known to people.

Then Urs Heckmann from u-he had some superb idea, I think his Zebra, if people used cracked versions, could "disappear" before their very eyes . See, every user-friendly copy protection should be as crack-unfriendly as it gets. You might pm Urs about that, right here at KVR.

[kv331]

Allright folks, we have come to a decision

Since most people are in favor of serial number copy protection, we will be removing the old method of challenge/response in v2.0. Users will only enter their email addresses they used during registration and the serial number to be able to use the software.

We know that there will be warez users, we cant escape from that. However, since we'd like to reward our decent paying customers, we will be adding features that only registered customers can access, such as:

1. Download latest product updates (i.e. version updates)
2. Downloading latest presets from our online library, made by the SynthMaster user community
3. Upload presets to our online library
4. Download latest skins from our online library
5. Upload skins to our online library

We believe that by rewarding paying decent people, we'll establish a solid business model.

One last reminder for those of you who voted for serial number protection: Guys, if you're planning to purchase SynthMaster 2.0, do it before the beta version is released: We have our $39 promotion going on until then!!! And by doing that you'll help us pay for our investments, such as working with at least 4 different professional sound designers! (Yeah, we'll hopefuly have at least 500-600 factory presets when the software is release at the end of summer)

[asseca]

Suggestion:

Create a demo which cannot be unlocked with a serial number.

Only paying customers can then download the "real" plugin using e.g. email and SerialNr ...

[kv331]

Create a demo which cannot be unlocked with a serial number.
Only paying customers can then download the "real" plugin using e.g. email and SerialNr ...

That's what we'll do.

The demo version will be fully functional except:

1. Saving presets is disabled
2. It mutes volume every 60 seconds.

So, instead of a voice limited "free" version, a "demo" version will be better for potential users to test the synth.

Bulent

[kv331]

One last reminder for those of you who voted for serial number protection: Guys, if you're planning to purchase SynthMaster 2.0, do it before the beta version is released: We have our $39 promotion going on until then!!! And by doing that you'll help us pay for our investments, such as working with at least 4 different professional sound designers! (Yeah, we'll hopefuly have at least 500-600 factory presets when the software is release at the end of summer)

We're also adding a professional GUI designer to our resource list, SM2 will be a real killer folks!. Dont miss out the promotion while it lasts!