Slate Virtual Console Plugin is now available

[AudioGuy720]

...but I also don't want two years of work to bite the dust due to piracy..

Why do you think your work becomes suddenly devalued and "bites the dust" if it's being cracked? Do you really think it makes that much difference on the actual sale numbers? Do you genuinely think all those warez users would actually buy it if it wasn't cracked?

Several developers here on KvR have in the past, clearly shown, by sharing their sales numbers, that having their software cracked DRAMATICALLY reduces sales. Not just a little but by a huge margin.

That being said, there are also companies that seem to do just fine without any restrictive copyright protection schemes.

Cheers!
bManic

True. Some developers do report a dramatic decrease in sales after their plugin has been cracked, but not all. I actually wasn't denying that; I was just trying to show Steven that he's taking his warez paranoia way too far; it's bordering with ridiculous. He should give BT a call and go for a tanning session or have his hairstyle adjusted and relax.

Steven himself reported that when one of the Slate Digital programs (probably FGX) was cracked sales went down dramatically. It's not paranoia it's reality. And it's why VCC was delayed due to changing over to iLok 2.

[Compyfox]

I think it also happened to VCC in the beta stage, if I got that particular info email right from a couple of weeks ago.

Though don't nail me for it.

[AudioGuy720]

I think it also happened to VCC in the beta stage, if I got that particular info email right from a couple of weeks ago.

Though don't nail me for it.

I'm not 100% either but I don't think it was Trigger. You may be correct, Compy.

I only demoed the beta back before it was sold. So if you think the 4k is enough of a tease Steven then go for it. I can't comment until I've received my iLok 2, LOL. But I do think a non-iLok LE "free" version is a good idea. Whet thy appetite for what is possible. If you release an iLok 1 "demo" it will be cracked. So you may as well release a free lite version.

People go ape sh*t over free stuff. By releasing one console emu that isn't oversampled and can't be automated you're not giving the house away...you're giving a tour with a free parting gift. Or something like that.

Come to think of it wasn't there a non-iLok Trigger demo or something? Where a few samples were provided? That's actually what "got me hooked". Or maybe I bought the iLok and demoed it...I can't remember now.

[Dr.Gunjah]

And it's their right to actually do so to protect their creations.
Take it, or leave it. It's up to you - not the developers problem.
...
Inacceptable to you - but think about the downsides/consequences of "open demos" and the warez-community once more. You don't have to give in if you don't want to. Nobody forces you to anything. But then you don't have (IMO) the right to complain either.
...
All the power to you then. But... the developer won't ultimately change his decision just because "you're not alone" on this.

Again, Steven asked for opinions about the copy protection/demo version thing and people gave him opinions.
Now you're jumping in and bash people because you don't like their opinions with arguments like "you don't have to buy it". This is by no means constructive.
In fact it becomes the developers problem if a decent amount of people choose "leave it"
I guess this is what's happening right now, because there wouldn't be considerations about a non iLok demo if sales were soooo fantastic...

But that's the whole point now, isn't it?

A demo is supposed to be an appetizer. If the audio demos and video demos (which will come, if the userbase doesn't do so themself!) isn't enough - then I don't know what is. Granted, I usually want full access to a certain tool as well. But if the demo is well balanced, even with restrictions, isn't that enough of a reason to actually "buy" this plugin?

I didn't say that the full featured plugin should be given away as demo.
I just commented bManics "blackbox idea".
If you cripple the demo that hard that the user will only be pissed off because of all that limitations it's unlikely he will purchase the product.
For example, the mellowmuse demos made silence every 10-15 seconds which was totally annoying to me, so I didn't purchase anything.

Seriously, I really think you/the "anti USB key" fration is always only out to get the developers for using a copy protection system YOU/THEY - DO - NOT - LIKE.
In the ideal world for such people - there would be no license keys, no watermarks, no individual copies, no C/R, no USB copy protection, no installer, no download but always a CD - just the plain plugin, best if in 64bit, crossplatform (or MAC ONLY), RTAS/TDM for dirt cheap, future proof for the next couple of centuries, being able to load on <whatever>-DSP card to save on CPU, being able to be resold (without fees!) - and only cost 9,99USD.

I'll take then of them, please!

This is again far from constructive.
What is the problem if people complain about things they don't like?
It's up to you to listen or to ignore it... you remember... "take it or leave it" ???

One more time.. if we did the non ilok (or maybe just ilok1) demo with just Brit4k.. is this enough to show the power of this plugin? To me the 4k model is amazing in what it does.. this subtle clarity, fattening of kick snare, and de-mudding.. subtle about it, but I couldn't live without it now.

It should be enough to show the power of VCC, as long as the sound doesn't drop every 10 seconds or something... Especially at very subtle effects it's quite pointless to test if your ears reset every 10 seconds.

Cheers,
Doc

[Slate]

The VCC has actually been an extremely huge success.. definitely our biggest launch. We had to order another few boxes of iloks which was a pleasant surprise.

But I can't help to think.. how much BETTER it would be if more people could demo it without obstacle of pre purchasing an ilok2.

In my biased mind, I think to myself.. how could anyone NOT want this plugin after hearing what it does to their mixes

So that's what is in my brain right now.. I just want as many people to hear this thing as possible. I'm like the proud father of a newborn baby boy who just happens to have super powers, and I want to show him to the world!!

Thanks again to everyone who has been chiming in, it's helping us think things through.

[Compyfox]

You know what, Steven?
Why not sit down at your rig once more, make a couple of HD videos, put them both on Youtube and your Slate Digital page (here uncompressed)...

The content?
- one video shows how to setup and calibrate VCC.
- one video shows the capabilities of VCC, complete with gang, automation, etc
- a handful of videos/audio demos showing VCC and the real desks in direct A/B concent both visually and sonically.

Those that don't have an iLok2 yet(!) could use this one as genereal guide on top of the already massively available audiodemos.

People basically want to see what is going on. And instead of hands on testing, do it like Spectrasonics - show it off with video tutorials that also work as somewhat "video manual".


This way you hit three strikes in a row - you show your newborn baby around, people can see/hear what this thing is actually about and learn how to use it correctly. If they want to test it, they'll find away if they don't buy it without further hesitaton anyway.


But revert from GroupBuys... the "free iLok2" deal was a great bargain already. Let's not sell yourself out too much.

Lot of work, better get going to keep the sales up.

[Slate]

Great stuff Compyfox.. I'll be doing tutorials on Trigger AND VCC this week with the same crew that did the making of.. those guys did a fantastic job on that video.. although Fabrice clearly overstates how annoying I get during the development process!

[Chrisma]

Great stuff Compyfox.. I'll be doing tutorials on Trigger AND VCC this week with the same crew that did the making of.. those guys did a fantastic job on that video.. although Fabrice clearly overstates how annoying I get during the development process!

+1 on what Compyfox said. Also, definitely stick with that video crew they did a great job. The video was informative, entertaining and professional. Your Fabrice impersonations were hilarious bro.

T.

[4damind]

@Steven
When does the special with the iLok2 end?

[kelvyn]

I think the video idea is really smart... But! Due to the compression associated with video and mp3 and their ilk the subtlety of the plug ins could get lost. Its a broad stroke tactic that definitely has its merits but I personally would prefer to demo the plug ins listening through my own converters that I know and trust. The comparison with the Omnisphere demos doesn't really stand up (IMHO) since Omni's features are easily recognizable on the videos whereas according to those people who have already purchased the VCC, it has a more subtle effect on the overall sound which could get lost due to the aforementioned blah...

[bishop666]

I think the video idea is really smart... But! Due to the compression associated with video and mp3 and their ilk the subtlety of the plug ins could get lost. Its a broad stroke tactic that definitely has its merits but I personally would prefer to demo the plug ins listening through my own converters that I know and trust. The comparison with the Omnisphere demos doesn't really stand up (IMHO) since Omni's features are easily recognizable on the videos whereas according to those people who have already purchased the VCC, it has a more subtle effect on the overall sound which could get lost due to the aforementioned blah...

Like this one?

[b-pole]

@Steven
When does the special with the iLok2 end?

same question

[Compyfox]

I think the video idea is really smart... But! Due to the compression associated with video and mp3 and their ilk the subtlety of the plug ins could get lost.

This is why I said "offer the videos uncompressed on Slate Digital as well".

Quicktime/h264 comes to mind with a LPCM audio (uncompressed) track rather than a compressed audio format. It should still be within suitable HD video standards. Best of both worlds.

@Steven
When does the special with the iLok2 end?

same question

IIRC, this weekend. Don't have the mail at hand.

[freddemillio]

... edited for brevity ...
Due to the compression associated with video and mp3 and their ilk the subtlety of the plug ins could get lost.
...

Since a lot of music and video these days is consumed in some compressed form, then if the effect of the plug-in is lost via said compression isn't the utility of the plug-in diminished?

If the tutorial in a compressed form cannot show the usefulness of the plug-in, then this is a useful thing for potential plug-in customers to know since many of them might be creating finished works for distribution via compressed media. If the effect does not survive compression, this would imply that while it could be something interesting for the audio engineer, it might be substantially less interesting for the end-consumer of the audio engineer's musical product. If it is invisible to the end-consumer, then this leads to the audio engineer thinking why he/she should use it in the first place.

For me, in order to make an informed purchasing decision, I think that it would be great to hear what comes through the compression process.

[Nokenoku]

+1
An effect, which is so "subtle" that it gets lost in the usual compression, is rather pointless.