IK T-RackS collections

[Burillo]

the only legitimate arguments that can be made against custom shop are:

- no offline demo (well, maybe you can "demo" stuff without internet connection, but you can't *start* the demo without being online)
- there's no way to get individual plugins to show up without going online
- there are some hurdles involved with upgrading from older plugins
- an odd bug here and there

everything else is purely psychological (e.g. being "forced" to install "something you didn't ask for" that doesn't in any way impact anything else on the computer, and having an aversion to having a link to online shop in the plugin).

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

I actually had no intention to comment about CS. It was Peter asking what was wrong with Custom shop that prompted me to reply. He clearly wasn't being rhetorical with his question and to suggest that he genuiely didn't know what users felt was wrong with it didn't sit well with me as I know full well that he has read many posts in the past regarding this very subject.

Nor did I, but you can see in at least one post before my question that it was brought up yet again. I didn't bring it into this thread, but if the same myths and misunderstandings are to be spread amongst or intertwined with the legitimate concerns I will have to reply with questions like I asked so I can clear up the up. Separate the wheat from the chaff as they say, since people can get a picture of Custom Shop that is not at all what it is or how it works. That's all, nothing more. Trust me, I'd rather not have to clear up the same myths every time but I have to make sure people aren't turned off from even trying it based on bad information. The legit concerns and ideas are definitely heard, and I know it is frustrating that things don't change as quickly as people may want, but they will.

[Skorpius]

The legit concerns and ideas are definitely heard, and I know it is frustrating that things don't change as quickly as people may want, but they will.

This sounds promising. I'm desparately waiting for the respective news.

[gmontano]

the only legitimate arguments that can be made against custom shop are:

- no offline demo (well, maybe you can "demo" stuff without internet connection, but you can't *start* the demo without being online)
- there's no way to get individual plugins to show up without going online
- there are some hurdles involved with upgrading from older plugins
- an odd bug here and there

everything else is purely psychological (e.g. being "forced" to install "something you didn't ask for" that doesn't in any way impact anything else on the computer, and having an aversion to having a link to online shop in the plugin).

Not sure who is the arbiter on what is legitimate or not, but I find the whole gear credits payment method to be a turn off. I don't know of any other developer/company that uses this method; even Microsoft has abandoned this approach due to poor customer reaction. Of course someone will respond that the gear credits are a wonderful innovation and that great deals can be had buying bulk credits when they go on sale. However, the same thing can be accomplished in a more customer friendly way by putting things on sale and by accepting regular currency to pay for it. What's next bitcoin only payment to buy gear credits to buy gear? (I'm being facetious.) Buying plugins shouldn't be treated as buying coins to unlock levels/features in games.

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

...and there could be something that works for people on both side of the fence in this area. Putting items for regular currency on sale isn't exactly the same as offering Gear Credits for less cost per credit (which can be used for everything in Custom Shop) unfortunately. But again I'm told we're making changes, and you'll see those changes when they are ready.

By the way, the very collections we were originally discussing in this very thread are available without the need for Gear Credits and my post about them and the Group Buy in Market Place has links that go to our store and offer them for good ol' cash so... We are trying to offer options here, and I'm failing to see how terrible Custom Shop is in all this.

[Burillo]

Not sure who is the arbiter on what is legitimate or not, but I find the whole gear credits payment method to be a turn off.

arbiter is common sense. you just added one more i tend to forget this aspect because i've never actually purchased anything through the custom shop yet. so yes, we're up to five legitimate issues with custom shop.

[BERFAB]

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the Custom Shop. I don't use it, but I do admire the marketing genius of it. The Custom Shop logo beckons to me from the corner of the GUI, and, should I choose to, I can browse new gear 24/7.

Not too long ago (around the turn of the century), being able to buy an instrument/sample/beat/preset when you needed it at 3a.m. to finish a project was a novelty, and, for a few enterprising developers, a key marketing tool.

Now, of course, EVERYTHING is available 24/7 at the click of a mouse. I don't need the store integrated with the actual software that I'm using. I prefer to have it separate, and the extra mouse click it takes to get there (if I want to) doesn't slow me (or anyone else) down at all.

As long as I'm ranting, I'll dredge up this old gripe: A really cool trend among devs are the free user preset libraries that are not only sanctioned, but hosted right on the dev website. These are great for the user and also cultivate brand loyalty. When IK did this for Amplitube presets, many users were in tone-bank heaven, myself included.

That is, until the introduction of a boatload of new gear in the CS created a proliferation of presets that Amplitube 3 users couldn't use. Again, genius marketing because upon loading, the program points out which piece of gear you now need to buy in order for the preset to work.

But those who thought they were buying the whole package have no dedicated repository for presets that work with the gear they've purchased. What was a great perk promptly turned into a great pain in the a$%. [This may have changed by now-I gave up checking a long time ago. If so, please disregard.]

Rant over.
Cheers
-B

[Burillo]

yet another legitimate issue - inability to buy the complete package all at once...

[kylen]

... the introduction of a boatload of new gear in the CS created a proliferation of presets that Amplitube 3 users couldn't use. Again, genius marketing because upon loading, the program points out which piece of gear you now need to buy in order for the preset to work.

Nicely worded analysis BERFAB, I share that thought and would even go as far as saying that because CS is showing me presets that include gear I don't own it is simply spamming me as if a marketing agency relentlessly called me on the tele, or sent me email spam. We spend many dollars to block this kind of stuff at work - I just hate dealing with it when I'm trying to get in my creative zone. The whole world is turning into a blasted IT spambot and virus. I need less noise (unless I make it on a guitar... )

[ftech]

OK. So i have the 670 and the Opto compressors already, but would getting the compressor bundle mean that I have to install it as a bundle, or can I just install the Black and White alongside my existing plugs.

Only asking because if I decide to buy in, i would purchase the British bundle and then get the Comp bundle as the freebie (if the GB reaches the 250)....so basically get the Black and White for free.........still seems a good deal.

[K-Slash]

OK. So i have the 670 and the Opto compressors already, but would getting the compressor bundle mean that I have to install it as a bundle, or can I just install the Black and White alongside my existing plugs.

Only asking because if I decide to buy in, i would purchase the British bundle and then get the Comp bundle as the freebie (if the GB reaches the 250)....so basically get the Black and White for free.........still seems a good deal.

Yes you can, you chose what plugins to install, and you can still delete the .dll from you Vstplugins folder after all.

[ftech]

Thanks K-Slash

[fmr]

What about me? Right now, I have basically everything except the White Channel and the Bus Compressor. If I enter the Group Buy for the British Studio, I will have immeiately a duplicate - the British Channel. If the GB reach the 250, I will be offered a new bundle, which will be a complete duplicate, sonce I already have everything else. What is your advice for me?

[Burillo]

What about me? Right now, I have basically everything except the White Channel and the Bus Compressor. If I enter the Group Buy for the British Studio, I will have immeiately a duplicate - the British Channel. If the GB reach the 250, I will be offered a new bundle, which will be a complete duplicate, sonce I already have everything else. What is your advice for me?

don't join, the group buy wasn't meant to be for you

[sorohanro]

Anyway, no more CS bashing from me in threads not specifically about it

Cheers

Scorb

Thanks