World of AI shutting down!

[stansdds]

World of AI has announced that it will be shutting down and removing all files from the web.


World of AI is going to stop

After serving the FS community for a lot of years and having made several easy to install WOAI packages its time to look forward.
As many already noticed there was almost no activity at WOAI the last year.
To be honest, we are a bit tired of FS, most of us haven't fired up FS for a long time and there are a lot of real life issues that come in the first place.

This has led to our decission to stop with World of AI.
At 30 April 2013 our website and support forum will go black.
This also mean that at 30 april 2013 we will remove all our packages and the installer from AVSIM and Flightsim.

We want to thank all the contributors to the World of AI packages for there trust in us by giving there permission to use there work the past years.

On behalve of World of AI.

Peter van der veen

[aeromed202]

That's a shame. WOAI's easy installer was what really got me into AI in the first place. Easy for me, I'm sure hard for them. Probably explains the dead links to FlightSim too. If any of them read things over here. thanks all for a wonderful ride and best of luck with whatever you have planned for the future :wavey:

[Jagdflieger]

That's certainly a shame.

Here's a link to their site for those wanting to pick up their packages before they close.

http://www.world-of-ai.com/

[Bjoern]

I hope that another team picks up where they'll leave off.


The "delete all files" thing is quite sad though. Albeit some being quite old by now, the WOAI packages were a great starting point for a fairly complete AI environment.

So better grab the packages while you still can!

[Sunny9850]

Since I usually fly in the backdated world made possible by the good folks at CalClassic I have not done much with WoAI files in a good while. But for those who enjoy a realistic modern FS world full of real world AI planes jetting from points across the globe these guys have indeed provided an invaluable service.
I do understand getting burned out with FS and real world needs outweighing a simulated world, but I am not sure why they felt they should pull all existing files from the major sites.
Not wanting to support a dedicated site is understandable since there are costs involved, but maybe they can be talked into leaving existing files at Flightsim and AVSIM up. It is after all their legacy in this hobby.

Cheers
Stefan

[Naismith]

I never used them but can appreciate the value but to take them down and make them unavailable to possible newcomers? Yes, yes intellectual property and all that, but you guys are too polite. What I see is "it's our ball and we are going home, you can't play with it any more."
There are myriads of freewares out there which were created by people no longer interested in the community, you don't see them getting all pedantic and withdrawing their wares.
I'm so mad i'm gonna stomp next door in the a.m. and demand my neighbour return that rubber mallet he borrowed 5 years ago. :icon_eek:

[modelr]

What is strange about them pulling everything, is that basically, all they did was assemble packages of other peoples work, (with permission, of course.) Other than writing the [fltsim.*] sections and maybe the flightplans, all the models and repaints were other peoples works. Agreed, there is a lot of work in those items, but I don't understand why they would pull the packages. My skies have a lot of WOAI "packages" flying in them. Sad. Luckily, I do keep backups of everything I load, never throwing away (deleting) the original downloaded zip files.

[mrogers]

I can understand WOAI quitting, but I can't understand their logic of pulling everything out. I've got a lot of WOAI packages right through my virtual skies.

[MIKE JG]

As you guys have properly stated, they don't own the rights to the contents of their packages other than the flight plans and maybe the [fltsim.x] sections. That being the case, they can't just leave the files for anyone to download as they have agreements with the authors of those AI models, repaints, etc. Those agreements are probably only good if they are the ones using those files.

[jrbirdman]

Naismith, I would hardly call them being pedantic. You have to consider that some of the modelers may want it pulled. I hardly believe that they would pull everything without a reason. Whether they decide to disclose the full information as to why they came to that conclusion is at their discretion. There has been plenty of piracy out there, even when it comes to their items. They have always said they would never release all of their packages as a single bundle, and yet with a little searching, you can find bundles. One must consider it may be because of this very reason that they will pull everything. Not to mention, since they branded the product, it is possible that don't desire a copyright infringement by other so-called "developers". I personally find it sad that they are leaving, but at the same time, where one goes another arises. Just my opinion here. Kind regards, Jeremy

[modelr]

As you guys have properly stated, they don't own the rights to the contents of their packages other than the flight plans and maybe the [fltsim.x] sections. That being the case, they can't just leave the files for anyone to download as they have agreements with the authors of those AI models, repaints, etc. Those agreements are probably only good if they are the ones using those files.


When put in that light, Mike, it makes sense. Sad, but sensible.

[stuartcox]

It hasn't been mentioned yet, but I highly recommend to download the WOAI installer as the older MAIW packages depend on it.

[modelr]

It hasn't been mentioned yet, but I highly recommend to download the WOAI installer as the older MAIW packages depend on it.

True, and I don't think all of those older models have been replaced, yet. Nor have the paints. If you use/like some retro stuff, those older packages are nice, for their time periods. Same goes for some of the PAI military sets.

[MIKE JG]

Not to worry about the older MAIW packs, we'll convert those over to our standard installer version.

/adds yet another thing to the to do list.

[Naismith]

Not to worry about the older MAIW packs, we'll convert those over to our standard installer version.

/adds yet another thing to the to do list.

Now that is what I think is just plain nice and friendly, going that extra mile for the community. :salute:

[MIKE JG]

Thanks for the kind words. I think we'll probably update some of those older packs as we go back through them. So some will actually get new life after all these years. Some of them have also been superseded by newer packages so we'll straighten that out as well.

[hawkeye52]

Sad news! I believe it was WoAI that got me started in AI.

Under "Ceased Airlines" the links to NWA (Northwest Airlines) and LTU are broken. Can anyone provide me with proper links or with the files themselves?

Thanks!

- H52

[Bjoern]

Since both airlines were merged into Delta and Air Berlin respectively, new package versions of said airlines should include fleet and flightplans of their victims.


Flightsim:
woaltuv1.zip
woanwav2.zip

[hawkeye52]

Thank you, Bjoern. I wanted the pre-merger packages for the NWA & LTU liveries. Again, thank you! :salute:

- H52