Auran Developments News

[big_b]

Just like to say good luck in the future to Lance, Alan,Rob & the others who have lost their jobs.

As usual the troops are sacrificed while the generals can plan their next great campaign.

I remember when Henk left looking for new opportunities the place never quite got over that.Thats when things began to change around here & I don't think it's ever been quite the same since.The whole company attitude seemed to change.

Dave

 

[leeferr]

I'm really sad to see Lance and Alan gone. Trainz just won't be the same without them. As other posters have said, this is a business and although I have no legal ownership in the company, as a content creator, I feel that I have some pride ownership in the company. I'm concerned about what happens to the DLS and the content on the DLS if the administrators decide to sell or close Trainz. I know that there are those that will say that I'm crying 'the sky is falling', but the purchase or dissapearance of this forum and the DLS is a real possibility.

 

[Magicland]

Okay, so what'll it take to purchase the rights to Trainz? Auran's back is to the wall, and it's a buyer's market, so we should be able to get a good deal (or just wait around and buy it at the fire sale). Tony? Name me a number and let's talk...

 

[Lo_Poly]

Okay, so what'll it take to purchase the rights to Trainz? Auran's back is to the wall, and it's a buyer's market, so we should be able to get a good deal (or just wait around and buy it at the fire sale). Tony? Name me a number and let's talk...

You must have a lot of money... Good idea though.

Just under any circumstances do not let EA get ahold of Auran. You know what I mean!

 

[johnwhelan]

Okay, so what'll it take to purchase the rights to Trainz? Auran's back is to the wall, and it's a buyer's market, so we should be able to get a good deal (or just wait around and buy it at the fire sale). Tony? Name me a number and let's talk...

And I think this is quite a sensible appproach.

Cheerio John

 

[slave-driver]

It might be the only way to save Trainz and the Trainz related items. We'l know for sure when the board is done meating and has come to some conclusion of what they want to do.

Bill

 

[Barry]

I have lost track of what's going on now as regards Trainz.

I don't mean the company names and who runs what, which I no longer understand anyway, but the actual "people" who will control the direction of Trainz.

Barry

 

[slave-driver]

I think we are in the dark as much as you untill someone from Auran come forward and informs us what's happening and whos incharge of what.

Bill

 

[PerRock]

I haven't seen anything saying that Lance, and Alan have been laid off. why are trainzers so big into jumping to conclusions. yes it said that some of the team has been re-hired. but no specifics.

peter

 

[leeferr]

And I think this is quite a sensible appproach.

Cheerio John

It is a very sensible approach. This could be a great opportunity for someone who has the funds and the expertise to pull it off. Obviously not me.

 

[slave-driver]

Everyone is jumping to conclusions based on incomplete information. It's like they are trying to rebuild a dinosaur from only 1 tooth and not having any idea what the animal realy looked like. Like I said "we are in the dark ... untill someone from Auran come forward and informs us what's happening and whos incharge of what." In the mean time everyone will continue to speculate untill the cows come home. Are the cows home yet?

Bill

 

[Wessex_Electric_Nutter]

Okay, so what'll it take to purchase the rights to Trainz? Auran's back is to the wall, and it's a buyer's market, so we should be able to get a good deal (or just wait around and buy it at the fire sale). Tony? Name me a number and let's talk...

I think that could be the worst idea to date, if a single user or someone on behalf of all the users here purchases the source to TRS, then I don't think that would be sensible for a number of reasons.

1. The person may have no idea about programming, but all offers to program the program may fail.
2. The person may block progress for the program in general
3. the person who owns the program may add any other license description to the EULA (End User License Agreement), like "All content created for the program automatically becomes property of the program owner." - Think Kuju guys.
4. The person may want as much money as possible, so charges a price which is unrealistically unfair.
5. The person could bully the rest of us with the program
6. The person maybe corrupt for all we know.
7. Some members of the community may have a prejudice against members of the community, which could lead to fall outs and the community going into disrepair.

I am not applying that to anyone as of yet, as I have not seen anything like that from the members suggesting the rights to be sold, but this is a worst case scenario and the only way to prevent it, is that Auran have a written contract between the individual that is buying the entire source to the sim. Preferably, if someone was to buy the source, I would personally much love them to publish the entire lot (program, progress, etc) under the GNU/GPL license. That means everything needs to be downloadable (all the source files), distributed free for all to modify and free to use. The same license that Linux uses. (Otherwise known as Open Source Software). In theory, this would bring a community together, rather than divide it.

(Those who want to read more, please look at this link: http://www.gnu.org/ . Its not about brainwashing, its not about forcing those to do it, all I am suggesting this sort of license, is a choice.)


By the way, a community is rather fragile, so, you have to be careful of that, hence why individual purchasing is not always a good idea.

 

[leeferr]

I'm not sure that anyone suggested that an individual should buy it if it becomes available. Then again, Trainz owned by an individual may be better than no Trainz at all.

 

[sura]

Good evening,

as i read the first message from Lance i became quiet. But then i jumped to this last page, and began worrying again. I read myself carefully through all pages (8 to date) because i thought Lance had an another message somewhere. But there is no other message. Then, my friends, this is a nice example how half-informations and news may and will distort if noone takes time for reading all messages.

I think the message of Lance is clear. I am quiet again.

Cheers:

 

[johnwhelan]

Preferably, if someone was to buy the source, I would personally much love them to publish the entire lot (program, progress, etc) under the GNU/GPL license. That means everything needs to be downloadable (all the source files), distributed free for all to modify and free to use. The same license that Linux uses. (Otherwise known as Open Source Software). In theory, this would bring a community together, rather than divide it.

(Those who want to read more, please look at this link: http://www.gnu.org/ . Its not about brainwashing, its not about forcing those to do it, all I am suggesting this sort of license, is a choice.)


By the way, a community is rather fragile, so, you have to be careful of that, hence why individual purchasing is not always a good idea.

You've made an assumption that the purchaser would be one person. This is only one possible solution. Another is collectively we purchase and do a gnu on it, a third we set up a company / coop that purchases it from Auran. We employ people to run the company / coop. Programming could be subcontracted to China / Indian if need be since there may not be any programmers left who know enough about the code.

The plus side would be that we should have stability and the organisation would not get distracted by other projects.

Whether it is doable or not depends on the price and how much knowledge in programmers and documentation is left. It may not be worth doing anything other than continue the existing DLS, forums and making existing software available.

Cheerio John

 

[Wessex_Electric_Nutter]

Whether it is doable or not depends on the price and how much knowledge in programmers and documentation is left. It may not be worth doing anything other than continue the existing DLS, forums and making existing software available.

True, I was assuming one person. esp one person claiming to be on our behalf, but preferbly, it would be nice if Auran do go down, to GNU it. As for programming, I suppose there is one reason why I am intending to go to University next year, I was thinking of joining the Auran crew (if they let me) at one point.

And yes, very good point about the documentation. I was going to mention it, but I forgot as every other idea came out, that documentation may severely lack, especially if it becomes community based. The flow charts, JSDs, Pesudo codes and descriptions... I wonder if they would exist? (Documentation has to really be included, for the program to be of any use.)

 

[teddytoot]

As I understand it from non-gamer sites, the Administrator will meet with creditors early in January when they will decide whether to restructure the company or put it into liquidation. So until then there seems little point in idle speculation. Either the company will survive in a much reduced form or the assets will be sold off to the highest bidder (EA?)

 

[AHSAN]

Hello

It's sad to hear Alan, Lance and Rob are gone, I miss you guys:'( :'( :'(

Not a post from Alan, Lance and Rob since last Friday.:'( :'( :'(

Alan Yeoman's has not been on the forum since yesterday.

best of luck.

Is Tony Hilliam Gone too?

Greg Lane the founder of Trainz should come forward and read this thread.

A real sad day for me, the future of Trainz is uncertain now.

Regards

Ahsan
North American Trainz Team

 

[AHSAN]

http://www.smartofficenews.com.au/Technology/Industry/E9X5S2L7

http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,22923230-15306,00.html

quote from one of the articles:

Mr Hilliem said some staff will form the core of a new development studio, which will be run by another Australian gaming company, but overall he expects that over 50 workers would receive redundancy entitlements.

He said a core team would be retained to continue developing Fury and also rail simulator, Trainz.

On a brighter note, Auran has attracted $US3 million in funding from China's CDC Games, and Mr Hilliem will be visiting its headquarters early next year to negotiate co-development deals to distribute Fury. On a brighter note, Auran has attracted $US3 million in funding from China's CDC Games, and Mr Hilliem will be visiting its headquarters early next year to negotiate co-development deals to distribute Fury.

"This will enable the cash flow to fund the business, and I expect that within two years Auran will be back to its current size, but this time be hugely profitable."

 

[sethmcs]

Article Austrialian IT

ONE of Australia's biggest computer game developers, Auran Development, was placed into voluntary administration yesterday, despite recently securing multi-million dollar investments from the National Australia Bank and the federal Government.
The decision was made after poorer than expected sales of its online multi player game, Fury, which Auran has spent $15 million developing over the past three years.

In October, the NAB made a "seven-figure investment" to help market Fury internationally. The funding came after Auran secured $2 million in funding from the federal government's credit agency, the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (EFIC).

Chief executive Tony Hilliem couldn't discuss whether the funding had been spent and said he would meet with both parties in the near future to discuss future arrangements.

NAB and EFIC could not be reached for comment.

Around 80 per cent of Auran employees have lost their jobs.

Auran employed 70 staff, and between 15 and 20 people, including Mr Hilliem, are set to join Fury's licensee N3VR41L Publishing.

Mr Hilliem said some staff will form the core of a new development studio, which will be run by another Australian gaming company, but overall he expects that over 50 workers would receive redundancy entitlements.

He said a core team would be retained to continue developing Fury and also rail simulator, Trainz.

While Auran has sold 110,000 copies of the game globally, it was hoping to have double the sales by this stage, Mr Hilliem said, adding that "in hindsight, we got the pricing wrong".
"The sales in Australia met expectations but this wasn't the case for the rest of the world," he said.
Fury retails for approximately $50.

On a brighter note, Auran has attracted $US3 million in funding from China's CDC Games, and Mr Hilliem will be visiting its headquarters early next year to negotiate co-development deals to distribute Fury.

"This will enable the cash flow to fund the business, and I expect that within two years Auran will be back to its current size, but this time be hugely profitable."