Auran It's not what it used to be
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NSWGR_46Class
Just call my Captain Rude
Sorry this was not meant to be about which sim is better just having this post in the Auran Tainz forum proves which camp I am in on that issue, I wanted to make a point that someof us have a long history with trainz and in the pat the service has been a lot better and I for one wish it was again. A bit of return on investment would be good.
NSWGR_46Class
Just call my Captain Rude
Sorry not sure how either of the two suggestions are going to help customer service from Auran in anyway ????
Well, I don't think that Auran's disappearance in its black hole has helped other retailers with their products, either. Just being curious, I checked out Amazon (.com here in the U.S.) for Trainz.
No 2010 at all. The two most expensive versions were the two I have (UTC, released in 2002, selling--probably not well--for $59.95; and TRS2006, priced even higher at $69.95). And yet, they also have Trainz Complete Collection, which says it includes UTC, TRS2006, Paintshed, plus Trainz Routes 1-4, all for less than $9!!!
How is ANYONE supposed to figure out which version is best for them, when pricing and availability are all over the place! But at this point, I really don't count on Auran for anything. CMP sucks, always has, always will. DLS is a roller coaster ride; sometimes you're up (and it works like a charm), other days you're down (and so is DLS' server).
But it's you indepedent third-party content creators that have made this program a joy to play, and I bet you will continue to crank out stuff even if Auran officially drops out of sight.
No 2010 at all. The two most expensive versions were the two I have (UTC, released in 2002, selling--probably not well--for $59.95; and TRS2006, priced even higher at $69.95). And yet, they also have Trainz Complete Collection, which says it includes UTC, TRS2006, Paintshed, plus Trainz Routes 1-4, all for less than $9!!!
How is ANYONE supposed to figure out which version is best for them, when pricing and availability are all over the place! But at this point, I really don't count on Auran for anything. CMP sucks, always has, always will. DLS is a roller coaster ride; sometimes you're up (and it works like a charm), other days you're down (and so is DLS' server).
But it's you indepedent third-party content creators that have made this program a joy to play, and I bet you will continue to crank out stuff even if Auran officially drops out of sight.
NSWGR_46Class
Just call my Captain Rude
Well yes that is what has happen in the past, I have had no email from Auran, it would be nice if they sent an eamil saying they have my order, disk are out of stock we are hoping to have them to you in X number of day.
But if they are selling an item over the internet that do not have any stock of and do not state on there web page that it is a a pre order under Australian Law that is a crime.
Well, I do know from chats on the IRC server that the help desk is backed up by about 9 days worth of work. The poor soul that man's the helpdesk is doing everything he can to keep up with the flood of tickets. I guess the main issue is that many of the 2010 CDs that were purchased were not created right and thus they are trying to sort out the ensuing mess that follows when thousands of customers start pounding on your door asking for replacements or their money back.
My bet is that the reason for such slow shipping is that they are waiting for the next batch of CDs from the company that burns them.
That said, the complete lack of a communication is troubling. A few posts every so often about the progress of the situation to help ease the minds of their loyal (and not so loyal) customers could really do Auran some good right about now.
The one guy manning the helpdesk is also a forum moderator, but with his work load on the helpdesk currently it is hard to make time for the forums. I believe he is the only guy working the helpdesk, but not the only one working the forums. Ironically, though he is technically not the only one working the forums he is the only one I see trying to be active here. He replied to a few threads this week.
So... where is the rest of Auran? How about a developers blog?
My bet is that the reason for such slow shipping is that they are waiting for the next batch of CDs from the company that burns them.
That said, the complete lack of a communication is troubling. A few posts every so often about the progress of the situation to help ease the minds of their loyal (and not so loyal) customers could really do Auran some good right about now.
The one guy manning the helpdesk is also a forum moderator, but with his work load on the helpdesk currently it is hard to make time for the forums. I believe he is the only guy working the helpdesk, but not the only one working the forums. Ironically, though he is technically not the only one working the forums he is the only one I see trying to be active here. He replied to a few threads this week.
So... where is the rest of Auran? How about a developers blog?
It's extremely quiet on TrainzDev at the moment, with hardly any posts from users or Auran staff.
John
Exactly!
The medium is there for Auran to keep people up-to-date, even if they didn't want to do it on the forums here, but they choose not to.
That means that the people who used to post at TrainzDev are fed up with getting very few replies and stop posting themselves, which leaves TrainzDev as a bit of a ghost town.
Either Auran have a completely new direction and are set to announce it, or they're winding down operations.
I'm not sure which, and as time goes on, I'm not bothered either.
"Not what they used to be" just about sums it up.
Smiley.
builder300544
Wrong side of 65
Hi,
Maybe Auran staff are reluctant to come on the forums because of the aggravation that is endlessly thrown at them.
For example there is one thread on here where someone asks a technical question - Windwalker (Aurans chief programmer) answered - and the next poster vertually says 'take no notice of what he says'.
If posters continually make contrite, sarcastic and in some cases downright rude remarks to these people, no wonder they keep off the forums.
I for one would be gutted if Trainz closed down. There are hundreds of threads which tell you that there is not another decent trains simulator out there.
Cheers, John
Maybe Auran staff are reluctant to come on the forums because of the aggravation that is endlessly thrown at them.
For example there is one thread on here where someone asks a technical question - Windwalker (Aurans chief programmer) answered - and the next poster vertually says 'take no notice of what he says'.
If posters continually make contrite, sarcastic and in some cases downright rude remarks to these people, no wonder they keep off the forums.
I for one would be gutted if Trainz closed down. There are hundreds of threads which tell you that there is not another decent trains simulator out there.
Cheers, John
Not one that approaches the route building potential Trainz offers, particularly with the huge resources TS2010 offers out the box. OpenBVE offers a superb driving experience, but unless you understand putting a route together via csv files is a bit of a non-starter. Railworks has too much reliance on payware though I see there is a new freeware foliage pack at UKTS, the £25 for all that is in TS2010 would buy you two and a half payware locos at RW prices.
In truth, even if Auran and the DLS went belly up tomorrow, a clean reinstall of TS2010 to have only default items only would still have more than enough material to keep route builders going for years. Something would need to be arranged - sort of a last patch - to eliminate any online verification of the programme and ensure CMP works offline - but routes using only built in dependencies could easily be hosted at the likes of UKTS and T-S.com. Indeed this is already necessary for routes which exceed the DLS file size limit anyway.
The biggest loss would be the lack of access to some of the superb items that are out there, such as Dave Drake's town and farm dioramas and the JVC trees. (Maybe some of these could be put on a collector's DVD by the authors, if the worst happened).
I just find it all rather ironic, in that having taken a firm decision to commit to route building in TS2010 for the next few months, the darn thing could slip away!
zatovisualworks
Veteran but blossoming
Hi dear guys,
05 Jan 2010 AUD$ 119.95
14 Jul 2006 EUR€ 47.94
26 Oct 2004 EUR€ 19.95
The Trainz 1.3 and UTC age was really expensive... and hard to contribute to...:hehe: We were fewer.
The contributing side of Alberte :wave:
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One would NOT be so frustrated from a content creator's point of view if enough written information and possibly some examples (configuration and texture naming just to name a few) for the new way to create were concise, precise, easy to understand, easy to find and in general, are available in the DevWiki or better still in a new Content Creator's Guide if they are not in it yet.
I posted a general query for attachment points some time ago in the TrainzDev forum, it only got answered after some weeks later AFTER I started to complain of the sad state of affairs regarding information about content creating for TS09/10. I do not blame Chris Bergman (Windwalkr) for this, he spends his time there voluntarily (as he pointed out), it is the big cahoona of AURAN (N3V or whatever this is now called) who should be aware at the very least about NO new content, NO new customers.
Am I right or am I right?
Re a poster saying in the TrainzDev forum 'take no notice of what he says', this refers to an answer by Chris where he himself did not know the answer to a query and hence the said poster replied with something similar like the above quote. No big deal as such, at least Chris answered something to the query.
Where are the "Lance Jagos, Tony Hilliams, Rob Shaws etc." or any other people that used to let us know so often in the past of what is happening with AURAN? I know, some of these people either moved on or were made obsolete by a "furious" happening in the past but really? The silence from the makers of TRS/TS since the release of TS10 here is deafening, to say the least!
My 2 cents of observations.
VinnyBarb
American_Connections
AC MonkeyWrench Models
Then and now
I have just been informed that 2010 does not want thumbnails list in the config file. I remember just a year or so ago uploads being rejected if there was no thumbnail line in the config.
I have just been informed that 2010 does not want thumbnails list in the config file. I remember just a year or so ago uploads being rejected if there was no thumbnail line in the config.
NSWGR_46Class
Just call my Captain Rude
Well done lad you paid the half of the rent bill that I did not :wave: :wave: :wave:Hi dear guys,
Trainz Contributors Call List over hereNon contributors will be crossed out :hehe: Beverages and food not included.
05 Jan 2010 AUD$ 119.95
23 Oct 2009 EUR€ 30.94
31 Jan 2009 EUR€ 39.99
09 Dec 2008 EUR€ 14.99
05 Nov 2008 EUR€ 24.99
05 Nov 2008 EUR€ 31.94
18 Jun 2008 EUR€ 23.94
20 May 2007 EUR€ 30.94
17 Apr 2007 EUR€ 9.99
14 Jul 2006 EUR€ 47.94
26 Oct 2004 EUR€ 19.95
03 May 2004 EUR€ 18.90
27 Sep 2003 EUR€ 45.94
13 Jan 2003 AUD$ 99.90
The Trainz 1.3 and UTC age was really expensive... and hard to contribute to...:hehe: We were fewer.
The contributing side of Alberte :wave:
Winglessbird
New member
NO no no no no,......we need more Aussie content,not that stuff where you drive on the wrong side of the road, or track, or whatever!!!!:hehe:
Rusti
NSWGR_46Class
Just call my Captain Rude
Well start creating Laddie - once you get the hang of it it not that hard at all
Winglessbird
New member
Rusti- Status