Auran love and hate relationships ending 2010

[RoysTrainz]

Thumbs up and thumbs down for this company as it manage to shoot itself repeatedly in the foot and wonder how come.

Thumbs up:Y::

1. TS2010 without speedtree examples but with speedtree technology.
2. announcing MP for many MP fans.
3. announcing/launching Ipad version to reach a broader customer base
4. getting 2010 SP4 more stabil patch for trainz not solving all problems but critical ones.

Thumbs down:n::n::n::

1. you seem never to learn from your past history or customer demands.
2. you manage to ruin the last 5% of your success 95% just created and piss off many (most) loyal customer base
3. trying to be trustful and open and honest and straight forward is a virtue and cost less money and energy and makes people understand and loyal! Yet you step like an elephant with red nikes in the strawberry field pretending you are a 'prima balerina'
4. FCT is one big joke the way you pretend the working of it. Why not just say he guys times changed we need to head new directions together and need your(customer) support.
   1. Change the word FCT in DAT ( DLS Access Ticket) allowing everybody access at normal speed no fancy words first class, premium, platinum or other meaningless slogans just to rake in money.
   2. start finally what you already needed to do long time ago a maintenance fee structure in different levels, skip the FCT/DAT thing and make sure you have a task force in place to address issues with any release patch in a reasonable timeframe.

Looking back at Auran's history its full of clumbsy attempts to cover up to bluntly say he guys for that kind of service we need revenue (absolutely 100% legal and honest and understandable and fair!!!!!!
Every attempt was over and over again trying to make extra income to cover up overhead and operational costs but doom to fail.
Stop announcing free dls access and wake up.
If today you announce and offer a maintenance fee per year equal to or 20% higher than the FCT I would gladly sign up and support you.
I will not buy an FCT as i have only dial up in this remote mountain area so under that umbrella i will not and cannot just say the heck you have to change your attitude not I.
To those forum fanatics looking for a dog to bite save your breath/ink,keyboard as I am not interested in your take on it whatever level of intelligence is hidden under your attempts to create havoc.
To end with Auran when I see your discounting 30% of your Ipad version to desperately getting more customers could have an opposite effect at least on me. The price was already almost shamefully low and than this on top its like oh my God they are in year end sales panic.
Still wish you all the luck in the world selling many good licenses and make happy customers.
I hope 2011 will be the year of major changes for Trainz or fatal crash (N3V dropping the trainz bag).
This forum I wish less bad mouthing and a better 2011 for all of us.

Roy

 

[WindWalkr]

Hi Roy,

Some vitriol, but few actual complaints there

The main point you really bring up is the current situation with the DLS. It's certainly regrettable that the free service is currently overloaded, and we're doing what we can to identify and resolve this problem. This issue is not affecting our paying (FCT) customers but we're well aware that it reflects poorly on our free service.

We've been nothing but honest and forthcoming about this issue, so I'm not really sure why you think we're trying to cover anything up.

If you have specific concerns that you'd like to discuss, then feel free to mention them.

kind regards,

chris

 

[JRT]

Sorry joosten, but WindWalkr is right this time...

Also, to go further in some of your thumbs down:

you seem never to learn from your past history or customer demands.

I think they have, look at TS2010 and how its a large improvement over TS2009. May I point out that MMOG such as Fury can not be compared to a small simulator like Trainz.

you manage to ruin the last 5% of your success 95% just created and piss off many (most) loyal customer base

Were did your numbers come from?

trying to be trustful and open and honest and straight forward is a virtue and cost less money and energy and makes people understand and loyal! Yet you step like an elephant with red nikes in the strawberry field pretending you are a 'prima balerina'

They have told us everything we need to know, if you want me to re-cap it goes: They are working on TS2011 as well as a beta for mutiplayer for TS2010. They are finishing up development on Trainz for Android Tablet and there game Turbo Trainz for Wii.

Looking back at Auran's history its full of clumbsy attempts to cover up to bluntly say he guys for that kind of service we need revenue (absolutely 100% legal and honest and understandable and fair!!!!!!
Every attempt was over and over again trying to make extra income to cover up overhead and operational costs but doom to fail.

Auran had many successful games until Fury. Sure, they created TS2009 to make up the income. They learned from there mistake, look at all of the time they have spent on TS2010. What attempts other then TS2009 did they use to get extra income that failed?

To those forum fanatics looking for a dog to bite save your breath/ink,keyboard as I am not interested in your take on it whatever level of intelligence is hidden under your attempts to create havoc.

Now he tells us his plan....

To end with Auran when I see your discounting 30% of your Ipad version to desperately getting more customers could have an opposite effect at least on me. The price was already almost shamefully low and than this on top its like oh my God they are in year end sales panic.

Good thing your only one person, as any company that has a "sale" on things would be in trouble.

Still wish you all the luck in the world selling many good licenses and make happy customers.

Back at you

I hope 2011 will be the year of major changes for Trainz or fatal crash (N3V dropping the trainz bag).
This forum I wish less bad mouthing and a better 2011 for all of us.

I know some things about 2011 that most here don't. Saying that, I assure you. It will not be the year N3V Games hits red.

Cheers,
JRT

 

[sniper297]

"free service is currently overloaded", posting some numbers might reduce the gripes, how many free users per day for example. I saw on the Trainz facebook page something about one million sold, is that for all versions of Trainz or only TS2010EE? Even if it's only TS2010EE, one million people trying to hammer the download station at once is going to cause some jams, nothing much Auran can do about that.

 

[WindWalkr]

Hi JRT,

Thanks for the support. However regarding one specific comment:

I know some things about 2011 that most here don't.

You clearly don't have any inside knowledge on our plans, however I'd ask that you refrain from suggesting that you do. It can upset our customers if they hear one thing "that's definitely going to happen" and then later find out that it's not true.

If you did have inside knowledge then posting such comments could land you and/or your informant in some potentially expensive legal trouble. Thankfully, we're quite certain that you don't, but the mods would really appreciate it if you didn't mislead the community expectations.

By all means speculate on our future direction, but please be clear that it's just speculation and don't make misleading claims about N3V that leave our users with incorrect expectations.

I saw on the Trainz facebook page something about one million sold, is that for all versions of Trainz or only TS2010EE?

I strongly suspect that this quote relates to the Trainz product line, which surpassed this number quite a while back.

chris

 

[steve123]

why not just fix problems with all major trainz games out now without making the problems far greater before moving into other areas,that sounds simple to me yet i am a simple person .
i have never liked to sell something that hasen't worked properly right from the word go ,thats not me ,i like to be known as someone that people can trust at all time and if something isnt right let who ever know or dont sell it either way it is the right thing to do.
carma in life or work it still comes back to bite you .
just my simple view
regards steve

 

[WindWalkr]

why not just fix problems with all major trainz games out now without making the problems far greater before moving into other areas

You don't mention what specific problems you're having, so I can't really give you a meaningful answer.

I can say that we're pretty happy with the products we have on the market at the current time.

kind regards,

chris

 

[RoysTrainz]

Chris its not ment as vitriol that's for rats not for trainz

Hi Roy,

Some vitriol, but few actual complaints there

The main point you really bring up is the current situation with the DLS. It's certainly regrettable that the free service is currently overloaded, and we're doing what we can to identify and resolve this problem. This issue is not affecting our paying (FCT) customers but we're well aware that it reflects poorly on our free service.

We've been nothing but honest and forthcoming about this issue, so I'm not really sure why you think we're trying to cover anything up.

If you have specific concerns that you'd like to discuss, then feel free to mention them.

kind regards,

chris

Chris you know my heart is at trainz otherwise I would not spent one minute writing things of my chest try to tell ask customers more for the work you do.
Each time I go on the DLS (2004)windows page and see if dls works again I see the statement of Auran talking about free dls access. Nothing works untill this moment and I am sure fct you will have access.
send me a bill for maintenance per year and I am more than glad to pay( it is not about the money my friend) for good services!

JRT I know you are ok and not hack around you with a blade hitting whatever you can.
my 5% 95% is a way of saying you go all the way don't blow the last few meters in other words you did well or very well all the way under all circumstances don/t blow it the last 5 mtr.

Again my point is simple Auran get payed for your services if you deliver and that is not vitriol.

When I say I wish you all the good luck selling means in my english i hope you sell many many licenses!!!
Yes when i read you can read it different maybe kind of silly like you need a lot of luck but that is to the eye of the beholder(correct english again??

JRT my ending on the forum about bad mouthing there is a lot of garbage dumped at the forum and at people trying to make a view in not their native language so I not blame you for little short sided fast reply on my fair and well meant thoughts. I want Auran to grow and be successful does that make any sense?
Yes I am one person and lucky for Auran not a company let me make you sure in my professional life I was more successful than N3V and Auran can dream of but that is not the issue here, my former career is not questioned here.
Anyway still wish you all a normal and healthy 2011 that is already to much asked for in this out of control spinning world around us.

well meant best regards,

Roy

 

[WindWalkr]

Chris you know my heart is at trainz otherwise I would not spent one minute writing things of my chest

Absolutely, mate. Your criticism of the current state of the free DLS service is spot-on, I agree that we've got some progress to make there. The current problems are not a matter of money - while we'd love for people to pay us extra, the current situation with the free service is categorically not a way to 'force people to buy an FCT' - it's a problem with increased load on the free service, plain and simple.

My point was mainly that your post comes across as very critical in a general sense, without actually detailing what you're being critical of. It's hard for us to help improve your experience when you don't tell us where things are bad.

kind regards,

chris

 

[steve123]

How about bringing the game to the standard of taking advantage of GPUs like most other games
and in fact service packs are really to fix faults in the game or they would be called addons,we can read what each service pack fixes you no!
maybe people at Auran should go to bed at night with a recording on and continuely listen to the complaints of the people who are buying your product keeping you in a job and your families feed and just maybe it might sink in ? that people are not happy and before you say what people take a look at the forum the last few months it isnt rocket science to see,
fix what you have at hand then worry about other platforms to enter into.
word of mouth will make you or break you, all the advertisement means jack crap if the product is a nightmare to start with.
And as far as downloads content manager v3.3 is a joke dead set discracefull

 

[2995Valliant]

@steve123 - from where I'm sat a) CMP3.3 works absolutely fine and b) most of the complaints originate from a small but vocal minority.

I'm not saying for a minute that those with a problem shouldn't speak out about it, but it can give a false impression of how many people are unhappy.

Happy punters don't post to tell everyone that they are content - fortunately. It would be a very boring and full forum if they did.

Regards,

Anthony

 

[backyard]

Who, must be hatin'...?

I just ran several hours. The route ran as expected, was very complex.

Please make sure you have done your homework including:

• Your computer software and operating system
• Your Internet Security Software & Firewall configuration
• Your computer hardware compatibility

To barely mention the fact that Australia is about twenty-years ahead of the US-America in Computer Information Technology(CIT). They have always known what's going on & have had access.

I'd look rather in, to determine how long you could be happy if suddenly you lose Internet Access due to the economy or Internet Provider supplied incentives to just turn the darn thing off, because they have control.

 

[BigThing]

Even if it's only TS2010EE, one million people trying to hammer the download station at once is going to cause some jams, nothing much Auran can do about that.

Actually, there is something auran can do... If they used some of the revenue from the "1 million copies sold" to buy some more servers, then download speeds would increase massively

@steve123 - from where I'm sat a) CMP3.3 works absolutely fine and b) most of the complaints originate from a small but vocal minority.

I'm not saying for a minute that those with a problem shouldn't speak out about it, but it can give a false impression of how many people are unhappy.

Happy punters don't post to tell everyone that they are content - fortunately. It would be a very boring and full forum if they did.

Regards,

Anthony

Perhaps auran should create a survey to see exacally what percentage of users are in this "small minority"?

 

[stovepipe]

I don't suppose they need to - Auran know how many copies they have sold, and how many people are connecting to their servers through CMP or in game.

They also know how many helpdesk requests they get and how many of those are easily resolved (i.e some type of user error). So leaving aside those who use a non-internet connected PC, I imagine they have a pretty good idea of what is going on already. I don't suppose 10 to 20 people venting on a forum, often with incorrect facts, make up a significant percentage of the total number of users.

:wave:

 

[Euphod]

I don't understand....can you download from the DLS if you haven't registered your game? I don't refer just to 2010, I mean any Trainz game....UTC....2004...etc...

 

[Pellerijn]

I don't understand....can you download from the DLS if you haven't registered your game? I don't refer just to 2010, I mean any Trainz game....UTC....2004...etc...

Nope, you can't.

 

[Euphod]

Then this talk of a million users is pure wishful thinking. By my calculations there are only about 390,000 users. Some of them will not be downloading, some of them no longer play the game(s), and some of them use FCT's, so you're telling me the servers they have can't handle less than 390,000 users?
I think the "Hello Kitty" download server can do better than that!:hehe:

 

[Pellerijn]

Then this talk of a million users is pure wishful thinking. By my calculations there are only about 390,000 users. Some of them will not be downloading, some of them no longer play the game(s), and some of them use FCT's, so you're telling me the servers they have can't handle less than 390,000 users?
I think the "Hello Kitty" download server can do better than that!:hehe:

Registering your Trainz copy isn't the same as creating an account on the forums. It is not a one-on-one comparison as far as I know.

 

[steve123]

Please dont get me wrong i believe that Trainz is a good game .....but if i was to buy that game for someone i or they would not be happy with the faulty assets out of the box and that why i say if the game run the way it should it would not need service packs .
The fact is service packs are statement enough that the game isnt right out of the box no matter how much you wish to shine it up.
If you purchased anything as a presant for your child and it wasn't right you would take it back
not sit there and think well that company will come good in a few weeks
you will take it back
so why does Auran think that its ok to sell games that require service pack to fix it .what is right and what is wrong is easy to fix the best way is to tell the truth to start with
steve

 

[stovepipe]

would not be happy with the faulty assets out of the box............... the best way is to tell the truth to start with
steve

Which are the faulty assets out of the box?

You know this has been done to death on here, the official line being there are no faulty assets out of the box. If you know different then Auran are very pleased to hear about them.