Interest-Trainz

[7121239]

Hi all,
I have been a Trainzer for........what........5/6 years, seems longer. I don't create anything and appreciate everything that has been created for the programme. I have read the Forum chat on a daily basis and have always found something of interest or interesting to read and think about. Sometimes I have posted, been supported, been shot down in flames, and sometimes enlightened..............
Yes, there have been the Forum crashes and the loss of so much valuable material, and of the course the most recent finacial problems.........will Auran survive....etc....etc, but ................I will continue to use and enjoy the software Auran has given to me. You cannot take the software away and it works without any backup, and with or without DLS, it will still work........the feel I get from the Forum today is that something has been taken away when in fact this is not the case.
For the first time ever, however, I visited the Forum and found that there was nothing I wanted to read or look at - in fact the content was totally boring , and has really been so for some time. Is this what the content of the Forum has come to... I know from my long-term membership how many highly qualified members there are out there, but the site seems to have been hi-jacked by the un-informed/ill-informed who seem to have taken over.........there is the odd comment from the vastly experienced.....but this is not obviously appreciated or obviously noted. One can appreciate the generational thing where the next generation begins to take over, but suddenly the Forum has lost all knowledge. Many questions being asked are already covered if only the members concerned would bother to make an effort to check them out.......
I'm not going to come out with the 'Im leaving stuff' because it is simply attention seeking - I am here for the duration........but the content of the Forum was much more vibrant in the past and could and should be in the future..........
You make a statement like this and are usually, in this Forum, criticised and shot down in flames - quite simply, I don't care. I moderate many other Forums more connected with my core business and can handle the pressure. Reaction usually means that you have hit a nerve.

Best Regards to all,

Ian
71212139

 

[Mike10]

It seems to go in cycles. The forum is busiest when we are getting our heads around the new releases. What has changed, how can we use the new features, what's broken, what's fixed, what's good, what's bad.... all that sort of thing.

A lot of people seem to come here to post and only read their own threads to my mind without even looking at what is already here (look at how many duplicate topics we get, many on the same day sometimes). The search option doesn't seem to enter their thoughts. But anyway, that's digressing from your point a little.

Mike.

 

[7121239]

Thanks Mike10 for your rsponse.

Ian
7121239

 

[CasyJ]

People come, people go, nothing ever remains the same, love it or leave it.

 

[Apogee10]

I have been a Trainzer and a member of the Forum for 6 years. When I joined everyone was using UTC. Since then we have progressed through TRS2004, TRS2006, and TC. When I first joined most of the threads in the Forum involved gmax, content creation, route building, and Trainz operation. Ninety percent of what I know today about gmax and route building I learned from the Forum. As new versions of Trainz were created they became more complex with greatly expanded capabilities. The learning curves were steep and combined with "birthing problems" and the Forum began to address these problems. I have to agree that more searches should be done to reduce repetition of posts. I'd like to think that all the oldtimers that are still Trainzing are reading the Forum and are there to help when needed. I still read the Forum everyday even though I don't spend as much time creating content and Trainzing as I used to.
This program and the Forum have brought me many hours of enjoyment. I just ignore those posts that don't interest me.

Earl

 

[backyard]

It's a Global Community...

8) Hello Ian, thanks for the topic.

I have a history quite like yours...sometimes the devil is in the details...sometimes the Forum can be quite entertaining, and informative, with links to new and interesting topics.

The greatest bothers lately, are posters who use "chat" text, no concern of spelling or punctuation, grammar issues, out-and-out flaming, self appointed directors, and hyper-criticism.

I just posted a topic, on the Community Forum, on how to open the Trainz Classics website quickly, and using the New Posts function, and have decided to post something to that topic occasionally, for new users.

I have gained much from using these Forums, and wish to help add to the wealth of knowledge, as time goes by.

 

[7121239]

Hi Guys,
Good constructive comment - I'm sure things will brighten up.
Wouldn't be without Trainz.

Cheers

Ian
7121239

 

[Euphod]

I pretty much agree with everything that's been said here, but especially so with what Mike has said; the forum is cyclical. When we (I) get bored, we (I), tend to make un-necessary comments.
Ed

 

[Wessex_Electric_Nutter]

I pretty much agree with everything that's been said here, but especially so with what Mike has said; the forum is cyclical. When we (I) get bored, we (I), tend to make un-necessary comments.
Ed

I too, but the problem I think it is, isn't the older users, most seem to be a lot better in terms of the progrram, when I joined, I probably was the youngest, got invovled in more and more things and look where I am now.

The trouble with younger users, is they don't think logically, they don't take advice too well and generally mess up everything.

To be honest, the only thread I have found worth checking out, is the (insert country here) screenshot threads, but however, in the screenshot forums, I do feel that the subject areas are becomming stupidly nitpicking.
We have one for all UK trains, now we have one for PRE BR BLUE? (I think these should be merged, they are essentually the same).

Yes, we have arugments, yes we have fallouts, yes we all have different interpretations of whats right, whats wrong, whats organisation, whats disorganisation, but really, global communities are fragile and slipping up can be too easy. This place is one of them. As for the lack of content, this has been going on for some time, but somehow, I can't keep away from this forum.



My personal opinion and my freedom of speech worth of words.



EDIT: One thing I do get really annoyed about, is the fact that everyone keeps complaining about the DLS going down every weekend, why not send helldesk a message instead? They'd respond a lot quicker than on the forums.

 

[JCitron]

Ian,

I'm not and oldtimer, but I've been around here long enough to remember the heyday of the old forums. These are by far the quietest, and I too find some of the noobs to be, quite honest, rude in the way they request information or help. It must be the change in the users that are now buying the program and expecting a lot more for less, and typical of the younger generation, (not to stereo-type anybody here) they don't know how to ask nicely and thank anyone for help.

I too will stick this out and won't be leaving the forums anytime soon. The program has given me many hours of joy especially when I've been in the rough times. Hopefully things will work out for the better for Auran.

John

 

[Ferngren]

Compared to the old forum, most of the new and young users seem to disregard reading the manual and use the search-function on the forum. Posts are thrown out left and right so we get a heap of duplicate questions made in panic with really simple solutions like getting all dependencies and committing the asset.

I've never had a console like XBOX or Playstation but I imagine they're more like "plug 'n' play" and that's what people are used to these days.

I see many first-posts, so Trainz must be attractive. If only they could read the answers like you gentlemen said here...

Lets hope the Trainz-Team survive to make the next big release TRS2010 or something, then we'll have new issues to discuss. IMO, TC feels a bit like padding.

 

[7121239]

Hi all,
Some positive and interesting responses. It's great to hear that others have the same general thought patterns.
I am sure that the subject matter will improve.
Back to Trainz, however - wouldn't be without it...............

Cheers,

Ian
7121239

 

[Greg_Hargreaves]

This is a peacefull, warm-hearted thread. It seems like the last month people have been at each other's throats; this is a wonderfull change of pace, thank you.

I came in midway through TRS2004. I remeber watching the forums "expload" when '06 came out. New members, new ideas, and the same old problems (some new problems too). I watched Trainz die-hards leave, and new younglings replace them. I've seen others, like our trusty Euphod and others, stand strong and continue to promote a healthy enjoyment of trainz. I've also seen newcomers blow a gasget and leave prematurely.

I rember when I first joined the forum being a DLS contributer was like a status symbol, it caused me to work hard and actually finish a route and two MRL reskins. Now I prefer kitbashing the work of others for my own personal tastes and enjoyment. It is indeed interesting looking back at where we've been.

What will the next few years be like, I look forward to seeing...

Long live the best rail-sim out there, and long live its colorfull community!

 

[titaniclover]

I've been around scince...May 2005.

I was with the old forum for one year, and everyone respected me and helped me a lot. When the forum came back up it seamed the old boys never changed.

I find no interest in the forum usually. Nothing good to read nothing productive...It's really disapointing. But I'm still one of the top posters?!:hehe:

What ever the case, Trainz is a stable program for me, and I will stay if it still works for me, which it will.

My 2 cents worth.

Cheers,
Adam
TCS Route Builder

 

[wmmeyer]

I guess I'm another one. Been here thru UTC, TRS'04, and TRS'06. I post to the forums infrequently but generally read everything, and have learned a tremendous amount here. I also most enjoy the "kit-bashing" aspect of Trainz.

I also have noted the cyclic phenomenon on the forums. It seems to me that whenever a new version of Trainz (or patch) has been announced is when the down-swing starts. Everyone is "on hold" to see what works in the new version, how, and what doesn't work. Creations, tricks, tips, projects, etc, seem to dry up, some get bored, and the nastiness rears its ugly head. Once the new version is in the hands of the community everything picks up tremendously.

 

[0099]

Look out its a kid

Hello
This sounds kinda stupid but can i not be considered a kid If people arn't likeing the new kids and all that i fear i will get hated too...

Of course i may be completely wrong and please don't make this look like im hijacking the thread or anything...


Anthony

 

[Greg_Hargreaves]

This sounds kinda stupid but can i not be considered a kid If people arn't likeing the new kids and all that i fear i will get hated too...

Of course i may be completely wrong and please don't make this look like im hijacking the thread or anything...

Anthony

When '06 came out I noticed there was a lot of negativity towards new members of all ages. Some of the long standing forum members didn't like the way the community was changing. Unfortuantly many of the newer members are youths, thanks to Auran's marketing.

I hold every person on this forum to the same standards regardless of age: be respectfull to other forum members. There are many people here that are your own age. Most of us don't realize it until you (plural) say something or we are given a reason to check your profile.

Myself, I am 21. I was only 17 when I purchased TRS2004. No one here gave me any problems.

And for the record, you'll be called a kid for the rest of your life. My parents and their friends still refer to be as "The Kid", same goes for my wife and her parents.

I don't think this was grossly off-topic, it fits the general theme of the thread... (ducks from flying complaints and ignore lists) :hehe:

 

[wmmeyer]

Anthony,

I don't consider you a kid, I consider you a fellow Trainzer posting to "our" forum (as in your's and mine). I'm glad you're here, and hope you have a long, enjoyable adventure in Trainz, and contribute many good things for the community to use: content, ideas, information, help for the Newbies, etc, etc. I can only speak for myself, but I would be shocked if the vast majority of forum memebers didn't feel pretty much the same.

Bill

 

[414Scootermon]

Hello, just joined within the past month. Spent al lot of time reading all the form material that I could find as I waited for my 1 gig ram stick to arrive. Just want to say that I find all the posts to be interesting, personal, helpful - as I digest all your inputs, and some even helping this "new" to TRAINZ user. Still finding out just what I have purchased as I sniff out all the nooks and crannies of the software. Yes, found out that hardware power does count. Model railroader for many years. Still am. Now "stretching" myself with TRAINZ. Thanks for all your inputs.

414Scooterman, Wisconsin

 

[mononlaf]

Part of what we are talking about is a matter of perspective - long-time participants in this forum see a lot of rehashing of the same old thing, I'm sure. But people new to Trainz find a lot of gaps in the manuals that accompany it - run into problems, and this is a valuable site for them.

I'm an on-again-off-again reader of this forum. Usually come in when I encounter a problem and look for a solution. Usually find it, too. But I also usually have to start a new thread to ask what probably is an old question. Maybe I don't know how to search effectively, but if a thread has a meaningless name or if a well-named thread branches off into other topics, which a lot do, it's pretty hard to find what you are looking for. Searching on just a word or phrase in all posts results in a discouragingly vast amount of threads - and then you have to look through all the posts in a thread to find the one with the word in it, and then I usually find it has nothing to do with my particular problem.

Yeah, I'm bothered by occasional rude comments and by careless typing, excessive abbreviation, etc., but if I'm after answers to a question, I can just ignore that stuff. It does not bother me to encounter the same topics in multiple threads - there is usually at least one useful bit of information that can be gleaned from each.

The thing that does bother me is the amount of griping that goes on. Too many threads that start out with genuine interest in some topic just degenerate into a non-productive gripe session. This thread has a good bit of griping in it, but it is not just bashing Auran and Trainz -- it has a constructive goal, of getting people to think about what this forum is for and how it ought to be conducted.

There are a lot of good people on this forum, and I look to it as the Source of all wisdom re: Trainz. Auran has reduced their support of Trainz, and we less-knowledgeable Trainzers really need the help of the truly knowledgeable and experienced, so I hope they won't leave in frustration.

Dick