REMEMBERING THE OLD FORUM :

[deeelare]

We can speculate on why it crashed, but that is a mute point, it is gone !
But I see no reason we cannot tell of what a wonderful forum it was back then ?

Prior to the crash --

They were to me the very happy, happy days in Trainzland, and the members then were a very happy, happy group of individuals. There were differences of opinions, of course, a bashing between members every now and again, but as I remember, there was always a reconciliation quickly posted !

We had the avatar updates , when one reached a certain plateau in posts. And if a member was approaching this plateau, you could certainly expect a waffle or two, or three ! These were to me the funny , funny times in Trainzland !

There were/are very talented members, but this is about the ones who are no longer on the forum, some sadly passed away, but in total they all were contributers , they made content, they wrote utility programs,they compiled Bat.files, they wrote tutorials, they created scenarios, they totally committed themselves to Trainz. But that was then, not all of them have left, but many have moved to other forums . They never posted a "good-bye thread", they never had to, we realized they were gone , and these to me were the sad, sad days in Trainzland !

As far as the "Christmas present members", they seem to leave as quickly as they arrive, and are not a concern to me !

Some of the "old-timers" are slowly reappearing, someday will they all return ? The Bossman (aka Tony), assures me that they will ??
To me it will be a happy, happy day in Trainzland once again !

My most serious thoughts ---DLR

 

[Euphod]

I don't really know if it was much different than it is now, except the people we remember fondly have come and gone, and they can't be replaced. It's right to remember good times past though, as it honors those no longer with us.

We are supposed to embrace change, I suppose because there is no alternative. Just when life is comfortable and warm the dog dies, the car fries,....or worse. I guess there are times to reflect and feel cozy and safe, and times to venture out where it's messy and unknown.

If it were up to me I'd never leave the house!

 

[sethmcs]

My memories of the old forum.....

My memories of the old forum.....

When I first joined the old forum I just discovered TRS2004 in the cheap bin of Staples office store. I rarely posted and was searching on how to make an old computer with on board video run Trainz. The old forum had all kinds of technical info in its day. Then the crash! I checked the download station daily for months on end until November 2006 the Trainz Classics forum reappeared.

The new forum is just a continuation of the old forum with a couple months lag in between. Although I can never be absolutely sure, I bet if the forum never crashed we would have a forum similar to the one today. Why? Some members leave and new ones take their place. I too miss some of the members of the old forum but there is no guarentee that they would be here with us today anyway.

Just my thoughts........

 

[titaniclover]

I was not around the forum too long but I was near the very end starting to become active. I remember it all too well and remember being a very cheerful atmosphere, here when I first came was cold and dull...still is in a lot of ways.

We wont have the feeling of the old forums for a long time...some are trying to repair this but I feel it is just trying to be forgotton by so many. We learn from our mistakes in the past and put them to use in the future/present...a lot of info was lost...thousands and thousands of pages.

When I came to the forums, it was my first time at or being part of an online community. I was welcome warmly and tried to be part of the group. Now that I look back and laugh at the foolish attempts to become part of the community. :hehe:

I find so many communitys that just dont have the same feeling as here....its just one of those things. They are like lifeless...really disapointing.

I feel it is an honor to be here and be active within the community....with 2,278 posts and 3rd in the post count number list (wow...I really do talk too much) its just amazing to see how I got this far.:hehe:

I can't wait to see myself in collage still with this game and community and looking back at it all thinking...wow what a ride. Many will I think.

My 2 cents:wave:

Cheers,
Adam

 

[atsfrr3000]

I agree, there was something about the old forums that the current ones just don't seem to have. It's really hard to put a finger on exactly what's missing, and I won't dare to try...it just doesn't feel the same, somehow.

 

[ZapperJet]

It seems after the forums crashed, most of the "Trainz Elders" (not meaning old, just meaning being here from the start) disappeared, and were replaced by a newer crowd. But that's another story.

Cheerio,
John

 

[AJ_Fox]

Hey All

Not trying to rain on anybody's parade here but a similar thread has been already locked. As it was pointed out before by another Moderator, this type of thread has a tendency to turn into a diss fest, and while the posts before are friendly and constructive here, there is the potential for a thread like this to go downhill fast. What happens beyond one's control is just that, so let's all remember this please.

Cheers

AJ

 

[JCitron]

You've all said what I was going to say in many ways better than I could. Anyway that "something missing feeling" is the same kind of "something missing feeling" when you go into a new house. The floors are all shiny and new, the carpet is clean, everything is neat and in its place. The old forums was like an old bungalow where everyone hung around the kitchen drinking beers and soda and discussing Trainz stuff and anything else that came to our minds. In a sense almost like an old pub if you could picture a Trainz pub somewhere.

Once the code of silence hit after the old forum crashed, it was as though the party was over and everyone went home with only a few to return to check out the new renovations. There is the new crowd coming in, but it's definitely not the same as it used to be, but perhaps in a few years (if the forums are still around) this forum will be similar to the old kitchen in the bungalow where we're all sitting around the kitchen table discussing Trainz and stuff.

John

 

[Mike10]

Don't get me wrong, I've got nothing against remembering the old forum. The locked thread in question, however, was specifically about "what exactly caused the old forum to crash?" that is a recipe for a downhill thread though IMHO.

Mike.

 

[atsfrr3000]

Kitchens and beers and sock-surfable-polished floors...

Well said.

 

[freightcar2]

Reading these posts makes me wish that I was a member of the old forums. They certainly seemed fun in those days.:'( But there's nothing we can do...:'(

 

[jadebullet]

I have to say that i havent been a part of the old forums but i do know what you are talking about. I play warhammer 40k and i used to go on to a site called thewarp.net Well it went down for about a year with no warning, and no explanation. When it finally came back online alot of the people had left. It just didnt feel the same. but on the other hand, because i have never been on the old forum, i have to say that i really enjoy this forum.

 

[backyard]

Booking Lackwards...

No, let's not go there, 'cause we're here...we are so beyond that...

Deeelare, I asked this thread locked, because the content of the old Auran Forum, contains info not pertanent to today.

The old Auran Forums now lost to whoever save pages, pertaines to two legacy editions.

Some of the links, don't even work.

Let's just move on Forward...The Magic Bus, from the San Francisco era, you see now and then!

Thank You Deeelare, for bringing this up, and realise, even today's computors, were just dreams then...

 

[Laddie]

Hey guys.
I was part of the old forum. This forum is one of the reasons i gave up with trainz. The forum, in my opinion, became dormant..... and i lost all interest in it and ultimatly gave up with trainz.

How is everyone?

Cheers
Michael

 

[angelah]

The people

It is not the new concept of a forum, it is the way people react to it that makes it light and breezy or dull and boring.

If it is dull then we have ourselves to blame.

Maybe there is too much moaning and not enough positive reaction now?

It is no good complaining about this, we are lucky to have an excellent forum in my view and be able to make good use of it.

I remember the way things were, but they have changed, Auran has changed, in fact I have changed! But we can all still post and be happy if we wish, that is up to us, not Auran or 'the powers that be'.

I think we are very lucky to have so much useful interaction on here and am delighted it is still up and running.

Stop complaining, yearning for 'old' days, make this forum the best there is, it is not such a difficult job and entirely in our hands.

Hip, hip hooray for Auran and this amazing interface we can all enjoy.

Angela

 

[leeferr]

I too remember the old forum fondly, but I think that is because I was new to Trainz and it was all so exciting. I don't think that the forum has changed as much as we have changed. People always tend to remember the past a little different than it actually was. We tend to embellish the good things and subdue the bad. The old forum had it's good days and it's bad days. I remember my childhood fondly, but those days are gone and each new day is an adventure. I try not to live in the past, but for what adventure awaits me tomorrow.

 

[colhad]

We lost an old forum, we gained a new one. Life goes on you know.:hehe:

 

[Barney]

As some of you know, I was here from the day one and yes, we were a very happy bunch. It may sound odd, but I feel we were happier and had more fun during the times when there was no Trainz, just this forum and a bunch of pictures and other teasers prepared by the Auran team. And then... the movies appeared, some of them ending with now famous Rob Shaw's saying - "That's all there is to it"

Many things were "invented" there and then. Stuff like the "Drool Mop (tm)", "Beer Train (tm)", even the "Brew Crew (tm)". Things that are still here with us one way or another.

And the only thing that really happened is time. Yes. Time. Something we cannot stop or change. The clock ticks, the great gig in the sky gets ever closer, the magic that once was is now left behind. In the past, where it belongs. I will always remember it fondly.

So, the time is to move forward. The new generations are here to carry the baton into the next decade. Don't get me wrong. Forum "oldies" are still here and in greater numbers than you probably imagine. They are just not as active as they used to be. It's the same as with the real world. Generations change. Those who were making noise outgrew their Trainz puberty years and are now in the middle age. In ten years time we will be real Trainz oldies, todays youngsters will be middle aged gentleman and new generation will step onto the scene. Probably asking the same questions we were asking in the year 2000.

That is how it should be, and I am quite happy with it. As long as I can hop into a Trainz locomotive, push (or pull) the lever and start moving along the tracks to infinity.

Thank you for reading this, gents.

Barney aka Sinister Fat Controller (tm) aka Trainz Fan until the last breath

 

[seward]

I was also one of the Original Forum's Members, I enjoyed the banter and all the technical information that was so freely shared between the members.

I remember how excieted I was when I got the "Whale", and then moved on. Can't remember exactly how many posts I'd written before the crash, but it was a hell of a lot.

I don't post so frequently here as I used to, and I have noticed a lot of changes, some good, some not so good.

However, we still have a Community which is priceless to some of us, as is, Trainz itself.

It has given me so many hours (days, weeks, months?) of enjoyment, and long may it continue.

 

[seeseeme]

I have to say that I agree with everyones comments here with words I can not really match. i too have been here for some time, 6 years coming up soon :hehe: .

Though I thought I would say that when I look at layouts on the DLS now days, I look at the "contributors" to the layout. I see all the names and many of them from the early days of Trainz and some of members we do not see today. I then think about these people and all the fun we had on the old forum. Many are still around today but with other Trainz forums and sometimes they pop in for a "cup of tea" and share there knowledge again with us.

Craig