Trainz Chat closing....

[colhad]

Well, it is a sad day folks.

From 9am tomorrow, Trainz Chat will cease to exist. I know this comes across as a disgraceful bit of news, it gives me great sadness to report this tragic event.

I don't normally have a go at Auran, but I feel I have to voice my disapproval at this act of let's say, "stupidity".

A big part of the Trainz community is going down the drain just like that, I must say that my respect for Auran has diminished somewhat due to this.

All those who come into chat and need to voice your disapproval, let Auran know what you think in this thread.

Auran, you need to wake up to yourselves.

 

[Tony_Hilliam]

Hi Colhad. As they say in the Classics - as one Chapter closes, another Chapter opens.....

I think you're missing a big part of the reasoning behind the closure of the Trainz Chat server. Trainz Chat, along with the general forums, screenshot forums etc are seen and used only by a small fraction of the overall Trainz community. With Trainz 2009, we are implementing some fantastic new in-game features that are designed to expose the broader Trainz community to galleries, forums, online help and of course chat.

If you want to create your own IRC chat, feel free. What we would prefer is that you visit us in game once the new systems are up and running.

The reason for closing now is that we are migrating servers and in fact the forums will go down for a hsort period whilst this process is happening as well.

Cheers

Tony

 

[Boweavel]

Thanks for the advanced warning!! 12 hours to say goodbye to friends ive made over the last 8 years through your chat ??? THANKS!!!

Yet another brilliant Auran (tm) idea...

To those in the chat that I dont catch in the next 12 hours.. Take care, good luck and Cheers for the years of fun and conversations !
You wont see me in Trainz 09 chatting because when im in a game like trainz.. im driving a Train or surveying, not sitting with a full game running just to chat!

Sad day... :'(

 

[0099]

Boweavel you might find it could be a in-game chat or something similar. Still not as good though.

 

[Remilliard]

What is going to happen to the people twho do not want to buy TS2009 (yet)? No more chat for those old reliable customers I guess?

 

[Dermmy]

...in fact the forums will go down for a hsort period whilst this process is happening as well...

Yep - let's do the whole 06 'alienate the community' thing again - just once you'd think they might learn something..

Andy

 

[Callum027]

Well, I don't see the point of opening the game just to talk to my friends when my IRC client automatically starts up. The IRC channel is a huge part of the community for a lot of people, some people don't seem to notice that. Even though it is being replaced, the in-game chat is not convenient when your not actually playing the game. That's a HUGE flaw.

 

[steamdrivre]

Sometimes change is good... You chat people must know how I felt when Auran announced that they will no longer support TRS '04.:'(

We'll see...

 

[Callum027]

Sometimes change is good... You chat people must know how I felt when Auran announced that they will no longer support TRS '04.:'(

We'll see...

Well, let's be honest, that would be inevitable due to the age of TRS2004. The IRC channel cannot be replaced and rendered obsolete as easily.

EDIT: Well, no one else wanted to do this so I will do it. New channels have been created as unofficial replacements for Auran, there are only two I know about right now: rcamp42's (irc://austchat.net/trainz) and WileeCoyote's (hasn't been set up yet and I don't know the address to it, but when I get it I will put it up here.)

So yeah, just put this here to know that people in the community DO care alot about the IRC channel and don't see the built-in chat in TS2009 as an adequate replacement. There will likely be a dozen replacements due to the huge backlash aswell, so this post will fill up quickly. =P

 

[Wessex_Electric_Nutter]

I think you're missing a big part of the reasoning behind the closure of the Trainz Chat server. Trainz Chat, along with the general forums, screenshot forums etc are seen and used only by a small fraction of the overall Trainz community. With Trainz 2009, we are implementing some fantastic new in-game features that are designed to expose the broader Trainz community to galleries, forums, online help and of course chat.

No Tony, it won't be better, because you have missed one very important part for some of us. Some of us actually spend more time outside Trainz. Not because we want to, but we spend hours and hours creating for the program. You cannot realistically have 09+chat open, while having a 3D graphics tool (and a graphics manipulating tool) open at the same time.

What this looks like to me, as Colhad says, its another stupid idea. The reason being is that you are forcing us to use trainz just to chat. I'd be happy if you had a small tool that connects to the same server though, so may everyone else.
And the lack of notice.....
I can't argue with the T&Cs though.

 

[Smileyman]

Well, I've never used the chat in all the years I've been here, so I'm not going to miss it, but I do feel sorry for those that do.

I know some of you use it more than you use Trainz, and you have my sympathy.

I've mentioned several times over the last couple of months how Tony seems to want everyone to use the "browser" feature of TRS2009 as much as possible, and with the chat being moved over to "in-game" it has now become worrying.

Are the forums next to be moved over to the in-game browser?
I can tell you now, if ever access to these forums was limited to the in-game browser, then it would be goodbye from me, and you'd only catch me over at First Class Trainz' forum.

Tony, you may be proud of your in-game browser (as you're always bashing on about it, every chance you get), but didn't you learn from Trainz Exchange that the majority of people do not want to use the software this way.

"Tip of the iceberg", "Thin end of the wedge", and other clichés.

 

[pommie]

OK who put the cart in front of the horse

Because they are putting a chat client into 09 Which is not for sale yet they are closing the chat immediately, "sheesh, way to go Auran"
Now just why would I want to have 09 dragging most of my resources when I am manipulating rather large images (yes I have a life outside of trainz).
Ever tried to have trainz running and do the usual o/s maintenance, defragging/virii & spyware checking etc, well I did just for a laugh, the first time trainz accessed the drive everything just froze :hehe: where as a chat client makes no difference.

I am close to giving trainz away completely and this just could be that straw that is mentioned in cases like this.

Cheers David

 

[Wessex_Electric_Nutter]

I am close to giving trainz away completely and this just could be that straw that is mentioned in cases like this.

Cheers David

David, it seems to be the classic case of "companies do not respect repeat customers.". If you have a product, it is easy to keep repeat customers, than to bring in new ones. (Business model, I learnt that when I studied "Customer Care".). Of course, you don't have to give into them, but when you start taking resources away that repeat customers use, with little notice. Then thats when you need to be careful, as you are most likely to loose customers.

On the other hand,

GREG LANE!!! PLEASE COME BACK!!! ALL IS FORGIVEN!!!!


(Member since 14th August 2000)

 

[rcamp42]

New Trainz Chatroom up and running


Ok, there s an unofficial trainz site, it is at irc.austchat.net #trainz

OK who put the cart in front of the horse

Because they are putting a chat client into 09 Which is not for sale yet they are closing the chat immediately, "sheesh, way to go Auran"
Now just why would I want to have 09 dragging most of my resources when I am manipulating rather large images (yes I have a life outside of trainz).
Ever tried to have trainz running and do the usual o/s maintenance, defragging/virii & spyware checking etc, well I did just for a laugh, the first time trainz accessed the drive everything just froze :hehe: where as a chat client makes no difference.

I am close to giving trainz away completely and this just could be that straw that is mentioned in cases like this.

Cheers David

 

[Electro]

INGAME chat is NOT an option because there is no way in hell im going to have TRS open 24/7 while trying to model or play other games while talking to friends on #trainz , as far as im concerned closeing the chat room is the most stupid idea Auran as had since Fury so i am disapointed as the rest of the people that use the chat room.

 

[colhad]

Ok, there s an unofficial trainz site, it is at irc.austchat.net #trainz

Just tried it, no one there.

 

[Electro]

Colhad click on the link in POST 9 on first page

 

[PerRock]

A quick pot before work...longer one (if this thread is still here) when I get back.

The chat to me was like the one place I could still feel connected to the community after I started getting fed up with all the critizim and such going on in the forums. with it gone (and there is no way I'll sit and have 09 running 24-7) I guess it will be time to move on from this community (this isn't final)

to all who won't be in from the time I come back to work and when it all goes down: Good Bye! I will miss you.

peter

 

[eldavo]

I've only ever been a very infrequent visitor but this is yet another example of Auran's razor-sharp marketing and customer relationship management. Jeez...

Cheers
Dave

 

[Tony_Hilliam]

Wow. There's no doubt that passion runs deep in the Trainz community. Is there something special or unique I am missing about the Trainz chat that I have missed? We have not taken away people's rights to chat outside the game, just a piece hardware that is easily replaceable. And we're replacing that with something available to every Trainz user.

I believe that the key element of a chat channel is not the hardware that hosts the channel nor the software that runs it, but rather it's about the people that use it. It is about making the chat channel accessible to all Trainz fans and building a community. The current channel is probably not even known about by the vast majority of Trainz fans. We need to change that situation.

It is true that I promote the in-game browser and chat systems for 2009. The reason is that currently I see many thousands of people who love trains and Trainz but are at a loss how to take full advantage of the software. Many Trainz fans have one 3D application installed on their PC and that is Trainz. I would estimate 90%+ of our Trainz users have NEVER installed or used an IRC program (and a slightly smaller percentage would even know what IRC is or does). Certainly less than 10% ever post on the forums and that doesn't require the installation of any new software.

One of our goals with 2009 is to encourage more people to find out more about Trainz, chat online and finds ways to share their experiences with others. That is not going to happen outside the game as quickly and as easily as we hope it will inside the game.

For those that are more computer literate, there are no problems in establishing their own communication mediums. Hopefully they will also find it interesting and beneficial to the ongoing succes of Trainz to (even occasionally) talk to other new users inside Trainz who are stuggling with the nuances of perhaps their first 3D game experience.

Yes there is an overhead for opening Trainz and running the chat system, but it takes less than 10 seconds to open the launcher and uses a similar memory footprint to this Firefox browser I am typing in right now. Whilst in the 3D game (driving or route building), it still uses a small footprint. The difference is that this system will be a mouse click away from all Trainz users.

As I have said, we're not taking away people's ability to meet and chat on traditional chat channels, but rather we're adding a new mode that is far more accessible to the masses. Hopefully we'll see a much larger community sharing their experiences as a result.

Tony