Trainz in the Beginning

[ish6]

I remember when the engines used to use "start-up" sounds.

The original download station still works, which I find funny.

Orignal Trainz Download Station

This brings back memories ---I guess since those times, my life has changed so much, that I think back to the first trainz product!! :wave:

Ish

 

[SuperFudd]

Gotta love that hot rodded F unit with the grill and the flame paint job.

 

[colhad]

What gets me is that some of those locos pictured were never released in the original installment. The Western, The Crocodile, The Whale, that German shunter.

They were released on the Content Creator's CD a few years ago.

 

[Johnk]

Things were different in those days colhad. Trainz was still a concept, a dream and an adventure for all of us. The images on the web page were as much things of the future as they were realities of the day. They were Auran saying "this is where our dream can lead us with your support!"

The web site was online for a year before the first version of Trainz was released and I joined the forums many months, maybe a year before version 1 finally surfaced.

The forums were all about "What if? rather than "Why?", but we still had our weirdo's. I remember one guy telling us on a daily basis that he had completed "Hogwhaterver's Express complete with platform 9.5 well before Trainz was even released. There was magic like that everywhere!

Everyone was aware what the first version would bring, because we were constantly updated. The manager at the time, Dr Burns (I think) was a regular contributor on the forums and we all listened to what he had to say. There was also a very popular Off Topic section.

Today, we have very little idea what Auran is up to. Tony Hilliam, our last real contact with the company left us a few months ago, so today we rely on posts by Spiffy and Zec. and occasionally Nightwish(?) who is the cheif programmer. I have no idea where Spiffy and Zec fit into the equation, thus I tend to treat their posts as promotional rather than anything else (Sorry guys!)

Trainz was once based on a Community effort. Auran produced the core and we the community, produced most (not all) of the content. Auran graciously allowed the rest of us to share that content by downloading it from the (then totally free) DLS.

Of course, today all that is history.

 

[amigacooke]

Things were different in those days colhad. Trainz was still a concept, a dream and an adventure for all of us. The images on the web page were as much things of the future as they were realities of the day. They were Auran saying "this is where our dream can lead us with your support!"

The web site was online for a year before the first version of Trainz was released and I joined the forums many months, maybe a year before version 1 finally surfaced.

The forums were all about "What if? rather than "Why?", but we still had our weirdo's. I remember one guy telling us on a daily basis that he had completed "Hogwhaterver's Express complete with platform 9.5 well before Trainz was even released. There was magic like that everywhere!

Everyone was aware what the first version would bring, because we were constantly updated. The manager at the time, Dr Burns (I think) was a regular contributor on the forums and we all listened to what he had to say. There was also a very popular Off Topic section.

Today, we have very little idea what Auran is up to. Tony Hilliam, our last real contact with the company left us a few months ago, so today we rely on posts by Spiffy and Zec. and occasionally Nightwish(?) who is the cheif programmer. I have no idea where Spiffy and Zec fit into the equation, thus I tend to treat their posts as promotional rather than anything else (Sorry guys!)

Trainz was once based on a Community effort. Auran produced the core and we the community, produced most (not all) of the content. Auran graciously allowed the rest of us to share that content by downloading it from the (then totally free) DLS.

Of course, today all that is history.

Not all of it.

There is still a community manager even if John Banks (Burns?, excellent) has morphed into Mike Crossman (Spiffy), who is assisted by Zec on forums and helpdesk.

TrainzDev and Auran announcements give a pretty good idea of where Trainz is going with technical steers from the chief programmer (WindWalkr).

Trainz is still based on community effort, Auran still tweaking the core and the community (the patient part) still producing the vast majority of the content.

Sure much has changed, but much is still the same.

Hmm, this thread is getting very verbose for a screenshot one.

 

[Johnk]

amigacooke, thanks for being diplomatic with your corrections. Dr. John Banks indeed, and sorry for calling Windwalkr Nightwish. Your comments about Spiffy and Zec I take on hand, but the rest I disagree with. The community spirit has long gone for most. Trainz is now a totally commercial product that relies heavily on it's devoted community for generating the bulk of the assets which are then on-sold. The fact that some shaped download bandwidth is offered for free is of little importance if you read the thousand or so complaints on this forum this year alone.

You know, I never noticed this was a Screenshots thread until you mentioned it. I search the forums using the daily posts feature under Quicklinks rather than visit specific threads. You definately score 2 out of 3 in my book.

 

[amigacooke]

The community spirit has long gone for most.

Most haven't been around long enough to know what it was like back at the dawn of time and therefore can't miss what they don't know. For the rest of us, I don't think there was any possible way for either Auran or the Trainz community to keep that spirit in the face of an expanding userbase, commercial reality and disappointed/raised expectations.

Trainz is now a totally commercial product that relies heavily on it's devoted community for generating the bulk of the assets which are then on-sold.

I think Trainz always was a totally commercial product and 'old' Auran expended more effort hiding it than now. In fact I think 'new' Auran are probably just a little bit more honest on that front.

One of my favourite Trainz shots. This was way back in the UTC era if I remember correctly, when steam locos sounded strangely like diesels.

 

[clam1952]

Most haven't been around long enough to know what it was like back at the dawn of time and therefore can't miss what they don't know.

Well I have only been here just on a year but have picked up on the old spirit be it somewhat shaded by certain of the newer generation.

It's not a unique problem, and infinitely worse on several of the forums I use and used to use which are suffering problems with the I want it now, must have, I want everything for free, rant and rave when its not quite right without finding out the facts first attitude that seems to prevail on the web these days, it's even hit Linux Forums / Communities.

What used to be known as "netiquette" seems to be lacking these days, as does a basic understand of how difficult and time consuming it can be create or program anything on a computer and I suspect an increasing number of people who assume that a PC is just another electronic thing like a TV or DVD player that you just plug in and go. everything works and requires no maintenance or housekeeping!
90% of the time I have had problems on a Computer it's something I did or didn't do that caused it, not the equipment or the software.

In my opinion, rather than just giving up and leaving as some appear to have done, It's really up to the more established users of any forum to educate by example, difficult as it may be when they ain't listening!

Suspect this thread may soon get moved to a more appropriate place. :hehe:

 

[cam123456789]

I've got version 1.3 now! but I am getting TRS2009!

CAN'T WAIT

 

[Electro]

Damn thing's have changed since i started Trainz,

But some things never change and never will.
But life goes on and so does Trainz :hehe:
I have been around since 2002 i dont realy post much
as i nearly all ways found what i needed when searching the forums.
It's a pity the old forum is not around as it had a lot of valuable answer's to alot of Question's.
But again thats life and we all move on.

Poul