Thank you for your comments Tony much appreciated. Over the past few months my eagerness to read the Trainz Weekly News has definitely subsided but as others have written new release time does tend to focus both effort the news. With hindsight I also think that a lot more news is now being shared by the Team on the Forum than perhaps it has been previously resulting currently in the Trainz Weekly News having a little less impact for those who use the Forum frequently which I for one am very guilty of. Peter
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Trainz Weekly News
- Thread starter wilts747
- Start date
The latest newsletter had the following information for Readers:
- updated USRA Light Pacific TRS19
- info on Gold and Silver Class DLC listing for October TRS19
- new product release on iOS
- screenshots ALL TRS19
- info on TurfFX samples TRS19
The only marketing is the DLC info but I’m not sure how we can advise customers and potential customers of what is newly available.
We we have said we’re polishing TRS19 and preparing the additional builtin content for release. If we put a date on the release and miss it, people are disappointed. If we release it on a specific date and it isn’t ready people are disappointed. Therefore we release the information when we know things are ready.
The scroll bar is your friend - not interested in something, scroll on. But for those that are interested, click to expand.
Unsubscribing will ensure you avoid seeing product release info but you will also miss out on sales notifications, and detailed news when we do have more details to share.
If there are other things you would like to see included each week then please let us know.
I'm not opposed to information about TRS19 in the newsletter but I would like to see a bit of balance.
The product, and how it is presented, may be part of the issue. I have another hobby - Amateur Radio (Ham). It is very technical. Esoteric antenna design, complex signal processing, etc. It is quite geeky with social overtones. Since I was in High School I ENJOYED, and continue to LOOK FORWARD to, getting catalogs describing the latest radios, antennas, operating techniques, etc. It was fun and a valuable learning experience. I used that experience to engage in a long career in the computer industry. Today I continue to enjoy, and look with anticipation, for information on the latest stuff. I love those adverts.
Now, the Trainz series is a different animal. Very little technical technical knowledge is needed. No Federal Communications license is needed. There is no monthly magazine and catalogs are online. There is little technical challenge since everything is virtual and can be created, or destroyed, at the whim of the customer. You can touch nothing. The most obvious technical involvement is in scripting and artistry. A very small percentage of the customer base is involved in creation and/or modification. Another way of looking at it is that they have little "skin in the game" beyond their initial purchase. So most alter existing routes, build their own, or just ride the rails.
So, where is the excitement in seeing the high percentage of commercial propaganda in a newsletter. Similar propaganda in more engaging hobbies is eagerly anticipated. Here it is simply ignored, or rejected as clutter.
There was a fork in the N3V road when they decided to re-purpose and re-label their product as a game rather than a simulator. The potential customer base was significantly larger and there was a base of experts to guide the gamers into ever higher scoring opportunities. What they have to now balance is that a game is a throw-away product to be easily replaced with hundreds of other gaming challenges. The customer has to learn the rules of the road and how to operate a train. Once they do that the scores increase. Or, they find it boring and without violence. Thus they move on. The adverts we see, in quality and content, are aimed at retaining these customers and engaging new purchasers.
So, although unknown, N3V must be making some money since the staff is there and new functions and features are appearing. The newsletter is an affordable way to advertise. However, I would suggest some technical column that deals with the some how to of running a railroad. Not just running a train. The number of sleeping and texting accidents testify to that as a boring experience in real-life. What are the rules and norms of railroading. Instead of scoring your braking ability, score how you run a railroad. Just basic stuff not an expose of how smart the author is. The idea is to get a more intimate participation amongst the customers - skin in the game. Everyone understands the logic of making and loosing money. Integrate it into the experience and discuss it in the NEWSletter.
So now I have to get back to researching antennas that I can disguise to pass the scrutiny of the Home Owners Association. My new all digital, software based transceiver, needs one of those. Where did I put the catalog......
Now, the Trainz series is a different animal. Very little technical technical knowledge is needed. No Federal Communications license is needed. There is no monthly magazine and catalogs are online. There is little technical challenge since everything is virtual and can be created, or destroyed, at the whim of the customer. You can touch nothing. The most obvious technical involvement is in scripting and artistry. A very small percentage of the customer base is involved in creation and/or modification. Another way of looking at it is that they have little "skin in the game" beyond their initial purchase. So most alter existing routes, build their own, or just ride the rails.
So, where is the excitement in seeing the high percentage of commercial propaganda in a newsletter. Similar propaganda in more engaging hobbies is eagerly anticipated. Here it is simply ignored, or rejected as clutter.
There was a fork in the N3V road when they decided to re-purpose and re-label their product as a game rather than a simulator. The potential customer base was significantly larger and there was a base of experts to guide the gamers into ever higher scoring opportunities. What they have to now balance is that a game is a throw-away product to be easily replaced with hundreds of other gaming challenges. The customer has to learn the rules of the road and how to operate a train. Once they do that the scores increase. Or, they find it boring and without violence. Thus they move on. The adverts we see, in quality and content, are aimed at retaining these customers and engaging new purchasers.
So, although unknown, N3V must be making some money since the staff is there and new functions and features are appearing. The newsletter is an affordable way to advertise. However, I would suggest some technical column that deals with the some how to of running a railroad. Not just running a train. The number of sleeping and texting accidents testify to that as a boring experience in real-life. What are the rules and norms of railroading. Instead of scoring your braking ability, score how you run a railroad. Just basic stuff not an expose of how smart the author is. The idea is to get a more intimate participation amongst the customers - skin in the game. Everyone understands the logic of making and loosing money. Integrate it into the experience and discuss it in the NEWSletter.
So now I have to get back to researching antennas that I can disguise to pass the scrutiny of the Home Owners Association. My new all digital, software based transceiver, needs one of those. Where did I put the catalog......
I would suggest some technical column that deals with the some how to of running a railroad. Not just running a train. The number of sleeping and texting accidents testify to that as a boring experience in real-life. What are the rules and norms of railroading. Instead of scoring your braking ability, score how you run a railroad. Just basic stuff not an expose of how smart the author is. The idea is to get a more intimate participation amongst the customers - skin in the game. Everyone understands the logic of making and loosing money. Integrate it into the experience and discuss it in the NEWSletter.
This is an excellent recommendation. There could be some nice articles on signaling designs from around the world, for example, that's broken down in a multi-part series with signal charts if necessary to provide and overview of the various aspects.
Other topics in the "How to run your railroad" series could be on switches, grade crossings, curves, super-elevation, grades, and gauges.
The series could then expand to various types of rolling stock such as wood-sided boxcars, older-style passenger cars, and include a bit of an international flavor, or perhaps focus on a particularly popular country such as the UK or US.
Then there could be a technical series on Trainz-related stuff like some of the tags and containers, driver commands, setting up multi-industries, portals, etc.
The list goes on and these too could be multi-part topics.
In the end this may become more of a community type newsletter and require many of us to contribute to and not just something that Tony and the staff put together for their part.
Then there could be a technical series on Trainz-related stuff like some of the tags and containers, driver commands, setting up multi-industries, portals, etc.
That part is covered in the Trainz Wiki in the "How-To Guides" at http://online.ts2009.com/mediaWiki/index.php/HowTo.
That part is covered in the Trainz Wiki in the "How-To Guides" at http://online.ts2009.com/mediaWiki/index.php/HowTo.
Yes, but how many people think of going to the Wiki for this stuff. How about an overview in the newsletter with a for further information checkout the Trainz "How-To-Guides" at http://online.ts2009.com/mediaWiki/index.php/HowTo.
A proper catalogue of supporting information is lacking. I am afraid that it is difficult to cost justify the effort of cataloging, and maintaining such a resource. However, if N3v were to mount an effort to focus a bit more on the railroad and not just the rails that information, properly presented, would be a key source of not only knowledge, but also a recipe toward the creation, development and ongoing maintenance of a railroad.
Changing TANE/TS19's purpose to running the railroad creations of both N3V and independent authors in no way precludes today's talented creators and artists from offering the fine assets they have always been more than generous to produce. Personalizing a pre-developed railroad would also be available, as it always has. As you worry about how to fit in an extra run to the mill to collect produced fencing it would be possible to work on adding a town to house the new farming community you have been considering. Sort of a hobby within a hobby. Or, create some signals to match the type used from Guangzhou to Shanghai. Obviously running a railroad does not take from you the ability to enjoy the many facets of the product that attracted you in the first place. Rather than run a railroad the production of wonderful assets would continue, offering a rich resource for maintaining or upgrading your railroad.
Finally, we might find a proper scheduling/waybill process that stands up to the rigors of your railroad, its fickle customers, and the equipment and track issues who are a constant plague. Of course there is the new real-time weather that adds true reality. From the weather it is easy to develop events such as landslides, stuck loads because someone did not look at the forecast and add sand to the loco and wherever your imagination may take you.
A short description would simply be - overlaying the functions of running a railroad on top of what we have now.
Time to read the latest news letter that has an article describing the day-to-day operation of a short line from Anyplace Missouri to Someplace Kansas.
Changing TANE/TS19's purpose to running the railroad creations of both N3V and independent authors in no way precludes today's talented creators and artists from offering the fine assets they have always been more than generous to produce. Personalizing a pre-developed railroad would also be available, as it always has. As you worry about how to fit in an extra run to the mill to collect produced fencing it would be possible to work on adding a town to house the new farming community you have been considering. Sort of a hobby within a hobby. Or, create some signals to match the type used from Guangzhou to Shanghai. Obviously running a railroad does not take from you the ability to enjoy the many facets of the product that attracted you in the first place. Rather than run a railroad the production of wonderful assets would continue, offering a rich resource for maintaining or upgrading your railroad.
Finally, we might find a proper scheduling/waybill process that stands up to the rigors of your railroad, its fickle customers, and the equipment and track issues who are a constant plague. Of course there is the new real-time weather that adds true reality. From the weather it is easy to develop events such as landslides, stuck loads because someone did not look at the forecast and add sand to the loco and wherever your imagination may take you.
A short description would simply be - overlaying the functions of running a railroad on top of what we have now.
Time to read the latest news letter that has an article describing the day-to-day operation of a short line from Anyplace Missouri to Someplace Kansas.
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