Reward Points

This new points scheme, may I remind everyone, that behind every scheme lies a schemer.
And here it is. Trainz quote "We reward you with a smile", sickly grin more like, as those points you so covert will be removed from your account if not used in twelve months.
It's my opinion, Trainz, has now sunk to their lowest level yet. Points!
Points should only be used to divert a train from one track over to another track.
Points in the context of rewarding is an absolute degrade of the game.
We buy it and play it because we want to.
We create and make available to our community because we want to.

Reward schemes belong, where they originated from, the Supermarkets, not in a game played and entered into for pleasure.

I thought when Trainz started the tire levels of membership that was the pits, but no, you've managed to further degrade what was once upon a time the very best of simulators.
Had the very best of innovative creators.
Was the envy of all your competitors.
A company who enjoyed the best of relationships with the very people who made you what you where. Sadly no longer.
Blame avarice, greed for the green back, there is no other reason.
The abysmal and disgraceful company attitude now being shown on many different fronts, to those who have supported you over the years, those who put up the advance money, so you could develop Trainz a New Era, all seems now to have been an elaborate deplorable company scheme to advance it's own ends with scant regard for, or to any of it's core members.
Really, How sad is that.

It truly has given me no pleasure to pen this but time has come to say something of which I feel many are only thinking.

You are entitled to your opinion of course, but at this point you need reminding that N3V is a business, without revenue they will fall and our hobby will vanish.
If members get points they will be encouraged to use them in conjuction with purchases.
A time limit encourages a quicker spend.

Although I don't like the tiered members system, it generates revenue.
I don't have to use it, so I don't.

Faster revenue income = faster investment and hopefully faster improvements.

As a rertired entrepreneur I know how vital income and marketing is to a business.

Not bothered in the slightest over this, not going to affect my use of Trainz, a way of getting discounts say for those who are less well off doesn't sound like a bad idea, if you don't like it or need it then ignore it as I will probably do. Don't / won't use Social Media, got better things to do.
Doesn't affect how I use Trainz so what's the problem with a bit of harmless marketing.

A points scheme seems like a good idea to me, those who support the game should get something back. However I think there should be other ways of getting points beyond buying games/dlc and interacting with marketing. I think the following actions should potentially enable user to collect points:

- Uploading content to the DLS, perhaps you could receive a set number of points everytime someone downloads your content.
- Your content being used as built in in a game or DLC
- Writing tutorials.
- Updating the Trainz wiki.
- Providing support, advice etc to other users on the forum.
- Contributing to the content repair group.
- Having your screenshots used in newsletter/social media

Without people doing the above Trainz wouldn't exist as a viable consumer product. I feel those who contribute deserve to be recognised. It would also be good to consider additional rewards that go beyond discounts. Perhaps free FCTs could be offered for a certain number of points.

Yes indeed, I too was self employed and revenue is important.
But if that revenue is earned by alienating your base suppliers then it becomes self destructive.
You do not like tired system, so yo do not use, how many others are of a like mind? Fifty, One Hundred, one thousand?
How has that number how ever insignificant it may, or may not be, affected the overall profit forecast, a question only N3V can answer, but my guess is a whole lot more than they anticipated.

Over complication of a working practice is also a good loss maker. Trainz had a v. good level based system, now it's subdivided. By any subdivision even by the factor of one, means more work for an employee to administer and control, and adds to the possibility of mistakes occurring. Now you must deduct from any revenue the time cost factor of increased administration, with the net result on profit being a whole lot less than the forecast.

Regarding mistakes, I would suggest anyone in favour to check their initial points award, although I will not be taking this up with N3V, mine was way out, it seems conveniently forgetting my first purchase.

N3V is now so full of bluff and counter bluff, it is difficult to ascertain the truth of the matter. How many times have a read something along the lines of "we will be sending out the new update for your game next week", only to read on the following weeks newsletter that there has been a glitch but we promise to deliver next week or possibly the week after.
Then A month latter everyone is still waiting? That is no way to treat your clients, put another way, N3V should stop playing games with its clientele.

edh6,

You make some good "points", other than the last, I have an unused FCT never felt I needed to use it to jump the queue, or to get preferential treatment over another game user.
My attitude being we're all in this together, we should all have an equal and level opportunity for participation at whatever aspect of the game takes our fancy.

Clam,
I much appreciate what you say, as I am of a like mind.
The only down side to that is if everyone just put up with it, kept their heads down below the parapet, never gave any feed back then we only have ourselves to blame for the direction taken by N3V.
As a fellow member of TCWW you will know of the great support that team of people show to each other, indeed I have received more than my fair share from that quarter. You will doubtless know, and if not ask JW, I'm pretty much outspoken on occasions and a spade is a spade, at least my post here has stirred a few thoughts among the Trainz membership.

Since the pointz are all voluntary, feel free to ignore them like I ignore the gold, silver tiers. Doesn't affect my enjoyment of Trainz As you can see in my trackline, I've been supporting Trainz for a long time so contributing a few extra is not unheard of.

Great, and N3V will doubtless appreciate your support.
Unfortunately there are many such as I who simply do not have the disposable income to emulate you.
This is where I fear the points are aimed at, the less fortunate but who can be persuaded as sheep driven by the dog to go this way and spend cash they don't have. We have been conditioned by the Supermarkets, by the banks by the store cards, N3V have joined with the lowest of all marketing ploys, points or rewards.
Something for nothing or next to nothing, but only after you spend a great deal of money first.
Deplorable tactic as I know first hand, what this can and has done to the less well off in our society.

I must have missed the boat on this - what is this "Rewards Points" being discussed?

Tks, and sorry for lagging behind.

No problem Brucem56.
Check you email for the latest N3V newsletter, all will be revealed.....

I also have no objection to a points reward system - it is a marketing tool. My local supermarket does it to reward customers for purchases, airlines do it, etc, etc. I do not believe that it represents a "low point" for N3V - it indicates to me that someone there is thinking of new ways to generate sales, increase fan interest and, most importantly, stay in business.

I do not like the suggestion that you should get points for uploading new content to the DLS - this could potentially generate a lot of near identical "rubbish assets". Likewise points for each time one of your assets is downloaded is no indication of the quality of an asset or its "worthiness for points" - a "rubbish asset" (e.g. a rock on a distant hill) that is included in a popular route will always score a lot of downloads.

pware,
There is one big, vital, vast difference from your local supermarket, and that is you buy from them on a daily/weekly basis. Food, essential to life, whereas N3V is not in any way essential, nor is it a weekly purchase.
You very aptly point out the other side of the coin as far as rewards for content on the DLS. I think you have that absolutely right. There's enough rubbish on there already, we certainly don't need any more.......

Can i use my reward points to purchase FCTs ?

lackoo11111 said:

Can i use my reward points to purchase FCTs ?

Click to expand...

I would imagine you can as it's for purchases from the Store which is where you get FCTs

My support was totally voluntary. I don't see anything in the Pointz that indicates it will be compulsory. So those who don't like them, shouldn't get on that train.

All I'm going to say is, this is going to be interesting to see how it goes

It doesn't affect me. For those that will use it, I hope it generates sales through the discounts which will generate more revenue so that more staff can be hired to create a better program.

As I don't intend using 2019 or later I never read the newsletter these days, so I missed out on the wonderful offers...lol.
Cheers,
Mike

pware said:

I do not like the suggestion that you should get points for uploading new content to the DLS - this could potentially generate a lot of near identical "rubbish assets". Likewise points for each time one of your assets is downloaded is no indication of the quality of an asset or its "worthiness for points" - a "rubbish asset" (e.g. a rock on a distant hill) that is included in a popular route will always score a lot of downloads.

Click to expand...

I can see what your saying here, but I still think that if anyone deserves to earn rewards for Trainz it is the people that provide free content. The wealth of free content available is what differentiates Trainz from one of its main competitors, I'm not sure N3V would have a a viable product without the hundreds of Freeware creators who upload to the DLS. In the past I'm not sure N3V has always done enough to acknowledge them.

Perhaps the reward points could be distributed in some way that takes into account perceived quality in some way (although we then get into a situation where we have to decide what makes an asset "good" or "bad" which is a whole other argument) but it seems to me there must be some way of giving back to the content creators through a scheme such as the one just announced.