Confused - Silver Membership?

I have the Silver membership. I think it was in the high $70 region. I decided to review what I should get since it is a new year. The following are the entitlements:

RENEWAL: Tuesday 25th of August 2020 11:54:21 AM / USD$86.89
PAYMENT TYPE: PayPal


Membership Includes:

Content Vault: Active
Trainz Store Discount: 10%
First Class Ticket: Active
Preview Pass: Requires Gold Class
Trainz A New Era: Requires Gold Class
Trainz Railroad Simulator 2019: Requires Gold Class

I am not sure if my current Trainz is locked at Silver and if I cancel I loose it requiring a repurchase.
I assume that my first class ticket would be cancelled requiring a repurchase.
Whatever Content Vault is, may be cancelled and IF that is yet another cute name for the database I will be locked from it.

Between now and August 25th I do not see any reason to have the membership unless I would loose the first class ticket and have my Trainz program blocked.

When August 25th arrives I see no value in renewing, except for a VERY expensive first class ticket. And of course, to keep the ability to use the program?!?!

Did you buy TRS-19 outright AND then get Silver membership? If so, when you cancel Silver then your original TRS19 purchase should still be good and give you a functioning copy. (I purchased 19 Early Release outright and then joined Gold).
If you did NOT buy 19 outright and your copy is only because of Silver then, yes, you will lose it and you will need to purchase a copy outright.
Content Vault means you have access to ALL DLC including ALL Payware. Routes, Sessions, Power, Rolling Stock, etc etc. If you have downloaded Payware then when you quite Silver the Payware items won't be usable.

At least, that's the way I understand everything.

Edit: As info, I believe their "Content Vault" term is based on the old original setup of a having to go to Content Vault to select the 5 items you wanted each month. You would then go in game and those items would appear to download. But since ALL Payware now comes with Gold and Silver then CM is meaningless. When you go in game all available payware content is there. You choose to download it or not.

I'm not sure what you refer to when you say "the database" asking if you would be locked from it. It you drop Silver you will be locked from the Silver game and the payware obtained from Silver membership.

The database in my view is the DLC, the stuff the Content manager controls.

I have an original purchase of Trainz 2019. Hmmm, the Content Vault is no longer available thus that is no longer a benefit I paid for. This is a neutral event except what I paid for is now free. However, the renewal price is HIGHER!

Being locked from items I already purchased seem to be dishonest. I paid for a subscription. As such I received items, or access to items. Now I have to pay even more money to retain those. EXTORTION comes to mind. If there was a modest fee for retention I might not be upset, but $86 is no where near the value of the items I received, and would loose, unless they are valued at fully loaded costs which is ridiculous. Plus N3V would probably never bill me for something that is no longer available.

This nutty marketing nightmare is confusing. I will NOT pay another $86 in August. I challenge someone to show me the value of what I would receive by re-authorizing the subscription. If this were magazines I would get more magazines. If it were Netflix I get more (additional) programs. Here nothing, except for protection from loss of what I already paid for - that is extortion.

PS: Thanks for your explanation and probable consequences....

If you purchased DLC content they will be found in your my trainz and my digital downloads. DLC content is not free, only on loan to silver and gold membership.

Being locked from items I already purchased seem to be dishonest.

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If you are referring to the Silver program you didn't purchase the items. You purchased a membership that allows you to use the items.

I guess it's all in how you look at it. I don't see it as paying for item that your own or keep (as it's not). You are essentially "allowed to use" the Payware items as long as you are a member. To simplify my own thinking I just view of it this way: For my Gold membership of $14.95 a month I can "use" everything available for TRS19. I deem A First Class Ticket mandatory, that's $4.49. So a Gold membership is costing me $10.50 more than I would have to pay for a FCT. $10.50 is the cost of a fast food lunch now days and I certainly get a lot more pleasure from ALL available Gold benefits than I do ONE SINGLE fast food lunch a month. You say, "But you have to stay on Gold forever or lose everything" to which I say "Similarly, what are the odds I'm not going to eat one fast food meal a month forever?" Of course I am. You continually do what you continuously enjoy. When the day comes (if ever) that I'm "bored" with TRS19 (or "had it") and I want to drop Gold then I don't care if my Payware items are gone or not.

This works for me. It may not work for you or anyone else. It's is every individuals choice and decision. And to be fair, the membership info does explain that benefits go away when you leave the program. So if that's not acceptable then the individual should not join to begin with. Here is the blurb:

Silver Class requires ownership of either TANE or TRS19 (including Steam and Mac App Store versions). You can cancel your membership at any time and access to items in your Content Vault (and other benefits) will end at the expiration of that billing period. If you renew, your full Content Vault selection is immediately accessible again.

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Again, I am NOT saying Gold, Silver, or Plus is for right ANYONE. I am NOT defending the "subscription model." I'm only presenting MY PERSONAL situation.

Silver Class requires ownership of either TANE or TRS19

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from TRS19 FAQ linked below

Silver did not include a copy of TRS19 that only came with Plus, so you if you have TRS19 you must have purchased TRS19 originally in which case it will not expire. Or put another way you had to own TANE or TRS19 to get Silver but it did not include Trainz software you don't already own.

All questions answered in full here, well worth a look! http://www.trainzportal.com/pages/trs19-faqs

Hi,
The content vault system was discontinued a few months ago. Now you have access to all the DLC through the downloader in the game I believe. If you cancel your membership now N3V should offer a refund of the unused amount.

William

wreeder said:

Hi,
The content vault system was discontinued a few months ago. Now you have access to all the DLC through the downloader in the game I believe. If you cancel your membership now N3V should offer a refund of the unused amount.

William

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Says quite clearly in several places including the FAQ's I linked, No Refunds.

[h=4]Q. Are there any refunds?[/h] A. No. If you cancel at any time during your membership period, you will have access for the remainder of the period you have paid for.

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It seems that there are a lot of people who understand the marketing system of N3V much better than I do. I am clearly at fault here for not being able to fully digest it and its nuances. Many many years ago I messed up trying to wade through Auran multiple versions and derivations. I ended up buying the wrong product and subsequently later bought the correct one. That set my view of the company and I am afraid it carries forward -(once burned etc.)

I can see that the Silver was not for me since it only allows me to rent added goodies. So now here come Platinum. In my confused read of the presented data I will be buying a NEW copy of TRS19. Because of that I will receive a discount. Platinum will provide the same process and rationale for updates as exist in the current TRS19. I will retain usage of any items acquired as a result of my Silver membership.MAYBE!

Any cost can be rationalized. I see Silver as buying the same product again. Platinum will be the same when renewal comes due. If it is like Silver you pay a considerable amount but you are permitted to use the subscribed-to product for 12 more months. Thus you are now a subscriber customer. Oh well,

boleyd said:

It seems that there are a lot of people who understand the marketing system of N3V much better than I do. I am clearly at fault here for not being able to fully digest it and its nuances. Many many years ago I messed up trying to wade through Auran multiple versions and derivations. I ended up buying the wrong product and subsequently later bought the correct one. That set my view of the company and I am afraid it carries forward -(once burned etc.)

I can see that the Silver was not for me since it only allows me to rent added goodies. So now here come Platinum. In my confused read of the presented data I will be buying a NEW copy of TRS19. Because of that I will receive a discount. Platinum will provide the same process and rationale for updates as exist in the current TRS19. I will retain usage of any items acquired as a result of my Silver membership.MAYBE!

Any cost can be rationalized. I see Silver as buying the same product again. Platinum will be the same when renewal comes due. If it is like Silver you pay a considerable amount but you are permitted to use the subscribed-to product for 12 more months. Thus you are now a subscriber customer. Oh well,

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Platinum is a complete does not expire version it's not a subscription.

Please consider carefully. Platinum does not appear to include First Class Ticket! It does not include a Store Discount. Everything is store will be full price. You will need pay
at least $4.50 a month for FCT. (Assuming you want FCT.) If you pay yearly, Silver is roughly $7.25 a month For only around $2.75 more you can keep your Silver which includes FCT, and ALL DLC content.

Here is a nice product comparison chart that helps a lot.
http://www.trainzportal.com/pages/trs19-faqs

Platinum is Just the latest version of trainz. 2009, 2010, 2012, Tane, TRS19 AND TRS19 Platinum. This includes all the updates, some DLC and new content up to SP1. It does not include all DLC packages unless you subscribe to silver or gold. If you are Plus or gold member you will have the latest version already if you up graded.

stagecoach said:

Platinum is Just the latest version of trainz. 2009, 2010, 2012, Tane, TRS19 AND TRS19 Platinum. This includes all the updates, some DLC and new content up to SP1. -snip-

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I don't know that I would call "TRS19 Platinum" the "latest version" as I also have the "latest version" but it's a result of Gold/Plus membership. Like Gold & Silver, Platinum is a "Package" that includes the "SP1 update" with new features (UDS and such) available. Again, "Platinum" is not a specific software version or release. It is a package purchase with SP1 which differentiates it from Gold and Siver which are a monthly memberships.

1611mac said:

I don't know that I would call "TRS19 Platinum" the "latest version" as I also have the "latest version" but it's a result of Gold/Plus membership. Like Gold & Silver, Platinum is a "Package" that includes the "SP1 update" with new features (UDS and such) available. Again, "Platinum" is not a specific software version or release. It is a package purchase with SP1 which differentiates it from Gold and Siver which are a monthly memberships.

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That's a nice clear explanation mac. but which ever way you look at it it's a confusing situation when it comes to TS2019 and whether or not assets are going to actually work or have all their dependencies available in the version/package somebody might own.

1611mac said:

I don't know that I would call "TRS19 Platinum" the "latest version" as I also have the "latest version" but it's a result of Gold/Plus membership. Like Gold & Silver, Platinum is a "Package" that includes the "SP1 update" with new features (UDS and such) available. Again, "Platinum" is not a specific software version or release. It is a package purchase with SP1 which differentiates it from Gold and Siver which are a monthly memberships.

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Platinum is a new general release version which is build 105100 the same as the present gold build. Remember gold and plus are only beta updates to test the product before release to general public. Monthly gold subscription allows you access to new untested update versions and loan DLC packages. https://store.trainzportal.com/products/trainz-railroad-simulator-2019-platinum-edition

I am a Gold and Plus member, and I don't own the Platinum edition. In the "Download TRS19" section of MyTrainz, the linked file to "Download TRS19 (Trainz Plus Edition)" is "TRS19-Platinum-Installer-105100.zip". Who said "confusing"?

stagecoach said:

Platinum is a new general release version which is build 105100 the same as the present gold build. Remember gold and plus are only beta updates to test the product before release to general public. Monthly gold subscription allows you access to new untested update versions and loan DLC packages. https://store.trainzportal.com/products/trainz-railroad-simulator-2019-platinum-edition

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I stick to my thought that Platinum, Gold, and Silver are memberships, not software versions. Gold is not "only to test" the product. Gold provides all DLC and other membership benefits. Trainz Plus provides the benefits plus 4 "official" (beta) releases per year (one per quarter) or you can opt for the full Plus beta steam to receive all beta releases.

HPL said:

I am a Gold and Plus member, and I don't own the Platinum edition. In the "Download TRS19" section of MyTrainz, the linked file to "Download TRS19 (Trainz Plus Edition)" is "TRS19-Platinum-Installer-105100.zip". Who said "confusing"?

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My "Digital Download" is described as "Trainz Plus Edition" - I noticed after the update to 105096 I have new Update Streams though. I have the following Update Streams available (the Tane streams are courtesy of my Gold membership and show in my TRS19 streams):
- TRS19 beta
- Tane - Public Release
- Tane SP4 beta
- Trainz Plus
- Trainz Plus Beta
- TRS19
- TRS19 PLATINUM EDITION
- TRS19 PLATINUM EDITION BETA

After one year with these metallic subscriptions will there be a "subscription renewal fee"? Probably... If you decide to just hold at that level will there be punitive reductions in your ability to use certain elements from the subscription if it is not continued? Hopefully the core/main program will be usable minus reward and items purchased within the framework of your subscription.

I was thinking of going Platinum, since the future marketing seems to move you in that direction if you want to receive specific improvements and to continue to use elements you received as a "reward" for your metallic purchase.. But the subscription path locks you into renewal fees to retain some items provided in the original subscription or the incentives you received for a renewal. That is where I pause and refrain from getting into that perpetual cost. I prefer the old model of pay for what you need/want and no further costs are imposed. Then you need not fear the loss of a feature/function since your PURCHASE should be a lifetime license to use the "one-time fee purchased" item..

If TS2019 is ever withdrawn from a one-time purchase then a full subscription model will be in place.

Just to add more confusion,
I wonder when Platinum regional versions will appear?
Or are they already available?