Russian Assets - N3V Please Clarify Intentions

This is not intended to discuss the politics or rights and wrongs of what is happening between Russia and Ukraine, there are other forums and discussion mediums for that.

However with Russia facing moderate to severe economic sanctions from most countries around the world, feel it is only fair to ask N3V what their intentions are with regard to the assets from Russian authors that are in Trainz both payware content and freeware on the DLS? I was working on one of my routes today and instinctively went to use some RMM speedtrees to populate the vegetation, but promptly dropped them and looked for an alternative instead. Then there is my own route on the DLS (Kovdor) which is based on a Russian prototype which for the moment I will not be asking to be removed, though I reserve the right to request it. As noted in another thread, there is a bit of a grey area as I believe many of the Russian assets on the DLS may have been created by a Ukrainian author, as the equipment is very similar.

As an aside. it has truly killed off one idea that I was toying with - due to the dearth of decent assets for some of the Scandinavian countries, building a route there with Russian equipment. That would be the ultimate inadvertent bad taste and can never now happen.

The situation over there is extremely grim and does not look like being resolved quickly or cleanly, may get worse. So, again without getting into the politics, you cannot pull blinkers around software or train sims, it's only fair to know for future reference and use of Russian assets where N3V stand on the matter.

I think use of DLS assets don't really count as regards any kind of support financially or politically. There may be a pittance some Russian creator may get as royalties for the sale of a DLC route or asset, but again, other than that, the DLC has already been paid for by N3V. So, I think it is really a tempest in a teapot. It doesn't amount to a hill of beans. Now I DID almost change my signature to say "Boycott Shell Oil", because they are buying hundreds of thousands of barrels of discounted Russian oil, but that is another matter of scale entirely. So unless your scruples really prohibit you from using content from a Russian creator who, for all we know may not even be in favor of this war, I would say it is a non-issue.

I fully understand Vern's post and his anger (which I share) over the actions of the Kremlin Kleptocracy (which is not the Russian people) in Ukraine. But I also agree with Forester1.

N3V removing all Russian assets from the DLS and any DLC content is not going to even register with the Kremlin and their Oligarch backers. The major credit card providers, international retailers (Ikea, Apple for example) and others have already announced their withdrawal from the Russian market following on the imposition of economic and financial sanctions by governments around the world - even the habitually neutral Swiss (who harboured millions for the Nazis during WW2) have joined the sanctions. That is far more likely to hit their wallets and have a more desirable effect.

Vern's suggestion of users simply boycotting the use of Russian DLS and DLC assets (if any) makes much more sense to me as a far more practical response from us users.

My thoughts.

Hope we can keep politics out of Trainz, no matter how we feel about power hungry world leaders
Trainz is peaceful and our much needed escape for everything that humanity faces.

If I read the first post correctly, the OP was not trying to make any kind of statement nor asking for anyone to do so. He merely asks N3V if they have intentions of doing anything with Russian DLC. No point in making a Russian DCL route if it won't be put up by N3V.

Please, let's not start into this topic. Just let N3V respond if they choose to do so.

I personally don't like hearing about politics and current conflicts, but I still think anyone should be able to enjoy trains from different regions in the world no matter what a country does or did in the past. I do like Russian trains, even though I'm far more into American, German, and sometimes British trains. As for the German trains, I usually like anything from the Reichsbahn era (original DRG) onwards even though I'm not prejudice nor support the actions of Germany in the past when it comes to liking the DRG stuff and I can't help it that one of my favorite German steamers being the BR52.

Given that Russia supplies gas to most of Europe and Europe will continue to buy that gas as there is no other option and that Russia also supplies a large amount of the worlds grain, a few assets on a fairly obscure trains simulator are just a drop in the ocean, I suggest we just leave things as they are.

dangavel said:

I suggest we just leave things as they are.

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Agree ( and I'm wasting space right now to reach at least 10 characters)

I personally don't like hearing about politics and current conflicts, but I still think anyone should be able to enjoy trains from different regions in the world no matter what a country does or did in the past.

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I suggest we just leave things as they are.

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To those of us who, understandably, feel that leaving things alone or as they are is the best solution to a political or life threatening crisis, I would remind them of two quotes from past thinkers on the subject.

"Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing."

• John Stuart Mill (1806-1873). The above is often misquoted (and wrongly attributed to Edmund Burke) as “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

"First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me."

• Martin Niemoller (1892-1984). He spent 7 years in a Nazi Concentration Camp.

My final thoughts on the subject.

pware said:

To those of us who, understandably, feel that leaving things alone or as they are is the best solution to a political or life threatening crisis, I would remind them of two quotes from past thinkers on the subject.

"Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing."

• John Stuart Mill (1806-1873). The above is often misquoted (and wrongly attributed to Edmund Burke) as “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

"First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me."

• Martin Niemoller (1892-1984). He spent 7 years in a Nazi Concentration Camp.

My final thoughts on the subject.

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Going by this logic, perhaps N3V should immediately delete all Russian assets and ban all Russian users. /s

If you're going to do something about the "political or life threatening crisis", at least make sure your action has a tangible positive effect, no matter how small. Donate to a humanitarian fund, provide food and shelter to a refugee, buy some DLC, whatever. Censoring Russian users and assets in this incredibly niche hobby not only does not achieve that, it actively harms our own hobby. It's like if I came across a burning car on the highway and instead of pulling over and doing something to help, I start smashing my own car up in protest of automobiles. Just make a point about some quotes from half a century ago that barely applies in the context of this hobby? And how do you even know the person you quoted has not done anything else outside of Trainz to protest the war and show support for its victims?

My final thoughts on this utterly inane disposition.

God, why haven't N3V just ended this Ukrainian conflict yet by banning Vladdy Putin from playing Trainz :'(

Stopping a couple of hundred Russian Train Nerds from playing a computer game is not feasible, or even morally righteous. It makes absolutely no sense so why should N3V, or anyone else bother, or care?

Hi All
We don't have any plans to remove Russian made content from the Download Station. The content from the Download Station is free after all.

I'm also not currently aware of any plans to change availability of DLC packs in the Trainz Store either, but this could change. Anyone who already owns a DLC pack would, at this stage, retain access as it was already purchased.

Regards

ZecMurphy said:

Hi All
We don't have any plans to remove Russian made content from the Download Station.

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Thank you. I wouldn't want to see innocent Trainz users being punished anywhere for what their heinous and corrupted governments do.

Good day
The Russian government is planning a cut-off from the international Internet network. The Russians will de facto solve this themselves.

ivomasek
ID: 276055
____________________
Freedom for Ukraine

pware said:

To those of us who, understandably, feel that leaving things alone or as they are is the best solution to a political or life threatening crisis, I would remind them of two quotes from past thinkers on the subject.

"Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing."

• John Stuart Mill (1806-1873). The above is often misquoted (and wrongly attributed to Edmund Burke) as “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

"First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me."

• Martin Niemoller (1892-1984). He spent 7 years in a Nazi Concentration Camp.

My final thoughts on the subject.

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and then they came for the train simulator enthusiasts.
I appreciate your sanctimonious words, in some situations they would be applicable , but punishing the Russians who use the simulator will achieve nothing ,a blanket effort that would punish Putin supporters and adversaries alike, it would also mean that every route that used any of their assets ( especially the trees ) would be rendered useless and yet those of us who have the routes will still use them , unless we want to be principled enough to remove all those assets and replace them .
Do you think Putin would be aware of NV3 acting in this way, if an action is not going achieve anything its pretty meaningless isn't it ? Sanctions are blanket actions that usually punish the innocent far more than the guilty and have led to millions of innocent people dying in many countries over the past few decades.Occasionally they achieve their objectives but this is rare . Many third world countries depend on Russian and Ukrainian wheat , should these countries let their populations suffer by boycotting something that keeps people from starving ? Those are the big questions the world has to face and in the face of that sort of dilemma this discussion is revealed as pretty irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.
Methinks you are over egging your cake

Sometimes you make a gesture not because it will do any good, but because it is a good thing to do.

ZecMurphy said:

Hi All
We don't have any plans to remove Russian made content from the Download Station. The content from the Download Station is free after all.

Regards

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Fair enough.

JimDep said:

Thank you. I wouldn't want to see innocent Trainz users being punished anywhere for what their heinous and corrupted governments do.

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Second.

I abhor what is happening in the Ukraine. However, I do not agree with everything my Government does (welcome to so called "boat people" and carbon emissions denial, amongst others). I would nor want those from countries with different views judging my Trainz contributions on that basis.

Though the OP no doubt had good intentions., we have had a response from NV3, and I think this thread should probably now be locked.

I second that.

ZecMurphy said:

Hi All
We don't have any plans to remove Russian made content from the Download Station. The content from the Download Station is free after all.

I'm also not currently aware of any plans to change availability of DLC packs in the Trainz Store either, but this could change. Anyone who already owns a DLC pack would, at this stage, retain access as it was already purchased.

Regards

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Thank you for the confirmation Zec, as I said in the OP not get into the wider debate as to what is going on. Although I too saw that Russia intends to divorce itself from the www which will effectively prevent new content or updates to content being submitted.

As regards locking the thread, well feel free to do so, though in that instance might be worth a sticky so that anyone else seeking clarification can see it?

I hope this is the last on this subject. Real news outlets from many countries ably present the conflict. I subscribe to a web news service that provides direct TV from many different country's news companies. From Al Jazeera to the BBC to CNN, etc.. The entirety of the rational news spectrum is doing far more than a small sub-group of hobbyists.

If the safety toggle switch is set, and The Button pushed, this planet will see a total reset. Until then I find opening Trainz in the morning an uplifting experience. The graphics are so good, the sense of reality is really there. It is quiet and pleasant, before the noisy trains begin the daily grind.