General Discussion Is Gone

Jan has posted on the announcement thread - don’t know how to quote on mobile - but long story short they are considering changing the initial plan due to the feedback and will keep us updated.

 

We'll see if that actually means anything...
In the meantime, we should keep making ourselves heard.

 

i would like to thank DTG for at least making notes and considering changes that could suit us better.

 

We'll have to wait to actually see what is actually set in stone once the dust settles...

But if we have have prevailed, regardless of our differences of opinion at times I would be incredibly proud of those in the community that have passionately advocated for General Discussions survival.

 

Good to hear. Can't say losing GD is enough to make me want to bin the game, but it has made me suspicious of the company's motives. Perhaps that says more about me than them, in which case I'll happily take that one on the chin and use this as a reminder to myself to be more trusting in future. We'll see ...

 

That’s the irony of it all, they can only actually see the impact that decision had because of General Discussion.

There would have been no feedback thread for it from DTG, and even in this thread whilst you can see a notable response with many comments & those comments receiving significant community reaction in terms of likes & responses. It’s not until you look at other GD posts such as the poll & you can see there are over 200 users in support of GD - no small number for a train simulator.

I’ve said it twice already but I’ll say it again, I do not want any & all discussion & feedback to turn into threads like ‘enough is enough’. They go on for far too long to sustain the original message & similar things happen with feedback threads, issues get left in a swarm of conversation that’s not even necessarily off topic. GD serves as a way for the more popular community sentiment to stay relevant for longer - never mind the community resourcing it offers.

 

One of the best things for me about the forum is when a route is announced, then there is always that anticipation and discussion centred around what might be included and where it might go. The JT routes in particular for me are very interesting in that regard as it leads to discussion about the "old days".

I was thinking about that this morning and wonder if DTG really wants to lose that aspect of the forums. It does sound like using a sledge hammer to crack a nut.

 

In that case the forum needs to be allowed to continue until a decision is made.

 

I'm sorry but I think DTG your making a bad decision on closing down the general discussion sub forum as many users of the community will now be turned away. This channel was designed so we could talk about things TSW related or general things and ideas and you getting rid of it is a big mistake in my eyes

 

I'm glad they have heard all of the feedback! Hopefully that signals some light at the end of the tunnel!

 

Hopefully there is a change of heart at Chatham. Whatever benefits the removal of GD may have is, in my opinion, outweighed by the negatives.

If people are crossing lines, ban them and good riddance.

 

Community moderation. Almost like what we've suggested for this place. =-)

 

ÐTG own and pay for this forum so it is basically up to them to decide how to run it and what is available. Saying that, personally the GD section has been where I have always posted the vast majority of my often feeble minded "contributions".

This section is where I have previously complained about shortcomings and failings in the game. More recently I have used GD to praise DTG for huge all round improvements. I have also given well deserved praise for the absolute superb work by Liam on GWE and ECW.

This is the section I will now use to give my really positive feedback on the excellent new 3rd party routes I have bought recently. An enthusiastic thumbs up to Just Trains (Blackpool to Preston and Preston to Carlisle), Firefly simulations for the beautiful Medway Valley route and All Aboard Studios for Trent Valley.

The GD section is like the Speakers Corner of DTG and can be chaotic at times but is always vibrant and passionate. It is the very core of what I have felt part of since I first got TSW in 2019. If there is such a thing as a TSW community then this is where it meets up and exchanges ideas, views and suggestions. Removing this section from the forum will rip the beating heart out of the TSW community and would be a really tragic loss.

At the end of the day, what will be will be and I have no real influence on the decision. All I know is if the most interesting part of this forum is deleted then OUR incomparably passionate if sometimes rowdy community will end and that is sad.

 

Reddit is a bit like the wild west though. Some of the moderation on communities is less than impartial to say the least.

 

This is basically how I feel about Wonders of Sodor. Like, you literally summed up many of the issues that have been bringing the game down. The game has an amazing foundation, but the limited content, repetitive gameplay, lack of AI traffic, and some of the gameplay restrictions really hold it back.

I'd join the discussion on Discord, but I was banned after becoming frustrated with the lack of clear communication. Looking back, I know I let my frustration get the better of me, but it came from wanting the game to reach its full potential.

 

We're running a poll on what to call the new forum here if anyone is interested
https://forums.dovetailgames.com/threads/alternate-discussion-forum-options.98480/
So far it's between "Third Rail Depot" and "Rail Sim Community"

Even if DTG does change their mind, I think it can't hurt to have another alternative ready just in case.
Would open up discussion on other sims as well in separate areas.

 

I do not want to be the type of person who unfairly criticizes or undermines the entire Dovetail team, because I genuinely respect the effort and dedication that goes into developing these games. My criticism comes from a place of wanting Wonders of Sodor to succeed, not from a desire to disparage the developers.

That said, I sometimes get the impression that Dovetail does not engage particularly well with criticism from its community. I have heard claims that some fans were dismissed for not fully understanding certain gameplay decisions. While it is true that many players, myself included, are not game developers, that does not mean their feedback lacks value. Constructive criticism can provide important insight into the player experience.

Although I do not play Train Simulator 6, I believe this issue is still relevant because it reflects a broader concern about community engagement. I fully understand the need to moderate discussions and maintain a respectful environment, but closing general discussion channels can give the impression that player feedback is being limited rather than encouraged. Open and respectful discussion is often one of the most valuable tools a developer has, as it allows passionate fans to share ideas, identify issues, and contribute suggestions that can ultimately improve the game.