Gen. Discussion Deletion Poll

Not to duplicate nor replace the existing thread (below), I ask you focus your discussion there as Dovetail will most certainly be watching it - also so this thread isn't locked for duplication.

https://forums.dovetailgames.com/threads/general-discussion-is-gone.98468/

This a poll, to make your voices far more obvious rather than lost in a multi-page thread.

Two Questions:
A) Should the General Discussion forum be deleted?
B) If it is to be deleted, should it be Archived?
(Even if you vote No to question A, vote in this one.)

While I personally think it's a travesty for it to be deleted - it would be infinitely worse if the content already posted was deleted. The amount of discussions, information and other things (such as my World Cup tournaments, for example) that would be lost would be astronomical.

 

Me, and I’m guessing a LOT of other members of the forums have voted no to it being deleted.

we need to show DTG, that we as a community won’t stand for it.

 

I would imagine it will be quite resounding.

 

So far after 10 minutes.

the poll to remove general discussion;

Ayes to the right: 15

noes to the left: 1


A very high majority is predicted here.

 

I've already let my opinions be known on other threads in quite some detail so won't be adding anymore...

All I can say is a hard line no and a complete objection to the the proposal.

 

Sorry thats not true when you looking in the results!

What’s happening here on the forum is: “I have an opinion, so others must agree with it.” But that’s clearly not how it works. You’re entitled to your opinion, fine but keep it to yourself. I think it’s good that the forum is being cleaned up. Far too often, new topics are opened about the same subjects, and that makes everything unclear. It’s better if people respond to existing topics so everyone can read along, instead of me having to scroll through 80 different threads to find an answer. So yes, it’s sensible that DTG is taking action now. And yes, that’s my own opinion, not someone else’s.

 

I don’t think you have a full scale of what is happening here.


DTG are REMOVING the ability to speak about the game in general. it’s deeply concerning.


The ability to talk about issues in the game as a whole

GONE

Years of history and communications with third parties

GONE

the enough is enough thread, the longest thread on the discussion channel and on the forums. About 4 years worth of work.


GONE

 

They are equally entitled to express that view much like you are with yours. 'keeping it to yourself' is kind of the point at hand here... No. This is a forum and general discussion is probably the most important part of this forum and community which is nearly a decade old and probably the most engaging and interesting part of the forum despite its niggles at times.

If you dip your toes in the water, you'll see the general consensus is completely opposed to the proposition for completely valid reasons.

I don't disagree with DTGs statement about forum etiquette as I made a thread calling for it to improve it myself recently... But to just basically come across as "it's to hard to moderate lets just abolish it in its entirety" from DTG is a nuclear option to say the very least.

 

Of course I’m aware of that, and I’m not against it. That whole “general discussion” topic is basically just a chatbox with no depth and nothing you can easily look back on. I think some renewal is simply necessary. Far too often it’s just complaining and pointless discussions that frequently end up requiring moderation because people don’t know how to behave.

 

DTG's "cleaning up" as you describe it is more akin to using a hydrogen bomb to clean your room. It technically does the job but does a lot more.

 

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but DTG wants to move away from this forum in its current form. It’s full of people who often don’t treat each other respectfully, and unfortunately moderation is needed far too often something the DTG staff would rather not be involved in. (They’re all on Discord.) That’s not because they find this place so enjoyable. The atmosphere is at times downright hostile, and there’s far too much conflict because people don’t respect each other’s opinions. As far as I’m concerned, the forum can be reduced to a minimum to address this, and it seems DTG is finally taking action.

 

And so, not without reason!

 

34-1 now.
14-0 for archiving if it is deleted.

 

Well I'll say this now as a prediction if this proposal does go ahead... It will all be in vein, because for all this forums niggles and issues, it's places like general discussion that have always shaped the game for the better and never to its detriment. As far as I'm concerned if it goes, the game will deteriorate further and it will have a knock on effect for accountability that DTG has and will stifle and mute conversations to an absolute bare minimum.

 

This is exactly the reason why the forum is being minimized. Reactions like this are hostile and contribute nothing except creating conflict. Not even ten messages in and we’re already at the point I was referring to. I wish you all the best with your protest. I’m out of here.

 

Source?

 

I'm not trying to create conflict. I'm trying to understand why you're running around in every thread defending DTG's actions, even though the entire forum is against them. [Deleted; insulting - DTG Harry]

 

It's been a few hours since the announcement and I'll be honest while saying I still can't comprehend what just happened.

Where am I suppose to ask the technical questions about locomotives, trackside infrastructure, operating practices ?
Where am I to discuss about all the tidbits of info. on real railways, heritage railways, historic railways, model trains and stuff like that ?

And yes, discord exists but it does not classify or manage the information similar to the forum.

PS: Seriously though, looks like DTG decided to drop a bombshell as if there wasn't enough chaos in the world already.

 

Sorry, but what’s so hostile about that?

I reckon you’re one of those who doesn’t even properly understand what ‘hostile’ means when it’s posted.
But when you post certain comments yourself, you come across as a wannabe moderator.

 

There are plenty of other places to talk about it.

I wouldn't choose the enough is enough thread as a good example, it is possibly an example of why this forum is going. It is a thread of the same people going round and round in circles saying the same thing and posting memes, not sure how much "work" went into it.

 

Or, maybe this is the sort of post which is contributing to the demise of the forum!

 

More exclamation points, please. If DTG were really unhappy with me and those who "contributing to the demise of the forum", I would already be in read-only mode or banned. But somehow I'm still here. Strange, right? If you were a moderator, no one would even utter a word against the godly creators of this forum. No criticism, just adoration. I would vote for you to be a moderator, that would be funny.

 

If you read all my posts you'll see I'm often critical.

If I was a moderator, not that I'd want such a role, I would be balanced, something certain posters on here certainly aren't.

 

Eeeekkkkkkk... Look it's a hot day, and feelings are running high. It's not worth having personal grievances or insulting each other. It's counter productive to the discussion and isn't going help the either for or against arguments about the decision to close General Discussion.

Up until now it's remained relatively tame and respectful, I'd rather it not change and dilute anyone's input. I have no issue with anyone myself, but we are all adults here so it's best just leaving mud slinging out of the equation. It's a hot day we all have a bit of frustration in us, but we have to know when to take a back seat.

 

But then why do you come here and attack people who don't want this forum to be closed? I am not addressing you personally, theorganist.

It seems to me that you are the ones creating an unpleasant environment here. If people come with constructive criticism, they communicate constructively. If people come with aggressive, unfounded criticism, they will be immediately reined in by others.
The forum, even without you fanboyz, is capable of showing to those, who are presumptuous, their place. But you come and start venting your vitriol on those who communicate calmly. You provoke it yourself and then blame others for it.

If you don't like my manner of communication on this forum, well, that's because I used to be just as polite and calm. Until the very moment I realized that the developers don't give a damn about our feedback or our bug reports. They're not going to fix anything, they're just creating the illusion that our feedback is important so we don't clog up the entire forum with it, just a few threads.
And I'll continue to consider the feedback forum completely useless until developers start posting on it and until we see the most annoying bugs get fixed. Look at the Morristown Line - passengers on low platforms don't interact with the trains. It's a bug from the deluxe EA version. Is anyone fixing it? No! They don't care!

 

Given there are now six threads broadly based around the same thing to do with forum changes, kind of proves the point that its not all that needed.

 

Sorry, what?! This is totally unrepresentative, because the people who don’t want it are the ones making the most noise, while the people who are fine with it don’t have much to say. So no, it’s not a majority in any way. The complainers are always at the front shouting the loudest, that’s how it always goes here. The ones with the biggest mouths think they’re automatically right.

Do a reality check on yourself, I’d say!!

 

Wooow Savage XD

 

Whatever

 

it is comments like this that gives credence to DTG’s action.

 

Which is what I was trying to say but some can't help themselves. Apparently they weren't addressing me personally but addressed me personally!

I don't want the forums closed, I would like the forums to be as they were a few years ago. Not how they have been for the last year. Many have buried their heads in the sand though and given DTG the excuse they need.

There is still some good conversations on here, Vern when he talks about his days on the railway for example, when we have discussions on the JT threads about the BR blue days when other people give personal insights into their experience or their knowledge. The input by developers and when people get involved in discussing a new add-on which is coming. That gets lost under the morass that has existed, some of which is understandable and DTG don't help themselves either, often. But it seems to have become a forum where if you are of a more positive frame of mind then you are very much in the minority, or a fanboy.

 

Exactly! In this thread I’m being called a troll and accused of being on DTG’s side due to a different point of view… Sorry, but then you really haven’t been paying attention. I’ve been critical of DTG plenty of times, but always in a more respectful way than what we unfortunately see here far too often.

 

Well I think it's a way to stifle your opinion. Calling someone a troll or fanboy is an easy and lazy argument, just because you have a different opinion.

I think some need to have others agreeing with them to validate themselves and anyone who doesn't is a fly in the ointment, this is what contributes to this place being an echo chamber.

 

No, it's not. Otherwise someone from DTG would say it, not you.

And I will say, if you're thinking that this is a toxic community, then go check other forums. Like CDPR forum, where you asking "is it a bug or not?", and in response get "are you stupid?". Some other forum, when you asking dev's "do you have plans to fix the minimap?", and in response local fanboyz will call you "whining idiot", because "you need to be grateful for what you've have"(sounds familiar, right?).

Think again about what is a forum. If everyone is agree with each other, then that's a forum of one man with some mental problems.

 

I find it interesting that you always have an excuse for why your behavior isn’t a cause, even though the evidence in this thread has been provided. Maybe take a look at yourself instead of immediately pointing at someone else. You’ve clearly been corrected, yet you still refuse to see that you have no part in this. You’re being a bit thick‑skinned. And the fact that other forums are worse doesn’t mean that what’s happening here is acceptable, right.

So yes DTG has giving you a warning!

 

Evidence? Thats huge word. Your opinion isn't an evidence. Mine too. Evidence means objective, not subjective.

 

You call this an opinion?!

 

Guys, chill please. If this devolves into a fight between users, it will be locked by the community team. Stop riling each other up and focus on the thread topic. I have no power here, but this thread was allowed to stay open on the merit that sensible discussion remains around it.

 

It's full of nonsense so please close it. It adds nothing extra

 

Bad actors suspected for a while now.
I think they're looking to move on.

 

Yes. Because if you said that I'm a troll, then exactly the same thing will happened with your post. That's the moderators script.
But if you still wanna blame me or someone else in DTG’S decition, go ahead. Despite I've been inactive on this forum couple of months.
And don't forget - your attacks on users is reasonable, not like mine.

 

You just keep adding to the reason .. with usage of fanboys for someone who isn’t upset over what ever irks you.. I am well aware of what forums are for since the days of Usenet and IRC. I am also aware what debate, constructive criticism and polite social discourse should be.
Just because other forums are cesspools, does not mean these should follow in the same suit. Anyway, you be you.

 

Since forum is calculating percentage across all answers ignoring which question it is, I decided to make my own table showing current results. State as of 16:00 GMT 25th June 2026:

 

it is now over a day after the DTG announcement.

ayes to the right: 186

noes to the left: 9

 

How to classify the other 11?

 

No clue, I’ve been watching too much politics again

 

I don’t get the anger and animosity to each other. If you hate the forums and don’t use them like some claim then I’m not sure what your beef is in the argument tbh. If you think this is a positive change then great I’m happy for you and your opinion is as valid as mine and others who think this is a bad move. But is it really worth name calling or picking fights whichever side of the fence you’re on?

 

Drunk as a skunk in the Members' Bar.