General Discussion Has Survived (just)

Unfortunately people will not be civil here anymore, I just don’t see that happening (just based on this thread alone ). It’s like a cancer that first infiltrated slowly, now it’s completely taken over.

I hope I’m proven wrong, but just like the rest of society it seems like there are more and more people who lack manners these days and I don’t trust it to get any better.

 

i’m no conspiracy theorist but i’m certain it’s because of covid. since then people have become less accepting, less patient and more self absorbed. these forums are another one of countless examples

 

Good Python reference lol

 

I honestly think you're on to something there. I work retail, and have seen more rude, ignorant, and impatient behavior over the past six years than I have with my sixteen at the company. I think the isolation mixed with global politics and blind reliance on social media for news has been such a detriment to society as a whole.

 

It just amazes me that people can’t have basic empathy anymore. It’s one thing to call out flaws or issues or be unhappy with a service. It’s a completely different thing to belittle and berate as an option to voice that frustration.

Sorry for getting off topic, but it just makes me angry that people think acting in that manner is in anyway acceptable. And reading about your experiences in retail just proves it’s a larger issue. I hope dealing with those classless people is the rarity and not the norm for you though.

 

It used to be, but just a week ago I got screamed at by four different people, over things I had nothing to do with, that were not worth screaming about lol

 

There's no name calling happening on the alternate forum thread... the opposite in fact. Maybe you're confused with another one?

 

Good to know that someone is on our side with this!

 

It's ashame to hear about the 'general discussion' section being removed. It has been a staple on the forums to have conversations there ever since I started with TSW.

 

Well, assuming this awful, community destroying decision doesn't get reversed, today is the last day of (regularly) visiting these forums.

After today the only use it'll have is for reading the feedback threads when a DLC comes out to see if it's worth purchasing or not

 

I'll stick to reading Steam reviews. They won't help fix bugs, but they do tell me about the quality and value for money each DLC brings.

 

Problem with the DLC Steam reviews, is that they don’t carry forward when DTG do their annual rebranding into the new numbered iteration. So you really have to trawl back if you want to find them.

 

I thought yesterday was the last day ? I'm still surprised GD is still here today, as i thought it would get deleted and Sunday was the last day of GD

 

I’m wondering what time we will get confirmation whether GD is going to the “Chair” or if it’s been granted a reprieve?

 

The announcement says changes will be made tomorrow morning;

 

So Today's the Last day then, 6 years of general discussion

 

It is what it is, unfortunately. I'm lucky enough where it's not a corporate retail environment, and I can push back (within reason) a little when people get out of line, but it's been happening frequently enough where I've actively started applying for a civil service career with NY State to find something far less public facing.

 

It doesn’t look like there’s a reprieve then, as Jan just posted in the Threads To Preserve thread, as to whether there are any last requests to consider (before the execution).

 

There are made several suggestions, I think is will be a good idea to postpone the closure and first find out what can be done to keep General Discussion.

 

nah Vern this is the end they are serious about it, it would be a miracle at this point if they now Turn back on their decision But its looking like that isn't going to happen and the End is nigh....

 

well that’s that then isn’t it. what a massive shame

 

This is where it can be counter productive to be too proactive. Any dispute "disappears" and no one ever sees.it, making it look like there is none. Then when people say "it's so bad!" there's no evidence of it left.
It'd be like when the Chicago PD just doesn't report crimes to make their crime rate look better.
That could be a big reason there are very different perspectives on things if we only end up with the sanitized version at the end.

 

Closing part of forums = Police corruption.

Don't think there is a comparison. One is way more serious than the other.

 

Way to gloss over the point.
Please go back and consider what was said.
Thank you.

 

I’d like to request a short period where we are allowed to react to the changes AFTER they occur because it’s kind of still up in the air at present. All forum rules will have to apply so nobody should be abusive but there has to be room for reaction for a while. There will be some forum members who won’t have even seen this is happening yet and they might want to say something when they do find out. Perhaps a player feedback thread for the forum changes, open for a short time as long as it doesn’t get out of hand. It could be a place to post how difficult members are finding navigating the forum post changes. Just a thought as I’m fearing the worst.

 

Sure looks like the end is nigh. Am having a sirloin steak, chips, garlic mushrooms and a side salad for my last supper tonight but am not sure if it is traditional to have to cook it yourself!

For what it is worth Vern, you are my favourite poster on here and your wonderful contributions will be something I will really miss. I hope you don't mind me calling you the elder statesman of the TSW forums.

Your wisdom and knowledge coupled with humility and humour has been a high point of my time on here and whilst I am sure you will continue posting on the surviving sections it is the chilled out free flowing nature of the GD section that allowed the carefree banter that I most enjoyed.

Anyway mate, take care and wishing you all the very best.

 

For the most part, I did not know what I should or should not say; just about everything I would have stated has been. And then again, what does it matter if I added my voice? Would anyone care, ie; DTG really? I have gotten more info and assistance from other members in the GD threads, like the thread for the rail driver by Cobraone, and the ini threads by Jetwash and Geloxo, just to name a few; these will all vanish with this choice of direction. I could put my tinfoil hat on, and that would be all speculation!

But when you gut the most sought-after thread that has, in my mind's eye, helped more people with TSWxx than I think of. I have to wonder, really, why? What is the real reason? I feel that we will never know, but seeing the way TSWxx is floating like alead ballon on Steam & Reddit, it's looking more like an echo chamber of dislike and being made out to be a joke. The real, honest, thoughtful insights from those who are truly looking and expecting a real authentic realism as best it can be have walked away, not even assisting those with questions, as did some modders, who walked away over the last year. Of which I heard from random sources, only to find out the gossip was true, and as to why they walked away, is anyone's guess.

So why have I chosen to chime in here, and how much will it add to the conversation? Maybe it's a last-ditch effort? But if choice of direction is to be due to how some have gotten to heated talks, I would say those types of "unruly" folks are the very few in between, outliers. In all honesty, I have learned much as I grew and had the responsibility of a family with two children, one being autistic and trying to teach her to be more like a duck, Quack, Quack, and just move on, keep doing the best she can to learn and be herself.

I have been mostly away from all the forums here for the better part of 18 months; 2025 was not a great year for our family, and I did try to stay active at least. Over the few years of being active here, I would like to think that I have had some good interactions with other members, and I was able to even assist others, I would hope. Honestly, I never would have thought DTG would take this drastic action, as did Bethesda with FO4. I have been on Discord, be it for Derail Valley and a few others, and I have seen how things can get messy, to say the least, and to be kind, at times, I felt like I had to walk on eggshells; then came all the breaches, "see links below." I am a very security-minded person, and use 2FA and, where I can, 3FA; it's annoying and a pain to deal with, but if it helps keep us a bit safer, as best as possible, so be it.

As I have said, 2025 was not a good year, but by the grace of God, many prayers, and the doctors that were involved, my wife is still here and as stubborn and argumentative as she ever was. And I say this for her health and more for our daughters, and yes, our Special needs Daughter "Autism Matters" who can take things to the extreme very quickly. We can have some knock-down, drag-them-out heated arguments, and with a child on the autism spectrum, it can take a day to get things to somewhat normal. Then came the news, the one thing no one wants to hear, and that kept me away even more, putzing around on the XB here and there, but I always was looking forward to getting back in the fray here, but it would seem this may not happen again, and that is a shame if this were where things have come to be. Just paint over the rust, and no one will notice or care. As stated in the quote below, I feel it sums it up pretty well; at least that is how it feels and looks.

I did not intend for this to be this long; I have removed much of what I thought or may have said.
But as to the "Free Speech" and what needs to be moderated, or removed, I personally don't buy into this idea, to a point; in the U.S.A., the 1st Amendment is pivotal, and this discussion can fill many pages of heated debate, but the one thing that I have come to believe in is protected speech; this can come in many forms, but it is there for all, regardless of what and how it's said, "at one time there was the ignore option here on the forums, I actually used it back when TSW4 was announed and the tread "Enough is Enough" was created, one indivitual keep following me around on here.

I clicked ignore, no more issue for me, but at the same time all I did was hide the issue, rather than just let this person go about saying what ever, because by hiding it and putting into the dark shadows, this person was not seen and not seeing the distasteful remarks was in hind sight the wrong option, by doing so it was sent to dark corners to fester "no not uncle Fester" for the lack of better term "to rott away" at least by seeing what was stated I would have been able to see who it is that I should not interact with.

By not feeding the mogwai, they will go away, in time, that is.
Question: What speech requires protection the most?
I feel I can ask this more so than some: my "Mom, God rest her soul" was born in 1922 and lived through WWII; she was at one time arrested by the NaXi's and put in jail for not having her papers with her; she had to prove who she was and later on when attempting to leave Romania, she had to have permission, from the government in writing to leave, and all her posessions where taken, this included the house her my "father" lived in. She was not allowed to even take pictures out; it was against the law.

Somehow she smuggled them out; I still have those photos. But learning what my family had to deal with and doing more research on WWII. There are many forms of speech I dislike, as in the painting of swastikas on Jewish property, or even not Jewish property; it's distasteful, but this comes with Freedom of speech. Remember, "swastika" was bastardized by the NaXi's which actually goes back many centuries; I do believe in the Hindu culture and/or also the Japanese culture? If memory serves, it is a spiritual symbol.

I know I can be anal-retentive, a perfectionist to a fault at times, and I'm a Basterd; yes, I embody the word...But I also treat those as I would have those treat me: "respect is earned, not given," while I would expect it in return, I do give it, even if the person is a bit short with me, wherever this may be.
And here is another reason why I have updated my Discord account: to the best of my ability, as I can, while also avoiding it as much as I can. I also refuse to add any personal info into a Discord account.

Spoiler: Discord security

https://cybersecuritynews.com/attackers-abuse-discord-to-deliver-clipboard-hijacker/
https://cybersecuritynews.com/discord-breach-claim/
https://cybersecuritynews.com/threat-actors-weaponize-discord-webhooks/
https://cybersecuritynews.com/discord-data-breach-sensitive-data/
https://cybersecuritynews.com/discord-data-breach/
https://cybersecuritynews.com/hackers-hijacked-discord-invite-to-inject-malicious-links/
https://cybersecuritynews.com/threat-actors-exploiting-expired-discord-invite-links/

 

It was a simple example not meant to be seen as exactly the same.
Once a "bad" post is deleted... it's no longer there.
People later can't see it and so don't SEE any of the "bad" stuff.
To be clear, I'm not saying that's "wrong" or intentionally misleading...just that it can cause a misunderstanding because people later can't see the "evidence" of it. That can lead to very different perspectives and experiences.

I understand this is a corporate forum and decisions on conduct and such are made much higher than the people enforcing it. It is in fact much about image. Other forums by contrast leave everything up and then show the path to a banning. You can see what someone said to get banned.

Now I get that it's not comfortable to do that and a corporate forum of course will want to avoid bad publicity, but perhaps there's a middle ground where there is just censoring of specific content that broke the rules (like swear words or insults) but the general context is retained not the whole post deleted. Then people can see the context, if not the actual offensive part.

This would be beneficial for the moderators because a) it shows there IS an issue when there is, it's not just talking about things we can't as users see, b) the users can help the moderator by policing their own to some degree (ie "Knock it off, that's uncalled for, etc"), c) it lets you identify repeat offenders because you can see it repeatedly, and d) it gives the public a chance to see moderation happening. You can see the warnings sent on a specific instance BEFORE a ban happens, showing it's neither arbirary nor unnecessary.

In short, it's far more transparent. I'm not saying just to leave EVERYTHING, there should be editing out of the offensive parts that break the TOS, but deleting the whole post gives a misleading impression that can lead to more problems in some cases.

 

Sorry you had a rough year SGTDRE. Hopefully the future is brighter for you and your family.

 

One final suggestion for DTG JD dtg_jan or candacedtg whoever is in the lead on this. Assuming there is no reprieve or stay of execution on this, then the Feedback forum will require a specific thread to report core issues which are not related to a particular DLC. Save game, menu issues, problems with the passenger or weather systems. Can that be set up, please?

 

Thank you very much, I do appreciate it. God bless.

Some nice sales are going on in Steam and a few on Xbox; picked up Hardspace: Shipbreaker on Xbox, I will be getting Star Trucker - Deluxe Bundle in a few days, and I have a few other train-related games, so, other than to see what is new or not, and whatever happens with TSW7, another Freebie? Okay, but that may just be it. And that is still up in the air.

 

Just read dtg_jans announcement, and I think there is a lot of sense in it

 

WE DID IT


GENERAL DISCUSSION IS SAVED!

thank you all, as a forum we united for what we believed was right, massive well done.

without the feedback from the community this wouldn’t have happened.

 

God damn it Jan, I have just wasted a lot of time saying my goodbyes and thanking people, all now for nothing!

Only joking. Thank you so much for the great and unexpected news. I am really happy and grateful for this decision.

 

I am happy now.

Still a shame to see the Off Topic forum go (my favourite) but I can definitely live without it.

As I understand it, the general discussion will now be basically unmoderated?

Anyway,

Thanks DTG for seeing some sense and listening to us.

Now for a drive to Faversham to celebrate!

 

Thanks for listening to the community and hopefully we can all work together to make the new arrangements work.

Content strike called off, will be reinstalling my DLC and resuming my A to Z playthrough and my Eastbourne to Carlisle epic journey (with flight to Glasgow for the missing link). Also earmarking my £50 in Steam in the hope the TSW7 bundle will contain some interesting stuff.

 

I just want to thank DTG for making the decision to keep general discussion, this decision has benefitted not just DTG, but the forums community as well.

 

That's good news, thanks DTG!

 

I'm not the biggest fan of that either, but I at least get the logic, it's pretty low traffic and isn't that critical to the forum.

I think there's value to be argued, but there's other places on the internet to discuss stuff like Railroader, model trains, and the like if needed. TSW General Discussion is different because it is one of the few places where TSW discussion happens in depth.

 

Thank you for listening, folks at DTG.

 

Glad to see the feedback being positively responded to.

 

I just want to say thanks to the DTG team for listening and keeping General Discussion alive. We appreciate it!

 

may as well do a football reference

DTG - 90+6 goal

VICTORY TO THE FORUMS!

 

there is a YouTube video made by DTG for anyone wanting to watch it

 

You made the right decision, DTG. Thank you!
Also, the feedback sub-thread getting some organization is great news. Feels too jumbled as is. When the community makes noise (respectfully), things happen.

 

Great news, thank you Jan. I appreciate you and the team having listened to the feedback.