General Discussion Is Gone

I do miss UKTS, there hasn't really been a good general Train sim forum site since although this is the closest to that until DTG axes it.

 

Funny timing on this. I can't help but feel the recent popular discussions of a certain other train game, which prompted derisive responses from not only a DTG staff member, but many, many responses from a certain German DLC developer, had a small part to play. That is hilarious.

Not to mention the coming announcement of TSW n+1. Of course there is a long list of possible reasons, but this is too funny.

I already wasn't planning on giving them more money any time soon, but let's just say this doesn't move the needle further in the positive direction. Yeah it's just a forum and I haven't really been here that long, but it sours my taste for the whole thing. All the great PC mod discussion with direct and timely responses from the mod developers--gone. Was really enjoying the Route Annotations mod thread. Made it easy to keep up with updates. Same goes for the Running Train and SimRail threads in the Off Topic section.

Ah well. Hope everyone enjoys TSW7. Can't wait for all the groundbreaking (game breaking?) additions and features. Maybe I'll be able to blow my nose and eat a scone in the cab between stops. Revolutionary.

 

I also notice this, might be just a coincidence, but the day after I create a TSW7 discussion thread, something like this happens…

did DTG perhaps block this subthread to stop leaks and criticism for their next iteration of TSW?

 

Yeah, DTG couldn't make the timing any more obvious. This isn't about moderators, toxic activity, or anything of that nature. DTG was able to manage the forums for over a decade now on their own. If anything they should have more resources to manage the community since they're under the umbrella of a large company now. As for toxic posts and quarrelsome behavior in threads, this is just code for "negative discussions about the game". And let's be honest, recent releases and actions from DTG have warranted genuine criticism and my guess is the higher ups think locking down forum discussion would magically fix everything. Of course there are genuine toxic members and posts, but basic moderation can deal with that. It's ridiculous to shut down the entire general discussion subforum because of occasional bad behavior.

The higher ups probably also don't like the idea of discussions about competitors like Running Train taking place on their forums. Especially when the competitor literally ate DTG's lunch on quality despite being from a solo developer. That's literally the only reason to justify shutting down the off topic subforum. Ultimately it's all about control. DTG are running scared and likely deathly worried about incoming backslash from the TSW 7 announcement. They want to control the narrative by not allowing free discussion anymore.

 

I don't know if this is a waste of time, since I doubt DTG CMs are reading this forum - from following this forum you would barely realize there are CMs still working for DTG. I have abandoned Discord, not just for this product, but all others I use (funny nobody has commented on the irony of Discord's name), for the reasons stated elsewhere in this thread. Despite the chaos and whingeing I have learned more from contributions to the General Discussion thread than anywhere. Just for information, I am somewhat older (and probably more battered) than Old Vern. I am a PC user and strangely, if you go to the Troubleshooting section, by far the majority of posts refer to PS5 and secondly Xbox - few to PC. My patience with DTG is exhausted so I suspect this will be my farewell to the DTG forums and maybe lead to a redirection of my attention to other sims, such as Xplane, my first love.
Bye folks and thanks for the fish.

 

yawn, more corporate hogwash. why persist with making these changes when the community have made their feelings clear?

 

this isn’t directed at you as you are a spokesperson.

if you don’t have the capacity to moderate the forums, then why even have it in the first place? If community managers, don’t have the resources to properly manage a forum, and speak properly with the community on certain matters, something has gone VERY WRONG

if you want more moderation, employ members of the community to mod it too.

if DTG goes ahead with these changes, I guarantee you, the forums WILL be less active.

the discussion thread is a core part of these forums, for discussing any and everything of train sim world. It is BY FAR, the most popular subthread here.

DTG, can we PLEASE have some kind of transparency, as to WHY the discussion subforum, is being canned?

Let me bring you the definition of a forum:


If a forum, loses its ability to discuss on matters within the community, then it’s pointless.

As a company, if you want to go ahead with these changes, we aren’t going to stop you, we don’t have the authority or the numbers. However, the consequences of this, will cripple these forums.

we are warning you.


There is still time to turn back on this decision.

 

For everyone saying the are taking away our right to critisize, praise or communicate.

Does it really? General discussion and off topic are redundant.

Think about it, for every DLC there is a preview article, a release article and then a feedback thread.

Thats 3 places you are able to discuss, praise and critisize as you wish in the news and feedback sections. I'm sure the 3ps will still be active there as they already are.

Anything about DLC in the general discussion is just 1 more thread repeated anyways.

It would be easier to aquire feedback then to look at the 3 threads they post plus how many other threads people make in the General discussion as well.

 

I beg to differ…you banned me recently for no valid reason! Once the ban was over I saw a message from you informing me that I was banned for being ‘threatening, abusive & trolling’. No evidence was produced by you or other CM’s to support this at all and to add insult to injury you didn’t even have the courtesy to answer a DM I sent you!
Everything is lip service from the CM’s!

 

Let me correct it for you.

general discussion and off topic are important and key to communication in the community.

 

Respectfully, it's clear that you guys don't want a community forum with discussion amongst members of the community. Rather you want a curated space where members give feedback and suggestions as long as they fit a certain mold that DTG deem fit. And this corporate speak about efficiency doesn't fool anyone. "streamlining our processes to eliminate inefficiencies" is the same talk that managers give to employees as they justify laying them off en masse. Everyone knows the real reason is money. In a similar vein, the real reason you guys are shutting down the free discussion in the forums is because DTG doesn't want negativity, and my guess is a certain other new train sim game competitor as well as fear of impending backslash to a TSW 7 announcement are playing a large role in the timing of this.

 

Summed up beautifully!

 

that just factually isn’t true. general discussion is far and away the most active sub forum, the most helpful and the most interesting one to read through. and off topic is also important, not for tsw but for the community in general. not everyone comes here purely to discuss tsw, its so important for us to have an area where we can discuss anything and everything else- society yearns for variety and hobbies, and dtg taking that privilege away from us is not acceptable under any circumstances

 

Were you upset when Eastenders got cancelled?

All General discussion has become is just a big soap opera anyways.

Why can't you type the same stuff in the news, suggestions and feedback sections? Are you afraid?

 

DTG have already said they want the content in those subforums to be curated. We likely won't even be allowed to be original posters in the feedback and news subforums. Plus, random casual discussion about TSW doesn't fit in any of those sections. Take one of the most popular threads in the general discussion about awesome TSW service mode runs. That doesn't fit into news, suggestions, or feedback.

 

And also has the most false information on it as well.

So it's just the National Enquirer or the Sun of the forums.

But you know thats really important stuff that can't be put anywhere else on yhe forums.

What would you like to see in TSW7 (suggestions) Blurry textures, bugs and issues (feedback) praise (Feedback or News)

There is a place for everything already except gossip.

So good riddance.