Rail Simulation - Customer Relations

[boleyx]

Who is Rail Simulation? This is not a question about the shape of rails or the tone of a whistle. Nor is it relevant to AI failure and program crashes. It is about the company itself. We have seen some financials produced to comply with UK law. Each can draw their own conclusions on those. No, it is none of these questions. Instead it is about the intentions and plans of Rail Simulation and its customer support..

Today we have thousands of people who have purchased one or both of their products and perhaps some addons as well. Will Rail Simulation support these products in a manner that meets the expectations of these customers? Each owner of the product should examine the support that used to be received BRW(Before Rail Works). Many, will have found the new support polcy quite adequate and meeting most of their needs. They have strong confidence that Rail Simulation will further address their remaining concerns.

Others are moderately upset with the support but have faith that eventually most, if not all, will be addressed satisfactorily.

Then the third group, smaller than the other two, has more extensive needs and some who do not believe their issues are being met.

Within each group is one common thread and that is the almost total lack of information regarding the commitments of Rail Simulation to the Rail Works product. Even the first group, who are well satisfied would probably like to know what advances and addons are planned for them. Others are plainly irritated by no information either about plans for an addon, new features or fixes for problems. The company is simply stonewalling in these more substantive areas.

The rule for no dialog with customers is the practice installed by Paul Jackson the big boss aka CEO, a title revered by thousands of minor business managers. His focus on the bottom line believes that customer dialog is time consuming and the return is not as great as spending that time on addons. I hope that he does not pay himself for that bit of wisdom.

Presently we do not know what the staffing level is nor their skill sets. Oh, many have guessed in an authoritative manner but they do not know either. This practice of absolute minimal customer dialog is said, by forum members, to be the norm in the gaming software world. We are encouraged to adjust to the practice and move on. For those who are unfamiliar with the gaming world, and may come from the more professional ranks of commercial software products, find this silence to be quite frustrating. Customers are sending money (thru purchases) and problem reports into a company that does what? Just what is Rail Simulation doing in terms fixing problems? Which problems do they commit to fix? Which problems will be addressed but take more time? Which features which are partially implemented will be taken to their projected conclusion or will some be set forever as they are today? Will any major new features be added? Will a new release be issued to pay for these new features? And, the list goes on.

But, the answers are never given.

[inc3pt]

Within each group is one common thread and that is the almost total lack of information regarding the commitments of Rail Simulation to the Rail Works product. Even the first group, who are well satisfied would probably like to know what advances and addons are planned for them. Others are plainly irritated by no information either about plans for an addon, new features or fixes for problems. The company is simply stonewalling in these more substantive areas.

This is simply an untrue statement.

Update/BugFix information:

http://www.railsimdownloads.com/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=Section+0+Status+Updates

http://railsimulator.blogspot.com/

Addon/Feature information:

http://www.railsimulator.com/

http://store.steampowered.com/app/24010/

http://twitter.com/railsimulator

http://railsimulator.blogspot.com/

(As for how many of their future "addons" they discuss with the community, that is more of a marketing decision than a lack of communication. Timing the announcement of a forthcoming addon is very tricky, as some might be upset from having to wait, and announcing it too late may not generate enough interest. I'd say they do a pretty dang decent job of announcing addons before they arrive, but not so long that you get tired waiting for them.)
Edited to add a few more:

http://rw-centennial.blogspot.com/

http://rw-57xxpanniertank.blogspot.com/

http://dieselshunter.blogspot.com/

http://dereksiddle.blogspot.com/

You can also find more links to other addons they are producing in the sidebar of each blog.


They also do answer support emails as well post on several forums (although not this one as much, because too many people here have a negative attitude...or make wildly ignorant statements).

[OTTODAD]

This is simply an untrue statement.

Update/BugFix information:

http://www.railsimdownloads.com/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=Section+0+Status+Updates

http://railsimulator.blogspot.com/

Addon/Feature information:

http://www.railsimulator.com/

http://store.steampowered.com/app/24010/

http://twitter.com/railsimulator

http://railsimulator.blogspot.com/

http://rw-centennial.blogspot.com/

http://rw-57xxpanniertank.blogspot.com/

http://dieselshunter.blogspot.com/

http://dereksiddle.blogspot.com/

You can also find more links to other addons they are producing in the sidebar of each blog.

Do you really expect that users of RW would enjoy having to scan all these web sites to learn what is going on with RW and at RS.com.

Imagine Microsoft doing similar supporting WIN-XP or any other software vendor !

If you buy a car and get problems with it you go to where you purchased it from or directly to it's manufacturer.

Why do software vendors think that different rules apply to them, they do not here in the UK ?

What is required is one web site which deals with all matters relating to RW and nothing else and has support staff who know what it is all about, which at the moment they have not !

O t t o

[styckx]

Here is your more communication. Hefty explanation of the saving bug killing routes

http://railsimulator.blogspot.com/2009/09/railworks-978a-save-crash-bug.html

[OTTODAD]

Railsimulator.com Limited

Here is what is on record at the UK Registrar of Companies showing a business which was started with one director, now resigned, I wonder why and has been replaced by Tim Gatland.

No mention of this CEO Jackson fellow.

This should give you a feel of who you are dealing with ?

Until their first financial year's accounts have been published next year we do not know what the financial status of this company was during that year, what the cost of their payroll was and whether they have made any profit or not.

Looking at the results of F4G and RSDL in March 2008 I do not expect that RS.com will show any profits next year either !

O t t o

[SuperTux]

Most software vendors have been err yeah...I even worked for a large company who shall remain nameless that had decided to release software with no real announcement, let alone feature additions. Perhaps you run things differently Otto and I am glad someone does.

RW are certainly moving forward, even if at times to some it might seem a step back:

http://twitter.com/railsimulator

Happy overall with the direction of things.

Perhaps we should do a State of Railworks in a year or so time?

Matt

[inc3pt]

Do you really expect that users of RW would enjoy having to scan all these web sites to learn what is going on with RW and at RS.com.

Imagine Microsoft doing similar supporting WIN-XP or any other software vendor !

If you buy a car and get problems with it you go to where you purchased it from or directly to it's manufacturer.

Why do software vendors think that different rules apply to them, they do not here in the UK ?

What is required is one web site which deals with all matters relating to RW and nothing else and has support staff who know what it is all about, which at the moment they have not !

O t t o

All you do is WHINE, seriously! I now understand why other forums talk about not wanting to come here! I am not trying to be rude, even though that's how I'm ending up, but you're dragging this whole thing down.

They have put all of the bugfix/update information in one place, the wiki. I think that meets your requirements.

As for the advisement and discussion of new addons, they can do WHATEVER they please. Its MARKETING, and if their tactic is to spread it out over different mediums, then so be it. This company owes you no such website, or anything else.

It seems they are trying to work harder for everyone, provide updates, release content, and open up lanes of communication and you're STILL burning them at the stake in EVERY single post you make! It seems you have some issues to work out. Maybe a previous train simulator company cheated on you, and you still loved her, and you're taking it out on your relationship with your new train simulator. Maybe a train simulator took your lunch money when you were a child. Maybe a train simulator forecasted sunny weather and you wore shorts out into a rainstorm. Who knows. I realize a forum is a forum, and you are entitled to express your opinion within the guidelines of the forum, but c'mon, this is getting ridiculous.

They don't owe you anything, and can run the company however they choose, even if it means they're running it into the ground (which I don't believe they are). If they wanted you to run it, they would have called and offered a job already (of which I'm expecting a reply like "Hmph. I'd never work for them!").

If what I have written above violates any rules of the forum, then I apologize, and I accept whatever happens (post deletion, banning, etc).

[sniper297]

Don't make me come in here!

Actually I'm half tempted to delete the whole thread, since we're basically rehashing the same old song. Again tho, if any member constantly irritates you put him on your ignore list if you don't have enough self control to stop reading everything he says. A lot of people are up in arms about "what if someone from RSC sees that, what will they think?" You have to credit them with having enough intelligence to be able to filter genuine gripes from silly ones, RSC is not a bunch of children who need protection from discouraging words or insane rantings. One guy started a thread on the STEAM forums several months back addressed to *%#&@$#! FACES! and the RSC guys didn't all run home crying and stop trying to fix the code.

That said, what's this new "twitter" thing? Is there more to these one liners if you register and log in, or am I missing the "More" button?

[inc3pt]

Actually I'm half tempted to delete the whole thread, since we're basically rehashing the same old song. Again tho, if any member constantly irritates you put him on your ignore list if you don't have enough self control to stop reading everything he says. A lot of people are up in arms about "what if someone from RSC sees that, what will they think?" You have to credit them with having enough intelligence to be able to filter genuine gripes from silly ones, RSC is not a bunch of children who need protection from discouraging words or insane rantings. One guy started a thread on the STEAM forums several months back addressed to *%#&@$#! FACES! and the RSC guys didn't all run home crying and stop trying to fix the code.

I'm not protecting RSC. The community will be held back though if nobody gives it a chance, and he is being ridiculous. I also have enough self control to stop reading his posts, and I will not reply to him from here on out, but what I said, I felt had to be said.

That said, what's this new "twitter" thing? Is there more to these one liners if you register and log in, or am I missing the "More" button?

You're seeing everything. The idea behind twitter is short 140 character messages ("mini-blogs" I suppose), so logging in won't get you any more info.

[sniper297]

Hmmm

Well, frankly I think ANY extreme is ridiculous, what I wonder is why people chronically jump into negative threads and start screaming? Make your own POSITIVE post, railworks is great, railworks is perfect, no bad vibes allowed happy people only, and if one of the cranks jumps in to start screaming in YOUR thread hit the alert button. Obviously I don't think the game is all THAT bad or I woulda given up on it a long time ago, but it also could use a lot of fixing. And I agree customer relations ain't the greatest, but considering all the problems and the number of people they have to deal with same it ain't all that horrible either. And yeah, I WOULD like some kind of announcement regarding where we're going with this, especially the scenario editor and AI traffic, but until we get the bus out of the ditch and figure out where we are there's no point asking where we're going or if we got enough gas to get there since the driver probably hasn't even started trying to figure any of that out.

[OTTODAD]

I also have enough self control to stop reading his posts, and I will not reply to him from here on out, but what I said, I felt had to be said.

Look at my web sites download pages for RS and RW and you will see what I have done to promote them.

What have you done for RS or RW ?

I give a damn about your opinion of me and have thousands of Train Simulator friends who appreciate what I am doing for them, including some route builders in MSTS, RS and RW, the Mighty Mouse being one of them, as well as utilities providers !

Here are a few of them: www.otto-wipfel.co.uk/appreciation

Anyway, this thread is not helping anybody to improve using RW and should be locked or deleted altogether !

O t t o

[boleyx]

RS is silent on the problems that plague me. I have no idea if they will ever fix AI to co-exist with Player trains. I do not know if they ever intend to allow AI coupling. I do not know if any new features are planned. I read the Updates and see little that satisfies me. Their web site is promotional and not informational. I resent the personal attack that I am a whiner. Such judgmental responses should be be contained in your own perfect mind.

Whining, moaning and complaining - well it is a way of expressing an attitude toward a frustration from a product that comes so close but remains an enigma.

I think that the crowd here has voted on a "love it or leave it" position. So be it.

[JimmyTwoTimes]

A Few Good Men

OTTO is a good man. If his intent was to drag RS.com or whatever the actuation is then Id see why jumping him might be ok but the guy like most here wants the common good. I cant fault someone who does so much saying whats on his mind. If anything, OTTO like other here I value there opinions whether I agree or not. All of us at one point or another blow up and fire off a few rounds. OTTO means well like most. Not saying anyone is in the wrong but OTTO like others have in my opinion earned the right to express themselves in this forum. Its these guys whove been here for two days and think they know it all that gets under my skin. Anyway, like Sniper said, if you dont like a person views then ignore them.

[snootnose]

Otto just needs to learn to express himself in a more positive manner.

[Rogue]

Simply Put,

I will NOT be purchasing this product until I start hearing more positive things about it!

I have seen this NEW product in action, and with all of the various errors, I will pass. Don't get me started on the fact that this game is not offered on a hardcopy version at my local EBGAMES , but downloadable only on Steam.

At least RS is managable!