Atomic Systems

I want to share my experiences since I've been a Railworks user since the second day it was released. *Cracks knuckles*
Firstly, what I've realised is RSC always say 'it will be out in a few weeks' two or three months later they come out and say sorry for the delay we just want to make sure it's correct.
When Railworks (1) was released, RSC were extremely friendly and were willing to take to everyone. Then Railworks 2 came along, RSC had huge sales which meant more people who didn't like trains were buying the game because it was in a Steam sale (I'm a sucker for that too, see a game I don't even want, but I still buy it). This meant more sales for RSC who thought Oooo lets pump out DLC then every so often have a sale where it becomes dirt cheap and see how many pick extra content for the game up at!
Now RSC don't seem to give to hoots about what goes on in the community and third parties/freeware developers are basically doing their job. I remember when the Class 455 was updated, I asked RSC if my current scenarios would be broken, their response (two weeks after the update was released) 'We aren't sure'. Come on the update had been out for two weeks, surely you would know if the scenarios would break or not. And, I'd already released my scenario pack, luckily when I did retest them I found no errors!
RSC now seem to be pushing out content more instead of updating products. Fair enough updating a route is a lengthy task but come on, modelling a new Class 66 and Class 158 and adding rain effects is more economical then updating the current versions? Didn't think it would be, but hey ho, RSC seem to think so!
Their support, albeit getting better, is absolutely terrible. I sent an email last year and now 6 months later I haven't had a reply. I got the normal generic auto reply, but nobody real! I then sent an email at the beginning of the year because my game decided to SBHH constantly and didn't get a reply. A nice email to Steam support to let them know RSC had not got back to me and in the meantime my game was unplayable that I would be requesting a refund for my game and all DLC I have purchased. Steam got back to me a week later saying they couldn't give the refund, but would get in touch with RSC to make sure they are providing the correct customer service in line with their agreement. Two days later I get a reply from RSC apologising for the delay and then every time I replied I got a reply within one hour - amazing what power Steam must have to make RSC because scared like that!
I did find for a short while last year that what Tom Carrisimi (?) had asked on their Facebook page (he did a list type of thing) then magically appeared three or four months later, many other of the more sensible users picked up on this also and asked RSC as to why, RSC never replied to any, but managed to give him screenshots when he asked! The kids then picked up on this and began requesting everything, I think one suggested a route that took you around the world and had a branch line to the moon!
The only way you can get a little bit of communication out of them is via Facebook and even then they stay quiet. I would much rather they stay quiet and literally only reply when they need to say 'Clear your Cache' 'Verify your integrity of Cache' 'Send an email to support@railsimulator.com'. And the only other reason to post announcements about their products!
Cheers
Jason

Ill add my 10p.

I got into railworks around the release of 3 (when was that sept last year?).

Initially I was very impressed. Seemed like a great program, very nicely done, and it scratched an itch that has been itching since I sold my trainset at the age of 12.

One of the things that actually drew me further in was the amount of DLC available. "Cool! its like a virtual Hornby, i can add stuff as I go!" I thought.
Trouble was so much of it was broken. RSC support was non-exsistant, with no replies other than auto replies. When they finally did get back to me they advised I reinstall the entire game...thats it.

I ranted and raved, for some reason stuck with it. In 2012 things have got better. The new DLC is really good, some updates to old stuff, it seem they are picking up steam.

To be honest, i think we are just victims of RSC's success. One only has to look at facetube to see the huge amount of inane requests that they get. Filter through these and their might be a genuine request for Tech Support in 1 in 20 posts. I imagine its the same with the emails. However that doesn't excuse the fact that it it nigh impossible to have meaningful communication with the company. Lately ive come aware of the fact that a fair bit of 3rd party dlc has been updated by the devs but RSC cant seem to get it together to update it. Further when they update their own stock it doesnt carry over the previous dlc. Woodhead, S & C, you would think it be sensible to use the technology that has updated the models for that and port it over to the existing DLC. Seems not. The only logical reason I can think of for this is steam. Release slots. Given the choice of using a slot to release route X or update existing DLC for free they plump for the latter.

OK fine, then just release a bloody .exe for us like everyone else.

As said things are better, but still there is a long way to go with regards to customer service. I fear that as their sales grow along with their customer base it may get worse. Time will tell.

I've been spending my sim time in Trnz12 or back in my flight sims where I'm not constantly trying to 'fix', 'adjust down', and so forth, in order to enjoy what I do for a hobby. All I've seen is a single fix that I'm sure fixed stuff for someone, a makeover (E-G) and few minor adjustments and topping that is a plethora of shiney new bits that I have not bought and won't until RSC meanders around to repairing RW3 properly (physics, graphics, floating route items, dodgily constructed routes- e.g., NEC/DP). RSC seem to keep saying fixes are coming...maybe RSC needs to reset their own cache before I spend anymore cash.

regards,
Dave

So....who's going to pick up all these 'thrown out' teddies??...................

Heh, yes well i guess it is all a bit dramatic.

But

One thing Paul Jackson said that irked me in his recent interview "Remember guys its a hobby"

Yes it is a hobby, one I have invested a substancial amount of money in. I expect the products I have bought to work as intented.

Thats all...

Has anybody released a better Railsim yet?

How would you feel if development just stopped today?

pilot37 wrote:Has anybody released a better Railsim yet?

How would you feel if development just stopped today?

I'd be a bit annoyed that core issues weren't being fixed, but if there were never any more DLC I'd be quite happy. One ought to lead to the other really. I like building my own things, I'd just like to be able to make them work properly. Mind you it's not just RSC with incomplete/broken DLC either.

I don't follow facebook, what happens to negative comments on the RSC page?

And that PJ quote I hope isn't out of context, because my reply would be "it's your job".

EDIT:...as other posts appeared before I'd edited the bad language out of this one, , to keep it in context I'd like to point out this was written in reply to

SquidvT wrote:Heh, yes well i guess it is all a bit dramatic.

Yeah...and if you've invested a substantial amount of money in something is it logical walk away at the slightest hitch? It is a bloody hobby.... sure it's irksome when something doesn't work as you intended, sure it's irksome when something doesn't work as advertised---I speak from personal experience here, I've spent a considerable amount of money on all those creams/potions/pills/etc I get offered on the internet and I'm still a skinny insignificant bloke.........

But...it's a hobby.... you step back for a while, think things through, think like the demented dispatcher or whatever and beat him at his own game.
We've just been spammed....big tickle!! (incidentally I'd have been more upset not to warrant a spam message..... I consider myself much too important to be overlooked)

Yes, responses to support are dreadful, but do WE have to shoulder our share of the blame for that?---this forum is littered with badly phrased posts directed at RSC which may have inflamed any situation(s), thus leading to RSC not posting here in an official/ semi-official role, and the same reasons they don't have a *proper* support forum on their website.

If every other game (yes, believe it or not folks, Railworks is a game, it's not like it's important in the 'great scheme of things' like rugby is) ran perfectly on 100% of PCs, 100% of the time, for 100% of the users and was patched/updated with 0% issues for all 100 of those other percentages then I'd agree that there was something fundamentally wrong---but glitches with games, programs, operating systems is how it is.

Yes, that is right. Railworks is just a game. It is not a simulator, but just a game.
I have invested my time in this gamulator. I've argued with my compatriots about who is entitled to what. And guess what? My compatriots decided they was entitled to more than me! No surprise there then. Here is the latest scenario pack based on the latest route then....
I've got to love the community spirit, and thank you all the hard working folk. I am very impressed by all the impregnable business plans I see formulating on these boards.
Maybe I should just fix it myself. Unfortunately, I am not called Jim.
Disclaimer: Do not take me too seriously!

Fair enough, so we except the status quo. Leave things as they are, ticking over, the odd bad release here, bug there. After all its only £25 a route, I am sure the families at RSC are more deserving than mine...

Look mate, you want to stop being skinny? Do something about it, go down the gym. You want RSC to raise their game, complain.

Both take time, can hurt and you may decide it wasn't worth the effort after all, but they are both good for your blood pressure.

Looks to me your the one getting stressed Start on light weights and a bit of cardio and start some spam to support.

Trust me I'm a doctor

gptech wrote:Yada yada

Thank you. So much more coherent than what I was halfway through writing.

Well, if anyone likes status quo, then leave the music playing!

hertsbob wrote:

gptech wrote:Yada yada

Thank you. So much more coherent than what I was halfway through writing.

Yada? Do not underestimate the power of the RailWorks side.

SquidvT wrote:Trust me I'm a doctor

My initials are GP, so I'm well on the way then....

I'm not saying we should roll over and accept without complaints every issue, just put things into context---how many 'problems' highlighted in here have been eventually traced back to someting not attributable to RSC, or the game, but rather to how the user has configured their install? We're very lucky that this game allows us so much freedom to have assets etc arranged just how we want, but who's to say that how we have arranged our install isn't (at least) partly to blame for any problems?

SquidvT wrote:Look mate, you want to stop being skinny? Do something about it, go down the gym. You want RSC to raise their game, complain.

Two issues, I'd like to revise my description of myself to 'wirey' rather than skinny.... and haven't RSC raised the game with Woodhead and Settle to Carlisle?...both appear to have satisified even the most critical critics, even jimmyshand has been complimentary!!

SquidvT wrote:Both take time, can hurt and you may decide it wasn't worth the effort after all,

Just like persevering with RW then....but who's to say where the line is twixt *worth* and *time to gracefully exit* ?

SquidvT wrote:Looks to me your the one getting stressed

Nah... Friday night, large glass of de-stressing liquid to hand, working copy of my favourite train game just a mouse click away...life doesn't get much better....(unless there's rugby on the telly of course )

paulz6 wrote:Well, if anyone likes status quo, then leave the music playing!

Do the words 'status quo' and 'music' belong in the same sentence?