The Energon Pub

Alright. I think I have to bring this up...

I've been trying to contact Pepie and there just isn't any word or responce.

As you all have witnessed there is numerouse problems as of late.

Spam bots, hackers, content controle...

...the list goes on.

I have no idea on the fate of Transtopia and to be hounest, at this point in my life I really don't care.

Things are hard...very hard. If you think TT is being ignored now then you have no idea what's in store.

I recently got a new job myself that is going to be taking up the majority of my free time and I can't get to my projects as much as I'd like to. Dev too has his own life and is very busy as well. Pepie, I have no idea what is going on with him as for some reason we lost contact.

If worse comes to worse the site will close. No money issues...just worker issues and I don't blame anyone because no one gets paid.It's just the way things happen sometimes...

Little sites like mine have to chance today...I really envy 2005....I don't know how they do it...noone there is paid either but somehow work continues and strengthens over there...they got a great staff. (If only they focased more on their kitbashes/customs...)

I also recently decided that I wasn't going to renew my site either.It's not worth it for the site maybe being updated...what?..once...twice a month?

All in all it was a good run and I would love to think we was at least in the top 10 fav TF sites out there...but I think I'm pretty mistaken about that as well...

I appreciate all the support over the years and hey, if you or someone you know would like to host the pics that were featured here please contact me and we'll work something out...i'd hate to think that all these works were done for nothing as most of them deserve a good home...

What can I say? Dark days man...very dark and we all have to live to the best of our potential...we all have to lead our own lives...

...Well, I have to go live mine now...

..again, thanks for all the support of the last couple years. It's been a blast guys...

TFM....out..

boy, that sucks

i'm sorry to hear it, hope everything gets better for you.
we all appreciate what you've done for us.
a creative outlet is hard to find.

thanks for the great site!

Damn... TT... Dead...? Wow... Never thought I'd see the day. Just... Wow...

And yeah... Had a great run here and all... Just wish we could save everything. If only somebody out there would create a homage to here... Even if just on a free hosting site, like, say... Freewebs.

My own site is there... And I can do alot HTML-wise that I couldn't other places. (Have style sheets and all going...) And there aren't any ads either.

Wait... Even without updating and all... Why not just copy the entire HTML over to there TFM? I could do it even and give you the password and all once it was done so you could take it as yours and everything... Board could even go over to, like, Invisionfree. Again you have major control, even though it's all free... I've known many sites and boards that have moved to both and kept on going. Heck... Some even grew in the amount of users and all.

Just an idea... Lmk if you want me to move everything for you. If not I might spend the majority of my OL time creating a homage to here, hosting images on something like, say... Photobucket and all...

EDIT: Oh yeah... Should add that it appears both Freewebs and Invisionfree aren't all that susceptable to hackers, bots, etc... Probably because the only way they get "out there" is by word of mouth, not by being promoted through something like, say... Google or what have you. So the access to them initially is rather limited... But once word gets around it's all good. ^^

In the meantime, we've got a pretty nice update coming. I should note that until anything is finalized, people should still continue to submit their customs/whatever.

Believe me, even TFmaster doesn't want to see this site die, so don't count us out yet!

Good, because I've got some customs I'd like to submit, when they're done. Just waiting on the toys to be released, so I can make them.

I know the feelings of frustation with a web site, TFM. Thanks to an inept webhost, I was ready to let my own site die, untill another comic offered to host me.

Good luck, guys!

i think that there are a few of us that could help out if all else fails. ihave some extra time i could tontribute.

damn i hope pepie is ok
ive been here pritty much from the start and have experiance with websites id love to help if you need any more assistance,

also any chance of maybe zipping the whole site up so we could download it, ive been thining of expanding my site for a while and if/when i do id be more then happy to host it, even if just to keep the content,

nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo don't die!

if it did go down and a few of us had backups of the site, maybe we could set up a temp pro board until we get a new kb site

damn it please no. My life has fallen appart enough over the past year. I don't know how much more of it I can take. Please no. I've never been a participant anywhere as much as I have been here. I don't have that many friends in life and you have no Idea how much I rely on the pweoople I have met an.d. plearse no.,plseease

wow, that sucks. i have been trying to contact pepie for a while now (here and on BTFA), but no response. this site doesn't deserve to die, cause TFM, this is the best TF-kitbashing site there is and IMO in the top 5 of best TF sites ever.

Dammit, I hope the site dont go under, but I think its better for the good ole TFmaster to be sorted, i'd miss the site even though i've only been here for the past few months.

I know how you feel there TFM. Hopefully things will turn around for you soon.

It's good to see that others are willing to host if worse comes to worse.

Is there a way for people to download backups towards the end?

if the money isnt the problem, then just look for volunteer admins, no?

oh man doh! i cant belive this i talk to you guys more than my wife. and i too hope pepies ok.

I would rather try and keep the site going , myself , so if your just needing help on cash and hosts i am sure myself and all others would be happy to help

I have talked to my buddy Super Megatron from TFW2005, and he is willing, if you will accept, to help out to keep the site alive.

I don't have much cash to speak of, but one thing I do have is G1 toys. I am more than willing to sell off much of my stuff on ebay and have all the proceeds go towards the bills, and I don't know much code anymore, a little HTML, but its been years. I'd be all too happy to administrate the easier stuff if you just need grunts and not super tech wizards. I will do anything within my power to keep this site going.

TFM said that money is NOT an issue. It's the amount of available time, disappearing/busy staff, hackers, bots, et cetera... He also said that this site IS going down as he has not renewed the payment on it. So, at the end of this month... Bye-bye... Which is why I suggested Freewebs for the site and Invisionfree for the board. Totally free, great HTML and such editing (with rather easy to use templates and all, too), no real hackers/bots find their ways over to such places due to lack of search engine and the such advertising... So all in all a better advantage to being here as you first rid yourself of the hackers/bots nusances and don't have to pay, which means TFM has more money to put towards, say... His family. (Like his kid...) Even though he can spare the money to put to here, it's still nice to have money to put towards your child. ^^ Into, like... A college fund or what have you. ^^

TFM and I have not always been on the best of terms with one another... But I do know what it is to care about ones family so much and all, even though I have no kid(s) of my own and all. And I also understand what it is to have the nusance of bots, hackers and such annoying the board... A massive hack happened to ezBoard which made alot of the message boards there move to places like Invisionfree. (In fact the majority of those I frequented moved to Invisionfree as it has better use and such over something like, say, Proboards. Also has more available server space...)

I say, though, we should all share our e-mail addresses and the such so we can keep in touch. Well... If you haven't made your address available in your profile that is. Maybe put something up in general for those who have theirs hidden to give them and those that don't to say that it's in their profile...? Messenger addresses are all readily available from most of those who use such things I find...

Come on guys... We're family. If we pull together we can definitely survive this. ^^ And believe me... I have never said that about anywhere else in the entirty of the not AND real world...

~Rikku Eric Dunbar

Well, hopefully the transition between boards can be quick and painless. I would hate to loose members in the shuffle. I don't know how feesable it would be to get the board up and running on one of those free spaces before this site goes down. Maybe we suggest another farmiliar board for discussion of Transtopia board/site issues in the mean time, like say, TFans.com/talk under General Discussion. Either that or if we could get Super Megatron from TFW2005 to create a little space somewhere on their board called Transtopia for a temporary shelter.

and I too would love a backed up copy of everything here. Either zipped for download, or if it's too big I would be more than willing to buy copied CDs off one of the admin.s that already has them backed up.

Yes, but, you see... Currently the only other boards OL I'm a member of are The Millenium RPG, The Trinity Wars RPG and exBoards. O_o; And I don't even frequent sleezeyBoards all that often anymore since 1) boards moved away from there after the major hack and great amounts of posts, threads, etc. were lost and 2) just the nusance of the hack in general. -_-

So, personally... I won't make an account anywhere else until I know where we are moving to, if at all. Part of that is due to the fact I want to maintain having the username "Shade" (which is a very common one and taken most other places) and the rest is all on my own laziness/stubborness. >.>!!

But, as I said... I'll follow here no matter where we go. But don't expect me to integrate into other parts of whatever board we might be hosted by...

Hm... An idea maybe would be to get the Allspark to host an area for us so that they could have a "good reason" for taking me off ban there. :3 Even if all they do is limit my access to the TT area, fact remains I still have an account over there. ^^

jimsloth wrote:Either that or if we could get Super Megatron from TFW2005 to create a little space somewhere on their board called Transtopia for a temporary shelter.

Just give me the word, and I shall discuss with him what can happin. He said he (and I assume others of 2005) will take care of us/ the site.

dak wrote:

jimsloth wrote:Either that or if we could get Super Megatron from TFW2005 to create a little space somewhere on their board called Transtopia for a temporary shelter.

Just give me the word, and I shall discuss with him what can happin. He said he (and I assume others of 2005) will take care of us/ the site.

Who are you asking for the word, if you mean me, word. Oh, and TFMaster, I'm sorry I didn't say this sooner, but congradulations on your new job. Sucks that you wount have as much time to kitbash, but hopefully the job is one you love and entertains you instead of just being something you do solely for the money. I feel like my own job fits that discription, I love the people I work with, and it keeps my eyes and hands well trained, even though it takes me away from doing what I really love, toys. Its a good second. Makes life much more bearable.

And if we do move and keep things up and running, please don't be a stranger. Even just advice would be much appreciated. I have noticed your scarcity of late and am glad to hear that its because of a career and not just lack of interest. We've missed you.

jimsloth wrote:

dak wrote:

jimsloth wrote:Either that or if we could get Super Megatron from TFW2005 to create a little space somewhere on their board called Transtopia for a temporary shelter.

Just give me the word, and I shall discuss with him what can happin. He said he (and I assume others of 2005) will take care of us/ the site.

Who are you asking for the word, if you mean me, word.

lol, no not you.. lol prob worded it wrong

Ok...let me get something straight.

First...Noone I know of wants this site to dye. Myself included. Dev has offered to take over/buy it out but I'm not sure if I really want to give it up either.

Pepie has been good to this place but I feel that his time here is not really ended but thinned out. No I have not talked to him yet or heard a responce from my last email but he too has a life and I hold nothing against him. Truth is I think he's ready to give up his top spot and be happy to contribute now and then but I feel that he in no way has the ability to run this site anymore.

Me, I may own it but I have no idea how to run it. If any of you remember my old spot at freeservers you know I'm not one for complicated code and site design. My talents are limited to making customs, taking pics of them and having a automatic upload function like we use to have here on the boards.

I would hand it over to Dev but he can even admit he doesn't have the time that he would like to actually commit to running it...this is a big responceability.

Sure, we could add more staff but to me it's a lost cause to do so. The staff we have/had has either flaked out and done nothing on their ends to contribute or just don't have the time they would like either.

We need a good staff....Badly.

Again, it's not a money issue. The money issue on my ends were always mainly the idea that I'm spending cash, that my wife makes, on my collection, hobbies and this site while I myself have been out of a job for the last couple years. We all have issues...mine was a fear or rejoining the outside world after my 5+ years of having a hernia and not knowing what exactly it was. I hate doctors and the alarming enlargment of my testicular area was very concerning and I feared I had Nut cancer. (I'm a smoker) Like I said when my body couldn't take it anymore I had to go to the doctors...like I said...I was diagnosed with over a 5+ year strain hernia in that region. It wore out the mussle tissue and streched it to the point where it looked like hair strands....the doctors took a big chunk out of those strans and sowed me back up but I have not been able to do hard labor since.

To be hounest, I'm luck that I can still walk and pick up my son and even more important, have sex with my loving and beautiful wife.

Now, over the years I have gotten fatter and lazier and fear kept me out of work. I can't live there no more... in the past month I considered numerouse times the idea of suicide.

I felt useless. Unwanted. Friendless...and even you people can admit, on some level, to say this site and fandom is the extent of your friends is sort of pathetic...I felt totaly isolated and my wife took care of me, my son...everything! I wanted to die thinking that maybe without me being the main burden...my wife could find someone else, better....someone that can provide for her and my son.

I couldn't take it anymore....it seemed like everyone I knew, outside this fandom, just walked on by as I outsreached my hand hoping that someone would save me.

Finnaly a week ago, a old friend of mine called me up and asked me if I'd like a Job.

.......

For the last week I have been working non-stop. I'm not even tired...this body that I'm in....It's not me. From the damn neck down it's not me!!!

I use to be a big player at the local club in my past and over the years and the problems. I went from feeling like GOD to the lowest scum. A leach that sucks those dry around me that I love.

This isn't me....it can't be.

IT WON'T BE!!!!

Part of my thought to let this site go was because I need to live again. It sometimes felt like some monster that kept me down...

...the reality of it was when I needed someone to care the most, outside of my wife and son, you all were there...

...if not for this site, it's fans, and the people that have helped along the way I would be dead right now...

...I LIVE!!

What the hell happend to the man I use to be?? Am I doomed?

We all have our own paths to take and for our own reasons we do the things we do.

I don't point the blame at anyone but myself the the stupidity that has become my life for the last couple years.

I don't blame Pepie or anyone else that couldn't live up to exspectations. They too have lives and reasons for the things they do...the things you all do.

If there is anything I have learned it's that you have to go through Hell to find, truely find our own personal meaning of Heaven. That's where me and Shade meet although we don't always see eye to eye. Shade still annoys me sometimes but shade also has my respect.

Live to your fullest...you ALL have potential. WE all deserve to live...no matter what choices we make to live.

Trust me when I say that I don't want this site to die. Would you kill your personal savior?

I just have come to the point where I thank you all but I can no longer live for you all.

Transtopia to me is history. It'll never die.Even if this site closes down or we lose all data....it will not die.

You all will take things from this place that means more then just the hunks of plastic that originaly brought us together. Transtopia is bigger then that.

I thank you all for wanting to put your hand out. To try and save me...but what you don't understand is that you all already have.

You kept me going all these years. You loved me when I couldn't even love myself. There is no replacing that....

But lets all face the facts...slowely this site is dying. Maybe it's its time...maybe not. It isn't and has never been my place to decide that...you guys have already made that choice for me...

I will be renewing my agreement. Like I said, it's not about the cash...

...but if there isn't someone here to feed this monster it will die.

That too isn't my choice to make. It's yours.

This weekend I will renew my contract. I will still own the site...but I am also giving Dev temp Master powers. I will let him decide the fate of Transtopia...maybe this is what the site needs...someone elses veiw of this Monster's direction...

Dav, as your first official act I need Pepie to lose all his admin powers. He is still welcome and he will always be thanked for making this site what it is but maybe it's time for a change.

You want this site to live? Contact Dev. He will decide what is right for this site from now on.

Me? I'll still be around. Common!!! Transformers are my life...

...But this site can no longer stay as it is. It needs room to grow. To evolve. If that can't happen, then I'll put this monster out of it's misery.

But remember, even if it dies...it will still live on...where it counts.

TFM