The Energon Pub

News Credits: 1452 · Sun Jan 03, 2010 6:41 am

Man, I just don't know what's happened lately. I've been a huge collector of Armada and I think a lot of you on the boards know that. I had an easy chance to pick up an Armada Starscream from a fellow collector, and for some reason the dice aren't rolling. Maybe it was the price? But $35 isn't too bad, and $15 for the Energon Saber either. I'm kinda kicking myself that I missed that chance.

I've landed back at University, so I'm far away from my collections back in my hometown (and that chance to pick up Armada SS). For some reason I don't even feel like going to any collector's or hobby stores to pick up vintage TFs... Maybe it's the hefty price or me being lazy.

For some reason, the interest in Transformers has kinda died on me. I know a lot of people here felt that early on in 2009, and I'm kinda surprised it had not hit me yet. Gundam... Bionicle.. McFarlane's Halo... heck I even started liking Comics and got into the Green Lantern Universe. Transformers has kind of been slightly boring. Being on the news crew for the past 7 months.. lemme tell ya something. I know everything that's been going on and the knowledge has kinda been on and off me. Yes, I get to know everything before everyone else, however I know a too much. It's not like it's that 7 months that I know about... it's like 6 months into the future. I see video reviews, galleries, and instruction sheets for every Transformer being released in the next few months. Going into retail, picking up, and playing it... it kinda kills the surprise when you've seen something so many bloody times.

The same Transformers savvy I had back in the day is gone. I love writing the news, and love seeing the people here react and comment on it. But I hate the hate that some people give from other Transformers sites. I know it's not the place to talk about rivalry, but wow, some people in this fandom tend to grind my gears. I just don't like the general distaste for things that are different to what someone likes. I don't mind RotF, I don't mind Animated... but when someone doesn't like that because it's different from what they've liked previously... well damn they're missing out on some **** that's truly special.

So what's the solution? Do I take a breather? Or do I get back into it again... Watch cartoons or read TF comics? Start buying something that isn't Armada? Avoid those other poopy TF sites?

As always.. comments appreciated..

News Credits: 226 · Sun Jan 03, 2010 7:06 am

Blurrz wrote:But I hate the hate that some people give from other Transformers sites. I know it's not the place to talk about rivalry, but wow, some people in this fandom tend to grind my gears.

So? It's how you enjoy YOUR hobby, not how they expect you to enjoy it. Plus they're entitled to their opinion.

I just don't like the general distaste for things that are different to what someone likes. I don't mind RotF, I don't mind Animated... but when someone doesn't like that because it's different from what they've liked previously... well damn they're missing out on some **** that's truly special.

Says who? You? I hate the look of Animated. I don't think it's special one bit. So what am I missing out on exactly? I gave the thing a chance, I bought figures, I watched the cartoon, I just didn't like 99% of it. Are you saying that you don't like my opinion? Well hey, that's fine. I don't expect you to like my opinion. I don't like that you think it's something that's "truly special", but eh, to each their own!

So what's the solution? Do I take a breather? Or do I get back into it again... Watch cartoons or read TF comics? Start buying something that isn't Armada? Avoid those other poopy TF sites?

Well I think for starters you need to accept that people are going to think differently than you and to not let their differing opinions get to you so much. There are some definite wankers out there who sprout off more words in a paragraph than they have braincells. You really want to listen to their garbage and let it drag down your interest in this fandom?

Like I said, it's YOUR hobby. Don't let others negatively influence your enjoyment of it.

News Credits: 9 · Sun Jan 03, 2010 7:25 am

Do you have to watch all those reviews and look at all those instruction sheets? When I watch a review I skip to the end of the transformation and see what else they have to say about the figures cos I like to figure out the transformation by myself. Maybe if you didn't get so intimately involved with a figure before the release it'd still have the excitement when you get it.

And don't let the haters grind you down - just pity them for being closed minded.

News Credits: 1 · Sun Jan 03, 2010 11:44 am

Maybe you need to get away from some of the "spoiler" reviews. Or pick up a figure you know you'll love instead of one you might just feel is a good deal. Like that Starscream. Is it a figure you were dying to get? If you're lukewarm on it, then maybe it's not really for you afetr all.

If you were closer to home I'd suggest going through your collection and transforming your TFs and rearranging things. At times I rearrange my entire display (granted, it's not as large as some) and I rediscover TFs I liked and generally feel good about the whole thing. Sometimes being away from something for so long makes a guy get some distance.

As to the haters ... well, everyone does have their opinion. But if they're getting you down, maybe you just need a break from message boards to regain your perspective.

News Credits: 16 · Sun Jan 03, 2010 12:42 pm

If being on the news crew is souring your Transformers experience, then maybe you should take a break from it.

There's nothing wrong with stepping away from Transformers fandom for awhile. I know I ignored everything Transformers during the Unicron trilogy, and I'm still here.

Sun Jan 03, 2010 1:41 pm

Ever consider taking up knitting?

JKS!

Try watching some of the G1 and Beast Wars cartoons, in my opinion the two best TF cartoons.
WAIT! You don't know anything about Universe 3.0 by any chance do you?

Sun Jan 03, 2010 2:29 pm

Personally, I just got back into collecting action figures in general, I'd taken about 5 years away and just got back during Animated and ROTF. My personal advice for any collector of anything is if your not feeling that same drive you used to take a break for awhile and look around if the desire is deep down in their eventually it'll come back it'll just need some to spark your interest again. Look at comicbooks I was regularly collecting since I was 11yrs old then came Civil War and it turned me off for about 2yrs, I still followed what was going on through websites but for the most part I just didn't have that same desire until Dark Avengers and Power Girl came out.

News Credits: 387 · Sun Jan 03, 2010 3:06 pm

Blurrz wrote:I just don't like the general distaste for things that are different to what someone likes. I don't mind RotF, I don't mind Animated... but when someone doesn't like that because it's different from what they've liked previously... well damn they're missing out on some **** that's truly special.

I used to hate when people complained about repaints, but I've gotten over it. People are different, and not everyone will ever agree, it's just something you must accept. You can't let other people take your enjoyment of a hobby just because you don't agree with them.

Probably, you're just bored. This is a very boring period in this hobby for these reasons:

1. ROTF has come and gone, there is no more excitement regarding what's in the movie, cause it's over. The remaining toy line is the fifty-thousandth version of every character from the movie you already have, and some off-screen characters.

2. Hasbro is keeping anything that matters a secret until Toyfair or another convention.

3. Because of the above, the current year looks very bleak. We have a game to look forward to, and a cartoon we don't really know about. For someone like me who's only cared half as much as they used to since 07, I'm not very hopeful for this new cartoon. Don't know about you.

Blurrz, I bet after one of this year's conventions you'll be excited again. Maybe a certain annoying blue car will show up in Classics...

News Credits: 38 · Sun Jan 03, 2010 4:47 pm

Don't feel that you NEED to keep collecting. The new movie almost completely killed my love for Transformers. Both toy and name itself. However, I still find one every once in a while that I love like HA BB and Skids. However, I've found many other interesting toy lines that I've picked up again like the Halo and Gears of war series. Maybe it's because they feel truly solid and worth the money being charged. I don't know. I do know that my Xbox 360 is getting a huge workout for the last 6 or so months though.

News Credits: 1452 · Sun Jan 03, 2010 5:03 pm

I think I've just been burning myself out. A little time here and there doing other things should fix everything.

Thanks guys.

News Credits: 402 · Updated Oct 21, 2022

Blurrz wrote:I think I've just been burning myself out. A little time here and there doing other things should fix everything.

Thanks guys.

Girls. Get Some.

Then they break your heart and you'll be right back into the collecting habit again

News Credits: 905 · Sun Jan 03, 2010 8:26 pm

Mkall wrote:Girls. Get Some.

Then they break your heart and you'll be right back into the collecting habit again

my impression is that he has a lot of them, no? :grin:

i think the root cause is there are not many Blurr for him to collect..... thats why he feels boring...

News Credits: 1 · Sun Jan 03, 2010 9:06 pm

fowlowl2626 wrote:Ever consider taking up knitting?

=

Dude, don't even go there.

HK, knitting freakazoid.

Sun Jan 03, 2010 11:16 pm

1) Find another hobby. I officiating soccer in the spring and football in the fall. Forces me to stay in shape and provides supplemental income for buying Transformers. Or find a hobby that you can use to reignite your Transformers interest. Some above suggested knitting. Myself, I would like to learn to draw Transformers and create my own comics.

2) Take a break from the News Crew. I'm very glad there are people out there who are willing to supply information to the rest of us fans. But if this role is causing you to not enjoy Transformers altogether, it's probably a role you should give up. Also, it may be necessary for my next two ideas.

3) Actively avoid spoilers. I rarely watch reviews for figures that are not out yet. Heck, I rarely watch reviews period. If it is a character that I really want a representation of, or if it is a figure that just looks interesting, I'll get it. To heck with what some guy thinks. Also, I avoided any ROTF threads that I could until I saw the movie. Sometimes the News Feed or thread topics gave away a character or four, but I could still watch the film without knowing what was going happen or who was going to appear.

4) Be more selective in the threads you read. I avoid all ROTF and Animated threads. I have no interest in those toy lines. I also avoid threads that bash those toy lines. I see no reason to bash those toy lines. I'd rather let those that enjoy them do so, and I'll happily collect away my Classics/Universe toys. If I do come across someone bashing a mold, a series, whatever, I just laugh at them to myself and move on. No sense in getting worked up about it.

But if none of that works, maybe it's time to take a full break altogether.

Whatever you decide, I wish you luck in finding your "spark" again.

Sun Jan 03, 2010 11:24 pm

I've found that any hobby I overdue gets old and frustrating if I take it to the extreme. I've played competitive PC games years ago on a pretty high level, and everytime I swapped over to a leadership or administrative position it just burned me out. I'd imagine thats what happened to you with News Crew. Certainly you think it would be great to be the one on the prowl for new stuff and getting to share it with other people... but it becomes a job. Gotta keep it grounded on what you want to get from your hobby. If becoming a regular forum member and discovering cool things on your own is what will interest you, then do that.

With or without a "News Crew" tagging posts as news... If you keep tabs on the forum you will find out about most stuff, just as others have.

Personally I recently took some time to re-evaluate what I value about my collection/Hobby. Sort of a "if there was a fire" type mindset. It's put me on the customizing/kitbashing/repainting kick and this gives me limitless sources of enjoyment and creativity. Plus all the discoveries or decisions I make will be unique to me and thus that more personalized.

I cannot WAIT to start doing this. It will turn a slow year of Transformers into a hunt for just the right parts to scavenge from my large collection

News Credits: 4 · Mon Jan 04, 2010 8:44 am

Im feeling you man, I have this thought of like totally quitting this line as in toys all together.. forever there would be exclusives or the "must haves", hunting for them to no ends.. and passing by a store to get something you originally do not want, spending more impulse money and more..

I recently told one of my friend about my hobby, though she didn't like what's that dude? Shes like really?really? and she stared at me with those huge eyes.. I really din know how to reply.. I said really.. I can see her smiling by herself as she thought about me collecting but thats really not the issue or the main issue why I feel like quitting but also the lack of money, a lot of my friends that know Im collecting thinks I have loads of money.. you know all these money for transformer toys can get me 2 ps3 and some cool games.. Haha looks like Im whinning but then again Im still getting 3 more b4 I "quit", HA Barricade, Deluxe Lockdown and Deluxe MoonRacer/Elita-1/FlareUp. Hmm will I ever quit, Im not sure but Im going towards that direction..

As for you, I would like to say whatever floats your boat..

News Credits: 129 · Mon Jan 04, 2010 8:59 am

You are making a bigger deal of your situation than is necessary. Basically, you look at your hobby as an all or nothing venture.

“Interests” aren’t something you pick up and put down; they are something you look to for enjoyment and for amusement.

Don’t create your own drama in your head. Empty your cup, step away from the table, and just let things be. You’re too concerned about who does or says what, how involved or not involved you are, or whether you’ve fallen out of the clique or not.

It sounds to me like you’re on overload and after seeing how much news stuff you do it makes sense. Don’t take that as pity, all I’m saying is that I understand. Look for more balance in your life in general, but don’t give up the hobby because you enjoy it so much that you dove a bit too deep. You’ve seen my collection and you know my time on this board. If I’m not checking news or taking a peaceful break in my toy room, I really don’t think about Transformers. Just relax about things a bit more, perhaps get some exercise, and re-read what Burn wrote.

Rome won’t burn down entirely while you take a holiday. :wink:

News Credits: 5 · Mon Jan 04, 2010 11:59 am

It's defiantly a "down" time. With nothing much to look forward to, but with Toyfair next month (I'll be there, but we don't buy from Hasbro so we won't be invited to see the Hasbro display) I am sure we will see a few things to rekindle your interest a little.

It's hard to keep going at full throttle with any hobby, especially while at college.