The Energon Pub

Gryph wrote:Glad you decided to post in this thread. I'd say the biggest issue people are concerned with is if the site itself will remain intact or if it will just be a section on Seibertron.

The way I think this would happen would be for Transtopia to replace Demiurgic City on SEIBERTRON.com. I'm not exactly sure how that would be executed however. I was looking over all of the forums here and it seems like it would be a shame to loose all of the diverse forums here ... but that decision would ultimately be up to TFmaster. If he wanted to maintain a larger forum structure like this one currently, then I will probably figure out a way to make a dedicated forum system for this community which I've wanted to do with Heavy Metal War for some time. If TFmaster wants a smaller forum structure, then we'll figure out what the dedicated Transtopia forums will be and proceed from there.

As for the content, it would ultimately be a subsection of SEIBERTRON.com located at a URL like http://www.seibertron.com/transtopia. Ideally, I would like the tfmaster.com domain name to point to that URL so that it would be easier for you guys but that's undecided yet either.

A lot of this depends on what TFmaster wants to do. I would like to preserve as much of the content as possible but it will most likely work best if it's a subsection of SEIBERTRON so that it's less code to maintain. I believe that's the ultimate goal here because TFmaster is more interested in working on kitbashes and building the kitbash community than he is about figuring out who's going to help maintain the code structure of the website.

piranacon wrote:yeah id like the site how it is as much as possable, everyone has contributed, Dev has made all the galleries and pepie put the site together along with everyone else who contributed,
i think its success has been down to it being a kitbash site with general sections, not a general transformers site with a kitbash section

I understand your concern. I guess the biggest thing on SEIBERTRON that has a "cult" following would be Heavy Metal War. HMW is it's own beast ... it could literally thrive on its own without being a part of the overall SEIBERTRON.com community. But it is a part of the overall community as it will always be ... and people are HUGE fans of it. I guess I'd like to see the Transtopia community be very similiar to the HMW community.

piranacon wrote:in this thread we found the extra staff we needed and web hosting so is there something else needed

I hope TFmaster can jump in on this one because I don't want to speak for him. My impression is that he doesn't want to have to worry about the upkeep of this site like he has been and wants to be able to focus on the things that he excels at ... which is running this community and working on kitbashes. Website owners that have a volunteer staff are always left in an odd position at times like this. When help is really needed, people always are willing to help out in whatever way possible. However, as time goes on, interests change and people fall off the face of the Earth it seems leaving the website owner scrambling to fill in the gaps. It's stressful and not a lot of fun at times. If merging Transtopia into SEIBERTRON.com relieves that stress off TFmaster's shoulders but allows him to keep kicking ass at his customs and building this community, then I think it's a win-win situation.

swampmojo wrote:this news saddens me. TT closing? oh, man. TF i am truly sorry for your situation, i am in a similar bind...have been for awhile. I sencerely hope this can be resolved with everyone coming out the otehr end intact.

Best of luck,
Warron. AKA SWAMPMOJO.

That's my goal ... helping get TFmaster's vision to the next level.

It seems to me that the problem is because this is a site with a "goal" if you will, a "how to" site, it does a better job than most of overcomming the inter-fandom racism. People come to this place looking for something intentional, to improve toys. And if we merge with Seibertron, it could take away the goal of helpping every one, because some people mgiht feel alineated. Not saying it's not their own stupid ideological faults, I'm just bringging it up.

Seibertron wrote:

piranacon wrote:yeah id like the site how it is as much as possable, everyone has contributed, Dev has made all the galleries and pepie put the site together along with everyone else who contributed,
i think its success has been down to it being a kitbash site with general sections, not a general transformers site with a kitbash section

I understand your concern. I guess the biggest thing on SEIBERTRON that has a "cult" following would be Heavy Metal War. HMW is it's own beast ... it could literally thrive on its own without being a part of the overall SEIBERTRON.com community. But it is a part of the overall community as it will always be ... and people are HUGE fans of it. I guess I'd like to see the Transtopia community be very similiar to the HMW community.

piranacon wrote:in this thread we found the extra staff we needed and web hosting so is there something else needed

I hope TFmaster can jump in on this one because I don't want to speak for him. My impression is that he doesn't want to have to worry about the upkeep of this site like he has been and wants to be able to focus on the things that he excels at ... which is running this community and working on kitbashes. Website owners that have a volunteer staff are always left in an odd position at times like this. When help is really needed, people always are willing to help out in whatever way possible. However, as time goes on, interests change and people fall off the face of the Earth it seems leaving the website owner scrambling to fill in the gaps. It's stressful and not a lot of fun at times. If merging Transtopia into SEIBERTRON.com relieves that stress off TFmaster's shoulders but allows him to keep kicking ass at his customs and building this community, then I think it's a win-win situation.

I think what a majority of us are saying is that we want Transtopia to remain a site in and of itself rather than merged into another site. The impression I got from Devastator?s post is that he appears to be interested in taking over for TF Master as Webmaster for the site? Correct me if I am mistaken here Dev? and thus keep Transtopia as an independent entity.

TM2 Dinobot wrote:It seems to me that the problem is because this is a site with a "goal" if you will, a "how to" site, it does a better job than most of overcomming the inter-fandom racism. People come to this place looking for something intentional, to improve toys. And if we merge with Seibertron, it could take away the goal of helpping every one

I completely agree.

There's a reason so many come here, there's a reason we're not all members of Seibertron or the Allspark or wherever.

Every major Transformers community, Seibertron included, has it's own cliques, it's own humour, politics, rivalries and so on.
And there are plenty of people who either feel uncomfortable or dislike a site's attitudes and don't wish to be associated with them.

On the other hand, TT is purely about the love of Transformers, of customising them, and it's appeal is universal, there are people here from all communities.

If this site is absorbed into any community, it's appeal is instantly limited and this community suffers as a result.

I respect TFMaster and I understand that he no longer wants the worry of the site, I don't blame him.
I also admire the courage and sheer lack of ego to be prepared to put the site, the name he has established into someone elses hands for the good of the community.
But I think that, in many ways, this site being absorbed into another will be no different to letting it close.

I'm not anti Seibertron, but I would rather at least look for other options.

lycanthropictendencies wrote:I'm not anti Seibertron, but I would rather at least look for other options.

Ditto. Lets lay all out cards on the table before shackign up with any one else.

I think that pretty much sums up my feelings on the matter, too.

I appreciate that integrating with Seibertron could potentially serve the site well in practical terms; taking most of the stress out of it from TFM's standpoint, and I have little doubt that Transtopia would be secure, in all practical senses, in Ryan's hands.

But Transtopia is very much its own community; a subculture within a subculture, who arrived here from such diverse sites as TFW, TFD and the Allspark, and many others. I can't help feeling that integrating it into Seibertron, or any other of these sites, might, just might, 'alienate' members who don't want to be part of the larger site. There's also the fear that Transtopia may become lost among the larger community.

I think that other options should definitely be explored (obviously with TFM's go-ahead, and all), and that if it's at all feasible for us to sustain Transtopia as a stand-alone site, I feel strongly that we should endeavour to do so.

On the other hand, we also have to accept that realistically, it may not be workable, and if we can't reach such a solution, I personally couldn't think of a better place to set up our new home than Seibertron, and I'd like to thank Ryan for offering us the opportunity to do it.

I may be willing to consider hosting transtopia and not integrating it entirely into the site. If I did that, I would feed the SEIBERTRON.com news and other features into Transtopia so that you guys would get that content as well as the primary content that interests the Transtopia community. Of course, a lot of this depends on what TFmaster and I work out and what makes life easier for him.

Why are you all afraid of just a little change?

Noone is taking anything from you. If anything it would be giving you much more as well as will bring a wider audiance to you.

Sometimes what doesn't feel right is just the fear of you losing your "Home".

Just because we move to another state or blend with another community doesn't mean the end of Transtopia but a new beginning. Sometimes for things to get better you have to start with fresh eyes.

Let me put it this way...if intergrated it wouldn't change much if really at all.

Like Ryan suggested we could still have an automatic "Straight to" to Transtopia with nothing other then a web address being also part of their system. It wouldn't be baried in fact it would give us and our little community the attention it deserves.

Please understand that I want to accomidate all people but I can't do that, accomidate myseld as well as upteen other people with voices that need to be heard and exspressed.

In the end, if it doesn't work we can cut ties but for the love of God at least give it a chance. Ryan isn't out to **** me or any of you. He is trying to help if you beleive it or not.

Change is inevitable. It's a part of life.

Before you right off Evolution in favor of Faith keep an open mind.

It's not the end of the world. It's not the end of TT.

But keep the suggestions going. Yuo want to prove you can handle these things then submit/commit and share but don't complain when you don't even know the whole story yet.

Hell, I don't. Ryan doesn't. None of us do.

The the great thing about life. It can throw you a curve ball but sometimes it can also be bennificial and essential for Growth.

Love TT or leave it. That has been your choice from the beginning...it's your choice now, and it's your choice if this follows through but you yourself would rather not follow us there. It's your choice.

Noone is saying you can't be concerned. Can't share ideas or even contribute.

You want to prove you could be an assettte to TT...contribute.

Throw out your ideas. Suggest a new way to go about things or what is old that we should keep.

In the end the only parts here that make up TT is the Galleries and 4 sections of the forum. Minor Mods, WIP, Finnished, and Scrathcbuild. Everything else you can find anywhere else already?

So what if some parts are a little downsized. Hell we're not using them Now.

Like I said, you want to contribute then discuss and share ideas.

Everything that needs to be saved will be saved within the next 4-5 months. Don't fear losing the content you an I all worked hard on.

I love you guys but ****.

I'll still run the TT forums and it's rules!!! Don't worry.

TFM

I'm totally cool with whatever decision you make. I'm not going anywhere.

I think TFM has a good point here, if Ryan has a "straight to" link to the forums here that would be fine, and integrating our gallaries into seibertron would get us a lot more exposure and a nice place to showcase our work. We'd still be able to have contests and kitbash of the year awards etc.. I think a partial merger with Seibertron could be advantagous to us all

Everybody has their own way of expressing the good that they sincerely wish for somebody, and I hope and pray that everything works out well in the end for you and your family TFM. When you are married and have a family, NOTHING should come before them. Do what you need to do man, and the rest of us will be hear to support you and Transtopia in any way we can.

I for one think the association with Seibertron.com would be a good thing. One thing that Seibertron.com severly lacks is a spotlight for any kind of creative outlet for kitbashers. One forum page is not enough in my opinon. TT is host to the some of the best and brightest, and with the kind of exposure that Seibertron gets, it seems to me like the sky would be the limit.

Like Tramp, most of my talents are design based, like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign. If it is going to be a few months before the merger (If there is one), by then I might have learned enough code to be of some help. I wish I knew more right now. If it's uploading photo's into galleries that can be taught fairly easily that just requires someone's time, I'm available!

Ideas, huh?

Okay. We buy the site. Ourselves. We, the members, get enought together to but the server space for the next 1+ years, just like it's doing now. We have a fundraiser. It's not mandentory to donate, but it's expected of you. We have a contest. If you donat, you're entered into a drawing for custom toys. Advertise. Get the frelling name out there. There are a ton of customizing sites out there. Most people likes Transformers, or at least seeing other's hard work. There are also a bunch of fameous customizers. How bout inviting them over for a custom trade or something. RTM has a custom con bi-yearly. How about something like that? Elect new staff. We need it. Experienced people who can step up and do stuff that needs to be done without being asked.

You seem to think I'm fighting change. I'm not. I'm fighting rushing head long into a situation without evaluating all your options. I think there are many other things we can do rather then commit to something without seeing other stuff first.

Also, you're right. One way or the other, the TT we knew is gone.

TM2 Dinobot wrote:Ideas, huh?

Okay. We buy the site. Ourselves. We, the members, get enought together to but the server space for the next 1+ years, just like it's doing now. We have a fundraiser. It's not mandentory to donate, but it's expected of you. We have a contest. If you donat, you're entered into a drawing for custom toys. Advertise. Get the frelling name out there. There are a ton of customizing sites out there. Most people likes Transformers, or at least seeing other's hard work. There are also a bunch of fameous customizers. How bout inviting them over for a custom trade or something. RTM has a custom con bi-yearly. How about something like that? Elect new staff. We need it. Experienced people who can step up and do stuff that needs to be done without being asked.

You seem to think I'm fighting change. I'm not. I'm fighting rushing head long into a situation without evaluating all your options. I think there are many other things we can do rather then commit to something without seeing other stuff first.

Also, you're right. One way or the other, the TT we knew is gone.

I'm sorry man but i have to say, you're wrong.

TT is not gone. Won't be gone anytime soon and truth be told if I can have it my way it'll never be gone.

You think I'm rushing headlong?...Dude, i've been toying with ideas to do something of this caliber for years now and weighing each possible outcome. For years I have been on and off in talks with Tony at TFW about something like this but in the end it always came around to where he says to me, "I'd love to do this but the staff has concerns...We need this and this and..."

If I went that route would that have been ok?

He even said, "We do this I will need to own the name and everything with it"

Ok, maybe NOT those exact words but close to it.

Ryan on the other hand doesn't want a Monopoly. He just rather win at it. Do you have to own something to have pride for it? NO...so in that case I thought to myself Tony doesn't get the point, and the heart would then be taken out of it.

I thought about giving it to Dev or someone else. I BUILT this from the ground up, but like a real community it needed others to help it grow. I birthed it...I won't just "LET IT GO"

Specially to numerouse fans that have interest in it.

Each have their own agenda. Can you make a choice from that. In the end you want to protect YOUR baby at all costs. It's your responceability.Noone elses.

Can you choose from the numerouse hands that are holding out for it to take your place? NO.

But at the same time you can't just take the child away from it's community.

That's what I love about the internet. Over the years I have had a blast. Troubles now or no, I look back and I cannot say i've been cheeted.

And why do you guys keep coming back??

Is it the content?

Most places have their own version of it so what make you different?

It's the heart. I'm not taking it away, I'm just taking it with me. It's my right as the father isn't it? Would you be able to easily make those choices above?

And not only do you mention the fact of handing it off to one hand and choose but multipal??

You say I haven't thought things out and that it's rushed. It's not. I hade my freeservers account back in the day and did it all myself. Easy set up but not much to look at.

Then Pepie set me up with a place I can call my home. I INVITED you all in. It's not private. Anyone can be here. Just don't be a **** in my home and all will always be welcome.

See True transtopians see that. They understand.

Home is where you make it and you make your home where your heart is.

Just because i change the suit doesn't mean I don't like it anymore. It's just time for a change.

You want to contribute? Then by all means do so. Noone is stoping you and in fact if you have been reading all that I have written correctly I'm pleading for it.

Go or stay? Stay or move?

You got a choice and so do I.

And good or ill they are my choices.

But just like a move in the real world, you don't like it you can always move back or somewhere else.

Ryan gave me that option.

He gets it.

TFM

A little exposure to this hobby of ours wouldn?t be a bad thing. On the latest TFWire podcast, someone asked what a kitbash was. Unfortunately, I don?t even think the hosts knew the answer.

My two cents??.

Transtopia is great! We have a terrific board here with supportive, courteous members and constructive discussion. If THAT part of TT can remain what it is now, than I?m all for the merge. If the forum can remain a place for helpful discussion without negative remarks and spam than it doesn?t matter where it?s located IMO. Yes, merging this forum on to a bigger board would increase the exposure of artists here. But it also opens it up to more fans that don?t know/care that much about kitbashing and along with it, the same non-constructive, pointless, ?That sucks!? bullshit that?s found on most big boards. I always felt bad reading comments like that, especially when it?s a new fan getting into the hobby. I don?t ever remember reading something like that here.

Also, if any of you remember, the same thing that?s going on right now also happened last March. TFM brought up closing the site, members were concerned and help was offered. The site remained opened but other than adding a few forum mods, everything seemed to remain pretty much the same. Hell, I don?t think anyone other than Devastator has posted a gallery since then. Was the help not accepted the first time? Would it be this time? Maybe there's just not enough time or energy to train someone else to help with the site? We all have lives outside this board. I?m sure Devs could use a break just as much as TFM. Maybe going to an established site with a full staff really is the best option for everyone.

I've only been here a short time, but from what i've seen, TFMaster's love and dedication to this site, it's members and it's goals is enough to convince me he will do the right thing by us. I like the idea of having our own place in this vast internet space, and as long as we continue in the good spirit that has been established in Transtopia, it will remain our place no matter where it goes. As long as we stick together on this one, i reckon it will be ok. As some folks have pointed out, it could even be better.......(hard to imagine, I know!)

Seibertron wrote:I may be willing to consider hosting transtopia and not integrating it entirely into the site. If I did that, I would feed the SEIBERTRON.com news and other features into Transtopia so that you guys would get that content as well as the primary content that interests the Transtopia community.

sounds like it would work well, *cancels mutiny* saying that i would like an upgrade to the main site but keep a seprate forum

I see no prob merging as long as things dont get all out of whack.....kinda like what Lobo was referring to.


I also like the idea of taking up a collection to keep it going ourselves. I wouldnt need anything in return for the donation either....just the fact of knowing I did my part to help keep it going would be a gift in itself.

TFM....do what you gotta do man, I aint mad at cha. Take care of you and yours FIRST. Then deal with this.

I wish I could be more help to the site....but besides making posts and adding pics....thats the extent of my computer website knowledge.

Maximal Prime wrote:One forum page is not enough in my opinon. TT is host to the some of the best and brightest, and with the kind of exposure that Seibertron gets, it seems to me like the sky would be the limit.

Actually, there's an entire section dedicated to creative work but people often overlook it. I'm looking at Transtopia as a way to showcase everyone's work ... the existing stuff on SEIBERTRON as well as your stuff. I have a lot of cool ideas and tools that will enable TFmaster and whoever's helping him to feature/focus/spotlight whatever artist (or writer) they want.

The problem with the existing creative section on SEIBERTRON is that I wrote it almost 4 years ago and never really updated the code to match all of the skills I've learned over the years (such as automatic thumbnail creation, for example).

Here's the current artwork section:
http://www.seibertron.com/creative/inde ... pe=artwork

Here's the current fiction section:
http://www.seibertron.com/creative/inde ... pe=fiction

Here's the dedicated forum that is not used as much as it should be:
http://www.seibertron.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=9

what makes transtopia transtopia is the people you use it and the work they submit. as long as the majority of us still use the site, wherever it ends up, then transtopia and its ideals will live on

Roadblasters short shorts wrote:what makes transtopia transtopia is the people you use it and the work they submit. as long as the majority of us still use the site, wherever it ends up, then transtopia and its ideals will live on

You speak true. I am behind TF and whatever he decides to do, i know he still calculates us all into the eqautions and is trying to see the end goal with ryan as a beneficial one for all involved. if we can keep the integrity of TT intact (which they seem to be striving for) then the merge is just that, a joining of two seperate entities into one without dilluting one another.

KEEP YA HEAD'S UP,

WARRON, AKA SWAMPMOJO.

In all aspects here is the skinny.

Change: There will be some but that not only comes with the territory but also it's what we do now, How many sections have been added only to be taken down a month or sooner down the road? Alot of what we have here is just camo. It has extra sections like all forums and alot of it we don't even use. If you want to talk about regular TF discussion they have that section already. Toys forum. Have it. There is some stuff that will go but in the end there will always be 4 essentials that I know I will cover and moderate as the leader os those sections. The same treatment you get here you will get there. In all my years Seibertron.com is the one I least Mods obuse their powers at. I haven't seen it. So no fear there.

Galleries: we'll still have them except now we can not only pimp auctions of Kitbashes on his main sight to get more awareness of your work to a newer and larger audiance. The site may not be growing but the respect will spread. It can't do that here if your a goaraphobe because people like to stay in their own little safe universe and i'm sorry but that's just not a healthy way to live. Change is needed to get the word out. Show what we do and prove to everyone that we're not a joke. From what i've seen in the last few years Kitbashing has grown considerably.If this was freeservers again would that be possible?

Staff: WE have it but it's very rare anyone does anything with it. Dak and Dev and a few others have been great but they are limited in what they know how to do or are allowed to do. It'll be just as controled over at Seibertron.com so i don't see the problem. I see the possibility that others will help. It's what we need and he has a dedicated staff and even if they didn't Ryan does alot of work on his own himself. They seem to welcome us with open arms over there and they feel the same way you do. They don't want this site to go bye bye but at the same time they are ready for the change. (Read about it over at the Toys forum there and you'll see memebers are more then willing to except us. Was that the case 10 years ago?)

Content and forum: There is very little subsections needed. And if Ryan can set it up to where it goes to a look alike home page for TT over their page that doesn't get used it'll seem like your still going to your own and private home. Just welcoming more people in., galleries featured on that main pages, as well as seibertron.com's main page is a bonus. More exsposure and you artists deserve that. He has been open to featuring a kitbash when it's done on their main page (Please keep in mind that it will be selective on what kitbash of the week is featured) and still be dirredted to our little community there. So what is the downfall? We intergrate thei content they already have! no biggie. It's still like and extra option on our main page that shows articals and the like just replicate that kind of sections there with more added to it. I'm sure some of their sections added to ours will be simplified and can be added to larger base groups just like we would do. All the articals would be transferred, and going over the forums a couple times before the move and searching stickies and help tutorials we'll have time to make them into more articals. It's basicly what a tutorial is.No fear there will be a place for everything and everything in it's place. We have to do that here from time to time, no?

Like i said. It's change. It's scary. Heck, i've been fighting against it for soooo long that it's worked it's way into my own home life. You guys see. I didn't want to have to move out of my real home and to another state to accomidate the breakdown of the economy as of late. My option? Take a chance. Am I freaked? Not anymore. With excepting this sites enevitable i can except my own real lifes as well. My wife and I are looking into moving from Michigan to North Carolina because ANOTHER Transfan freind named Chad (And his lovely wife Misty) have offered me a Job down there making $800 a week painting but alas, like this change, it has time restrictions. It's not till the spring. Will I be moving? I HAVE TO! I can't get a good $7 dollar an hour job out here and out their I can have a job that pays me as well as someone at Ford's? I can't pass that up and cost of living is alot cheeper out there as well as more clean and not as dirty as this state has become. It's like Detroit spread like a cancer. I either cut the cancer out or die with it.

So if anyone thinks i'm rushing into this then I hope by now that you realize I haven't. I have given this thought for many years and tried many times to fight against it.

You the fans want to chip in and save TT? Sorry but that's just not ganna happen. Why let you do that? So you can all fight about contenet and who owns the name later on? Sorry TT deservs better then that and it will go with me. Don't like it? Got content here already? Then just tell me that you don't want your content at the new TT. No skin off my back. That's your choice. I'm not stopping you but if you think i'm just ganna let 20 so-and-so's just take TT and do what they want with it it's not ganna happen. You still have the option to do SOMETHING like that yourselves. Get other members together, start your own Kitbash site. Hell I'll help you with the name: KITBASH CENTERAL. Think it's ganna upset me? Hell NO. Compatition is essential in our ecconomy. it's what makes it grow and brings more money and company with it. Do it if you want. I have no ill wills tward it. YOU CANNOT BE THE BEST WITHOUT SOMEONE OR SOMETHING FOR IT/YOU TO BE COMPARED TO.

So no fears. Not anymore and Ryan has helped me get past them.

Ryan get's the site because he gave me options that Tony didn't.

I chose best for me. I hoped I was choosing best for you.

Come with me or stay and lose a home and have to eventually find your own.

It's the world and the people in it and I welcome it now.

TFM

Great post above ... that kind of helps outline what will be needed. My first order of business is to get the site setup in a test environment and with TFmaster's permission, see about running the site temporarily from one of my SEIBERTRON.com servers so that we won't have to worry about data or file inconsistencies later down the road.

Okay. So let me get this straight. Essentially what y'all are talking about is a colony? Shared front page. Go to the Seibertron forums, there's a section for TRanstopia. Click it, it zaps you to the TT fourms section, with the 4 or so sections. We get access to the Seibertron server space, as well as the experienced technical staff, but we get to govern ourselves? Cause if that's what you're saying, that actually wouldn't be so bad. Correct me if I'm wrong.