Seibertron.com Energon Pub Forums

I can attest to that. Even in negative situations, mods have upkept dialogues and even helped with technical issues. Seibertron usually shows a more personal level of interaction than other sites (for whatever reasons, giving them the benefit of the doubt).

When I first got here, people were very helpful. One (staff?) member was really patient and helped me reduce my sig to a correct size. Usually elsewhere, it's not uncommon to get a sig removed and a warning given, but here, help was given first.

Acesmcgee wrote:Burn here was the first to greet me in a post,

Honestly, it's not something I do very often, but mate, not to blow smoke up your arse but I wouldn't say no to a few more members like you! You've really dived in and it's been fun watching you discover new threads to engage in!

I'm sure I said it when you first joined, but there's been a few people over the years enter this particular fandom (and no doubt others as well) to help them deal with a situation in their life. And there's nothing wrong with that. I've been on this site long enough to see the ups and downs of many members, from losing loved ones, to getting married, having kids etc. It's not always about the plastic crack, sometimes you just need a friendly ear (or eye) or just want to share your joy. It's all good.

I am going to try to keep this nice because I did find your article interesting and it did raise some issues I have been thinking about and dealing with about this "fandom".
It does kind of annoy me that the so called "Fake Geeks" (as you called them) have been getting "rewarded" lately in the fandom. They have been able to represent themselves and have more "control" over most of the fan sites/groups/forums lately, and it feels as us "Die Hard Fans" have been losing our grip. Any opinions we may have either gets rejected, or just ignored....and in some cases if some "cry babies" get offended, we get kicked out of the party so to say.
This is not just my opinion, I have talked to many of us fans that have been ran out of the fandom, because maybe we have an issue with people that are just collecting for the money , or that the comics now seems to be aimed at the SJW Millennials, just so they can become "trendy".....while losing their core audience (btw this is not just for the IDW Transformers comics, but for most comics in general). I have talked to many fans my age that love Transformers. but they can't stand talking about them anymore, especially on forums, and to be honest on this forum mostly. We get "silenced" all the time......if we have an opposing opinion we are being "too preachy", if we correct someone that has wrong information we get dubbed a "know-it-all" and to "ease of man".
I love this site, and yes I feel that the News Crew is the best when compared to other sites, and maybe that is because when you are a "Fake Geek" it is easier to be more impartial, then someone with the attitude....."EVERYTHING IS AWESOME" (which would be someone like me) lol
On a personal note, I try my best to stay engaged in the fandom, listening to both sides or I should say the many sides of any argument, but sometimes it is just so discouraging when you get told over and over "we are right and you are wrong, e'nuff said, and if you continue we will remove you". Which again is not just my experience while dealing with these forums, but many others that have given up engaging with anyone in this fandom anymore.
My honest opinion and it has always been my opinion is that there is no such thing as a "true fan", the "ULTIMATE SUPER FAN".....it does not matter if you have twenty thousand Transformers and have been collecting since the time of Diaclone, or if you just began to watch RID 2015, and have just one Legion Class Grimlcok, if you love Transformers, or just love being a part of the experience, then you are a fan, and just like me, we are equals. Of course I wish it was that simple, people in this and every other fandom are "Elitists", and if you don't have the same "EXACT" opinions as theirs, then you are nothing to them.....and are not allowed to play in any of their reindeer games.
To sum this up, and even though I know most of you won't take this advise......just keep an open mind and respect other's opinions even if they differ from your's it doesn't mean they are wrong.

I don't know if "rewarded" was the right word, just....hmmm....I guess what I meant to say was, it seems that the fandom is divided, and it seems like one side is being tolerated over the other.
A person can go on and insult me (and others) and not be called out by an Admin, but when I fight back I have been banned, or told to stop or I would be "permanently" banned. And I guess what I have noticed is the ones "getting away with murder" are all the "newbies", the ones that say "hey I only began liking this stuff because of the 07 movie....G1 was like so stupid". Now I am not saying that someone that is fresh to the fandom is not allowed to have an opinion, but there has been a double standard lately....(again this is not just for this forum, but does include it). So when I read the article, and saw some of the other comments from other Admins, it kind of made sense why.
I used to be a Admin of the Facebook group called Talk Transformers, and I had to quit because when other Admins were brought on by the owner of the group, I was told to "flex" the rules for "friends" and enforce it against others. The sad fact is it was the complete opposite, and it was the G1'ers in control and they began to throw hate towards the newbies like a bunch of sour old men......which is why I had to leave that group. So I know how hard it is to be an Admin, but I also know how "easy" it is too. So when either a person or even an Admin have disagreed with me (and others) on this page for having a valid opinion on "whatever" we get the warning, but I have noticed other won't .....and most likely cause I am not allowed to "get off topic" or talk against the Admins, I will get the ruler across the hand again.....waiting....waiting....
But I wanted to try to explain what I meant, since you asked.
I would bring up more detailed examples, but like I have said I have been warned about not only going off topic before, but also not to bring up past "issues" or whatnots and I really don't want the hammer to come down on me......again.
Now on another note, something you said made me think how lucky older fans do have it. Almost everything made, from the Generations figures, statues, vinyl collectible, and even Hallmark ornaments, are all based on and centered around G1.....so yes in that regard the "Older Fan" is "Rewarded".....what about the Beast Era fans, or the Unicron Trilogy, Animated and so on....totally ignored (well not so much Beast Wars)...which is a shame in my opinion.

I used to rail about how bad IDW was constantly, but now I feel a sense of satisfaction because so many more people agree with me. I am happier now than I have ever been with the comics that I despise all teetering on the brink of cancellation.

In recent years I’ve begun collecting G1 season 2&3 characters. I’ve bought the ‘86 movie cast, kitbashed my own deluxe Springer, army built Gnaw to ridiculous proportions, and even started my own fanfic. I am overjoyed that Hasbro is catering so much to me and less to fans of series that I consider to be knockoffs.

Michael Alex Kawa wrote:I don't know if "rewarded" was the right word, just....hmmm....I guess what I meant to say was, it seems that the fandom is divided, and it seems like one side is being tolerated over the other.
A person can go on and insult me (and others) and not be called out by an Admin, but when I fight back I have been banned, or told to stop or I would be "permanently" banned. And I guess what I have noticed is the ones "getting away with murder" are all the "newbies", the ones that say "hey I only began liking this stuff because of the 07 movie....G1 was like so stupid". Now I am not saying that someone that is fresh to the fandom is not allowed to have an opinion, but there has been a double standard lately....(again this is not just for this forum, but does include it). So when I read the article, and saw some of the other comments from other Admins, it kind of made sense why.
I used to be a Admin of the Facebook group called Talk Transformers, and I had to quit because when other Admins were brought on by the owner of the group, I was told to "flex" the rules for "friends" and enforce it against others. The sad fact is it was the complete opposite, and it was the G1'ers in control and they began to throw hate towards the newbies like a bunch of sour old men......which is why I had to leave that group. So I know how hard it is to be an Admin, but I also know how "easy" it is too. So when either a person or even an Admin have disagreed with me (and others) on this page for having a valid opinion on "whatever" we get the warning, but I have noticed other won't .....and most likely cause I am not allowed to "get off topic" or talk against the Admins, I will get the ruler across the hand again.....waiting....waiting....
But I wanted to try to explain what I meant, since you asked.
I would bring up more detailed examples, but like I have said I have been warned about not only going off topic before, but also not to bring up past "issues" or whatnots and I really don't want the hammer to come down on me......again.
Now on another note, something you said made me think how lucky older fans do have it. Almost everything made, from the Generations figures, statues, vinyl collectible, and even Hallmark ornaments, are all based on and centered around G1.....so yes in that regard the "Older Fan" is "Rewarded".....what about the Beast Era fans, or the Unicron Trilogy, Animated and so on....totally ignored (well not so much Beast Wars)...which is a shame in my opinion.

I wouldn't say they everyone is rewarded. I'm not going to get into any specifics, but I can say that in a few TF sites, I've had issues with certain content and/or the way it was hosted at those sites. I've voiced my opinions or concerns (or rants) and have had action taken due to them. By action, I mean the sites have later on made (some) changes, but also, be I've received bans, or warnings, etc. It's also cost me some good will from disgruntled users or staff (even ones with similar views to mine). I've also seen my posts get removed in purges, but also those that have "attacked" me removed, too. I've received nice PMs from site admins and bans for behavior that I didn't actually do. I've been told I'm a SJW in one comic thread, while accused of being anti-diversity in another comic thread.

Basically, it's swings and roundabouts. I've had people lay the blame on me for threads getting closed, etc but from my experience, not one site has given me a pat on the back and said "Yes Primal, everything you say is true. Here are the keys to the site". They are not beholden to anyone's whims and it's the fact that they try to be as open and welcoming as possible, that drives them to accommodate as many pov's as possible.

Take here, for example. I might give Burn a regular need to top up his Peptibismol supplies, but generally speaking he's not so bad. This site might actually still host content that I don't agree with (I think the site owner actually popped in to state such?), and I will continue to oppose it, but I don't feel that this site is going to force me into silence about it.

Basically, you shouldn't feel that others are "getting their own way" at your expenses. It's certainly not true. I've certainly broken many, many, eggs to make whatever omlettes I have at the end of the day.

Hope this helps.

ZeroWolf wrote:

1984forever wrote:I used to rail about how bad IDW was constantly, but now I feel a sense of satisfaction because so many more people agree with me. I am happier now than I have ever been with the comics that I despise all teetering on the brink of cancellation.

In recent years I’ve begun collecting G1 season 2&3 characters. I’ve bought the ‘86 movie cast, kitbashed my own deluxe Springer, army built Gnaw to ridiculous proportions, and even started my own fanfic. I am overjoyed that Hasbro is catering so much to me and less to fans of series that I consider to be knockoffs.

A few things to note (they fall under be careful what you wish for) the first is do you think the comics will be drastically different under another publisher because they'll do the same approach as IDW (I. E. Develop the characters rather than the one note caricatures that the G1 toon was...the thing you don't like) Secondly, if the head designer changes then that might affect the figures we're seeing as they may (for example) be Unicron trilogy inspired etc.

Lastly do you think that hasbro should just continually crank out the cartoon cast members till the end of time? That's not going to go down well with the ones who are really in charge (the investors...)

I believe that anybody who reads the tech specs on the characters that they are writing about can do a better job. The G1 cartoon was very good at giving Transformers specific speech patterns, so they don’t all sound the same when you read their speech bubbles like the majority of Roberts characters.

I’m happy with Hasbro cranking out different versions of the same characters every year, or few years. I got a chance to swap out classics Mirage for the CW one, RTS Jazz for the POTP, Gen. Wheeljack for the UW version, added a shapeways Brawn Head to CW Hound to make a custom deluxe Brawn etc. while some may consider the CW, POTP etc to be inferior, I don’t. They’re more fun to transform. When I’m playing out an episode from the G1 cartoon with my 10yr old son simplicity adds to the fun factor. The investors should be happy that a 43yr old man is shelling out at least $200 each paycheck on Transformers related stuff. Hasbro gets a big chunk of that.

1984forever wrote:I am happier now than I have ever been with the comics that I despise all teetering on the brink of cancellation.

So you love Transformers, but are happy that a part of it is failing (is it a fact that its failing?). That's sad dude. Though knowing how you post, I'm not surprised.

There's lots of things the franchise has done that I don't like, but I'm not gleeful to see any of it fail. I want to brand to live long and prosper. It's all just more fuel for them making pieces that I truly adore.

Perhaps they meant that the individual comics, rather than the company, is failing? I'm happy that MASK failed, and I hope Visionaries does too. However, I don't want IDW to fail. I suspect comics, like traditional toys, are failing in today's society, with kids more interested in mobile devices and games?

That's one area I wish Hasbro would engage me in. I'm sick of freemium, P2W stuff. Why hasn't Hasbro found a way to monetise (our) collecting obsession on mobile?

Anyway, what was the topic of this thread again? I keep losing my place in it...

Yes, I meant that. However, I also meant that there could be actual, non-freemium (card) games, where we can just buy dlc for new cards and then win them (as in normal gameplay), for example. The point of the game would then be to collect cards/artwork, etc. These could then be unlocked as extras, such as Live Wallpapers for Android, or as emojis, etc.

In fact, Hasbro could start selling just Live Wallpapers, emojis, etc. In Japan, we can buy at least three sets of Transformer themed chat stickers for the Line chat app.

oi, guys, topic.

@ ZeroWolf
You are welcome.
@ primalxconvoy
Thank you, your words did help.
Also I just wanted to say I didn't want to come off as negative (again) and since I really didn't want to call anyone out by name (actually out of respect), it is hard to express my feelings with dealing with the fandom, when I can't be, or even want to be that detailed with my experiences.
I sometimes wish I could wipe my slate clean and start all over.
Kind of like what you said, I have this "bad reputation" within these forum, that now I am viewed as a trouble maker, and that could be why no one "gives me a chance" to hear me out sometimes.
And yes I am not saying that I am not partially to blame for this, cause I know I am.

What's this about "bad reputation" and "trouble maker"? I'm sorry, but I think that position has already been taken in your absence.

However, if you want it back, simply start trolling the staff in new, witty and exciting ways...

Michael Alex Kawa wrote:I have this "bad reputation" within these forum, that now I am viewed as a trouble maker, and that could be why no one "gives me a chance" to hear me out sometimes.

You are aware that this is just your own personal perception yeah?

You didn't just violate the forum rules, you napalmed them, so you got yourself a temporary time out. It happened, we moved on. You make it sound like there's this big Sword Banhammer of Damocles hanging over your head. There isn't.

This is 100% honesty, given the number of times your one post was reported, the one where you basically napalmed the forum rules, we had no choice but to act. A lot of other posts from other members get reported for such trivial things we just close them. We only respond with warnings/bannings when the forum rules are violated or it's obvious the member is just out to be a dick.

You mentioned others have become disenchanted with the fandom because of how forums are run. And this is an interesting point. I've seen many come and go from these forums over the years, I've seen some people leave entirely because they copped a warning. Admittedly, back in the day we had staff that would issue warnings for the most trivial of things, (heck, I got a warning because of a sig pic I had, apparently if you zoomed in 1000X you could make out a blurry nipple and because the Moderator was at work he was afraid of getting caught looking at porn!) But back to the point, for warnings that were valid, rather than stepping back and saying to themselves "yeah, I did cross the line, my bad", they leave the forums then blame said forum for running them out of the fandom.

All because they couldn't stick to the rules. It's not that hard to stay within the rules of forums really. All we really ask here is to just be decent to other members. As a former Admin, you know how difficult it can be at times because the rules can't define every potential scenario.

I'm guessing as well, some of those people you speak of are also getting a bit long in the tooth (like myself) and find it harder and harder to find their place on forums where they can be talking to people 20 years younger than them. Two very different generations, that in itself would be disheartening and would people off forums.

I've waffled ...
TL;DR
No one's out to ban you/silence you
People are a little sensitive
Generation gap is becoming more and more of a thing on forums.

@Burn
I wish there was a "LIKE" button on this forum, just so I could let you known that I read what you wrote, agreed with a lot of it, and not have to add yet another post to this thread.
And yes you are right, the people I mentioned are older fans.
You are also right that it is my perception, I guess that day I was just in a mood and I have regretted that I took it out here (which was not the place for it), and not really being a man enough (even to myself) to admit I was in the wrong.

Michael Alex Kawa wrote:I wish there was a "LIKE" button on this forum, just so I could let you known that I read what you wrote, agreed with a lot of it, and not have to add yet another post to this thread.

It's on the wish list. Oh trust me, it's on the wish list. I want it to.
(Despite my reservations that it may actually detract from conversation)

You are also right that it is my perception, I guess that day I was just in a mood and I have regretted that I took it out here (which was not the place for it), and not really being a man enough (even to myself) to admit I was in the wrong.

All cool. I know personally what can happen when you get on the forums on a bad day. Just know that there isn't anything hanging over your head.

So, my daughter has decided to watch, from S1.Ep.1 RID, and ask me all these questions that occur to her as she watches. I am enjoying watching her discover her fan enjoyment of Transformers as more than just toys, and as more than just an extension of me.
As for long in the tooth, two things: 1.age wise I'm crashing on the rocks near 40. I think, as fans, we don't have to enjoy what those that come after do, or agree with it necessarily, but appreciate it. Without new fans coming in, we would lose this brand going forward.
2.Thanks for saying tooth, I almost forgot to play tooth fairy for my daughter.
Anyway, back to topic again, I don't believe we need an anchor to be a fan. There will be some who are set in stone on one version, some who are gatherers of many, others who flit about sampling, and some who feel lost, but in so being, find the way for others.

I'm going to post this here in advance, because I know that I'm already at a weird place when it come to the fandom and Transformers in general, in that I both like it more than I used to and less than use to at the same time. It's weird, but bear with me on this.

To me, the 'childhood Transformers' of nostalgic days of yore is Beast Wars. My memories of being in a store and pestering parents to buy a Transformers come from an era of the franchise which is highly specific in the overall history of it all and one whose place, in the grand scheme of things today, still debate. While I loved the toys as a kid there is no denying that, to me, 'childhood Transformers' is very much the TV show. A simple TV show I found at random when my grandfather was switching channels and being instantly sucked in by, at the time, the stunning visuals. Sure in many regards it looks like ass today, but seeing Beast Wars as it aired on TV at the time? It was beyond stunning and keep in mind CGI in movies had still barely began it's upward swing and had not yet dominated movies as it does today.

Fortunately, Beast Wars turned out to be a show which has aged decently and one I actually found myself loving more as I got older. You see, the show went off the air in the blink of an eye in my childhood but I had these french VHS of the belgian dub (which is stunningly good, btw) and it was common whenever I was sick at home with nothing to do that I'd pop back in my old Beast Wars VHS which I still have by the way. In fact, I did this as far as high school whenever there was that need for some nostalgia. And the show was fun, and funny and the older I got the more I actually understood of it. Am I blinded by nostalgia? Obviously. But I like to think it aged better than Generation 1. Sorry Geewunners, but it's true.

When I got 'back' into it for good and even realized there was a fandom in the first place, it was 2007. But that was ELEVEN YEARS AGO! Back then, Beast Wars-era fans like me had entered late adolescence to young adulthood and we were just trying to carve our niche from those puritanical geewunners who still yelled TRUKK NOT MUNKKY. We got Animated, and more Bay movies and TF Prime. However it seems like the Beast Era has somewhat lust it's luster in the eyes of the fanbase, as newer and better shows did the tighter storytelling and glorious CG rendered battles better.

Now I have to come to term that I'm NOT the 'new generation fan' anymore. People who grew up on the much more G1-inspired, vehicular focused Unicron Trilogy (and 2001 RiD) see what was once a beloved dark horse as an aged clunker with weird animals and terrible mid-to-late '90 toys It's now seen as the 'weird phase' where Transformers 'stopped being normal'.

Then there's the fact all the pseudo-G1, IDW-G1 and Aligned continuity are all starting to...blend together. I could once look at G1, Beast Wars, RiD 2001, Unicron Trilogy and Bayverse and while these share the same characters and core ideas, each had their own semi-unique take on designs, characters and cast beyond the mandatory Optimus, Megatron and Starscream. But now it's blending together and what used to be vibrant and unique colors have turned into a brownish 'evergreen'. The characters and designs are more and more interchangeable, built from the same condensed raw material like it's somekind of 'platonic idea' of what an Optimus is.

So while Ive enjoyed getting back into toy collecting, since I never had the chance to own any figure of these classic characters (and not so classic, given we got frickin' Headmasters remake! That was so cool! You have to understand this: I can in theory get a new Optimus Prime any time but a chance to fiddle around with Headmasters? Pretenders? Combiners? Never thought I would get such a chance)....but....I don't know.

I don't know anymore, it all seems increasingly 'samey' Like we'll always have a Bumblebee now and he's always going to be a yellow car somewhere between his G1 and Movie self because that's what apparently sell. And it just seem like every new incarnation will be even more 'samey'. It was fine for Prime, they were kind of doing an 'Ultimate Marvel' but even that one had new characters. With the so-called Evergreen designs and slavish adherence to this Neo-G1? I don't know anymore, it seems the only good thing that may come out of it are new toys of obscure characters I dig the design of.

As for the comics? Well, that's a whole other pile of problems, namely all the problems which occurs in never-ending american comics which are constantly rebooted. Or in the case of IDW Transformers, seems to have gone in all sorts of weird directions.

So what's the point of this rant? Dunno. I'm probably getting old. But I think my interest in Transformers-as-fiction seemingly dies whenever we don't have a good TV show. That and it's coming to terms that what is MY childhood nostalgia was a fluke, a phase.