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Post by machsabre on Jan 27, 2018 16:33:13 GMT -5
Now, we've always known that the TF Fandom is really snarky and can never be happy, right? But lately, is it just me, or has it been rather... Unwelcoming, lately?
I'm not talking the usual "Hasblo sucks and Takara is better!" stuff. I mean, outright horrible rantings and ravings against other people to a new uncomfortable degree?
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Post by iacon45 on Jan 27, 2018 16:46:00 GMT -5
Only other TF board I frequent now is TFW and being snarky and unwelcoming has seemed the norm over there for years. Not every TFWer is that way I know, but in reference to your "unwelcoming" observation, I have seen new (and older) members over there ganged up on if they post in the wrong forum or repeat a topic thats had multiple threads already. For just one single example of either of those types of threads, you'll see several people posting replies such "OMG Wrong Forum" or "Dont you know how to search topics" and the like over and over until a staffer takes action. I try to be nice and post a welcome message before offering a suggestion and there are members that do the same and want to be civil but its more the exception with majority seeming like they want pick a fight if you dont agree or do something they find annoying.
I know that it was brought up in another thread that this fandom is made up of multiple age groups that are growing up and might see RID, BW, or even the Bay movies as their "Gee Wun" and some people can possibly see that as polarizing. This fandom has always been unwelcoming but could be the influx of new fans growing up and joining the online fandom and sharing their opinions and disagreements is making the incidents and feelings of being unwelcome seem more noticeable.
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Post by Optimal Megatron on Jan 27, 2018 19:23:07 GMT -5
My experiences tend to be summed up as the following:
TFW2005 - I have no idea as the threads I've seen in their news articles don't encourage me to look much deeper into their forums.
Seibertron - Mostly laidback, though there's a few REALLY big Gewunners there, although they don't get as much traction. However, they tend to have more than a few people making fun of-
The Allspark - This one isn't quite political correctness gone mad, but I've seen stuff that does confirm it's more the "left wing" Transfandom. The Transformers Legends comics with all the "fanservice" regularly get people cringing here. Also, it seems that the more ludicrously obscure something is, the more they like it, to the point of anything that's "been done" being a bit looked down on there.
Reddit - Mostly open-ish, if not exactly huge on discussion. Anti-Bayformerism here is the norm, aside from when someone comments on the fact that they enjoyed it and others that don't hate Bay's movies with the heat of a thousand exploding suns pop in to reassure them they aren't alone.
Honestly, I chat about TF stuff with folks, but there are days where I wonder if I live in some strange alternate universe where TFs have had some of the best stuff yet lately, as opposed to the internet who would tell me Transformers is in a rut and we totally need to do EXACTLY what they say or the entire franchise will implode (even while Takara doing EXACTLY what the fandom "wanted" basically caused them to recede close to bankruptcy...) Mostly, I just keep enjoying what I enjoy because the online fandom can go fuck itself if it wants to keep telling me I'm stupid for being excited over PotP.
I don't know if the fandom in general is unwelcoming to newcomers, but it's done a lot to make it unwelcoming to ME at the big spots where things converge. It's why I rarely discuss the hobby with people I don't know personally like here or in chat.
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Post by iacon45 on Jan 27, 2018 19:37:00 GMT -5
Honestly, I chat about TF stuff with folks, but there are days where I wonder if I live in some strange alternate universe where TFs have had some of the best stuff yet lately, as opposed to the internet who would tell me Transformers is in a rut and we totally need to do EXACTLY what they say or the entire franchise will implode (even while Takara doing EXACTLY what the fandom "wanted" basically caused them to recede close to bankruptcy...) Mostly, I just keep enjoying what I enjoy because the online fandom can go fuck itself if it wants to keep telling me I'm stupid for being excited over PotP. Didn't you take a break from Transformers for a bit before coming back for Combiner Wars? Could be you are just looking at things from fresher eyes after taking a break (like Deino mentioned after buying his first wave of TFs in years in the POTP thread). Believe me, I am not justifying the whole "current TFs are the devil" level of complaining, there is just no satisfying everyone, but could be some fans just need to take a break if they are feeling burned out even if they don't realize it. Maybe if Transformers went through another hiatus like it did between G1 and G2 or, Primus forbid, what GI Joe is going through now on toy shelves, it might help people realize how good we as Tfans have it right now. Granted some complaints are justified like QC issues or the bad quality of the decals lately but it's not worth making big huge productions or taking it out on other Tfans.
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Post by Optimal Megatron on Jan 27, 2018 20:24:06 GMT -5
I did take a break beetween Generations first waves (War for Cybertron stuff) and around the time Generations Armadascream, Rattrap, Brainstorm, and the like came out. But I didn't start really getting back into collecting hardcore until CW, yeah.
Admittedly, some of it was the entire Fall of Cybertron era toys not doing it for me and more limited funds, but it may be that did give me some perspective upon taking some time away from it.
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Post by Deinonychus on Jan 27, 2018 21:39:57 GMT -5
Perhaps this is just my observations from perusing several fandoms over the past decade, but it seems to me that most larger fandoms are intolerant and unwelcoming. Transformers sure, but I'll occasionally look at other boards, groups, and forums and be it Star Wars or comics or LEGO or even communities around specific models of car, if you don't follow the groupthink of the community, they want nothing to do with you. The communities I do find to be welcoming...very small, specialized, and isolated interests. The Bloks Forum I frequent (it's not just Mega Bloks but any other-than-LEGO building bricks) is very welcoming and thankful for new people. I've seen this at a smattering of other little micro-fandoms. It could just be an effect of the prevalence of online interactions. In the past when you'd first get online it'd be like "Oh wow, there are other people here that like this same thing that I do. I had no idea!" Now there are these massive, decades old groups that don't need or want new people who haven't been in it as long. So, in a way, the Internet is just completing it's inevitable cycle to become just like the rest of human civilization
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Post by SporkBot on Jan 28, 2018 10:01:45 GMT -5
I don't really delve too far into forums devoted to a specific fandom, myself. But I've heard (and I'm sure many of you have as well) of Steven Universe fans getting veraciously overzealous. Funny, given out tolerant and accepting the shows themes often are. Two chicks in a relationship? Okay! But if you draw Rose Quartz in a slender form in fan-work, it'll be you're head.
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Post by Mako Crab on Feb 1, 2018 18:13:01 GMT -5
I haven’t really had any negative experiences in the fandom lately. But I’ve also slapped the ignore button on a lot of people in the past, so I’m probably missing a lot of the jerks that are floating around me. Though, I have noticed that if you post a news story up that has previously been reported on, people are quick to point out that you missed it already, that discussion took place a few pages ago, & generally try to make you feel stupid.
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Post by Gojitron on Feb 1, 2018 19:42:38 GMT -5
I think ALL fandoms have gotten like that over the past 10 years, ever since so called geek culture became mainstream and took over all entertainment. The "original" fans of the source material seems to have developed a huge chip on their shoulders about the whole "I was a fan BEFORE" the movies, shows, etc., and now have an overdeveloped superiority complex. Also, being a complete asshole to everyone has become quite acceptable these days for some strange reason......
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Post by Mako Crab on Aug 3, 2018 21:23:38 GMT -5
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