Thank you

Chat about stuff other than Transformers.
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StoneCold Skywarp
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Thank you

Post by StoneCold Skywarp »

Thank you.

It's been 20 years. 20+ years this website has been around. It's seen ups and downs, arguments and reconciliations, people coming back when they swore they'd never step over the threshold again and mysterious forums appear and disappear in the blinking of an eye (if you know, you know.)

I've always felt like this is the only part of the internet where I've felt able to truly relax. I've made some lifelong friends here that I've never met and lost far, far more along the way that I have major regrets over not keeping in touch with. There are far too many people to name but I've spent a great deal of today going through forum posts from the early 2000s and seeing screen names and smiling, wondering what the hell they're all up to nowadays. There are far too many to mention and you'll likely never read this, but you're really never far from my thoughts. Thank you.

When I was running this website there was far too much going on in my personal life for me to really focus on it the way that I wanted to. I wanted this place to grow and become something that my knowledge simply wouldn't allow it to become whilst I was trying to guide the ship with the sea crashing around me. I only wish now, all this time later, that I had at least tried. To all the people that helped me moderate the forums, that helped me update the site with contents, that were sounding boards for all the mad cap design changes this place went through and knew I was going to change it regardless. Thank you.

I'm incredibly proud that TFArchive.com still exists to this day. I'm happy there are people here "keeping the lights on" for when lost souls wander through and find their home again. Thank you.

I was blessed to have received a few gifts in my time here. I have an etched glass that I believe came from Botcon, or possibly one of the other American TF Cons, paid for by a group that met there having known each other through this forum, time has meant that I can't recall who exactly was involved and I apologise for that. I still have that glass, it is pride of place on my mantelpiece. In a time when things were difficult I remarked on a post by Cliffjumper that I would dearly loved to purchase his blue Binaltech Tracks from him but simply could not afford it. I received a PM from him not long after stating that someone had offered to purchase it but wished to remain anonymous. Cliffy kept his word and to this day I don't know who to thank for that act of kindness; just know if you're reading this, that Transformer is one of the few that I still have on display in my home. A reminder of the incredible generosity shown to me. Thank you.

There have been marriages of people who met through this website. There have been babies born as a result of people meeting on these forums. People will have had all sorts of life experiences that none of us could have imagined or dreamed at the time. Crazy to try and think of it all now. I'm just pleased that I was able to be a catalyst for some good in this world. Thank you.

To Brendan. Boss Monkey. King Lurker. You started this website (was it brendanr.simplenet.com back in the day before the domain?) and allowed a young kid from the North of England, with an epic drinking ability, to live his dream of creating and running a website for a franchise he was desperately passionate about for much of his young life.

Thank you for giving me my 15 minutes of fame.
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Hound
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Re: Thank you

Post by Hound »

Love you Matt. I'm grateful to be able to call you friend.
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Clay
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Re: Thank you

Post by Clay »

TFArchive has been my manually-set homepage for something like fifteen or sixteen years now. I don't see that changing.

Will Tom ever get his computer fixed?

OH, I still have the Superlink Grand Convoy I got from you, too! I had just dug him out the other day after learning what dekotora is. :swirly:
HotdogDivebomb 2.0
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Re: Thank you

Post by HotdogDivebomb 2.0 »

Nerds
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Denyer
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Re: Thank you

Post by Denyer »

Hopefully it doesn't spoil the Tracks if I fess up now. Crikey... 2012. Not for the first time not sure where time's gone.

This place and the wider community have been incredibly decent with hook-ups and not gouging. A few that stand out are the Classics Grimlock that Clay picked up for me (and if memory serves I think he was US intermediary on the Prehistory Animal bronze Grimlock I've got), a fair price on a copy of the Generations book from a TMUK forum-goer (this was before the Chinese reprint), and an extremely kind one from Besters (on another Grimlock, there's a pattern here) at a time he'd burnt out on collecting.

I got Skullcruncher gift art from someone (Aric) I barely knew.

As you say, people have gotten married. Here (anyone other than Sades and Hound?), at least one proposal at a convention (was that AA 2015?), back in the day Willis and Maggie. Others I'm sure I'm forgetting. More generally, it's been of great value to have had an international perspective for the last two decades plus, starting long before what passes for social media these days.

People across the fandom have gone from fans to professional, including art, writing, and toy design and engineering. It's absolutely amazing what 3P producers have grown up and achieved. TFN's still been going strong, although personally I'm more inclined to leave that to a new wave of fans now.

People have unfortunately died. Like properties such as Who, Marvel/DC and Trek Transformers has become generational and communities and websites are a form of http://www.gnuterrypratchett.com/ which is both sad and comforting.

I assume the guy who ran Transforce is still in prison.
was it brendanr.simplenet.com back in the day
Yep.
Will Tom ever get his computer fixed?
Pass, but Sar's still around a bit. I think they've refocused offline on family stuff.
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Clay
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Re: Thank you

Post by Clay »

Denyer wrote: Sun Jun 07, 2020 3:54 am A few that stand out are the Classics Grimlock that Clay picked up for me (and if memory serves I think he was US intermediary on the Prehistory Animal bronze Grimlock I've got),
I am indeed! Whatever was the story with it, re: rarity? Most of the online repositories of TF info concentrate solely on official product, so I never did a blurb about it. Were there complementary dinobot remolds to go with it?

I too am quite indebted to members here for acquiring lots of hard-to-get things basically at-cost, and I've tried to reciprocate whenever possible. However, I will say that the international nature of board coupled with the length of time I've been here have had a greater and more subtle effect. Thinking of the pandemic as the most recent example, recently I was aware for first time in a long while that not everybody I know in-person actually has the ability to just ask some people they know in a different part of the world what the perspective is from outside the US. For me, it's something that until recently I was taking for granted.

I was in my early twenties when I first started posting here, so I won't say that it was developmental experience exactly, but this little forum has helped me maintain a pretty big bubble compared to the more provincial attitudes I deal with on a day to day basis.
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Sades
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Re: Thank you

Post by Sades »

You're welcome?

Also, I TOLD YOU SO. :p

Scout and Dai Atlas (?) got together (married? I forget), then promptly disappeared. :( We were actually just talking about Scout the other day, she was a sweetheart. I so envy that easy ability to be just a cool human bean. Wherever they are, I hope they are doing good.
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StoneCold Skywarp
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Re: Thank you

Post by StoneCold Skywarp »

Clay wrote: Sat Jun 06, 2020 9:54 pm OH, I still have the Superlink Grand Convoy I got from you, too! I had just dug him out the other day after learning what dekotora is. :swirly:
Honestly can't recall what I've sold and what I haven't at this point but I'm glad things went out to good homes. I believe it was yourself that was my source for the TF Parallax Classics Ultra Magnus armour way back when, even threw in some Autobot logos for it as I recall. I still have your custom Alternator Skywarp out on a shelf too.
HotdogDivebomb 2.0 wrote: Sat Jun 06, 2020 10:11 pm Nerds
Glad to see some things never change.
Hound wrote: Sat Jun 06, 2020 8:16 pm Love you Matt. I'm grateful to be able to call you friend.
Likewise Josh.
Denyer wrote: Sun Jun 07, 2020 3:54 am Hopefully it doesn't spoil the Tracks if I fess up now. Crikey... 2012. Not for the first time not sure where time's gone.
Not in the slightest. Thank you.
As you say, people have gotten married. Here (anyone other than Sades and Hound?), at least one proposal at a convention (was that AA 2015?), back in the day Willis and Maggie. Others I'm sure I'm forgetting. More generally, it's been of great value to have had an international perspective for the last two decades plus, starting long before what passes for social media these days.
Dai-atlas 2000 and Scout were married then promptly disappeared (as Sades says).
People across the fandom have gone from fans to professional, including art, writing, and toy design and engineering. It's absolutely amazing what 3P producers have grown up and achieved. TFN's still been going strong, although personally I'm more inclined to leave that to a new wave of fans now.
I've known quite a few people that have attended TFN from this neck of the woods and if any of you met the guys from the Old Oil House Podcast, they're all friends of mine. Fun fact, I was asked to guest on an early episode but didn't appear due to outside negative influences that are (I'm happy to say) no longer a factor.
I assume the guy who ran Transforce is still in prison.
whut?
Sades wrote: Sun Jun 07, 2020 8:54 am You're welcome?

Also, I TOLD YOU SO. :p
In fairness I was absolutely chock full of rum the last time we spoke. You could have told me anything and I'd only half remember it.
I so envy that easy ability to be just a cool human bean. Wherever they are, I hope they are doing good.
Yep. We used to chat on AIM for hours on end, usually RPG stuff! She had a heart of gold and wherever she is now I hope she is healthy and well. I know she was part of the group that met and sent me the glass through. She also sent me a box of stuff at Xmas with cookies and art and puzzles (all TF related of course) and a wax colour scratching of Skywarp from MtMtE firing Megatron that I believe I still have somewhere in my attic.
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Re: Thank you

Post by HotdogDivebomb 2.0 »

StoneCold Skywarp wrote: Sun Jun 07, 2020 4:19 pm
I assume the guy who ran Transforce is still in prison.
whut?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-27592602
Got 4 years so presumably he's out and about again now
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StoneCold Skywarp
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Re: Thank you

Post by StoneCold Skywarp »

HotdogDivebomb 2.0 wrote: Sun Jun 07, 2020 4:30 pm https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-27592602
Got 4 years so presumably he's out and about again now
Well that's nothing short of grim [/understatement]
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Denyer
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Re: Thank you

Post by Denyer »

Four years with that list of attacks is disturbing.
Sades wrote:Scout and Dai Atlas (?) got together (married? I forget), then promptly disappeared.
StoneCold Skywarp wrote:Dai-atlas 2000 and Scout were married then promptly disappeared (as Sades says).
Oh yeah, just before they left. Do hope it worked out for them, I'm sure it would've.
StoneCold Skywarp wrote:I've known quite a few people that have attended TFN from this neck of the woods and if any of you met the guys from the Old Oil House Podcast, they're all friends of mine. Fun fact, I was asked to guest on an early episode but didn't appear due to outside negative influences that are (I'm happy to say) no longer a factor.
Might've done without knowing, although it's gotten pretty big as a convention. If things have settled down by next year I might try to get back into the swing. Would be good to meet more people.
Clay wrote:Whatever was the story with it, re: rarity? Most of the online repositories of TF info concentrate solely on official product, so I never did a blurb about it. Were there complementary dinobot remolds to go with it?
In the "Prehistory Animal" line there's a winged pterodactyl-like Sludge (which I've also got a repaired example of, minus the pointy head) plus Snarl and Slag with different dino heads and some alternate parts. There was also an "Ancient Animal" line of straight Dinobot renditions. Both were apparently on normal store shelves at the same time as official TFs. Wouldn't have been that unusual to see foreign licensed lines or outright KOs, we got some Joustra Diaclone stuff in this country and I got the Robocolt version of Browing as a kid. The PA stuff also got knocked off itself, it's all rather muddy.

http://angrycanadiandecepticon.blogspot ... us-vs.html
https://gothamcollectibles.wordpress.co ... the-1980s/
http://www.geocities.ws/kidk0rrupt/frames/bootlegs.htm
http://www.toyarchive.com/Transformers.html
https://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/ ... g1.678806/
https://www.deviantart.com/starkesven/a ... -616635649
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Skyquake87
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Re: Thank you

Post by Skyquake87 »

Thank you, for help shaping a place I like to hang out :) Love this place and everyone on it.
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StoneCold Skywarp
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Re: Thank you

Post by StoneCold Skywarp »

Skyquake87 wrote: Sun Jun 07, 2020 7:23 pm Thank you, for help shaping a place I like to hang out :) Love this place and everyone on it.
My pleasure. I'm glad that there's still a few people milling about that enjoy the space in the corridors nowadays.
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Sades
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Re: Thank you

Post by Sades »

You can thank me again Warp, I'm okay with that.
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Clay
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Re: Thank you

Post by Clay »

Sades wrote: Sun Jun 07, 2020 8:54 am I so envy that easy ability to be just a cool human bean.
Of course you do. You're a dinosaur, remember? :p
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Sades
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Re: Thank you

Post by Sades »

Haa in more ways than one nowadays, that's for sure.
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Hound
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Re: Thank you

Post by Hound »

StoneCold Skywarp wrote: Sun Jun 07, 2020 4:19 pm I know she was part of the group that met and sent me the glass through.
I remember that glass! That was from one of the OTFCCs that I was at so that glass was, I think, meant to be from Scout, Flec, Jinrai, Garand and me. I forget whose idea it was but it's a pretty safe bet it was Scout. She's one of the most considerate and generous human beings I've ever met. I wish I'd been able to attend moire of those conventions. I miss them, it was nice to be geeky and socially awkward with people who understood.
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Re: Thank you

Post by Warcry »

This place is amazing and you folks are amazing too. I...haven't always been, and I really appreciate the fact that you all put up with me when I was younger and, frankly, not always the nicest guy to be around. Honestly don't want to know what kind of person I'd be today if this place hadn't been around. I know I'd be poorer for not having the friends I've made here, that's for sure.
Sades wrote: Sun Jun 07, 2020 8:54 amScout and Dai Atlas (?) got together (married? I forget), then promptly disappeared. :(
StoneCold Skywarp wrote: Sun Jun 07, 2020 4:19 pmDai-atlas 2000 and Scout were married then promptly disappeared (as Sades says).
I wish I could say they just disappeared one day without explanation, but I think they mostly left because Flec and I couldn't wrap our heads around Scout having a grown-up schedule and were pretty big jerks to her about not being around for the RPG. I've always wished she'd come back so I could have the chance to properly apologise for how we'd treated her, because she was legitimately one of the nicest people I've ever known and she deserved far better from her friends than that. :(

Hopefully they're both happy and healthy, wherever they are today.
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Re: Thank you

Post by Auntie Slag »

:) I never knew people gave a flying fig about Transformers in the late 90's until I went on the Information Superhighway and found this place (probably through AltaVista, Netscape or Lycos).
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Re: Thank you

Post by inflatable dalek »

Lovely thread of lovely people.
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