Discussion on essays & articles

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Cliffjumper
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Post by Cliffjumper »

[mod_edit]

re: http://tfarchive.com/community/showthre ... adid=28103

[/mod_edit]

I think there are rules against advertising your own site outside of your sig [unless you're mentally unstable and have been posted to Iraq. Or something ;) :p].
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Maz
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Post by Maz »

Originally posted by Cliffjumper
I think there are rules against advertising your own site outside of your sig [unless you're mentally unstable and have been posted to Iraq. Or something ;) :p].


The article is something I literally just uploaded, plus that's not my site.

I have nowhere else to host it so I contribute to Masterforce.org and TFSource.com. If it's a problem with the mods, just let me know where I can post it.

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Nevermore
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Post by Nevermore »

Maz's articles are really great. 2005 even have a sticky where he lists his various articles. Maybe we can get something similar in order to avoid a new thread for every new article?
Looking for a complete Energon Sky Shadow (from Superion Maximus).
Offering: Binaltech Hound, Swindle, Ravage (Corvette), Skids.
Can buy in stores: Robot Heroes Tigatron/Inferno, Ricochet/Predaking.
Cliffjumper
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Post by Cliffjumper »

I'm not saying the articles aren't great. But hey, I get mail that says my writings are great, so can I have a sticky too?
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Denyer
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Post by Denyer »

Originally posted by Cliffjumper
I think there are rules against advertising your own site outside of your sig
I think it's like when people ask for feedback on essays. Actually, I know it is, what with having phrased most of the rules loosely enough to cover most eventualities...

edit: I think it's similar to posting galleries for toys; it's a "look what I found" rather than "I will spell MY SITE in CAPITAL LETTERS and never bloody shut up"; if there are many essays within a space of time, we'd expect them to be collected in one thread rather than lots, natch.

Funky overview, especially the comparison shots—personally I think I may have combined some of the pics on the blue & yellow gears, but a few closeups are useful so that people can see the paint detail.
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Maz
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Post by Maz »

Originally posted by Denyer
edit: I think it's similar to posting galleries for toys; it's a "look what I found" rather than "I will spell MY SITE in CAPITAL LETTERS and never bloody shut up"; if there are many essays within a space of time, we'd expect them to be collected in one thread rather than lots, natch.


That's cool, I can do that. Instead of a sticky I can just post again in an "articles" thread and give a small title as to what the new item may be.

I just used the other format on other boards because one person may not care to read about minibots, but really dig a Binaltech review. Whatever you guys prefer, just let me know.

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Maz
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Nevermore
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Post by Nevermore »

Originally posted by Cliffjumper
I'm not saying the articles aren't great. But hey, I get mail that says my writings are great, so can I have a sticky too?


If you put out TF articles on a regular basis, maybe.
Looking for a complete Energon Sky Shadow (from Superion Maximus).
Offering: Binaltech Hound, Swindle, Ravage (Corvette), Skids.
Can buy in stores: Robot Heroes Tigatron/Inferno, Ricochet/Predaking.
Cliffjumper
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Post by Cliffjumper »

Right. Fair enough, as long as we're straight. Next month i should have the money for my hosting. I've got enough new material to justify half-a-dozen topics per TF related forums. Excuse me while I bookmark this. Just as long as this isn't another example of people being penalised for reading the rules or anything.

BTW, I'll be posting my trade/for sale list later. I can expect the topic to be locked with the contact details left intact so everyone can have a looksie, as per Johnny Newbie's regular posts, right?
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Maz
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Post by Maz »

Originally posted by Cliffjumper
Right. Fair enough, as long as we're straight. Next month i should have the money for my hosting. I've got enough new material to justify half-a-dozen topics per TF related forums. Excuse me while I bookmark this. Just as long as this isn't another example of people being penalised for reading the rules or anything.

BTW, I'll be posting my trade/for sale list later. I can expect the topic to be locked with the contact details left intact so everyone can have a looksie, as per Johnny Newbie's regular posts, right?


I think the only stickie/locked anything I'm getting is the links in the useful links thread in one of the sub-forums. And rightfully so probably, after I'll even iIve been told to just post in the same thread. Nevermore himself didn't have the Binaltech story post stickied did he? I can't remember.

Don't worry I'm not getting any special priveleges or anything like that, and if you put out TF articles on a regular basis, I can't think of anyone who wouldn't think that was a bonus for the fandom.

I didn't mean to ruffle any furthers, and I certainly am not getting any special treatment. I've already broken the no-animation sig rule, multi-posted stuff that should be in the same thread and I've been pulled up on all of it.

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Denyer
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Post by Denyer »

I'm sure I've said this before: the board rules have never been intended to rule out people pointing others to original content, whether they produced it or someone else did.

Whilst we don't mind you mentioning sites you found or pages you made which are a valuable contribution to the fan community, please think before posting as there are many sites out there with the same (or slight variations on) TF character profiles, screen captures or other material.

Doesn't need bookmarking; it's linked from every page. Been there a spell.

I delete links from sale posts most of the time; that's really a case of who gets there first and whether the poster is being obnoxious with it. I don't think it kills to grant new members one minor f*ck-up, especially where they aren't a dedicated commercial entity.

If people have essays that're just plain text, they can post them in a thread so reader needn't go wandering; where there are images forming an integral part of the overview, that's less practical.
Cliffjumper
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Post by Cliffjumper »

Hmm, I'm trying to work out if I'm miffed or just cranky. No definite word as of yet... but don't you think a consistent ruling on some things between the mods would be rather helpful? I mean, I bet if I unscramble the myth of who became Cyclonus [yeh, I know, I did it two years ago...] I geyt Garand wandering in and going "grr can't leave you kids alone for five minutes topci lokced".

Like I say, miffed or cranky. Could be either.

Oh, Maz, for God's sake don't think this is anything personal... I'm always this much of a bastard. At least your links have content, unlike Mr "I'm enough of a wanker to change mah name and ah can kill Eyerakkys" Optimus Prime, who seemed to think being mentally unstable was all his website needed.
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Post by Sir Auros »

First off Tom, that's not a fair assumption you can make about the guy and I vaguely recall the topic you're talking about regarding him, but I'm pretty sure I wasn't staff at the time that popped up.

Second, I delete contact information in posts where people are trying to sell their stuff, mention the rules, and then close the thread. If I've ever missed removing the contact info., it was purely by mistake and unintentional inconsistency.

Third, the only time I can recall closing a thread for self-promotion was the other day when adamtrion was posting in News about his Hebrew Transformers site. I closed that and said that the link could be posted in Denyer's ongoing thread in TF Sites/Resources.

Ultimately, I don't see a problem with letting Maz make an ongoing thread in Creative, which is where essays are supposed to go anyway. I see this a lot less as self-promotion to score hits like Ryan and more like a constructive essay written by a visitor that's hosted elsewhere.

Don't see why this should be a problem in Creative with Maz bumping it now and then when he adds a new article.
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Post by Cliffjumper »

I don't either, I'm being a bastard. Probably. One question, though - where's the line drawn on what constitues something that can be linked to in creative? Article? Essay? Review? Guide? Collection of material? List?

Oh, and just to clarify, I have no problems with the staff who actually post in their allotted forums to do things other than lock topics :)
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Denyer
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Post by Denyer »

Originally posted by Cliffjumper
don't you think a consistent ruling on some things between the mods would be rather helpful?
Unfortunately it comes down to about twenty people being granted a degree of autonomy whilst voluntarily policing a loose set of rules intended to provide for conversation that's more constructive than not. They're not set in stone, for one thing—if something needs clarifying or is proving a barrier, it's preferable to make changes than cling stubbornly.

Some of this is my fault—although the board rules have been pretty static for a long time—as I do have more input into them than most. Still, half the posts in the admin forum involve people weighing in on whether X action by Y was a good decision. It will always come down to people making decisions, and the aim is to have people on more-or-less the same wavelength.
Originally posted by Maz
Nevermore himself didn't have the Binaltech story post stickied did he?
It's amongst the things I need to upload to the site...

Too many sticky threads and no-one ever reads them, other discussion is pushed out of sight, etc.
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Denyer
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Post by Denyer »

Originally posted by Sir Auros
an ongoing thread in Creative, which is where essays are supposed to go anyway
Mmm... it's the best place for a round-up thread, certainly, as the forum isn't too high-traffic. At the same time, "essay" was picked with discussion of creative stuff in mind—a factfile on toys doesn't really fit very well, as most people would never think to read toy essays in a creative forum. Factfiles also fit more into the Toys section of the site than Creative. I think we need to qualify what we mean by 'essay'. edit: As distinct from factual articles.

edit2: There's sometimes a thin line between overview and opinion piece, but I think these toy articles are firmly on the side of overview.
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Maz
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Post by Maz »

Originally posted by Cliffjumper
Hmm, I'm trying to work out if I'm miffed or just cranky. No definite word as of yet... but don't you think a consistent ruling on some things between the mods would be rather helpful? I mean, I bet if I unscramble the myth of who became Cyclonus [yeh, I know, I did it two years ago...] I geyt Garand wandering in and going "grr can't leave you kids alone for five minutes topci lokced".

Like I say, miffed or cranky. Could be either.

Oh, Maz, for God's sake don't think this is anything personal... I'm always this much of a bastard. At least your links have content, unlike Mr "I'm enough of a wanker to change mah name and ah can kill Eyerakkys" Optimus Prime, who seemed to think being mentally unstable was all his website needed.


Heh cool. looks like you're from the UK as well? Be cool to meet you at Auto Assembly or something then..if I can ever get my act together and go...

Oh and as for the Cyclonus mystery, I have actually SEEN the original storyboards for the movie and you know what? It_does_not_specify who becomes Cyclonus. Just "A Decepticon". What a let down eh?

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Maz
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Post by Maz »

Originally posted by Denyer
Mmm... it's the best place for a round-up thread, certainly, as the forum isn't too high-traffic. At the same time, "essay" was picked with discussion of creative stuff in mind—a factfile on toys doesn't really fit very well, as most people would never think to read toy essays in a creative forum. Factfiles also fit more into the Toys section of the site than Creative. I think we need to qualify what we mean by 'essay'. edit: As distinct from factual articles.

edit2: There's sometimes a thin line between overview and opinion piece, but I think these toy articles are firmly on the side of overview.


So would you guys prefer I do the ongoing thread in this forum then?

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Cliffjumper
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Post by Cliffjumper »

Originally posted by Maz
Oh and as for the Cyclonus mystery, I have actually SEEN the original storyboards for the movie and you know what? It_does_not_specify who becomes Cyclonus. Just "A Decepticon". What a let down eh?


Nah, it's easily solved. It was Lifespark. Sorted. Thank God for the comic...
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Post by Nevermore »

Originally posted by Cliffjumper
Nah, it's easily solved. It was Lifespark. Sorted. Thank God for the comic...


HIS NAME WAS LIFE SPARK!!!!!!!1111111oneoneone
Looking for a complete Energon Sky Shadow (from Superion Maximus).
Offering: Binaltech Hound, Swindle, Ravage (Corvette), Skids.
Can buy in stores: Robot Heroes Tigatron/Inferno, Ricochet/Predaking.
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