Page 3 of 11 FirstFirst 123456789 ... LastLast
Results 31 to 45 of 163

Thread: What if EoFF shut down?

  1. #31
    CimminyCricket's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Posts
    4,910

    FFXIV Character

    Caedus Ulvein (Sargatanas)

    Default

    I post maybe once a year now, but I show up pretty frequently to just look and see who is still around. This place was a fun place for me to hang out well before I even joined. This may even have been the first forum I joined. It's got a special place and I would be very sad to see it go, but having closed down my forum after the 10 year mark I know how even though it's not a significant cost, it is still a cost. I've been coming here for 14 years now and I'll keep coming back as long as it's around.


  2. #32

    Default

    I have been an extremely sporadic poster here so I am not nearly as attached to this place as some people are however during the times I have checked in at this place I notice now that this site probably gets about 5% of the activity that it did ten or fifteen years ago (maybe even less than that).

    Loony Bob you should never feel obligated to keep a forum up and running in this day and age if you yourself are no longer that interested in it. Probably pretty much every one here has a facebook, twitter, or instagram page that they could continue to talk about video games if this place shuts down. And there are also many other online avenues for people to socialize if that is what they are interested in. Gone are the days where message boards like this were about the only option people had to talk about their fandom with people that had similar interests or make friends around the world who had similar interests.

    What I think you should do Loony Bob is open up the option for other people to take on the costs of keeping this place running. If there are people willing to carry it than great but if there is not interest in carrying the financial load than the place probably does need to be shut down. 40 a month is a lot of money. That is almost 500 a year. You should only invest money like that if you are still enjoying the place.

  3. #33
    GO! use leech seed! qwertysaur's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Kanto
    Posts
    11,627
    Contributions
    • Former Site Staff

    Default

    Dropped in to just randomly post in a couple random threads and was not expecting this...

    This place has for me like so many others a lot of fun memories of great times in the past, but at the same time I have not been really active for years, purely as a result of simply not having the time like when I was a student in my early 20's. I just happen to have overslept this morning and can't fall asleep that I'm even here right now.

    What would be nice to see as a last song of the site is another mass email to see if anyone from the past wants to return for a final reunion. I can think of a few people from here I would love to try and reconnect with.

  4. #34
    Don't get mad, get moist I Don't Need A Name's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Earth
    Posts
    4,050
    Articles
    3

    FFXIV Character

    Howie Kipps (Sargatanas)

    Default

    Echoing what most people have said here - I have a lot of memories of this place and it really helped shape me in my formative years, but I don't really have a leg to stand in saying I'd be sad to see it go, seeing as my last active postings were a good 5 years ago, and they were few and far between.

    Quote Originally Posted by qwertysaur View Post
    What would be nice to see as a last song of the site is another mass email to see if anyone from the past wants to return for a final reunion. I can think of a few people from here I would love to try and reconnect with.
    I'm pretty sure that would be a great laugh, and frankly a pretty fitting send off.
    I made one myself for a change! Although you can probably tell that..

  5. #35
    Ghost of Christmas' past Recognized Member theundeadhero's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    In Jojee's pants x_~
    Posts
    15,557

    FFXIV Character

    Villania Valski (Adamantoise)
    Contributions
    • Former Cid's Knight
    • Former Senior Site Staff

    Default

    I think all the legal nonsense Steve was talking about is a bigger issue than the cost to keep the place running. If it was just pricing that could be easily fixed.
    ...

  6. #36
    Crazy Scot. Cid's Knight Shauna's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    In the land of Scots
    Posts
    21,486
    Articles
    55
    Blog Entries
    1

    FFXIV Character

    Sheetle Bug (Twintania)

    Default

    Legal nonsense and forum software. We've had at least one member concerned about the unsecure login!

  7. #37
    Got obliterated Recognized Member Shoeberto's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2000
    Location
    THE OC BABY
    Posts
    12,017
    Blog Entries
    1
    Contributions
    • Former Cid's Knight

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Steve View Post
    But I wouldn't miss the EOFF that currently exists, if I'm honest the EOFF that presently exists makes me more than a little sad. Sad because it was such a big part of my life and helped me so many times over when I was at low ebbs in my life and was always somewhere safe online to share the glories of the high points with too. I would miss the EOFF of it's heyday when this community was huge, diverse and genuinely funnier, more entertaining and engaging than today.

    Now don't get me wrong, I don't blame anyone here for the situation with EOFF; the fact is that times have changed, we're all older with real commitments in our lives and that means that most of us don't have the time to be sat around for hours at a time playing video games and gassing about them to random people online (or not so random as so many of EOFF became). Because of this, members have slowly faded away in to the sunset. If this was a camp fire party, the campfire is burning low and more and more have finished their last beer and said "Right, well that's me done for the night guys, it's been fun but I'll see you around" except the seeing us around is no longer at the camp fire and the circle of those around the fire grows ever smaller and pretends not to notice the emptiness around them or the lack of people coming back.
    This summarizes my feelings pretty well. To be honest, for a number of years now, coming here has felt a bit like going to my home town over the holidays and running into people from high school. Some people stuck around, some people are just passing through. But ultimately, all of our lives have moved on. Even though it's *really* nice to see everyone, and to know people are doing well, it's not where my life is now.

    I saw this thread on Friday and actually tried to use the weekend to collect my thoughts. Obviously the way people use the internet is very different nowadays. There's modern, self-hosted social media software - I suggested something like an EoFF Mastodon a while back, but there wasn't a particularly enthusiastic reception, which I think is just because people like the forums. Which is sort of an impossible catch-22; 99% of our online lives now are on Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, etc., all of which have been modernized and streamlined to integrate into your life as easily as possible. But the magic of EoFF as a message board is in a format that is just clunky relative to those other monolithic platforms. So in a lot of ways, the EoFF that we all remember and love is something that *only* could have existed and thrived in the time that it did, and that time seems to have passed.

    The saddest part of realizing that is knowing that what remains of the community would scatter to the wind without this central location to tether us. Obviously there will still be clusters that keep in touch, but it will always be fragmented. People who want to keep in touch on Facebook might not want to use Discord; people who use Discord might not want to exchange phone numbers, etc. etc. (Personally, I don't even use Facebook, Twitter, Discord, etc., simply because I disagree with the way they run their businesses. I also think moving the community 100% to them is a bit short-sighted, because you ultimately cede any control to the company. Zuckerburg is never going to post a heart-felt thread asking for direction.)

    To me, it's not that important to keep the content of the forums itself alive. Realistically, you could probably figure out a way to throw the whole thing into archive mode, zip it up, and share it around as a torrent if people wanted to be able to still browse it without dealing with the hosting costs. But still, there's value in having a central meeting ground for all of us to at least be able to keep in touch. Maybe that's a forums v2, where you just start from a blank slate. Just throw up a phpBB on a tiny Linode plan. Or set up something like Lemmy for EoFFers that keeps the discussion style but modernizes it. There are options. You do seem a bit weary about dealing with new platform migrations - and I completely understand that - but for what it's worth, I'm willing to lend a hand as much as I can if you want to do something to keep the lights on without maintaining 20-some-odd years of post history.

    Just my thoughts. I might have too idealized a vision of how much technology could keep us all together. I'm ready to acknowledge that the era of the EoFF forums may have reached its end, but it'd be a real shame for us to lose this place as a central hub. Like I said above, even though I'm usually only passing through, it's still really nice to see you guys.
    2ae684e7d3267297b1266e0fcdc32a72.jpg


  8. #38
    Not breaking faith today Shaibana's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Bear Island
    Posts
    3,246
    Blog Entries
    118

    Default

    i came back here after many years because of the FF7 remake, but in all honesty: it feels a little dead here.
    it had been great discussing ff7r and bringing back some memories but by now i'm already noticing that i'm here once a week tops, and not finding anything to respond to.

    The discord channel on the other hand, i really love and use alot.

    if the forum would shut down it would definitely make me sad for nostalgic reasons, but at this moment that is the only reason.

  9. #39
    absolutely haram Recognized Member Madame Adequate's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Kirkwall
    Posts
    23,357

    FFXIV Character

    Hiero Dule (Brynhildr)
    Contributions
    • Former Cid's Knight

    Default

    delet this (website)

  10. #40
    Shlup's Retired Pimp Recognized Member Raistlin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 1999
    Location
    Spying on Unne and BUO
    Posts
    20,583
    Articles
    101
    Blog Entries
    45
    Contributions
    • Former Cid's Knight
    • Former Editor

    Default

    Add me to the list of people who stop by every once-in-a-while and would be saddened if this place went away for good. EoFF was a big part of my life for a number of years, starting over 20 years ago. Even if I don't post much anymore, it's nice knowing this place still exists.

    That being said, it's your life, your money, and your website. I will say that, while I know nothing of EU law, I'm skeptical some largely-inactive fansite would be required to do anything preemptively. From what I've read of the EU's "right to be forgotten" regulations, you may just need to delete someone's posts if they request it (again, this is not legal advice).

  11. #41

    Default

    My days of spending all my waking hours on forums are behind, but it's still nice to check this place once every few days or so, occasionally drop some incredible, world-changing opinion in a thread. A lot of EoFF frens I chat to on discord everyday (we'd still keep that, right?) but there are some who don't use it that I'd never talk to again if this place shut down.

    That said - it happens. FFXII.net, FXN, all returns to dust eventually. I can't exactly pretend a grand revival with dozens of daily active users and lively 'keep refreshing the page' discussions are just around the corner. It would be a shame but I would understand and support you if and when you choose to close the doors.

  12. #42
    Eggstreme Wheelie Recognized Member Jiro's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Posts
    26,942
    Articles
    65
    Blog Entries
    1
    Contributions
    • Former Cid's Knight
    • Former Editor
    • Notable contributions to former community wiki

    Default

    I think you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who wants to see EoFF close up shop, but it was always going to be an eventuality. It's not that I'm not sad about it—it absolutely does leave me melancholic—but it feels a lot like one of those growing up losses, you know? This place and all the people here have played an unreasonably integral part in my life and growth, so leaving it behind permanently is tough. But, well, as with all things, this too shall pass.

    They see me rolling. They hating, patrolling.
    Trying to catch me riding dirty.


  13. #43
    Pinkasaurus Rex Pumpkin's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Falling on your head
    Posts
    16,902
    Articles
    119
    Blog Entries
    133

    FFXIV Character

    Pumpkin Contrary (Sargatanas)
    Contributions
    • Former Editor
    • Former Cid's Knight

    Default

    I would feel sad for the regulars and the people who would miss it, but honestly I don't think I would. I never visit anymore unless someone brings my attention to it and I think I mourned a while ago.

    I got a lot from this site including a husband but, I don't know, I associate this site with a part of my life that I'm through with now. A period of painful and uncomfortable transition before I became someone who is still far from who she wants to be but is finally okay where she is instead of working from a place of fear and self-loathing. None of that is this sites fault but coming here feels like going through a photo album of a point in my life that was necessary but not something I'd like to revisit. Like puberty

    I am glad to have met the people here and am forever grateful for my husband and the wonderful life that opened up for me

  14. #44
    Recognized Member Jessweeee♪'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    i'm on a sandbar help
    Posts
    19,881
    Blog Entries
    12

    FFXIV Character

    Sarangerel Qha (Twintania)
    Contributions
    • Former Cid's Knight
    • Former Site Staff

    Default

    All of my feelings have already been echoed here by people who are better with words than I. I would be really sad to see the place go. Mostly what stu said about the central hub, I would miss that most of all. But I dont want to ask you to cart all this weight around just for our fond memories. Like Sam I would grieve, but someday this place will have to go.

  15. #45
    Recognized Member Scotty_ffgamer's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Eizon
    Posts
    5,275
    Articles
    4
    Blog Entries
    4

    FFXIV Character

    Scotty Ffgamer (Sargatanas)
    Contributions
    • Former Cid's Knight

    Default

    I didn't get much sleep last night and am pretty much half asleep right now, so hopefully this makes sense. I wasn't here as long as some, but I still consider EoFF a big part of my life. I was probably most active here when I was feeling at my most depressed and alone, and this place really helped me in those times. I made friends that helped shape who I am now, and I also had a ton of fun with all of the events that happened back then. The Ciddies, the April Fool's Day pranks... I also enjoyed my short stint on staff. I have a lot of fond memories of this place, and I'm certainly glad I found my way to this forum however long ago. It's not really too active anymore though, and a lot of the familiar users are practically gone. Those who are still around for the most part are in the Discord. I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't miss this place, but I also don't really post on here much anymore. I tend to get on Discord since it seems more active most of the time.

    In any case, I will echo what I think most everyone else said that you shouldn't just hold onto this place for our sakes. I would be wary if I were in your position just because of the EU laws. I don't really know or understand those laws; so, I don't really know how much work it would be to keep this website up to par. I'd also not like that it was running on basically dead software. I personally also wouldn't be able to justify the monthly payment. I'd be sad to see it go, but I probably wouldn't keep it running in your position. Hopefully if you decided that, someone else would be able to step up and take over the site for you. Or maybe other people have some ideas to make running the site more doable.

    In any case, if you decide to shut this place down, we should definitely have one final hurrah. Maybe we could somehow try to contact a bunch of the old guard to try to get them here to make the forums feel like they have the activity levels of its golden age. Maybe we could have one final Ciddies or an event along those lines (if anyone would even want to anymore). In any case, it would be fun to just bring a bunch of people back if we could make it work.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •