Other Geeky Hobby Forums... C'mon, whats your Deal?

[Gentleman of Fortune]

I couldn't think of a catchy thread title to get your attention, but I got a legitimate question concerning some "other" hobby related forum site.

While my ability to participate in Piratey kinds of things in person has lessened my participation on this forum... I still like this forum a lot, its got great people people, and its a nice open and welcoming format. I turn 44 at the end of this month, which will mark 32 years of involvement in SOME kind of Historical/Re-enacting.....

I've done everything from a 15th sentry peasant/soldier, right up through the Second World War. While every hobby group has "its elements" and quirks, on the whole, most folks are very friendly and helpull

I am also a Guitar collector/player, and participate in a number of forums in that regard (and run my own website www.revfan.com no problems... Great folks yadda yadda.

BUT RECENTLY....

I introduced my kids to Star Wars about a year ago... starting with the CLONE WARS animated series last Christmas, and now we are slowly going through the "Big People Movies" and are about 1/3rd through the Attack of the Clones.

So, my kids wanted to have "real" star wars costumes for Halloween... and I thought, "Hey, there is sure to be a local Star Wars/Geek society here, we can join as a family".

If you have seen my Piracy Website ( www.gentlemenoffortune.com ) you will figure out quickly that I don't take my costumin' lightly (even for the wee ones in my family). So I have tried to navigate through the Web Galaxy to find good information and a friendly forum of SW enthusiast out there to help me out.

MAN!

Holy Cow!

Aye Caramba!

For most of these sites, I can't seem to get into the good stuff/threads, without being a member.... and to be a member I got to send in a picture to be judged.... Some other sites, I can't check out the Classifieds till I become a member, others I can't even check out the "Off Topic Lounge" until I've passed my grace period....

Now I KNOW some folks just like going into the Lounges and add "Yeah, That is cool" to every post in there to get their post count up but c'mon... If you are a newb, how the heck are your going to contribute valuable info if you are in fact A NEWB? How are you going to get good stuff for your kit, if you don't have access to the "good stuff" classifieds on their site? Am I supposed to get crappy stuff on my own, send pictures in for rejection, so that they can tell me I should have bought "acceptable" Space Galoshes from XYZ member?

Are any of you folks members at these places?

One of them has various threads regarding pirate stuff... MY WEBSITE is quoted as a place to go for good information about the topic, but I CANT GO IN YOUR FREAKIN' LOUNGE????????

Ok, Ok... I know. Its their playground, its their rules, but I am suddenly worried that once I go through their virtual spakin' machine to become "one of them", I won't like em anyway, and want to quit.

Help me out here... say AMEN! or OUCH!

Edited October 19, 2011 by Gentleman of Fortune

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

I'll bite. Of all the forums I have frequented or become a member of this is the only one that has managed to hold my attention, even though I no longer do anything related to GAoP. Other forums I have been involed in have become venomous pits of vipers with a select group of a chosen few who's opinions and information are the only ones allowed without snarky and downright rude comments to anyone who dares challenge or offer information they did not approve of. I say you are more than capable of shining brightly on your own without subjecting yourself and your family to the current trend of holier-than-thou personnas on the various websites. But then I am more than a little biased and burnt-out on the hobby websites.

Bo

[Cascabel]

Here ya go GoF.....

This is a great Star Wars forum. http://www.fx-sabers.com/forum/index.php#3

[Gentleman of Fortune]

Cascabel

That is the ONE forum I have found so far that actually helps/welcomes new folks. It has been a big help so far, and I have no complaints. I should probably have mentioned them in my original post... but I was on my soap box and couldn't get off it...

Shame on me!

[landlubbersanonymous]

[LadyBarbossa]

Hmmm... tis a good question, GoF.

I'm not involved with any Star Wars groups. I only know of the 501st because it's so large. What groups they are associated with... I don't know if it's a start or not. But you are right... trying to get involved in some of these forums is more trouble than it's worth.

I guess, it could be worse.... like NOTHING out there with the costuming aspect... which is what I ran into when I started work on a Wraith Queen outfit of my own, in reflection of the Wraith from Stargate Atlantis. The Stargate series costume/cosplay sites and groups are few and far between with networking proving to be quite the challenge yet we are trying.

Star Trek... the Starfleet is a bigger pain as I attempted to try and contact and connect with them several months ago for a convention and they completely snubbed me! Ugh, talk about rude!

Lots of the forums out there have gotten into a rut about their conduct. The newbies that are worth keeping they are pushed away due to a wide variety of reasons. Worse, as you said... post count! I have had the constant issue of forums and places needing you to be at a certain post count in order to do anything! Seriously?

I wish you luck, GoF. And.... May The FORCE Be With You! :)

~Lady B

PS - hey, uh... does this mean we MAY see you at CyPhan in the future? someday?

[Captain McCool]

Heh, yeah... I don't generally touch the Star Wars fan forums. Man, people think historical reenactors are picky about accuracy and attention to detail? Hah! They've got nothin' on hardcore sci-fi fans.

At any rate, I'm not part of this forum, so I'm not sure if it's quite what you're looking for, or even if it's one of the forums you've already mentioned as being impossible to get into (at least without becoming totally disenfranchised), but one I keep hearing a lot about is the Replica Prop Forum, or the RPF. They're not strictly Star Wars, but they've got a lot of Star Wars fans and costumers on there. Still, there are people who are working on all kinds of costuming and prop projects, from Indiana Jones to Tangled. I hear that some of the folks over there can definitely take some of it too seriously, and from what I've seen, the concept of screen-accuracy goes well beyond obsession, but still, they might be more open to newcomers. I've been thinking of joining up myself for some Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean related stuff.

Just a thought :)

Edited December 21, 2011 by Captain McCool

[sutlerjon]

One of the guys at work had me make a belt for him for his Tie Fighter Pilot uniform ..... the stickiest item being the Identification disc. Having solved that, the next problem becomes marketing it to the Star Wars groups in general.

Looking through the various sites it is becoming increasingly apparent that they are very insular. Have to keep plugging away and try to board their ships ...

[William Brand]

Outside of Pyracy, it's all Firefly for me. I've done and continue to do more Browncoat related events and projects than anything else. I've been involved with the worldwide charity Can't Stop the Serenity since 2008 and I help run the Comic Con booths for the Utah Browncoats. I also have my hands in many Firefly fan films.

[Red-Handed Jill]

I do wild west and mountain man reenacting. The forums that I frequent, by-and-large, are friendly and more in the way of sharing information and resources. For the most part, the dust-ups occur on-line as follow-ups to ones that have occurred in person and are rarely about someone's costume authenticity (unless it is to share information about how a particular item of clothing was made or looked like during a particular time).