Sean (Shadowhowler)
VIP Reviewer
Retired Moderator
No matter where you go, there you are.
Posts: 8,828
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Post by Sean (Shadowhowler) on Sept 30, 2016 21:16:36 GMT
If you guys ever need an extra moderator, I have a lot of free time. I have been a member since the days when Brenno made his first sword, the falchion and I got to see the build of his Wallace sword as well. I went by another name in those days, and have had a few names since. After years of seeing this forum moderated and knowing the community in the days of Ramstien, Rick willy, and when slayerofdarkess was a brand new member, I might be able to contribute a hand towards moderation What name did you go by way back when? I've been the same dude for 10 years or so now... I'm boring.
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Ifrit
Member
More edgy than a double edge sword
Posts: 3,284
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Post by Ifrit on Sept 30, 2016 21:22:14 GMT
I feel cringed out at my old posts too much to say which name was mine.
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AndiTheBarvarian
Member
Bavarianbarbarian - Semper Semprini
Posts: 9,821
Member is Online
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Post by AndiTheBarvarian on Sept 30, 2016 21:50:02 GMT
Wait a moment, need popcorn!
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AndiTheBarvarian
Member
Bavarianbarbarian - Semper Semprini
Posts: 9,821
Member is Online
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Post by AndiTheBarvarian on Sept 30, 2016 23:38:45 GMT
What would Tolkien have had let said the elves to say: "What do you drink?"? Sorry, bourbon, difficult english grammar.
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Post by Lukas MG (chenessfan) on Oct 1, 2016 8:22:26 GMT
Just chiming in to say that I don't really have any issue with how things are being moderated right now. Occasionally I run (myself, lol) into something I should have avoided and occasionally I also think some things might have been solved better in a different way but overall, I got nothing to complain about. The moderators do a good job as far as I am concerned. Kudos to them for doing this.
The forum itself isn't as active as it once was, there are much fewer reviews being posted, fewer cuttings vids and (IMO anyway) fewer interesting discussions, but that is not a fault of the moderation, it's happening to all forums. I suppose fb is to blame for at least a part of this. Don't know what else.
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Post by Croccifixio on Oct 1, 2016 13:41:20 GMT
Yeah. I mean the HEMAA forums are deader than dead I didn't even bother registering. SFI is an archive and an extra classifieds section. MyA has interesting discussions once in a while but not a lot of activity. Reddit never really took off in this hobby.
It's happening everywhere and the ease of contact and conversation in social media (facebook mostly) is partly to blame for that. But fb isn't a good alternative because things disappear so quickly in one's newsfeed. That's why I still love forums. Also the walls of text you can write.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2016 14:30:14 GMT
So I am not the only one who uses FB for informative purposes rather than being infatuated with the heft of my friend list?
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Ifrit
Member
More edgy than a double edge sword
Posts: 3,284
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Post by Ifrit on Oct 1, 2016 14:36:50 GMT
I don't even use Facebook. I know. I know. I'm pretty much king ๐ ๐
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2016 14:42:53 GMT
I don't even use Facebook. I know. I know. I'm pretty much king ๐ ๐ Not a bad thing. I only use it as it is necessary to keep in contact with so many people and helps keeping all of them at one place on FB or my personal Email. (Medical College admission required a new email and a Facebook profile, like seriously?)
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Post by Adrian Jordan on Oct 2, 2016 0:01:07 GMT
I don't like Facebook much, but I have to say that there are a few good sword pages there. The downer is that you don't have as interactive a platform to do things like post detailed picture reviews and the like. You can post video reviews, but written reviews on Facebook tend to fall flat for me. People also tend to be more impolite there. I'm pretty bummed to see so few reviews here anymore. Even if it's a sword we have reviews on, it's always nice to see how they are doing currently, to hear how the reviewer likes it, and to hear feedback on the vendor.
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Ifrit
Member
More edgy than a double edge sword
Posts: 3,284
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Post by Ifrit on Oct 2, 2016 0:05:04 GMT
Yea I remember a long time ago, people were lined up to make a review. Everyone was happy to share their thoughts on their new purchases, even finding new ways to make theirs unique.
I have crap Internet and no computer, so making my own reviews would be a nightmare. Can't even watch YouTube where I am
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Post by Adrian Jordan on Oct 2, 2016 0:11:03 GMT
I think not as many people are buying, too. I know I'm too broke to get anything, and won't be clear probably until the middle of next year.
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Ifrit
Member
More edgy than a double edge sword
Posts: 3,284
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Post by Ifrit on Oct 2, 2016 0:32:23 GMT
I hear ya. Not many seem to have much cash lately. Even when I had a job, it all went straight to bills. Barely made a dent in my credit card debt, despite being broke all the time.
Would love to get a shield one day
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Post by chrisperoni on Oct 2, 2016 0:33:52 GMT
The mods here are a bunch of goobers. The mods on the sbg Facebook page are wayyyy better. . . . . . ๐
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Post by Adrian Jordan on Oct 2, 2016 0:53:00 GMT
The mods here are a bunch of goobers. The mods on the sbg Facebook page are wayyyy better. . . . . . ๐ Does that make me...let's see. -1 for here, but +1 for Facebook. I'm a totally even, nominal guy.
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Post by aussie-rabbit on Oct 2, 2016 4:24:56 GMT
The mods here are a bunch of goobers. The mods on the sbg Facebook page are wayyyy better. . . . . . ๐ Does that make me...let's see. -1 for here, but +1 for Facebook. I'm a totally even, nominal guy. You get + 2 for humor
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Post by Bryan Heff on Oct 2, 2016 12:59:03 GMT
The mods here are a bunch of goobers. The mods on the sbg Facebook page are wayyyy better. . . . . . ๐ Does that make me...let's see. -1 for here, but +1 for Facebook. I'm a totally even, nominal guy. You net to zero!
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Post by nddave on Oct 3, 2016 16:43:57 GMT
Being here as long as I've been I can say I really have seen an improvement in how the forum has been moderated over the last two years. Yes for a while back in the early teens of this decade there was some shady business but that has long been put to rest and anyone from back then should see the apparent changes. There was a time where even I just stepped away due to certain members and now I feel that we're back in a good place though don't have the community to nourish the forum.
What I see here recently is similar to what was discussed above regarding facebook. Even here (Beginners board especially) on the forum I've seen the FB bug bite. You guys should know, new member asks about "X" sword they're interested in, gets advice from a handful of members, sometimes posts replies, sometimes get a thanks and they're gone. Its stuff like this I feel is hurting the community but also I feel age has finally caught up with SBG forum. Not that its a bad thing this "age" thing, just that if anyone remembers the 08-11 years we've grown in knowledge and experience since then. Remember when we used to learn together with trial and error (and most importantly) and discussion? It also doesn't help that the market itself has pretty much stagnated.
Again back in the heyday we had all these new vendors and manufacturers, new lines from old manufacturers, improvements to old lines and a bunch of sword dorks (yep we're dorks, lol) learning to wrap handles and sharpen blades. On top of learning and gaining historical scientific knowledge on swords and what they're made of, even how they're made. The community flourished due broad discussion of all these things including the forum earning the trust of said manufacturers and vendors by gaining their membership and even donation swords for reviews! Swords that for a time were constructively reviewed and honestly returned (minus the destruction test swords) and given honest reviews by trusted members of the community.
Now the new M&Vs are over 5 years old, as are the new lines and improvements made to old ones. Prices have risen but the attention and consistency to Q/C hasn't improved or stayed the same. The "new lines" are now just blued versions of old lines with a few new models mixed in for ridiculously high prices, while trusted and favored models are being discontinued. The sword dorks are now pro-semipro smiths and manufacturers themselves and there isn't a damned thing to discuss or review due to the fact we've just about reviewed or discussed everything to discuss or review and new members mostly cop out due to feeling the same (it been done and discussed).
What we need is a market with a new breath of life to spark ours and other's interest. We as a community need something new to discuss, buy and review which does in fact fall on the shoulders of the market.
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Ifrit
Member
More edgy than a double edge sword
Posts: 3,284
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Post by Ifrit on Oct 3, 2016 17:37:08 GMT
Eloquently worded ndave. I agree entirely.
We need a new reason to love our swords (sorry if I translated your message wrong). We need a new thing to love about our swords too. There are many of us trying to spark our imaginations again. We had the zombie fad, but thanks to the heavy marketing, we got tired of that fast. We like to think apocalypse, but we lack the imaginations to find a real use of swords in a world of guns. People like redmicheal try to create tactical uses of sword so that swords might have appeal in the modern world with the tactical community, and many have been drawn in. I tried to make a thread about home defense, but there is only so many conclusions you can come to before the mind becomes fatigued.
I have often toyed with the idea of making "super hero/super Villian" type aliases. Not for any real reason, and not because I think the world needs it. But for fun. Many of us get wrapped up with our swords and armour but we feel unneeded, and it's sad to see that the age of swords and shining armour is over. But the idea behind a super hero type alias is purely for fun. It's not realistic, but it may spark our love for swords again.
The only problem, is once again, it feels unneeded. We grew up seeing the hero with the sword in a world that needed him. But in this age, we struggle to even feel wanted.
I might have worded it very childishly, but it's only my view on the subject. When we first started, we discovered together. These days, we don't even feel like we have that anymore. It's just "buy these, they are good. Avoid that, it sucks".
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Mikeeman
Member
Small Business Operator
Posts: 2,904
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Post by Mikeeman on Oct 3, 2016 17:59:53 GMT
Honestly, I think a lot of the mod team, myself included, has improved because of how much we communicate, now. Me, Chris, and Adrian chat and give each other endless semprini all the time. And it's not only us. The ALLSWORDS FB group mods are also very chatty in a secret group I made. We've all known each other so long that we're just really good internet buddies. And that makes things WAY easier and efficient.
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