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 Rank: Master       Groups: Registered
Joined: 25/11/2018 Posts: 1,284 Points: 3,878 Location: Southeast UK
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Well I originally posted this in Andy's 'Phalanx' thread in the 'Finished Build Gallery', in response to his sentiment about the sorry, apathetic state of this forum, but as expected it got no response at all, nada, zilch! Which kind of says it all really and wasn't totally unexpected if I'm honest. However, I'm wondering if it just wasn't in the right place being part of Andy's thread so I'm going to pull it out and give it it's own platform to see if there is some kind of response … or not!?
My post as it appeared in Andy's thread:
On the subject of the general apathy on this forum I can only agree with what Andy and others have said already in his thread. It is always the same handful of people that post diaries and make comment on others' work, which is unfair! There are roughly 8500 members on here which is great, but where are they? When are they going to give something back to the forum by contributing themselves (that isn't whingeing or moaning about some missing or delayed parts)?
You know, I used to be very active on here but not now as I'm afraid to say that I find it boring with little of interest if you don't like ship modelling (which I don't). We had this same discussion about a year ago, when we had the same response from people saying that they would try to contribute more and some did, for a while, but alas it has slipped back to general apathy yet again. We have had some VERY good modellers pass through this forum over the years, but sadly most of them have moved to pastures new and having spoken to most of them before they left they all said pretty much the same thing - that the forum was becoming boring and stale. I'm afraid that I agree with them!
I have my 1:72 B-29 Superfortress 'Enola Gay' build on here and I will continue to update it until it's finished. I have also started building a very nice 'Wingnut Wings' 1:32 Bristol F.2b Fighter, which I am currently posting on another more engaging forum at the moment, but I'm sorry to say that I will not be posting it on here unless things improve and to be honest if they don't then the B-29 will be my last build on Modelspace. I will leave for good at the end of it as I can't justify the time and effort that it takes to post diaries and photos when it gets little response?
Heaven knows, with the current global crisis and the forced 'stay at home' lifestyle, there should be more opportunity for members to engage with the forum, not less - but where are they?
Rant over, but I'm afraid that it needs to be said!
Any thoughts anyone?
KevPer Ardua Ad Astra
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 Rank: Superelite   Groups: Registered
Joined: 10/05/2010 Posts: 2,608 Points: 7,519 Location: Lincolnshire
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Well said that man. Couldn’t agree more.
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 It's been like this for ages I haven't posted for weeks because all the ship kits I would like to build are out of stock and it seems like Deag are just producing cars which I have no interest in at all I'm thinking of doing a scratch build but don't know if I will do a build log on here  Martyn Building ?
Completed. Soliei Royal . Sovereign of the Seas . Virginia . Scotland . San Felipe . Corel vasa , Santisima Trinadad X section , Vasa
Next Build ?
When sailors have good wine, They think themselves in heaven for the time. John Baltharpe
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Rank: Super-Elite  Groups: Registered
Joined: 31/05/2010 Posts: 5,679 Points: 17,011 Location: Wiltshire
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Been trying to contribute as best i can with my harley and lambo build as well as my new spitfire subscription. Did start my mayflower as well but while much of the UK is on shutdown we are listed as critical workers so even busier than usual. While i appreciate any comments i get i have not had any from “New” members - good or bad. Maybe my posts are just completely boring - who knows. Hoping to do some more on my Mayflower over Easter as i have that time off at the moment unless things change. Tony Happy Modelling
BUILDING: Hachette Spitfire Mk 1A, Constructo Mayflower
SUBSCRIPTION COMPLETE (Awaiting building): USS Constitution, Sovereign of the Seas, 1:200 Bismarck (Hachette)
COMPLETED: Porsche 911, E-Type Jaguar, Lam Countach
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 Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,827 Points: -13,348
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not boring tony, very informative, i dont always reply because previous comments say what i think, maybe i should respond more.
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Rank: Super-Elite Groups: Registered
Joined: 31/05/2010 Posts: 5,679 Points: 17,011 Location: Wiltshire
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Steve1701 wrote:not boring tony, very informative, i dont always reply because previous comments say what i think, maybe i should respond more. Steve No worries in the slightest. What i really meant was replies or comments from some of the “silent” 8000 plus members. Its one of the things i have always found slightly odd because if you just want to gather knowledge you do not have to become a member. Its very odd that so many have signed up to an account but do not make use if it. Hope all is well with you though Steve under these present conditions. See the number if cases in our town have increased to 40 today - all very worrying. Tony Happy Modelling
BUILDING: Hachette Spitfire Mk 1A, Constructo Mayflower
SUBSCRIPTION COMPLETE (Awaiting building): USS Constitution, Sovereign of the Seas, 1:200 Bismarck (Hachette)
COMPLETED: Porsche 911, E-Type Jaguar, Lam Countach
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Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,827 Points: -13,348
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Rank: Administration  Groups: Administrator, Administrators, Forum Support Team, Global Forum Support, Global Forum Support Team, Moderator, Official Builds Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 1,928 Points: 5,796 Location: UK
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Most of those 8000 have never posted. Some of them created an account to get help with one issue, and have moved on. Others regularly look in, but are hesitant to contribute, perhaps due to the past culture of the boards.
I was logged in the other day (at the start of the lockdowns) and there were 3 registered members, myself included, logged in. There were 871 guests.
I would dearly love to see participation go up. There is a contest under discussion to encourage members to comment, and join in.
On the subject of late deliveries, there is hope on the horizon! Obviously, the damn virus absolutely WILL have an effect on deliveries down the road. (Since China was shut down, and most of the kits are made there...)
Official builds are not progressing due to the same reason as pack deliveries. But again, there is hope!
At this point, we are all in this mess together. And, like everything else in life right now, we are all going to have to exercise patience, kindness, and empathy.
Stay healthy!!!
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Rank: Super-Elite   Groups: Official Builds, Administrators, Moderator, Global Forum Support, Registered Joined: 04/06/2011 Posts: 4,504 Points: 13,672 Location: ipswich
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Absolutely agree with the above.
I'm here a large amount of almost every day. There are MANY times that I'm the only one here.
Hopefully if we keep building on the future and forget the somewhat 'iffy' past of a few years ago, things will move upwards.
We now have a great community. Let's all try to make it even better.
Roy.
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 Rank: Elite  Groups: Registered
Joined: 14/10/2014 Posts: 1,715 Points: 5,087 Location: Leicester england uk
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Hi totally agree with you Kev.im a slow builder but do contribute when I have something to show. Let's see some the builds from new members ,would be great to see what your doing .cheers mick.  Builds hms victory, suzuki gsx 1300 R hayabusa, honda C B 750, lamborghini countach L P 500 S, tamiya 1/16 rc full option tiger 1 tank,
built, Mclaren M P 4 - 23. Occre london tram,
Stash.airfix 1/24 mosquito. Diag Virginia schooner, tamiya 1/6 honda 750, tamiya 1/35 famo, tamiya 1/35 flak 88.
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Rank: Pro Groups: Registered
Joined: 25/12/2019 Posts: 218 Points: 659 Location: Manhattan, NY
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I'm still pretty new, and starting to get my beak wet with these part work models. I do have a build thread going for my Porsche, and plan to add more as I progress. I simply don't have a lot to show, as I'm still trying to collect more parts for most of my kits before I start or continue them, and I'm still collecting all the little tools and essentials needed for modelling. I'm currently two shipments deep and I still haven't collected all the miniature nuts and bolts and other hardware I would like to have. I'm even waiting on more stuff to arrive that was all back ordered. Finding and collecting all the materials seems like it can sometimes take more time than actually building the model At any rate, I'm happy to contribute where I can. Sorry to the ship guys, as that's not really my realm, at least not yet. But to all the other gearheads and car builders, hopefully I share some interesting stuff. Maybe I'll get back into planes soon too. Stay well everyone! -Dustin
“Details make perfection, and perfection is not a detail.”
-Leonardo Da Vinci
Currently Building:
Porsche 2.7 RS
Currently Collecting
Jaguar E-Type, Ferrari F40, Ferrari 250 GTO, Lamborghini Miura, Ford GT40, Ecto-1, Japanese Zero, Porsche 917, Lancia Stratos
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 Rank: Vice-Master  Groups: Registered
Joined: 25/08/2012 Posts: 997 Points: 2,813 Location: Down in the vale of Bedfordshire
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Not sure how to put this, but I agree with what you are all saying but I'm also a part of the problem. I joined yeas ago and was posting but then had a run in with a member who I won't say but he was a **** and my posts stared to disappear so I stoped and didn't bother so much. Then there was the other issue the way this forum worked and it layout, I found it confusing when trying to find threads yes you can search but other forums have an area where you can see all your own builds in one place making so much easier to update your builds. Then there's the issue of the photos, I personally gave up as having ot keep refreshing the page just to try and get the photos to show as a pain in the *** and reading isn't my strong point so photos are better (a picture paints a thousand words) so again this was another reason why I stopped. At the moment I have no enfuseasum to build much, I've really haven't done any building since Aug last year yes I got some pocher secondhand which I have stripped down and reboxed and ready to go but all I've done is strip re-bag and start to remove the old paint. But thank you to everyone that does post and show us your great skills. My Favourite Building:- 1919 https://forum.model-spac...=339517&#post339517 -
Current Build - 0-6-0 https://forum.deagostini...=351803&#post351803 Enterprise D - https://forum.deagostini...=posts&t=35768&
Built:-. HMS Bounty, RMS Titanic, MP4-23, Flying Scotsman, Aston Martin DB5, Honda CB750, Mustang, R2-D2, Jaguar, DeLorean, Testarossa, Stage Coach plus many plastic kits.
Dry dock no room to display:-. Bismarck, U96.
To build:-. HMS Hood. HMS Victory. Cutty Sark. SoS, Lancaster bomber. DR1 Triplane. JU-87. Plus many many plastic kits.
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Rank: Vice-Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 20/01/2011 Posts: 605 Points: 1,744 Location: Canberra, Australia
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Agree with you all, it really does help if people do contribute comments and posts of their own. But at least this place isn't as dead as my forum, which btw has had a bad time with this one and I think it is time we put that all behind us and started showing some of that kidness they keep talking about by supporting each other and helping eachother out with our model building, since we really are just one big family. :)
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Rank: Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 25/11/2018 Posts: 1,284 Points: 3,878 Location: Southeast UK
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Well I'm pleased to see that my post has garnered some response and that many agree with me, thankyou, albeit mostly from those who normally post on the forum anyway but I note that there is at least one fairly new member in there and one who doesn't regularly post because of quite valid reasons but hey, you're posting now, so well done all. Let's have more of the newbies engaging please!
I think if the powers within Modelspace could really try to sort the endless image display problem it might go a long way to encouraging more to post as was picked up on by 'Mustang' as a reason for why he doesn't post?
I agree that the forum has changed and become more welcoming and friendly since the bad old days a few years ago when there was some less than friendly input from some, though ironically those bad times also saw a lot of good modellers posting on the forum! 
As was previously said about a year ago when this was last talked about, post your builds and engage in discussion if you possibly can or the forum will surely die! As the old saying goes:
"USE IT OR LOSE IT!!"
Kev.Per Ardua Ad Astra
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Totally agree Kev the problems with the pictures is really annoying and makes it a problem for any one trying to post a reply if you can't see the pictures  plus I find it a bit of a pain having to resize all my pics so I can put them on the forum, most of the other sites I can take a picture on my iPad and stick them straight on to the forum no problem. Martyn Building ?
Completed. Soliei Royal . Sovereign of the Seas . Virginia . Scotland . San Felipe . Corel vasa , Santisima Trinadad X section , Vasa
Next Build ?
When sailors have good wine, They think themselves in heaven for the time. John Baltharpe
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 Rank: Amateur Level 1 Groups: Registered
Joined: 22/03/2011 Posts: 30 Points: 108 Location: UK
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I agree with Martyn’s points - I am a very active and pretty reasonable builder, and would like to contribute more, but I do find the whole resizing of photos requirement, and not just being able to snap and post as you go on the iPad, tends to stifle the enthusiasm to post live builds.
Maybe it’s time for a hosting engine makeover? DBP
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Hi Kev. I’ve only noticed this thread today.
Having read through it I can see what the sentiment is and to an extent I agree. I may be one of those members who could contribute more to the general chat and not just post my own builds, rarely looking at any other that hasn’t got two or four wheels!!
My perception is that the Forum is particularly Partwork model based and that creates a membership that is, initially, largely focussed on building that one particular model and not about modelling as a whole. I was not into building models but found the Lewis Hamilton MP4/23 irresistible and the fact that it was a partwork made it perfect for a “non-modeller” like me. I became a member to proudly show my build and learn from what the others were doing with that particular kit. Only after that did I realise the multitude other models that could be build ( Tamiya, Kyosho, MFH etc. ) to suit my F1 interest and I started to make more.
So it may be that many members feel reluctant to comment throughout the forum, or are not even interested in other builds such as the ships or figurines, planes etc. That may explain why ( as Tony , birja2, commented ) that it’s odd you don’t have to join to look and gain knowledge but still many do join and then don’t add any value. The huge diversity of the builds may be an issue. Perhaps we should try to analyse what can be done to get response from members as a whole. I’ve gained a lot from this forum and even though I have posted on others still tend to gravitate back to it. A survey from admin to gauge members’ views might help?
Not sure I’ve expressed myself clearly but comments welcome.
Keep safe in these difficult times.
Malc.
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Rank: Super-Elite  Groups: Registered
Joined: 30/01/2013 Posts: 4,604 Points: 13,607 Location: Monmouthshire UK
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Im part of the problem too I guess, I visit everyday but never login anymore. Its the missing photos that ruin it for me, if i was a new member I wouldnt put up with it for long. The photo issue has been like this for years now and no fix - other forums dont have this problem so thats where most of the 8000 missing have gone. Steve
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I'm with you Steve I tried to look at someone's build and had to refresh 18 times to even look at most of the pictures  very annoying Martyn Building ?
Completed. Soliei Royal . Sovereign of the Seas . Virginia . Scotland . San Felipe . Corel vasa , Santisima Trinadad X section , Vasa
Next Build ?
When sailors have good wine, They think themselves in heaven for the time. John Baltharpe
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Rank: Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 25/11/2018 Posts: 1,284 Points: 3,878 Location: Southeast UK
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