[PCF] Resurrection

[Krang]

Point taken. I had assumed that after a period of time, your mindset would have changed with relation to the "NEVER COMING BACK" statement.

Mind pointing out where I made this so-called "statement"?  I said that we were closing the forums and I said that the decision was final, but I definitely don't remember using those words, especially not in all caps like that.  Unless, of course, you're just making a rude mockery of what I said?  But surely that couldn't be the case since you were a member of PCF, the place you've been hyping up all this time, and being rude like the people were back then would be like shooting yourself in the foot, not to mention that it would destroy your credibility as someone who implied twice that he is no longer a child, meaning he should be too mature to take cheap shots like that.  Nah, couldn't be.

But all joking aside, once the new episodes of Big O stopped airing, PCF quickly turned into a disaster that was a chore to maintain, and Shredder and I are glad it's gone to be honest.  No "period of time" is going to change that.

2003? I had assumed the entity which I shall hereafter refer to as The Embodiment of Disturbing Photography was a staff assistant for a while leading up to a jump to full moderator status in early 2004.

Maybe so, I don't really remember and don't have a copy of the Moderator Discussion section handy to double-check.  What difference does a few months make, anyway?  The point still stands that nobody on the forums knew how he would turn out at the time.  Yes, it was a mistake, but the mistake was adding someone we didn't know much about as a mod, not knowing about him and making him a mod anyway, so it's really no different than what happened with Kairi, for example.  What was the point in dragging this up in the first place?

That does effectively solve the problem of there being no link between the most popular, most ancient Big O site still in existence. CoA has probably missed a massive number of registrations (UNBASED ESTIMATE. DO NOT COMMENT) due to the nonexistence of such a link.

No link?  I see two of them in the news posts on the main page.  And you're really exaggerating both the number of people who are still interested in Big O and the number of visits Paradigm currently gets...

What this board could really use is a skin resembling that of PCF. I still have a copy of Jonny Axehandle's Paradigm skin for Invisionfree, but that's Invisionfree. XD

If that's what you guys want, go ahead.  I don't care as long as you don't use the PCF header graphic.

[Professor Vogler]

Though I guess it would help if Paradigm-City.com had a much more visible link directing users here. The one there right now isn't very obvious and you have to scroll down to see it.

That can be arranged.  If someone can make an 88x31 button for CoA and if Finale can add a link to Paradigm somewhere around here, we can set up an affiliation, which will be visible on every page on Paradigm.

I wouldn't mind giving it a shot. I don't think I've made an icon that small before, but I'll try getting a simplistic while expressive "button" made.

And you're really exaggerating both the number of people who are still interested in Big O and the number of visits Paradigm currently gets...

I have no clue the numbers that actively visit the site... frankly I don't want to know. (It might sadden me). But I think the assessment of how many people still like Big O is not fairly measured. People I've talked to still recognize the series as a very good series (heck, had a nice turn out for a Big O Marathon at my college this semester). The only complaint given by anybody about the series was the lack of plot in Season 1 and the LACK of a Season 3. (This is not including the people who generally didn't like giant robots to start, however does count people who were indifferent to giant robots) Big O still has a fanbase here in the states and unless someone was living under a rock most people I've run into at anime conventions have at least seen or heard of Big O and have something positive to say.




Also, I should mention this before Krang up and disappears on us again. It's good to see you, Krang. How's things for ya and Shredder? Watching any of the new Anime on the block (Basquash, Rideback, Gurren Lagann, etc.)? ((actually I wouldn't be surprised if you said FMA: Brotherhood))


I keep thinking to myself, and maybe you could indulge my curiosity Krang, would the decision to close Paradigm forums have been postponed had we lasted enough to open discussions about Gurren Lagann (in 2007)? That show became a hit over there and over here, it may have sustained the community for a little while longer.

[Char Aznable]

*raises hand* Considering that the rest of the site is still running, and I enjoy reading the archives, I still visit the site.

I've seen a few people at cons that have not heard of Big-O. I drug them over to my booth and beat the crap out of them with a foam sword. Yay for running a boffer booth.

And also, like Evan said, good to see you, Krang. You shouldn't be as much of a stranger as you are.

[R. Jesse]

Mind pointing out where I made this so-called "statement"?  I said that we were closing the forums and I said that the decision was final, but I definitely don't remember using those words, especially not in all caps like that.  Unless, of course, you're just making a rude mockery of what I said?  But surely that couldn't be the case since you were a member of PCF, the place you've been hyping up all this time, and being rude like the people were back then would be like shooting yourself in the foot, not to mention that it would destroy your credibility as someone who implied twice that he is no longer a child, meaning he should be too mature to take cheap shots like that.  Nah, couldn't be.

Your eagerness to dig hostility out of my posts is mildly disturbing. Not once have I attempted to insult or demean you or your past work in any way. If anything, you leave much room for me to assume that you are looking for reasons to make unbased accusations of hostility. The statement I made was not intended as a means of "mocking" so much as simply summarizing your "final decision" in a humorous manner.

Maybe so, I don't really remember and don't have a copy of the Moderator Discussion section handy to double-check.  What difference does a few months make, anyway?  The point still stands that nobody on the forums knew how he would turn out at the time.  Yes, it was a mistake, but the mistake was adding someone we didn't know much about as a mod, not knowing about him and making him a mod anyway, so it's really no different than what happened with Kairi, for example.  What was the point in dragging this up in the first place?

Once again, you misread a statement intended for comical value as something hostile, immature or otherwise representing a nasty challenge of some sort. To criticize Almasy or to grin at the fact he actually became a staff member should not be taken offensively. I ran an IRC network a few years ago and promoted an IRC operator who I believed I could trust only to have him turn out to be a living nightmare. This man, who showed no sign of instability in the year I had known him, yet became a monster, can easily compare to Almasy. If you were to kid about my decision to promote him, I would not be offended.

No link?  I see two of them in the news posts on the main page.  And you're really exaggerating both the number of people who are still interested in Big O and the number of visits Paradigm currently gets...

First off, I was speaking about a link in a more traditional place. The ones in the news posts are less obvious. Please remember that I stated very plainly that my guesswork was unbased and should not be judged.

Before you read my post as a personal attack, please remember that there is a border between sarcasm and being an asshole intentionally. Holding a critical view of an event does not equate to having a negative opinion of those involved. If I needed to to demean you for some reason, I could easily come up with six or more paragraphs of bullshit and mindlessly overblown, highly negative accounts of every benign administrative action you took during the days of PCF. Of course, I would never do that. You are an excellent and very strong administrator. You created the largest, most successful Big O fan community of all time and kept it going for half a decade. That said, it is nice to see that you still read through these forums.

My first post was made up of sleepless ramblings combined with nostalgic blabber. The post itself stated that very clearly. To be honest, I expected reactions similar to the ones that I see now, but I didn't expect you to take offense to it. If I upset you, I deeply apologize. I am not interested in forum arguments, so please accept my apology.

[The Fallen Phoenix]

...I'm going to preface this by writing that I'm not quite sure why I'm here.

I will say, though, that...it's probably for the best that PCF remain closed.  I haven't visited this place much - if at all - since it opened and replaced PCF, but I can say as someone who was quite familiar with the drama on both sides of the aisle (and who, I am embarrassed to say, participated in more than my fair share of it), closing that place was really the only logical solution for people whose hearts just weren't in it anymore.  That extends to more than just the administrative team, too - as I recall, most of the moderation team felt the same way.

But that was years ago.  Speaking of which, I have to say, Jesse's posts have certainly impressed me; you grew up quite a bit.

As for your original question, about opening PCF again...I'm not sure if it would resurrect the Big O community.  There was a perfect storm of conditions that allowed that place to thrive in the first place - a core of passionate and interested members, mixed with the news that a second season was being ordered.  Unless additional Big O content was released, be it another season, a movie, what have you, I'm not convinced that a reopened site and forums would be as attractive as it once was.  At best, I think all you'd be able to hope for would be reuniting the old guard, but based on how things ended, I genuinely believe that wouldn't be for the best.

At the same time, that was years ago.  People change, and things change.

...were it up to me?  I'd probably keep it closed.

[Char Aznable]

FP...Good to see you. When I saw that you posted I was truly shocked.

Anyway, Jesse, I'm not taking sides, I just want to ask something.

Are you aware of all of the drama that took place near the end of it all? I tried to avoid it, and thus I actually avoided the MFL as a result after a while. It was years ago, and so I don't remember if I really got involved with it...

But have you actually read the drama? Or know of just how deep it went?

[Professor Vogler]

It was pretty %$^#ed up.

[The Final Negotiator]

I can't really comment on the drama on P-C.com, since I only qualified as a "recent-lurker/almost-user" when it closed. Just scanning through it, at the time, I thought it was a nice forum.

However, despite, the limited Big O touches you'll find here on CoA (and which you can still find in the P-C archive), I think CoA is a very vibrant Big O internet community, and a very vibrant internet community outside of Big O as well (anime, video games, music, life, computing, etc. ... Need I say more?). Think Big O++...

As for new footage, we probably won't see any from CN, and Toonami (sadly) no longer exists... The only current Big O stuff out there right now is Super Robot Wars/Taisen game(s) w/Big O and DVD collections. Also, there are Big O video games in the P-C archive...

As for what could be done - there are now the New Voyages of Star Trek - a private non-profit endeavor that has actually earned Paramount's approval and admiration. Perhaps the same could be done for Big O, utilizing some sort of animation software (as Stan Lee did with his 7th Portal webseries)?

[Professor Vogler]

As for new footage, we probably won't see any from CN, and Toonami (sadly) no longer exists... The only current Big O stuff out there right now is Super Robot Wars/Taisen game(s) w/Big O and DVD collections. Also, there are Big O video games in the P-C archive...

As for what could be done - there are now the New Voyages of Star Trek - a private non-profit endeavor that has actually earned Paramount's approval and admiration. Perhaps the same could be done for Big O, utilizing some sort of animation software (as Stan Lee did with his 7th Portal webseries)?

There also a confirmed Big O robot action figure line coming out of Japan set for this coming year. There was that one company (Max Factory) that had prototype but didn't work out, but this is with Bandai's main action figure producer. If the release gets enough sales, it might convine Bandai there's still life in the product.

Big O really does need a season 3, or some sort of OVA.

[Char Aznable]

That it does!

[Brooklyn Luckfield]

AS still shows Big O on Saturdays, however it's at the ungodly hour of 4:30am.

Big O really does need a season 3, or some sort of OVA.

At this point I wouldn't mind a 3rd season and honestly there does seem to be enough interest for a new season or at least an OVA. The AS forums alone show that there is still a good bit of interest in Big O.

The whole "middling ratings" is a bunch of crap honestly. 

[Char Aznable]

I keep forgetting to log into AS...I made the account years ago and just...forgot about it...

[Professor Vogler]

The whole "middling ratings" is a bunch of crap honestly.  

It's based on their "Lupin Logic" as I've come to call it. Back in 2003-04 there was a [as] bump that ridiculed the fans of Lupin the 3rd. Saying that they 1) bring Lupin onto the air, then 2) the ratings go down, then 3) they pull the show due to low ratings, and finally 4) the fans start bitching again so they put the show back on. Of course what they fail to include (and I'm pretty sure the anime-hating executive in charge of [as] programming knows it) is the TIME in which they air the episodes. Back then Lupin was at the 1:30 timeslot, right before the "repeat" of Sunday's [as] shows began (basically as late as it could go).

Then they pull the same crap on Big O in a different way. They rerun the series till the fans are tired of seeing reruns (and I mean STRAIGHT reruns. From Act26's airing in October 2003 I think they reran the show well into 2004 at least twice)... they use the ratings as an excuse and pull the show from the lineup.

The ratings are whatever they want them to be, quite honestly. And now with ALL the anime being shown after Midnight on Saturday nights (1 episode of each until 6am) I'm sure they'll use the "poor viewer turnout" as a crutch to get rid of Anime on adultswim all together. And although anime is a growing industry, [as] will just keep pushing it aside because, as has been stated numerous times across the internet... Mike Lazzo doesn't like anime.

[Brooklyn Luckfield]

The whole "middling ratings" is a bunch of crap honestly.  

It's based on their "Lupin Logic" as I've come to call it. Back in 2003-04 there was a [as] bump that ridiculed the fans of Lupin the 3rd. Saying that they 1) bring Lupin onto the air, then 2) the ratings go down, then 3) they pull the show due to low ratings, and finally 4) the fans start bitching again so they put the show back on. Of course what they fail to include (and I'm pretty sure the anime-hating executive in charge of [as] programming knows it) is the TIME in which they air the episodes. Back then Lupin was at the 1:30 timeslot, right before the "repeat" of Sunday's [as] shows began (basically as late as it could go).

Then they pull the same crap on Big O in a different way. They rerun the series till the fans are tired of seeing reruns (and I mean STRAIGHT reruns. From Act26's airing in October 2003 I think they reran the show well into 2004 at least twice)... they use the ratings as an excuse and pull the show from the lineup.

The ratings are whatever they want them to be, quite honestly. And now with ALL the anime being shown after Midnight on Saturday nights (1 episode of each until 6am) I'm sure they'll use the "poor viewer turnout" as a crutch to get rid of Anime on adultswim all together. And although anime is a growing industry, [as] will just keep pushing it aside because, as has been stated numerous times across the internet... Mike Lazzo doesn't like anime.

Very true indeed. I'd love to hear what Lazzo has to say about Code Geaus(spelling?) and Bleach hitting 500k viewers as of late.

[Char Aznable]

He'd lie and make up some BS that it's getting horrible ratings, just to be a dick. And to help himself sleep at night. Because of Lazzo's problem with anime overpowering the need to get ratings, I've pretty much quit watching AS altogether. I don't know what's on anymore.

That and on the weekend I'm not usually near a TV.