posted 10-07-99 07:15 PM ET
Update: Author Topic: What about the .owo. forums?
Hugo Rune
Lieutenant posted 10-06-1999 05:42 PM
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Am I right in guessing that this is the final proof that the SMAC forums over at alpha.owo.com are being abandoned by FIRAXIS? I mean, there would be no use to having two support forums located in different places. Other hints have cropped up; FIRAXIS doesn't have a link to the .owo. forums any more, for example.
If you're going to abandon those forums, how about making a major announcement of it and then just shutting them down? They serve no purpose anymore.
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Sir Penguin
Private, 1st Class posted 10-06-1999 07:06 PM
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Yeah, that was rather annoying. I wonder how many people will go to ACOL and how many will find their way here. Hey, wait a minute, now there's no forum for SMAC, at least that I can find (outside of ACOL and Apolyton, etc.).
SP
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Dan Magaha FIRAXIS
Brigadier General posted 10-06-1999 07:41 PM
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The old Alpha forums are, in fact, closing.
Relax, guys. There will be an announcement there, it's not like we're just going to turn the server off and walk away.
Dan Magaha
Firaxis Games, Inc.
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Sir Penguin
Private, 1st Class posted 10-06-1999 07:49 PM
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Woah, I got back in! I had a bookmark of the blank post in the Non-SMAC forum, and it worked. Here's the URL:
http://alpha.owo.com/ubb/Forum11/HTML/000852.html
SP
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jsorense
Lieutenant posted 10-06-1999 07:52 PM
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Dan M.
Well, that is news. Oh, just think of the hours I wasted over there [sniff].
One thing I have noticed since you signed on as webmaster here, General, for the first time the firaxis.com site is the place to get Firaxis Games news first.
Just thought I�d let you know it�s noticable.
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BusterMan
Private, 1st Class posted 10-06-1999 09:12 PM
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so why the hell, Dan Magaha, are you shutting down the SMAC forums, do you think that this 4-thread forum is better? I mean, why? Why take it down? There is no logical explanation!
-Parker
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Crusader
Private, 1st Class posted 10-07-1999 03:27 AM
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Consolidation.
SMAC was set up on a different server due to the HIGH amount of traffic it had. Time has progressed, posting is down, and servers can handle more traffic. So, putting SMAC onto these forums make a sort of logical sense.
In the future, you will be able to talk about SMAC and how neat it is that it's launched at the end of Civ3.
-Crusader->----
-If it leads to better QUALITY, I support it-
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MikeH
Lieutenant posted 10-07-1999 05:32 AM
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We all knew this was inevitable didn't we?
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Adm.Naismith
Private, 1st Class posted 10-07-1999 05:38 AM
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Old Forum is gone, Planet bustered to the sea.
I've seen things you people wouldn't believe.
Threads on fire off the shoulder of Orion.
I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Jeff Morris' posts.
All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.
Time to die.
Adm.Naismith, formerly know as mcostant.
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ToX
Private, 1st Class posted 10-07-1999 05:47 AM
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my god, it�s full of stars...
and this forum is just one amongst others. time will show if it will be a community or just a sunflare.
cu
Tres
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[email protected] - http://xenofungus.sidgames.com
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Dan Magaha FIRAXIS
Brigadier General posted 10-07-1999 08:18 AM
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There are several reasons the old SMAC forums are going away:
1) No one is available to support it. Right now it's in limbo on an Origin server when it's an EA game developed by Firaxis. Make any sense to you? Me neither. In any case, no one has the resources or wants to use them to support it except Firaxis.
2) Ok, so we move the forums over here. But the signal-to-noise ratio over at the SMAC forums is incredibly low, and honestly, what is left to talk about that hasn't already been said? We will have a SMACX forum, since that's the "new" product, and if folks want to talk about SMAC there, fine. But we want to emphasize Alien Crossfire now.
There are plenty of other great sites with forums as well.
3) As someone else pointed out, consolidation.
Dan
Firaxis Games, Inc.
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Beta1
Private, 1st Class posted 10-07-1999 08:51 AM
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Well it was nice of you to give us warning that you were going to shelve owo
You've just been crossed off my christmas card list
Beta-1
annoyed as hell
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Adm.Naismith
Private, 1st Class posted 10-07-1999 10:58 AM
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Dan Magaha, I understand and must agree with your point about closing the old forum.
My opinion is that's a pity to lose also very useful threads about references, strategies and hints. Sid's games have a tradition of replayability, so it's a pity we are losing every future access to all this info about the game. IMHO all that it helps players more than the official Firaxis manual (no offence intended, just the result of different and greater resources and time).
So, may I suggest you (alternatively):
a) close the old forum but keep it up (read only) for reference
b) transfer into this forum archive some, selected treads (if you can share format and import them)
c) open a "call for SMAC's Ark" to ask to us -the fans- to reorganize and put in viable format all the info we want to save for the posterity (AKA future references to new "discounted SMAC" players). You can put them in some downloadable FAQs part of Firaxis site and give away some cheap premium to thank us for effort (e.g. use ours names into the game and give us an exclusive Firaxis desktop theme or Screen saver).
Well, I know it's more effort than gain but you should consider it as a customers fidelization investment
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Adm.Naismith AKA mcostant
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Dan Magaha FIRAXIS
Brigadier General posted 10-07-1999 11:18 AM
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Just so you all know, I was given no real warning of this either. I do not go to the SMAC forums, because I am the Firaxis.com webmaster and a) I have no access on that server, and b) I have my hands full with this site, which is my sole responsibility.
If there is useful content there, I will see if it can be archived and if someone wants to take that material and put it up on a Tripod page or something, they can certainly do that.
Dan
Firaxis Games, Inc.
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ToX
Private, 1st Class posted 10-07-1999 11:43 AM
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i think Adm.Naismith is right. not every one is JUST interested in SMACx. most of the fans want to play just SMAC. and for them it�s still important to have an official forum for their interests. look at the civ series, old but still counting. SMAC will not be a one-day-fly, constant support and the possiblity to exchange thoughts about the core game are necessary. i hope there will be an archive of the old threads from owo. (buglists are worthy too ;-))
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[email protected] - http://xenofungus.sidgames.com
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BusterMan
Private, 1st Class posted 10-07-1999 12:47 PM
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Well Dan,
I would certainly be happy to receive an archive of at least the previous month's threads. I would probably set it up on my own page. And also, not everything had been said. There was plenty of room for Alien Crossfire threads and ideas. There was plenty of posts there too. It was a goldmine of usefull conversation compared to here. Oh and it made perfect sense to keep it on Origins's site. Like you, Firaxis, it is also a subsidiary of Electronic Arts, makers of the best games in the world ever. Keep on truckin' (those good games). Thanks for a great game and a good site.
-Parker
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JohnIII
Lieutenant posted 10-07-1999 04:34 PM
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I am saddened, but it's probably for the best. At least you had the courtesy to issue a warning rather than just closing them.
John III
Alpha Centauri Forums
posted 10-06-99 09:19 PM ET 
To close this thread, click here (moderator or admin only).
