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2023 GB landscape seems pretty bleak?

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  • Member since
    June 2014
Posted by BrandonK on Saturday, December 24, 2022 11:06 AM

The lack of people participating in the threads is the reason I no longer do WIPs. You would get hundreds or thousands of lookers but one or two members would provide feedback. Very demotivating. I live on the GB thread now but that has caused me to not build kits I had in mind that don't fit any other GB. It's been kind of a cascading effect. There is clearly less activity here than in the past and lots of lost members for various reasons. I have made it my priority to be more engaged in others threads as I know how it feels to get largely ignored and I don't want others to feel undervalued. 


BK

On the bench:

A lot !! And I mean A LOT!!

2024 Kits on deck / in process / completed   

                         14 / 5 / 2  

                              Tongue Tied

  • Member since
    December 2022
  • From: Canada
Posted by Tcoat on Saturday, December 24, 2022 9:17 AM

Tim Kidwell

I will be honest with you all: Traffic on the Forum is down and it's been a trend for a while. The reasons are a mixed bag  including other social media sites, functionality challenges, and not promoting it like we used to.

Interactivity has waned, but the Forum is far from "dead," though it may seem that way on the surface. It still generates a lot of traffic, down though it may be. But most of that traffic is from lurkers or people visiting for specific info.

In 2023, it's one of my goals to revive the Forum and get more people sharing their modeling stories, experiences, and knowledge again. FSM staff will be participate on the Forum in more than a moderating capacity. We will continue to work to rectify function challenges, and you'll see more references to "hot topics" on the Forum in newsletters.

As mentioned in another post above, FB, Twitter, and other places just don't work well for sharing modeling knowledge the Forum does. I and the FSM staff strongly believe in growing the Forum's active participation again. That's gonna take some work, but we're dedicated to seeing it happen.

Before anyone asks, I cannot promise broad overall changes to the Forum. Yes, it is creaky in spots. However, switching the FSM Forum to a new platform would require engaging a new enterprise solution for all of Kalmbach's brands, of which we are only one and cannot dictate moves of that magnitude. There are other FSM projects in the works that need to get finished before a Forum overhaul would even be contemplated. Traffic and activity up first, then further plans can be engaged.

Needless to say, the FSM Forum has a rich history, and many of you have been here from the early days. And new members continue to add to the knowledge base and discussions. We want to build on that going forward. Thanks for being here. 

(Written on my phone. Typos happne.)

 

As a new member that sometimes feels I share too much (I don't shut up sometimes) I would say to take a look at this thread: 

https://cs.finescale.com/fsm/feedback_help_and_testing/f/10/p/188243/2208248.aspx#2208248 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Northern California
Posted by jeaton01 on Saturday, December 24, 2022 12:28 AM

Tim, I am happy to hear that you and Aaron have plans to engage more with the Forum.  I have been in two of the GB's, the WW I and the one on armor under foreign flags.  I enjoy the GB format because you get more of a cohesive feel for the personalities of the other participants and in a sense it is like a club meeting,, maybe even better because you just do models,, not any deadly boring (though usually necessary) club business!

John

To see build logs for my models:  http://goldeneramodel.com/mymodels/mymodels.html

 

  • Member since
    October 2016
  • From: .O-H-I-O....
Posted by DasBeav on Friday, December 23, 2022 5:13 PM

In years past I loved GBs, but went into a modeling funk and tried to use GBs as a way to get out of it. Needless to say I still have 3 or 4 shelf queens that I must finish before I do another GB. Sadly, the models were for some GBs....oopsie!

 Sooner Born...Buckeye Bred.

 

  • Member since
    July 2008
  • From: Vancouver, the "wet coast"
Posted by castelnuovo on Friday, December 23, 2022 4:09 PM

I love GBs and that is pretty much what keeps me coming back. Not entierly but it is a large part of my modeling life. I do go to other forums but not posting much, kinda lurking, seeing what others have done. There also seems to be fewer year end photo galleries. 

Moderator
  • Member since
    September 2011
Posted by Tim Kidwell on Friday, December 23, 2022 12:10 PM

I will be honest with you all: Traffic on the Forum is down and it's been a trend for a while. The reasons are a mixed bag  including other social media sites, functionality challenges, and not promoting it like we used to.

Interactivity has waned, but the Forum is far from "dead," though it may seem that way on the surface. It still generates a lot of traffic, down though it may be. But most of that traffic is from lurkers or people visiting for specific info.

In 2023, it's one of my goals to revive the Forum and get more people sharing their modeling stories, experiences, and knowledge again. FSM staff will be participate on the Forum in more than a moderating capacity. We will continue to work to rectify function challenges, and you'll see more references to "hot topics" on the Forum in newsletters.

As mentioned in another post above, FB, Twitter, and other places just don't work well for sharing modeling knowledge the Forum does. I and the FSM staff strongly believe in growing the Forum's active participation again. That's gonna take some work, but we're dedicated to seeing it happen.

Before anyone asks, I cannot promise broad overall changes to the Forum. Yes, it is creaky in spots. However, switching the FSM Forum to a new platform would require engaging a new enterprise solution for all of Kalmbach's brands, of which we are only one and cannot dictate moves of that magnitude. There are other FSM projects in the works that need to get finished before a Forum overhaul would even be contemplated. Traffic and activity up first, then further plans can be engaged.

Needless to say, the FSM Forum has a rich history, and many of you have been here from the early days. And new members continue to add to the knowledge base and discussions. We want to build on that going forward. Thanks for being here. 

(Written on my phone. Typos happne.)

--

Timothy Kidwell
tkidwell@firecrown.com
Editor
Scale Model Brands
Firecrown Media

 

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Friday, December 23, 2022 11:21 AM

Interesting observations on the decline. And I suspect that many of those speculative reasons behind as to "why?" have contributions in reality as to the overall decline of both GBs overall, and participation in GBs on the forum. 

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    May 2011
  • From: Honolulu, Hawaii
Posted by Real G on Thursday, December 22, 2022 11:43 PM

My modeling is a dead parrot right now.  Deceased.  An ex-parrot.

But I hope it's not really dead, just resting.  Maybe stunned.  Or pining for the fjords...

Next year.  Pinkie promise.

“Ya ya ya, unicorn papoi!”

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Thursday, December 22, 2022 10:14 PM

cbaltrin

 

 
Gamera
Sorry about not being supportive.   

 

No no no, don't worry about that at all. My post was simply stating my observations on the decline of GBs in general. It was not meant to try and alter anyone's behavior or guilt anyone into joining or hosting a GB.

 

I understand. But I'll still see if I can drop into the 'Box Art' GB if I have a little time next year. 

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by keavdog on Thursday, December 22, 2022 9:34 PM

As soon as I get my shop setup in the new house I'll be back at it.  All my gear is in storage until then (Mar 1st I hope).  Once up and running I'll be on the JGB and maybe Floats and Boats again - building a Rufe (two birds one stone Stick out tongue).  I'm also planning a 'Fixed Landing Gear' group build and maybe a 2023 Formula 1 GB.

 

Thanks,

John

  • Member since
    May 2004
  • From: Land of Lakes
Posted by cbaltrin on Thursday, December 22, 2022 9:18 PM

I hear ya grey snake, my own track record is not great with GBs either. But, I join them for the camaraderie and if i finish on time it's a bonus!

GreySnake
I would like to be more active in builds I just can’t find the time to finish anything. I have a number of projects going and group builds I would like to join but I feel silly when I get stalled on a project and abandon WIP.  
 

On the Bench: Too Much

  • Member since
    May 2004
  • From: Land of Lakes
Posted by cbaltrin on Thursday, December 22, 2022 9:14 PM

Gamera
Sorry about not being supportive.   

No no no, don't worry about that at all. My post was simply stating my observations on the decline of GBs in general. It was not meant to try and alter anyone's behavior or guilt anyone into joining or hosting a GB.

On the Bench: Too Much

  • Member since
    February 2011
Posted by GreySnake on Thursday, December 22, 2022 7:40 PM
I would like to be more active in builds I just can’t find the time to finish anything. I have a number of projects going and group builds I would like to join but I feel silly when I get stalled on a project and abandon WIP.  
  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Nashotah, WI
Posted by Glamdring on Thursday, December 22, 2022 7:31 PM

Yeah, I know Bish was planning it and was really looking forward to see a 20th anniversary for the Iraq War to knock out something in my stash for it, but no dice it seems.  I would do it myself, but I just can't commit to running a year long GB in a proper manner anymore.   

I think site traffic overall is just dwinding away, which is really a shame.  The strong GB game on this forum is what actually drew me back after a 10 year absence.

Robert 

"I can't get ahead no matter how hard I try, I'm gettin' really good at barely gettin' by"

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Northern California
Posted by jeaton01 on Thursday, December 22, 2022 6:43 PM

Besides people passing, I think a lot of modelers are defecting to Facebook.  That's too bad, because Facebook is a poor sustitute due to how fragmented posts are, you can't get the same kind of history that forums have.

John

To see build logs for my models:  http://goldeneramodel.com/mymodels/mymodels.html

 

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Thursday, December 22, 2022 5:41 PM

Yeah, I miss Toshi and Goldhammer, Rigidrider too, he always supported my GBs. I hope Bish is good, it worries me that he's been MIA this long. 

The forum seems really quiet, if it's not dead it's sleeping. I remember when there used to be multiple posts a day on each forum, now you'll see stuff up for days. And I've had fewer sign-ups for the JGB this year than I've ever seen.

I'd thought about signing up for your 'Box Art' GB but I've only finished about half the GBs I signed up for this year. I still have GBs I've started for the last three years or so and didn't finish- when I started the new year they just ended up boxed and are still sitting there. So I signed on for a lot less this year, I hope... hope maybe I'll be able to get to them and finish some stuff up. Sorry about not being supportive. 

 

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Western North Carolina
Posted by Tojo72 on Thursday, December 22, 2022 4:55 PM

I got six done this year,but they seldom corresponded to any group builds,my Berlin diorama fit in with one over on Modelersalliance,but thats it.

I'm staying and will continue posting,but yes it is sad to see participation as a whole on the forum really down from its heydey

  • Member since
    August 2015
  • From: the redlands Fl
Posted by crown r n7 on Thursday, December 22, 2022 12:53 PM

Yes here too , I've done five builds in 2022. I have been away from the bench for over five months, time to get to it in 23.

 

 

 Nick.

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Thursday, December 22, 2022 11:53 AM

I feel that way.

Alan (Toshi) and Art (Goldhammer) come to mind.

 

Bill

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    May 2004
  • From: Land of Lakes
2023 GB landscape seems pretty bleak?
Posted by cbaltrin on Wednesday, December 21, 2022 10:34 PM

Anyone else notice 2023 GB participation seems way down from years past (I mean, based on the number of GB's and sign ups by this point in time)? I know we have lost some key contributors / friends (some we know of for sure and I think some we are not as of yet aware). Saddens me quite a bit, I have to admit... 

On the Bench: Too Much

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