OK, slightly dramatic thread title. But the more I see people posting on the SFX forum about never speaking to people again, or losing the community, or variations of the same, the more I feel like we really need to get everyone over here to preserve the spirit of the SFX forum.

I know there's alternatives like Twitter, or the book of face (curs-ed be its name), or other forums like the geekplanet online or FantasyFaction ones, but this is the only one that I know of with no other raison d'etra other than to just be there for people to use. It's my hobby, and I love doing it, and I get nothing from it apart from satisfaction of a job well done. There are no ads, it's not affiliated with anything...in fact the only thing linking it to the hosting service (which, in the spirit of full disclosure, I own and run at a loss) is that surreptitious "Donate" button at the bottom of the page, which everyone can ignore if they want.

I want Offtopica 2 to be the new, unofficial and un-endorsed SFX Magazine forum. Not because I want to make money, or feel important, or anything like that, but because the SFX forum has been a massive part of my life for about 9 years, and because I've run Offtopica 2 alongside the SFX forum for not much less than that. I think it has a legitimate claim to the title.

Judging by the posts on the SFX forum there are an awful lot of people contemplating just disappearing, not staying in touch with their SFX friends because the SFX forum will be no more. And that's really sad. Offtopica 2 is ready, waiting and above all capable of hosting the same community that has grown over the past 9 years on the SFX forum.

So what I'm asking, really, is for everyone who's been using OT2, and everyone new to the place...hell everyone who reads this, basically...to spread the word. Post on the SFX forum, post on Twitter, even ***retch*** facebook. Let's get everyone over here and continue the great, vibrant world of discussion that's been so successful over on the SFX forum.

With, you know, a bit more emphasis on being nice to each other, obviously. Can't let that one go.

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I think it would be good for the ex-forum folk to add the Offtopica 2 link to their sigs; am happy to also promote here as a lifeboat of sorts. Would be good to get as many folk over here as possible.

So this is the new place, eh? Let me find a comfy chair and let's get going.

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I may be none the wiser but I dare say I'm better informed

Done

Might also be an idea if we had a Mod over there (hint hint) to sticky an invite in the heavily used forums.

Tao, you need to flog this forum like hell on the SFX forum before it shuts so that people get the message.... and if they STILL think that there's no where to go that's their problem!! :-)

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Yeah, I agree. Seemed a little disrespectful to immediately start going on about OT2 as soon as the announcement was made, then I saw geekplanetonline advertising their forum and that's when I started making statements. Still didn't want to go all out so quickly, but come Monday I'll start pushing a bit harder I think.

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I've added a new thread in Offtopic Discussion, giving the link to here, as well as geekplanetonline; others can add other options as they see fit.

Possibly I have just gone bonkers over on the SFX forum.

All - I changed my Avatar there to TCB. Just wondering if all of us from over here could do that to our profiles over there.
As a silent but I hope eloquent comment on how we feel.

I know that there is a lot of love (here and there) for the Lesser Baker, but he was the reason I stopped watching Doctor Who at that point in history and I will change my avatar to him only when no other picture in the world exists.

The more protests the better - and I don't think we should be silent about it!
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

It is a shame that the announcement came so suddenly over at SFX. I onow I'm not that active over there but it is a shame it is going to get canned.

Oh I don't intend to be silent about it.I have made more posts this past weekend than the last few months put together.

However the statements that can be made can be made in a number of different ways. Its just trying to work them.

What I would love to see over the next end of days over there would be everyone rallying behind a common theme. I mentioned the TCB avatar because the SFX editorial staff bloody well know its history and meaning on the forum.

Get everyone posting - regulars, lurkers, old members who have been absent for ages - its been great to see the Clown and midget_Yoda over there since Friday.

I word love to break the highest logged in users count when they switch off the server to send the old girl off in style, and to show SFX that it is doing a bloody stupid thing.

Outside the virtual world - letters to Future I will be writing. Not buying SFX - yes. But it really hasn't been what it was for some time now. And any other good idea is welcome.

The thing is those Suits won't care. And I am hard pressed to see how to get them to take notice unless we can take this viral and really embarrass them. Take it to Facebook and the Twitter sphere.

But that last paragraph is hyperbole and late night talking unless anyone has ideas in mind.

Because that's what would be needed - decent ideas.

Yeah, a shame indeed, an end of an era. As the old cliché states. You don't know what you've got until its gone, or it is threatened with being gone. I haven't been all that active over there of late, but do visit daily, and this news has saddened me a great deal to say the least.

Hey guys n gals

I am unbelievably gutted about the SFX forum going to the big trash can in the sky, so when I saw that Tao had created this forum I had to come over and join and keep in touch with all my fellow forumites.

BTW, Ive changed my username for this forum. Most people know me as 'toocool' but since I use Interstella on every other forum I belong to I thought id use it here as well :)

*sneaks in and has a poke about, shines a light into the dark corners*

..hmm, so this is the new joint eh?

The SFX Forum is dead... long live offtopica2



oh and Hello all !

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Living in the shadow of Baby Davros...