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Thread: Why do you interact here?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    24th May 2007
    Location
    Brisbane
    Posts
    38,239

    Default Why do you interact here?

    Being almost 15 years since this community was first started, I wanted to share why I started it (for those who don't already know), and in return, hope to see why each of you joined up, to make this one of the longest running toy-collector internet communities in the world.


    Okay, so way back in mid 1995, I found the internet, and started interacting with Transformers fans. I was really excited to find that they weren't all in the Northern Hemisphere. I was no longer 'alone' in my 10 year old hobby.
    Fellow board-member dirge was one of the first Australians I started to befriend, and slowly over the next 12 months, one by one, I had a list of about 15 Australian Fans who were online at that time. I proposed to each person that we should start up a local 'club' or mailing list, so that we didn't feel so isolated or distant from the American/UK dominated fandom (which was all in the one location at that time - alt.toys.transformers).
    And since Beast Wars was just about to hit Australia, I also wanted to set up some sort of system for us Australians to find out what was being released here and alert the others.

    Pretty much everyone who was still actively online at that time, was keen on the idea of a local community of fans, and since emails were getting a bit clumsy, I suggested a monthly newsletter. $2 per issue I think, which didn't cover the costs... but I had fun putting it together and enjoyed having others get excited about getting it. Mostly because it was local, and that it was a publication that was exclusively about Transformers.

    Starting off with 16 members (if I recall) around September 1996, for our first issue of the newsletter posted out in October... we were given permission to be a Transformers club by Hasbro AUS within a couple months of that. Our name was changed from Austrans to Ozformers, so that we weren't confused with the Transport company of the same name, or 'Aus Trannies'.
    Since then, over the almost 15 years, we've had at least two thousand people join up, with about 600 'current' members (active in the last 6 months) from several countries - Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, China/HK, Philipines, Japan. And even some long distant fans have wanted to join us as well over the years.


    So what brings you to Ozformers?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    4th Aug 2008
    Location
    The 'Riff
    Posts
    11,335

    Default

    Pretty much the same reason that you started this forum, to share my passion of Transformers. Over the years there have been ups and downs, but overall met some really good people here sharing that passion, and having an alternative to Ebay to source Transformer toys. And keeping up to date with new and upcoming releases.

    But the best part is interacting with others from all over Oz, and overseas members.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    1st Apr 2008
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    486

    Default

    Coz I love transformers!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    14th Aug 2009
    Location
    Adelaide
    Posts
    3,319

    Default

    growing up, i don't think i had ever met anyone who actually liked Transformers as much as i did. so when i started collecting Transformers i just wanted to find a local community to interact with.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    8th Aug 2009
    Location
    Bankstown, NSW
    Posts
    3,067

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by griffin View Post
    So what brings you to Ozformers?
    I originally joined up to find out the latest news about TFs so I could feed my plastic crack addiction

  6. #6
    Join Date
    2nd Jan 2008
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    2,138

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Vector Prime View Post
    so I could feed my plastic crack addiction
    Plastic crack? LOL I actually do think they have some life in them! One of my TFs fires his missiles suddenly sometimes without anyone touching. And another makes the G1 "transforming sound" right in the middle of us watching telly! I wouldn't be surprised if they had a "war" go on at night when we are sleeping.

    But the fact that brings me here is: Transformers, LEGO and the fact that guys are actually easier to talk to sometimes!

    And I also like that it's actually a pretty active and useful forum in which fans can interact and help each other out when it comes to getting TFs. Sad to say I can't find a LEGO OZ forum that is this popular!

    Favourite threads -> TF Acquisitions, Action Pose, Lego Acquisitions and Victorian Sightings.
    ~ JuzMel ~
    My son is taking over all my TFs!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    5th May 2008
    Location
    Clifton Hill, Melbourne
    Posts
    4,272

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Vector Prime View Post
    I originally joined up to find out the latest news about TFs so I could feed my plastic crack addiction
    Ditto

    I was sick of all the US news, I wanted Australian sightings and the US boards just weren't as inviting.

    Found this forum after one the Australian Toy Fairs got linked too, and joined so I could have people to talk to who had similar interests.
    |Buy ALL my things!|Collection Thread|Current Collection Count: ~661|
    |Wants|Galaxy Force Blue Rumble|

  8. #8
    Join Date
    3rd Nov 2010
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    1,351

    Default

    Mainly because I came here from an anonymous board (4chan \toy\)...
    Where everyone is a bunch of jerks and constantly call out and abuse everybody else.

    Here is so much nicer, it isn't anonymous. It isn't full of jerks. You aren't all americans..

    We all share the same passion and are from the same corner of the globe.
    It is good to meet up with other TF fans such as myself in the city.
    What's even better though is the fact that this isn't a sole TF board, with most of us collecting other toy lines / having interests in other different areas.

    In summary, it's really just the whole community that is OTCA which makes the board enjoyable to fun.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    23rd Sep 2010
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    9,352

    Default

    I had been an occasional lurker for a few years, I generally got most of my global news from Seibertron.com. I ended up joining to see SilverFromOz's convention idea posting.

    Having never really been involved with a forum in the past I didn't really know what to expect.

    Now though...
    I intereact here for a number of reasons:
    * it's a great place to have meaningful discussions about things transformers related with people who know what I mean when I say "Jazz is a cool cat"

    * It's a great place to have meaningful discussion about things non-transformers related with like minded people.

    * It's a fantastic opportunity to buy stuff that I didn't even realise I wanted till I saw it listed here. The source of great G1 (and more recent) stuff that I've always wanted and not been able to get hold of, or didn't want to pay US postage for is outstanding.

    * When I finally get off my arse and post some pictures of my collection it will be anice place to show off and have some feedback on my gear.

    * I have been inspired to post some action poses, I may be inspired to post some more.

    * I have had a chance to meet a bunch of great people through the meetup at the Parra collectors fair, I look forward to the next one, assuming I can make it.

    * It has been a great source of BOTCON advice, If not for the experienced advice of others I would probably be sitting over the Botcon webpage refreshing every 30 seconds to check if the registration is open yet.


    More than anything, I stay and get involved because it's fun, it's a facet of my collecting that I never new existed.
    My only complaint is how easy it is now for me to justify more and more purchases.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    12th Jan 2009
    Location
    Kiama
    Posts
    1,577

    Default

    I was looking for information on BotCon a couple of years ago and came across this forum. I felt isolated at the time, thought i was the only or at least one of two collectors in the Illawarra. i saw a world grow up around me an signed up then and there, forgetting about BotCon in the process.

    I didn't have the internet at the time so i took daily trips to an internet cafe in Wollongong that was close to work just to keep up to date.

    Favourite Forums: Grapples Creative Stuff
    Worst Forum: NSW sighings- on the basis that i see stuff getting released that isn't being released here.

    Oh and on a final note the other collector i knew about was a guy looking at Transformers in Shllharbour K-Mart at the end of the Cybertron line who told me that the classics line was coming out soon. I was to shocked to sy anything..but thats just me.

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