What do you think of this forum and its members?

[neorichieb1971]

I've never seen a topic judge its own memberlist before

I've been a member for a while now, I don't even play shooters that often, maybe once or twice a week. I still enjoy them and buy more and more of them, but I have stuff I have to do atm.

But, whilst at work, I frequent this site more than any other. Its quite an achievement to get members from all around the world, from different classes and backgrounds all come together with a common interest.

It makes me wonder how the world would be with this level of acceptance and without politics.

I am sure the sites creators (Malc?) would never have envisioned such a community back 3 or 4 years ago when it started. And considering the technical downfalls (Was it 3 moves?), it came back to life and everyone came back.

That is freakin awesome guys!

[Specineff]

I think that w3 r teh r0x0rz. *ducks*

[PaCrappa]

This forum is intelligent, diverse and accepting. It ranks about as high as a forum can. I could criticize certain people or issues but why bother? Every forum (yea, even society itself) contains the same elements I would criticize. Ya gotta take the bad with the good, especially at any public forum.

Pa

[Eps]

This is one of only two games forums I ever really look at, the other being the British import-gamers' forum NTSC-UK, on which I am a long-time lurker. Pretty much none of the others are even worth a second glance, frankly.

It's interesting to see how the site was started as a very British enterprise, but now the majority of the userbase is American. That just goes to show how poor the provision was for the international shooting game community until this site and forum came along.

Edit: It's interesting to see that there is a whole sub-group of Internet gamers who can only be found on a very small number of sites. For example, I recently saw NTSC-UK regular eastyy here. JAPJAC is a regular on both NTSC-UK and Fanitsu (a forum I don't read much but do quite like). I'm on here and, as a lurker, on NTSC-UK. It's quite nice how there is this little 'bubble' of sites that are populated almost exclusively by the more educated and less idiotic gamers on the Net.

[BulletMagnet]

I've been here a relatively short time compared to most, but all in all I'm glad I found this place, there's a lot of info to absorb and generally a good time to be had. The place isn't without its occasional unpleasantries, but noplace is, so anyone hoping for my imminent demise is gonna hafta wait a ways longer.

[ArrogantBastard]

It's great. This forum hasn't even given me a reason to think otherwise about the members, because it's a nice change of pace from browsing around on Something Awful's Games forum which has very LOW shmups fanbase.

[Twiddle]

It's great. This forum hasn't even given me a reason to think otherwise about the members, because it's a nice change of pace from browsing around on Something Awful's Games forum which has very LOW shmups fanbase.

I can't believe they think Sin Episodes is too hard. What the fuck?

[ahnslaught]

I lurked around for a while before I became a member and started posting, but I am really impressed with the amount of knowledge, helpfulness of members, and general acceptance of everyone on the forum.

I've never posted anywhere before, because it's usually quite annoying; however, here, you can get very in depth discussions on topics that I like as well as actually get exposed to other information as well without worrying about dumb comments (mine excluded, of course )

Not to mention that a lot of members here are witty as all hell, and it's always good for a laugh here and there. The gamefaqs-speak thread had me craking up for a good while.

[FRO]

I've been a forum regular since about 2 or 3 versions ago of the forum. I've been following the shmups site almost since it's inception (hard to believe 9 years), & as some may have noted, I introduced Malc to PowerStrike 2 on GG (which he mentioned in his mini-review). So I guess you could say that despite my relatively low # of posts, I've been a long-time member of the online shmups community.

I find this forum to be (like Pa said) intelligent, with very little trollling (compared to most forums), a lot of good discussion (peppered with some lame-ness), and an overall sense of community & respect (despite the occasional flame-war that happens here). I can easily say I'm pround to be a member of this forum.

[Andi]

I think it was a little less cool before I joined, but now everything is great.

Ahem.

[Icarus]

I am sure the sites creators (Malc?) would never have envisioned such a community back 3 or 4 years ago when it started. And considering the technical downfalls (Was it 3 moves?), it came back to life and everyone came back.

The community was already getting big before the first forum iteration appeared. (98-99 was the first one I think? Can't quite remember.) The site itself is nearing a decade old though, I've been visiting since before Malc moved it to Classicgaming, when it was hosted on his personal ISP-based webspace, in 97-98.

(I can remember, as I was in Sixth Form education when I first stumbled across his R-Type PCE review - was using this new-fangled 'intarweb' thing to look for info on an old favourite arcade game when his site popped up in the Altavista search results - one lazy web-surfing day, and I e-mailed him five minutes after looking at the review asking him WTF this 'emulation' thingy was ^_-)

The very first forum was the main catalyst in the visitor explosion, though. ^_-

As for the total number of forum moves and technical problems, this (the version on Bloodflowers' own server) is maybe the sixth - perhaps seventh - iteration of the forum.

[sethsez]

I'm not crazy about the pessimism that frequently rears its head here, but there are enough people I like and respect to keep me coming back.

[roker]

I feel more restrained here when I post

maybe it's the atmosphere

or the calm members

either way, my alter ego resides at the neo-geo.com forums

[Bloodreign]

There's no need to fly into a rage here, it's almost too soothing, but it beats places where flaming is common, I can't recall much if anything serious flamingwise has ever happened here.

[Never_Scurred]

I'm playing with my chest hair right now.

[iatneH]

psst....Radiant Silvergun sucks!

[Turrican]

A great community. It's the forum I spend most of my net time with. I love the people around here - but I feel a little sad that many "veterans" have left, or do post much less than in past. I miss them.

[sffan]

This is the only forum I bother to check out regularly, since I usually find interesting things to read here. And it's where I get all my shmup info (I love shmups).

The only thing that irks me (a little) is that it seems to be in part a japanese-pop-culture-appreciation site. Lots of anime & manga talk. It's okay though since I just ignore those topics.

[Turrican]

The only thing that irks me (a little) is that it seems to be in part a japanese-pop-culture-appreciation site. Lots of anime & manga talk. It's okay though since I just ignore those topics.

Well, shmups could be well considered part of Japanese pop culture.

[DC906270]

i like this site, it always seems to be busy, and its useful. i like the hi scores, trading station and "off topic" forums, though shmups chat can be a bit stale at times. i like the posters, a lot of regulars here, with a lot of knowledge about import gaming. sometimes chat does get a bit anal though, when there is bitching about ps2 shooter resolutions etc

[CecilMcW00t]

I love this forum. It's one of a handful of internet websites I visit on a near-daily basis. I remember the first day I got here. I was searching for information on shmups. Found this site... Then I noticed the forums. I made a topic about or replied to (not sure) one about Thunder Force 1. I got this warm welcome and had a nice little discussion. I don't post all that much but I've also been around since '99. O_o

[Nau]

I haven't been here so long now, but I think that there are defenitly nice people and the Trading station can be pretty useful

The only thing that irks me (a little) is that it seems to be in part a japanese-pop-culture-appreciation site. Lots of anime & manga talk. It's okay though since I just ignore those topics.

That's something I like about this forum.

[Bingo]

As far as internet fora go it has a very good usefulness-to-bullshit ratio. Independent of content. Which means the people are a good bunch. There's of course the same evil that is in even the best good bunch, what counts is how you deal with it. And I think shmups is doing a better job than many places at keeping things in perspective.

Maybe it's just because we care about not destroying the harmony of the small shooter community that keeps us from worse, but ultimately I don't care. It's good to come to a place on the internet where people post like they're talking to another human being that derserves some modicum of respect.

[Never_Scurred]

What annoys me is when you're reading a post that has links to shit you cannot read cause its in japanese. Like trying to find a link to a video but ou can't cause its buried under mountains of kanji text. Then you feel like youi're listening in on a inside conversation. I mean, not everyone who comes here lives in or can afford to go to japan to play super blah blah X Black Label Ed. so I hate it when i'm reading about shit I won't be able to mess with for another X years. They should make a forum here for games that only Japs can play that haven't been ported yet. I know that shmups and japanese culture kinda go together but it would be nice if the topic starter would at least link to shit everyone can read, especially if that person is trying to make a point or put out some news. I also hate the totally anal technical topics and the fact that the search function is shit.

[Diabollokus]

No forums perfect, however this one is certainly one of the best if not the best I've ever come across. It is a public forum so you can expect the odd asshole post, some people just seem to post sarcastic remarks to every topic they post in. You can ask a question a get a logical response, a rare thing on gamefaqs.

I'm sure many people feel left out of the shmups community because they're not cave fans.

At least everyone types in english as opposed to L337 Ro><()R2

[D]

What annoys me is when you're reading a post that has links to shit you cannot read cause its in japanese. Like trying to find a link to a video but ou can't cause its buried under mountains of kanji text. Then you feel like youi're listening in on a inside conversation. I mean, not everyone who comes here lives in or can afford to go to japan to play super blah blah X Black Label Ed. so I hate it when i'm reading about shit I won't be able to mess with for another X years. They should make a forum here for games that only Japs can play that haven't been ported yet. I know that shmups and japanese culture kinda go together but it would be nice if the topic starter would at least link to shit everyone can read, especially if that person is trying to make a point or put out some news. I also hate the totally anal technical topics and the fact that the search function is shit.

*cough* There are translation sites. You could occasionally do like me and translate it first and then post in in a reply to help out others or poast a link that is already translated. Fresh news might not even be translated yet.
*flaming/sarcastic mode ON* You are like someone who gets a yellow Lamborghini, then runs upstairs slams their bedroom door, sits on the floor against the wall mumbling: "I wanted a red Lamborghini".
*flaming/sarcastic mode OFF*
here's a site I use regularly:
http://www.worldlingo.com/en/products_s ... lator.html
You can translated text which you can capoy and paste or try to put the url to translate, but that doesn't always work.
For me this site is great, I can get news, spread news, ask for help opinions and try to help out others.
I am surprised that many talk about bad seeds or dumb threads. I don't think I've ever seen a dumb thread. people have te remember that everone has different tastes/interests. The only annoying thing could be double posts, but some don't yet know the principle of searching. And sometimes it can be hard to search for what you are lokking for, the search function isn't that effective at all.
Best forum on the net

[Michaelm]

The forum rocks ! Great resources, knowledge, interesting talk concerning shmups. I've learned a lot in the year that I'm comming here.
It's also nice that there are a lot of nationalities here so you'll learn a bit about that too.
Also, I think it has to be said, I believe the mods here are doing a great job !
On other forums Ive seen flame wars and stuff because of some mod action but here everything seems to just go with the flow. Respect for that !
Of course the rest of the members play a role in this too which clearly shows the maturity of this forum.
Even if we can't always agree I sure have respect for you guys & girls!

[PsikyoPshumpPshooterP]

What annoys me is when you're reading a post that has links to shit you cannot read cause its in japanese. Like trying to find a link to a video but ou can't cause its buried under mountains of kanji text. Then you feel like youi're listening in on a inside conversation. I mean, not everyone who comes here lives in or can afford to go to japan to play super blah blah X Black Label Ed. so I hate it when i'm reading about shit I won't be able to mess with for another X years. They should make a forum here for games that only Japs can play that haven't been ported yet. I know that shmups and japanese culture kinda go together but it would be nice if the topic starter would at least link to shit everyone can read, especially if that person is trying to make a point or put out some news. I also hate the totally anal technical topics and the fact that the search function is shit.

classic shmup forum subject btw the term "Japs" you use is an offensive term but we know you mean no harm in that

[freddiebamboo]

My only complaint is that we don't get the garegga rank debate anymore

Classic stuff for those that missed it:

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.ph ... nk&start=0

[Icarus]

Heheh, I remember that. I liked Davey's first paragraph on the first page (third reply down the page). TIME PARADOX!