Comparing Hobby Forums

General Discussion General Modeling Discussion
1

I pretty much stopped modeling this summer and spent the last few months exploring a new hobby— flying RC airplanes. I’m still not sure yet if this hobby is for me, but it did give me an opportunity to join an on-line forum for RC airplane ethusiasts which I assumed would be much like the FSM forum. Boy, was that a reckless assumption! While there was similar technical information, tips, and opinions about techniques and products, I was a bit shocked by the general level of aggression and intolerence, and the lack of civility displayed by many of the forum participants. Some of these RC guys think nothing of trading serious personal insults over disagreements about how to fly and what to fly, and there are some expert types that hang around the forums waiting to tell some beginner that he’s asked a stupid question and ought to know better. This is behavior the like of which I can’t remember seeing in all the years I’ve been participating in the FSM forum. Are we modelers just too sedate? Do the RC types all have the “Warrior” gene, or something? Does crashing your RC airplane over and over trying to learn to fly result in more pent up anger than screwing up the decals on your perfectly painted model? I can’t explain the difference in the “personality” of the two groups (and I admit to some over-generalizing), but it’s striking and has been really interesting to watch.

Tom

2

LOL the R/C car forums are a bit like that too. Particular brands are looked upon with derision and there are things that you’re supposed to know without asking - but how do you know if you don’t ask?

3

It’s the same with the armor forums,not all are created equal.

FSM by far is the most friendliest,we used to have a lot more traffic,but they changed formats,and did away with with the General Topics Forum which allowed us to share our other interests.But it is still very friendly and informative here,much can be learned as everybody is willing to chip in.

I also enjoy Amorama.A little stiffer then here,but still informative,with guys willing to help.

Modelersalliance also very good

Migproductions was very stiff and cliquish,many topics and replies go unanswered,except for a few guys and attentive moderators like Rick Lawler,I actually don’t even participate there anymore.

Missing lynx I enjoy

Jenny’s Tanks and Things. Pretty dead

4

Sounds like Hyperscale’s aircraft group…that kind of environment gets old real quick.

5

Greetings,

I recently included this observation as an aside in another post in an Aircraft thread:

"One thing I really appreciate about this forum is the friendly tone and civility of the discourse. Most comments are positive, and the occasional criticism is truly delivered as a respectful, helpful suggestion. I got back into model railroading for a couple of years and participated in an N scale forum, but finally couldn’t stand it anymore. Nothing but sniping and criticizing. The most innocuous comment would set off a hateful argument that went on for days and weeks. What a bunch of crabby old men – not that there’s anything wrong with crabby old men[;)]. I checked back not too long ago and discovered that the company hosting the forum had dropped it. I think they just got tired of using up time and resources moderating the kiddie pool.

“Anyway, things are much nicer here, and I’m glad to be a part of it.”

6

You know, I’m a member there too and I haven’t really noticed that over there. Maybe I don’t post or visit enough though to see it or maybe I’m just not very observant. I’m going to try to be more aware of that sort of “friction” at HS. I do know there are some amazing model builders hanging out there too. On rare occasions, I’ve posted pics of my planes at HyperScale and received nothing but positive feedback, much like I find here. However, the forum format there at HS is not as comfortable to me as ours is here. Perhaps there are positive aspects to both, but I like this one better. Just my humble opinion…[:D]

Gary

7

With the plastic aircraft forums the big rivalry is to the proper scale. The 1:72 vs 1:48 guys go at it at times!

8

If, like myself, you are into Military Miniatures (i.e. Model Soldiers), Planetfigure.com is a fantastic site, with a friendly membership and atmosphere.

9

FSM is the only forum I participate in. I also lurk around the what-if-modellers forum. That forum is about the same, a friendly bunch. I really do not understand why forums can become unfriendly and elitist.

10

I’ve joined several forums over the last few years. FSM, WW2 AIRCRAFT.NET, SWANNY’S, AND PAPERSCALE MODELERS. All have been good sites with very helpful members. At WW2 Aircraft. net they have a section for model builders and many other sections where you can get a lot of information. There are even a few people building 1 to 1 scale cockpits down to the last detail. I only lurk on some the other forums mentioned in the above posts only to see what others are doing with their models. Some are informative while others are quite boring. I never visit the RC forums since I don’t do much in that area. I have a Harborfreight RC plane that I rarely fly since I am not thrilled with the Yellow bee plane. I thought it would be a good way to learn RC flying and found that I really need “real” controls such as a rudder and elevators. If I get another RC it will have that plus ailerons.

11

Gary, I think it depends upon the topic being disscussed over there, but some topics seem to bring out stupid remarks, uncalled for crazy rants. Still, lots of nice, great modelers over there as well, but i’m definitely giving FSM a better edge in friendliness than Hyperscale.

12

Of all the arguments I’ve seen on this and other modeling forums I’ve never seen one over “proper” scale. Lol

Now to the OP. I know what forum you’re talking about and you’re absolutely correct. I have been doing r/c for years now myself; although I take breaks off for extended periods. I can tell you that it isn’t peculiar to the forum. I’ve struggled to find a place to fly because of the b/s narcissistic egos of club members. 90% of the ones I’ve encountered are elitist jerks if you don’t fit into whatever clique they’ve picked. For example, one club poo poos anyone not using JR radios. Oh what? You aren’t using a Saito 4 stroke? Loser! I don’t know what it is honestly, but it’s common. I can attest to that.

13

What “proper scale” means is the friendly rivalry over which is the “better” scale in which to model, with the 1/72-1/144 fans being called “Jewelers” by the 1/48 fans (AKA “Blacksmiths” to the “Jewelers”)… “!/72 allows far more aircraft types to be built and displayed in the same space”-“Well, 1/48 is better for dioramas and super-detailing”…

That kind of stuff…

And there ARE some “Grumpy Old Men” aroud here… I’m one of 'em…

But it’s only an act… Sorta… Eh, Manny?

14

yeah, only an act

that is a good story, Hans,I think I’d stick with that one,haha

I am a grumpy old man,at least the Sarge calls me that when I don’t agree with her every word

I enjoy the back and forth,I will say, it is more fun in person at a show,rip on the guys that “can’t see a drop tank in 1/72”, pick on the Air Force builders, call Panther tanks targets, etc,there are more “differences” in this hobby than there are people, actually,oh, yeah, that reminds, “talk for the 30th year” about the death of the hobby

the cool part is that no matter what we like doing, the rest of us all get it,if you like OOB plastic painted with enamels, and he likes highly modified resin kits, painted with acrylics,you both still like building little versions of aircraft, tanks, cars, ships, etc

if you don’t believe we have more in common than we have differences,try explaining a 3 inch long, highly detailed Panzer IV model to someone that “just doesn’t get it”,you’ll be begging to bring your tank models to a ship club meeting, lol,at least they will know the difference between glue and cement

any forum can be what you put into it,if you are active on it, it has at least that tiny amount of “your flavor” to it,if you only lurk, and never post,it can never reflect any “you” to anyone

15

I’ve pretty much observed many of the same things. I’m a member of the Aircraft Resource Center forum. That one’s pretty good but I still maintain that the FSM forum is the friendliest one I’ve ever experienced. The FSM members just seem to be a whole lot more supportive, encouraging, good-natured, etc.

I lurk over at HyperScale and that one seems to be the most confrontational of the four forums I either visit or participate in. I guess you could call it the equivalent of the RC forums. And I know what you mean about the RC forum as well. I used to be a member of that forum, too, but you couldn’t ask a simple question without getting shot down, ridiculed, sniped at, made to feel like a 3 year old because you weren’t operating a $2,000 model with a 64 channel transmitter.

AT6, I know exactly which Harbor Freight RC plane you’re talking about! LOL! My wife’s cousin’s husband wanted to get into RC planes and he kept “investing” in Harbor Freight RC planes. That “Bee” one was his last one. From the first day that he tried it, it flew into a chain link fence and it never flew right after that. He got so angry and frustrated with it that he taped a C-sized rocket motor to it to improvise his own personal RATO unit. It ended up slamming into the curb since it never really made it more than an inch off the ground (he worked the RC controls while I hit the rocket ignition switch).

That still wasn’t good enough for him. He packed up the chunks, took it back home, dropped it all on his back yard and proceeded to run it over with his riding lawnmower. He gave me a Ziploc baggie filled with some of the rubble as a reminder of the adventure.

Eric

16

Many scale forums are like this as well. Try asking about buying old kit “A” and wanting to bring it up to date with umpteen dollars worth of hard to find aftermarket items. More often than not you’ll be directed to toss that kit, spend less money on new-tooled kit “A” and have a more enjoyable, accurate build.

Now the answer is different if you’ve got old kit “A” already in the stash or it was a gift, grabbed at a yard sale for a buck, just returning to the hobby and you want to build a starter kit, etc.

Buying kits because of brand name alone is not recommended. Every manufacturer (except maybe Tasca) have dogs in the pound that aren’t worth the price of the glue and paint.

17

ARC

18

One of the main reasons that this is a friendly and cilvil forum is that is constantly under review by a good group of moderators at FSM. If someone gets out of line, they will warn him politely, and if the misbehavior continues, the offender will be banned from making any more posts. The moderators are modelers like us, and understand the subjects. They won’t tolerate flaming or personal attacks. And at the bottom of each post is a “report abuse” button so anyone can notify the moderators immediately of an offensive post.

Most of all, I believe the members here are basically a good group of people who want to be civil and helpful at all times.

19

Mostly[:P]

20

I’ve seen a few model forums like that. And others that just have such terrible interfaces or that are so annoying organized (which to be honest includes FSM after the last format change) that they’re just too much to keep up with.

Lately I’ve been spending a ton of time over at Scale Plastic & Rail’s forums (sparforums.com). Definitely smaller, but a very fun, friendly and supportive group and forum software that just works.