Dirty_Vinylpusher

It used to be a hive of activity.
Hot topics going on for days, weeks sometimes.
People discussing the best this and the ugliest that.

Plane guys getting told to go back to their forum.

Funny pics and videos being posted, arguments, threads being locked left right and centre.




Now, it seems, there's a handful of people slagging eachother off in the Lounge thread and that's it.




where did everyone go?

Foxy

Quietest its been here since I joined. Shame. You should have seen it in its heyday. The General Discussion forum would turn a page every couple of hours, as would 1/8th buggies, look how dead that one is now. At least General Discussion keeps going.

The forum needs a revamp in terms of what forums it has and how they are structured. There are too many forums, so the members are isolated, feel lonely, and ultimately go elsewhere. Monster trucks should be consolidated completely into just a general MTs thread, electric and nitro, all brands together. The same for 1/8th buggies and truggies. The support forums that get one post a year and whose hosts have left long ago, need to go. I don't know why the extra HPI forum suddenly appeared after the new system, the nitro stadium trucks needs to be made 'nitro off road buggies, trucks, and more', as we don't even currently have a section for the (admittedly rare) 1/10th nitro buggies.

The management has never asked for my opinion on the state of the forum, nor acknowledged it when it was given freely, so there isn't really much I can do.

Dirty_Vinylpusher

I don't think restructuring will make any difference.
People just don't seem to be posting anymore.




I only post here and on the Giant Scale board, and even that has been quiet.
It too used to be all happening with dozens of homebuild threads etc.

it is what it is though, and like everything else in life, things change and people move on.
Just seems strange, especially with this particular board, as it almost went quiet overnight and never picked back up again.

collector1231

My Feedback: (1)

Times are changing. So are people. I will never run astray from RCU, but thats what just happened. Progress. Someday, RCU will be a barren RC wasteland, sadly.

-SomeGuy-

I still believe its largely due to some bad decisions by the owners and/or the management. Between failed attempts to revamp the forum, glitches and bugs that wouldn't let anybody log in or post for days, maybe weeks? I don't remember that detail. Admins that took things to personally and abused their power (I speak from experience).

Lets not forget that this hobby is a luxury and with the global economy not in the best shape for a few years, well its bound to cause some casualties.

I don't know if there are any other reasons behind the scenes we will never know. Did paying for adds in that rc video game break the bank? No more money to revive the place?

Like I said not to long ago RCU needs to make itself seen again with some sort of aggressive add campaign, contests, SOMETHING for christs sakes.

Untill then RCU=

grosbeak

RCU is one of 5 RC forums that I post to regularly. My interest is RC airplanes and I've always found the categories in that forum to be poorly thought out. I'm still here, but if had to stop posting in one of the five, RCU would be the first to go.

DieHarder

Go back to your airplane forums, you stray!!

jk jk

DieHarder

Here's my partly homebuild thread. http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/rc-c...k-project.html I'm making a shorter video than this one... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3O1xlpmLgI

Dirty_Vinylpusher

I agree with a lot of the points being made here, but at the same time not many of them should REALLY make all those people stop posting in the Off topic forum, which is what I was mainly referring to.

Eman77

I began running out of places to put more RCs at home, so I kinda stopped buying new ones. So my usual activity of obsessing over questions, reading other build threads, commenting on them, etc, is all gone since I don't have any new RC to be addicted to and post about, do build threads with, or research on. But that's just me I guess.

But mark my words - I'LL BE BACK!

Then you'll all regret it.

R32GolfTA06

I was just thinking to myself today that the forum has even gone quiet over the 5 weeks or so that I've joined, I've checked daily and there are few new things to read, I guess people are busy flitting about with the run up to Christmas and off on holidays etc, hopefully it will pick up again in the new year

collector1231

My Feedback: (1)

I wish RCU did sponsorships. That would bring a good flock of people.

FahrtAutoRC

Just ain't what it used to be. Precisely why I'm hardly here any more. Can't even be proud of a build because you barely even get attention for it. Like you said, it's pretty much just the Lounge, and they don't seem to talk to anyone who's not a regular or a Tamiya freak. Other than that, it's the generic flood of "What should I buy" noobies who never take advice anyways, A lot of forums are like this any more, I almost prefer groups on Facebook over this now. This horse broke its leg, and it's just waiting for the farmer to find his gun.

hugger-4641

My Feedback: (6)

I'm still as active in RC building and flying as I ever was, building a Great Planes P-51 from the plans for a friend right now. But RCU is not as user friendly to me as it was before this last revamp. I check in now and then, but it's just not as quick and easy to see new posts in the threads I'm interested in. I don't like it, and I suspect a great many users have left for that reason.

Dirty_Vinylpusher

5 weeks?
Nah we're talking more like 12-18 months ago at least.

Lunchboxer

Tamiya freak FTW?? :P

FahrtAutoRC

Hey man, I call 'em like I see em! I try to post and contribute, but never get any response because I'm not "one of the elite" or something haha No worries!

Dirty_Vinylpusher

Hey don't bring that crap over here haha.
Keep it in the Lounge.

Large Larry

sounds to me as though you have a thorn in your side because no one would talk to you in the lounge. From what I've seen in there it's a very flowing conversation type of thread, why not try join in on the conversation instead of pouting your lip over it. I'm sure that even if posts aren't responded to they are always seen and appreciated by the regulars.

I haven't been here long but this place does seem very quiet and a little too negative sometimes, but hey the world is a fairly negative place most of the time.

Eman77

Arby's. Roast beef sale.

razorofpow

They could do what bigsquidrc.com does and offer sticker packs to people for advertising on other forums, basically turning its members into a street team to bring more members in.

Rc is an expensive hobby, figuring even a starter truck/car/plane/heli/boat is atleast $100.00. Maybe rcu could work out deals with an rc company to start doing giveaways or contests, making it easier for people to get into or grow in the rc world.

These are just things a few other forums and sites do, and they seem to be doing pretty good.

Does rcuniverse have a facebook page that's another way to grow and continue to have active forums.

Dirty_Vinylpusher

It's not about growing or attracting more members though.
It's about why everyone left.

FahrtAutoRC

Glad I asked for your $,02 dude. The point is that RCU is dead, and nothing like what it was when us longer standing members stumbled across this place, not what you think I was trying to say. And it is. This place was so lively a few years ago, and now we have...this.

Side note: anyone want to remind me of how to block someone? Seems I can't find that button any more since the updates.....

Dirty_Vinylpusher

I see a few people saying that they "don't run their RCs anymore".
I don't see that as a reason for not visiting the Off-topic forum tho....

Hell, I've never even owned a factory RC, I just tinker a bit from time to time with very basic homebuilds.
And it's been a long time since I've even done that.


In the end I guess this thread is pointless, as I'm really asking the people who aren't here anymore, why they aren't....




Ah well, we had a good run.
I doubt it will ever pick up again.

still, it's a bit sad.

Large Larry

You click on the persons name then hit view profile and then on the left of the screen you'll see "add to ignore list".