Deleted
Deleted Member
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2015 16:56:46 GMT
I do believe Ian's replies to people. Like others, my main gripe was how it was handled and BF's total disregard for the people who have helped keep the company alive over the years by buying their various audios and books from 1998 onwards (July 2000 in my case). BF were under no obligation to provide a forum, but I honestly do think there are more pluses than minuses to having your own forum in-house. Obviously to the "higher ups" it has to be more about making money than bothering about the people - who are still going to buy BF products anyway - on the forum with their discussions and opinions, as BF is a business. Some loyalty in our direction wouldn't have gone amiss though; loyalty should go both ways. I believe 'we' could have sorted the forum out easy enough in times of trouble, as compared to other Doctor Who forums the BF forum really was a civil community. However now we are moving on, this place is coming along nicely... so onwards and upwards!
|
|
|
Post by acousticwolf on Oct 9, 2015 17:00:06 GMT
I believe 'we' could have sorted the forum out easy enough in times of trouble, as compared to other Doctor Who forums the BF forum really was a civil community. However now we are moving on, this place is coming along nicely... so onwards and upwards! In fact I think we are Cheers Tony
|
|
|
Post by Ron Jeremy on Oct 9, 2015 17:34:18 GMT
Post edited by moderator as it contributes nothing helpful to the discussion and contains potentially inflammatory remarks.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2015 18:36:20 GMT
Post edited as it contributes nothing helpful to the discussion and contains potentially inflammatory remarks. Hopefully the former!
|
|
|
Post by chrism on Oct 10, 2015 4:01:04 GMT
To echo the sentiments of others, I too have no reason to doubt that the reasons stated by BF are completely sincere but, I do feel the whole thing's been handled very badly. I wasn't one of the big posters over on the forum, I chipped in here or there, a few posts a week but I did visit ALL the time. I was so upset when I came rushing to the forum after The Magician's Apprentice aired and found it closed. I wanted to to see what others were saying about established Davros BF continuity and what I'd just watched. I did this regularly and I'm sure others did the same.
I've been with BF for more years than I care to remember and have been using the forum since before it last regenerated, it feels like a big part of my online life has been torn away without warning. I didn't think BF could do ever do anything that would truly upset me, but this felt like a slap round the face, or punch to the gut. I used to feel like a valued customer and a member of a community. This has left a really bad taste in my mouth. All it would have taken was a little warning, a closing date on the forum and a bit of an explanation up front and this would have been avoided. I'm sure people would still have been upset, angry even but I don't think the negitive feelings caused doing the way they have would have been half as bad.
On the up side, this place is up and running and I'll be checking in here regularly now!
|
|
|
Post by anothermanicmondas on Oct 10, 2015 11:04:01 GMT
I apologise for any inaccuracies in my earlier statement (posted as a guest so I am unable to edit it)- I was going from remarks stated by a number of people
obviously, the main reason for the closure of the boards is the conflict regarding Moffat and the current series (which was having too much impact on the Big Finish Doctor Who board to merely close Off-Topic. And the last straw leading to the closure was, presumably, one of the arguments during the suspension period - so not your fault.
it is better to put these behind us and move on.
|
|
|
Post by acousticwolf on Oct 10, 2015 11:20:37 GMT
Can we all just move on from this now before we (staff) have to get involved?
Thanks
Tony
|
|
|
Post by kfbate on Oct 10, 2015 11:38:31 GMT
I think actually that we ought to close this out. We are now where we are, we have this forum up and running, not perfect but then hey we are still learning and growing, we all have opinions as to why the thing shut down, it has, lets move on. Lets make this the place that we all happily and in friendly can openly talk and chat about the stuff we like whether it be solely Big Finish or not.
|
|
|
Post by kimalysong on Oct 10, 2015 12:48:58 GMT
This thread is under discussion. Locking for now. Sorry for any inconvenience.
|
|
|
Post by kimalysong on Oct 11, 2015 11:04:58 GMT
Opening this back up but please be respectful of each other. You can talk about the larger issue of why Big Finish closed but please do not bring forum members into it. Thank you!
|
|
|
Post by ulyssessarcher on Oct 15, 2015 3:29:54 GMT
BF doesn't owe me anything, and I don't owe BF anything, I love their product, and will continue to buy it, but I wont go out of my way to buy directly from them, as I have done in the past. Why should I spend an extra 30 dollars on a new limited edition set I would get directly from them, when I can order it from other places and save 30 dollars? I have as much loyalty to them, as they showed to me and other fans when they closed their forums.
If anything, I have to thank BF, for making choices of where to buy from, much easier.
Example: I am a graded comic book collector, and get my comics from CGC only, I use their forums, and appreciate their commitment to their fans, thus I overpay for having my comics graded. What can I say, I put a high price on tremendous customer service, ask any server who keeps my glass full of tea, after they see their tip.
And, should BF decide to bring back their forums, and go out of their way to make their fans happy, then I will have to decide if I will be willing to pay those high prices once again, but, by then, I may done have everything but the new stuff. Who knows,
BF just got to big for their britches and threw their loyal fanbase under the bus. It will cost them, we just have to wait and see how much, I know for sure, it has cost them over 30 US Dollars, because I ordered the last sixth doctor story on amazon, 2 days after the forums closed.
U.S.A.
|
|
|
Post by jarod on Oct 15, 2015 7:21:08 GMT
I find myself becoming more sceptical of BF these days. They've always sold themselves as a small company and played on that with fans - but I'm not really sure they're bothered about us these days. Closing the forums without notice is a typical example I think. They have a huge output these days with many famous actors - I'd like to see them acknowledging they've grown beyond their original fan base and are now a successful commercial company. I think we are simply consumers to them who help them making a living doing what they love.
I'm fine with that and will continue to support them - but I'm sure they think of us as consumers not a supportive fan family. A shame really as their forum had a bit of a family feel to it and was the only one I posted on (under a different name). But I wish them all the best, and will buy their output as I've always done.
|
|
|
Post by Timelord007 on Oct 15, 2015 8:21:12 GMT
I find myself becoming more sceptical of BF these days. They've always sold themselves as a small company and played on that with fans - but I'm not really sure they're bothered about us these days. Closing the forums without notice is a typical example I think. They have a huge output these days with many famous actors - I'd like to see them acknowledging they've grown beyond their original fan base and are now a successful commercial company. I think we are simply consumers to them who help them making a living doing what they love. I'm fine with that and will continue to support them - but I'm sure they think of us as consumers not a supportive fan family. A shame really as their forum had a bit of a family feel to it and was the only one I posted on (under a different name). But I wish them all the best, and will buy their output as I've always done. Completely agree, I've felt the same, first the writers notes are removed from the inlay sleeves & then quick closing the forums was a complete smack in the face, i felt i was part of something special with Big Finish especially as some writers PM me about my positive reviews of there stories when i wrote them on my Amazon review's, but all that's gone now & i find that ordering products from them the same as i do ordering off Amazon...nothing. Be interesting to see if i get a signed Christmas card this year like i have the previous couple of years.
|
|
|
Post by omega on Oct 15, 2015 8:34:48 GMT
I find myself becoming more sceptical of BF these days. They've always sold themselves as a small company and played on that with fans - but I'm not really sure they're bothered about us these days. Closing the forums without notice is a typical example I think. They have a huge output these days with many famous actors - I'd like to see them acknowledging they've grown beyond their original fan base and are now a successful commercial company. I think we are simply consumers to them who help them making a living doing what they love. I'm fine with that and will continue to support them - but I'm sure they think of us as consumers not a supportive fan family. A shame really as their forum had a bit of a family feel to it and was the only one I posted on (under a different name). But I wish them all the best, and will buy their output as I've always done. Completely agree, I've felt the same, first the writers notes are removed from the inlay sleeves & then quick closing the forums was a complete smack in the face, i felt i was part of something special with Big Finish especially as some writers PM me about my positive reviews of there stories when i wrote them on my Amazon review's, but all that's gone now & i find that ordering products from them the same as i do ordering off Amazon...nothing. Be interesting to see if i get a signed Christmas card this year like i have the previous couple of years. It's feels that since the product and listener base has expanded (2014 saw lots of varied ranges begin), the smaller touches with the customer base began to dwindle. The podcast started coming out less regularly because Nick, Paul Spragg (taken far too soon), Joe, Sue and anyone else have been to busy to record regularly over the past couple of years. Anyone miss the podcasts where Nick, Paul and David Richardson would discuss things about the stories as well as name dropping and trailer playing? Additionally, who enjoyed the podcast about how the sound effects are done, notable for the inclusion of a glove filled with custard? The CD incentives like booklet artwork and writer notes have been disappearing. It's only recently I've heard stories of less-than-prompt response from the sales team. And now there's been the forums being suspended with no warning at all. The reason for the suspension I can partway understand, but it's the lack of forward notice that really gets me, and the fact that people had to email in to access the old material on there now.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2015 0:21:57 GMT
I have to be honest I never bought much direct from big finish as it was usually cheaper to buy CD's elsewhere and I dont do downloads, but their forum was a very informative place to lurk for a fan of their audio stories and it had a strong sense of being a community, full of fans of their products. Why on earth big finish would throw that away amazes me no end. The reasons.given sound fairly lame to me.
|
|
|
Post by glutamodo on Oct 16, 2015 4:26:16 GMT
ibod... I understand your viewpoint here. And I was also one who felt the "smack in the face" after the Forums closing, just as much as anyone else here has stated. However, once recovering from the shock, I do try to look at things from all points of view. And, yes, I can see their point of view, that their Forum had become too "big" to manage in the face of all the current and upcoming events in the Whoniverse and in BF-Land (and the spamiverse). I don't like it, I'll never like it, but I do understand it and am willing to cut them some slack based on that. The timing was pretty horrible, but I guess I forgave them as I've pre-ordered a couple of times since that happened. (the key difference here is, is that I'm a download customer)
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 18, 2015 23:31:42 GMT
While I found the closing of the Big Finish forum rather disheartening and shocking, I am more then willing to give Big Finish their dues here: they gave their reasons and honestly, given the nature of their company, they were understandable. Some forewarning however would have been nice and appreciated, particularly given how users like myself used the forum.
I think many of us do forget just how much passion goes into Big Finish. For many involved, it's a job, but it's a job they clearly love. Joe and Ian made it clear that the forum wasn't their day job and it was done out of passion and it just became too much. So, I can understand why the forum did come to the end it did. I do think it's disappointing reading comments from other boards how people have taken it, decrying supporting Big Finish directly all together and not being more reflective about it. (On the other hand, it's the internet....I'm sure most navigated the distance afterwards).
|
|
|
Post by lemmingsunday1 on Oct 19, 2015 5:58:30 GMT
Hello,
It is great to find this new location! When I went to Big Finish that sad day, only to find that cold post, I felt that some of life's joy had just been destroyed.
Remember all the outpouring of genuine warmth towards Paul Spragg? That will never be possible again, and too me that speaks volumes.
|
|
wibbz
New Member
Likes: 0
|
Post by wibbz on Oct 19, 2015 10:15:22 GMT
I was a rare poster on the BF forums, but read them daily and as a direct result of reading threads on there, I ended up subscribing to Avengers, Survivors, The Omega Factor, Pathfinders and Dorian Gray. Without the forum discussion and subsequent links to related sites on these ranges, I would have followed my initial instinct that these wouldn't interest me, so that's something like £350 extra from me directly due to their forum.
And others have mentioned, the lack of a forum has meant that I visit the BF site less often, which surely doesn't help their business also.
|
|