Galvatron

So in ASM's Q&A response, Hasbro pretty much officially says to consider Galvatron a separate character from Megatron for all practical purposes. How do we tackle this? -hx 06:56, 15 September 2010 (EDT)

I interpret it as saying that in inducting Megatron, Galvatron is not being inducted by connection, since not all Megatrons have become Galvatrons, and some interpretations of Galvatron (like IDW) are separate from Megatron. --NCZ 07:00, 15 September 2010 (EDT)

Yeah, I don't think this really changes anything about the way we've already got Galvy covered. - Chris McFeely 07:14, 15 September 2010 (EDT)

Excessive Trivia Sections

Ok, a few days ago I attempted to clean up some trivia sections. I realize in hindsight I was tired and being a wanker and was removing valuable information, and I apologize for that. However, I think some of our trivia could definitely stand to be integrated into the articles themselves, especially notes like "This character's Universe toy was..." or "in the Energon comic, so-and so was completely different". I would like to integrate these but I was hoping to get an opinion on this, since I went about it wrong once already. Thoughts? -- Rideonshootingstarxx 12:44, 22 September 2010 (EDT)

Agreed. The Notes sections (shouldn't be Trivia anymore) are for information that doesn't fit elsewhere. If there is a logical place to put it, move the information there. --Khajidha 12:58, 22 September 2010 (EDT)

Editing Drift's related materials

Actually, this would cover whatever anyone of us have a large dislike of, but yeah. This is a wiki, where we're supposed to be informative and be able to present the info in a fun way. I'm not entirely sure of how objective we can be (humor aside), but the whole kerfluffle on Drift's mini and cameos showing in his mini is making me worried on the attitudes of certain editors that could easily descend into a editing/name-calling/accusation war. --Lonegamer78 21:39, 23 September 2010 (EDT)

My position is the Wiki doesn't have to be objective, so long as it isn't unreasonable. There are plenty of flaws in Drift and Shane McCarthy's work to poke fun of -- there's no reason to create ones that aren't true.

I was re-reading Drift #1 and happened to notice he DID suffer damage from those laser blasts while fleeing. I remembered that note on the Wiki joking that he was "laser-proof", so I removed it. I also posted on the Talk page explaining why. Detour restored the Note several times anyway, even though it was false as written. He eventually tried to re-write it, adding something about Deadlock surviving blasts that blew off Jetstorm's head earlier. Nowhere in the comic did Jetstorm's head get blown off. Drench's did, notCarnivac's did, but Jetstorm was fine. It just shows that Detour doesn't care about being accurate so long as he's not giving an inch on anything Anti-McCarthy on the Wiki.

So really -- can't we be better than that? --Xaaron 22:05, 23 September 2010 (EDT)

Well, I'm pretty sure I've said this before, but I really think Detour shouldn't be allowed to edit anything connected to McCarthy. And I'm pretty much branded an irrational anti-McCarthy troll on the IDW boards, so I think this is saying something. I'm first in line to complain when he deserves it, this sort of stuff is just petty and weakens the valid criticism by association. - Cattleprod 22:25, 23 September 2010 (EDT)

So because I mixed up Drench and Jetstorm's name, I'm now "making stuff up"? Now who's being irrational? --Detour 00:39, 24 September 2010 (EDT)

Please try to be accurate when editing articles. Item42 02:57, 24 September 2010 (EDT)

Yeah, I don't think you really comprehend this discussion and the situation leading up to it, Item42. —Interrobang 04:17, 24 September 2010 (EDT)

Um, people generally hate Drift, this wiki's editors want to have reliable articles, and Detour got stuff mixed up, which people blame on his anti-Drift-ism. Item42 05:53, 24 September 2010 (EDT)

Who hosts your wiki now

Wikia is making more unpopular changes, [1] with a new skin which is even more unpopulat.

In this angry discussion, your site was mentioned as one site which said "f--- you wikia" and left, which I respect so much, and would like to emulate.

I am wondering who is hosting your wikia, and how much does it cost per year? If you could do it again, how would you do it differently? Who could I maybe ask these questions too?

Thank you. Adamtheclown 17:12, 28 September 2010 (EDT)

We're hosted on Slicehost. What you go for hostingwise will really depend on how popular your site is though. --abates 19:25, 28 September 2010 (EDT)

McAfee SiteAdvisor review rating this site incorrectly

As a countermeasure to viruses on the net, I have a special version of McAfee that has this widget-type thing that gives me ratings on the security of certain websites. I have noticed that this website was recently given a big, fat red "X" rating, showing that this website contains malware and other things, all because of one single rating that the reviewer said he did not like this website. He did not say this was a malware site, but the system apparently decided to take one person's personal opinion and rate this site as a horrible website so every time I go in, I get this asininely huge message saying "MCAFEE HAS TESTED THIS SITE AND FOUND IT TO BE BLAH BLAH BLAH".

I don't think that just one siteadvisor reviewer (myself) can turn around that rating. Sure, a website can be full of people with questionable morals and values, but that has no reflection on the security of the website. Can I have a little help here?

Here is the page for this website: http://www.siteadvisor.com/sites/tfwiki.net?premium=false&client_uid=1093063016&client_ver=3.1.0.175&client_type=IEPlugin&suite=true&aff_id=0-884&locale=en_us&os_ver=6.1.0.0&pip=true --LokitheGrammarNazi 08:41, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

Questionable "morals and values"? Item42 09:27, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

I feel like I know that guy from somewhere. ---Blackout- 09:40, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

Gotta be mignash. Also, how could it be a bad shopping experience, we don't SELL anything. --Khajidha 09:42, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

No, mignash doesn't spell that well. ---Blackout- 09:43, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

People usually say "bad shopping experience" in place of "bad experience" because there is a bulleted selector so you don't have a lot of choices. What I don't like is having this website have a false security rating, I don't really care about that negative reviewer with the social rating. It's a security database, not how good or bad something is socially. Maybe the person was Trolly McTrollerson and since he was b& he just wanted to troll even more? --LokitheGrammarNazi 09:45, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

Meh. Considering David Willis's reputation as a "fandom boogeyman", stunts like this hardly surprise me. There's a lot of petty fans who apparently categorically refuse to edit this wiki out of hatred for Willis (which apparently also stops them from editing at Wikia as well, go figure...) and who basically go "Yeah? I know Transformers! I'm going to make my own Transformers wiki! With blackjack! And hookers! In fact, forget the wiki!". So, yeah. Hardly surprising. I've dropped off a review myself, but it still doesn't appear to be enough to raise the rating... --Detour 10:11, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

If Walky wants to dispute it, he can use support@siteadvisor.com to see if that'll fix the rating. Really, that negative "shopping experience review" is ridiculous. --Lonegamer78 16:15, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

Sorry I can't help much, all I can add to this discussion is that the negative review is likely from a British TF fan, due to his use of the word "cleverer" which I can count the number of times I've heard it from a non Brit on one hand. -- Semysane 17:21, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

WAIT! I stand corrected. In one of his other reviews he uses Shaw Secure, and Shaw is a Canadian ISP. That's what I get for trying to analyze someone's vocabulary, I guess. -- Semysane 17:23, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

Hmm, the wording's very similar to the Google Sidewiki comment we got dated the same day as this. I suspect it's the same dude. --abates 17:39, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

I ****LOVE**** how Walky disputed this "The site is indeed full of assholes, but it's malware free." That's us all right! Apparently that was enough to tip us into a green/safe review. --Khajidha 10:28, 30 September 2010 (EDT)

Fan-configurations of toys

(From here, I'm not sure who "User:Divebomb" is though) Should we have an article on how people would have made-up modes of their toys just because the toys can be configured that way (such as that "combination" of Classics Jetfire and Optimus Prime)? Or maybe just mention that stuff in an article somewhere (like Toy)?

-Item42 09:34, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

I find it odd that we don't have a fan-mode article here. It seems like it would be a valid topic, and a few famous/infamous examples should be mentioned on that page. I agree that we don't need to mention them on individual pages. --Khajidha 09:37, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

FYI, User:Divebomb would happen to be me. (Don't tell the Wikipedia guys that though.) ---Blackout- 09:40, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

Once you admitted to something on a publically viewable webpage, there's really no stopping the info from getting out. You didn't have to admit who it was specifically. But, I guess if you're gonna be good over there, you might be allowed to stay. Doesn't Wikipedia have something for reformed vandals? Item42 09:53, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

You're assuming they're even gonna notice. ---Blackout- 10:34, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

I like being honest. If anybody asks, I can tell them who "Divebomb" is, since I never agreed to keep it secret. Don't tempt me. Also, we (both of us) should get back on topic. Item42 10:52, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

I think it is certainly a good idea to make a page such as that! I happen to be very interested in this kind of thing because I, too used to dick around with my toys and I want a wiki article on it; I don't want to search around on geoshitties-type websites for such things. --LokitheGrammarNazi 10:55, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

It would have to be kept brief, with just a few well-known examples, or we'd have people forever adding the fan mode they thought up five minutes ago to turn classics Bumblebee into a turtle with the head of a walrus. --abates 15:55, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

The toilet mode for Shortround and his redecos should definitely be listed. The Classics Optimus Prime and Jetfire combination is another probably notable one. Mention should be made that the design of many movie toys allows multiple configurations.Oh, and the "gerwalk" mode for G1 Jetfire. Beyond that, I'm not sure. --Khajidha 16:10, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

Don't forget that not all modes are Fan Created. The Jetfire gerwalk mode, for example, is displayed in his instructions, sort of making it official. I remember quite a few instruction booklets showing alternate modes Riddlerj 16:17, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

Guess I should have left that one out, I put it in as an afterthought. --Khajidha 16:21, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

Not going into specifics, but the multiple modes created from RID Megatron and how some of the fandom kept looking for additional modes. --Bluestreak7 10:16, 30 September 2010 (EDT)

The only really notable example I can think of (one that I copied myself a couple of times) was the faux Overkill you could make out of a BM Mirage and Scavenger...hang on, lemme see if I can find a link...aha http://www.ggaub.com/tf/toys/bm_overkill.html is well documented and would go very nicely under "External links" if such a page existed --Emvee 14:31, 5 October 2010 (EDT)

I think an Alternate Configuration page with a section about fan-made alternate configurations would be a good idea. If I recall correctly, Beast Wars Rampage also had an alternate configuration for his robot mode. (Essentially, it was just another way to put his crab claws). Between him, the characters already mentionned here, I'd say that's enough already to warrant a page. And I'm sure there's others that haven't been mentionned yet too. --Ascendron 15:01, 5 October 2010 (EDT)

For "official" alternate configurations, Tigerhawk's semi-abandoned tank mode might also qualify, as well as the Special Teams leaders' launcher modes (though only alternate outside Japan, I suppose). There must be a bunch more. Universe Galvatron's "walker" mode? --Emvee 16:48, 5 October 2010 (EDT)

I think we should specify that an alternate configuration is NOT a separate mode. I mean, we already have separate pages for battle modes and stuff. And alternate configuration should be basically "This is still this character's X mode, but you can choose to put this part this way or that way." --Ascendron 00:27, 6 October 2010 (EDT)

Galvy's walker mode is TECHNICALLY official. ---Blackout- 01:54, 6 October 2010 (EDT)

Frank Miller

A bit of an edit war or something here. Spin-Out and Detour changed the caption to a Shortpacked reference, changingthe caption to a picture I uploaded. Isn't that wrong or somesuch? Item42 11:54, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

I guess if other people dislike a joke, then it's okay to change the caption, I think. A while ago, Eire changed a caption I added on Slag's page, but I didn't mind because the new one was funnier. If you take offense, however, that's something that needs to be discussed.--NCZ 11:58, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

Thing is, their edits put in an external link, that explains the joke. If you look further up this page there's (currently) a section with me getting told by Chris McFeely and Interrobang that doing so would be a badthing. If I have to stop doing that, then so should they. Plus, changing a caption like that is discouraged by policy. Item42 12:02, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

Oh lordy McLordlord. Okay, first of all. "Who the hell do you think I am?" was Kamina's catchphrase and that's why Konishi gets it. "WTHDYTIA" is merely a small portion of the larger "What are you, dense? Are you retarded or something? Who the hell do you think I am? I'm the goddamn Batman!", and generally the first part to be left out when it's misquoted because it's so forgettable there compared to what comes before and after it. It's really a poor-ass choice of words for Miller's caption any way you look at it. Second of all, the Shortpacked link does not, as you put it, "explain the joke". The joke doesn't need explaining if you know ANYTHING about Miller, that's why it turned meme mere moments after Willis put it up. It's there because that's where the joke originated, and the comic's funny. Just because there's a link in a caption doesn't mean it's a deliberate attempt at explaining a joke. Look around and you'll see plenty of other captions with such links within them. --Detour 12:17, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

Second of all, the Shortpacked link does not, as you put it, "explain the joke". The joke doesn't need explaining if you know ANYTHING about Miller, What kind of logic is that? "The link doesn't explain the joke, provided you already understand the joke!" Anyway, while I am personally probably more in favor of linked-text jokes then some seem to be lately, I think they should only be done when the links are inter-wiki. Also, if Item42 put the image up, I say let him keep his own damn caption. --KilMichaelMcC 12:38, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

Eh, I guess if it's Uploader's Choice... I finally managed to be provided with a much cooler image of Miller that's in tune with other real-life people's photos (such as Maurice LaMarche and Ernie Hudson), going with an unlikely role of theirs. --Detour 12:53, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

Ahem,

1. I know both lines pretty well.
2. Just because people do that a lot,doesn't mean it should be done (for example, the caption page has a list of jokes this community is sick of. An example outside this wiki would be main namespace-conversation on TV Tropes)
3. I thought the captions are supposed to be a bonus for people who upload stuff?
4. It would be much better if this wiki's pages policy give more comprehensive/complete advice.

Item42 12:23, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

Did... did Detour just upload a different picture of Frank Miller just so he could get to "win" and make up it's caption? Seriously? Wow. --KilMichaelMcC 12:54, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

He did both and it's fuckin' hilarious. Much better than anything that was there before! --LokitheGrammarNazi 12:55, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

I don't even disagree that it's a better picture for us to use, it's just to up and do that right in the middle of this discussion is, well... kind of a dick move, really. --KilMichaelMcC 12:58, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

Not exactly. I'd been asking around for a still of Frank the chemist for a while now. The previous caption just gave my acquaintances the extra motivation to it for me. --Detour 13:00, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

Why the fuck are we having a discussion on this.

I don't have a problem with somebody changing the caption if they uploaded a new picture. Unless... a few hundred pictures are uploaded over old ones just because somebody wanted to change the caption. Item42 04:14, 1 October 2010 (EDT)

I would like to point out that half of the discussions on this page in the last six weeks have been started by Item42. Can you dial back the need to have elaborate explanations for reverts of your edits, please? —Interrobang 17:32, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

To prevent edit warring? I don't see why this shouldn't be discussed. (Though I might point Item to our Allspark thread for other discussions.) --NCZ 17:36, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

I suppose I should also ask why we're having an edit war over a caption. Guys. Guys.—Interrobang 17:41, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

Also, why isn't this being discussed on Talk:Frank Miller? The Community Portal is for sitewide stuff. --abates 05:28, 1 October 2010 (EDT)

Sorry that I overreacted. found the Allspark thread, I think. There should be a link to that somewhere on the help pages or something. Item42 11:37, 5 October 2010 (EDT)

Skin

What the hell happened to the skin? ---Blackout- 10:41, 1 October 2010 (EDT)

No, seriously, what happened? ---Blackout- 06:48, 2 October 2010 (EDT)

I don't see anything wrong with it. Is something not working? --abates 07:33, 2 October 2010 (EDT)

Well, the Monacobook colours seem to have randomly changed. ---Blackout- 07:59, 2 October 2010 (EDT)

Must be a problem on your end, because I use MonacoBook and nothing seems different to me. --Khajidha 08:01, 2 October 2010 (EDT)

Weird. ---Blackout- 08:58, 2 October 2010 (EDT)

I even tried clearing my cache, and it all loaded up fine. You could try doing the same and seeing if it fixes the problem. If not, post a screen shot and maybe someone will recognise the problem. --abates 18:08, 2 October 2010 (EDT)

Cache clearing didn't work.

That is what Monacobook now looks like.

---Blackout- 11:42, 3 October 2010 (EDT)

I just noticed emopanda's been suspended by its webhost. You've still got the code for Derik's tools in your personal css file, and the fact that emopanda's now giving you an html file instead of css is probably confusing your browser. --abates 15:48, 3 October 2010 (EDT)

I removed the offending code, and BAM! the skin is back to normal. Thanks. ---Blackout- 02:00, 4 October 2010 (EDT)

Talk:/Talk: pages

Is there some way to prevent all the spammers from creating these pages? There doesn't seem to be ANY legitimate use for such a page, can't it be forbidden or limited to admins or something? --Khajidha 11:40, 1 October 2010 (EDT)

I believe I brought this up at Transformers Wiki talk:Community Portal/Vandalism. No one responded. ---Blackout- 11:50, 1 October 2010 (EDT)

Not without installing some sort of blacklist extension. --abates 17:57, 1 October 2010 (EDT)

Artist Go Box

(Sorry if this isn't the place to do this. First time posting on the Community Portal)

• ahem* I noted that the Go boxes for Dan Reed and Andy Wildman both show Megatron. I don't know if that's intentional, but maybe we should follow that pattern for all the other artists? A close-up shot of Megatron's face, preferably one that capture their style as much as possible in the way that Reed's image is of a demonic, melty looking Megs, and Wildman's shows a mouth-agog spitting Megs. We could use the Senior Megatron drawing that was used in the Marvel box for the middle run of the UK comic. LiamK 20:32, 6 October 2010 (EDT)

I like this idea. It wouldn't work for Pat Lee, but I wouldn't mind having it as a trend for artists when they're added. --Tigerpaw28 15:41, 7 October 2010 (EDT)

Potentially dodgy advertising

Since I'm not in North America or the EU, the current winning bid on Project Wonderful I can see is something about "Prettiest Teen Girls", which I think is a porn site or is at least unsavoury. Click the world thumbnail under the flags. Hopefully somebody with a less dodgy business out bids them soon. --FFN 05:15, 8 October 2010 (EDT)

Luckily it seems to have been out-bid already. -- Semysane 05:34, 8 October 2010 (EDT)

Ideal Struture of Toy/Merchandise Description

Has there been discussion on what constitutes an ideal description for a toy or piece of merchandise? I recently added an admittedly hefty amount of text for Leader-class Movie Starscream, and noted on his Toy Page that various users have trimmed it down so it's "not as review-like". I'm not complaining, but I am curious if the community ever discussed how much info is too much, or if it should be a bit of common sense that I might have missed out on; I'd love to pare it down myself, and perhaps take a crack at some other descriptions that might be too long or "review-like".

Thanks. Magaroja 14:30, 19 October 2010 (EDT)

Prime vs. WFC

Are these the same franchise or 2 franchises in the same continuity family? If they are the same, shouldn't they have the same nav-box? I've brought this up before on the relevant pages and gotten no response, so I'm reposting it here. --Khajidha 11:10, 23 October 2010 (EDT)

They are supposedly in the same continuity, not just the same continuity family. The wiki treats them as the same franchise as far as disambiguations go. WFC-original characters are given the "(Prime)" as their franchise of origin. I'm not completely convinced it should be that way. There doesn't seem to be much tying WFC and Prime together as a franchise. - Starfield 12:18, 23 October 2010 (EDT)

What ties the G1 comic and cartoon together? These don't really seem any more different than those. --Khajidha 12:33, 23 October 2010 (EDT)

Hasbro are clearly making up these franchise continuities as they go along. Between Prime, WFC, Generations, PCC, Transformers 2010/2011 and their sublines (Movie vs non-Movie) the whole brand right now is a complete and utter travesty of a mess. The rebel in me says that we as fans should dictate how these sub-brands should be divided up. A bit like with what we have already done with the Unicron Trilogy, and the extended G1 mythos. Prime is obviously independent in it's own right. WFC doesn't fit into anything easily. Drmick 12:41, 23 October 2010 (EDT)

Holy grails

Anyone for adding the Hot Rod Go-Kart to the "grail" list? Because seriously. Photos or SOME kind of info about that thing would be beyond awesome. (And, statistically, the kid who won almost HAS to be online now, you know?) -hx 11:42, 26 October 2010 (EDT)

Universe 2003 vs Universe 2008 disambiguations

I moved Backstop (Universe) to Backstop (Universe 2003) because Backstop (Cybertron) has a Universe 2008 toy. To my mind, that means that Backstop (Universe 2008) exists and means that there cannot be a simple Backstop (Universe). Interrobang seems to disagree. Opening it up for discussion. --Khajidha 11:30, 26 October 2010 (EDT)

Once again for the hundredth time, disambiguations are not here to convey information. They are here to separate character articles. "(Universe)" performs that function perfectly fine and old characters appearing in other franchises do not affect disambiguation. Note how Megatron (BW) and "Silverbolt (BW)" remain where they are, despite the presence of older characters with the same name in the same franchise. And the numerous G2 dudes with same name as G1 dudes. —Interrobang 11:39, 26 October 2010 (EDT)

Guess it's a function of my more toy centric thinking. I have to think hard to remember which toy represents which character, but which line they were released in is second nature to me. Which also makes me disagree with the use of an unmodified "Universe" tag in the first place. --Khajidha 11:51, 26 October 2010 (EDT)

Okay? Precedent (even if we only consider toys) and the rule of KISS we apply to disambiguations isn't agreeing with you. The fact that Hasbro rebranded and sold some toys to crap stores doesn't change that. —Interrobang 12:05, 26 October 2010 (EDT)

Okay, I'll try to not make the same mistake again. --Khajidha 12:09, 26 October 2010 (EDT)

Does this actually belong on this page? Seems to me like it should be at the Community Portal instead. ---Blackout- 12:22, 26 October 2010 (EDT)

Sorry, got distracted. Put it on wrong page by accident. --Khajidha 12:24, 26 October 2010 (EDT)

Difficulty level?

Should we have an article on the "transformation difficulty levels" the toys bear on their packaging, and whatever relationship they might have to reality? JW 08:05, 29 October 2010 (EDT)