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I was thinking of suggesting something similar to you Gits. But rather than have the update in the old thread it would probably be best to start the new thread with it....

"Last time on Gits uber blog......" kind of thing

Gits, I understand your quandry. As a lurker who just started posting on this site around the end of last Sept/beginng of Oct, I found it a little unnerving to post on a thread that was, at the time, around 75 pages. I remember thinking, "I want to say something, but will anyone notice a single post in this huge thread?" After posting anyways and truly following the thread I obviously began to realize how amazing this thread really is. It's amazing because, despite that some users are constantly popping up on this thread (which is in no way a bad thing), voicing their opinions, whenever I see a random post from someone who doesn't pop in all the time, it still gets a response. Sometimes an overwhelming response, from both you and the other Dakkites.
I can see why you'd consider a new thread or a part 2, because I do believe that those of us that post on this thread will obviously continue to post on your new thread, but I also believe you'd hear from people that may overlook this thread due to it's size. This thread has gotten pretty epic in scale and by the time it reaches page 165 you may get extremely tired of referring to page 100 so people can see all your (current) stuff up to this point. Either way, however, you know we're all on board.

I am not sure, but I feel the pace has increased in the last few months...

So starting from page 1 will probably have it reach quickly past the somewhat critical number of 10+ pages, and you'll quickly feel the same...

But may I'm wrong, maybe the sheer size of it makes it intimidating for the occasional lurkers (actually, I already find it hard to follow lately, though spending way too much time on Dakka these last weeks).

That's as I said before, Git, you've become a victim of your own popularity & success...

I don't find it too hard to follow...but I have a boss who doesn't mind me checking in about 3 times during the day, plus visiting in the morning before work and after work

I do like the fact that one of the "popular forum posts" on the front page is an active and vital thread instead of some ancient monolithic thing that rarely gets updated.

Like everyone has said Gits, we will follow the thread whether it stays in its present form or its version 2.0

I remember asking this question early on in my blog - with the resounding answer being - keep it in the one blog! Of course, I don't think anyone expected it to last 40 (or in your case, 100!) pages... I'm currently trying to put together a "summary" post for mine - due to the same concerns (and not actually having a summary post yet!) - as well as not wanting to lose any gems (Dakka comments) along the way...

My opinion would be to keep it in the one blog. I'm thinking, once I get my summary post out, I may need to discipline myself to do it once every 10 pages (you may get away with more!). You can always update the first post to point to all of the summaries... (and/or your signature)

Of course, if you stop at 100, I've got a chance to surpass you...

In the end - I don't think you will lose anyone either way. You may gain some. Will they be the sort that go through your 7 100 page blogs though? Who knows... Will it actually solve anything? It will still be unwieldy....

I think this may have been my longest unhelpful post!

all hail the king of threads
all hail Gitsplita
sorry had too do that
but the follow up is defintly a good idea

sweet paintin' kantor is completly gone.. really impressive..

Hey Gits, there is something on my blog that rhymes with Nantis Varrior Sanquility Weteran

Hello Gitsplitta. I suggest you do indeed start a new thread. I for example have proved too lazy to go through the 96 odd pages, i cant help but think i am missing out. Maybe do a showcase of the ones you've finished and start a new 'Mk2' thread.

As someone who did join this thread at about page 80 I must say that reading this whole blog (and those of your boys) was a delight. I have learnt so much and been inspired enough to get my finger out, join dakka and my get my own marines done. I doubt I'm unique in this. I would be concerned others may miss out on this experience unless it was really clearly labelled. Really do need to get the pictures updated....any who....

I would keep it as one as there seems to be a new page ever few days so you will probably be back up to 100 odd within 2 months. The other thing to consider is that maybe it is the size of the blog which help to keep the blog at this size (if you see what I mean?). Maybe amend your sig to have some sort of update on it?

I think you should abandon your marines and spend more time on your orks!

Barring that, though, I would just keep the initial post update and perhaps add a comment to your sig with a link to your "summary" of the thread.

The other option is to set a point goal for a thread and, once you've reached that goal, do a summary of the thread's achievements as an article, with links back to the important comments or posts. Locking the original thread with a link to the new one and the article would be a good thing to stop it rising from the dead every now and then.

Then the next blog you set the next milestones, including a picture of what you have so far in post one, with links back to the article. So, for instance, my blog so far, if you discount the attempt at making a plasticard tank, reached it's actual conclusion with the pictures from Silver Sorcerer as I'd finished the first 1000 points and had a workable force.

Gitsplitta wrote:I have a serious question for everyone...


I've been thinking about this monster blog that I've got... and much as it is fun to watch the numbers of views and pages ramp up... I think it may be getting so bit that's it's too intimidating for new people to bother with. I tried to address this with my summary posts, but I'm not sure they'll solve the problem.

What I'm thinking about doing is doing a massive summary post on page 100... the best pics, stories, etc. and then asking the mods to lock the thread. I'll then start a New blog with basically the same title with a "part 2" at the end, and continue on from there just as we have been. I'll probably duplicate the OP from part 1 and the last summary post, then move on from there.

Any thoughts? Any Mods want to chime in?? Do you think it's necessary or am I just making a mountain out of a mole hill?

Thanks,
Gits

To me at least, 100+ pages isn't a problem. The summaries are a great idea to keep it manageable. I think that a summary in the firs tpost (leading to other summaries) should be OK. And I think it's kinda cool that we cann keep a 100-page post (largely) on topic and alive. Still, if you start a version 2.0, I'm sure the old krew will follow you around, so it's your choice in the end. You would be losing out on a lot of cool comments though...

I would make a part two once it gets to page 100, and use this as a link on that tghread, plus you an use that as an excuse to post a bunch of here is where im atnow pictures.

First, I wanted to thank everyone for weighing in on a very important subject. I have been monitoring your responses all day and for once... have been keeping my own counsel until I felt that I had a good representation of opinions. Regardless of whether my decision coincides with your advice or not, I took it all in and thought about it quite a bit, so don't feel slighted if I went the other way.

I think, for the time being... I will keep the blog as a single story line rather than dividing it. I will however, expand the notes to new readers on the first page in the hopes of getting them interested quickly so they can join in the conversation right away. I will also try to do more frequent summaries, not only for the new folks but for anyone who wants to see what we've all accomplished together.


And not for the stuff you all really want to see. Here's the first WIP of my Iron Clad Mk-IV by Forge World. I wanted this one to look aggressive and menacing, thus a forward pose coming down hill, with outstretched arms like he's ready to put you in a crushing bear-hug (and not the friendly kind). I am inordinately proud of the fact that everything weapon-like on him is magnetized... arms, storm bolter and defensive grenade launchers. The rack for the HK missiles is permanently attached... still trying to figure out how I'm going to magnetize the actual missiles which I'd like to make removable.

Hope you like it!



Note: For those of you who contributed to ISS - alpha, after 15 votes it's rater at 8.42 painting and 9.42 coolness! Since there are only 10 of you who contributed marines... that means 5 other people also thought you did a great job on the squad & voted!!
Congratulations!

"Look out Ned, Its commin right for us!"

Like the build, great position on the legs and the claws are showing ill intent.

I dont understand the gun arm, I havent looked at forge world in some time to get what Im seeing. Like where its pointing and the dread is actually looking at the spot, just not personally getting it.

gonna go read page one now and get caught up on what you are talking about since Ive zoned out of this thread for some time now.

It's not really a gun, it's a sizemic hammer... just another CCW. The head is not permanently positioned, I'll paint it separately and then put it in later on.

Looking god! The outstretched arm really make sit look like he's balancing himself, coming down as fast as he can.

that shoulder and mount for the seismic hammer...that's the same as the siege dreadnought's DCCW.

That seismic hammer kicks the butt of the one GW gives you. I really should have bought the forge world one rather than the GW one. How much of a price difference was there?

shame it's £15 more....oh well...it is more detailed, better-looking and resin....

looks awsome Git i really like the pose. on the painting side of life will he be tranquility or normal MW?

I do quite like that FW Ironclad Dread. I'm not sure about FW's take on the Seismic Hammer, but then I'm also not sure about GW's either.

Glad it's staying as one blog; now must... resist... FW... Ironclad!

Cool looking dred there,

For the marine I'll do you a fresh one with a cool cybernetic leg and a comms unit.

Great Miss Dee!, that sounds perfect!

I like the FW Iron Clad. What I don't like about it is that the arms do not fit snugly on the pegs, so you have to come up with some other way to make them stay put... either by permanently gluing them, or by magnetizing like I have. That's bad design work. Wouldn't take much effort on their part to adjust the model through a few moldings and come up with a tighter fit. Also the pegs are much longer than the holes are deep, which again means the figure needs to be modified to fit. No excuse for such blatantly poor craftsmanship when the rest of the model is so well made.

Just FW being lazy, not just at the artist's level but at the supervisory level as well.


Update: Got the figure primed white last night, which is what I do to facilitate the yellow. Then I remembered I'm not really doing this one "yellow". It will be tranquility pattern, but I want this thing to look like it just creaked out of a 1000 year slumber from an underground bunker where it was lost until just being discovered and revived. So, in light of that and Ifnala's comment on her blog that the airbrush cares less about primer color than a normal brush does... I may re-prime in black in order to facilitate the darker shadows and mechanical parts of the model.

Need some advice again: Given the premise described above... I am thinking of using a medium to light brown base coat with highlights that are lighter brown with only slightly yellow overtones. This to represent the yellow being faded and discolored though centuries of subterranean entombment. Over that then, will be heavy weathering and chipping. The camo pattern will be executed in grey tones rather than my typical black. There will be rust and wear on the metal parts of the dread.

I really want to give the impression that this dread has just creaked to life after a millennia of slumber, and just given enough attention to be functional again... adding to it's menace as this ancient, malevolent thing (at least to it's enemies).

Thoughts??

I like the idea that you want it looking worn and old.

One question though... if it's just woken from millenia of slumber surely it's not going to have the tranquility camo on it as it will have to have been entombed well before the tranquility campaign started and there wouldn't have been a need for it to don that scheme.

Whichever scheme you do go for, to get a more worn look to the paint I'd probably choose a colour for the undercoat that would be given to any dread before it's painted in chapter colours and make the actual chapter colours/camo very patchy so the undercoat is showing through in places. Also liberal usage of a dust coloured weathering powder and some moss/foliage could add to the aged, slumbering behemoth look. Something like the robots in Laputa

Trouble is they are venerated relics of the chapter and are lovingly maintained by teams of servitors and techpriests. So if anything if he's only just been awoken he should be gleaming but with a crud load of litanies and seals and all the other bits from a thousand campaigns....

endtransmission wrote:
One question though... if it's just woken from millenia of slumber surely it's not going to have the tranquility camo on it as it will have to have been entombed well before the tranquility campaign started and there wouldn't have been a need for it to don that scheme.

That +1. And if they gave it the tranq colors, it would be a fresh, new paint job, and not old and faded.

In the revised version of my fluff (see the little story that goes with my chapter master)... the tranquility camo pattern is reserved for those select, elite units that are part of the Mantis Warrior home world planetary defense force... which would go back many thousands of years. So the camo pattern is legit... just means he bore the responsibility of defending the chapters home world all those centuries ago. My idea is that he was essentially set in a kind of stasis after a major campaign... probably heavily damaged at an outpost where they didn't have the facilities to repair him... so he was stabilized and stored in an bunker until he could be taken back to the fleet. The outpost was then wiped out, and the dread presumed lost in an area that was over-run with enemies. Centuries later, perhaps after this territory was reclaimed... his resting place was discovered, he was reactivated & given only necessary repairs to get him back into battle as the Badab War was no raging.

And... I guess it was always in my mind that the "Tranquility Campaign" happened millennia ago... so the idea that the camo pattern is a new occurrence isn't one that I've held.

Interesting idea with the undercoat... I'll roll that around for a while.

I'm pretty happy about being on schedule. Going to try and enforce some painting and modeling discipline in my figures from now on so I don't spend endless hours painting each night which really gets old. Set a schedule, stick to it, take a night off every once in a while for family stuff. Keeping some balance should result in a better overall product and a happier me.