45735 replies to this topic

[Jogumpie]

Gump checks in from his new full-blown house. We have been living here for a week now, but just this morning the internet was connected, so here I am. Since we moved from a two-room appartment, we had to buy lots of new stuff. Furniture, sound system, y'know, those things. I got myself a whole attic dedicated to K'NEX, so I'll be re-arranging all of it in the upcoming weeks. I'll probably have to get a lot of new bins and storage racks. And I have something great in mind... well, multiple things. I hope to keep checking in more regularly from now on. But I can't promise anything.

I am getting really close to having all of my K'NEX rearranged in the attic. If you never realized I have quite a bit of it, you will after I finish and post pictures. I am even astounded myself.

[RCT2123]

Hey all!

 

Just reading over some of the recent comments.  My guess as to why the site has struggled recently is that K'nex is basically a dead product in a market that has to compete with electronics for kid's attention, and forums have fallen out of fashion (sadly) for things like reddit, twitter, etc.  It's a real shame about forums considering you can actually build real relationships here, while everyone is basically anonymous on reddit.  There's definitely still a desire for kids to build roller coasters, Disney and such is as popular as ever.  I think it's difficult for them to find the resources, though, having grown up with K'nex being basically unknown (and a pretty awful product with everything being micro).

 

I'm not sure how to bring back the glory days of SSC.  This place certainly means a lot to me, but I can't help but think it'll need to change to attract a younger audience.  Maybe source used K'nex and selling directly through the site?  Some advertising on youtube, or sponsoring by popular members who are happy to do it for free before their coaster videos?  Maybe an entire new user experience is required.  More like reddit or discord.  

 

Regardless I hope there is a new renaissance of SSC.  I'm in tech these days, BGT, so if you have any ideas, let me know.  I'd be happy to help out!

[Jogumpie]

RCT2123's post above got me thinking about "the future of SSC". That may sound more pessimistic than what I mean. I do think that times have changed. Most importantly, the rise of major internet platforms and the decline of the K'NEX market are factors that determine what SSC is or can be compared to what we oldies call 'the golden years'. I have ideas about how to align SSC with the (current and potential) community. These are not very concrete yet. If anyone has ideas and wants to discuss them, or wants to discuss my ideas, let me know. I haven't talked to BGTKing about this just yet, just so you know.

[RidesByDaan]

I am getting really close to having all of my K'NEX rearranged in the attic. If you never realized I have quite a bit of it, you will after I finish and post pictures. I am even astounded myself.

 

I know you have quite a collection. But I'm still sure those photos will blow me away..

[CW5X]

Good to see the March Model Madness back. I’ve been so tuned out for the last years and a half, I can’t even remember if it happened last year. Oh well. Means I get reminded of some older models that I might normally miss.

[LaMbChOpZ]

Well, here's my once-a-year SSC check in post

Nah, TBH, always wanting to get back into K'Nex building, but it's been rough between school, research, work, and the 40 other things I have going on with music projects and physics work. Glad to see this place is still active.

Edited by LaMbChOpZ, 21 March 2019 - 03:05 PM.

[Chaos]

Glad to see all these old members checking back in . . . feels like a strange resurgence of it's own. It's been so long since I last looked forward to a Jogumpie model.

[SCM]

Maybe I can help out, too. There are people out there who do want to get into this coaster building but don't know how. Right now I'm leaving this comment on some sort of popular k'nex videos: 

 

If anyone is interested in building knex coasters, I am planning on making a video series about it on my channel. See my "Ask about K'nex Coasters and Stuff" video and leave a comment if you're interested. I don't mean for this to be spam, I just want to help out.

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=a-r5FBkZeOE

(There's the link to that video) 

 

I am hoping that my video series will help get them started with building and maybe even interest a few who haven't thought about it before. Would it be wrong of me to post that comment on some of the other members' videos? I don't want to be annoying or rude or making it look like I'm trying to take something away or whatever. I'll still make the series, but leaving a few extra comments here and there to raise awareness of a knex coaster building tutorial series would more than likely bring a few new members in. I'll mention SSC (obviously) before the start of each of those videos and also in the description. (I hope it's okay to post this...) 

[RCT2123]

I would absolutely link and comment around about your series.  I don't think anyone is going to mind, and the more attention to SSC the better.

[CW5X]

Yeah, just go for it. Always nice for people to have a starting point with building and more activity on people’s videos might help, even if only a little bit. We all know why you’re doing it and it’s for a good reason.

[SCM]

Woohoo, you guys are okay with it. I've already made a video covering some of the basics. I've created a playlist for these videos so it's already organized for people. 

https://www.youtube....XgO2EJJ-OBUINLJ

[BGTKing]

First region of polls closes today; some tomorrow; some Monday. So vote if you haven't!

[Jogumpie]

I just got through all of them. That was a lot of backtracking through memories.

[maarten12]

I did vote for most of the polls now, I was surprised by the amount of models I still remembered.

[Britfag]

I am so confused by the polls! Is it daily? 

EDIT: Okay, I went back through and checked and I had only missed one! I am less confused now.

 

Do they get bumped up the new content list when there's a new vote?

[SCM]

I've made my votes for all of them. Oh, the nostalgia.

[CW5X]

I voted on all the ones except for the ones with my models. I’ll let the community decide which one is better there. Even more decent older models that I’d forgotten about. I kinda had a plan for a coaster but looking at these ones makes me want to try something different.

Edited by CW5X, 23 March 2019 - 12:03 PM.

[~stεεlspectrum~]

Ahh! What's going on? We're doing March Model Madness again this year? Yesssss I hope I'm not too late to join in the fun!

 

 

Well, I originally came here to complain about the cross-tie spacing on Steel Curtain. Because I know you all will understand. Just look at the pre-drop... I'm not saying it's wrong, I'm just saying that if Steel Curtain had a construction thread, I would have lots of comments on how to improve the shaping, supports, crosstie spacing, etc.

 

 

[CW5X]

Ahhhhhhhhh. It’s different everywhere along the track. Not sure I can handle that.

[SCM]

That is one brutal pre-drop. I want to see someone do a construction thread of this now but keep the supporting and crosstie spacing accurate to the real thing. "Sorry, forum, I can't change it. That's how it really looks."