Segaxtreme will soon be closing [Updated]

[dibz]

Yeah, the title isn't a joke or play on words.

Segaxtreme will soon be closing. There are multiple reasons behind this decision, however I will try and explain them briefly. The main reason is simply the overall lack of interest left in SX. While there is still a dedicated cult of lurkers, there really isn't much for community activity these days beyond the occasional technical question or whatnot. Along with the fact that it becomes hard to justify the cost and time it takes to run a site like this considering major lack of interest among both community members and everyone else involved.

So that's it, we have finally decided to pull the plug. The server will be going offline at the end of this month, and will unlikely be coming back online.

It's been a good one, later.



Note: If anyone is interested in taking over hosting for the site, we're open to the idea. Some basic notes are that the current compressed (not uncompressed!) SX clocks in around 12~13GB with media files, much less without them. The bandwidth is usually between 10GB and 20GB a month, also including media files and other downloads.

 

[nerdocalypse]

ouch

i dont think the site should close

if its a lack of visitors, it should just be redesigned. i think it just needs to be streamlined (with some forums merged), and the password memory for logging in needs to be better (i always had to check my email for my pass before logging in here, since the pass is some random numbers and it doesnt automatically appear like it does for most other forums).

i really hope it stays up, but if its really gotta go, then, thanks for hosting it and providing a useful forum all this time.

and the sega scene is still strong, so i hope all the users here will migrate to the other forums about.

 

[mtxblau]

You know, for all the ups and downs this site went through, I didn't think lack of interest would do it in.

I mean, there is the dated design, and lack of major content (although the content that is here and now does appeal to the SX crowd).

It's quite a shame for this to happen. Out of curiousity, how much yearly does it cost to run this site?

 

[aceboomer]

ever since Sega jumped ship from the hardware business, it's been a slow decline downhill. i must say, i have been a memeber on and off for a long time. this site and www.segasages.com were my main 2 sites to visit for Sega updates of all sorts, but then segasages slowly became gamefaqs and was bought out by ign. we all contributed to it in one way or another.

sad to see it go, yes, just like Sega dropping the Dreamcast. but times change and some things are for the better.

 

[Cloud121]

Close the site? Ah crap. I really don't want to see it happen. This has always been my home on the internet (Okay that does sound a bit pathetic). I do agree though, once Sega left the hardware business, it has been a pretty slow. I remember when I first joined way back in July 2001, and it was as active as some of the busiest boards on GameFAQs.

I guess it's once again essay time! 🙂 I'll definitely make this one be the best of the bunch.

 

[RockinB]

That comes totally unexpected! Such a site needs one or two people who push it forward with full effort. Currently, the SEGA community is not as big and active as it has been some years ago, but that's something one has to accept.

It would be a big loss, if all the information that has been gathered here over the years would be lost.

 

[schi0249]

With SX being shut down, are you also gonna take down NX?

 

[msimplay]

Yeah I understand why you would want to close this place down costs of running a web server are not cheap and if theres a lack of interest then it makes it all the harder to justify keeping the website.

However I will be sad to see SX close down I've been a lurker / member for a while now.

There is one chance for saving the website. I personally would check what the costs of running the website are and ask for contributions that way the website will make or break depending on its fans.

 

[Curtis]

Ah...such a shame. Too bad it had to fizzle out like this, but as others have said, once Sega stopped being a dominant force in the gaming industry, interest died. I had many happy hours posting and reading threads here, met some great people, had some good convo's. There were many...er...interesting hours spent moderating the forums, huntin' trolls, bannin' IPs too. 😉

Best of luck guys, hope everyone has a great new year and finds new communities to call home. Thanks to mal, Ice, Akuma, Ex...um...everyone else for tolerating a pesky teen for all those years. 😉

 

[Kuta]

This cannot be happening! I love this site! This site is like my home on the net too. I spend the second most time on the internet on this site (Ebay is 1st). I wish I was in a better finacial standing 'cause then I would take it over. If anyone else is considering it then please know that I would offer any help needed. Please don't let this happen.

 

[mal]

I guess it was just a matter of time really. 🙁

It was fun while it lasted...

 

[antime]

What will happen to the message archive when the site closes?

Also if possible I wouldn't mind seeing the site live on as only the message board, with the bandwidth-consuming parts (soundtracks etc.) removed.

 

[Runik]

Oh my ... what a sad beginning for 2007 🙁

Also if possible I wouldn't mind seeing the site live on as only the message board, with the bandwidth-consuming parts (soundtracks etc.) removed.

I second that, it's a great idea. And if money is needed, just ask 😉

 

[IceDigger]

It costs me around $2k per year for this site. 🙁

 

[dibz]

I could probably host just the forums on my own personal account actually, I don't think that would be much of an issue. We would still need financing for the vB licensing though, that's $100 a year which is currently...due. That's much less then the $1800 a year (just for hosting!) plus $100 for vB though, if people put in enough donations to pay for the vB renewal I can probably keep the forums online.

By the way, I would keep an archive of the entire SX site and archives if we ever do go down, just in case anyone ever wants to bring it back.

Update: Looking at the licensing, if we pay the more hefty $160 for vB it would become an owned license and renewal wouldn't be an issue for it. Previously we only had a leased one.

Update 2: The 'closing' issue also applies to Tendoweb.

 

[Runik]

If everybody interested in SX gives a bit of money, 160$ will be reached in no time ... and I personally don't mind giving 20$ or more to keep this great forum alive 🙂

 

[aceboomer]

I just donated my $20.00 to keep the forum alive.

 

[Zziggy00]

I felt this might happen soon.... I check this site still almost daily at least once... At one point it seemed like the forums were active often daily with new posts in all areas, then almost suddenly over a week of time it seemed like everything came to a near halt. I just checked the alexa ranking for segaxtreme.net and it shows a decline of 46% in the past 3 months…. Sad…. I know with me, this place has been my most active forum on the internet. I felt the people here, while never actually meeting any of you, for the past 6 years or so were very decent and very knowledgeable in all subject matter relating to anything in life. If I had some abstract question I couldn’t find an answer to anywhere else, I’d come here.

I don’t want to see this place go, at least not the forums. It’s been about 5 ½ years of being active and about 6 ½ years total of just going to the site and learning information.

If someone could make a spreadsheet type list of people who want to donate to the license of VB or contributions towards hosting fees that would be great. Mark me down for a $20 donation and point me towards the appropriate paypal address. I might also sell off some of my videogame collection on eBay and all the money produced from the auction(s) will go towards further donations. I only intend to make these donations if indeed enough others will pitch in so that some part of this place stays afloat. The spreadsheet would serve as a receipt so that donations could be given back if funds were not reached in time.

If this place does die… it’s been a hell of a ride… one I’m sorry to see end.

 

[dibz]

So far it sounds like about $60 has been pledged (or will be) in this thread, it's already well on it's way. At the moment it looks like the forums will stay online if enough comes in for the vB license, hosting just the forums isn't much of an issue.

 

[cgfm2]

What about just keeping the forums up, and maybe switching to a more lightweight BB software to reduce bandwidth? (surely we don't need smilies as images 😀

As something of a newcomer to SX I have always enjoyed the forums quite a lot, but never really checked out the rest of the site. I'd at least like to keep the forums going. That's always been the most appealing part of SegaXtreme for me.