User blog:TheSlicer/ANNOUNCEMENT

Some of you may have noticed that I've been offline somewhat recently, and it's true. For one, my school year's ending, so I've had some work to do. For another, I've been doing more research for my upcoming zombie novel, so I haven't had much of a chance to work on TFC.

Finally: the thing is, I'm kind of losing interest. Writing BIONICLE fanfics doesn't have the kind of appeal it used to a few months ago, and certainly not the sort it had back when I was eleven, two years ago. I seem to be losing interest in this sort of thing, so unless the interest somehow manages to make a sudden and dramatic return, I'm probably going to be moving on to bigger and better things by the end of the year. And by that, I mean closing up shop for good.

Why, you may ask? To me, it's as simple as the reason I liked the line when I was younger: I was a child. It's a children's toyline. There's an association between the two, and for me, it was a powerful enough one to get me to sign up to Wikia. Even before I joined, I found great pleasure in creating fictions starring of the characters I dreamed up, with a child's enthusiasm and joy. Now, though, the entertainment value has begun to pale; I'm growing older, and though part of me will always be a kid, I can't let a kid's emotion dominate my life. It's time for me to move on.

Let's face it: BIONICLE ended one year ago. It isn't coming back, or at least not soon, which means that there's less and less reason to care about it for myself and for the rest of us. The activity on BZP is sparse compared to how it was a little while ago, and WMF is almost completely empty. There seems to be a good bit of interest regarding Hero Factory at the moment, which is a good thing for our community, but I doubt it'll last much longer than the toyline does. All around the world, people like me--fans like me--are arriving at the same conclusion as I: it's time to finish up.

God knows, activity on this site has been going down a steep slope since the line ended. I've spent the last few months using all the tools at my disposal to help, and our community's efforts appear to have succeeded--for a time. I'd estimate that CBW has got at least a year or so left, though probably more if the willpower of the rest of the devoted fans should endure.

These latest efforts to extend the wiki's lifespan are my meager repayment to the amazing community that has helped me grow as a human being. I've worked hard on CBW (probably too much for my own good; until a few months ago, I spent so much time on Wikia that I barely talked to people), and I've become very devoted to this site and all of you. I can no longer imagine living without the knowledge that such wonderful people as the editors of Custom BIONICLE exist out in the world, and for that, I thank everyone.

I may not know your names, I may not know your faces, and I may not so much as know your IP addresses, but I have communicated with you, and that is enough to know you as people and realize that I could not have had better companions. Here are a few of these people I wish to thank specifically:


 * Abc8920: It's too bad you're gone; you're a very friendly person and a great editor. Should you ever read this, please know that you're still remembered.
 * Biogecko: Though we have had some minor arguments over the years, these have only made me all the stronger. I've considered you my friend all this time, and I hope the sentiment has been returned; you've been a good companion, even if you've only been so over the Internet. Live long and prosper, my friend.
 * Chicken Bond: Though I don't think I'm going to be able to write the well-deserved featured article section for you, I know what it should say. You're friendly, a devoted contributor, and an excellent writer, and I'm glad to say that I've been able to know you so well. It's good that you're still active--you've helped support me until the very end, and I appreciate that. Between you, Jared, and CL38, CBW will be in good hands.
 * Baterra1202: Though we've had our differences during our time here, I still consider you a good friend and editor. By the way, your pipe cleaner Scarabax are epic.
 * Crazy-Lihkan38: I can't say I've known you as long as some of the other people on this list, and that's a real pity: I'd have liked to know you better. May you do well with your stories.
 * Ids5621: A brilliant MOCist and excellent stop-motion creator, it's really not much of a surprise some users idolize you. Though I don't count myself among them, it's good to know you'll still be here when I'm gone.
 * Ihu: I'm sorry I never got to help with the Legacy Chronicles as I promised. Your imagination is a great thing, and it will be (and has been) missed by all.
 * Jareroden97: You're really, really nice, and more than just about anyone, you deserve to be a bureaucrat on this wiki. You're helpful and kind, and sometimes, I wish everyone could be like you. The world would be a much better place for it.
 * Matoro1: As a wonderful builder and writer, you deserve a better mention than this. I honestly haven't known you that long, though, but you should know that I'll always have a special place in my heart for your works.
 * Scorpion665: Like some others on this list, I'll admit that I don't know you especially well, but I think you deserve to be on here anyway. You're a really cool person, and your MOCs are epic--I'm glad to have a contributor like you.
 * Starscream7: Yes, I've attacked you before (and done so very thoroughly, I might add), but I'll have you know that I've also defended you. I believe that you've genuinely changed from your time as a vandal, and I see that as a good thing. Before and after, you were a good companion (even if a bit naive), and I hope you get around to finishing BU. I assure you, I'll be here when you do.
 * Teammcb: Ah, Teammcb, ol' buddy. I can remember all too well the discussions we had early on in our CBW careers, and I will never forget what you said. You're a really nice guy, and through our dialogues, you helped me grow into a better friend to all those who know me now. I offer my sincerest thanks; may you do as well in life as you did on this site.
 * ThatDevilGuy: What list would be complete without the CBW Demon? You're not just a great contributor, but a dear friend to all save the vandals. I will miss you.
 * ToaFairon: You were among the first people to talk to me on this site, and for that I thank you. Also, you introduced me to the diverse cast of characters belonging to our Gigas Magna storyline, whom I have had the privilege of fleshing out and breathing life into (for however brief a period). Though you didn't have much of a part in the broader universe that resulted from your ideas, you inspired me, and that also is a debt that I cannot claim to be able to repay.
 * Vagra Nui Tales: I knew you from my early days on this site, and while our paths may have diverged, I will not forget you. I hope your storyline does well.
 * Varkanax39: A good MOCist, a better writer, and an even greater friend. I hope your storyline does well; I'll try to help with your wiki as much as I can for as long as I can, and pay attention to your story for as long as it's written. I can tell that it's going to be good.
 * ZarkaRaiden: Are you still active? If you are, I hope you can read this. You're a good guy, and I'm honored to have worked with you in your stories. Hope you get around to finishing them, or doing whatever suits you best.

You were all some of the best friends I've ever had. In my beginning days, you made me feel accepted in a way that my antisocial, uber-nerdy self could not comprehend, and it's in part thanks to you that I've come out of my shell. In addition to everything else, you were a part of my social awakening, and something like that I can never repay.

Now, before you all go about bemoaning the loss of a great bureaucrat on the blog comments, I would like to make one thing clear: I'm not quite done with this website yet. I will serve it as much as I can for as long as I can, with the greatest amount of efficiency possible. For one, I have yet to perfect the .css and .js code for CBW (which I hope to do before I leave); for another, I plan to post an outline of the entire GMS, as I no longer believe I will be able to finish TFC or any of its pre-/sequels. At this point, I do not know whether I should do my proposed TFC trailer vid, so I'd like input on that matter.

However, this does not by any means indicate that I will be resuming my previous levels of activity. As such, I no longer need the bureaucrat position--Bond, Lihkan, and Jared will be perfectly capable of handling any instances where the need should arise to promote others--and I will therefore be demoted to the rank of administrator. When I leave entirely, I shall no longer need even that position, and I will thus request that I be removed from it once that occurs.

When I am officially gone (NOT YET), the remainder of my digital possessions will be given away in my will, which reads as follows:


 * To Chicken Bond shall go the Gigas Magna Storyline Wiki, to do what he pleases with it.
 * To Varkanax39 I bequeath the Nightwatcher's Review Club, to continue to provide (hopefully) helpful feedback for all users.
 * To Jareroden97 goes everything from the Gigas Magna storyline, in the hope that the alternate versions of my characters will reach the conclusions of their stories that the Prime ones never will.
 * To 1999bug shall go all of my prank code, in the hope that it shall be put to good use.
 * To Ids5621 I bequeath The Slicers, so that the club may actually be noticed.
 * To everyone else goes this wiki. Do with it what you will, so long as you keep the spirit of BIONICLE alive in ways that I no longer can.

Live long and prosper, all.