Talk:Unofficial conventions

"Early years" were Hasbro-endorsed, according to the Hartmans. The brand (and fandom) just wasn't so big then as for Hasbro to really put the "stamp" on it, but after BC96... Hasbro/Kenner took a much keener interest in how BC was run and how everything was being presented. --M Sipher 22:10, 7 May 2008 (UTC)

Oh yeah. I'm okay with linking to the conventions' web pages (if they have them) if anyone wants more info beyond "when/where", but really, I don't think this wiki should delve much deeper into detail. I could see putting notes on ONLY FULLY AND OFFICIALLY LICENSED merchandise that was available under them when relevant, like incentive-covers of normal-release DW/IDW comics (or that one Cyclonus bust), but knockoff toys and unlicensed t-shirts/posters with Hsabro IP? No. --M Sipher 22:14, 7 May 2008 (UTC)

TFcon

Used the structure from the Botcon wiki page, sorry if I am "stealing" anything from anyone, just never really good as starting up these wikis. - ProtomanXRED

This should probably be renamed and appropriately expanded as "Unofficial Conventions," if it's going to exist here at all. --Thylacine 2000 13:00, 22 October 2007 (UTC)

And yet- it has official merchandise that is exclusive to it. Which is not uite the same thing as, say, Dairycon. -Derik 14:05, 22 October 2007 (UTC)

Which does not actually make the convention official at all. At MOST there should be an "unofficial conventions" page that just contains a one-paragraph brief per convention with an external link... and frankly, I'm not convinced we should even have that. --M Sipher 23:47, 22 October 2007 (UTC)

I always figured that, until Transformerscon becomes official itself (???? well, it would be nice). The information on Transformerscon would fit nicely in the article on Canada. God save the Queen. --Zodberg 14:23, 22 October 2007 (UTC)

I'd say the "unofficial" ship sailed when we detailed Iacon One, unless I'm mistaken.--Rosicrucian 15:08, 22 October 2007 (UTC)

Well, you could just edit each and every one of those non-BotCon, non-OTFCC convention articles to make it clear they are not officially endorsed by Hasbro. At the moment, this article makes it sound a hell of alot like it's the official, Hasbro-endorsed Canadian TF convention when, last I heard, it wasn't, regardless of who turns up from Hasbro or what exclusives are being sold.

I'm concerned because if I didn't know any better, reading this article would make me believe it's an official convention. --FFN 16:15, 22 October 2007 (UTC)

Actually the reason I even began this article was because I was looking under the wiki entry for Conventions and at the bottom of unofficial conventions was TransformersCon, so I assume it's sorta implyed from the get-go. --ProtomanXRED

Well, it would be helpful to fans 'not in the know' or other people if this was pointed out in the article itself. An implication of such assumes that 'everybody' already knows, which isn't really that helpful in an information resource such as this. --FFN 08:29, 23 October 2007 (UTC)

Yes yes, it will be added ProtomanXRED

Well, if we're moving Transformerscon to "Unofficial Transformers conventions", then every other Botcon prior to 2002 should be move there as well since they were not official. --Detour 22:00, 23 October 2007 (UTC)

They were, actually. --M Sipher 23:34, 23 October 2007 (UTC)

Sipher is right. --ItsWalky 01:09, 24 October 2007 (UTC)

Whatever. Iacon One and Botcon 2004 still have pages and they're not official. I don't see why as soon as Proto makes a nice, thorough, totally NON-stub page for TFcon you guys are suddenly against this. --Detour 01:32, 24 October 2007 (UTC)

If I'm not mistaken, we've been wanting to move Iacon One to Unofficial conventions for some time now. The only reason we're discussing this here, now, is because this page happens to be being created here, now. --ItsWalky 01:48, 24 October 2007 (UTC)

Alrighty people, so how do I go about moving this, I am a little green to the process. -- ProtomanXRED

Click the tab marked 'Move', then type in the new article name where indicated. --FFN 19:06, 24 October 2007 (UTC)

Updated the page and name, a lot of interesting developments will be happening in the next couple of weeks..... oh yes. -- ProtomanXRED

I know of two unofficial TF conventions not listed here. Cybcon ( http://www.ggaub.com/tf/index.html ) which ran for 13 years (2000-2013) and is being replaced by Cybfest ( http://home.comcast.net/~spock1027/cybfestnw/ ) beginning in 2014. I was at the last two Cybcons (2012 and 2013) and hope to attend Cybfest beginning in 2014. A lot of effort was put into Cybcon for the local fans and for as long as it ran, I think it deserves at least recognition here among the others, as well as it's replacement, Cybfest. Would it not be a benefit to the fans to include at the very least a listing for and link to as many TF conventions as can be verified, since so many unofficial conventions have already been listed here already? Particularly since there's really only one Official Transformers Convention which a lot of people simply can not attend due to location and/or finances but want to attend something. Leathurkatt 07:21, 21 September 2013 (EDT)

Please feel free to add them. I can't see any reason why they shouldn't be listed here. --abates 08:19, 21 September 2013 (EDT)

I shall try. Leathurkatt 15:30, 21 September 2013 (EDT)

It's posted, and I will add dates and completed locations to the ones listed as unknown or are incomplete as soon as I get the info from Greg. Leathurkatt 16:14, 21 September 2013 (EDT)

Cybcon listing is completed.  :) Leathurkatt 04:12, 1 October 2013 (EDT)

Official/Unofficial

So excactly what is classified as Official and what isn't?--86.87.28.191 17:36, 7 November 2009 (EST)

Official = licensed by Hasbro. --Detour 19:17, 7 November 2009 (EST)

Please forgive me if I'm being overly brazen, but I'd like to challenge this Wiki's policy on unofficial material on grounds of being overly difficult to define, as well as being contradictory to the propose of a Wiki; to spread information. For instance, there are many pages that make brief mention of noteworthy bootlegs, despite that they are not official (no individual pages or pics, however) or detailed information on other brands. Articles cite official statements from major individuals from unofficial conventions. Some info does belong here and some doesn't. Unfortunately, there is no white or black on this topic (imho) but many different shades of plastic, and frankly I have no more business deciding where to draw the line than anyone else. A happier medium would be "This information would be better served here," or something. Is not the purpose of a user-defined encyclopedic database to be user-defined? If I'm making any false assumptions, please help me correct them.Hida Atarasi 23:25, 13 December 2009 (EST)

Hasbro didn't define our official-only policy. That's a user-defined policy. Opening up the wiki to unofficial entities also opens up floodgates to millions and millions of things we really shouldn't be spending our time on. Does the art I drew of Starscream when I was five belong on this wiki? Does someone's fan character? The answer is no, and we extend that criteria to everything. It's not difficult to define at all. --ItsWalky 23:29, 13 December 2009 (EST)

As far as unofficial/bootleg toys goes, those should be mentioned to contrast with the official toys or if there is widespread confusion as to their status (such as the Breakdown Action Master and the numerous fan made Smallest Transforming TFs). Basically, they are used mentioned not on their own merits, but because such mention makes a point about the official toys. Your point about "statements from major individuals from unofficial conventions" is interesting. I don't know of such comments, do you have a list of examples? To anyone else: can you explain how such comments might be appropriate for use here? Khajidha 00:05, 14 December 2009 (EST)

I now consider myself schooled. However, my confusion revolves around some pages seeming to have some leeway on this issue, others being witch-huntingly strict, and my inability to recognize difference in content/criteria, if any. In particular, the issue of after-market/third party products (foreseeably outside the scope of the wiki simply due to future diversity) that exist solely because of the official product. I agree neither page nor image is justified, but a mention, a link? A separate Wiki for proper catorization if items that are outside the scope of the TransformersWiki? I'd love to write a short page dedicated to 3rd party stuff but I expect it would be taken down promptly. I only desire to contribute, not step on toes.

Technically any unofficial 3rd party materials are ILLEGAL. Hasbro could totally sue Fans Project any time they felt like it, and they would win. Khajidha 15:47, 14 December 2009 (EST)

Technically you could sue me for being ugly, regardless of how handsome I actually am. Wether you'd win or not is another matter entirely. The law works funny like that.Hida Atarasi 03:23, 17 December 2009 (EST)

Being ugly is not a crime, copying Hasbro's trademarked properties for your own profit is. Khajidha 03:31, 17 December 2009 (EST)

I must disagree. Maybe your people are good looking, but I can't wear my glasses at work without getting sick.Hida Atarasi 04:12, 17 December 2009 (EST)One example of cited (un?)official info is in Rodimus Prime's Cosmic Rust status by Derrick Wyatt from TFCon2009.Hida Atarasi 13:57, 14 December 2009 (EST)

Info from Derrick Wyatt (also from his blog and twitter account) gets included as semi-official information. For the most part it is put in the "notes" section (but Alpha Trion has some blog info in his intro paragraph). Derrick Wyatt is a creator so what he has to say can shed light on fictional material. - Starfield 14:21, 14 December 2009 (EST)

Yeah. If the information came from an official creator at an unofficial show, that's fine - it doesn't mean that the unofficial show somehow becomes official. If Simon Furman does a signing at my local bookstore and answers some questions about Thunderwing, we can document those statements and include them on the wiki, but the bookstore doesn't get an article. -hx 17:08, 14 December 2009 (EST)

And the timeline. :O - Starfield 13:20, 15 December 2009 (EST)

Hasbro booths at international conventions

How should we note international conventions, like TFcon, in which a Hasbro branch has a booth? - Cr85747 4:31, 6 March 2012 (EST)