*OFFICIAL* Hyperspace discussion thread

I'm sure many of you are familiar with the new "Hyperspace" thingie that the Official Site is introducing (see the preview for it here). This is a thread to discuss it.

At the moment I would recommend against posting any material (ie. pictures, large text excerpts, etc.) from the members section of hyperspace as we don't want to get TFN in any sort of legal trouble.

Now onto the discussion...



How do we all feel about this new service? Do you feel a bit miffed that you have to pay? Or do you not care either way?

 

As along time SW fan, CoK is very disappointed in a website designed to exclude those without a credit card.

 

(1) You could just get a friend or a parent to pay with the credit card for ya, then pay them back in cash and use Hyperspace all you want.

(2) TFN's Hyperspace policy as established in 3SA:
? You CANNOT post images/media files
? You CAN post information, but not direct quotes. For instance, if Hyperspace said "David Q. Monkeybutt will play the sinister bounty hunter Katringi Flashbourne", you would have to share the info with us in your own words, e.g. "There's gonna be a new bounty hunter called Katringi Flashbourne and David Q. Monkeybutt's gonna play him".
So! Who's a Hyperspace member... who's gonna share some tidbits?



Rick McCallum loves you!

 

I don't like the new website ...
And there are too many spoilers ...

 

I probably won't be a Hyperspace member as I don't own a credit card, nor do I own the cash to pay anyone back.

If I ever get the means to do so, I'll consider it.

 

i can see that this "official" thread is doing rather well. i think that its up to 5 posts now. WOO WOO!

 

I have to say that I like the subscription so far.

It's providing interesting details on the production with the diaries, and the webcam is very good.

 

Myself, I'll save the money and forgo the amazing, action-packed live feed of extras who will ultimately be cut from the movie. But for those interested in earning the title of 'Lucas' bitch,' let me know how it goes.

 

Harsh...but true...

 

Same here. I have no intention of being a 'Lucas ******'. For me its not about the money, its about the pricipal of the whole thing. I have spent enough on supporting their movies, toys, games, you name it. LUCAFILM HAS GONE OVER TO THE DARK SIDE & THERE IS NO TURNING BACK! For them to hold out their corporate hat now to arguably the most loyal fans in all of movie fandom in order to pay for their website is a slap in the face. When is enough enough?

It would appear that they are taking the approach, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em & then charge 'em for it!" in regards to spoiler info being leaked on the internet. Now for Episode III, you can be spoiled by "Official" sources instead of Darth Joey Joe Joe's inside information website. Well, I for one have no plans on spoiling myself for Episode III, & I sure as hell am NOT going to pay for it.

Mark my words, this is just the beginning! They are establishing precedence for this practice of charging for internet content in regards to movie websites. If we, who are appauled by this practice would just boycott the official website, it may help to send a message to them that this is not cool with the fans. However, as much as I would like to believe that this would work, I have to concede that enough people are going to pay their $20 for their official Star Wars info on EPIII that will keep this going & eventually escalate it. Its just plain sad . Its actually sickening. I'm very disappointed in Lucasfilm right now to say the least. Well there's my 2 cents free of charge. But, I'm afraid that I'll have to start charging next time

 

I would like to point out that "hyperspace" was a LFL idea not a Lucas idea. The company is to blame not the man.

But anyway I'm not happy with this whole idea, which is why I'm not paying for it but hey I'm going spoiler free; why do I need to view it at all?

I find incredulous that LFL are paying the fans for same kind of info which they put out for AOTC and such for free. Unless they plan to produce some major spoiler material I don't think its worth paying for.

 

Do you think LFL would make a decision like that without Lucas' knowledge or seal of approval? He could have easily said, "No, I don't want the web site to go with a pay service. Divert the money from somewhere else and let's keep giving something back to the fans...", or something like that. I don't doubt that he was all too willing to reap the financial benefits of a pay feature. He knows the well is going to start running dry after Episode III has come and gone so he's going to milk it for all he can while he can...

 

I'm debating that Lucas obviously gave it the go ahead but it was LFL's idea, which was made clear I think by Paul Ens.

 

Right now, what irritates me about Hyperspace is that a lot of it is being classified as spoilerish.

I want to learn the information in Hyperspace, like "so and so was cast as _____" and "they shot today, here's an interview with Rick". But the NSA people don't seem to be signing up. Thus I have to go to 3SA to learn what happened on Hyperspace, and I don't want to be in 3SA once actual spoilers hit.

I don't care about the 'premium' content. I can live without the Webcam or the photos. But StarWars.com has the good sense to stay spoiler-free, and I want to get my info from there.



Rick McCallum loves you!

 

He loves our pocket books. He's the Producer! With his job, its all about the money. "SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!"

This goes back to the corporate mentality that spurred the fan relations fiasco for AOTC. Are you aware that Lucasfilm prohibited, thats right "prohibited" radio stations who were awarded their exclusive contract to promote Episode II from supporting, participating, or even mentioning any fan line-ups. We here in Nashville, TN were forced (no pun intended) to go with an inferior radio station at the last minute because our first choice would have been in direct violation of their contract with Lucasfilms promotions department if they had showed up with us at the theater. They were also told to not direct their ads & contests at "core" fans. And do you know what they got out of it? Movie tickets and the exclusive premiere that got shown 4 hours ahead of us.

Are you also aware that Lucasfilm also deliberately went out of their way to have tickets go on sale for the first day of the Star Wars Celebration II so that the "non-core" fans, who weren't in Indy could have first shot at getting tickets? They deceptively kept it secret until 3 days before. Luckily for us we already had the inside track with the theater manager so we got ours before we left for Indy.

Then they have the gall to call up the 501st, the Rebel Legion & the Fan force chapters to ask us to help promote the IMAX premiere of AOTC because they didn't want to spend the money on advertising when the loyal fans would happily do it for them. I also believed at the time that they realized they screwed up big time with their promotions strategy for AOTC, since it didn't work & felt that they needed to mend relations with the core fan base. Non core fans still bashed the movie, the reviews were still bad and less movie goers went to AOTC than did for Episode I. However, this new SW.com Hyperspace ploy seems like they didn't learn a darn thing.

Excuse me if I sound angry. I was at the time AOTC came out, but really couldn't express my outrage too much as I was our City Rep during AOTC & had enough on my plate with our line-party & charity fundraiser. I'm so past that point that I'm almost apathetic about it anymore.

My point is that this pay per view website thing is just consistant with Lucasfilm's promotions policies in the last year or two which is obvious, "The Star Wars franchise is almost over. Milk the fans for every last red cent we can get out of them while we still can." Its not personal, its business. Unfortunately, Star Wars is very personal to many of us and its hard to see things from that corporate mentality when we don't perceive Star Wars that way. I don't necessarily think GL wants to either, that's why he hired McCullum, to take care of things from a business angle that GL most likely wouldn't have the heart to do, but he knows is in the best Financial interest of Lucasfilm. Lets also put it this way, when it comes to the dealings of Lucasfilm, 'ol Rick couldn't wipe his as, er, I mean nose without permission from George. I think George trusts him enough to agree with his suggestions most of the time.

So when you say Rick McCullum loves us, I about want to hurl!

 

McCallum isn't to blame for any fan relations stuff either. It's all a bunch of guys sitting at desks in LFL offices. McCallum is busy getting the movie made, for heavens' sake!

George Lucas had to give up a lot of power at Lucasfilm to work on the movies. He cannot make the movies and supervise the empire at the same time, nor would I want him to... I want him to concentrate on filmmaking.

I'm willing to bet that that's why TPM got overhyped, IMHO the worst decision ever made at LFL. Don't get me wrong, I love SW and I love TPM, but I'd like to be able to walk around the streets without seeing giant Anakin-in-Podracer cardboard standups everywhere.


Rick McCallum loves you!

 

I signed up for it, and I have no problem with the $20/year charge.

Since when have deleted scenes been free? Can anyone name a movie website out there that has deleted scenes, a "live" webcam of filming, a set diary, and everything else that Hyperspace has... for free?

If all this information had been thrown on a CD, called an "Insider's Guide" or "Episode 3 preview CD" and sold for $20, I doubt there would be half as many people complaining.

The fact of the matter is, the content that Hyperspace will have is premium content. Most of it isn't the type of stuff that would have ever appeared on the regular StarWars.com website, and hopefully, the regular StarWars.com website won't be hurt (content-wise) because of Hyperspace. Hosting something like a deleted scene would have eaten up all of the official site's bandwidth. Most of us know how slow the official site runs when a new trailer is released, and those usually are hosted on Apple's site, not StarWars.com. With Hyperspace, the users are helping pay for the bandwidth, and in return, they are getting access to exclusive items that wouldn't have been released before, or they are getting access a day or two earlier than everyone else will.

The "precedent" of paying to view exclusive content isn't new to Star Wars fans. We've shelled out money for DVD's with exclusive cut scenes and documentaries, or for re-re-releases of the Original Trilogy, with different 10 minute documentaries at the beginnings. You know what? Just like Hyperspace, those were optional. If you didn't want to see the new documentaries or whatever the special features were, you didn't have to pay for them. The regular Official Site is just as free as it always was. You only have to pay if you want the exclusive bonus content. It's not like they are taking away something after giving it to you. They're just expecting you to pay if you want even more.

 

" Hosting something like a deleted scene would have eaten up all of the official site's bandwidth. Most of us know how slow the official site runs when a new trailer is released, and those usually are hosted on Apple's site, not StarWars.com. With Hyperspace, the users are helping pay for the bandwidth, ...
"

Well, on that note, just image if this content was free to everyone. Charging people to view this sort of bandwidth intensive content keep the hits down, thus reducing the amount of bandwidtht that they would actually need if everyone had access to it. So, from that perspective I can understand it. Also, I hope they have boosted their bandwidth since the first day as the site was so bogged down I had to refresh several times to even get a page to load up. LOL! I hope you get your money's worth

 

Seeing Carrie Fisher and her stunt double both trying to get a tan while wearing gold bikini's has definitely made it worth it.

And hopefully they do get more bandwidth. I do think that a lot of the people who tried accessing the site when the trial started either will cancel their subscription before they get charged, or left when they found out they had to give a credit card number to access the free preview.

 

Damn straight, YodaJeff!

I think ultimately some people are pissed because by charging $20/yr, LFL forces them to realize that their beloved Star Wars is really just a commodity to be bought and sold.

As personally as we all feel about these movies, it's important to remember that they are JUST MOVIES. Sure they're artistic and they've had a tremendous cultural impact. But it's ok for the artist to charge money -- especially when there is so great a public demand for his art.

Who cares if you've been buying SW bedsheets, Underoos, and action figures for some 20 odd years?! LFL owes you nothing in return. It's a business, not a personal relationship.

Personally I won't be signing up for Hyperspace, but that's just because I don't want to be spoiled for ep. 3. It's bad enough that I already know about the return of a classic character. I don't want to know any more.

And if I were interested in being spoiled, then I would pay up without a second thought. For everything that Hyperspace seems to offer, $20/yr is a steal.

 

Seeing Carrie Fisher and her stunt double both trying to get a tan while wearing gold bikini's has definitely made it worth it

POST. PICTURE. NOW. I don't care if it's illegal. I am in need of seeing teh sexy.

... at least PM or e-mail me it?

God, I'm pathetic


Rick McCallum loves you!

 

Ooh, Hyperspace members get to talk to Rick McCallum at the official site messageboards at 6:00 PM Pacific time today.

 

Someone please ask if he loves us.


____ you can fill in the blank here... ____

 

CoK is really struggling with this Hyperspace thing.

CoK remembers seeing the Star Wars with my Dadwhen it come out. We did not see it quickly after its release because Little CoK was scared of that large hairy wookiee monster. What a relief it was to find out he was a good guy.

Then in high school, CoK was able to convince his Mom to drop COK off at the movies time and time again to see ESB.

And jedi, seen with buddies from sleep away camp.

The prequels have ad there own special moments. Lining up with family, road trips to celebration to share in this fan madness that Star wars has become.

CoK has no problem with paying for Star Wars stuff...lord knows CoK would be rich if all the Star wars monies had been invested.....
but Hyperspace feels like something that should be free and used to be free with previous films.

The dilemma is this. It is the last time we can get the momentum going for this last great film. After this film.....there is no more StarWars so part of CoK wants to enjoy Hyperspace.....the other part is downright pissed that the corporate machine is asking us for more cash.

CoK must admit........this wook is vexed.

Subscribe...or nor subscribe........??

 

I am a Hyperspace member.

The choice is yours if you want to pay for extra features.

As you already know, you get a live webcam, set diary, Bantha Tracks, new videos, one of them which I watched today (I will say that I now know why the scene was not on the DVD. It was not completed in visiual effects at all).

There are plenty of other things to see as well on the site on just a cheap $19.95 a year!

I like it.