Ziff Davis Media pulls the Plug on FileFront?

AdmiralHocking · 03-24-2009, 07:34 PM

I'm suspicious that this is some kind of early April Fools prank, however it seems that ZDM have finally pulled the plug on FileFront after filing for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy last year. Despite having been 'confirmed' by several presently serving members of staff - I am wondering if they are playing along with a rather odd joke.

None the less, if this happens and no one picks up FileFront; EFFiles is going to disappear. If there are any files you wish to salvage from any of the Network Sites - I would recommend doing so sharpish.

The FileFront Forums appear to already have been purged.

http://www.therogueforums.com/filefr...rvation-forum/

http://www.therogueforums.com/talk-u...king-soon.html
http://www.therogueforums.com/hot-of...ugee-camp.html

Admin Edit: Help spread the word of this; http://digg.com/gaming_news/FileFron...doors_March_30

Update 2: UberGames has a complete backup of all EF1 Files from EFFiles. We also are getting backups of JKFiles, CnC Files, Armada, EAW and KOTOR Files

Update 3: I'm chatting with Jeff (N0e) who was the community manager at FileFront, he might beable to get more space to back up every site... More news soon

sharpkiller · 03-24-2009, 07:39 PM

Source?

It seams very unusual for a community website to pull the plug without some kind of formal "goodbye" announcement.

USS Enterprise Server · 03-24-2009, 07:42 PM

Maybe they couldn't afford to. Wow, that would suck. EFfiles has a lot of files, that can't be replaced. I am really shocked that they couldn't keep from going under because they do have paying users. EFfiles doesn't, but File Front does.
Huh, that is weird.

AdmiralHocking · 03-24-2009, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sharpkiller

Source?

It seams very unusual for a community website to pull the plug without some kind of formal "goodbye" announcement.

The FileFront Forums were replaced by an Apache installation page several hours ago, after reading a thread that I do not wish to link to; I spoke with one of the Network Administrators.

He confirmed in very few words what people have been panicking about. Despite trusting him completely, a part of me is still suspicious that this is a rather early April Fools joke.

That aside, it's better to be safe than sorry.

Quote:

Originally Posted by USS Enterprise Server

I am really shocked that they couldn't keep from going under because they do have paying users. EFfiles doesn't, but File Front does.
Huh, that is weird.

FileFront doesn't have any paying users anymore, FastPass was pulled last year.

USS Enterprise Server · 03-24-2009, 07:55 PM

I guess that is one of the reasons that they went under then.
Think that they will recover?

AdmiralHocking · 03-24-2009, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by USS Enterprise Server

I guess that is one of the reasons that they went under then.
Think that they will recover?

The loss of FastPass will not have been what killed FileFront if this happens. ZDM have been in financial trouble for months, the 1Up News Network was absorbed by UGO not all that long ago.

Edit; This is taken from the thread I previously mentioned.

Quote:

I've spent several hours today trying to find out what happened, the closest I got to an answer is "financial trouble". I'll be the first to agree that it doesn't make sense, and I myself wholeheartedly hope it is, in fact, a bad April fools joke. I have not been able to talk to Jeff (n0e) as of yet, however a conversation with Jakob (Dreadnought) revealed that it Jeff got fired, along with the rest of the Filefront management. Conversations with Nathan (STALKER) and Duane (Hfx-Rebel) revealed that the software used to moderate and submit content to the network sites is locked down. I will be calling Chris (Lord Wiener) tomorrow about this, and I will also be trying to contact Sean (Revenge).

I promise you all that if this is a joke, I am not in on it thusfar. If anyone finds me to be lying, I'll put down the admin position I have here, and the supermod position I had at GF.

Anyway, all the points that Giz made are very valid, and I've asked the same questions. Why is there no notification on the Filefront main site, or on the Ziff Davis website? Why didn't they put up a small html file if nothing else saying "Closed due to lack of funds."? The answer I keep getting is "corporate america". All I can say is that ZD never did seem to take a shine to FileFront, so I wouldn't be completely shocked if this was real. Disappointed, yes. But not shocked.

TiM · 03-24-2009, 09:49 PM

*Posted on UberGames Front Page*

When I read this, it sent a chill through my spine.

EFFiles is just one of those sites I would have assumed to just always be there. I've been frequenting it, and have worked as a file reviewer on it on and off ever since EF first came out.

I really do hope this is a joke. I'm not really sure what would happen to EF as a whole if EFFiles went down. Certainly it's one of the major community hubs.

I wonder though, I had a chat with RedTechie on this matter. I'm not sure how possible/feasible it is, but if it does go down, we would definitely be willing to preserve as much of the data as we can here on the UberGames server.

I guess in the meantime, just to be on the safe-side, maybe we should draw up a list of 'must-have' files to download off of there?

And yeah, I was pretty sad when Ziff sold off 1UP. A lot of the guys I like to listen to on the 1UP podcasts got canned in the process.

AdmiralHocking · 03-24-2009, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TiM

I wonder though, I had a chat with RedTechie on this matter. I'm not sure how possible/feasible it is, but if it does go down, we would definitely be willing to preserve as much of the data as we can here on the UberGames server.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TiM

I guess in the meantime, just to be on the safe-side, maybe we should draw up a list of 'must-have' files to download off of there?

I've downloaded the source map files, character files and such. In addition to the two versions of Radiant, the PC & Mac 1.2 patch, Pakscape and Pk3 Support for Windows XP.

As well as a small plethora of other files including a few Roleplaying maps and Single Player modifications.

Ricksal0224 · 03-24-2009, 10:30 PM

I've downloaded the entire Federation-->Canon TNG-DS9-VOY section from BCFiles.

Scooter · 03-24-2009, 11:54 PM

There is way too much awesome stuff on all the FileFront sites to archive it all.

Apprentice · 03-25-2009, 03:30 AM

I'm not afraid that EFfiles or any other Filesnetwork site will disappear, as they are at some level still a seporate entity within Filefront so they remain active in one form or another. I'm sure that Pro-Filer and the other bozo's will take care of that.

Secondly, I'm not THAT mournfull of Filefront. For the last six months, I questioned their level of competence since I got 14 files there which apperantly takes no disk space, no bandwith, no Filefront users have downloaded them and apperantly my submitted files no longer exists. It seems that they're not bothered to fix it, so I'm not bothered to continue with them since I already was in the process of removing those files but apperantly it won't be nessacery anymore. Good riddance!

The only thing I was waiting for on the Filefront forums, was that Serenity map that was under development but I'm confident that it will be released elswhere . . .

Dom · 03-25-2009, 04:26 AM

Pro-Filer left some time ago for a new job. He isn't around at all anymore.

I'm trying to work out if there is a way to fully backup EFFiles... Trying at least.

sharpkiller · 03-25-2009, 05:24 AM

As I was speaking to Hocking last night, he suggested that filesharing may be a solution if EFFiles does die.

TiM · 03-25-2009, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dom

I'm trying to work out if there is a way to fully backup EFFiles... Trying at least.

Please do. Although if it does indeed get taken down, I see no reason why they would want to horde the data.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sharpkiller

As I was speaking to Hocking last night, he suggested that filesharing may be a solution if EFFiles does die.

Apparently the collected file size of all of the files on EFFiles is only like 15GB... I know of bigger Torrent files.

Either way yeah.... worse case scenario, I'm sure if we all worked together, we could probably restore most of the content in some form.

Either way.... this hasn't actually been confirmed yet though...

Dom · 03-25-2009, 06:53 AM

If there's a way to mass backup stuff from EFFiles, with everything locked out I havent found a way...

Just watching the twitter stream; http://search.twitter.com/search?q=filefront

Pille · 03-25-2009, 08:54 AM

EliteForceFiles like all other network sites will get completly deleted on the 30th, no backup will be made. The staff members of various network sites and voluntary helpers are currently downloading as many things as possible to bring them onto a new site by Ronnie called modnetwork.com I think.

Personally I would not mind using my currently un-used vBulletin license to start up a forum covering all the FF Star Trek games and possibly more, seeing the 2 big ST games networks are too busy tearing the flesh off each other, however I would require some support there as I will not be able to do this all on my own. Anyone interested?

Dom · 03-25-2009, 09:07 AM

Pille where did you find out this info? I've looked everywhere and cant find anything (emails, etc etc) and Ronnie isn't answering on MSN (I dont think he's around).

I'm still hoping to get a hold of somebody who still has access to the servers to so we can do a mass dump of the EF files onto this server. Unforgivably we don't have the space to dump every FilesNetwork site, only really EFFiles.

Pille · 03-25-2009, 09:10 AM

The info is mainly from Ronnie, I talked to him on MSN last night.

Vincent · 03-25-2009, 09:12 AM

I would be interested.

I volunteer to help at any forum, website, database etc. that will be made for EF. I'm a frequent visitor of effiles.com, and used many other FF websites too, and it's a dead shame that these sites have to go. If anyone needs any help setting up something new for this community, that is still in some ways quite active (just look at the monthly download numbers, PotDs, comments, etc.). We can't loose this...

-Vincent

Apprentice · 03-25-2009, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pille

EliteForceFiles like all other network sites will get completly deleted on the 30th, no backup will be made. The staff members of various network sites and voluntary helpers are currently downloading as many things as possible to bring them onto a new site by Ronnie called modnetwork.com I think.

And what about the domain EFfiles.com and subsequently ?? Will they become available again or are they going to be put away on digital shelves, never to be used again ??

Pille · 03-25-2009, 09:19 AM

They will most likely simply let the domains run out which leads to automatical sail.

And yes thanks Vincent, if there is anybody else interested in the creation of a forum for Trek games, please contact me via PM or MSN, I definately need help in case this gets started. Administrators, Moderators, content editors, everything and everyone is welcome

RedTechie · 03-25-2009, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Apprentice

And what about the domain EFfiles.com and subsequently ?? Will they become available again or are they going to be put away on digital shelves, never to be used again ??

Probably domain squated by Ziff Davis. Just like paramount is doing with the EF source code. Companies like to sit on their digital assets even if they don't use them anymore. Its annoying!

Dom · 03-25-2009, 09:54 AM

Either way we need to spread the word that FileFront is closing it's doors so that people can go away and backup all the files they deem to be important.

http://digg.com/gaming_news/FileFron...doors_March_30

The Tenth Doctor · 03-25-2009, 12:16 PM

http://farewell.filefront.com/

We are all very sad to see Elite Force Files and Filefront in general bite the dust. I hope that the loss of a hub such as Effiles does not cause the non-RPG-X area of the community to die too, because that would be a real shame. Its been less than 24 hours since things were buisness as usual on the site, so you can see how quickly this has happened.

In any case, IKS Yo Mamma and several other admins from sites across the network are attempting to save a handful of the sites by moving them elsewhere and are in the process of backing up the entire database. More on that as we make progress. We suggest you also go and download what you need NOW, as on the 30th, everything ends.

For now, UberGames and the EFR site are the closest things EF has to a hub, so check those for updates.

In conclusion: This sucks. =[

AdmiralHocking · 03-25-2009, 12:33 PM

I don't have much confidence in the previously mentioned ModNetwork.

As much as I like and trust Ronnie, he has been working on it for over a year with very little progress. The first time he showed it to me, it was originally a Babe Site with Babe of the Day instead of Picture of the Day etc.