Behind the Scenes- Growth and Renewal

THE VISION:

The Titan Owners Club co-owners share a special vision for TOC and its members.  Doubtless, we know that the TOC membership has the vision of being seen as the premier group of Forge World Titan (and xenos engine) owners in the world.  You do so not only by proudly showing off your god-engines, but your creativity, intelligence, modeling and battle prowess, and spirit of kinship.  TOC's two owners share that same vision and add to it with a desire to bring events, special festivals, mastery of knowledge, and much more besides.  Today, we want to take you behind the scenes yet again so that you have a glimpse of what has happened...and what will be happening soon.  Like the Eldar god Ynnead so recently brought into 40k by Games Workshop, so too does the Titan Owners Club see the birth of new things.

WHERE WE STAND:

In November 2016 the Titan Owners Club hit 100,000 page views.  Today, we are at just under 211,000; averaging now over 11,000 views per month.  We are picking up pace and steam, gaining more and more exposure with each new Titan and each major thing that we do.  What we offer now are the Titans themselves, the pride and showpiece of the TOC.  We love to post what you have, each update you bring us, each new engine that graces the pages of this site.  

Many of you thank us for what we do, but we want to remind you that without YOU, this site is nothing more than a page.

It is because of what you do, what you inspire in us, that we continue to innovate and bring new features to you.  It is your passion and desire for greatness that saw of the birth of:

• Titan Owner Interviews- your moment in the spotlight
• Collegia Titanica- the tactical usage of your Titans, its weapons, and more besides
• Painting Guides and Fabrication- sections dedicated to helping other Titan owners reach the goal
• News coverage- articles and links designed to help you learn about what is going on in the realm of Titans and keep you on the front lines of knowledge
• Titan Literature Reviews- articles designed to let you know more, buff up on fluff, and place your money where it will bring you enjoyment in lore

These are features we have gladly added to the TOC in order to create a varied and enjoyable experience for all who visit the site.  The co-owners wish to become experts in everything associated with Titans, from Skitarii to background fluff (Titan gurus if you will), and through that journey we hope to bring you along and share the experience.  We've made it pretty far too, since we now stand at 134 registered Titans at the time of this posting.  It wasn't that long ago that we hit the 100 mark.  Many more are yet to come and the pace quickens for us.  Things have gotten so strong for the TOC that we now no longer look to the immediate needs of our content, but to its future.

GROWTH AND RENEWAL:

Like any well nurtured offspring (this one of the mind), growth is rapid and often unexpected in its timing.  The TOC has far exceeded the growth we expected and we are proud of that fact.  So much growth has occured, in fact, that in some ways the blog struggles at times with being able to let you guys communicate with one another, that we need to find simpler and faster means to update data, or that you even operate on a scale so large that we have to help make sure you guys have a medium to really let the creativity out.  To that end, Titan Owners Club has looked at three key items that were identified at the end of 2016 as the key initiatives for 2017.  However, fate throws even the best prepared warrior a twist, and TOC can now say that there are FOUR initiatives for the year.  What will we do to meet these initiatives and what are they?

Renew the Global Battlefield

The Global Battlefield is an initiative that has been off of the TOC blog for some time due to the demanding needs of the data it takes to upkeep.  While both of us are proficient in GIS software, you'd be amazed how much setup time it takes to make the updates simple.  By contrast, the simple way to update things requires a lot of upkeep.  In GIS, there is rarely a way to hit the balance.  

We are proud to announce that the Global Battlefield WILL be returning to the TOC in 2017, revamped, simplified (on the updates), and most importantly, up to date.  New GIS tools and the creation of the Titan Owners Database mean that we can add in data as each Titan is registered and once we've developed the proper mapping software setup, this data can automatically update for us each time we do a data refresh on the files we need.  This means MUCH faster updates to the Global Battlefield and we'll watch the world burn once more.

Forums

This is the biggest request that the TOC co-owners have received over the last six months.  To call the discussions about it "serious and furious" would be an understatement.  One of the biggest draws to TOC membership is the ability to be in touch with one another, share ideas, and discuss a shared love, help, or anything else.  Unfortunately, the only means of communication you currently have with one another is in the comments of a post.  It feels less personal and sometimes the fact you go off topic becomes uncomfortable for you.  

We understand how you feel and we definitely want to help make sure you have the avenues of communication you deserve.  Hosting forums is no easy feat depending on how you approach it.  We have to look at things in terms of cost, availability, maintenance, and web design.  However, we are looking into adding forums for 2017.  Soon, Princeps, you shall have your own personal TOC noosphere to communicate on.

Events

The second biggest thing to be discussed by the TOC membership has been organized events where you seem eager to blast one another to dust.  You seek to test yourselves and also to experience that camaraderie face to face.  Fellow Titan owners, those days have come.  Titan Owners Club will soon be sponsoring official TOC events for your lovely engines to take part in.  Each event will be different, and furthermore, events will be held throughout the world where we can manage them.  Shadow will spearhead the North America events while Drake will handle Europe.  Soon, the world will tremble to the floor wars of the Titan Owners Club in 28mm scale.  The logistics are still in the works, but the basic framework has come together.  Soon, you'll get to pit your guns against one another.

Adeptus Titanicus

It wouldn't be Titan Owners Club and an achievement of our vision if we didn't help the TOC to be a big part of the AT craze.  TOC has helped to keep its membership abreast of all of the news for the new game and we will continue to do so.  As a result of membership requests and seeing the popularity of this upcoming game, the TOC site will soon add an Adeptus Titanicus page to the blog, as well as to have content specifically for that game.  This new feature will not replace or reduce the influence of the Forge World Titans on the site, but is meant to complement TOC's current offerings and add to the experience.  

THE FUTURE:

The Titan Owners Club continues to grow and expand.  Now that our growth has really come to light, so too will our offerings and new plans.  We hope that these upcoming initiatives will forge a bright and bountiful 2017 for the membership and make the experience even more rewarding than we've already tried to make it.  Thanks to all of you that make up the TOC and for what you help us to be.

Shadow and Drake

TOC Co-owners and Fellow Princeps