I think we can change things

[Eric]

3. make updates about it on the main page

I can handle that.

Although I'm not making any guarantees until we have a solid plan

 

[Sean]

Although I'm not making any guarantees until we have a solid plan

It's really difficult to keep plans rolling. We've had about 3 of these threads within the past 12 months. And of course threre has always been a boost of activity. Afterwards people get complacent. In essense, get this off the ground and keep interest. Simple as that.

Edit:

months ago me and Corey had a talk about this section and he made some valid points as to the outline of this section. In all, it's on you guys (as someone already said)

 

[Sexual White Chocolate]

i don't want an argument. but seriously, when people here are actually trying to think of ways to revive this place and you come in here with comments like:

Try actually participating in the SotW before you expect me to request it to be on the front page again.

it really doesn't help. it's very pessimistic. i'd imagine as one of the more veteran members of this section, and moderator, you'd want the best for the section.

It's not pessimistic; it's realistic. Being angry and boycotting a SotW because of the theme? That's just stupid. If you had or have a problem with any theme, there's a discussion and ideas thread. You can contact the person in charge, etc. The last theme was up for a month straight with only two participants- one of which was me. This time around Pablo decided to try and revive. Fine, fine. But there's only been two participants who posted. One of which was you, and though without a tag, you at least posted for activity's sake. The other was Vossler, who has since retracted and deleted his post, though he's the one who started this thread.

The point I'm trying to make is that we can sit and complain and offer ideas about this, or we can actually do them. In the last thread that was like this, it basically ended with me pretty much saying that I can't help you guys if you don't try and help yourselves. You may feel you are with this thread, but until you actually do things, you can only go so far. DM continues to go through waves of activity and inactivity, with each time getting worse and worse. There's not really any worries of elitism at this point, I'd say everyone's gotten on some good ground with that compared to the last talk, by far. However complacency still kills it. Yes, people have things to do outside of here. Yes, people get bored and/or just don't tag as much. But there's a certain level of balance in activity that this place can only achieve once it's members sit down and decide they want it to be more active, and thusly get up and do something to add to that activity.
No one wants to post in a dead forum, so post and make sure it's not dead. Then people will be more willing to come.

And I would go as far as to say I am the most 'veteran' member of this forum, though it's not a term I like to use often with it's past discrepancies in the term's meaning. Still, that's irrelevant. If you've ever seen a single post from mine in a thread similar to this, and I know you very well have, Cloud, it's clear what I want for this section. I can give ideas all day, but realistically threads like this are just quick fixes until the next DM trough and what I want to do is address the real problem, if only one at a time. And problems change as members change, since everything comes down to our own human errors. But most of the older members fall into dirty habits and the quicker we can adjust the newer members into good habits as we try to correct our own, like joining a SotW for the fun of trying their skill in different restrictions, or posting BECAUSE no one else is, etc., the better off this place will be.

I don't mind threads like this at all. They're made with very good intentions, and I support those intentions. Discussion is great. It's just there's always been a certain level of saying and doing and relying on the mods that really just leads this place into the same direction every. single. time.

 

[Eric]

months ago me and Corey had a talk about this section and he made some valid points as to the outline of this section. In all, it's on you guys (as someone already said)

Yeah and that's the problem. No one is really interested anymore, and it shows.

If we could somehow find what it is people would be interested in then maybe we can get something going. We also need to be looking for ways to appeal to other artists.

As a matter of fact let's knock out the first problem right now: WHAT is everyone interested in? What do you find yourself doing most when it comes to art?

I know for me I've been getting into digipainting and photo manipulation. I definitely don't tag anymore, unless I'm asked too.

 

[Sean]

Eric: I think we know everyone's interests, I mean we're all pretty close here and if not we can all just get to know each other over time. I mean as a matter of fact, the past year here there's always been that group that's stuck around.

As for ideas, I've literally tried everything in the book...that has nothing to do with tagging. And since summer/college is coming up, I'm sure I can pump several more ideas into this place given the time factor and with the help of the mods in this place (who I rarely see nowadays). But that might be due to the limited content. Of course Ken came in here and tried to try something new and that kind of flopped before it got off the ground. But it also kind of rubs me the wrong way that a regular member has to make a thread like this rather that a mod. It's almost like you're not motivated to keep this place alive and kicking. But that's just my opinion. We'll see what happens in the coming weeks and we can only go up from here guys.

 

[Professor Ven]

Eric: I think we know everyone's interests, I mean we're all pretty close here and if not we can all just get to know each other over time. I mean as a matter of fact, the past year here there's always been that group that's stuck around.

As for ideas, I've literally tried everything in the book...that has nothing to do with tagging. And since summer/college is coming up, I'm sure I can pump several more ideas into this place given the time factor and with the help of the mods in this place (who I rarely see nowadays). But that might be due to the limited content. Of course Ken came in here and tried to try something new and that kind of flopped before it got off the ground. But it also kind of rubs me the wrong way that a regular member has to make a thread like this rather that a mod. It's almost like you're not motivated to keep this place alive and kicking. But that's just my opinion. We'll see what happens in the coming weeks and we can only go up from here guys.

Tbh this guy ^ was the first to take like one-two hours out of his time to show me how to make my first signature.

Just got CS5 on new laptop to try and replicate what I learned; I'll suck now, but hopefully I'll get better down the road.

 

[Eric]

I don't think waiting is going to do much. We've got everyone we'll ever have for the next few weeks right here. I'd rather start trying to figure out what everyone wants now because in a couple of weeks I will most likely not care anymore.

 

[Sean]

Tbh this guy ^ was the first to take like one-two hours out of his time to show me how to make my first signature.

Just got CS5 on new laptop to try and replicate what I learned; I'll suck now, but hopefully I'll get better down the road.

I'll PM you a bit later (In a couple hours).

I don't think waiting is going to do much. We've got everyone we'll ever have for the next few weeks right here. I'd rather start trying to figure out what everyone wants now because in a couple of weeks I will most likely not care anymore.

lol I think we have 4 pages to decipher what everyone wants.

 

[Cloud]

It's not pessimistic; it's realistic. Being angry and boycotting a SotW because of the theme? That's just stupid. If you had or have a problem with any theme, there's a discussion and ideas thread. You can contact the person in charge, etc.

I didn't have a problem with the theme when it was created, just not my cup of tea. I do have a problem when you put the blame on the rest of the members for not being active in the competition. Fair enough, people didn't enter, and that's a problem. You clearly recognised this problem and maybe should've done something about it, ie. make a more interesting, enticing theme.

There's blame on both parts, but i felt your initial post was way too harsh on the regular members. If you didn't mean any harm i apologise for the way i reacted.

The point I'm trying to make is that we can sit and complain and offer ideas about this, or we can actually do them. In the last thread that was like this, it basically ended with me pretty much saying that I can't help you guys if you don't try and help yourselves. You may feel you are with this thread, but until you actually do things, you can only go so far. DM continues to go through waves of activity and inactivity, with each time getting worse and worse. There's not really any worries of elitism at this point, I'd say everyone's gotten on some good ground with that compared to the last talk, by far. However complacency still kills it. Yes, people have things to do outside of here. Yes, people get bored and/or just don't tag as much. But there's a certain level of balance in activity that this place can only achieve once it's members sit down and decide they want it to be more active, and thusly get up and do something to add to that activity.
No one wants to post in a dead forum, so post and make sure it's not dead. Then people will be more willing to come.

And I would go as far as to say I am the most 'veteran' member of this forum, though it's not a term I like to use often with it's past discrepancies in the term's meaning. Still, that's irrelevant. If you've ever seen a single post from mine in a thread similar to this, and I know you very well have, Cloud, it's clear what I want for this section. I can give ideas all day, but realistically threads like this are just quick fixes until the next DM trough and what I want to do is address the real problem, if only one at a time. And problems change as members change, since everything comes down to our own human errors. But most of the older members fall into dirty habits and the quicker we can adjust the newer members into good habits as we try to correct our own, like joining a SotW for the fun of trying their skill in different restrictions, or posting BECAUSE no one else is, etc., the better off this place will be.

I don't mind threads like this at all. They're made with very good intentions, and I support those intentions. Discussion is great. It's just there's always been a certain level of saying and doing and relying on the mods that really just leads this place into the same direction every. single. time.

I agree with this 100%

Anyway, like i said a few pages back, i have no problem with trying to make a few tuts to try and spark some interest for new members. I'll get to making those asap.

I'll also try to maybe 'advertise' the section in the foyer section. I think it'd help a lot if we all tried this, maybe to make it like a trend, i'unno.

 

[Sean]

I feel like we should have the badges under our user info as a reward for some competition as well as having our art featured (if that's possible). Adds kind of an incentive to actually TRY to win rather than getting filler entries up there just to add 'competition'. And I think other contests aside from SotW should be in suit. Just sayin'

EDIT:

Or just awards in general. Guaranteed more involvements and activity withing the section I promise you.

EDIT2:

GOOD awards.

 

[Cloud]

how about "Critique the signature above you"? similar to "rate the sig above you", but with more in depth comments. idk

 

[Vossler]

I know that I am not the first choice and probably won't be, but I will hold the staff position, I can post the sotw entry on the main site and front page if given the ability. I am willing to do whatever I can to get results out of this place and would love seeing them. I agree with not allowing filling option just to add to competition. I really think that we need to add a strict no pre-made rule to the sotw. Also Choclate the only reason that I withdrew my entry is because I saw how old the thread was and figure that it wasn't going to happen, which wouldn't be the first time that it has happen to a sotw due to inactivity.

I do agree also with what Sean said on mod inactivity, Ken did step up to it and try to help, I respect that. I just wish we could get more mods in here and help. Now if you are a mod of this section and no longer want to help I understand that, just hand your duties down to someone who would be willing to do there part and help out. I am already starting to see people lose intrest in this section that I would never think would lose intrest in. Things change I understand that, if you don't want part in something you shouldn't be made to do it. I just really still think that there is a population here that can really make this section thrive and be successful, it just may take a little hard work.

I support the badge system, maybe not a badge for every sotw you win but a badge that you get for winning the sotw, and maybe a point on that badge everytime you win another. There is stuff out there to be done, we just need the people who are willing to get out there and do it.

Also if people want I am all for still doing the stockless theme, or we can change the theme and do a KH theme sotw to kind of get the ball rolling like we talked about earlier. If anyone has anything they want to see done, PM me and I will see what we can do about the situation.

 

[Ðari]

We could just use this thread and its posts as an example for the community thats, either reading it or posting actively in this section that participate in the very same in other ongoings in DM.

Based off the feed back and alertness,

Sean
Cloud
Zook
Davey
Vossler
Apple Jaxx
Sexual White Chocolate
Pablo (way too many gaps in your activity modbrodude)
Shinkiro
CaptainMarvelQ8

Actually never really seen Prof, Merope, Siren or Amae as regulars.

I honestly think, after the 06-08 crowd, the influx staggeringly dwindled.
Claims of elitism is irrelevant, redundant, and just bland; so implications about it within any critique, request, or comment mere skepticism.

Also, we could do well to stem that teaching element through resources in application to actual design if there be a time, place, and call for it. Requesting materials, hell even tutorials in relevance to basic Color Theory, Art Theory, or the bell curve to stimulate more content to read [DM Illustrated is a good reference o/ ]

I do also get your general take on the approach to what we're posting. Large Pieces, Splashes, some Illy designs, hell even flash animations would be a change of pace, never really said we had to limit our outlet to straight manipulation of the elements that be (namely pixels :/) Though, this community isn't that well outsourced so you'd imagine as to why we post some fairly abysmal works because the mainstream is so linear and sits within a single constraint with the exception of a purposeful SotW you know?

Just my two pennies.

 

[Eric]

Ok so what we need to do is:

Critique more

Post other artwork

Try and be active in sotw

?

 

[Vossler]

To start,I say that we redo the current sotw, weather the mods want to keep the current theme, or go to a KH one. Try and see if the admins will allow us to put the winner of said sotw on the front page, and front page of the site. One last thing is to see if we can get a badge system going for the sotw.

Also on another note on problems that we have come across with on the sotw, I understand that it is sotw, but I think we should have a few more open possibilites, what I mean by that is, if someone wants to enter a lp or splash, something that is a little more than signature size should be a loud at times now unless stated otherwise there still should be a limit on the size of the sotw entries. I know that it is sotw, but we should still be a little more open to more output.

 

[digital gopher]

I came here to find someone to help out with a new design for khi and came across this little thread. Worrisome to say the least. But, I want to help. We can work on adding the SOTW feature to the main page again.. Or something along those lines if you all want.

 

[Vossler]

I came here to find someone to help out with a new design for khi and came across this little thread. Worrisome to say the least. But, I want to help. We can work on adding the SOTW feature to the main page again.. Or something along those lines if you all want.

Awesome I will be glad to see that again. While on that note, are we going to go with the current sotw theme or do we want a KH one to start getting some work done so the front page will look nice and accordingly to the site?

 

[darren]

I remember KHI back in the day...back when it was still a .net site. The enthusiasm in the site back then was awesome, and admittedly its a wasteland in comparison now. But as a site based on a game franchise that hasn't done all that much in recent years that's expected. Every once in a while I come back to see whats up, but only for the graphics section really. Anyways, its summer break where I'm at so with the free time might as well dust off the ol Photoshop, and I guess the whole point of this post is to show that I wanna help keep this place from dying, too many good memories.

 

[Lancelot]

Personally, I think we need to get some more inclusive tournaments happening, like we have done before; winner goes on until two are left and whatnot. Along with that, some teaching here and there to give some new artists incentive to participate would be great, with the members who have time to be able to do it. Hell, maybe even making it like the Newb Adoption Agency could work. Some advertising on the main page would be great too, obviously. Just a banner for some people to look at that can link straight to the DM with a little "join in on the fun!" or some other slogan would be good for those who may not otherwise see the section, and so they can see what great artists are around and try their hand at it.

 

[CaptainMarvelQ8]

Resources, tutorials, Renders(that section is dead)....this is what i had in mind,since PS'ers usually search for this kind of stuff i'm sure that it would attract new people
i remember Kaz used to make his own packs a long time ago but he stopped,that section needs to be brought back
Also,something i remember had fun viewing was when people call others out competitions and then vote