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Six-Month Check-In

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28 replies to this topic

#1 Offline -Windrider-

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Posted Jun 12 2013 - 11:49 PM

It's been around six months since the launch of OTC, and I ask you all, how has it been? Has the forum exceeded expectations? Has it disappointed?

 

Suggestions for improvements? Formal complaints? I know there's a Tracker ticket out there suggesting that posts be made to count in this forum. Unfortunately, that's beyond my control and implicates more than the flipping of that one switch! Here is the ticket, for reference. Other than that, anything? If you have something you want to bring up privately, feel free to PM me or Makaru.

 

Also hey we should do a contest sometime, but that would be quite tricky with how diverse this forum is. : X


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#2 Offline habrfadtuegwtdlml?

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Posted Jun 12 2013 - 11:59 PM

well, I wasn't here when the OTC launched, so I can't comment on about three months, but it's certainly doing very well. some of the RPGs died out :/ but other than that, I like it :D


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Has anyone really been far as decided to use even go want to do look more like?

Has anyone really been far as decided to use even go want to do look more like?

Has anyone really been far as decided to use even go want to do look more like?

Has anyone really been far as decided to use even go want to do look more like?

Has anyone really been far as decided to use even go want to do look more like?

Has anyone really been far as decided to use even go want to do look more like?

Has anyone really been far as decided to use even go want to do look more like?

Has anyone really been far as decided to use even go want to do look more like?

Has anyone really been far as decided to use even go want to do look more like?


#3 Offline Phantom Terror

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Posted Jun 13 2013 - 06:32 AM

I think that it's had a pretty good turnout so far.


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#4 Offline Sumiki

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Posted Jun 13 2013 - 08:47 AM

[font="Palatino;"]It's definitely one of the most popular forums I moderate and ranks up there with one of the most active on the entire board. In an era where BZP activity has shrunk on the whole, forums that can keep up a steady stream of activity are valuable. However, I'm still opposed to the possibility of making posts count here. I think people like to compare OTC to RPG when it's really more similar to COT.[/font]

Edited by Sumiki, Jun 13 2013 - 08:47 AM.

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#5 Offline Phantom Terror

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Posted Jun 13 2013 - 08:51 AM

I'm kind of opposed to having posts count on RPGs altogether. You can easily get up to 1000 within two months just by creating random characters and killing them off/dropping them quickly.


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#6 Offline Aikuro Mikisugi

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Posted Jun 13 2013 - 09:08 AM

I'm kind of opposed to having posts count on RPGs altogether. You can easily get up to 1000 within two months just by creating random characters and killing them off/dropping them quickly.

 

No one does this. What I would be concerned about, however, is people inflating their post counts with two or three word ICs in an OTC RPG and reaching into the thousands after a couple months.

 

-Tyler


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#7 Offline Havelock Vetinari

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Posted Jun 13 2013 - 09:13 AM

Compared to other forums, very active. It tapered off a bit, but it seems to be picking up once more. 


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#8 Offline Engineer Alexandra Humva

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Posted Jun 13 2013 - 09:42 AM

[font="'courier new', courier, monospace;"]I say the forum is doing splendid, even if the RPGs could use some more members. I'm sure with time more will come, though.[/font]


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#9 Online Grochi of Potoos

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Posted Jun 13 2013 - 01:08 PM

I think it's been rather beneficial to BZP in terms of keeping up activity; after all, with Bionicle's ending, the fact that we have the off-topic forums is rather important, and where before people wouldn't want to go into the CoT forum due simply to the mass of everything there, the OTC forum has helped to keep people interested if they just want to take part in the arts, but not all the little forum games or topics about Transformers and X-Men and Star Wars and what-not.

 

Although, I'm opposed to the idea of making OTC posts count for the same reasons Tyler mentioned: It would be far too easy to inflate post count in that way, because there hardly ever seems to be some generally accepted standard of post length in the OTC RPGs, and those are, after all, the most popular part of the forum.


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#10 Offline -Windrider-

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Posted Jun 14 2013 - 03:08 PM

Yeah, the question of posts counting is tricky. I believe I had the radical idea of just flipping the switch to "on" for all forums, in hopes that it might be beneficial to overall forum activity, but the counterpoints are the suffering of the existing post-counting forums and the possibility of inflation in COT games, for instance. I'm not sure if people would take advantage of post count inflation opportunities in the RPGs here, but what I'm sure would happen is that people would then call for COT posts to count, at which point it would be absurd not to have all forums count, which could go either way on the disastrous/beneficial continuum. I think forums like Q&A and Shops & Kits could have posts count without much consequence, but that's another issue entirely.

 

I am glad to see that this forum's activity is holding steady. I am concerned about the activity of the non-RPG population, though. Maybe Velox has some thoughts on that matter. : P


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#11 Offline Velox

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Posted Jun 14 2013 - 04:31 PM

 I am glad to see that this forum's activity is holding steady. I am concerned about the activity of the non-RPG population, though. Maybe Velox has some thoughts on that matter. : P

 

Uhhhh. Maybe. =P I could always whip up a few contests now that it's summer. Hmm, actually, how many people would be interested in one or more of the following?

  • Flash Fiction Marathon, like last year. OTC and Bionicle again? Just OTC? 
  • Library Olympics? 
  • Some sort of over-arching contest? For example, there's one single theme, and people can enter anything in this forum: stories, comics, artwork, RPGs...etc. That's the best I can think of that would include pretty much everything, I think.
  • Team competitions? Probably writing
  • Artwork to Fiction or Fiction to Artwork? Like you choose a picture and write a story/poem after it, or vice versa. 
  • Some sort of collaboration where an artist, a writer, and an RPer are put together and come up with something? Yeah, no idea if/how that'd work. =P
  • There doesn't seem to be as many artists here, but there could be a flash fiction marathon sort of thing but for artists? 

 

Those are just a few super quick ideas from the top of my head. I'll see what else I can think up.

 

Compared to other forums, very active. It tapered off a bit, but it seems to be picking up once more. 

 

Yeah, this definitely seems to be the case. I'd guess it's because of summer--at least for me, personally, I'm able to start being more active now. Once the school year comes there's always the (at least) slight decrease in activity, but since things keep picking up it's good to see that people come back at least. =P Wish there was a better way to ensure activity year-round...

 

 

My two cents on the post-count: I definitely would put OTC closer to the RPG forum than to COT. It's not really anything like COT, I think, as it's all creative forums/RPGs (which, in the Bionicle forums, all have post count--except maybe Comics? And shops&kits but there's none of those here =P). Not sure that means it should get post count, though--I definitely see issues either way, so I wouldn't really be opposed one way or another. I'd definitely be concerned about RPGs, though. Unless they got their own forum and just the creative stuff got post count, then that might help the non-RPG things become more active, who knows. 

 

Anyway, all I got for now. As others have expressed, the forum seems to be doing fairly well. Unfortunately the most activity seems to be just RPGs and the FFFCs, but still, those provide a good amount of activity at least.


Edited by Velox, Jun 14 2013 - 04:31 PM.

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#12 Offline Baltarc

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Posted Jun 14 2013 - 05:26 PM

Hmm, actually, how many people would be interested in one or more of the following?

I like all of those ideas. I really enjoyed the Flash Fiction Marathon last year, and though I didn't participate in the Library Olympics I certainly wish I had. The other ideas are interesting as well, and I'd probably do something for most if not all of them.

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#13 Offline -Windrider-

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Posted Jun 14 2013 - 07:41 PM

I'd like to have a crazy big contest that includes all media for our first one, whenever that may be. It would be a significant endeavor, but we'll think of some way to make it all work.


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#14 Offline Lavama

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Posted Jun 14 2013 - 07:47 PM

Seems to be nice. Very clean and efficient, compared to the Off Topic forum of old.

 

Outside of that, a few contests would be fun.


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#15 Offline Sumiki

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Posted Jun 14 2013 - 07:53 PM

I'd like to have a crazy big contest that includes all media for our first one, whenever that may be. It would be a significant endeavor, but we'll think of some way to make it all work.

[font="Palatino;"]I'd definitely support a big massive cool contest like that but different media in this forum is like comparing apples to oranges. Would we do a contest with three or four separate sections for different creative endeavors?[/font]


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#16 Online Grochi of Potoos

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Posted Jun 14 2013 - 07:56 PM

[font="Palatino;"]Would we do a contest with three or four separate sections for different creative endeavors?[/font]

 

Why not? It would still fit the spirit of the idea.


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#17 Offline Nuile the Paracosmic Tulpa

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Posted Jun 14 2013 - 08:20 PM

Uhhhh. Maybe. =P I could always whip up a few contests now that it's summer. Hmm, actually, how many people would be interested in one or more of the following?

  • Flash Fiction Marathon, like last year. OTC and Bionicle again? Just OTC? 
  • Library Olympics? 
  • Some sort of over-arching contest? For example, there's one single theme, and people can enter anything in this forum: stories, comics, artwork, RPGs...etc. That's the best I can think of that would include pretty much everything, I think.
  • Team competitions? Probably writing
  • Artwork to Fiction or Fiction to Artwork? Like you choose a picture and write a story/poem after it, or vice versa. 
  • Some sort of collaboration where an artist, a writer, and an RPer are put together and come up with something? Yeah, no idea if/how that'd work. =P
  • There doesn't seem to be as many artists here, but there could be a flash fiction marathon sort of thing but for artists? 

 

[color=rgb(0,128,0);]The Flash Fiction Marathon was one of the best BZP writing competitions in my experience. I'd definitely love to see another. I would personally enjoy it whether it was strictly OTC or half BIONICLE, although for what it's worth, I vote for the latter.[/color]

 

[color=rgb(0,128,0);]I participated in the Library Summer Olympics '10 because it was active and the competitions were fun and exciting. Though I was one of the minority who participated last year, after the hype of the Flash Fiction Marathon, I can understand how there weren't many with the energy left for the LSO. And speaking for myself, the LSO '12 events weren't nearly as fun as they were in '10.[/color]

 

[color=rgb(0,128,0);]I also love all your other ideas. The second-to-last, in particular, sounds interesting, although I wish luck to the hero who tries to come up with a way to make it work. :P[/color]

 

[color=rgb(0,128,0);]Sincerely, Nuile: Lunatic Wordsmith :smilemirunu:[/color]


Edited by The Novelist Called Nuile, Jun 14 2013 - 08:21 PM.

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#18 Offline 55555

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Posted Jun 14 2013 - 11:54 PM

We should certainly have a contest here this Summer. It would be a blast to have a contest bridging creative fields, though RPGs would be hard to meld with art and stories.

 

- 55555


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#19 Offline -Windrider-

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Posted Jun 16 2013 - 03:46 AM

 

[font="Palatino;"]Would we do a contest with three or four separate sections for different creative endeavors?[/font]

 

Why not? It would still fit the spirit of the idea.

 

 

It would be the easiest option and indeed would keep the spirit of the idea. Something along 55's suggestion would be a dream, but oh-so-difficult to organize.

Minions, you up for some fun? : X


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#20 Offline Engineer Alexandra Humva

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Posted Jun 16 2013 - 09:36 AM

[font="'courier new', courier, monospace;"]Speaking from experience, it is most certainly not impossible for art and writing to blend into the RPG genre; many RPGs over the years have inspired creative endeavors of all kinds. Having a contest blending the various ideas together wouldn't be too tricky from the creator's view, though I can certainly see how the logistics would pile up.[/font]


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"In short, my English Lit friend, living in a mental world of absolute rights and wrongs, may be imagining that because all theories are wrong, the earth may be thought spherical now, but cubical next century, and a hollow icosahedron the next, and a doughnut shape the one after." -Isaac Asimov, responding to a letter he had received saying that scientific certainty was false, The Relativity of Wrong


#21 Offline Velox

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Posted Jun 16 2013 - 11:41 AM

Minions, you up for some fun? : X

Always :3 


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#22 Offline Sumiki

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Posted Jun 16 2013 - 12:54 PM

Minions, you up for some fun? : X

[font="Palatino;"]Aye-aye, cap'n. :pirate:[/font]


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#23 Offline Ymper Trymon

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Posted Jun 16 2013 - 01:05 PM

Fun is always good.

 

Bit late to the party on the post count issue, but I am most definitely opposed to it. If posts in OTC counted, we'd have to take ourselves more seriously in the RPG discussion topics.

 

Also I like having only 13 posts, so, you know, if posts here started counting, I'd have to abandon the RPGs.


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#24 Offline Lucina

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Posted Jun 16 2013 - 02:37 PM

[color=#008080;]As to the possibility of a contest: if it were to include some different creative mediums, perhaps a team events contest? Now, I obviously haven't thought this through all the way, but some events could maybe include stuff like writing an epic (much like contests in the past), create a party of characters in an RPG and complete some sort of minor storyline, etc. Granted, this would be a pretty huge contest, and it'd probably take over a month to do. This idea is sort of spur-of-the-moment, so it hasn't been thought through at all.[/color]

 

[color=#008080;]As for the post count, I'm all for making it count. Posts count in all of the library forums, they count in the RPG forum, they count in General Art - and those are all the most prevalent topic types here in OTC.[/color]


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#25 Offline Ymper Trymon

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Posted Jun 16 2013 - 04:11 PM

IV, you have not seen how silly we get in the Star Wars RPG discussion topic. No topic in which "Darth Darth Binks" is mentioned should ever have its posts count.


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#26 Offline Madara: Mangekyou Master

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Posted Jun 16 2013 - 04:18 PM

As the poster of said Darth Darth Binks and the Darth Cuddlebears post, I am in full agreement with Ymper. 


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#27 Offline Engineer Alexandra Humva

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Posted Jun 16 2013 - 04:37 PM

Wouldn't the solution here be just not to do that, rather than making an entire and quite diverse forum shake it's head and sigh because it lost it's chance at being actually recognized as a legitimate expression of creative talent that's worthy of having it's posts actually count towards something, all because of, well, this?

 

Posted Image


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"In short, my English Lit friend, living in a mental world of absolute rights and wrongs, may be imagining that because all theories are wrong, the earth may be thought spherical now, but cubical next century, and a hollow icosahedron the next, and a doughnut shape the one after." -Isaac Asimov, responding to a letter he had received saying that scientific certainty was false, The Relativity of Wrong


#28 Offline Ymper Trymon

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Posted Jun 16 2013 - 04:45 PM

It's still a legitimate expression of creative talent, it just doesn't inflate a number that doesn't really mean anything anyway.

 

Besides, Darth Darth Binks is hilarious, and we are not giving up hilarious just so your post count can be higher.


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Gentlemen, fooling you once with this trick was an honor. Twice was a privilege. It's been a pleasure.

I am most definitely a mad man with a blog.


#29 Offline -Windrider-

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Posted Jun 16 2013 - 06:19 PM

Yeah, I'd rather that people feel free to express themselves however they wish, be it in a pithy or prolix way, than to have posts count in a forum whose population largely does not seem to pay attention to which rank it is on. I guess that's what it boils down to.


Edited by -Windrider-, Jun 16 2013 - 06:20 PM.

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