Shy

[quote name='Desbreko][color=#4B0082]If oldies want recognition, [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=52384][u]they already got it[/u][/url], and they may be [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=53509][u]getting more in the future[/u][/url'].[/color][/quote] [size=1]I don't know if I should take some sort of offense to this, or something, but I figured I might as well chime in. Certainly The Nifty Fifty tends to include older members who have established themselves better in the community, but the final list is only created from the nominations we receive from the member base itself. if someone doesn't feel like the N50 isn't rewarding enough to younger/older members then the only way to correct that is by participating. The N50 was created to give all aspects of the boards equal recognition, not just older members. I take a little offense to the idea that these award events are created merely to give the oldies a backrub, although I'm sure that's not really what you meant. Also:[/size] [quote name='"Interesting. Most interesting..."][size=1']Now I'm not sending a broadside volley at Josh, I mean God nobody has contributed more to the Arena than him over the years. But you have to admit Des, when you hear the "in the coming weeks" speech too often, you begin to lose heart[/size][/quote] [size=1]Huh? I'm guessing you are referring to the fact that I have asusred you on multiple occasions that your concerns about staff placement in The Arena (and elsewhere) will be resolved "in the coming weeks." I can't speak for everyone, but the majority of staff members here are full-time students (even during our Summer break) and work full-time on top of that. I know I do. Between those things and everday life it's easy for very active forums like The Arena to become a bit of a mess. Ozy is the last person to blame for it, as I see these alleged 'oldies' posting just as much crap on the boards as anyone else. Certainly more staff are needed for that particular area, but history has proven time and time again that members who are qualified to become mods are few and far between. Even while being so inactive Bio's section of the boards were some of the finest around, in terms of overall quality. It should also be noted that a staff member's inactivity may be for any number of personal reasons. These absences are noted in the staff forum, but we don't make a point of posting bulletins like "So and so isn't going to be moderating for a few weeks because their Aunt Petunia died." Activity is completely relative, anyway. I may post a handful of times during the week, but I'm often visiting the boards two or three times a day. Countering this thread's personal attacks on staff members with personal attacks on the members who posted this thread is completely absurd. As members of the OB staff we walk around the boards with targets on our heads. Deal with it. While the way these complaints were dished out was rather rude, it's not as if there is some truth to them. At least someone is being honest with the way they feel the boards are run and now the topic is being discussed by the entire forum. Hopefully both sides will benefit from whatever changes are made as a result of this topic. On a much lighter note, it's ironic that the member who got rid of Newbie Lounge would be criticized so harshly in a blatantly 'Anti-Newbie" thread. -Shy[/size]

[size=1]It's really interesting to see how far OtakuBoards' RPGs have evolved in general over the years, not only in format but in quality as well. There was once a time when almost every RP post was written in psuedo-script format, and it took a lot of experimentation to get us to where we are now. Most RPGs read more like short stories than scripts, which has forced writers to spend more time on their posts, but cuts down the number of [i]overall[/i] posts quite a bit. There is a fine line between having an well-organized RPG and a dead one, so that's something anyone concerned about quality has to think about. I keep attempting to push the the comfort zone a little bit with each project I'm involved with. Everything from Hero to Legionnaires have had something new to offer, but they don't all succeed. It's more important for me to try something new, whether it be a spin-off blog, or multiple threads, or whatever. Tamers v2.0 was a great little story, and in my own RPG posts I tend to focus on everyone's characters, as opposed to just my own. Part of the fun of Legionnaires for me so far has been thinking of missions and challenges that can tie into everyone's individual stories, and the larger overarching plot as a whole. Even in Kill Adam or Project Gamer I made it a point to include as many other characters as possible. It's more interesting for me to write that way, and I personally love it when someone writes using my own characters -- if I wanted to write a story only by myself I would, you know? Moving on, I'd be more than willing to do something with dynamic storytelling, or new posting systems as a whole. The future of these RPGS is obviously up to the membership base as a whole. Although the chapter system may be critically acclaimed, it's the stuff that hardly seems to have any organization at all which keeps the forum active. -Shy[/size]

[QUOTE=Sandy]I don't believe [spoiler]that Magneto was the only one who got his powers back (and I don't think he faked losing them in the first place either). I'm pretty confident that in the possible sequel we will see Rogue's and Mystique's powers returning as well, with devastating results. Why do I think this? Well, remember that the boy's (Leech) power nullified mutations only temporarily within certain radius (eg. Beast's hand's hair grew right back when he pulled it back from the boy). So why would a vaccine made out of the boy's genes work any differently?[/spoiler][/QUOTE] [size=1][spoiler]This is true. Also, it should be noted that this alleged 'cure' had been mostly untested prior to its use on Mystique, Magneto, etc. There is a throwaway line by Angel's father about how it's important for his son to be "the first." So, yeah, this cure obviously isn't as reliable as they led people to believe.[/spoiler] -Shy[/size]

[QUOTE=Retribution][size=1]Unfortunately, that won't happen... it rarely does. Having members vote for their favorite nominee is something I would equate to high school elections. The President isn't elected based on policy or what they've done, they're elected because they had more friends than their opponent. I fear OA and these user titles will be headed down the same path, even if we let the members vote for mod-chosen nominees. And you're talking about these titles as if they're the Otaku Awards... are they?[/size][/QUOTE] [size=1]I was under the impression that we were calling the Title Awards the Otaku Awards, but really any name is fine. But honestly, if you kids want it to be an anonymous poll then I see no reason why it's even worth having in the first place. The goal with [i]community[/i] events is to get the membership involved and active, and having a secret society hand out these titles seems completely uneccessary. My personal opinion is that everyone is taking this too seriously, but ultimately it's up to you guys to decide -- I'm only the one who actually has organize the event, post the thread, count the votes, etc. -Shy[/size]

[size=1]Otaku Awards have always been a thinly-veiled popularity contest, and the Nifty Fifty / Nifty Fifty Committee was created as an alternative to that. There should be an outlet for members to receive meaningless titles based on their popuarity in the forums, and the Otaku Awards can fill that void. No matter how we run this, I think certain members' popularity are always going to outweigh the quality of their posts; but by creating a committee to give out these titles the Otaku Awards make the Nifty Fifty redundant. Having run both OA and Nifty Fifty in the past, I believe that Otaku Awards should remain an event where the person with the most votes wins. Bt continuing to vote for the [i]best[/i] nominees, rather than the one who is your friend (or whatever) you ensure that the awards themselves maintain some level of objectivity. -Shy[/size]

[size=1]Polls can be manipulated very easily, so I would rather see members writing in lengthy responses (even if it means I have to count them all.) Also, how would everyone feel about making the awards monthly, but only giving out one or two titles each month? Just a thought... -Shy[/size]

[quote name='Desbreko][color=#4B0082']I guess that's true; it also seems a bit off to have members voting on their own awards. Maybe I'm putting too much faith in the general member base to look at things fairly and not just vote for their friends. :p[/color][/quote] [size=1]Apparently you haven't read the Otaku Awards' threads in a while, have you? I'm not naming names, but it became obvious that leaving the nominations up the regular members turns everything into a popularity contest. At least doing it with staff we can hide behind our titles, and pretend that we have ethics. And Petie, yeah, the more input the better. I'd like to try and keep this thread going with anyone's ideas, though, just so the whole member base can be involved in the creation of this event. On an related note, I have a feeling preparations for Otaku Awards is going to end up delaying "OtakuBoards Yaoi-Fest" once again. Sorry everyone. -Shy[/size]

[size=1]I've more or lessed watched this topic from afar, since I knew that no matter how much [i]discussion[/i] went on in regards to this specific subject, I would have to be the one to actually [i]implement[/i] it, create the thread, count the votes, etc. I'd rather see members taking a more active role in Otaku Events than forcing staff members such as myself to come up with everything. This kind of input is what we have wanted to do with that particular section of the boards since its' creation.[/size] [quote name='Desbreko][color=#4B0082']And this would actually be very similar to the old Otaku Awards events. With those, we had awards for members who were especially good and active in each forum. In this case we'd just be cutting out the misc. awards while adding a tangible reward--a special title--for winning. Heck, I think it would even be pretty appropriate to re-use the name Otaku Awards for it.[/color][/quote] [size=1]I fully support the idea of a seasonal awards thread, and I suppose adding an "Otaku Awards" moniker would shut up everyone who prefers the original awards over Nifty Fifty. But I do disagree with the idea of making the Category Moderators the ones to do all of the nominating. Even having the whole staff involved still makes the awards themselves kind of biased, but it's the easiest and fairest idea to execute. Worse yet, I see Play It or Anime Lounge seeing the same four people being nominated every time we do the awards. The best thing would be to have all active staff members do the nominating, and then present those nominees in the regular awards threads. (On an unrelated note: I say that nominees can only win a single title every three months, and can't have the same title for more than period at a time. And of course, current staff members get NOTHING. These awards are for the members.) There is obviously a lot of thought that can go into this, and hopefully I can hammer out the finer details with you over AIM or PM, Gavin, and the OB staff as well. Anyone who has more ideas of criticism about the event so far can continue to post that in this thread. Sounds good to me. As far as I'm concerned, Otaku Awards are a go. -Shy[/size]

[quote name='Shinmaru']I would never meet anyone from OB; you're all too strange for me.[/quote] [size=1]Uh-huh. I've met several OB members over the years, including Raiha, Babygirl, Sky3 and Juuthena. In fact, Raiha has worked her way into my inner circle of "real life" friends, even though we rarely speak online. If Solo can go halfway across the globe to visit AX, I suppose I can drive 40 minutes to see him. -Shy[/size]

[SIZE=1]You know, I was looking at that fabled 'The ReAnimatrix' post I have half-written and it shares a lot in common with the basic idea of this RPG. Of course, I know next to nothing about the RPG really, so it's pretty assenine for me to say something like that. I have a twist in mind for my character that should be fun, I just hope to make it into the RPG to actually use it. Speaking of which, what exactly are our characters going to be doing throughout this little endeavor? I imagine a lot of the story will be delving into the history and secrets of Paris 2, but is there a more immediate focus to the plot? Will our characters be forced to take up arms? Are we looking towards something action oriented, or much more cerebral? Will we be soldiers or mercenaries or civillians, or what? I must know. -Shy[/size]

[size=1]I'm known as [b]Shy[/b] on the boards, but everyone in the human world calls me '[b]Josh[/b].' This isn't to say my online friends don't call me 'Josh,' too, but as a general rule I'd like my online friends to call me by my online name and my real-life friends to call me by my real-life name. At one point I was known as '[b]ShyGuy[/b]' online, and before that I was '[b]Shyguy511[/b].' Over time my names become simpler and simpler, leading me to believe that in another five years I shall be known solely as 'S.' Sadly, I imagine I'll still be here in five years to prove this theory true. Much like my user names, I've been through quite a few changes in my life since joining this place (of course, any person who can go five years without any significant changes in their life isn't really living, now are they?) First and foremost, I'm a nerd the likes of which rarely see the light of day. I know a lot about [b]Comic Books[/b], and I know a tremendous amount about [b]Animation[/b]. Beyond that, my obsessions are fairly diverse: including [b]Journalism[/b], [b]Public Radio[/b], [b]Useless Trivia[/b], and [b]Disneyland.[/b] I often worry that I devote too much of my time to pursuing these interests, but I'm fairly certain that these will lead me to a life far more exciting than the straight-and-narrow course would provide. [b]I rarely say much[/b], and this gives the impression that I'm a deep, thoughtful person. Online I think this is especially true, and I think most members here have a much higher opinion of me than they would if I posted more frequently. Despite my inactivity, I have built a great circle of friends around me and I'm only sorry that I don't speak to them more often. Although I am at the ripe old age of [b]20[/b] and I still live with my family. Many of my Disney friends still live at home, but everyone I still talk to from high school has moved onto bigger and better things. It is my goal to have a bigger and better thing of my own to move onto, but it's my indeciviceness and lack of initiative that hold me back. Publishing is an industry I have found myself drawn to repeatedly, and my writing is what I hope to make a living off of someday. The worst thing that ever happened to me was when I came out to one of my best friends in high school, and he wished I would go to hell. This cemented me in a [b]sheltered emtoional state[/b] that I have been hiding in for years, afraid to give anyone the opportunity to ever really hurt me. I am trying very hard to correct this, as it is driving a rift between me and my current [b]boyfriend[/b] of 8 months. Even with my own minor personal demons, I have made some incredible, life-changing friendships along the way. Many of them were as a result of my online activity, while most came from my two-year vacation working at the [b]Disneyland Resort[/b] in Southern California. I consider my time there to be the best in my life so far, but it was neccessary for me to find a new road to travel and move on. My [b]two siblings[/b] (one younger brother, and one younger sister) are nearing the age where they have begun thinking about their lives in the long-term, and although I'm much older than my sister I know I'm going to be the last child in my family to be deemed a 'success' by my parents. Through hard times and good ones they have both been incredibly supportive of me, but my quiet nature leaves me feeling disconnected from them, and everyone else I care about. I'm very uncertain of what my siblings really think of me, and while this isn't a huge concern for me right now, it's outside opinions like these that have come to indirectly shape my own perception of myself. I find that most [b]cynics[/b] have high hopes for the world around them, but are disappointed by the results. I consider myself to be one of those people, and this [b]disappointment[/b] follows me everywhere I go. This goes for just about everything out there, but most especially myself, my achievements, and the lack thereof. Given recent events I have refocused myself on becoming a much more sypathetic, compassionate person. It was only last week when my own indifferent ended up in the loss of not one, but two very close friendships. This makes for one more shortcoming to haunt me, but it is also one more to motivate me to do right. What also motivates me if my dissastisfaction with my current college and workplace. [b]Six days a week I serve at the Macaroni Grill[/b], despising every minute of it. While the pay is good, the atmosphere and clientelle leave a lot to be desired. Since I started there a few months ago my only goal has been to find long-term employment that I financially support myself with. I would like nothing more than to move away from Southern California, preferably to a large East Coast city such as New York or Washington D.C. If there is one word that would describe me after a life of California it would be 'jaded,' and I demand more from life than I can get from where I am now. Every day I wish things would get better, and every single day they do. For all of my complaining, mine is a stable life with few complications, and [b]I wouldn't trade it for the world.[/b] -Shy[/size] :whoops:

[quote name='Charles']I'll keep on going for the story though. :rolleyes:[/quote] [size=1]Well please do that for me, because I don't know what the hell is going on and I've been playing for about 20 hours. It's fun reenacting my favorite Disney moments and all, but this storyline is so convoluted I don't even know why I bother trying to follow it. I'll post my final thoughts when I finish it, [spoiler]but it looks like I have to play every single world over again. I'm glad they addressed everyone's concerns about all of the backtracking. Thank you SquareSoft![/spoiler] -Shy[/size]

[size=1]Anyway, I'm going to let this little issue resolve itself through PMs/IMs, and close this topic on some vague semblance of a 'high note.' Thanks again to everyone who participated. Congratulations to the winners, and I'll see all you kids next year. -Shy[/size] :whoops:

[size=1]It's simply not cool to bash our anime forums. I modded those things for literally [b]years[/b] and it was always a struggle to keep intelligent discussions around. The main problem is that our anime forums tend to have younger members in them, and that often leads to a lower amount of quality. Of course, all of the 'n00bs' who used to inhabit the anime forums are now some of our best members, so go figure. Anyway, I'm grateful we don't have posts archived from versions 1 and 2 of OB. I, along with most everyone else, was a complete idiot back then. As much as I miss the spontaneity and certain people, things are much more coherent now. Just looking at the v3 archives makes me realize how much we've grown, and thankfully there's no going back to the way things were. Besides, I prefer custom titles over 'Cool Newbie' or 'Extreme Otaku' any day of the week. Dagger: The Yu Yu Hakusho forums was the [i]real[/i] black hole of the boards. The Secret Yaoi Forum is just a lot of harmless fun overall, especially Stuart's latest topic about Kaiba/Kaworu. Mm. -Shy[/size]

[quote name='Delta][COLOR=#656446][SIZE=1][b]Shy:[/b] Now you know why it took me so long (2~3 weeks?) to complete them banners.[/SIZE'][/COLOR][/quote] [size=1]Oh, as everyone else here has said, the banners were well worth the wait. I think both you and Retribution did a fantastic job with them, and I don't think I can possibly thank you properly for the hard work you (and everyone else who participated) has put into this. As for the OtakuAwards: I completely agree with Charles. Moderators were really the only ones who ended up winning anything, and I think James is more than happy with the amount of recognition he receives currently. That kind of bias that went into OA is exactly the reason why I created the Nifty Fifty. I'm sure the system we have now isn't perfect, but it's a whole lot better than what we had. [i]However[/i], there will be actual member voting in future Otaku Events, so stay tuned for that, true believer! -Shy[/size]

[quote name='Retribution][size=1']...I'm also assuming that your friendship doesn't look this empty...[/size][/quote] [size=1]I love you Retri, but you're an *******. Anyway, I think it's a fun idea. Obviously you're very early in the progress of this, but so far it looks good. Hopefully all of the names can stand out on their own as much as these do. The fonts and colors so far have been very interesting and dynamic. Good work. :whoops: -Shy[/size]

[center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/how-do-you-pronounce.jpg[/img] [b]?Chabichou's 'How do you pronounce your username?' Thread?[/b] ?This was one amazingly helpful thread, or if not helpful at least enlightening. I learned how to pronounce usernames I had been saying wrong for ages. It also tells you how different people pronounce different words, its really very insightful.?[/center] [right][i]- Doukeshi[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/satan_665.jpg[/img] [b]Andy/Satan 665[/b] ?Because Andy rhymes with 'dandy' which is a synonym of 'nifty.' It only makes logical sense that he make this list. Who are you to deny the power of logic?? Also he may be somewhat cool in one way or another. I hear he has magic powers.?[/center] [right][i]- Shinmaru[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/syf.jpg[/img] [b]SYF[/b] ?Liam's brainchild has spawned RPG's which grow in stregth and brilliancy for each installment. In addition to being a great RPG it's also a tremendously well crafted story, one that could easily stand on its own in book form. It also has potention to be expanded as well as evolving into further RPG's. Speaking of evolving, "Peace Hangs Them" is a great example and it's still open for sign-ups/ shameless fan-girl plug.?[/center] [right][i]- Mimminx[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/Random-Holidays-on-Calendar.jpg[/img] [b]Random Holidays on the Calendar[/b] ?Everyone should seriously use the event reminder way more than they do. You know you want to dedicate a day to something random. It's always so much fun, too, to look down there and remember that it's National Pirate Day or something. Y'arr, mateys.?[/center] [right][i]- Ozymandius Jones[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/anime_lounge.jpg[/img] [b]Anime Lounge[/b] ?I'll always love you. Even if no one else does.?[/center] [right][i]- Dagger[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/arcadia.jpg[/img] [b]Arcadia[/b] ?Because she's in my signature, and therefore is awesome by association. Also she kind of sort of does a decent job of being slightly cool on her own.?[/center] [right][i]- Shinmaru[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/manic.jpg[/img] [b]Manic[/b] ?Manic is one of those members who is far from mediocre. In fact, he's quite awesome. I really enjoy his sense of humor, because there's a bit of "black anger" mixed in with an almost Monty Python-esque cornball nature, topped off with his own special brand of satire. His posts are always fun to read, and anyone who skewers Puff Dadd--P. Diddy...Diddy...whatever, is nifty as hell in my book. Go Manic.?[/center] [right][i]- Brasil[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/ignore_list.jpg[/img] [b]Ignore List[/b] ?Thanks to this little handy-dandy option, I?ve been able to dodge annoying posts/people. Thus, making my OB experience smoother and care free. Thank you, Ignore List, you make the OB a much more pleasant place.?[/center] [right][i]- Athenal[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/oldies.jpg[/img] [b]Oldies[/b] ?Been here four years or more? You are officially part of OB lore and, as such, immortalised. And it's not just because everyone knows who you are, but your legacy runs through the veins of the very site. DeathKnight, Desbreko, Tony, Adam, James, Dragon Warrior, Shy and Lore to name only a few of the most influential members on the board. They are not Nifty. Nifty is them.?[/center] [right][i]- Solo Tremaine[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/avatar_submission_thread.jpg[/img] [b]Avatar Submission Thread[/b] ?It gives members the opportunity to contribute to the site and to be a part of increasing the ever-growing stash of amazing avatars. Everyone has a different idea as to what makes a good avatar and allowing everyone to contribute makes the choices more diverse. Definitely quite nifty.?[/center] [right][i]- Aarayanna[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/godel.jpg[/img] [b]Godel[/b] ?I always enjoy her posts on here and I've since talked to her on MSN. Incredibly intelligent and fun to rant about things with.?[/center] [right][i]- Generic NPC #3[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/incomming.jpg[/img] [b]Incomming![/b] ?I furthermore nominate Incomming!!! and all its participants. The detail, humor, satire, and sponteneity was marvelous and refreshing. When was the last time you saw an Introduction thread that sparked an immediate RPG? Especially one so cleanly executed as this? Never, that's when. (And by "never," I mean "not for several years, at least.")?[/center] [right][i]- Lore[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/play_it.jpg[/img] [b]Play It! and Everyone/thing in it[/b] ?It's the only reason I still visit this board, and I don't post much in any other forum on this site. I may not post much in Play It either, but a load of the threads in it are very interesting. Plus, it's one of the few places on the web where you can properly talk about something without receiving newbish replies... some powerful stuff in Play It.?[/center] [right][i]- Bombu[/i][/right] [center][img] http://www.otakuboards.com/images/smilies/bdance2.gif[/img] [b]The Baron Dance[/b] ?Yes, the Baron Dance. An inside joke from Group Sounds localized here. It was officially my idea, John made it, ...someone localized it (I don't know whether or not I can say who), and Goddess popularized it. Good work, team! Sorry, Baron. Next on the list is the Emo Dance!?[/center] [right][i]- RiflesAtReccess[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/ob_stories.jpg[/img] [b]OB Stories[/b] ?The stories made on OB have grown accustomed to using members from the very forum in their stories. I know I have done this for a long time, but others have too, so I'm not just saying this is about me. We have tales from Solo Tremaine's OtakuBoards: Enter The Net to Athena's Bikini Bandits, which is making its successful return to our Anthology. Even some other members are trying to their hand at this style and seeing what results they get. We even have one member who is successfully making a serious OB tale. Congrats to all our talented authors. It brings a lot of joy to a member when they see they are recognized, even in a story.?[/center] [right][i]- Dragon Warrior[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/wrist_cutter.jpg[/img] [b]wrist cutter[/b] ?Chalk another one up for THE wrist cutter. THE wrist cutter never fails to amuse/entertain/educate this fangirl whenever THE wrist cutter makes another of them distinctive posts in this side of the network. And THE wrist cutter has a fanclub too. Truly Nifty.?[/center] [right][i]- Raya[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/people_who_misspell_my_scre.jpg[/img] [b]People who misspell my screen name[/b] ?You know, all those people who spell it "Debresko," or something of the like. Yeah, I just wanted to point out the fact that none of them can read and retype worth a damn. Who loves ya, baby??[/center] [right][i]- Desbreko[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/dagger.jpg[/img] [b]Dagger[/b] ?She's a great Administrator -- she's worked very hard to become one, and she set the OtakuBoards Graphics Tournament into motion, when everyone else decided to bail on the idea. I find her to be extremely approachable, trustworthy, and true to her word. I thank her for sticking with the OBGT, even when things began to look unsure, and I thank her for devoting time and effort to OtakuBoards. Thank you.?[/center] [right][i]- Retribution[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/Desbreko.jpg[/img] [b]Desbreko[/b] ?Not only does he do an awesome job as an administrator, but he has a wonderful sense of humor. And then there?s the thread The DailyOtaku which thankfully warned me of the danger of spoiler tags. ^_~?[/center] [right][i]- Aarayanna[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/CHW_no-craaaazzzzy_fonts.jpg[/img] [b]ChibiHorseWoman?s Craaazzzy Fonts[/b] ?I'd like to nominate Chibi's crazy fonts because they are a very nifty way of structuring one's post differently. I understand that many of you might not have the fonts she used on your computer, so you may not see what I see, but Chibi's crazy fonts have added a admirable mark of individuality to her posts and signatures. I didn't know you could use any font in the vb tags. Learn somethign new every nifty year!?[/center] [right][i]- Rapture Ruckus[/i][/right] [center][img]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/moderation.jpg[/img] [b]Moderation[/b] ?This is quite possibly my favorite thread ever posted on the boards. It glorifies everything we love and hate about the forum, complete with nostalgia and the dorkiest argument of all time. Every moderator has their own stories to tell, and this thread gives a little isight into some of them.?[/center] [right][i]- Shy[/i][/right] [center][img]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/bombu.jpg[/img] [b]Bombu[/b] ?Because there's something wrong with the world when you don't nominate the guy whose past usernames have been BlueYoshi and Wingnut Ninja. Not to mention, he's just plain awesome.?[/center] [right][i]- DDG[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/obanime.jpg[/img] [b]OB Members Who Don?t Watch Anime[/b] ?You guys are what make this place more than just another anime/manga-based forum, and I daresay you bring in a lot of much-needed intelligence. Three cheers for diversity.?[/center] [right][i]- Dagger[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/corey.jpg[/img] [b]Corey[/b][/center] For best quote ever in the O Lounge's "Are you a vegeterian" thread: [indent][i]"May I remind you that vegetables are showered in ****, ripped from their homes, wrapped in plastic or shoved in boxes, taken hundreds of miles away, put on display, fondeled by dozens of people, bought, and eventually cut up and digested. I'd call that tourturous and dirty any day of the week.[/i]"[/indent] [right][i]- Mimminx[/i][/right] [size=1]Thanks again everyone. See you all next year! -Shy[/size]

[center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/deadseraphim.jpg[/img] [b]Meestah Alan (DeadSeraphim)[/b] ?One of the coolest guys I know, who's presently IMing me, with Raina looking over his shoulder. I've got to watch my tongue! Alan is the creator of n00b Hunter on OB, but not only that, he's the most bad-*** cross-dresser you'll ever meet. He could kick my butt, even when he's wearing a pair of stockings and the butt-kicking wouldn't seem any less horribly masculine. Alan is nifty to the extreme. Congrats Raina on nabbing such a nifty guy!?[/center] [right][i]- Brasil[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/retribution.jpg[/img] [b]Retribution[/b] ?Alex amazes me, and I look up to the pride he takes in his art and his passion for graphic design. He gave true life to the Art Studio, and made brought along many great ideas. Such as: The Banner/Avatar Orphanage, The GFX Club, Graphics Class, The small but enjoyable Last-Man-Standing competition, and uhh... Well, his wonderful personal art thread. (Were there some I missed?) He also went out of his way to give as much possible critique to all of our member's designs, and yet harsh at times, he was only trying to help the member to improve their skills and abilities. I often find it difficult to actually comment on his pieces because they're just that bizarre, and too artisy for me to comprehend. Good heavens, what a guy.?[/center] [right][i]- Stuart[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/solo.jpg[/img] [b]Solo Tremaine[/b] ?Many people have mentioned this great guy and I'm not surprised. He's one of the greatest people on OB. He always has an open ear for a problem, no matter what's going on in his life. He's also always eager to help in whatever I need help with RPG-wise and I don't think I'd be able to stay on OB if he wasn't here.?[/center] [right][i]- JJ[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/dw.jpg[/img] [b]Dragon Warrior[/b] ?Okay, I'll admit- I'm a former DW hater and envier. I'll admit that... But, coming to that realization has changed my opinion of him profoundly. This guy has amazing comedic talent. Reading his post on Hero Patrol had me laughing... gut laughing. I can't remember the last time I was laughing so honestly from a post on OB. He started the whole Pirate thing before I even joined OB. He taught me how to use some Photoshop (shamelessplug]you can see some of my artwork in the art forum /shamlessplug]) He has been always polite to me when speaking on AIM. This guy really is nifty.?[/center] [right][i]- Drix D'Zanth[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/gavin.jpg[/img] [b]Gavin[/b] ??Interesting, most interesting.? Need I say more? Okay, I will anyway. This dude is one of the nicest, most respectful members on the boards. He's understanding a respects other people's opinions and never puts people down. And he's Irish! How nifty can you get? Way to go Gavin!?[/center] [right][i]- Chabichou[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/james.jpg[/img] [b]James[/b] ?Besides having a cute accent ^_~ he?s one of the nicest and friendliest member I?ve met since I joined. Not only does he do a great job as an administrator but he takes the time to answer your questions and always has time for everyone.?[/center] [right][i]- Aaryanna[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/shy.jpg[/img] [b]Shy[/b] ?Despite his busy schedule, Shy has continued to create new events on OtakuBoards. When I asked for more regular events, he gave them to me! And I'm very happy about that, especially given the tremendous scale of threads like The Legionnaires. I love Shy's creative writing and I think he's one of the most creative minds we have here at OtakuBoards. I really look forward to seeing where he takes our events in the future.?[/center] [right][i]- James[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/panda.jpg[/img] [b]Panda[/b] ?I don?t talk to her, but I do read up on her myO, and on theOtaku.com, and she?s just wonderful. From what I read, Panda does have more on her hands than what we are let on; yet, she still makes time to moderate, update theOtaku, and write out very enthusiastic myO posts--despite her sickness. Never have I seen Panda show any sort of anger in her modding posts; she?s always very pleasant and informative. It takes a great deal of patience and tolerance to mod the O.Lounge without snapping, and she handles it with ease. Just an amazing woman ^_^?[/center] [right][i]- Athena[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/generic.jpg[/img] [b]Generic NPC #3[/b] ?Because he rawks more than Rawk Hawk. And that's a lot of rawk, let me tell you. He's also more punk rawk than Avril Lavigne, as unbelievable and shocking as that may sound. Furthermore, I have it on good authority that he, not The Scorpions, will rock you like a hurricane.?[/center] [right][i]- Shinmaru[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/legionnaires.jpg[/img] [b]The Legionnaires[/b] ?This has been the most fun I have had RPing in a long while, and Shy keeps us all interested with as many twists and turns as possible. He has the ability to see when certain posting styles are not working, and change them, to keep the RP flowing. There was a slight lull just before Body Bags began, but then the pace picked right back up. I can't really see this not making the Fifty.?[/center] [right][i]- Blayze[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/OBsurvivor.jpg[/img] [b]OB Survivor: Game On![/b] ?I've never had to work so hard at an RPG ever, and I think it's a credit to Sandy that he can organize something so huge without letting it fall. He was away from the 'Boards for over two weeks and still managed to keep it running because of the amounts of ingenuity he's pumped into it. I think more RPGs should be made that really force you to challenge your own writing quality- it makes playing that much more exciting.?[/center] [right][i]- Solo Tremaine[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/sakura.jpg[/img] [b]Sakura[/b] ?Sakura sort of appeared on the Boards very quietly a few years back, but I'd safely say that she's one of the best role-players around- dedicated to everything she takes part in and a good writer to boot. Without her, it's almost not an RPG.?[/center] [right][i]- Solo Tremaine[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/deathknight.jpg[/img] [b]DeathKnight[/b] ?He's the Almighty Lord of Fire and that's that. He deserves all the recognition he can get. (And he lets me loiter in his lap. That's a bonus.)?[/center] [right][i]- DDG[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/mitch.jpg[/img] [b]Mitch[/b] ?Whether you like his style or not, Mitch has to be one of the best poets on the OB. Of all the years I?ve been with the OB, I?ve never seen anyone write as strangely, exotically, or as choppy as him. Though most of his poems can confuse and lose the reader, after reading it over a couple of times, you discover a depth in writing that not even some novelists could every reach. He?s been bashed, smashed, kicked in the balls (verbally), yet still weathers the storm[s] to come out with progressive work when most people would give up. He?s inspired, helped, and guided.?[/center] [right][i]- Athena[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/charles.jpg[/img] [b]Charles[/b] ?I also nominate myself because I do not have to post to be nifty. My backlog of posts contains enough niftiness to last about a decade or so.?[/center] [right][i]- Charles[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/aaryanna.jpg[/img] [b]Aarayanna[/b] ?Aarayanna first caught my attention with her posts in the Otaku Lounge. Well actually, that?s a lie. What really caught my attention was her avatar and banner combination, for not since Charles and his CATtitude had I seen someone who was so dangerously in love with their pet. History has proven that this type of fanatical devotion is often paired with spamming and I was pleasantly surprised to find that Aarayanna is a fantastic addition to the OtakuBoards community. Whether it be Zelda, or Cowboy Bebop, we all walk a fine line between obsession and insanity but nobody walks it better than Aarayanna and that ridiculous dog of hers.?[/center] [right][i]- Shy[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/lady_asphyxia.jpg[/img] [b]Lady Asphyxia[/b] ?I would like to cast a pity vote for Lady Asphyxia. She is forced to wade through terrible fan fiction on daily basis. That alone makes her deserving of being nifty. And although she didn't receive the most votes on the boards, I say that quality matters over quantity.?[/center] [right][i]- Charles[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/adam_justin300.jpg[/img] [b]Adam/Justin[/b] ?For me, putting these guys here is just a no-brainer. They really deserve a lot more recgonition than they often get. I really have to commend Adam for making Art of Otaku such a success and I have to give a shout to Justin for his constant assistance with the technical bits. I'm really looking forward to working with both of them on future sites.?[/center] [right][i]- James[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/lady_katana.jpg[/img] [b]Lady Katana[/b] ?Lady K. as a mod has to put up with alot. Maintaining the Manga Workshop can't be an easy task for anyone that has more than two brain cells. I seriously respect her for keeping her temper with even the most persistent of n00bs (read here: losers).?[/center] [right][i]- Gavin[/i][/right]

Hey everyone! It?s been an exciting few weeks here in the events forum, as OB?s best and brightest have been honored in the Nifty Fifty Nominations Thread. Thanks to the members who participated we were given a large listing of members, threads and forums to choose from and compile our final listing. Some of you may be curious about how the final listing is created, so let me explain that now: [list][*]Members nominate nifty things in the nomination thread. [*]From those nominations contained within the thread, members of the Nifty Fifty Committee choose and select individual listings of 50 and send them to myself. [*]From the various lists I receive, the 50 items which receive the most nominations from committee members are put onto the final list.[/list] So who was a part of this committee? Well, I?d like to personally thank Athena, Bombu, Retribution, Delta, Hittokiri Zero, Mimminx, Chabichou and Dee for all of their hard work and effort. Without [b]Retribution[/b] and [b]Delta[/b] in particular, these results may never have seen the light of day, or been nearly as sexy as they are now. Anyway, just looking at this thread you?ll see how much the site and it?s membership have grown and evolved in the past year. If nothing else this is a snapshot at a specific moment of time on the boards, showing you the people and things that made it such an awesome 365 days. And now, in no particular order... [center][img]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y170/retri_trib/OBGT.jpg[/img] [b]The OFFICAL OtakuBoards Graphic Tournament[/b] "Yeah, that's right, folks, the first offical graphics tournament. Nifty, no? It was very much a success too, and it really brought some life to the seeminglessly dead Art Studio. I believe the idea was brought up by Retribution? It was lootking a bit bleak from the start, but Dagger held the entire thing togher and the show continued! Making Dagger nifty in the process too."[/center] [right][i]- Stuart[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/enterthenet.jpg[/img] [b]OtakuBoards: Enter the Net[/b] "The original uber parody that started them all, for the most part, heh. Not only is EtN a well-written account of the changes, fads, catchphrases and lovely people on OtakuBoards, it's just fun to read and leaves you begging for more. Shame it's to end soon. A damn shame."[/center] [right][i]- Lady Katana[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/ozymandiusjones.jpg[/img] [b]Ozymandius Jones[/b] "An Oldie who?s been around as long as I have has seen more than a few Moderators pass through the Square, from the original dynamic due of Flash and Warlock, to Shy, to The Harlequin, to Arcadia and Terra, and now finally the mantel has fallen to Sarah. I?ve always had great respect for the Arena?s moderators, and Sarah is no different, so you can only imagine how utterly gob-smacked I was when I saw a sign up from her in one of my previous Star Wars RPGs. She like Jamie proves that there are indeed female Star Wars fans out there, and just as Alex may be the wisecracking yet good hearted Han Solo, Sarah is the fiercely determined Princess Leia, with perhaps myself as the aged Obi-Wan. My rambling aside, I really am grateful to have made such a great new acquaintance."[/center] [right][i]- Gavin[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/nomadtical.jpg[/img] [b]Nomad Tical[/b] "Like other people, I see fit to nominate him. He is one of the most dedicated people at OB Anthology, and he always tries to encourage and give some sort of feedback to every author. Every time I see "Last post: Nomad Tical" I'm filled with hope that he might start a trend."[/center] [right][i]- Lady Asphyxia[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/athena.jpg[/img] [b]Athena[/b] "Her newest username is the perfect one for my dear sister, as undoubtedly Annie is one of the wisest people I have ever had the pleasure of calling my friend. While it has been far too long since we?ve had the pleasure of sharing each other?s company in an RPG, I know from personal experience that Annie is one of the most talented role-players to ever set foot in the Arena and I am a better writer for having known her. Whether it be just chilling and chatting on AIM or brainstorming on ideas for new Square RPGs, sweet-pea has really been the best big sister I could ever hope to have."[/center] [right][i]- Gavin[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/QKT.jpg[/img] [b]Guild Wars / QKT[/b] "The QKT, OB's official Guild Wars guild, is one of the best Otaku-related things to happen to me in a long time. Even better than -- dare I say it? -- becoming a Site Administrator here. Guild Wars is an awesome game that I've spent over 1,000 hours playing, and being in a guild with a bunch of friends from OtakuBoards here has made it even better. For me, there's just nothing else like gaming with friends.?[/center] [right][i]- Desbreko[/i][/right] [center][img] http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e366/nifty_fifty/brasil.jpg[/img] [b]Brasil[/b] "Although our relationship is fraught with fighting and tension, at times I feel we put that all behind us and choose to be friends rather than enemies, or even "friendly enemies" I suppose, to be oxymoronic. I still can't stand Alex on some levels, as I'm sure he can't stand me on some levels, but I respect him. He's a brilliant man who continues to brace these boards, saying things when people are too uninvasive to say them. He's also a master of rhetoric in some facet, and would make a good politician! But hey, what's not to love (because love in essence has to contain hate, as well). I kid! I kid!?[/center] [right][i]- Mitch[/i][/right] [size=1]Note: Due to limits on html and images in single posts, these awards are being split over multiple posts.[/size]

[size=1]theOtaku.com actually did have a chat room for any number of years. I think Kitty was one of the moderators of the thing, bless her little heart. For a site that promotes quality and coherency so much I guess it made little sense to have that silly IRC. If you ever experienced that chat for yourself you would know exactly why it has been discontinued. -Shy[/size]

[size=1]Hi and welcome to the OtakuBoards, D. Resurrected, I hope you enjoy your stay. :) Unfortunately we don't allow these types of 'introductions' threads on our forum. We believe the best way to get the forum to know you is by creating/contributing to interesting discussions with your posts, or by posting on [url=http://www.myotaku.com]MyOtaku[/url]. I'm going to close this thread, but if you have any questions feel free to ask myself or any member of our staff. I look forward to seeing your posts. -Shy[/size]

[size=1]I have never been more in love with you than I am right now Charles, and that says a lot. Moving on, I thought it was a brilliant piece of work. As much as I dislike OtakuBoards Fan-Fiction as a whole, your piece really stands out for being so inventive and hillarious. Is this supposed to be based on any work in particular? The whole thing just feels really familiar, and not because I was there every step of the way for their stupid arguing... Well done, and I look forward to reading the next two installments. As far as I'm concerned this first entry is your magnum opus. -Shy[/size]

[QUOTE=Charles]Where were you when ChibiHorsewoman was posting about a dozen threads a week? Make it up to me by posting in the following threads: [url]http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=49238[/url] [url]http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=52093[/url] [url]http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=41879[/url] [url]http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=52170[/url] And especially this one: [url]http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=52169[/url][/QUOTE] [size=1]Seriously, Stuart. You just need to learn when to kill a dying dog with some of those. People like to complain that I never post in discussion threads, but that's just because so many are boring and repetitive. If there is something I feel I can contribute, I usually do, and I'm sure that goes for most members. These things succeed (or don't) based on their overall quality, so in a way bad posts are the worst 'thread killers' of all. That and Mitch, but we loved him anyway. I don't think that a person can ever really go about 'killing a thread' themselves, but there are certainly members you don't want posting in your topics. Of course, I'd be more than happy to have [i]anyone[/i] post in my threads; for some reason people are much more excited about the ideas behind the thread than they are in actually posting in them. This is mostly in The Arena, where pretty much everyone's hard work and creativity seems to taper off and die. If there's one place where threads are killed more often than anywhere else, it has to be there. And no the Legionnaires are not dead, but if they are Minako is totally to blame. -Shy[/size]

[quote name='James][font=franklin gothic medium']So if I could create a game store with unlimited cash, I'd probably have it on multiple levels and I'd probably incorporate a few little ideas that I've seen elsewhere - like the playing booths that Nintendo have at their Nintendo store in New York, for instance.[/font][/quote] [size=1]There is a Nintendo store in New York? Neat. It should come as no surprise that I would like to open up my own comic book shop. While I've come across some great stores in the Los Angeles area, it stills feels incredibly nerdy to walk into these places sometimes. Quite often the atmosphere is what turns people away from shopping there, so I'd like to run something that doesn't make you feel like you're buying porn when you walk in. Heck, just having natural lighting would make a world of difference. Creating a place people want to spend time at is important, as it only seems natural that spending time and money at a store go hand-in-hand. Also, I would like to build up some sort of community among the patrons at my shop. There would be regular events, like book clubs or special guests or something. Obviously this whole store is very poorly thought out, but it would be very cool to do someday. -Shy[/size]

[size=1]Everyone keeps using the word 'powerful' to describe this, and I don't really know if that's the case. It is very well-written, but it's so true to life that it almost comes across as mundane. I mean that as a compliment, and the fact you can write something so sincere and honest speaks volumes for your talent. Beyond that, I don't know if there's a terrible amount to critique. This piece really shines a mirror to the reader, because even if one is a 'minority,' it's very easy to make derogatory statements towards another group without even realizing it. Something as simple as thinking about how one's actions and words affect someone else really make the difference in these types of situations, and people fail to realize how much of an impact even the smallest thing can have on someone's outlook on life. Well done. -Shy[/size]