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[SIZE="2"][FONT="Comic Sans MS"]I?m so sorry that it?s taken me so long to get on here. I had time about 2 or 3 weeks ago, but my other computer broke (now I have 3 broken computers)? O.O Other than that, I?ve had so much homework, and I?m putting off my physics homework to write this. XD Also, I tried to get some of my friends on MyOtaku to come into the discussion, but my blog only got comments from 2 users; my friends haven?t been blogging much recently, so I?m assuming that their school year is becoming just as hectic as mine. @.@ Anyways! On with the replies![/FONT][/SIZE] [quote name='Sangome'][SIZE="1"]I like to imagine that most people try to [I]PM/email[/I] with a clear head, but of course I can't speak for everyone. See...yeah. That statement made little sense to me. Why should it matter if it's PM/email or through a blog? Plenty of people can make their thoughts clear either way. ?Bottom line, I dunno what's wrong with addressing issues in Worlds as opposed to PMs...it really all depends on the user.[/SIZE][/QUOTE] [SIZE="2"][FONT="Comic Sans MS"]When I said that, I was referring to something that Allamorph said about needing clearer thoughts to write an e-mail, and I agree with you, people should write both their blogs and e-mails with a clear head. The comment that Allamorph made was about the discussion that not many MyOtaku users have been e-mailing or PMing TheOtaku?s staff about any problems that they?ve been experiencing, but instead they?ve been blogging about it. Also, I see nothing wrong with raising the issues in a World instead of through e-mail, PM, or MyOtaku.[/FONT][/SIZE] [quote name='SunfallE'][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][COLOR="RoyalBlue"]?However I can certainly see requesting more colors to choose from or even eventually adding different layouts that you can choose from. I don?t know how feasible that is, but I can certainly add it to the list of things people would like to see. ?It might be better for me to see if switching its location would be an easy task, before we consider holding a poll. Guestbooks use the comment system and it?s very complex and therefore not easy to change. I?d hate to hold a poll and then have to turn around and tell people, oh sorry, can?t do that after all. So for now, I think it would be better for me to see just what alternatives would actually be doable. Once we determine that, then we can consider a poll. Though you?re more than welcome to hold one on your world or post one here asking what people think. ?Okay, let?s look at this list. Improving the updates, adding more customization options and increasing the number of pictures and videos are on the list I have of things people would like to see. Moveable comment box is as well, however I can honestly say that restoring some moderation features are at the top of the list for the comment system. I don?t remember if making it detachable or not is possible, but I do have it on the list of things people would like to see. Improving the ability to change the number of posts is something to consider. Right now I believe its set to a default of five so I can see if it?s possible to let people choose between different settings. So I?ll include that as yet another thing people would like to see. Asking about a quiz results page is rather ironic since I presented an idea to Adam on how to restore this feature just last week in our staff meeting. People have mentioned to me, more than once, that they miss the quiz manager, so I worked out a possible solution and explained it to Adam. I don?t know when it will be implemented, but he liked the idea so we do plan on adding it back. ?Anyway, I?m always open for suggestions. Even if our list is rather long, we do like to know what members are interested in seeing. Perhaps I should write up that list and put it out there so people can see that their feedback has been received and not forgotten. It just takes time to keep adding new features and slowly upgrade existing ones.[/COLOR][/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="2"]Sorry about the formatting here; for some reason when I went to quote you, everything you said didn?t have any paragraphs. XD I like the idea of having some more layout options on Worlds, so if it?s possible, I?ll be looking forward to it. ^.^ Also, it sounds like you have a good plan for the guestbooks, and I think I?ll try to start a poll on my site/World. Lastly, it seems that we agree on the upgrades for TheOtaku/MyOtaku, and I think it would be good to have that list posted for users. ^.~ It seems like the debate here is over, since we agree on what can be done, now. I?ll make a post in my blog about the results of this thread and the upgrades that my friends and I have been wanting to see to prevent any repetition or confusion in the future. Thanks a lot to everyone involved in this thread! Your advice, explanations, and opinions are all very useful! ^.^ If anybody wants to continue the discussion here, feel free to. However, it may take me a while to get around to replying, now that school?s started. ^.^; [/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="2"][quote name='Allamorph'][FONT="Arial"]Lastly, your font size and format are murder on the eyes. If you drop it down to size 2 it'd be a lot better for all involved.[/FONT][/QUOTE] Sorry; I thought it was easier to read, since it was big. I?m happy to drop it down a notch. :P Also, I?ll just state what I?ve been thinking before replying to specific comments/parts of comments, since that seems to have been creating some confusion and it?ll keep me from repeating myself too much. I don?t want TheOtaku to become exactly like MyOtaku because there are flaws with MyOtaku. However, there are also flaws with TheOtaku, and when I say that I?d like TheOtaku to become more similar to MyOtaku, I mean to have similar benefits (not similar problems). The most important of these benefits are the update system and customization options. If a better update system for TheOtaku is being worked on and has been taking a very long time (more than a year) to set up, then that?s great. However, there haven?t been many signs of the update system being upgraded to help members who can?t get on TheOtaku/MyOtaku as much or have subscribed to a lot of people. The update system that I?m thinking of is one that shows specific updates with their titles and can be sorted into the different categories (like we have now), but it shows as a list of the subscribed usernames and can show when the users? last updates were. Since this system is hard to get set up, I?m still willing to help in [I]any[/I] way that I can. All of my friends who have been updating on MyOtaku after VersionVibrant was set up have said that they prefer MyOtaku mostly because of the customization option. I?m not saying that TheOtaku should be made totally customizable, if it?s not possible, but several more options to make Worlds look different would be nice. Also, I?m not saying that the Worlds?design should be changed completely because some people like that design; I mean, provide people with the option of switching up more of the deisgn. Although members who won?t switch to TheOtaku mainly because of the lack of customization options still probably won?t switch over, I can see most members on TheOtaku still benefiting from more options. Please don?t think that I?m saying that active TheOtaku users don?t have lives, and that that?s the reason that they enjoy the current update system. I?m saying that the users who aren?t benefiting from the current update system are those who are busy and can?t get on for weeks or months; that?s the difference between the people who prefer TheOtaku?s update system and the people who prefer MyOtaku?s update system, one is able to get on the website more than the other. Simply being busy isn?t the only reason that some members have to leave for long periods of time, but these users share the same problem. As for members who have subscribed to many other members, I don?t see this as a bad thing, if the member who has subscribed to many people intends to keep up with the updates. Since we all enjoy TheOtaku/MyOtaku partly for the friends that we?ve made here, making a lot of friends should be a good thing if it?s possible to keep in touch well with them. (The reason that I?ve subscribed to so many members is due to the fact that I made a lot of friends on MyOtaku when I had lots of free time [years ago], so I subscribed to a lot of my MyOtaku friends on TheOtaku). Also, when I said that it would take forever to visit each of my friends? portfolios to find out whether or not they updated anything, I meant that if I did so, there wouldn?t be time left to comment on all of their updates, which is quite the inconvenience. It seems that we all pretty much agree on eventually fixing TheOtaku?s update system and getting more customization options, so there isn?t a reason to continue debating these?? Someone suggested polling people to find out how many people preferred certain things; I didn?t conduct a bunch of polls before posting this because that would take too long, and by the end of it I wouldn?t have enough time to address the issue anyways. Also, since there aren?t a lot of people left of MyOtaku and those who still are have expressed their reasons for staying, so I?d say that my friends and their friends are still a considerable amount who have reasons to use the older blogging system. However, I think we?ve reached a stalemate about the guestbooks, coming down to personal opinion, so maybe we should conduct a poll about the guestbooks?? Where should it be put, though, TheOtaku or OtakuBoards? I think TheOtaku would be a good place to hold the poll on the home page, since not everybody uses OtakuBoards, but most people at least visit TheOtaku. O.O Also, it?s rather rude to assume that all of MyOtaku?s users are nostalgic and hate change, or prefer MyOtaku?s familiarity. One of my friends who went away for a while before VersionVibrant came up said that they were sticking with MyOtaku because they didn?t understand all of the changes to TheOtaku (so they were having trouble navigating and submitting art and such). However, none of my friends have said or implied that they just hate TheOtaku because it changed, and most of them enjoy some of the changes that occurred on TheOtaku. Many of my friends on MyOtaku enjoy Worlds as a way to feature art and clubs, as I said before. So it?s not like I want to get rid of Worlds either. Nor do I think that all of the changes made to TheOtaku were terrible, and I enjoy them, as I have said many times before. So now I know that it isn?t possible at all for new members to gain access to MyOtaku because of the technical limitations. Maybe some minor things can be added of MyOtaku still to show that the members who prefer MyOtaku aren?t going to be ignored simply for being a minority?? I mean, the minor additions can come after all the major additions to TheOtaku, and that?ll be in a long time, but it would be good to know that TheOtaku cares about [I]all[/I] of its members. That?s what I?ve been trying to get at: provide some benefits for the minority of TheOtaku/MyOtaku?s users, as long as it doesn?t hurt the majority. Parts of the majority can probably benefit from some of the suggested changes, as well. I?m assuming that MyOtaku will eventually get some additions because there?s still an open thread about suggestions/features for MyOtaku here? The minor changes that could be made are fixing the PM link, restoring the colour options in the comment box, edit button for comments on MyOtaku, and maybe setting up the reply management system (or getting the one on TheOtaku to manage replies from MyOtaku, as well, if that?s possible)?? For some reason I?m being accused of brushing people off and not promoting discussion. I?m assuming that this is a misunderstanding, since I?ve said several times that further discussion would be greatly appreciated (and still is). Also, it seems that we are all getting things out of this discussion. Y?all are receiving feedback about TheOtaku/MyOtaku, and considering certain upgrades (update system, less limitations, etc.). And I?m learning about the limitations of running a website and changing my feedback accordingly. So I don?t think that it?s fair to assume that any of us aren?t listening to each other. ^.~ As for my lack of knowledge (leading to the learning about running a website stuff), I don?t know what to research because I don?t know where to start (feel free to tell me where). This is the ?Information Kiosk?, though, and it seems to provide questions and answers, so I didn?t think that my lack of knowledge would make me such an outcast. O.O; Also, I offer my opinion on a lot of this stuff (like most other people here as well) because I thought it was encouraged, and that my friends share similar opinions? I quickly went to Adam?s blogging World to see what this stuff about a game is, but I couldn?t find anything. So what?s this about? I?m just curious, since a bunch of people mentioned it. ^.^ Now, onto a few specific replies? sorry if this gets too long. [quote name='Korey'][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][SIZE="1"][COLOR="navy"]?So if this is seriously an issue that needs to be adressed, you would round up your posse and make your voices heard.[/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE][/QUOTE] I know, I gotta get my friends out here to show that I?m not the only person who wants this stuff. I might get to it next weekend, but no guarantees? o.O [quote name='Sangome'][SIZE="1"]The news[I] category[/I] itself may not, but if you look right down below it, there's a little column entitled [B]Official Updates[/B].[/SIZE][/QUOTE] Hehe. ^.^; Sorry, I didn?t notice that recently. ^.^; [quote name='Sangome'][SIZE="1"]super late edit: Also, this debate of yours seems a weeeeeeee bit out of left field, especially considering most of the MyO/World drama was well over a year ago. Just sayin'.[/SIZE][/QUOTE] Yesh, it [I]does[/I] seem to have settled down a bit. I brought it up again to remind people of the issues, and because I have some time now. XD [quote name='Allamorph'][FONT="Arial"]?Also, the Worlds show a standard five posts per page, whereas MyOtaku was extremely variable, sometimes showing three posts per page and sometimes only showing one.[/FONT][/QUOTE] [quote name='Indi'][FONT="Arial"][COLOR="Indigo"]Actually, searching older posts in worlds is simpler. You have the option to filter what was posted based on what type of post it is (life, guide, essay, fiction, etc) and you can change the view to a list, which gives you the titles for the most recent forty posts. MyOtaku didn?t have this function at all. So any in depth browsing for an earlier post, was time consuming since it had a max of displaying somewhere between five to seven posts per page.[/COLOR][/FONT][/QUOTE] I like that sites have the option of number of posts displayed because if you post something with a lot of pictures in it, you can stick it in the archives, so it won?t cause loading problems for visitors; I?d post vacation photos, then use the permalink to the photos? post in a later post discussing my vacation. However, I do like the list display option; I didn?t notice it before. ^.^ Even the Official Otaku World doesn?t use tags very well, most tags are ?podcast, category, and caption battle.? Also, searching by the type of post doesn?t help much if you?re in a member?s World that they chose to only blog in (keeping their art in a different World), since the majority of posts would be of the ?life? type. Maybe it [I]is[/I] only my friends who don?t use tags and have unspecific titles for their posts, though. XD Either way, going through old posts is tedious, so maybe some sort of search can be built into Worlds to let people search for tags or something in a post (if that?s not to difficult to do). [quote name='SunfallE'][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][COLOR="RoyalBlue"]And lots of sites have the FAQ link on the bottom of their page. It?s a given that if it?s not at the top, then it will most likely be along the bottom.[/COLOR][/FONT][/QUOTE] To be honest, the FAQ link isn?t really important to me. I was just trying to find another possible reason for why cosplayers wouldn?t have found out about the plans for the cosplay section. [quote name='Allamorph'][FONT="Arial"]No, it does not. It [I]does[/I], however, take clearer thoughts.[/FONT][/QUOTE] I like to imagine that most people try to blog with a clear head, but of course I can?t speak for everyone. However, e-mails/PMs need to be more specific than a post, since they?re going to a specific person. And if someone wants to give feedback, it should be detailed and include several areas for improvement. Whereas simply mentioning a common issue in a post in a blog, doesn?t require as much detail and can be just a few sentences. [quote name='Allamorph'][FONT="Arial"]Second. The benefits. Name them. And by that I mean list for us the services and uses MyOtaku can perform which Worlds cannot. I do not mean list why one might prefer the former to the latter, which is largely what you have done so far.[/FONT][/QUOTE] Update system Customization options Less limitations (# of pics, # of videos, types of video players, etc.) Movable comment box Control over # of displayed posts (as mentioned above) Quiz results page It?s all free (I know that it?s expensive running a website, but if you ask most people whether they?d like to have something free or pay for it, they?ll ask for it free) Guestbook (which is mostly a matter of opinion) I didn?t list it before because explaining the reasoning behind these preferences would lead to further discussion about improving the websites. Sorry if this was an inconvenience for you. [quote name='SunfallE'][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][COLOR="RoyalBlue"]You could try to actually[I][U] pay attention better[/U][/I], instead of getting slightly snarky over my explaining to you, more than once, why it?s not going to be possible to tie myOtaku back into theOtaku for all members.[/COLOR][/FONT][/QUOTE] Well, as I said before, my misunderstandings mostly come from my lack of internet knowledge and that I was under the impression that minor changes could be made. Also, in all of the previous discussion the phrase ?MyOtaku can not be expanded?? was used, and I wasn?t sure if this meant that new users couldn?t join or upgrades couldn?t be made or both. I?ve sorta been taking passive aggressive and outright aggressive hits here, which caused my snarkiness. However, it was lousy of me to take it all out on you, so I?m really sorry for being so low. And I appreciate your explanations greatly; I?m learning much from you. ^.^ [quote name='SomeGuy']See, you guys've forced me to post. You know this never happens. Good job, team. The Jedi Master/Padawan thingy he's thinking of was "The Crèche". It was a blog set up by Dark Phoenix ("Shanny") as a means to set up a mentor/pupil setup. Exactly as he mentioned. It was also completely 100% user-generated and user-run. It's something that could absolutely be done in theOtaku Worlds. In fact, there IS a method for new members to get mentors if they so wish them in the "new member introductions" page. It may not be Star Wars themed like the Master/Padawan system . . . but let's face it, Shanny quite unabashedly ripped that system off of TheForce.net's forums.[/QUOTE] I remember that Dark Phoenix was involved, but I didn?t know that she started it all. Nifty! ^.^ It would be nice to have something like that on TheOtaku; maybe I?ll work on that next summer or during the winter holidays (depending on how busy I am). I agree that the new members introduction page is good too. ^.~ Also, I?m really sorry that this reply is really massive, and not well-organied. @.@ I?ll try to make the next one shorter and better. ^.~ I?ll see if I can get some of my friends to voice their opinions in this, as well, so you don?t have to keep thinking that I?m the only person who has a problem. :P [/SIZE][/FONT]

[quote name='Korey'][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][SIZE="1"][COLOR="Navy"]People are free to sign as they want. While it's annoying, having the GB located on a World doesn't make any sort of web design sense. You can delete a world. And it doesn't stop people from saying "HAY I LIEK UR AVI AND ARTZ. BE MY FRIEND PLZ"[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE] [quote name='Indi'][FONT="Arial"][COLOR="Indigo"]However, in regards to this:Short of changing to a system were you have to approve all of the comments that go on your guestbook or make it where it's only open to friends, as in people you have subbed to... no matter [I]where[/I] you place it, you [I]will[/I] get signatures like that. Without fail. The easiest solution is to either ignore it or delete any comments that truly annoy you.[/COLOR][/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]If a member doesn?t have any Worlds, but has a guestbook in their portfolio, then the majority of their signings will probably be "HAY I LIEK UR AVI AND ARTZ. BE MY FRIEND PLZ". Although putting the guestbook in Worlds doesn?t stop those kind of signings, it might decrease them (and that?s worth a try, right?). Also, for esthetics purposes I would want my guestbook to be located in my Worlds, since that would be keeping the more social/personal functions together; keeping like and like together, as a sort of organizational thing. (< my vocabulary died). I agree that having a system that involved approving of all signings/comments, or restricting signings to subscribers wouldn?t be very useful; that?s why I like how the guestbooks are more similar to the way that members can post comments. TheOtaku/MyOtaku?s guestbooks are better in that way. ^.^ [/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='Korey'][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][SIZE="1"][COLOR="Navy"]This is really a case by case basis, like you had mentioned. But the amount of comments can't be attributed to any single factor. It can be put on a lot of things. You can't single out the update system as the sole culprit.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]I?ve never said that it was the only reason for the decrease in activity, but it certainly is one factor. Also, it?s one of the factors that can be changed, so it?s one worth discussing.[/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='Korey'][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][SIZE="1"][COLOR="Navy"]That's the thing about posting on sites that allow you to view older posts by simply going to a member's site. Even with MyO's system, members who updated frequently would only have their most recent entries in their system. But that's the problem with missing things on the web these days, you're gone, you miss a lot of things. People have lives ( I do too), but missing out on things because you're gone is a simple click away. View someone's most recent works on their portfolio. That's what it's there for.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE] [quote name='SunfallE'][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][COLOR="RoyalBlue"]I know some that do and aren?t at all bothered by not being able to use both. The biggest issues is that many people don?t realize that they can. They can add friends at myOtaku, however, it?s not necessary, if they subscribe to their theO profile, then they get an update in their backroom anytime a member posts on myO. I have friends who use both and I see their myO updates along with their world ones. ? If people are gone for weeks at a time, then even the older highlight system was no good, since it was only for 24 hours. ?[/COLOR][/FONT][/QUOTE] [quote name='Japan_86']I like how the update notification system is for VV. It gives detailed lists and also tells me who posted it. So if I do not feel like looking at a certain post because I do not care for bleach fanfiction. I can avoid that post without wasting the time of clicking and seeing what the post is about.[/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]You can still see older posts on MyOtaku; they?d just be in the archives section, and it?s the same with TheOtaku, but instead of going to the archives you go to the next page. Also, I prefer to comment on the newest post, since commenting on the older posts might not be as useful to the member who wrote them. If I have to look for an older post on a user?s site, I find it just as difficult sifting through pages of posts on Worlds as it is on sites. However, I do enjoy the tag-making abilities on Worlds, but since most users don?t use them, it?s still tedious searching the pages. As for visiting portfolios to find out if I?ve missed an update, that?s way too much work for me. XD I?m subscribed to a lot of people for their art and their blogs, so having to check each portfolio and comment on the updates would take forever. @.@ I know that MyOtaku updates show up on TheOtaku?s update system as well, but whether they do or not still doesn?t matter to members who are busy and can?t see when all their subscribers/friends last updated. Even though the username only stays highlighted for 24 hours, the time of their last update is recorded next to their username. So I like to check the updates that occurred usually since my last visit, and I?m not missing anything in terms of their blog on MyOtaku. It is nice that TheOtaku?s update system tells a member the categories and art sections that the members they?ve subscribed to have submitted in. So a combination of the update systems would still be great, like a more specific version of MyOtaku?s update system.[/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='Korey'][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][SIZE="1"][COLOR="Navy"]This [b]is[/b] a matter of opinion. This is really a he said/ she said sort of thing. You think the MyO system is better, I personally prefer the worlds system. But the newer members don't know about myOtaku when they first join. Plus, you can customize your worlds easily and rather quickly, without having to know ANYTHING about HTML coding. So a new member can just hop right in. It was this way on MyOtaku too. However it's a matter of opinion. If you can create a blog, make a shrine, upload art, wallpapers, and all of that on one site, what's the point of moving your blog to a separate site.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE] [quote name='Japan_86']I really support VV mainly because it gathered all of the users to two sites rather than three. Like some people said, VV is a one-stop shop. TheOtaku has always been an art/anime site since it's creation. That's less time rather than go here for this, go here for that...[/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]Another thing that I don?t like is that sort of ?what they don?t know can?t hurt ?em? way of treating new members when it comes to MyOtaku (as in public acknowledgement of MyOtaku has been lacking since VersionVibrant was set up, so new members don?t know much about the other blogging system). I think it would be fair to provide them with the option of making a site maybe with the Premium membership. I agree that HTML coding is harder to use, but I don?t like the restrictions of the current coding on TheOtaku. Most members don?t mind the idea of making TheOtaku into a one-stop shop. However, the reason that some people still prefer to use MyOtaku is for its benefits over Worlds. If Worlds were improved so that they would be more like MyOtaku, then some of those people would probably switch to Worlds. (I?ll say more about all this later in the reply, though).[/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='Japan_86']Premium membership does more than give you a cupcake beside your name. It allows you to have- Premium Benefit List: * Browse theOtaku.com with a streamlined, 100% ad-free design * View 32 thumbnails per page on every section * Have a cupcake next to your name on every comment and PM * Save signatures for comments and PMs * See who's online--both members and friends * Submit one extra fan work per site per day * Send two extra gifts per month and have access to all gifts * Create five extra worlds * Embed up to seven images per world post * RightStuf Got Anime? Free Membership Code * AnimeNation 10% Off * Anime Pulse: 1 Extra Premium Month * Moon Costumes 5% Off * Artpreneurship Free Download: Learn the ins and outs of business for the creative mind[/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]Yesh, I?m aware that the Premium membership doesn?t only offer the inedible cupcake. XD What I was getting at is that I think the Premium membership should offer more, since members were able to get more in the past for free through MyOtaku. Also, if more perks were offered, more people would be tempted to buy the Premium membership.[/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='SunfallE'][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][COLOR="RoyalBlue"] Right now the priority is on getting our report function back for it, for moderation purposes. Once that happens, we?ll probably look into upgrading other aspects of the comment boxes for theO. ? When you have a new system go up, it?s best to start on the conservative side and slowly expand and work out the kinks as you go along. I?ve already got the suggestion of increasing the amount of images and videos per post on the list for future upgrades. ?[/COLOR][/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]I agree that the report function is important to have back, but I think that other important upgrades should follow this one. After the report function is back, the update system should follow, then the amount of videos and pictures, and new comment boxes (if TheOtaku won?t be made more customizable). Making a new update system must be difficult, but not working on the problems with the system isn?t making a difference. The new update system is a major inconvenience for busier members, as I?ve said before.[/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='Japan_86']I was upset over the cosplay section being removed so that is why I made this world. [URL="http://www.theotaku.com/worlds/cosplayrealm"]Cosplayer's Realm[/URL] Which is doing rather well considering.[/QUOTE] [quote name='SunfallE'][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][COLOR="RoyalBlue"]Perhaps they don?t follow the updates and FAQ? This was covered almost immediately after Version Vibrant launched. [URL="http://www.theotaku.com/worlds/faq/view/169/what_happened_to_the_cosplay_site%3F/"][U]What Happened to the Cosplay Site?[/U][/URL] It?s really a good idea to check the FAQ and updates that Adam puts out since they often have the answer to questions members might have. This is where I start to feel like people don?t pay attention to what management says or takes the time to explain.[/COLOR][/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]Your World seems like a good temporary solution for the lack of the cosplay section. ^.^ I?ll pass it on to my remaining, cosplaying friends (if there are any remaining; a lot of them left). I don?t think it?s that people don?t pay attention to the managers. In TheOtaku?s old news section, the managers would post about the upgrades that TheOtaku was receiving, as well. However, the news section no longer seems to post about upgrades, and if it does, I?ve never seen one of these posts on TheOtaku?s homepage. When VersionVibrant was first being set up, I remember a news post being made on the homepage about its installment, but I don?t remember that post addressing the issues that might come up (I?ll try to look it up, though, because I can?t remember [I]all[/I] of that post). Most of my cosplaying friends left not long after the cosplay section was removed. Also, the FAQ link is a tiny one at the bottom of the homepage; more helpful websites tend to put the FAQ at the top of the homepage with more noticeable/normal font.[/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='Japan_86']However, over the years it got rather annoying. Popularity contests, pink font on a bright orange background with flashy sparkly .GIFs and a lot of them...broken pages, overdone complex pages...MyOtaku got out of hand.[/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]I didn?t think that MyOtaku ever went overboard with the popularity system. I mean, occasionally somebody would post how many views their site had received, but it never got annoying like it is on DeviantArt with the kiribans? I hate kiribans. >.< The popularity system on MyOtaku was more fun, but again that might just have been because the members on MyOtaku are better than those on DeviantArt. ^.^; As for the overly flashy, annoying sites, most of them seem to be gone now. So a way of letting Premium members or more experienced new members make sites can prevent the creation of those sites and add to the MyOtaku community. [/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='SunfallE'][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][COLOR="RoyalBlue"]What part of James? reply did you not understand? Let me outline it for you: [I]The problem was that [B][U]myOtaku wasn't built to be expanded as needed[/U][/B]. Also if we'd done a major upgrade, we would have destroyed a lot of content - especially people's custom pages. Although I was really opposed to the idea of splitting the userbase between myOtaku and theOtaku, [I][B][U]it was necessary to build an entirely new site, because it wasn't physically possible to do what we had to do with myOtaku.[/U][/B][/I][/I] It is not physically possible to grant this request or suggestion. The new platform was built because myOtaku had reached the limit of what could be done with it. I can?t be any plainer than that. I?m not even going to bother to answer the rest of your post since again, myOtaku is not designed to expand in that manner.[/COLOR][/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]If I am misunderstanding something that you?ve said, it is because I have never been involved in running a website. I am just a normal person, like most other members on TheOtaku/MyOtaku. If it is [B]utterly impossible[/B] to upgrade MyOtaku in any way, then just say so. However, I?ve been under the impression that at least minor changes can be made to MyOtaku, since the PM link and comment box were fixed. [I]You[/I] could try being a little more understanding. Also, if it?s impossible to get new members access to MyOtaku, then the stuff that I mentioned about trying to get Premium members and experienced members access and such can be ignored. However, if it?s [I]rather difficult[/I] to give new members access to MyOtaku, then I think the effort put into providing this access is worth it, since it?s only fair to provide the new members with the option; and I?m still willing to help in anyway that I can. [/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='Korey'][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][SIZE="1"][COLOR="Navy"]?If people really want myO back, they would be posting and PM'ing like crazy. But I haven't seen anything of that nature.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]Well, a lot of the members on MyOtaku are busy (we?re getting older, so our lives are getting more hectic), and that?s one of the reasons that they prefer to blog on MyOtaku. Also, MyOtaku is becoming more inactive. However, most of my friends briefly mention an inconvenience that they?re experiencing with TheOtaku/MyOtaku in their blogs (and it takes more time to write out a PM or e-mail). There is a club for members who aren?t happy with all of the changes made with VersionVibrant called the VersionVibrant Resistance Corps ([URL="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/darkeangel/MyOVVRCBADGE.png"]VVRC[/URL]). However, the founder of the club is very busy with his job at the moment. :animeswea [COLOR="Green"]P.S. It might be a while until my next reply. It might be tomorrow, but it might be a week or two later, since I?m going to be very busy after this weekend. So don?t think poorly of me for replying too late. ^.^;[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[quote name='Ace'][FONT="Comic Sans MS"]?The ability to have multiple worlds dedicated to whatever you want is a great way to get known, as you can make one essentially a shrine to whatever you want and showcase it for all to see. On top of that, the Guest Poster function allows you to better collaborate with friends and share your likes and dislikes with each other. tl;dr: The Worlds can seem limited compared to MyO's functionality, but there's plenty of stuff you can use them for that MyO can't do, too. Personally I prefer the World format, but to each their own.[/FONT][/QUOTE] [quote name='Korey'][FONT= "Franklin Gothic Medium"][SIZE=1][Color="Navy"] Little Diddy on worlds: They're not used specifically for blogging. You can use them however. I have multiple worlds that I use for various functions. In fact, I'd say the Worlds are a separate entity from the Portfolio. Thus, the GB is on the portfolio, where you first go when you visit a member. Art work does have separate comment boxes for each piece when you click the link for them. However, most members sign GB's with "OMG IWUV UR ART!" , so it can be a tad bit confusing. Make sense?[/Color][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]I like being able to have multiple Worlds, since it is good for making shrines, clubs, and other fandom and art related things. The guest poster function is perfect for those things, as well. Since most of the users that I know dislike getting guestbook signings such as "OMG IWUV UR ART!", having the guestbook located where a member blogs slightly discourages those types of signings. I know that some users on MyOtaku used to sign guestbooks like that, but having the guestbook located right in a member?s portfolio doesn?t discourage such signings at all. [/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='Ace'][FONT="Comic Sans MS"]Personally, I have to disagree with this point. Though I was a very frequent user of MyO before VV and I did get feedback on my blogging from plenty of pleasant and interesting individuals, I have actually noticed a huge upsurge in communication between myself and other members since switching to the World system. Granted, it might be because I spend a lot of time casually conversing with my friends on the Chat system and in general make a better effort to get to know other people and make myself known now, but I consider it a lot easier to communicate through the Worlds. ?[/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]Most, if not all, of my friends are experiencing a decrease in the amount of comments that they get on Worlds compared to what they had on MyOtaku, even my friends who are popular are receiving less comments. The popular members on MyOtaku would receive 40+ comments on a post without replies from the member who posted. Now, with my friends who are popular on TheOtaku they get 40+ comments with their replies included, and usually it?s a lot of individual replies, so it?s a somewhat significant difference. However, it?s good to hear that this isn?t the case with everybody! ^.^ However, I think that something should still be done to help out those who are experiencing this problem, and I think that fixing the update system might help. [/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='Allamorph'][FONT=Arial]But have you tried working [I]with[/I] him? The reason the comment box on MyOtaku got fixed after the VV switch was because [COLOR="DarkRed"]Desbreko[/COLOR] saw the need for a better comment box (let's face it, it got hit pretty bad) and wrote the code for it himself, [I]then[/I] presented it to Adam. Adam is actually rather busy with stuff (mostly involved with running the site), so people who step up and give specific ideas, and even moreso specific solutions to the ideas, will more than likely get listened to. For instance, in the first few weeks of the VV switch I noticed that background images for Worlds were either left-aligned or right-aligned, which made for clunky image breaks in certain resolutions depending on the size of the image, and it occurred to me that being able to center the image would help minimise that clunkiness. I suggested it to him, and the option was added in less than a day. It's all well and good to say that there needs to be a return (of at least attention if nothing else) to MyOtaku, but what initiative have [I]you[/I] taken on fixing the issues, aside from talking about it?[/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]I?m grateful to Desbreko for fixing the old comment box, because it really was terrible at the time, when you couldn?t even make paragraphs. XD Well, since you asked, here is my e-mail from last year addressing the issues that had started coming up with VersionVibrant. Please note that this was about a [I]year[/I] ago, so VersionVibrant was completing its final stages and I hadn?t began to address all of the issues or the issues that have begun to appear now. Also, at the time I was pretty convinced that DeviantArt?s update system was better, but now that I have 900+ deviations from the people who I?m watching to still comment on, so I think that MyOtaku definitely has the superior update system. O.O [/SIZE][/FONT] ?Hiyas! *^.^*‏ From: Theresa Plumb (spongebob_squarepants13668@hotmail.com) Sent: April 12, 2008 10:06:54 PM To: [email]adam@theotaku.com[/email] there are 2 captain jacks!? ^ ignore that, it's just a silly thing that pops up in my e-mails ^.^; Anyways! This is sbsp13668 from TheOtaku/MyOaku/OtakuBoards! *^.^* I'm sorta responding to your reply on OtakuBoards to my post expressing my concern about MyOtaku and the changes that have been happening around here. Here's the link to the post, if you don't remember (sorry it took me forever to resond ^.^;): [url]http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=58909[/url] I don't want you to get the impression that I hate all the changes you've made and the effort you've put into these changes, because some of them are really great and I'm sure there are even better ones in store for the future! *^.^* Well, onto what I wanted to talk to you about! XD Hehe, I hope this feedback isn't too inconvenient for you... especially if you've already heard it before. ^.^; Well, the major things that need to be fixed I think are the memberlist for MyOtaku and the subscription feature on TheOtaku. Overall a few changes to MyOtaku would be greatly appreciated, even if you plan on saving them for after all the changes on TheOtaku. ^.^ Alright, a memberlist for MyOtaku might not work out entirely, since new members are going to TheOtaku anyways. But a few links from MyOtaku to the new members' portfolios on TheOtaku would still be handy to have and it would kill that rumour going around that MyOtakuites are mean and anti-social people. Subscriptions, this was mostly mentioned in that post on OtakuBoards, but I have a few suggestions on how you could try to design it. Since the subscription list limits the updates a member can view, a system that works like an inbox for updates I think would be best. An example of this system would be DeviantArt's; it has 2 separate "inboxes" one for artwork and the other for blogs, replies, and news letters. The downside of this system is that if you go away for a long time you can get overwhelmed with updates. ^.^; So if you have some better ideas go for them ^.~ If DeviantArt's subscription system is to difficult to create, you could temporarily put the system back to the Artist Tracking one with the highlighted usernames and dates of the last update they did... Lastly, I was wondering if you could tell me what you plan on changing in the future with TheOtaku and MyOtaku because many members are quite curious and MyOtakuites are worried that there may not be a MyOtaku in the future. Please? Also, I don't have much experience in making websites (certainly nowhere near as much as you do), but if you want any help with adding the changes to TheOtaku and MyOtaku you can always ask me for help ^.^ I'm busy a lot of the time, but if I get any free time I certainly would want to help! Afterall, I love these sites! *^.^* Well, I've sent you an PM with basically all the same information, so I hope that doesn't make any inconveniences for you either ^.^; Good Luck with improving the sites! I hope you're having a good weekend and I hope you're not feeling sick any more too (your most recent post in your World said you were sick, so get well). I suggest getting lots of sleep, TheOtaku can wait! ^.^ See Yas! *^.^*? [SIZE="3"]tl; dr To: Adam I don?t hate all of recent changes made to TheOtaku. The new update system doesn?t work well for me; something similar to DeviantArt, or restoring it to the old MyOtaku update system or Art Tracking system would be nice. Returning to inbox link on MyOtaku, and fixing the broken link to portfolios would be nice. Some members and I have been worried that MyOtaku is going to be shut down for good?? I know that you?re busy, so if you want any help handling stuff on MyOtaku, I?m willing to help in anyway that I can, despite my limited capabilities. From: sbsp13668[/SIZE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]So yesh, I volunteered to help. I still have limited capabilities, but I?d be willing to find some people who might have experience and are willing to help too. There were details about things that needed improvement in a few areas of the website. As a result, a link to members? inboxes was made and I think the portfolio link was fixed on sites (it was broken for a while). However, the update system still causes problems for me. Adam was busy at the time, though, so hopefully he has time to make some bigger changes, now. [/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='SunfallE'][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][COLOR="RoyalBlue"]You?ll have to forgive me if I miss some of your points since the initial post and responses are on the long side. I know some of this has been answered already, but bear with me if you don?t mind.I sincerely hope you are joking. Mainly because, why in the world would we want any user to die? x_X Or to get lost for that matter? myOtaku holds a lot of fond memories for people so instead of getting rid of it (which is what often happens when upgrades happen), Adam chose to keep it around for those who joined initially.[/COLOR][/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]Ahhh? I?m sorry; again, I suffer from poor communication skills. What I meant to say is that it seems like the managers are hoping that MyOtaku will eventually become inactive due to older users dying off, leaving the website altogether (getting lost), or by switching to TheOtaku. I meant dying off, getting lost, and switching to TheOtaku as ways of leaving MyOtaku, thus decreasing activity on MyOtaku. ? I don?t think that the managers are sadistic and/or serial killers. :animeswea Hehe?[/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='SunfallE'][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][COLOR="RoyalBlue"]Also, new members can?t make a myOtaku page, but they can log in with their theOtaku account and password in order to comment on members pages. So they do have limited access to the older site. You do realize that it is a simple matter to type something up in say word or notepad, which is similar to how people would simply move their comment box over to the side, and then simply copy and paste once you are done? It?s not a fix all, but you can get around it being in the way of the post.[/COLOR][/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]I doubt that a lot of members would want to comment on sites, if they aren?t able to make and post on their own, though, not unless a friend of theirs tended to blog more on MyOtaku; are they still able to add friends on MyOtaku and use the update system, by the way? Wordpad has replaced the comment box for me, but I don?t like having to go to the Start menu of my computer just to make a decent comment. [/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='SunfallE'][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][COLOR="RoyalBlue"]You?re complaints about number of images and videos allowed falls flat as well. All of these are things that eventually can be upgraded to include more and in fact already have from what was allowed when the new version launched. The same goes for updates. What we have now, can consistently be upgraded to make keeping track of your friends, their submissions and their activities, easier. I already requested a filter and increase in the number of updates showing, and Adam implemented it. ? Also, it was already covered, but theOtaku has always been about art so in that respect, nothing has changed. ?[/COLOR][/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]The number of pictures allowed in the introduction section and the posts of a World has increased since VersionVibrant was first set up. However, there?s still a limit. Often I find myself a few pictures over the limit from fanart thumbnails, and other features. I don?t have this problem in MyOtaku?s post because it allows an unlimited amount of pictures and videos. As I stated before, the update system only shows a member the most recent updates per category, and if that member is away for some time, they miss any older updates. Simply increasing the number of updates that appear doesn?t help people who go away for longer periods of time; some people have busy lives outside of the internet, so it can?t be help. Also, I have no problems with TheOtaku being art-oriented (maybe I wasn?t very clear about that earlier, sorry). TheOtaku was the art part of the TheOtaku/MyOtaku relationship, and that?s really nice, since a lot of anime fans are artists. And TheOtaku is a great anime art website.[/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='SunfallE'][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][COLOR="RoyalBlue"]?We still have all of the cosplay data stored and the plan is to eventually work it back in. ?[/COLOR][/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]Well, that?s good to hear, but why isn?t this more well-known by other members? I know people who have left TheOtaku/MyOtaku because of the cosplay section being dropped with no sign of returning. T.T[/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='SunfallE'][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][COLOR="RoyalBlue"]New members who joined after the change were provided with Worlds. How is that unfair? Since they can?t access the older blogging, they were given a new one with features myOtaku lacked to make up for what did not transfer over. As a member of staff, I?ve seen the positives and negatives of both means of blogging. So going down the path of one is better than the other, falls flat pretty fast. ?[/COLOR][/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]Well, since you seem to be saying that whether a member likes MyOtaku over TheOtaku is a matter of opinion, isn?t it more fair to provide members with the option of choosing where they?d like to blog based on this opinion? New members used to be able to blog on MyOtaku, and somehow the changes on VersionVibrant made it so that new members can no longer blog on MyOtaku?? Would it require too much work to provide these new members with a way of making sites and blogging on MyOtaku? For members who are away for long periods of time or have subscribed to a lot of people MyOtaku is the ideal place to blog. Since such members exist on MyOtaku, it seems unfair to make them use the more difficult blogging system.[/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='SunfallE'][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][COLOR="RoyalBlue"]The security system you wish was incorporated with Worlds. You can set your privacy setting so only members can see your page, or only your friends you?ve subscribed to. You can even set a world where only you can see it. ?[/COLOR][/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]Oops! I forgot that we had that for Worlds; I haven?t modified my World in ages. I?ll tell my friend on MyOtaku who wanted a better security system that there?s one for Worlds. ^.^ Thanks! If it?s possible to get one for MyOtaku, that would be great, but that leads me to my next point? [/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='SunfallE'][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][COLOR="RoyalBlue"]?The ability for people to bypass it via customization, lead to numerous issues with people breaking their page and making it unusable. Plus, every time an upgrade was done, it would break these sites that were essentially ?hacked?. You?re assuming that people were reasonable and knew what they were doing. It is an easy assumption to make when a member, unlike staff, is not required to deal with the complaints and help people fix the damage that they did by ?hacking? their pages. ? Plain and simple really. It wasn?t that Adam didn?t want to upgrade and make myOtaku more fancy and such, it was that he literally couldn?t. ?Like the comment box and pm link, however other things like new members being able to blog, aren?t going to happen. ? On the flip side, like Allamorph just pointed out, a lot of suggestions for Version Vibrant end up being implemented because unlike myOtaku, it[I] is[/I] designed for expansion. A lot of the things you want, have a much better chance of happening for theOtaku and Worlds. There are a lot of features that myOtaku couldn?t support that Worlds and the new theOtaku can. Which is why it was created in the first place.[/COLOR][/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]In that case, then why not make TheOtaku into MyOtaku, but with the benefits of both systems? It makes sense to combine the benefits onto the website that is easier to change/upgrade, so why hasn?t that been done yet? The main reasons that I don?t prefer Worlds for blogging are the problems with the update system, the comment boxes, and the limitations. If changes were made on TheOtaku that fixed these problems, I would consider switching to using my Worlds. However, since the update system hasn?t been going towards the way that it is on MyOtaku, comment boxes haven?t been made movable, and the restrictions are still too much for other users and I, I am sticking up for the old blogging system. (< I am sorry for the amount of commas used in that sentence. O.O I hope it?s not too difficult to read.) Sorry again for the late response; I?ve been entertaining guests. ^.^; I?m e-mailing Adam as soon as I can after this, so please don?t associate me with someone who wants to wail without knowing anything. Also, I?m sorry about the length; I didn?t expect so many replies, but I am grateful to get them! ^.^ [/SIZE][/FONT]

[quote name='Korey'][SIZE=1][FONT= "Franklin Gothic Medium"][Color="Navy"] I still don't comprehend how te atmosphere has changed since VV has dropped. I still think theO is very friendly. People are people, no matter what category you place them in. But I think you are making some generalizations based upon isolated instances. For example, you mentioned people get busy and don't update or comment because of that. This holds just as true for MyO. Concerning the guestbook, look at it this way: You go to my site. You see my info. You can sign into my GB, press escape and still be on my site. The GB on myO took you to a different part of the site. You'd have to do more clicking to get back.[/Color][/FONT][/SIZE][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]The atmosphere has changed because you are unable to hear as much from the nice members on TheOtaku; I have nothing against any of the members on TheOtaku and MyOtaku. The main reason that I'm still on TheOtaku/MyOtaku is for the company of these people. Well, the update system probably isn't the only reason for less comments on Worlds. I'm sure that there people who just don't like reading and commenting, but I think only a minority of the active members on TheOtaku are like that, since most of the members are nice, caring people. Are you talking about when you're in a person's portfolio to sign their guestbook? I'm talking about being on a person's World, then going to sign their guestbook to comment about their World's features or something else about their blog. And I already mentioned before that I think guestbooks are better suited for a member's place of blogging, so signers can comment on more personal aspects and make friends, rather than comment on art (but you can comment on art if you want to; it just seems more suitable to comment in an artwork's comment box, not the guestbook). Unless there's a link to the guestbook on Worlds that I don't know about...?[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="MediumTurquoise"]I think the best part about that article is the McDonald's hamburger ad next to it. XD A [I]hamburger[/I] would get the job done! His mother is hilarious. I wish my mom had that authority over my brother! XD What a weird family, though; taco-wielding son, and no-nonsense-or-you-go-to-jail mom. O.O [/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="Red"]I'm kinda picky, so I don't really have a massive collection. Also, I like to donate my old mangas that I've lost interest in. ^.^; In no particular order: [B]Inuyasha[/B] I used to have all the volumes up to 32, except for 21. The 12th and 18th volumes were my very first mangas. However, I lost interest and donated most of them to my school library. I have about 15 volumes left, and they're just random volumes that I still enjoy or have pictures of Sango and Bankotsu that I use for my fanart and fancomic. Also, I have 2 animangas that my parents bought me, and I use them to reference character colours. [B]Tokyo Mew Mew[/B] The 2nd manga series that I bought. However, I only bought volumes 1 and 2, and [I]A La Mode[/I] volumes 1 and 2. Of course, I lost interest and donated the [I]A La Mode[/I] ones to the library. I've kept the original series' first 2 volumes for reference pictures for my fancomic, as well. [B]Glass Wings[/B] The only shojo manga that I actually don't mind. It's only 1 book with 3 short stories in it (the 2st story sucks, but the other 2 are all right... especially the last one). It has a nice gothic art style. [B]Naruto[/B] My brother got a bunch of these mangas for his birthday, and he quickly lost interest and gave me a couple volumes. I only wanted the volumes with Haku in them because Haku's story is the best. ^.^ [B]The Dreaming[/B] A trilogy based on an Australian legend. I'm not sure if this counts as shoujo, since the girls have detailed hair and dresses, but their eyes aren't MASSIVE and their bodies are drawn more realistically.Either way the art in these mangas is amazingly detailed! And legend is pretty interesting, if you're into that kinda stuff. ^.^ [B]Claymore[/B] I have up to volume 14, which is all of them that's come out so far in English. This is an awesome, action-packed series so far. I just hope that it has a good ending! The art can take a little getting used to, but it has its up-sides. I've never got bored while reading this series, and the mangaka loves cliff-hangers! @.@ [B]My Cat Loki[/B] I only have the 1st volume because I think the cat drawings are cute. Other than cute cat drawings, though, this manga sucks so much! XD The main character is a self insert, and the story's main plot is about the main character getting over the death of his previous feline companion by adopting a new one (if you miss the old one, just replace it; animals are objects)! [B]Hellsing[/B] My brother bought all the volumes up to #8, then he lost interest. I made him sign a contract stating that he wouldn't take them back, since I like them so much! XD I bought volume 9, and I'm waiting for volume 10 (probably the final volume) to come out in English. The art's awesome, the story is awesome, the characters are awesome, and if you like REAL fictional vampires you must read this! [B]Suikoden III[/B] 11 volumes in total, and I have them all! Bwahahahaa! XD I already babbled about this series in another thread, but it's awesome too. Despite the mangas being based off the third installment of the [I]Suikoden[/I] games, you don't need to play the games to understand the mangas. You can't find it online, so you'll have to buy it. And on the same bookshelf as my mangas I have all my Alan Moore comic books! *^.^* He's a fantastic author, and you've gotta read [I]Watchmen[/I]![/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="DeepSkyBlue"]I recommend that you read [I]Suikoden III: The Successor of Fate[/I] manga. It's based off of the third installment of a video game series, but it's much better than most video game mangas! You don't need to play the games to get the plot; I've never played the games, and the manga's still fantastic. All of the characters are awesome, the plot is consistent and interesting, and the setting is brimming with creativity. The art is good too, considering that the characters are somewhat detailed. Also, the manga is complete in 11 volumes, but you have to buy it because there are any full translations of it anywhere! @.@ Good Luck! ^.^[/COLOR][/FONT]

[quote name='Desbreko'] [URL=http://img3.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dilandaucheekisthrobbin.jpg][IMG]http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/9219/dilandaucheekisthrobbin.th.jpg[/IMG][/URL][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="DarkOrange"]Hehe. I don't have a screencap for it, but I remember that just a few lines before this Dilandau has a similar awkward conversation with Folken... [B]Folken:[/B] My my, Dilandau. I didn't know that you were such a light sleeper. [B]Dilandau:[/B] Oh I'm still sleeping, Folken. And I'm dreaming of Van! ... o.O I don't know if these count, since they're from a [B]very poorly[/B] translated bootleg of [B]Escaflowne the Movie[/B]. [IMG]http://www.lizzard.net/cgi-bin/img.cgi/Escaflowne/images/galleries/bootlegs/boot_04_disappear.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.lizzard.net/cgi-bin/img.cgi/Escaflowne/images/galleries/bootlegs/boot_07_barm.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.lizzard.net/cgi-bin/img.cgi/Escaflowne/images/galleries/bootlegs/boot_11_flapping.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.lizzard.net/cgi-bin/img.cgi/Escaflowne/images/galleries/bootlegs/boot_14_trojan.jpg[/IMG] ^ perfect for this thread [IMG]http://www.lizzard.net/cgi-bin/img.cgi/Escaflowne/images/galleries/bootlegs/boot_16_bump.jpg[/IMG] Those were my favourite screencaps from [URL="http://www.lizzard.net/Escaflowne/gallery_engrish.html"]here[/URL]. Enjoy![/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="Plum"]My mom is surprisingly open-minded to anime. However, my dad and my brother think I'm an idiot for watching "stupid Japanese cartoons." My brother and dad seem to have the idea in their heads that animes are children's shows because they are cartoons, and that animes can't possibly be mature cartoons because they are not funny, like Family Guy and The Simpsons. -_- Yesh, they're bigots, but I don't care about their opinions; and you shouldn't care about your parents' opinions, as well! ^.^[/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="SeaGreen"]Pretty much everything by Yoko Kanno. However, I've been meaning to check out some of Yuki Kajiura's music, and there are some songs from other artists/composers that I like (but not as much as Kanno). Kanno's music has so much variety, culture, and originality in it; I can't see why people wouldn't like at least one of the OSTs that Kanno has composed! ^.~[/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="Red"]I'm currently reading Homer's [I]The Iliad[/I], and I'm going to watch [I]Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig[/I] and [I]Higurashi no Naku Koro ni/When They Cry[/I] (the first season) soon. [/COLOR][/FONT]

[quote name='Korey'][COLOR="navy"][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][SIZE="1"]This is fundamentally untrue. MyO members are encouraged to keep their sites if they so desire and there is no mandated requirement to switch to TheOtaku's Worlds system.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]Since MyOtaku isn?t getting any new members, MyOtaku is becoming less and less active. Eventually MyOtaku members are going to get lonely, since there?ll be less posts and comments made (if that?s not already the case, because it?s starting to get rather dead around there). It may not be a requirement to switch, but in the lonely end, is there really a choice for those remaining? [/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='Korey'][COLOR="navy"][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][SIZE="1"]Now, this is something that we do want to bring towards TheOtaku. TheO as it is now is sort of a "one-stop shop". Think about it. You can check your PM inbox, have your own blog/space to customize however you wish (within parameters), availibility to see who has updated their sites or uploaded new art, e-cards, wallpaper...etc etc. The reason that all of this has been brought to theO is to make it more convient for all the members. The link to the popularity of members is on theOtaku's page , because a good percentage of members have transferred over to VV's new, more efficient design. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]I don?t have a problem with my inbox being on TheOtaku. It?s just that if I?ve only been on MyOtaku and I wanna know if I?ve received any new messages, the link on MyOtaku to my inbox only tells me that I have ?0 new messages.? I know it?s only 1 click to find out, but it?s still slightly irritating. As for the popularity page that used to be on MyOtaku, the reason that most MyOtaku users miss it is that it was a good way to meet new members (this is rendered obsolete due to the loss of new members on MyOtaku, though). However, it would be nice to know who still updates their sites with this page, since there aren?t as many MyOtaku users left.[/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='Korey'][COLOR="navy"][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][SIZE="1"]This is odd, because my computer displays the avatars just fine, no problems. Perhaps it is your computer? Also, theO does allow customization options for comment styles in your profile, so you can pick your font color and style instead of using the drop down menu's everytime you posted. Now all you have to do is type and click send. Easier, right? [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]I can still see the avatars in the comment box, but avatars can?t be seen any more in guestbooks that follow the basic layout for MyOtaku sites; I know that members can always customize their guestbooks to see the avatars, but it?s just another minor inconvenience. The drop down menu for every comment was good for members who like to use different colours in each of comment, but there are other members who prefer to have one colour for all comments. An option for a single colour or the choice of different colours for each comment should be offered to be fair. Also, for the different colour per comment members, having to go to the profile page every time they want to comment with a different colour is less easy. [/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='Korey'][COLOR="navy"][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][SIZE="1"]There is also an edit feature that you can use in case you have to make any modifications to your posts. So if something else does come to mind, you can edit your post and add in whatever you want. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]Members of MyOtaku would like this feature, as well, and the old colour-rific comment box back. XD [/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='Korey'][COLOR="navy"][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][SIZE="1"]I have no problem with the Guestbook as it is on VV and I think that it's great that it's not another page. It makes things a lot more convient to just click on a member's site and click their guestbook and make an entry right on the page.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]The guestbook on MyOtaku is better for that reason; you?re on a user?s site, then you click the guestbook link, and type your signing. With the guestbook on TheOtaku you?re on a member?s World, then you have to click to go to their profile, then open the guestbook comment box, and type your signing (=more clicks). Also, if you want to visit more pages on a user?s site (portfolio, quiz results, friends of the user?s sites, and any customized pages), the other pages are only 1 click away. [/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='Korey'][COLOR="navy"][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][SIZE="1"]No one is forbidden from blogging on their myotaku site, in fact, several users in my personal friends list update their MyOtaku quite frequently. In fact, you can even see that in your updates in your backroom on theOtaku. So, post away and others will be able to see it if they are suscribed to you. Again, no one is forcing to use the worlds system. I actually like the design modules better than MyOtaku and it's easier to make a dazzling page without having to be a whiz at HTML coding.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]New members aren?t able to update their profiles on MyOtaku, so they?re stuck with the plain, white and grey, basic design. I don?t know if new members are able to post or comment on MyOtaku posts, but most new members would probably want to have at least some colour or a picture or two in their blog introduction section (hello, Worlds). As for being a whiz at HTML coding, there was that old system of teaching new user?s with the Jedi Knight system. I love the way that it?s Star Wars! Haha! ^.^ Also, some members design layouts for sites, and they are willing to share those layouts. Of course, many users are also willing to answer the questions of members who don?t know about HTML coding. It?s not very difficult to find out the secrets of HTML coding, and considering the many different ways to customize a site using HTML coding, investing some time into it is worth it.[/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='Korey'][COLOR="navy"][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][SIZE="1"]The update system I think is more efficient and better than MyOtaku. When you think about it, the system on MyOtaku only shows you who updated their site. The new system shows many different things besides just the Worlds posts. You can see new Fan Art, Wallpapers, E-Cards and even MyOtaku updates.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"](See the Fun Fact thingy) TheOtaku used to have an update system just for members? portfolios that was the same as the update system on MyOtaku for a short while (this was a time before Worlds, by the way). It allowed you to see when a member last updated their portfolio and had recent updates highlighted with orange, so you wouldn?t miss any older updates, like we do now.[/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='Korey'][COLOR="navy"][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][SIZE="1"]Now as far as the sites getting less traffic, more specifically the worlds, it's because no can see when you update your world unless they are suscribed to you, much like your buddy list on MyOtaku. But since you recieve updates every time they contribute to the site, you can see and comment whenever. So I don't forsee that being a problem.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]Less comments on Worlds isn?t a problem because of a lack of subscribers. The problem is caused by the fact that members who are busy, like me, and can?t be on TheOtaku/MyOtaku all the time and/or are subscribed to a lot of people can?t view older updates, since only a few recent updates are shown with VersionVibrant?s update system. So we busy/subscriber-happy folk don?t know who to comment on, since we don?t know if anything new to comment on has been made. [/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='Korey'][COLOR="navy"][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][SIZE="1"]?You mentioned Deviantart as an example, however, as you may well know, Deviantart has had some problems with trolling, flaming and overall problems with their member base. TheOtaku has mostly free features and in my opinion has a better staff than Deviantart does. We work really hard to keep the quality of the site up. As far as donations or paying money towards Art of Otaku goes, that is not really trying to garner money for the site. Art of Otaku is a product that theOtaku offers and you are not obligated to buy it, nor are you obligated to buy premium membership. I am not a premium member on theOtaku and I enjoy myself thoroughly on the site.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]So far I haven?t seen any major problems emerging from the Premium membership stuff, and I imagine that the reason that problems haven?t emerged is due to the superior staff here. ^.^ I didn?t know that Art of Otaku didn?t provide any money for TheOtaku?s maintenance, but aren?t online lessons offered, as well?? In that case, TheOtaku should be paid some money in offering online lessons, since TheOtaku is the website that?s hosting/providing the lessons (and of course the rest of the money would go to the artist providing the lessons, if they requested pay). [/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='Kimmeh'][FONT="Tahoma"][SIZE="2"][COLOR="Green"]First off, I think the premium membership as it is now is completely [B]fair[/B], and people who are willing to spend money on it deserve some sort of special features. And sure, the donation idea is great, but you need to keep the fact in mind that a majority of the active users on the site are not legal adults yet, and their parents may not agree to giving some website on the internet free money. The premium membership gives people an option, and if they're willing to spend the money then they are ultimately helping out the site. Because let's face it, running a site of this caliber is not pocket-change..[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]Well, I don?t think that most parents would let their kid buy a Premium membership just so their kid can have a cupcake next to their username. XD I can see some parents letting their kids buy the Premium membership for the Art of Otaku book, but I think you can buy that separately? [/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='Korey'][COLOR="navy"][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][SIZE="1"]Now, for progresses's sake, it's kind of old news to keep things the way they are. There were problems with MyOtaku as well and some of them actually stemmed from the amount of customization options that were affored to the members because of the HTML format that dominated the system. Some sites, while nifty, possessed an unessecary amount of clutter and didn't look as nice. Sometimes simplicity can be more elegant than "OMG LOOK I HAVE A MUSIC PLAYER AND PICCIES ALL OVER MY SITE, DOHOHOHO :3 "[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]After reading Kimmeh?s reply, then this reply, I got thinking. :P Since Art of Otaku doesn?t make much of an impact on the costs of running TheOtaku/MyOtaku, why don?t Premium members get the option of creating a customizable site on MyOtaku? At least that way Premium members are paying for whatever additional costs they?ll make if they decide to make a cluttered site. Also, old members of MyOtaku should be allowed to keep their sites without becoming Premium members, since the older members have been sorta forgotten about/abandoned here. Lastly, experienced members of TheOtaku who are newer, like newer Otaku Legends or something, can be allowed to make sites due to their involvement in the TheOtaku/MyOtaku community (thus earning the option, and promoting involvement); more experienced members would know better than to create clutter sites, as well. [/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='Korey'][COLOR="navy"][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][SIZE="1"]I really can't believe that theOtaku is less friendly now than it ever was. I find that the system on theOtaku actually encourages camraderie more than ever. We expanded the site to have a community chat function, which allows you to interact with other Otakuites in real-time. What can be better right? Now you get to chat with all the oldies that you talk to on MyOtaku or theO. ? I'm not sure what you mean about theOtaku members not caring for each other. I've had a great deal of friends on theOtaku and have made many more through the chat function. So, it's a case by case basis, I suppose.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE] [quote name='Kimmeh'][FONT="Tahoma"][SIZE="2"][COLOR="Green"]Another thing, I don't believe that [B]theOtaku[/B] is any less friendly than [B]MyOtaku[/B]. If anything it would be more friendly, and much more open to the community because of the new chat function, as well as the easier way to keep up with your comments and replies you may have gotten around the site. In the past it was almost impossible to realize who commented on what without having to go back and search for yourself.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]I?m sorry, but that?s not what I meant! T.T TheOtaku members are just as nice as MyOtaku members. What I was trying to say is that TheOtaku has lost its friendly [I]atmosphere[/I], since members aren?t commenting on Worlds as much as they did on sites (not their fault, as stated above), and it?s an art website, making the website less personal than MyOtaku (the blogging website). Also, I wasn?t trying to say that TheOtaku members are less caring than MyOtaku users; I was trying to point out that there isn?t a difference between bloggers on TheOtaku and bloggers on MyOtaku, since MyOtaku users are just as caring and friendly as the members of TheOtaku. Sorry about my poor communication skills. ^.^; Also, I really like the chat system too, and I don?t mind that it?s on TheOtaku. It wouldn?t work on MyOtaku unless it had a separate page in the backroom, but it?s better suited for TheOtaku or OtakuBoards. As for the comment management system, MyOtaku had a comment management system for a short while; I?m pretty sure that it included replies, as well.[/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='James'][font=franklin gothic medium]Before Version Vibrant was on the table, I was talking with Adam about doing a new version of myOtaku. In fact, we had a design ready to go. The problem was that myOtaku wasn't built to be expanded as needed. Also if we'd done a major upgrade, we would have destroyed a [i]lot[/i] of content - especially people's custom pages. Although I was really opposed to the idea of splitting the userbase between myOtaku and theOtaku, it was necessary to build an entirely new site, because it wasn't physically possible to do what we had to do with myOtaku.[/font][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]Well, MyOtaku lost some of its old features, so putting those back to normal shouldn?t destroy any content. Fixing the problem with the basic layout for Firefox and the new InternetExplorer shouldn?t be too difficult either; I think it has something to do with sizing and placement, and other members with customized sites have been able to get their sites to work with the new browsers. It?s good to know that updates for MyOtaku were considered at one time, though. [/SIZE][/FONT] [quote name='Allamorph'][FONT=Arial]Remember, kids, before you go start assuming everything has turned against you and abandoned what you love, talk to the guy at the top first. Often, the Why of a situation will help you understand the necessity of the What.[/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]The last time I contacted Adam about the lack of attention that MyOtaku was receiving and the loss of those few features, he only restored the comment box and the PM link to what it is now. However, he was busier last year with the final touch-ups of VersionVibrant, and he may have forgotten later. So I shall e-mail him the link to this thread. ^.^; Also, I didn?t want to go straight to Adam, since I wanted to find out some other members? views on the subject. So thank you for everyone?s responses on this so far, and I encourage more members to offer their views, as well! :catgirl: P.S. I'm sorry that this is such a long reply, and that it's late (I'm busy). [/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="DarkOrchid"]I love battle arenas! I've seen some on comic book forums! I think the voting idea is great, since that way you don't have to count how many people supported a character to declare who wins at the end. Also, the best thing about battle arenas is that they can teach you a lot about the characters, and may get you interested in new things. ^.^ And they're fun! XD [/COLOR][/FONT]

[SIZE="3"][B]About MyOtaku[/B] MyOtaku is the old blogging system for TheOtaku; instead of Worlds, there are sites. New members can not join MyOtaku to make a site. I?m guessing that the reason for this restriction is that TheOtaku?s managers are hoping that eventually all of the old MyOtaku users will die, get lost, or switch to TheOtaku?s Worlds. [URL="http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/sbsp13668/myotaku_6.jpg"][IMG] http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/sbsp13668/th_myotaku_6.jpg [/IMG][/URL] When VersionVibrant went up, MyOtaku lost some somewhat minor features. At first, MyOtaku lost the link to users? inboxes, so users were forced to go to TheOtaku to check their messages. Now, MyOtaku users have got the PM link back, but it only says that there are 0 new PMs. Also, there was a comment/reply management system that was similar to the one that?s currently on TheOtaku, but the managers never gave that back to MyOtaku. The page that displayed members? popularity based on the number of visits their sites received was never returned to MyOtaku, as well. That page would also display the usernames of new members and of members who recently updated their sites. [URL="http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/sbsp13668/myotaku_17.jpg"][IMG] http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/sbsp13668/th_myotaku_17.jpg [/IMG][/URL] Another thing that MyOtaku lost was the old comment box, where avatars would appear next the user?s name, and font and colour options were available (for each comment, so you weren?t stuck with the same thing for all of your comments). When VersionVibrant was first put up, members couldn?t make paragraphs in their comments. Now, MyOtaku members have got the avatars and paragraphs back, but they still don?t have the font and colour options, or the new edit and reply features. However, the comment box on MyOtaku is still better than the comment box on TheOtaku, since users are able to move it around. Many users like to type their comments while reading the post or looking at the artwork, so they can type everything that comes to mind. The new comment boxes on TheOtaku stay in the centre of the screen and shade the rest of the page. [URL="http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/sbsp13668/myotaku_18.jpg"][IMG] http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/sbsp13668/th_myotaku_18.jpg [/IMG][/URL] The guestbook on MyOtaku is much better, and signers still have font and colour options. Also, the guestbook is accessible from a member?s site, and it isn?t just another comment box; it?s a separate page on the site. Guestbooks are more for making friends and leaving comments that don?t always relate to art, so it makes more sense to have the guestbook located where its owner blogs. However, in this area the managers still haven?t given back the users? avatars that would be next to their signing, after VersionVibrant?s installment. By taking away the somewhat minor features mentioned above, forbidding new members from blogging on MyOtaku, and not improving MyOtaku at all while making all those changes with VersionVibrant, it is obvious that TheOtaku?s managers want to get rid of MyOtaku eventually. Maybe I?m getting a bit ahead of myself there; I should start telling y?all about the ways that MyOtaku?s sites are better than TheOtaku?s Worlds, and that forcing users to use the cruddier blogging system is unfair. [URL="http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/sbsp13668/myotaku_26.jpg"][IMG] http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/sbsp13668/th_myotaku_26.jpg [/IMG][/URL] To start, sites are much more customizable than Worlds. Similarly to MySpace, if you or a friend has some knowledge of HTML, you can make your site look anyway that you?d like it to look. There is a 1500 character limit to the amount of text that can be used to customize a site, but that limit can be easily bypassed (hehe). To be honest, though, I don?t think people bypassing this limit has become a major problem, since a good amount of users also like to keep their sites simple (not coming close to exceeding the limit). Here are just a few examples of sites that have been customized: [URL="http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/sbsp13668/myotaku_34.jpg"][IMG] http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/sbsp13668/th_myotaku_34.jpg [/IMG][/URL] [URL="http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/sbsp13668/myotaku_22.jpg"][IMG] http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/sbsp13668/th_myotaku_22.jpg [/IMG][/URL] [URL="http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/sbsp13668/myotaku_33.jpg"][IMG] http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/sbsp13668/th_myotaku_33.jpg [/IMG][/URL] [URL="http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/sbsp13668/myotaku_15.jpg"][IMG] http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/sbsp13668/th_myotaku_15.jpg [/IMG][/URL] [URL="http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/sbsp13668/myotaku_4.jpg"][IMG] http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/sbsp13668/th_myotaku_4.jpg [/IMG][/URL] [URL="http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/sbsp13668/myotaku_5.jpg"][IMG] http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/sbsp13668/th_myotaku_5.jpg [/IMG][/URL] [URL="http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/sbsp13668/myotaku_19.jpg"][IMG] http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/sbsp13668/th_myotaku_19.jpg [/IMG][/URL] Besides having no limits on the basic appearance of a site, there also isn?t a limit on the amount of pictures, music players, or videos that can be in a post (or in the introduction section). Also, members are not restricted to embedding only YouTube videos. And the amount of posts that are displayed on the main page of a user?s site can be changed. Not to mention, the quiz results page is pretty cool, since you can show off prettyful quiz results, and the results can come from any quiz website. [URL="http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/sbsp13668/myotaku_30.jpg"][IMG] http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/sbsp13668/th_myotaku_30.jpg [/IMG][/URL] MyOtaku?s way of showing updates is superior to almost every website that I know; DeviantArt is pretty much even with its inbox-like way of showing updates. MyOtaku?s update system is a list of all your friends? usernames with the dates of their last update next to them and the most recently updated are highlighted with a light blue. The new update system on TheOtaku only shows which members have recently updated and included in these recent updates are art updates as well. Since I don?t get on very often, I miss a lot of updates, so I like to go down the list of dates to find out who has updated since my last visit. Now, I have no idea how many of my friends are using Worlds or when they last updated anything, since I only see that a few of them updated in the past day or so! >.< It?s very frustrating and inconvenient. (Fun fact: MyOtaku?s update system was used for a short time on TheOtaku for art updates. I have no idea why the managers changed it.) The best thing about MyOtaku is its friendly atmosphere, though. And I have yet to find another website with such a vast majority of nice members. Unfortunately, despite still having friendly members, the atmosphere on TheOtaku is no longer friendly. People definitely don?t comment on Worlds as much as they did on sites (possibly because of the update system problems), and sites are getting less comments than before because no new members have been coming and old members have been going. It?s getting lonely around here! TheOtaku has become more art and profit-oriented. Well, TheOtaku was the art part of the MyOtaku/TheOtaku relationship. However, since Worlds are failing at being a good blogging system and MyOtaku has been abandoned, all that?s left is the art. Then there?s this Premium membership stuff. If TheOtaku?s staff members are getting a little tight for money, I?m sure that many members would be happy to DONATE, but restricting certain features from regular members is lousy. Where?s the love in that? Also, I thought that TheOtaku wouldn?t really need the money, since it was selling that artbook and art lessons?? So far I haven?t seen any major problems developing from the Premium membership stuff, but my experience with DeviantArt tells me that Premium memberships will probably lead to trouble in the future. Anyways! Back to MyOtaku?s generally friendly atmosphere! ^.^ There was a way that older MyOtaku members would welcome new members and teach them how to make friends, develop good netiquette, and create snazzy sites; forgive me for not remembering the details exactly, but I remember that the teaching involved a level system in which new members who wanted to learn some stuff would start off as padawans, then become Jedi masters who have the option of becoming teachers. Overall, the users on MyOtaku care about each other. They don?t just want subscribers and favourites; they want to become friends, so they can help each other through the hard times and share the good times. Most of the remaining MyOtaku users are still here for the friendship and the refuge from the real world. That?s what MyOtaku is: a place where everybody is the person that they want to become, thus the members have created their own perfect world to live in. [B]Areas of Improvement[/B] Now, I didn?t post this to point out only the great things about MyOtaku. I also wanted to point out that there are parts of MyOtaku that still need improvement, and that the managers really have no reason to abandon the better blogging system for this new one. Also, I want y?all to know that I don?t totally hate the new changes made to TheOtaku, since some good ones were still made. [URL="http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/sbsp13668/myotaku_11.jpg"][IMG] http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/sbsp13668/th_myotaku_11.jpg [/IMG][/URL] [URL="http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/sbsp13668/myotaku_12.jpg"][IMG] http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c162/sbsp13668/th_myotaku_12.jpg [/IMG][/URL] The main problem that comes with MyOtaku is the way that sites using the basic layout get all messed up on Firefox and versions of InternetExplorer over 6. I?ve heard that this problem has something to do with the HTML formatting. But I know some people who seem to know how to get the page back to normal, using HTML formatting, so I doubt that it would be very difficult for TheOtaku?s staff members to fix. Also, I?ve had a couple friends whose profiles have just stopped working or their accounts have been deleted for no apparent reason. A better security system would be nice for sites, as well. Perhaps an optional security system that gives members the choice to block non-members from viewing their sites. On MyOtaku, clubs have always seemed difficult to run and participate in. However, here?s where Worlds can [I]actually[/I] be useful, if equipped with a better update system! Being able to have multiple Worlds and put them in categories is perfect for clubs; not to mention, having guest posters works well with running a clubl. Also, Worlds are good for users who want to post lots of their written artistic creations (poems, fanfics, reviews, etc.). Gifts and the chat feature are nice, but I wish that the limit on the amount of gifts that a member could send out wasn?t so low. I have a lot of friends with a lot of birthdays! ^.^; Also, I like that more categories and a fanfiction section have been added, but I hate that the cosplay section was removed (shows how much the managers cared about TheOtaku?s cosplaying community)! But the fancomic section is the best fancomic section that I?ve seen so far. So what I?m trying to say is that TheOtaku is a fantastic art website, but MyOtaku is a much better blog website. MyOtaku and the older members don?t deserve to be ditched like this, and all of TheOtaku?s members deserve to have the option of using the better blogging system. Sorry for my lousy vocabulary; I hope that despite it, people are able to grasp the meaning behind the words and are willing to share their thoughts on the matter. Also, I didn?t state every way that TheOtaku could improve because this post is already far too long, and this post is meant to put focus on MyOtaku. Thanks for reading, and it would be even more appreciated if some action could be taken to remedy these issues. ^.^[/SIZE]

[quote name='David Grohl'][COLOR="DimGray"]I mean... he did get kicked out of school at 17 for dealing acid. And his wife did leave him for his mistress. And maybe he's a practicing magician. And alright, maybe he does worship a Roman snake diety... But what of it?[/COLOR][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="DarkSlateGray"]Hmmm... never knew all that, but I agree. Moore seems perfectly sane, but that may be the opinion of somebody who isn't quite sane themselves, so... :catgirl: kitty.[/COLOR][/FONT] [quote name='Nerdsy'][color=deeppink]That's funny, considering Rorshach was designed to be a criticism of that school of thought.[/color][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="DarkSlateGray"]Works either way really. Either you like the character because he mocks that point of view, or you like him because you can relate. XD My second favourite would have to be the Comedian who is similar to Rorschach in some views too, but I like his somewhat lighter approach to things. Not to mention Rorschach has taught me a very interesting theory as to morality, refer to signature. XD[/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="DarkGreen"]I'm not a big fan of any of those series, but I sorta like Death Note up to episode 25. However, I've been meaning to read the Full Metal Alchemist manga, since I liked the beginning of the anime (later in the series got confusing for me, but my friends told me that it isn't as confusing in the manga). So I voted for Death Note, since it's the only option that I know well enough. I prefer older animes, but of the few newer animes that I like they probably wouldn't make a very good forum. I like Hellsing, which takes a long time to make (although I can still see some good discussions coming from that anime and manga). And I like Claymore, but I think they're just dubbing it now and the manga is incomplete as well (also, it's not as popular, so not much discussion there). That's pretty much it for the newer animes that I really like. :catgirl: Sorry for boring you to death there. :animeswea[/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="DarkSlateBlue"]I dunno if there's been a topic already made for this, but I hope not! :catgirl: So, what song do you want to be played at your funeral? I don't want a bunch of people getting dressed up or depressed at my funeral (for the few who'd show up), so I'd like: "Cotton Eye Joe" (techno remix) by: The Rednex "I've Got A Lovely Bunch of Coconuts" by: Monty Python (not too sure if that's who made it) "Bloody Well Right" or "Dreamer" by: Supertramp :catgirl:[/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="Green"]I don't like most Christmas songs, because you gotta listen to them every goddamned year! RAHHH!!! *shoots lazors outta eyes* I like these few though: "Carol of the Bells" "The 12 Pains of Christmas" by: The Bob Rivers Comedy Corp. [/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="Navy"]Can't decide. One of these: "Don't Worry Be Happy" by: Bob Marley "Three Little Birds" by: Bob Marley "From Now On" by: Supertramp People have told me that these songs suit me though: "Diary of Jane" by: Breaking Benjamin "Re: Your Brains" by: Jonathan Coulton[/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="DarkOrange"]Haha! ^.^ I got my first CD player when I was in first grade, so some of the stuff I used to listen to was pretty awful! XD The few CDs I had when I was a kid were: Pokemon OSTs Digimon the Movie OST Avril Lavigne Aarron Carter (the party mix album) and a few mix CDs Of that list the only CD that I still enjoy listening to almost all the way through is the Digimon OST. Surprisingly, the Digimon OST rocks; there are songs such as "All Star" by Smashmouth, "Rockafeller Skank" by Fatboy Slim, and "One Week" by the Barenaked Ladies. I don't remember any of those awesome songs being played in the Digimon Movie, but they're still awesome! The rest of my old music I pretty much hate; 1 or 2 songs from Avril Lavigne and some of those mix CDs are still bearable. :catgirl:[/COLOR][/FONT]

[COLOR="Purple"][FONT="Comic Sans MS"]I don't really like romantic songs, but of the few that I do enjoy: "Even in Death" by: Evanescence "Mr. Brightside" by: The Killers (if that counts) "Our Farewell" by: Within Temptation "Solitude" by: Evanescence "Diary of Jane" (acoustic version) by: Breaking Benjamin "First Love" (piano version) by: Utada Hikaru (it's got "love" in the title!) "Sally's Song" by: Amy Lee from The Nightmare Before Christmas OST (called "The Nightmare Revisited") [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR="Orange"][FONT="Comic Sans MS"]Now, I've finished reading [I]Watchmen[/I], and it is AMAZING! All of the characters are unique and well developed, and there are several interesting themes. Also, it kicks most comics' asses! I love how the "superheroes" in Alan Moore's books don't have super powers (except Dr. Manhattan, but I can live with that); it really shows up comics like Spiderman and Superman. There's one major problem though: Not enough people are reading this book! I mean, this book is fantastic literature, but it's in comic format. Most people think comic books are a guy thing, so no girls are even considering reading it. Also, when I told my female friends that I was reading [I]Watchmen[/I], they all laughed and said "Pffffft! Stop reading that and read [I]Twilight[/I]!" Of course after hearing that, I self destructed, because [I]Watchmen[/I] is a work of art, and [I]Twilight[/I] is a Mary-Sue fanfiction that somehow was able to get published into a book series (it's just insulting). ... Well, I'm glad I got all that out of my system. :catgirl: Obviously, Rorschach is my favourite character of the series, because I agree with his point of view, he has some of the best quotes, and he's ugly (and ugly characters are very VERY rare). ^.^ Next Alan Moore comic I'm reading: [I]The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen[/I][/FONT][/COLOR]

[quote name='Paramount'][SIZE="1"]Godot's post sums up my thoughts to a T. I keep thinking this is Gaia, and that versus threads are banned...but, I'd think it'd be the same here, anyway.[/SIZE][/QUOTE] [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="DarkRed"]Oh? I didn't know they'd ban these types of threads on forums. Sorry about that then, I just thought it would be interesting to see what the fans would think their characters would do to win a battle against each other. I like debates, but perhaps some fans may take it a little too far and start petty arguments...? Well, Sorry again. ^.^ [/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="Purple"]I've played Gladius so much that I dream about still playing it. o.O That game isn't very hard though, and I'm still a cruddy gamer. ^.^;[/COLOR][/FONT]