James

[font=arial]Forget a Christmas banner...we need a [i]whole skin[/i] with that theme! The "last post" buttons could be made of chrome and we could have fuzzy dice hanging off the banner or something.[/font]

[font=arial]In all of these cases, the graphics submitted became "official" OB graphics (both banners and avatars). So yeah, I'm not sure what the category would be...but it would definitely include all threads that involve members creating graphics that become an official part of OB itself. Even apart from holiday-centric banners, we've still had actual standard OB banners that have been member-created (like Syk3's OB banner, which was for uh...Version 6 I think? I am not sure. It was the one that carried "Powered by Syk3" on the corner - we kept that one in place for quite a while).[/font]

[font=arial]I'm not sure what category it would come under, but we've had various threads where members get the chance to design a page banner for OB - this includes not only Christmas banners, but also new year banners and others. It might be worth finding a few more examples and maybe even linking to the various winners if possible. We've had quite a few member-created banners over the years, so this would be a great way to make sure they live forever.[/font]

[QUOTE=Charles] :flaming:[/QUOTE] [font=arial]I meant when he was being lighthearted and charming, of course... :animeswea [/font]

[font=arial]Thimoc did recruit a few people, but I should point out that OtakuBoards never "crashed". It was also never "hacked". I think these things imply that someone got into the server or changed the code or something...but it never got that far. If we had been bothered, it would have been possible to restore V2 and repair the damage that was done. It all stemmed from one of them having Adam's password - so while they were all performing administrator actions, they couldn't access the server. Moreover, they weren't very smart. Using their admin powers, they could have deleted whole forums and done some very fundamentally damaging things - stuff that we would never recover from. But they didn't. I'm not quite sure why...given that their goal was to bring down OB. In the end it was simply too much trouble to fix it all. That event was also a good excuse to move to a new software format. So really, it kind of came at the right time. But OB has never actually been "hacked" and it's never crashed as a result of member activity. We've had various server troubles in the past, but these were more related to the demands of a large network and its growing pains (OB often suffered as a result, unfortunately).[/font]

[QUOTE=Boo][size=1]I wonder if James has ever forgiven me for these dark ages. Especially after I posted in that thread by Charles. [/size][/QUOTE] [font=arial]Meh, I don't hold grudges. People make mistakes (and I sure as hell make plenty), so it's never an issue. Onwards and upwards, I say. ~_^[/font]

[font=arial]Yeah, I agree. I loved Adam's entry about Masterfork - that entry should definitely be included in the actual Otakupedia, maybe with an added notation or something. And I'd definitely request an article about Master O Beans. He started off well enough (he kinda reminded me of Charles at times), but eventually he became a total pain in the butt. It was a shame, lol.[/font]

[font=arial]Regarding Masterfork...I believe his title came from a comment Adam had made when he met him in New York City. Adam made some comment that Masterfork looked so intimidating and somewhere along the line the idea came around that Masterfork ate babies on the side. o_O You'd have to ask Adam for more detail about that, but I remember the whole thing stemming from when Adam met him in person.[/font]

[font=arial]It's that time of the year again, everyone. We've got about a month to go until Christmas day, so I thought that would be plenty of time to open the floor for all you budding artists out there to produce a Christmas banner for OtakuBoards. For those who have never seen these threads before, let me just quickly explain how it works. Over the coming weeks [i]any[/i] member can submit their own Christmas banner to be used at the top of our site. The winner will have their banner put on the site during the Christmas period. As you can see, it's all pretty simple, but there are a few basic guidelines to give your entry a better chance of success: [b]Banner Size & Border[/b] I've attached a PSD (Photoshop) file on this post, which anyone can save and use. I recommend that you use this file, as it's the file I use to design new site banners. Basically, it contains a white background layer (for you to put your design on) and a foreground layer that contains a black border. You [b]must leave the black border in place[/b] - this will ensure that the banner fits the site correctly and correlates with the rest of the page's borders. And of course, the size must remain as-is. [b]What needs to go on the banner?[/b] You can really include whatever imagery you want on the banner (whatever you feel is appropriate), but there are a few things I will require: [list] [*]The banner [b]must[/b] contain the word "OtakuBoards" somewhere. It's an inter-capped word (rather than "Otakuboards"), but you can choose whatever font or color you like for it, as long as the site's title is clearly displayed. [*]If you like, you may include your name/signature somewhere on the banner...but please keep it relatively small and unobtrusive. [*]You can also use any colors you like, but I recommend sticking with between two and three colors so as not to make the banner look too busy or awkward. [/list] That's about it, really. You can include a "Happy Holidays" or "Merry Christmas" message on the banner, but that's entirely up to you. [b]Other Stuff[/b] You can submit as many entries as you like (but please avoid double-posting) and you can also work on banners in teams if you want. It's really all up to you - whatever you think will result in the best banner. At the moment I am not really setting a deadline, but I'm probably going to allow roughly two weeks or so for submissions. I think that's about it for now. You may attach your submissions on OtakuBoards if you want, but you can also host them elsewhere and use the IMG tag to put several in a single post. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them here! :catgirl: [/font]

[QUOTE=Desbreko][color=#4B0082]I'd be willing to do updates for an Otakupedia site, provided I have the time. But unless we get some actual wiki software set up I can see updates being really time consuming once a large number of pages have been added and edits start needing to be made. Having to create and edit web pages just by going in and changing the code, then uploading the new page, is horribly slow when dealing with a site of any decent size. If we get a real wiki set up, though, I'd be more than happy to moderate on it. But before that can happen I think we need to install a newer version of PHP on the server. According to the admin control panel we're running on a 4.x version and the latest builds of MediaWiki require a 5.x version. And by the way. . . . Why has no one even mentioned me in here except in reference to giving me more work? :animecry:[/color][/QUOTE] [font=arial]Yeah, PHP is an issue I think...I haven't heard from Justin in a little while so I don't know whether or not I'm going to be able to move that aspect forward. I'll talk to Adam and see what we can come up with. But if you (or you and Charles, even) are willing to update a site that uses MediaWiki or something, that'd be great. For now we can continue using the thread while we investigate other options for the future - it would certainly be good to have a permanent and fully-updatable Otakupedia running. Having a comprehensive library of OB historical information is something I have been interested in for a while, but it just doesn't work when only a single person does it - you really need the full involvement of the community. And frankly, OB deserves to have its history recorded...I can think of very few online forums that have such a rich and diverse background. And Deb, I think we'd need a much longer article on you, as you have been one of the more significant members over the years. I'm sure even some existing member articles will be beefed up too. I don't know who wants to write that one - I don't feel comfortable writing any full member articles, because I always worry I'll forget something important, lol. But when I remember things I'm happy to chime in and bring them up, so the original piece can be edited.[/font]

[font=arial]Thimoc actually came back about a year or two ago and stayed for several months...amazingly enough he actually told me that he was going to "behave" and he did, lol. I don't remember what his new username was though. But he was here for a little while during the V7 era.[/font]

[quote name='DeadSeraphim][size=1][color=indigo][font=arial]you could just install some wiki software, like Mediawiki. That way it only takes one install, and Charles can keep editting without relying on someone else, all the while keeping the software closed to new registrations and users.[/font][/color'][/size][/quote] [font=arial]That sounds like a good idea. As long as we can edit the layout and format (I'm assuming so), it'll probably be easy enough for Charles to use for his updating purposes. I'll check it out. :catgirl: [/font]

[QUOTE=Charles] If this keeps buidling up then that'd be a really cool idea. I really can't contribute in making a sensible-looking website myself, but if any of you want to undertake that then it'd be super awesome. I'd love that.[/QUOTE] [font=arial]I'm happy to put a design and layout together...we will keep it really simple, but I'll need someone to update it. Desbreko's probably the first choice, because he knows the code and he can have access to our server to make updates as required.[/font]

[font=arial]I am loving the whole thing and I think it's something we can continually add to - it would be great to have a comprehensive history of OB. As you know, this probably covers less than a per cent of OB's history right now...there are literally a million things we could add. I was even thinking that once this gets bigger, we can think about creating a full web page for it at its own address (perhaps [url]www.otakuboards.com/otakupedia[/url]). It's up to you, Charles, but I think it might be a cool idea - we could even put a permanent OB link to it. [/font]

[QUOTE=Shy][size=1]James: I dare you to find anyone who liked, or even understood what OtakuBot was supposed to look like. The fact that his avatar cut off his bottom half only helped my argument that he was a bathroom scale or razorblade. -Shy[/size][/QUOTE] [font=arial]I know you didn't like him but, you know, he was cool. Very few people actually saw him, since he never made a real public debut on OB. So it would actually be hard to find that many people who even know what he looks like in the first place! :animeswea He was going to be fully-displayed on information pages and we actually had various pictures of him that were really appropriate (waggling his finger, getting frustrated, overjoyed, etc). It would have been glorious. I'm just glad he isn't forgotten. Poor little guy. :animesigh [b]Edit:[/b] While I'm here I might as well add something about My Otaku. The whole point behind My Otaku was to provide an informational service for OB members; not just rules, but tutorials about a myriad of subjects (basic guide to creating banners, information about good RPG creation, FAQs about using the site's functions, etc). So I guess you could say that it was designed to be a much easier and more pleasant way to learn how to use OB and to participate in all of its various activities. It was going to be an alternative to a pretty dry rules page. However, I think it ended up becoming largely unnecessary. We had a very well-written FAQ put up (thanks to Charles - without him that FAQ wouldn't exist, and I think it's an incredibly good guide) and that was really all we needed. I also wanted My Otaku to be built into the site rather than to have its own forum...but I had trouble getting the programming support to do that, which further hindered its progress. In the end it became clear that we were better off focusing on more important issues, since the FAQ and Rules basically covered what we needed to say anyway. [b]Edit 2:[/b] While I'm here I might also suggest to Charles...if you can get screenshots of other OB versions (namely 4, 5 and 6), I can help you put together information about what these versions introduced - each version brought various changes with it that weren't just cosmetic. And then an article can also be written about V7. I'm happy to do those if you like, since I know how the development process went and stuff.[/font]

[QUOTE=Kazuko][SIZE=1]Uhm, correct me if I'm mistaken, but didn't OB orginally start as "AGB" (I can't quite remember what it stood for) sometime in 1998? I first joined back in late 1999, and that's how I remember it. :3[/SIZE][/QUOTE] [font=arial]Yep, that's right. Absolute Gameboy was actually the very first site - it pre-dated theOtaku. AGB Forums was actually the first, however it only really became an anime-centric message board when theOtaku.com came into existence. Shy: Somehow I don't think three people are the same as the community at large, heheh. Still, I'm glad that OtakuBot went on to bigger and better things in Enter the Net...for better or worse, he's now truly embedded in OB history.[/font] :animesmil

[font=arial]It's funny how OtakuBot ended up becoming [i]more[/i] famous as a non-used character than if we'd actually stuck him on the front of the site. I have a soft spot for the little guy. And Shy...wasn't it really only you who didn't like the idea of OtakuBot? And wasn't that because you favored your own, much less appropriate mascot? (Bosko, who has nothing to do with Japanese culture whatsoever). I was just wondering about that, lol. :catgirl: As it stands, I'm happy that Solo enhanced his personality in Enter the Net...I imagined OtakuBot to be very much like Solo made him. ~_^[/font]

[quote name='John']Awesome idea, but it seems to me that the whole thread will get real sloppy real quick if people are making posts just to propose edits to previous posts. On the contrary, what if a public account called Otakupedia was created and people could write the posts in it, while still discussing articles and edits in the same thread in their own username. Otakupedia, I'm sure, would have to be given some special priviliges (such as making sure the password doesn't get changed or deactivating the password completely, if possible, and probably the permission to double-post, since that would just make good sense sometimes), but really nothing major. I think it'd be worth it.[/quote] [font=arial]I like that idea actually...we would have to make the username and password public and nobody could have "remember me" checked, so that one person can't hog the account. Of course, if someone spammed under the account that would be the end of it, but regulating who can use it seems to go against the whole idea of an "Otakupedia" situation. Charles's way could become messy, but if he's willing to "moderate" the thread, I think it would be fine. It's really up to Charles I guess.[/font]

[font=arial]Wii comes out on December 7th here (before Europe, amazingly enough) and I've already pre-ordered it. Pre-ordering definitely has its advantages. Apart from (generally) guaranteeing a console, you also have the chance to start paying it off in advance. I've been putting more money onto my pre-order whenever I visit the EB Games where I reserved it. So when I finally go to pick it up, I should easily be able to buy another controller set (remote and nunchuk), Zelda and maybe another game as well. Keep those impressions coming in, guys![/font]

[font=arial]I haven't read through all of the various lines of discussion in this thread so far, but I did want to offer three points of advice as the person who actually runs OtakuBoards - it may very well be too late for this information to be useful for current contestants, but these points do seem to have been brought up by others in this thread on some level. [b]Event Complexity[/b] Events with multiple rounds and requirements are fine, but it's important to remember that OB events are designed to be [i]fun[/i]. Requiring members to submit extremely detailed applications is generally a no-no, because it will turn away most "casual" members (and some people simply don't want to invest that kind of time in one event, especially if they are spending time on other parts of the boards). So while it's worth having an event with twists, turns and varying levels to it...I would suggest that event creators attempt to keep their events as simple and easy to follow as possible. This will help to attract maximum interest and user feedback. [b]Event Flexibility[/b] Some events are extremely dependent on a specific number of members, while others are far more open. An RPG-type event, for instance, is usually highly-reliant on some fairly specific factors, whereas a more free-form event (like Otaku Awards or Nifty Fifty) are extremely flexible and can work no matter how many members participate. RPG-like events (and events that require sign-ups in general) often build to a certain point and then they are no longer able to include members (you might have a ceiling of 20 and no more - everyone after that point can only comment or watch the event). Such a situation can be avoided if additional members can get involved in some way (ie: if they can help with judging, or voting, etc). The free-form style events usually have low barrier to entry and can accommodate 100 or more members with ease - these events are [i]usually[/i] far more popular and inclusive. Also, no matter what the event...I always recommend having a back-up plan. Is the RPG so particular with its rules that it can't change or adapt if people drop out, or if fewer members sign-up than hoped for? This has to be a consideration with every single OB event. [b]Event Variety[/b] Poetry, art competitions and RPG-like events are wonderful and within these categories there can be some extremely varied situations. But I encourage people to look outside what's been done before and try something entirely new. What about a photography competition, or a scavenger hunt that involves scanning newspaper articles? Those may not be great ideas, but they're just examples of things we can do. Remember what OB is capable of on a technological level (HTML, displaying images, sounds, music, etc) and use all of these features to your advantage. OB is text-centric but it's a site capable of rich multimedia - this is something that can be used where appropriate. Anyway, that's my two cents...just some general words that may or may not spark some ideas.[/font]

[font=arial]I am a Melbournian myself and I remember the last time a summit like this was held (not sure if it was G-20 or a different one), but that was absolutely horrific. Several police had bones broken and one even had a bucket of urine thrown over them - it was digusting. And the group who started the violence had the gall to blame the police. I think they exercised a lot of restraint, given the circumstances. In that case (and probably in this case too), the group who really began getting violent wasn't actually Australian (though it no doubt had Australian members). I think the group is called S11 or something...they're an international protest group who travel the world looking for certain summits (like G-20) to crash. Unfortunately they seem to like riling the police up, which often ends in people getting hurt. I don't think it tarnishes the image of Melbourne though; these people attend such events everywhere they are held in the world. There isn't much that can be done about it, other than trying to arrest those involved.[/font]

[QUOTE=NorykoAngelcry]I'll stop now.. more ramblings then you probably wanted =P Aaron..[/QUOTE] [font=arial]No, I'm more than happy to read more impressions. Talk about whatever aspects you like. The more impressions I read about this game the better - I like to see what people are enjoying and not enjoying about it. I've read most of the impressions from online gaming sites, but it's always good to have impressions from people who you can ask direct questions to.[/font] :catgirl:

[font=arial]So, White, what do you think about the game's difficulty? I've asked this elsewhere but I might as well ask here too. You seem to be a little further in, having been through a dungeon and such. How are the puzzles and the battles compared to previous Zelda titles?[/font]

[font=arial]Hopefully I will get some time to sit down with the game this weekend as well - my P/N still hasn't reached First Spear, although I've been clearing out all of the quests thusfar. Hopefully I'll be able to join you in the coming days, Des.[/font]

[quote]Oh, please, then, do tell me what in this system is truly revolutionary! There are such massive logical inconsistencies in the entire marketing campaign. The very philosophy behind the Wii is a complete mess--and even people waiting in that line earlier today could see how none of these new features made any sense whatsoever. Oh, please, fearless leader, tell me just how any of these features on Wii are revolutionary to where they just cannot be put under any type of intense scrutiny. [/quote] [font=arial]Nobody's saying the system can't be scrutinised. I'm only saying that random and totally blind attacks that have no factual basis are asenine. Simple.[/font] [quote]I've been skeptical of the Wiimote itself for much of the launch titles, and have even had my doubts about Madden 07. And yet here I am, singing its praises. So where's the irony in your previous statements? Do I not play things fairly? Do I not maintain a level of objectivity? Come now, James. Don't be such a foolish dandy. [/quote] [font=arial]You just aren't getting the point, are you? Saying that one game is great does not add credence to consistently vague and emotive trash-talk. We aren't five years old here - one thing doesn't immediately cancel out the other. It's like saying "I hate you but you have a nice haircut". It just doesn't gel. lol [quote]What could possibly be a false premise, James, when all of that regarding WiiTP comes from direct hands-on experience from no more than five hours ago?[/quote] It's convenient to completely disregard everything else you've said about this game in the last few pages, isn't it? Anyway, this latest post is yet [i]another[/i] complete disregard of everything I've said up until this point. How you can quote something and then totally misinterpret it escapes me. And where do you get off calling insulting people personally? That's like a constant last resort when you are actually being questioned about glaring contradictions in your posts. Adding patronizing comments to what is already a ridiculously convoluted cycle of arguing doesn't help. Enough is enough.[/font]