What keeps you here?

[Sora]

What makes you keep wanting to come to otaku? I'd like some more reason (no offence meant) but I personally have trouble staying after a few rpgs that get stuck. I'd like to see what the rest of you think about it. (I'm back from a few months ago when I lost logged.) Right now the reason I'm on is that I'm bored, but we all go through that and I might as well make it useful.

[kabapu]

what keeps me here? well for one thing, it's good to be part of an internet community again. there were a few "incidents" on the last board i was a member of, but otaku rules.

Also, i like these boards, they are well designed. plus the post counts are hidden, which i veiw as a good thing (with post counts viewable poele can easily squabble over counts "ive got more posts than such-and such" and the like).


plus on these boards, people discuss, not spam.

[Panda]

[quote name='CoWbOyBeBoP RoX']hi im new do u wanna b my friend?[/quote]
This is spam. Please put more effort into your responses. Your responses should be about the topic at hand and you need to work on your spelling. Because of this the above quoted post will be deleted as well as the other off topic posts in this thread.

On topic:

What keeps me here? I love the community. I enjoy reading others responses on whatever topic is at hand. I really like meeting new people, especially ones who enjoy the same love of anime that I have. I also love how well moderated the boards are so there aren't tons of spammy "going nowhere" posts to deal with. As a whole I would say the reason I stay here is because I really enjoy the members and the quality of posts they produce. Community, it really is what makes a message board appealing to me.

[2010DigitalBoy]

I love these boards because of the other members. I can always find others with the same interests as me, even if were nothing alike, and we can all be friends, from Morpheus who likes most of the same games as me, to Baron Semedi who is one of the only people who Ive ever thought was smarter than me. Another reason Im still here is because I am trying to become popular here. When I first came here no one knew who I was or responded to my posts and now everyone knows who I am (wheather they like me or not). In the end, I think this site is just COOL.

[Persona]

[COLOR=Plum]Well when i first became a member of OB I simply loved it...so much interaction with the boards and rpgs. Of course I joined in June of last year and it was busy in OB throughout the summer and I was very active...but once school started everyone here drifted, there would be some like me who come on sometimes. I hated the fact that when and rpg is good and then it stops...soon the recruits forget about it and go on....then Ii left for awhile..well I say 2 months i disapeared from OB, of course noone noticed (lol). But even though what i say is true i still manage to come back once in a while, due to the fact that I just love the place![/COLOR] :catgirl:

[Retribution]

I love OB because it's [relatively] spam-free. The boards are well-moderated. On top of it all, I can submit art, get feedback on it and [b]role play[/b] with sophisticated people. Overall, I just like the atmosphere, the people here, and the conversations.

Rock on, Otaku Boards.

[future girl]

[size=1]I'm really not enough of an anime fan anymore to be an extremely active member of an anime message board. That's why I like OB, there's a strong anime community but there's also a good amount of variety that goes outside that. The Anthology Forum and Music, Movies and TV are a good example in my oppinion. Moreover, it's not just the message board. There's myotaku and theotaku, there's just enough for everybody to find their niche and stick with it, I think.

Despite that, when I first joined I had a hard time coming back lol. Really what kept me here are the people. There's a good variety of them too and it's nice. Outside of OB I don't talk to strangers on the internet, but outside of OB you rarely find as many cool [and attractive] people. I could mention a couple, but I'm not feeding anyone's egos today.[/size]

[Sinistra]

[QUOTE] [B]Originally Posted by Altron[/B]
[I]I love OB because it's [relatively] spam-free. The boards are well-moderated. On top of it all, I can submit art, get feedback on it and role play with sophisticated people. Overall, I just like the atmosphere, the people here, and the conversations. [/I][/QUOTE]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][FONT=Palatino Linotype]Altron's hit the nail on the head. But if you're looking for a reason and have a little bit of spare time, check out the OtakuBoards Nifty Fifty. They mention that this site also has some pretty cool people and posts. There's a lot to do on here.

The moderators here like Solo Tremaine, Panda and Dagger IX1, are great at what they do. If you notice, the boards are well taken care of. But also, if they find a thread that is relatively short/spammy but has the potential to become something (I don't know if I'm wording this right), they'll try to continue the conversation with a well versed, meaningful post rather than just delete it.

Another reason to be here is because there is the huge possibility to get on here and make friends who share the same interests as you. In fact, I'd think that it's harder not to make friends on here. There's a lot of people here that have some good things to say, a lot of great conversations appear everyday.

Well, that's what I think...[/FONT][/COLOR]

[Annie]

[color=#404142]The incredible people I've had the honor and pleasure to get to know, talk with, and write alongside with. I have so many great [and bad] memories from the OB. All of which have changed me, and my writing. I would never be where I am today without my friend's support, advice, and constructive criticism [that goes for writing]. Personally, I probably would be a cold person if it weren't for some personalities from the OB.

I've learned so much from everyone, and I'm still learning. I'm currently learning self-control ^-^ It's a hard struggle, but thanks to certain people, I'm getting better.

Another reason why the OB keeps me here, the orginization. The OB is the cleanest site I've ever visited. The way James has this site set up is user friendly, and every one of the moderators are amazing at doing their job. Such creativity and care to keep the OB up and running, that says alot about the people who run it/help keep it alive. I respect that.

I probably won't ever leave the OtakuBoards on will. I'd probably have to be forced out, lol.[/color]

[Xander Harris]

Several reasons
(sorry if these are slightly incoherant. It is very late...)
A. The type of people you find here. People who enjoy writing, anime, and genre stuff in general. Those are the kind of people I hang out with in real life, why should online be any different?

B. The organization, layout, and moderation. Otakuboards are very... pretty. For lack of a better word. Most people have quite aesthetically pleasing banners and avatars, and art skills are prized. The forums are laid out nicely, with just the right number of seperate sections. The moderation and devotion to quality posts is by far the best I have found anywhere on the internet. The O-lounge is really the only place I know of where I will willingly engage in discussions not immediately pertaining to my hobbies.

C. (Related to A): Research into the major genre consumers of the future. As some of you know, I want to write PnP RPG products, and perhaps sell some fiction too while I'm at it. Very few people on OBs play tabletop games. However, they do include message board based games in the pure narrativist tradition, which attract a lot of people. These people are potential customers, the RPers/genre product consumers of the new century. Nowadays, as I have found from personal experience, more and more people are getting their introduction to true roleplaying (as opposed to video games with the label slapped on them) on internet boards like these. OB represents the pinnacle of mod efforts to create quality and controlled threads in this vein. Therefore, I think it is worth my time I like to see what kinds of people these folks are, where their interests lie, and what they look for in RPGs. Granted, I only go by the the RPG boards themselves occasionally, and rarely have the extra time or energy to devote to online RPG (although I'd like to get something Naruto related going sometime in the near future), but their presence and most members activity in them is a draw for me. Likewise, manga and anime have taken off in the US at an exhorbitant rate lately. In ten years or so, I foresee that the vast majority of potential consumers of genre literature and products will be strongly manga/anime influenced. So yeah, part of the reason I come here is to keep in touch with the potential customers of the future.

D. (Related to C): The evolution of the Internet Community as a phenomenon. I too much of a lurker to ever really engage with all of the in-jokes and clubs and cyber marriages that go on around here, but I find the whole shebang fascinating. In many ways, OB really is a community that goes beyond anything else I've found on the internet. In large part, I think, due to TheOtaku and MyOtaku integration, as well as the RPG boards, there is this sense that everyone here is part of some kind of big extended family. I hear people talk about how their relationships here (note that they use the word 'relationship' speaking of completely internet based communication) have changed their lives, inspired them and helped them grow. People go to people here for advice, and recieve it. This is a fascinating phenomenon. How will this emerging capability of the internet to create genuine community effect society in the future? Is it truly a genuine community, or is there only so far the internet can go? Just what exactly has managed to evolve here at OB? Such things exist on other board too, but they often do not posses the qualities listed in 'A', and thus the results are less pronounced. Yet this percieved sense of genuine friendship and community between people who have never met one another irl fascinates me. Therefore, I return.

[wrist cutter]

Mostly because I get bored when I'm not at work and I haven't been banned yet.

[Revelation]

[size=1][color=#C82356]As Annalisse has said before about getting to know, talk with, and write with, I have also had the great pleasure in meeting new people. It's always an amazing day at the OB, whether it be good or bad. We have our off days, as well as our On-days, but more over, it's the fact that there are so many talented people here who write brilliantly and that is what amazes me each day.

During my time here, I've gone from script-writing to a somewhat literary writing. I've had the time to develop my creativeness and skills, gaining constructive criticism and friends who are able to help me when ideas pop into my head. If it weren't for the OB members, I'd personally stay hidden and distant from everyone, never knowing what's what and possibly taunt and yell those who are here.

This is possibly one of the most organized and perfectly fit forums that I have had the pleasure of getting to know. I am just astounded and amazed at the many things that James, Arcadia, Panda, and all the other moderators do to provide us a greater place to be. It's a welcoming place and I'd recommend this place to those who are a fan of either role-playing, creating, or just a fan of anime.

Otakuboards has become my "home", if you could say. This is one place that I adore and will never ever leave, even if you pry my fingers away, so to speak. And, I have noticed that many of the members here stay at OB for some of the same reasons and I can surely say that I am proud to be a member of the OB ^_^.[/size][/color]

[Dagger]

Even though I spend most of my time in the anime/manga forums, I love the fact that OtakuBoards encompasses so much more than that. The level of activity is also nice; I'm able to find something new almost every time I visit, but it's not so fast-paced that I have trouble keeping up with things.

The community is wonderful, as others have mentioned; I really like the members here, and I find the atmosphere appealing. In general there's a level of tolerance and respect that can be hard to find elsewhere online. Naturally, the emphasis on post quality is also something I very much appreciate. I can't imagine leaving. :catgirl:

~Dagger~

[Semjaza]

Same reason I go to any forum really. I don't particularly [i]love[/i] the place, but it's a nice diversion from other things. Every so often there's a thread that really interests me, moreso than a lot of the other ones I visit where I feel like nothing happens for days... that or the place just is full of arguments. I don't really find that to be an issue here, at least with the areas I tend to go to.

I have a good number of friends here and a bunch of other people I don't really know, but whose posts and such I like reading. Most of what keeps me here, really, are people I already talk to elsewhere now anyway.

[Japan]

[COLOR=Navy]What keeps me here?

I have no clue. I ask myself that question everyday.

I just go here out of habit and boredom.

I also like to keep in touch with my six really good friends that I've made here as well. (You know who you are)[/COLOR]

[Fall]

The fact that it kills time, and is something to do when I'm bored is what keeps me here. :smoke:

[Syk3]

Otakuboard is the first message board I joined, and ever since then, has been the one I've stuck with. Could it be force of habit? In addition to a large amount of other things, possibly. If I hadn't made such great friends here, or got myself involved in the community, or if the forum hadn't grown alongside me, or if it didn't encourage thoughtful and open-minded discussion with clear rules.. I would have left long, long ago.

I've been to quite a lot of forums in my time, but there's always something about them that doesn't make them quite as enjoyable as OB. Sometimes, the people there are just jackasses, with that whole elitist ignorant attitude you often find on the internet. Other times, it seems like no one there has any sort of education, posting messages such as "wut r u doin?" as a topic, and is actually allowed! Or maybe the forum really hasn't gotten off the ground, so there aren't many members or topics, or just activity in general; OtakuBoards has done an amazing job with keeping everything going constantly, but this is also the result of a [i]lot[/i] of money put into the boards and site. Which beings me to my next point -- some forums don't have an actual site to ensure that things continue to move smoothly for the whole community.

It also helps that this board is a product of all of the hobbies I enjoy. Art, anime, video games, television, movies, and for everything else, you have the general discussion. The least I can do is to provide my moderating abilities and give back to the site for all the experiences it has brought to me. Keeping my section moderated is another thing that pushes me to continue to return, heh. :p

[Delta]

[COLOR=#B33D79][SIZE=1]I prowl around OB 'cause it's the sexy thing to do.

First message board you'll find in my Bookmarks list is [i]OtakuBoards[/i]. Its rightful place, I must say; OB's the first board I joined and it set my standards of what good threads and posts should be like. Never mind that posts here often reach lengths other boards would classify as [i]long[/i], at least I'm assured of entries brain cells have actually died for and near spam-free viewing. Plus the mods here are really polite (props to the Admin and technical teams too)!

I think it's some sort of a message board curse that, after a while, posts start to sound like they were written by the same person (hmm... they probably are. you know tem members who hold 2+ accounts). But it looks to me like like OB found a way to shirk that curse. It's got a chockful of colorful characters (I ♥ alliteration) other boards don't have: you've got your DWs, your ChibiHorsewoman(-ses?), your Sirens, and your Daggers. Add the Charles (read: THE) to the mix and you can't get any more diverse than [i]that[/i].

Quirky fun, OB is.

(Hmm... why do I have the feeling that I went off-topic?)[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Shinmaru]

I mostly stay around because of the orgasmic rush of power and the satisfaction of ruling over my forum that I get due to my modship. Everything else is secondary.

But I guess some of that secondary stuff is nice. I still enjoy posting in Play It. Just now there were three good, interesting threads that I replied in. I like posting about video games, what can I say?

I also enjoy posting in OB Anthology, and to a lesser extent, the Adventure Square. I don't have quite as much time for RPGs now that I had during the summer, but it's nice to participate in an RPG or two every once in a while. Reading and posting stuff in the Anthology is always fun.

Lastly, I've made a lot of friends here, and I just like reading their posts, I guess lol.

[Dragon Warrior]

I stick around because someday, oh yes, someday I shall [i]RULE[/i] Otaku[b]Boards[/b]! With my black mageynessageering... stuff... I can almost taste the Purple Happy Drink gracing my lips as I laugh and watch members pray for mercy. And there shall be a National Dragon Warrior Day celebrating me, Dragon Warrior. Little kids will cry for their mommies, but their mommies will be in my bed. Darkness shall erupt and all shall flee or attempt to, anyway, and I shall laugh, choke a little on my Purple Happy Drink, then laugh some more. Yes... the dark tomorrow will soon be today...

Oh, and I tend to like to post my work. That and roleplay :P