[Liquid!]

I think this has been discussed previously, so please don't kill me. But with the huge amount of traffic, this might be something you may want to reconsider, especially since it seems to me that alot of great work seems to fall between the cracks, because the forum moves at such high speed.

Why not subdivide the board into, and mind you, these are just random suggestions:

1. General Gallery - for people wanting to show off their work. Subdivide into 2D and 3D.
2. Art Critique - for feedback on your work.
3. Draw Club - with changing themes every month.
3. General Questions - the usual wacom driver problems, etc.

I personally can't think of any reason not to do some kind of subdivision, and I'm sure others could come up with better categories.

I'd love to hear what everyone else thinks.

-c


[This message has been edited by Liquid! (edited October 18, 2000).]

[Sedul]

This sounds like a great idea Liquid!.

I found troubles finding the stuff i wanna see.

It mite just get a little hectic if people aren't posting to the right categories.

I like the Draw Club idea, theme and everything is awesome, with the theme as an idea, lots of stuff will be made for show and tell hehe.

Creating like 4 sections will require moderators though. Like for draw club, need someone to set a theme and not have everyone go wild.

shrug

------------------
<|--Sedul--|>
Amateur Graphix Artist

"Maybe I'm just too sexy for you..."

[Jenn]

I dont like having to go where eeverythign else is... i like pics.. i like things in one place.. i know persoanlly i wouldn bother looking in other places...



------------------
DarkChyld

[CapnPyro]

this actually came up about 2 months ago before you arrived.. I think Dhabih is still considering it. He asked us in a thread what we though because he was maybe going to break up the forums more. I think most people voted to keep it as is so we don't oh hell i've gone cross eyed. No, really I cant remember what I was going to say. I think umm.. shit.. uhh..

I think he should keep the main one:

Digital Art Forum- If you check back every other day to every three days you *shoudlnt* miss anything so long as you read all the way down the list. I think it was mentioned youll miss more peoples work if there are more categories.

Draw Club- I really like this idea. Fred and Spooge were running a cube/cylinder/sphere how-to a while ago with everyone putting up their version for critique. Fred also continued it with a Head Drawing post that reached some 10 pages if i remember right. The problem with this is it takes someone of enormous talent with an enormous amount of free time to assign things then give critiques. Unless it was everyone throws in their own drawings and people critique each other, which seems like it would work.

General Questions- is another good idea. Would make a good addition to random musing and digital art. Creators Helping Creators.

-Capn

------------------
http://home1.gte.net/capnpyro

[Liquid!]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jenn:
i like pics.. i like things in one place.. i know persoanlly i wouldn bother looking in other places...

---

That's my point though. If there was a 'pic' category, then you'd be able to see just what you like 'pics' without other threads, such as 'questions, how-to's, etc wasting your bandwidth. Vice Versa for those that don't want to see critiques, but rather just see pics. Does that make sense...?

-c

PS: as it stands there are 75 threads, and right now they are mainly posts for oct 18th (think there are about 8, oct. 17th posts left, and its only 4:42PM local time). So in order not to miss anything I'd have to check in once a day...

Kyri [sp] posted his characters and literally got no response, and they ruled...


[This message has been edited by Liquid! (edited October 18, 2000).]

[Starseed]

Liquid! you must have been on the same bandwidth as I was, because probably no more than an hour before you posted this, I posted something very similar in the Bizarde's "gallery" thread!

I agree completely, and I think the only factors that can stop something like this (or at least hinder its beginning) is whether dhabih has the webserverspace or the time. And I think both of these, if they were problems, could be remedied by #1 volunteered webspace, and #2, volunteered time by some web-proficient members for updating the gallery.

Also, I think a "problem" might arise, where everyone wants to have every last doodle and sketch they make put up in the gallery. There would have to be some kind of basic minumum for "entries" to qualify for posting to the gallery . . .

But I think it could all be worked out. The primary thing required in starting something like this is already taken care of by this board. Stuff!! and talent!! The volume of art I've seen come through here over just a month is enough to get a quality gallery started. (Not to mention the cumulative art posted over the year(s?) that this has been up)

Anyway, I'll be glad to help out in the process of getting something like this online if needed. (I've mostly been a leech to this board so far, as I haven't sketched in years, and haven't a graphic tablet) . . .

-mt

[above]

I completely agree I hate getting 3 replies on something I spent a lot of time on. While some retarded Wacom post or other pointless threads get 15. Another possibility would be selecting what type of post it is, instead of smiley faces. Or if we do seperate the forums we put the links up top of each forum to save people from going back and forth. But right now there is definately way too much traffic and a lot of hard work is going unnoticed daily.

[A.Buttle]

Random *cough, cough* musings....

------------------
I wanna get with you, girl!...
And your sister, I think her name's Debra....

Joe Dillingham

[email protected]
Three Times A Day

[Seph|roth]

Seriously you guys, not many of us check the random musings section. I think thats the best place for questions and stuff, but if no one checks it out, then will not be any replies..
I also like the draw club idea a lot, i feel that its a great way of motivating artists.
The rest is up to Dhabih

------------------
- Seph -
Listen Without Prejudice

[burn0ut]

ya like anyone reads random musings lol

[Icannon]

i'm definitely for those split ups now. it's obvious that things arn't gonna cool down here so it would make a lot of sense to break things up just a little. general gallery, art critique, draw club all interest me. there wont be many people going to the general questions forum, but if we stick a big fat red link or SOMETHING that will show new users the usual scoop of Q and A's that pop up here, it ought to filter out a whole pile of garbage and make that forum worth visiting.

..or maybe i like one big forum. i dont fucking know

[proximo]

maybe just make it so that you can only make a new topic if you have an image in your post!, anyhow this topic has come and gone a few times,, but i think it when it comes right down to it ,, its a good idea but no one has the time to do it, well the time to do it so it looks good anyhow .. its a lot of work to keep a site up and running ,, even with just a little bit of stuff , it just takes time .. somthing we all seem to be in short supply of these days .. but i do agree it is annoying when you post a pic and want some feed back and you dont get crap back on it almost makes posting pointless ohh well later ..

[Freddio]

Dont sub divide that eleddens the amount of posts...

Ive never checked the random musings.

I have this site book marked on my desktop

[Liquid!]

STARSEED: Maybe there should be a section for 'doodles' or 'in progress' pics, and then a section for only 'finished' stuff. That way if you're in the mood to look at a bunch of sketchy stuff you know where to go, or vice versa if you want finished stuff.

SEPH: I don't check random musings because I like to look at art. However, I also think that if someone has a WACOM problem and there were a 'general questions/FAQ' section they might be able to find that the questions they may have, were already answered previously, thus eliminating repetition. As it stands right now there is so much 'noise' in the main forum, that the same questions are constantly being asked, because some people are unable to find a previous thread dealing with the same problem. Thus, much bandwidth is spent answering the same questions over and over again. I think I'm guilty of having done that too, considering I haven't been here that long.

I guess what I'm saying is this. I like the idea that if I feel like 'critiquing', or looking at in progress pics, or just browse finished stuff, I could just be in the 'correct' forum for that, rather than remembering a thread vaquely and not being able to find it again, because the main forum is moving soooo fast.

I don't see a downside in clicking into different forums. I figure that's just a click. Big deal.

[Nex]

i am definitely against that idea.

Just take a look at "artbeast" forums-
Its a living hell, they have a category for everything.

more categories -> more secluded "groups" forming -> less community feeling.
I think thats what makes this forum so unique, that there is everything together.

And obviously.. if there were more categories it would not help anything because everyone would post everything in the most frequented forum
(like this post for instance..> *Random Musings*).

[waylon]

I also vote against subdividing the forum. If, for instance, "Quick Sketches" were pulled out from the rest of the forum (as Liquid suggested), messages posted there would very likely not be read as often as messages in the "Completed Master-Works" section. So, desiring feedback (and rightfully so), people would start posting their quick sketches in the forum that everyone reads. I guess I'm not saying anything new here, I just wanted to cast my vote.

Incidentally, whatever happened to getting some FAQs online? I'm sure that would help immensely.

[Rinaldo]

The only thing I think needs a seperate forum is hardware. I'm not a big fan of the tons o' topics forums. A lot of stuff should be moved to the random musings tho.

Some extra bells and whistles would be good, like say...THE ABILITY TO ACCESS ALL THE PAGES IN A MULTI PAGE THREAD FROM THE MAIN PAGE....

[Jaymo]

I would appreciate a little subdividing. It's pretty obvious that too many categories will mess things up, but right now it's overcrowded IMO. I hate to "reboost" my own posts, but I also want some replies...so SOME categories are a great idea methinks.

- Draw Club : like that one
- General Questions : that one too

I think it's hard to divide general gallery & art critique, cause I'd also want to hear crits about final works or crit/comment some finished work from others. Gallery would be good if there was a voting possibility. At least no 2D/3D dividing.
Random Musings is not used, because it's too RANDOM, IMHO. Who is interested in random things? If it's more specific more people will be there to listen, i hope.

So I'd say let's keep things big, but not THAT big. Nuff said.

[Sergenth]

I love the one-stop way the Digital Forum works. I enter it and encounter all sorts of things, from sketches to inked colorings, 3d art, animation, Wacom discussion, Photoshop and Painter questions, Threnodizing bashes (weee!), Draw Club, "which art school" I should go to, tutorials, web page designs and everything else I forgot to mention.

I think UBB is a great message board system, but it works backwards from the way we could use it to the fullest.

If only we could assign a topic group to our messages before we post them, then either (a) filter out the messages with only the topics we like and display a list (heavy custom php programming involved) or do the same thing with assigning topical icons to our post and having them archived later in their separate topics...

UBB doesn't work that way though... you post and read in the same forum because it's a pain to load UBB lists

Oh well, lets keep it the same for another year or ten... I'm happy wiff it.

[Blitz]

I agree with liquid on this 100%

I have found this forum frustrating a couple of times because I would post a sketch looking for some feed back and find out later that my thred has moved down the page so far that know one will ever find it again.
This is only because this is such a popular forum with many talented artists, that people are posting all the time. If it were broken up this would alow for more feedback for every one.

[burn0ut]

man this fourm is busy as hell

[CapnPyro]

I totally, 100% whole heartedly agree with the to many topics things. And I like mostly all of Liquid!'s suggestions.

In this past week there have been people spamming the boards with "10% finished what now?!!" Seriously man.. it just takes up space. And I cant even count the number of new people with art, which is cool, it just makes the forums move to quick. If you look at my other post a little further up, youll see i was mostly against dividing the forum. After the sudden influx of new people and meaningless/off-topic posts I'd suggest the addition of atleast 1 more forum.

There have also been alot of non art related threads that I enjoy like the 'I made the wrong choice..' thread which doesnt really belong in here, or random musings. I think there needs to be a place for it and posts like it, which is why I think the forums should be broken down like this:

I'd suggest

Art Discussion- Where you go over things like your current job, help on drawing vanishing points, schooling decision help, or where to find a certain art book to name just a few of the current topics in The Digital Art Forum. This could also be the home of help and tutorial threads.

Random Musings- As is. Stuff not art related.

Digital Art Forum- Would be like how it is now, except on 'roids and with all the fat trimmed off. All pictures, all the time. People posting for critiques of (god i hope) finished work, or people just showing off their latest piece.

Well, how's that sound?

-CapnPyro

------------------
http://home1.gte.net/capnpyro

[kardis]

i just posted this so erm... so it'll be the top of the list for this exact moment, lol, doubt it'll be there very long with the amount of posting in the other threads.. but its worth a shot.. dhabin where are you?

alright than

[Matt Elder]

Yeah Dhab suggested breaking up the forum a couple of months ago in a thread he started (although I can't find it again). One of the main reasons against it was in the long run, people graviting to one particular thread as that is where most people tended to be and whatever you are doing would get maximum exposure, thus you are back to where we started.

I agree that it is a problem but until a good solution is found, the forum should stay the way it is. In the last year I've watched exponential growth on this site. It took about a year for the first 10,000 posts, then 4 months for the next 30,000. The rate of the number of hits to the site is also increasing exponentially and the site is growing out of control.

The reason the site has been so successful due to inductive thinking is because it is the way it is. Why change a successful formula? If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I like to see a variety of styles, images, websites, 3D stuff and collect ideas, give feedback etc.

I like the idea of having lists or some sort of filter. This way if you want to see everything, you click on one part and it shows you the site as we know it now. Otherwise you click another link and it shows you lists of things that are categorised so you only look at stuff you are interested in. This would mean that when you post stuff, there would have to be some way you could choose the category.

I think this is a solution as you don't lose the current format which I and may others like, but at the same time, you can cater for those who only want to see particular styles. I don't know how difficult this would be to setup/program, but worth a thought.

------------------
See ya on da flip side
Matt
http://www.mattelder.com