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An idea concerning biographies [Share your thoughts]

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October 29, 2014 - 1:42pm — Mary13
Under cut. Against the idea/support it, be sure to comment!

Will be deleted if the majority is against it.

Currently people have been more against it than support. I don't want to spam the community by something that you don't find convenient.

Thanks for all the feedback. Smiling

So, I've noticed that browsing/keeping track of all the biographies here can be tough. Some of them don't get noticed at all and tracking everything you want to track can get tricky with over 4141 of them. I know it's simple to use the search bar to find the one you need, but what about finding new ones that interest you? I'm sure the majority of you aren't interested in browsing countless of pages to find ones that interest you or those that are still actively updated

My suggestion here is that I could gather active biographies for this blog in alphabetic order to ease the process of searching through them all. I would like some biographies noticed as well, and this could be the chance for you. You'd comment which of your deer have active biographies and I'd link them here.

Would you find this worth adding to the community?
October 29, 2014 - 1:45pm — Hallinish
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That's a lot of work you're

That's a lot of work you're talking about.

But the idea of digging up unseen/less noticed biographies isn't a bad idea.
October 29, 2014 - 1:48pm — Natalila

I would like this personally,

I would like this personally, I find keeping track of everything really confusing and if they were linked to one blog it would make it a bit easier.
October 29, 2014 - 1:55pm — Draak
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I agree with Hallinish. It'd

I agree with Hallinish.

It'd take a lot of work but it would be kind of nice to have a universal deer directory with maybe a bio link + picto image. Also since not everyone who has multiple deer link their deer bio in the picto profile.

I think maybe some of the work could be cut down if you had some sort of form (for easy copypaste). Maybe something like:


Username: Draak
Deer name: <a href="http://www.endlessforest.org/community/corvus-crow">Corvus</a>
Tiny picto image (must be idunno 20x20 px):


(darn the code tag doesn't turn the image into a link thing)
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October 29, 2014 - 2:01pm — Mary13
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Thanks for the feedback!

Thanks for the feedback!

Exactly the kind of thing I'm going with here, Draak. A link to the character's bio and their picto next to it so it's easier to see who you're interacting with in the Forest. Eye

It's a lot of work but pfft, I've got a lot of time to spare.
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October 29, 2014 - 2:33pm — Evern
Evern's picture

Interesting... Would this be

Interesting...

Would this be purely for characters, or also for OOCs and the like?
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October 29, 2014 - 3:06pm — hadoukin
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how would you deceiver

how would you deceiver between active and non-active characters ?
I know a lot of older players don't update their biography's and no one comments so it seems that they're un-active when really they're in forest very often.

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October 29, 2014 - 3:14pm — Evern
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Yes, I have a character whose

Yes, I have a character whose bio is very rarely updated unless adding to his character info, though is still played activly.
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October 29, 2014 - 3:17pm — Ayaya1

Although it can occasionally

Although it can occasionally also be risky to trust in others work, to manage the sheer size of the task you're suggesting it might be worth making an account and giving several willing, active members access to assist you with the workload - the way the hosts of the Rut have done (presumably thats how they work it)
October 29, 2014 - 3:19pm — Mary13
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@ Evern : This is for

@ Evern : This is for everyone with an active bio to follow. Smiling OOC, IC, whatever demon you have for RP it's all welcome.

@ hadoukin : The thing here is that I will add bios to this page that the users want to be put in here. By the word "active" I mean a deer that is played in the forest or RP'd actively, the fact whether they write their current updates or not in their bio is ignored.

@ aeskan: You're right. I'm not sure if anyone is willing to help me, but if not, then I am perfectly willing to do this myself. Smiling I will ask around for possible hosts first, though.
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October 29, 2014 - 3:19pm — hadoukin
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Oh so then people would say

Oh so then people would say add my characters "blah, blah & blah" and you would add them?
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October 29, 2014 - 3:24pm — Mary13
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@ hadoukin : Yeah, that

@ hadoukin : Yeah, that sounds pretty accurate of how I imagined it. Smiling
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October 29, 2014 - 3:26pm — Ammy

Personally, I find out which

Personally, I find out which characters are active by those I see in forest. Long as there's a bio or information tied to a pictogram that I see often.

A list like the one suggested would take an enormous amount of upkeep, I'd think. Interesting, just not sure if it's really feasible. It'd be like the Rut, but all year around.
October 29, 2014 - 3:30pm — Mary13
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Not all characters are played

Not all characters are played inforest, some are just solely used for RP and that's why they get noticed less.

I personally don't find this as hard to control as the Rut blog. Once people have given me their deer, the work starts big but gets smaller when I've added most of the deer. Once new characters come, they'll be easier to add. I'm coming to the community many times in a day, so time is not the issue. I love work, too. Eye
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October 29, 2014 - 6:05pm — Mary13
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Moar opinions guys. *kitten

Moar opinions guys. *kitten eyes*
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October 29, 2014 - 6:09pm — Terabetha

Honest opinion is that this

Honest opinion is that this seems like a lot of work for something the search bar already does a good job with. If you're concerned about giving under-recognized players more attention I would encourage you to invite them to RP, draw, request, or commission art for them, or just drop them a comment on biographies letting them know you like something about their character(s).

Making a list like you described seems like a round-about way of going about this.
October 29, 2014 - 6:14pm — Mary13
Mary13's picture

The search bar is a good

The search bar is a good thing, but my point is it doesn't help anyone to find something new and interesting to track, and it's hard to find someone's bio from the forest because you can't search pictograms.

You can click on their picto, but it's sometimes hard if the map is crowded with people or the person you want to get to know already left.

But thank you for your take on this.
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October 29, 2014 - 6:16pm — Mis
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I agree with Tera, I suppose

I agree with Tera, I suppose you could make a list of biographies, but then how is your list different than going through the biography section? Eventually, biographies given to you by players end up being inactive over time too. And what's the judgement for being active or inactive? Especially if you mention updates not being looked at.

Seeing who you interact with can already easily be done through the map, most of the times atleast. But you can do this if you like? There's no real reason against it, but I don't see any added value. In a way, this already exists in different forms.

If it's more about rp/giving characters that aren't having a lot of attention, some attention, then maybe it might be a better idea to think into that direction?
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October 29, 2014 - 6:19pm — Terabetha

I'm not sure I understand how

I'm not sure I understand how the search bar can't be used to find new undiscovered biographies? If you enter key words that interest you and limit the search to biography type posts only, it will bring up a lot of new material.

I will agree that the map being dysfunctional is a huge pain when it comes to finding a biography via a pictogram. If you do make a list, maybe narrow your focus to helping people pair pictograms with biographies.
October 29, 2014 - 6:25pm — Mary13
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@ Mis : It isn't me who

@ Mis : It isn't me who judges them, people would comment over to the biography blog to add characters that they wanted there. This is not meant to replace anything in the community, it's to make the progress easier ( because there are a LOT of pages containing bios here, and I don't know about you, but I don't feel like going through all of them to find ones that are active and interest me.) The search bar and map are convenient ways, but if you're looking for something new and the one that interests you in particular is on page 53, then it could be tricky.

I appreciate your thoughts.
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October 29, 2014 - 6:49pm — hadoukin
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I'm still not sure how that

I'm still not sure how that would help unnoticed characters, it would show a bunch of names and pictos, which doesn't help anyone find characters they would have a particular interest in; unless you wrote/got a blurb about each character which would take forever to do.
plus characters can easily go inactive over night if their player gets busy, leaves or just doesn't feel like playing them anymore but doesn't have time to tell you to take it down.
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October 29, 2014 - 6:52pm — Mary13
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*sigh* I guess so. Oh well,

*sigh* I guess so. Oh well, at least I tried.
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October 29, 2014 - 6:59pm — Terabetha

I think it's important to

I think it's important to remember that your goal of giving under-recognized players more attention is a great one; just think a bit more about how to go about it. Just because issues have been raised with your list idea doesn't mean you can't still work towards your goal.
October 29, 2014 - 7:02pm — Mary13
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Well, I'm not particularly

Well, I'm not particularly interested in doing something that this community doesn't find convenient or something that makes the process easier. If people don't need it, then the work would go to waste. I really couldn't think of anything else but this, though.

Maybe I'll leave the ideas to someone smarter next time. Laughing out loud
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October 29, 2014 - 7:06pm — hadoukin
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I don't think it's a bad

I don't think it's a bad idea, I think you just need to think of a different way to spot light characters who get less attention and find out why they're not getting attention in the first place.
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October 29, 2014 - 7:09pm — Mary13
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Yeah, but I just don't know a

Yeah, but I just don't know a better way to do it. We can encourage them to draw on the community, keep their bios vibrant with RP and make lots of contacts in the forest. But still, I haven't seen this changing for the better.

Kay, time to remove this thing now, I'm sorry for spamming ;_;
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October 29, 2014 - 7:10pm — hadoukin
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SHHhhh don't be sorry, you

SHHhhh don't be sorry, you should keep this up to discuss it farther uvu
you aren't bothering anyone I promise
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October 29, 2014 - 7:15pm — Mary13
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Uwu Thank you for yer

Uwu Thank you for yer kindness and patience. I didn't make this to annoy anyone, I just want to make your life easier even if it's just a bit cause you guys are great.

I'll keep this in here for a while then, let's see what other comments we can get.

SHARE YOUR IDEAS PLEASE
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October 29, 2014 - 7:19pm — SoliloquyChryseis
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Maybe make a blog for people

Maybe make a blog for people to post their characters and then highlight one a week? We used to do that but it honestly kinda ended up showing off already well known characters and while that was an awesome thing to do it sorta died out a while back. If people want their characters known, gather a list from people interested in being in the spotlight and decide from the ones who 1. don't have alot of art 2. don't have css or very basic css, etc. Idk I'm rambling ;;
October 29, 2014 - 8:02pm — ___

To go off of what

To go off of what SoliloquyChryseis said, maybe even make it a random draw? That way, everyone who posts on the blog gets a fair chance at attention. Smiling Regulars can meet new people, and new players can, well, meet new people too LOL. It might help people with new or less-recognized characters get attention.
October 29, 2014 - 8:02pm — Terabetha

I agree with Hadoukin and you

I agree with Hadoukin and you haven't annoyed me! I just didn't want to see your good goal result in a lot of work and little reward.

Since you're so motivated by this, why not start small: go through the biographies page and find characters you've never seen before and offer to RP with them? Even just sharing one thing you like about a character will bump the biography onto the recent posts page and allow other members to chance upon it.

Another idea that anyone could do, would be: Next time you hang out with someone new In Game, find their biography and post a screenshot of you having fun with a link to that character's bio. That might help others identify them on TEFc OR recognize them while playing In Game.

Don't try and do a community wide initiative to start with, just do what you can! Other players might start joining in and the trend will grow and spread on it's own, without you burning out doing everything on your own.
October 29, 2014 - 8:13pm — hadoukin
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I really like what Tera

I really like what Tera suggested, something small like that can make a huge difference without being a whole lot of work!
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October 30, 2014 - 9:27am — Mary13
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I really like what you're

I really like what you're going with, Soli and NikaGika. Highlighting one bio a week is exactly what this idea needs to work. Definitely in random order. Because EVERYONE deserves to get attention and a change to RP in here. You may have just solved my problem here. Tera, thank you very much for your suggestions. It's kind of what I'm doing already, but I want to inspire others to do it as well.

So, how does this sound.

We make the blog for the biographies as the original idea was, but we base it on those that need more attention or just a gentle bump to be back in business. We highlight one bio at a week, telling of the character in a quick blurb to see if it interests anyone. This way we can give everyone the chance to RP in the comments with characters that interest them. I can't do all the RPing myself after all, I'd be dead in two days. This way we could have more people in.

*bumpity*

Thanks for the kind words everyone!
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October 30, 2014 - 3:55am — Laryal
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This sound like a great idea

This sound like a great idea i would love to help if i can but how?Hmmm letts see.
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October 30, 2014 - 6:10pm — Mary13
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*bumps gently*

*bumps gently*
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