So I was thinking... (Community Aid BrainStorming!)

Seed's picture
And you know what's starting to get on my nerves? "Oh, what has happened to the Forest? Everything used to be so much better." Especially in the format of the long rant. That actively kills my enjoyment of the Forest and the community, right here and right now. But just asking people to stop isn't going to fix anything, especially when they have a valid reason to complain about something. What's going to fix things is action.

So, I figured what might be a better idea would be brainstorming about what we like and liked best about the community, and then think of ways to implement it and spread that implementation, for the better of everybody!

I guess I'll start. I like diaries, and I miss reading them a lot. Just the "daily happenings" on someone's updates don't do it for me in the same way. Now, what I think I'm going to do about it is:
a) Be more contientious about putting Seed's diaries up. Hopefully more people will see them and be encouraged to do the same.
b) Maybe I could start some sort of diaries contest...Maybe a randomly selected person who writes a diary that week (that I can find or that links it to a pre-arranged contest page) will get a chibi of the character whose diary it is?

Anyone else? You don't have to have an idea of how to fix something yet: if you post something you like and want to see more of, maybe we can help you think of how to do something ^^

Also, here's a list of things being posed thusfar, with some proposed ideas in parenthesis:
More Diaries (self-example ; possible contest?)
More Stories (possible contest idea ; "Writer of the Week")
Group Runs ("Marathon Map")
More ways to tie the community together
Some sort of group roleplay
The Coalition for the return of Casual, Non-Violent Sparring!

EDIT: I'm specifically re-bumping this because of everyone's current feelings about violence and evil. Want to try and find a way to fix it? You bet you do!

Oh, I might pitch in!

Oh, I might pitch in! Shocked
Tracking until I come up with something nice<33


{Click to view Nine's bio}

{Click to view Nine's bio}
Pegasicorn's picture

I really gotta get back into

I really gotta get back into writing diaries myself. |D Problem is, they take awhile. Just uploading and cropping my screenshots takes time. O_o Maybe I'll start by writing if there's some big event...

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The Dragonfly Deer's Biography
Pega's Forest Philosophy: "Look for Friends. Let Love find you."
"If you don't like something, tolerate it."
Haru's picture

More diaries would be

More diaries would be wonderful <3 I would write more of them but I'm a horrible procrastinator and by the time I get around to it I've already forgotten what has happened. that and I rarely get any more than 3-4 comments so it's pretty disheartening :<
Oh and stories! We really have many wonderful writers who get hardly any recognition! Maybe there could be a "writer of the week" type thing? Or more writing contests 8D
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Updates
Ookani's picture

You know, that's a good

You know, that's a good idea, Seed. I think I'd like to do that- But I'd probably rather have one blog post, and constantly update it, rather than make a new post every day. That way people can track it more easily?

As for me, I love walking, prancing, or running as a group in game. Not like, running around in circles, but, running with purpose, to a destination.

Is it possible that we could, as a community, designate a kind of 'marathon map'? A route that might be drawn up, for people to see, then we could post random times throught the day, so every timezone could participate in one, for a big herd gallop along the path? Like, a schedualed Forest tour at breakneck speed!
Seed's picture

That sounds like a good idea

That sounds like a good idea (the trackable diaries thing)...but I think it would get way too stretchy if I left it: maybe I could make some sort of index for Seed's entries...Yeah, that would work. Thanks for the idea, Ookani!

I also like the "writer of the week" and the "marathon map" idea: I love little functions and things. The one problem I could see with "writer of the week" is the question of how it would be judged.
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Join Nelle Rovine, my unicorn RP
Haru's picture

hmmm, true. I guess there

hmmm, true. I guess there could be a thread where everyone who wanted to be featured could enter and every week a different person is chosen at random to be featured? I dunno, I didn't think that far Shocked
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Updates
Seed's picture

It's certainly an idea, and

It's certainly an idea, and I'm not criticizing it: I'm just trying to think of questions to help give it some definition. Randomness is probably the best way to ensure people think favorites aren't being played. Would people have to have posted a story or whatever (could things like poems qualify?) that week?

Oh, and @ Pega: Wouldn't big events take a long time to write about and have lots of pictures? XD Maybe start without screenies, or going back to doing it with screenies only every now and again... or do what I used to do and pick a limited number of "favorite" screenies, maybe. I used to say "no more than 4, please."
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Join Nelle Rovine, my unicorn RP

Why, just today I was

Why, just today I was thinking about submitting a diary entry, maybe a story or two, since I haven't really gotten around to writing them yet.
This sounds like a great idea though! I'm eager to see what ideas members come up with!


Haru's picture

Of course c: It certainly

Of course c: It certainly would need some refining before being put into place. I would rather take forever thinking out a really good system instead of just winging it and having the whole thing fall flat on it's face! Shocked
I was thinking it could work much like the feature system over on deviantart. Whoever is hosting the writer of the week thing would choose at least three works (i.e. stories, poems or diary entires) that they like the most from the featured writer and post links. Also encouraging everyone to take the time to look through all of the featured writer's works and drop a comment or two would be a good thing as well! C:
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Updates
Tally's picture

its kind of ironic that i

its kind of ironic that i made my last post about making a diary right above this one. Sticking out tongue

*unintentional*

I'm not good at writing

I'm not good at writing diaries but I've always wanted to do a group run 8D !
Seed's picture

@Haru: Hmm... Now that's an

@Haru: Hmm... Now that's an idea. If you did this instead of a random award system, how would you handle changing who decides the "writer of the week" thing (or along with it, I can't tell which you intend)? Maybe make an index listing volunteers, as well as indexing their posts concerning the "writer of the week" thing?

@ Tally: Given that you said "Inspired by Seed" there, it's clear Diary plan A is already working!
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Join Nelle Rovine, my unicorn RP
Tally's picture

Yes it is. :3

Yes it is. :3
Haru's picture

Well I was thinking that one

Well I was thinking that one person would handle all the featuring since it would be less confusing but an index of all the previous "writer of the week" would be a good idea C:
I'm almost tempted to host this myself Shocked I'm just afraid that I'd slack off or something ^^;
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Updates
Redkora's picture

This is more of a site

This is more of a site developer job, but I think it would be a good idea to have pages just for people's character profiles that are apart from the diaries. I feel bad about bumping the other entries down when I add to my profile.

I like the group runs idea, too. Running together is my favorite part of the Abiogenesis apart from the pretty effects.

+++++++
About the Deer
[pixel deer by Aldebaran]
Seed's picture

Also updates. It would be

Also updates. It would be completely and totally wonderful if we could put updates in their own quiet room. That idea should propably be pushed for: I have a Drupal site, I know that it wouldn't be that hard to do.
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Join Nelle Rovine, my unicorn RP
Verycrazygirl's picture

~ tracking

~ tracking

I only write journals about

I only write journals about things that I think are important, that affect my characters somehow.
But even then, sometimes I don't think to write a journal, or I don't feel like it, or I don't know what to write, even if it is something somewhat important. Or I plan to write something but forget.

Though it would be nice to have more things to tie the community together.

~Paz
main deer: Amary, Melinoe, Sheen
parrotsnpineapple's picture

I agree 110% I shall

I agree 110%
I shall definatley continue my diary entries and maybe splurge on a poem or two lD
Doe's picture

Those long rants about

Those long rants about everything being so much better before, are really insulting to new members. Every time I see one, I feel like I am being dirrectly insulted by the author.

Nobody gets to pick and choose everything to be to their exact liking...

I've given alot to this comunity.

I REALLY STRONGLY SUPPORT having diaries and blogs/etc separated! Shocked

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Seed's picture

What I just find annoying is

What I just find annoying is that none of the rants propose to actually do anything about making the community we have now more like what we liked about the community then. So it really, authentically, is a waste of everyone's time. Even if this thread doesn't accomplish much in terms of actually doing things...I hope it will at least get people thinking "instead of just complaining about problem X, what can I do about it?" Because that's what's going to improve something.
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Join Nelle Rovine, my unicorn RP

God, Seed, <3 Thank you SO

God, Seed, <3 Thank you SO DAMN MUCH for making this blog.
I think I'm going to start up again with my short Hook, Line, Sinker entries, I always did love those characters, and I've been getting the itch to contribute something here again.


Soupy's picture

This is fantastic. c: I

This is fantastic. c: I would love to see some diary/writing contests. Us writers need more love. I also think maybe a small group roleplay would be good? It could get the newer players more involved.
Seed's picture

@Terabetha: Awww, thanks. I

@Terabetha: Awww, thanks. I do my best.

@ Soupy: I like the idea of a group roleplay. We'd need to find someone to host it, as well as to come up with a group-based premise...
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Join Nelle Rovine, my unicorn RP
quadraptor's picture

Once things settle for me,

Once things settle for me, I'll get back to working on Divine Sanctuary. Also now that I'm in the Forest more, I'll work on getting back to doing some Candid Camera journals. I think people really enjoyed those Eye

Those suggestions are pretty cool! If there's anything I can do to help, let me know. Smiling


Reyy's picture

I just really love nature

I just really love nature walks.
Maybe we can announce and schedule really big ones so everyone can participate.
Or how about an event when we have a big Birch Forest party?

Hmm.











Apparanza's picture

/tracking~!! <333 This is a

/tracking~!! <333 This is a great idea 8D

-x-

Updates & Links to Deer Bios

By Leuvr

Those rants really put a

Those rants really put a damper on my enjoyment of the community. I get enough ranting and drama at another art site I go to, which can probably no longer be considered an art site. I odn't want it everywhere I go. Sheesh.

Also, I approve of your ideas. I've been longing to read interesting diary entries, but all I see is bios. More diaries, and heck, I think the diary contest could be a really good idea, too. And also, some writing. I was still reading Quad's Divine Sanctuary series, before I disappeared from here for a while. I need to continue reading them, as they were a good example of interesting TEF-related stories. Oh, and what happened to Rubies in the Pond? I followed that on DA, but left there a while ago. However, I never saw another chapter of Rubies in the Pond, and I really enjoyed both the story and its artwork.
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~~MONKEY FAAAAAAACE!~~
Soupy's picture

@Seed: I could possibly host

@Seed: I could possibly host it (and others would be more than welcomed to help out). Plots could be anything from just a slow, lazy day to a made-up holiday/festival of sorts.
Seed's picture

That's an idea: maybe end

That's an idea: maybe end them and change them out now and again, so different people could participate without the group getting too big and no one getting any love?
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Join Nelle Rovine, my unicorn RP
ToxicCreed's picture

/Track Totally tracking this

/Track

Totally tracking this because I might have some ideas at a later date ^^

~*~*~ My Deer: King Iviran, Toxic Creed, Imperial Claudia and Maliran's Ghost ~*~*~
Toxic Nightmare - The Nightmare's End
Main Deer: Nightmare & Sintharia
Seed's picture

This is a bump. This is a

This is a bump. This is a bump. Because I figured we might need some brainstorming again.
Sithrim's picture

Wonderful idea

Wonderful idea Eye


#4b5160
silentlikethat's picture

Okay, bear {rawr! haha!} with

Okay, bear {rawr! haha!} with me here, I have several ideas, but was waiting for the right people who actually were going to do something instead of just complain about how the forest used to be and then just blaaah....do nothing but let everyone know how miserable they are about it. Well! Hold on folks, I gots many an ideas.
IDEA ONE: Mass party everyone dressing up like (enterchracterhere). So everyone gets together and as an example, Seed, is the one we will all dress up as. Mass costume party where, OH NOES!!! Everyone wore the same costume! Which can lead to dance lines, random laughing and emotes, stacking towers and for those who are a bit more talented then the rest, water dancing and air dancing. Something fun, where every once in a while, someone gets a little love and everyone dresses like their character for an hour or so. Plus it would be fun to see others who don't know whats going on, to be all 'Whhhaaaa? there are a million Seeds running around Gna hfdjvsoOMG!'
And so forth.
IDEA TWO: Like Seed already said, a mass marathon. Which not only involves running, but jumping over logs, creating a course and omg a fun rule, like you have to avoid running though things like sleeping deer and trees and whatnot. Make it as real as possible. Or even as a surprise all deer could be running,t he finish line is in sight, but suddenly A HERD OF FAWNS ARE PLAYING IN THEIR PATH!!! WHAT WILL THE RUNNERS DO NOW? More when we come back after this commercial. Brought to you by Dike-Dike, the shoes for deers.
IDEA THREE: A spell party! Or some sort of party along those lines! One person's character will 'host' and have a certain area that can be staked out as the party place. They will warmly greet each new member who approaches, which once everyone is there, we can decide earlier what spells we will do on one another. A mass mask party, pelt, or antler, or even the mushroom ones then we all run around, take screenies of odd moments, or better yet, as a group of bets,doves and squirrels, we find someone who is unawares of the party, and AMBUSH THEM WITH FURRY AND FEATHERY AND LEATHERY LOVE!!! Make them freak out, but see that we all just love their character to death,, spread the love a little ya know?
IDEA FOUR: Sigh, ever wish you could just find that one character, put up a post of 'Who are you?' but no one answers? I think we should make one thread, where every one can post who they have never found again, but would like to, then the rest of us and our eyes can go a searching! Okay, this is a weak one but i feel sad when people can't find whoever that nice deer was who played with them! Another friend lost due to being unable to find them in this huge herd of forumness! I just thought if a huge group of us went searching, maybe finding that other deer could help make the Forest a better place. More friends, more niceness, more love. WE NEED MORE LOVE!!!
IDEA FIVE: HUG/ADOPT A FAWN DAY! So many people have noticed how horrid the fawns are being treated, attacked, isolated, even left alone after trying to be recognized and be nice. Of course, constant bawling is annoying I know, we can fix that though. SO! All those who have mean characters who don't like fawns, discontinue reading this idea, unless you have a nice character who like them or a fawn yourself at the moment. SO! All people who love fawns, like them, love on them, we will play those loving characters fro a day or session, find as many fawns as possible that are inForest, gather them together and let them show US what they want to do! Spellspamm, dance, sleep under our legs, whatever! A day of love for any fawn. If i see one fawn without a grownup being his shadow, GRR! I will be very disappointed and be forced to take a screenie shot and ask people, WHY WAS HE/SHE ALONE HRRRM?! I GUESS I WILL LOVE ON THEM THEN MYSELF!!! Only less of a guilt trip and more of I will probably just put that I saw a lone fawn on I LOVE FAWNS DAY in a Jettem diary post or something. Eh. Like any ideas so far? Keep reading there is more!
IDEA SIX: I always wanted to do art for others. Of course, i have like what...*counts fingers* 7 art blogs I;m currently working on, none of them finished but I still want to give some fanart to those who don't have any? Someone once did a very sweet blog, where instead of asking for a fanart piece for one of your own characters, you instead, voted for someone else. Sweet huh? I really liked that idea, and think I might do something like that too. AS A HEADS UP ON THE SIDE OF EVERYTHING.....I will be getting a tablet soon, so yeaaa! That will make things a lot easier for me, much faster so I will have art up quicker than before e and maybe get those lists growing shorter! Anyway back on track, I and hopefully others, could make blogs liek that more. As in, 'I'm doing a full body shot or headbust or maskshot(closeup) of a character, who do you vote for and then give a deadline. That way, you are not overdrowned with comments of doing everyone on the site. A very quick contest, but will still give enough time for you to make a choice form those who have replied back.
IDEA SEVEN: List all your favorite things on one Blog. SOme people have already been doing this, such as favorite screenies, favorite Bios, favorite whatevers...yea yea. But I think it would be nice to let others know who you admire, what you really do look forward to, and what make you happy. not to mention letting those who you've listed will be seen as well when someone visit their page becasue, hey, such ans such a person really likes this bio, maybe I should have a look too! The you see how truly awesome that character is, and you just have to be friends and more loooooove....So I really want to make one, maybe mine can be an example for what I mean. I am more of a visual person myself. Need to see it to understand it.
IDEA EIGHT:YOU MADE MY DAY 'CUZ....So, I recommend having a blog where you keep updated to save time and screenie edits, duuur, that you put something you saw that day inforest, or on the site or experienced yourself, you saw someone do something nice. Example, I have a MILLION screenies of deer guarding sleeping fawns for just a few moments, or a character that is a demon, or angry character, nuzzling someone. it breaks my heart at the innocence of it all, so I would want to post the screenie or link the blog or something, and say: This made my day, because it is so welcoming to see that even though this deer is considered a meanie to others, he/she can still be loving to those he/she holds dear to their hearts. Or, I really liked how this person did a fanart of one of their friends characters, she/her really put effort into ti and i can see they really are friends. Or, my deer was sleeping today alone and sad, and this deer came up and sat by him/her for a little bit. You made my day, thank you!
I would love to see more of blogs like these updated constantly, hopeful at least once a day. it's nice to be nice, and let others know what made you smile today, be it from something inForest, to what someone did on the Forum.
IDEA NINE: Okay, this one is stretching it, but I can afford it now. Everyone would love art form someone, but all they do is commissions! The artist has to get a living out of it too, don;t be har don them, but what if, one or several people could chip in to buy a commission for one lucky persons deer? Without them knowing it of course! It's a surprise silly billies! I would love to commission Tunka or ShimmyShimmy and several others to draw up someone else character, so instead of having to pay the full 20 to 50 myself, get a group of people who could each chip in five or even less if there where more people, so that person can get some nice well done and beautiful artwork made for them for free. So, if you like this idea, note me and we can talk more! or note Seed or one of us er...yea. We'll talk. I'll have my people call your people.


Okay, that's what I have so far, cuz I need to go to work and that took forever to type up. Bust I will have more when I come back. Let us know if any of theses woudl work for you! Remember, to make this place like it was, stop thinking about yourself for a moment, and think of someone else who might need some help. it is after all Christmas season!

Oh man, you've got some great

Oh man, you've got some great ideas there Silent!
I especially like the idea of people teaming up to commission artists, especially since there's a lot of free art given away on this site with very little actually given to the artists in return...money's tight this time of year and we can't all afford the time to create art if we can't be compensated for our time. It's nice to hear somebody planning around that sad little fact. Smiling
Valiant's picture

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Laruna's picture

Valiant, are you aware of The

Valiant, are you aware of The Lightbringers? I love your idea, I was just wondering, because you'll be happy to know that something very similiar is already in motion.

Personally, I wish we had a "hug/adopt a stag" day. It's too easy to play with fawns, too easy to enjoy their company. I'm glad fawns are being treated better, but it's time to move further. It's time to see that we should be treating our "adult" kind with the same respect and care that we do our "youngest" kind. (Though to be honest, I don't see why we need one day to honor it - why not always do it? Eye )
Valiant's picture

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Seed's picture

I support all of your long

I support all of your long list of ideas, Silent! At some point today, I'll sift through them all and summarize them up there (which is where most of the points on the list came from; I didn't make them all up myself.)

Bumping this...for love and peace!
Fincayra's picture

I myself am definitely going

I myself am definitely going to get back into diaries. I thinks it's a lot of fun and a great way for others to get to know each other's deer. <3
fayne's picture

I've seen a few diaries

I've seen a few diaries active on the Forums (and I have one myself |D), so that always brightens my day a bit~

SEED you are a genius. I'm for all of this. Let's get going. C:
Seed's picture

Well, OK, then: about the

Well, OK, then: about the recent outbreaks of violence. Now, I see we have a lot of people working to air things out -- and that's good. But, what can we do about it?
We could maybe take some sort of stupid pledge, but a lot of people love their "evil" characters, so that seems like a dumb move.... hmm...Of course, there's no way to force change: only to encourage it.
fayne's picture

Well...I really hate to talk

Well...I really hate to talk about myself. |D But could I point out what Trinket and I have been doing? Sarie, too...we three have characters that can be considered bad. But when we put them in the Forest, we sort of 'put a muzzle on them', like Trinket said once. Sure, they're still themselves, but they don't go around attacking everything in sight. They just act all crazy. :B

If only more people could do that.

Kudos Fayne to you, Sarie,

Kudos Fayne to you, Sarie, and Trinket , thanks for doing that for the rest of us.
It's very appreciated. Smiling
fayne's picture

Bnaw. :'D -hifives for Tera-

Bnaw. :'D -hifives for Tera-
silentlikethat's picture

I already said all i could in

I already said all i could in my long post up above. But I suppose I could...write more Diaries on Jettem.

ocean's picture

This all sounds great. ^^ I'd

This all sounds great. ^^
I'd love to see all of this.
OokamiAzura's picture

More diary entries - I don't

More diary entries - I don't write unless I'm inspired to. Which isn't very often.
More stories - See above.
Group runs - Lags my compute terribly.
Group roleplay - See Diary entries.

For the rest of it, I'm all up for it. I always enjoy a good spar <3