FanFic Section - How would you design it?

Luminous · Post by **Luminous** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 12:09 pm

So there's quite a thread going on over in the Concerns and Complaints section regarding the recent overhaul of the FanFic section.

I'd like to turn the discussion more constructive. Let's use this thread for offering constructive criticism regarding what we like and what we don't like about how the FanFic is organized. What's working for us, what's not, and how we would redesign the things that aren't working so that they better serve the fan fic community. Ill start.

First of all, I really like the new "In Development" section. It's great to have a place to share production tips, ask for help, and learn from what other people are doing. I love it!

I'm also enjoying the "FanFic Lobby". I'm delighted to see the definition of FanFic expanded beyond video responses. I love the videos, but there are so many ways fans can interact through our creativity, I'm thrilled to see this being acknowledged with it's own section.

One of the things I'm not happy about is the loss of the HSA and Cassie sections. I mourn the loss of both of them. It's much more challenging for me to keep up with the HSA storyline now, For example I have no idea whether there's a new password for the notebook yet, and I'm not looking forward to digging through the threads to try to figure it out. I also miss taking a peek into Cassies "Room" to see what the latest is - and what the current "Count" for Cassie knock offs is

I'm not going to say anything about the Facility J issues here. As a favor to Trainer, I'll give that a rest for awhile.

colbertnationgirl · Post by **colbertnationgirl** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 12:43 pm

Actually Cher, I think it should be in the Suggestions forum. (You don't have to move it, I just think it would fit better there.)

Personally, I'm in love with the new design. I wouldn't change a thing. However, I don't really pay attention to FJ, HSAO, or Cassie fan-fic. I understand there may need to be changes in this area, but I can't help you.

Libra · Post by **Libra** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 12:56 pm

I'm just curious, but what makes HSAO or the Cassie spin offs so important that they should get their own forum? The last few weeks I noticed not many people were posting in the HSAO and the only Cassie spin off that is consistantly active is "Itscassie".

Please don't see this post as rude.

I just want to understand why some people here hold some fanfiction in a higher regard than others. I have my favorites, but I'm not going to rally for a seperate forum for them just so I can find their posts easier.

Post by **Broken Kid** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 1:03 pm

I'm going to move this to Suggestions (and leave a shadow here so folks can find it). And remove some of the conversation about where it's located so the whole first page isn't off-topic.

Post by **wintermute** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 1:05 pm

Libra wrote:I'm just curious, but what makes HSAO or the Cassie spin offs so important that they should get their own forum? The last few weeks I noticed not many people were posting in the HSAO and the only Cassie spin off that is consistantly active is "Itscassie".

Please don't see this post as rude. I just want to understand why some people here hold some fanfiction in a higher regard than others. I have my favorites, but I'm not going to rally for a seperate forum for them just so I can find their posts easier.

For Cassie, it's mostly for the infinite Cassies. Though, as you've noted, it's pretty much just one or two Cassies these days.... I never got into HSAO, so I can't really answer there.. Could be that there's enough activity while it's going on that putting unrelated threads in the same section confuses things.

'mute

Luminous · Post by **Luminous** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 1:10 pm

Libra wrote:I'm just curious, but what makes HSAO or the Cassie spin offs so important that they should get their own forum? The last few weeks I noticed not many people were posting in the HSAO and the only Cassie spin off that is consistantly active is "Itscassie".

Please don't see this post as rude. I just want to understand why some people here hold some fanfiction in a higher regard than others. I have my favorites, but I'm not going to rally for a seperate forum for them just so I can find their posts easier.

It's not that they are more important. It's that they are a different genre of fan fac that generate a different lkind of fan interaction than your basic videos. I'm not sure when you joined, Libra, but there is a long history with the multitude of Cassies that goes way back to the early days of LG15 with Cassie is Watching. Cassie continues to inspire a plethora of fan interaction, and for many of us it's lots of fun to follow. Many people also, are just plain sick of Cassie and wish she would disappear forever. But I doubt she will. Plain and simple, it's just easier to keep track of the Cassies, and to understand the history of Cassie regarding LG15, when all the Cassie vids are grouped together.

As far as HSAO goes, It's an ARG. There are puzzles to be solved there, and a complex and confusing story line that must be put together. HSAO is the farthest thing from an elitist community you could ever get. They are wonderful people. Again, it's not about them being "better" than anyone else, it's about keeping their threads together so the story can be followed coherently.

Luminous · Post by **Luminous** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 1:11 pm

Broken Kid wrote:I'm going to move this to Suggestions (and leave a shadow here so folks can find it). And remove some of the conversation about where it's located so the whole first page isn't off-topic.

Thanks BK

chershaytoute · Post by **chershaytoute** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 1:22 pm

(yeah, thanks, BK!)

Libra · Post by **Libra** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 1:36 pm

Luminous wrote:
It's not that they are more important. It's that they are a different genre of fan fac that generate a different lkind of fan interaction than your basic videos. I'm not sure when you joined, Libra, but there is a long history with the multitude of Cassies that goes way back to the early days of LG15 with Cassie is Watching. Cassie continues to inspire a plethora of fan interaction, and for many of us it's lots of fun to follow. Many people also, are just plain sick of Cassie and wish she would disappear forever. But I doubt she will. Plain and simple, it's just easier to keep track of the Cassies, and to understand the history of Cassie regarding LG15, when all the Cassie vids are grouped together.

As far as HSAO goes, It's an ARG. There are puzzles to be solved there, and a complex and confusing story line that must be put together. HSAO is the farthest thing from an elitist community you could ever get. They are wonderful people. Again, it's not about them being "better" than anyone else, it's about keeping their threads together so the story can be followed coherently.

I joined the forums in February, but I've been following everything since September. So I've seen the multitudes of Cassies come and go. I just feel like all the Cassies and the HSAO storyline has died down a lot and so I couldn't understand why people want them to continue to have seperate forums.

I think it's too bad that this forum doesn't support Subforums. That would be the best solution, imo.

Luminous · Post by **Luminous** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 1:52 pm

Libra wrote:
I joined the forums in February, but I've been following everything since September. So I've seen the multitudes of Cassies come and go. I just feel like all the Cassies and the HSAO storyline has died down a lot and so I couldn't understand why people want them to continue to have seperate forums.

HSAO and Cassie go up and down in the interest levels. There are lulls, then there are flurry's of activity. It's just the nature of the ARGish sort of thing. If sections get dissolved just because an ARG is on hiatus, that isn't very functional.

Libra wrote: I think it's too bad that this forum doesn't support Subforums. That would be the best solution, imo.

I totally agree with this. I think sub-forums would be incredibly helpful!

Sami · Post by **Sami** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 4:22 pm

I like the new design.
The In Development section is a great way to get help and advice. In this way maybe more people will start making video's, and people will get better at making them... and yeah, the fan-vids would get better.

I like the loss of the 'cassie' and 'hsa' because now other fans may feel that their videos are just as important. (wich they are

)

Luminous · Post by **Luminous** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 4:35 pm

Sami wrote: I like the loss of the 'cassie' and 'hsa' because now other fans may feel that their videos are just as important. (wich they are )

I don't understand the feelings that other videos aren't as "important" because they don't have their own sections. I am a video producer myself, and I plan to continue producing many more. I am totally involved in the video section, and always have been. I have never felt the need for a unique section for my videos, and I don't ever think I will.

This doesn't mean my videos are less important than the ones that have their own sections. My videos don't involve a developing storyline, where people need to be familiar with the back story in order to fully understand and appreciate the current episode. If my videos were of this nature, I probably would want my own section, but they aren't.

Several of the videos and ARGs I enjoy following do have involved storylines, however, and as a viewer and game participant, I would like to have those videos/ARG threads consolidated, because it makes my ability to follow the stories much more enjoyable. And, because I help administrate sometimes on the ARGs, particularly Facility J, but others as well, it makes keeping the admin tasks up to speed much, much easier.

Sami · Post by **Sami** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 4:38 pm

Luminous
I just don't know why Cassie and HSA need own forum sections. When other fan-fics don't

colbertnationgirl · Post by **colbertnationgirl** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 5:13 pm

I think what Sami is trying to say, is that when certain stories (CiW, HSAO, etc.) have their own forums it makes new people hesitant to make videos, because they feel they have to live up to that. I experienced the same thing. Once I started making videos, I no longer felt the intimidation. Broken Kid said the changes were to encourage more people to participate in Fan-fiction, and I think they have accomplished that purpose. I'm sorry you don't like the changes, but I don't understand why not.

Sami · Post by **Sami** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 5:44 am

colbertnationgirl
That was what I was trying to say.. thanks