Written by Mighty :
Used with permission. Banner © Hecate
Some of you may be aware of the fact that a lot of us older members are upset over the fact that people are here for all the wrong reasons. This news is what this news will be focusing on.
Yes, this fan site is out of control, and needs to be fixed. At this rate Animation Source has gone above and beyond the words "fan site". So I would like you to ask yourself, am I truly a fan? Think hard, and think seriously. Because if you are a truly a fan of whatever site you may spend your time on, then you wouldn't be using this site as a character hub. You would be sending in submissions of strictly fan related content. Animation Source is not an alternate site for Deviantart. Nor is this a character hub. I've seen a lot of people who come here and make nothing but characters.
I would also like to stress the fact that this makes this site not able to function like it should. How? Well, let's take me for example. It makes it harder for me to post a fan news when there isn't much of any content worth sharing. You see where I'm going with this? No food=no dinner. This can also be said for the selection of the week. Sometimes this can be the fault of the mods, but sometimes it can also be the fact that there isn't anything to rotate to.
The following quote is by Imagine, and I have received her okay to post it here.
Link to post | The topic itself
"There's a difference between liking something and being a fan of it.
To like something, in terms of fan art, means to just draw something related to a movie or TV show and post it somewhere, (something like that) and it's okay if you only like something!
A true fan would be completely committed to drawing only characters from from that particular movie or TV show. Well, not 24/7 obviously, but on a fan site dedicated to that movie.
I like a lot of things. Oranges, pencils, vacations, softball, wasting time on the internet XD and if we're talking about movies. Animated--Lion King, Beauty and the Beast; Live Action--Just Go with It, Benchwarmers, and Valentine's Day (I'm a sucker for comedies XD)
But if I want to be a FAN of these things...I would be almost obsessed with them!
And then there is the size of fan. Meaning are you a BIG fan...or only a small fan? This is where it gets tricky... and I also think it's kinda hard where to draw the line between a fan, and a person who only likes it, especially if they claim to be a fan/not a fan. If it were easy, the problem would already be solved.
Here's the dictionary.com definition of "fan."
..."an enthusiastic devotee, follower, or admirer"...
Enthusiastic. That's the key word in there. I have to admit I might be contradicting myself the more I write this, and that may be the problem this site has had for a long time. There is no device telling you how many fan arts of Balto you post in order to become a fan, or how many semi to non-related stuff you post in order not to be a fan. People have to decide that for themselves, and people...have their own opinions on such things. And BAM! Explosion of fights, flames, and wars reek havoc on innocent members...Bum bum buuuum!"
As of May 16th, the character hub idea has been voted out.
That doesn't mean that this over, and that you will be able to proceed with your characters. We're now considering a committee.
I would highly recommend, if you haven't already, to move ALL of your non-related characters to DA. Or any other site that you may be a member on that accepts art.
Do you guys remember my joke from last month? The joke that all your characters will be moved to a new site? Well, this idea may just come to life (NOTE: This is just an idea. It may or may not happen, so don't panic). Like I said above, a lot of you seem to focus only on your characters, and a lot of them, at least from what I've seen, isn't even related to Balto. A lot of us members have thought that this site would be a good idea (Steet is okay with the idea). And before you go and say, "but this is Animation source". Any of you remember Gamebook Land (no longer exists)? Well, Animation Source didn't exist at the time, but this site was completely indipenant from from Balto Source and the Lion King Source.
Quote by Steet | The topic itself
"- The difficulty of what is allowed or not is the main problem, as it can't be something really objective. As we've seen previously, having a character being "related" to a Balto character just doesn't work because people cheat.
- On the french side, since about 6 months, the characters must be activated before being on the site, and the moderators are filtering what comes in. It seems to work, but let's not forget that the amount of characters being validated on the french side is not even 1/10 of what's on the english site! Also, more submissions and more mods = conflicts over what should be allowed or not.
- And I remember that when mods had to validate characters on the english side, there were lots and lots of characters in the waiting list, always, no matter how many mods.
Here's what I suggest :
- Making the "Characters Source" site as suggested, and on this site, allow any kind of characters (as long as it respects the no-sex, no-violence rule), and no validation required by the mods.
- But on any other site, the submissions will have to be validated, and mods will filter what comes in.
- Then, I would post a news on the sites to let everyone know about this change, and allow them some time to move their "wrong" characters and art there.
- After that while, mods will be allowed to filter and delete any art/character that doesn't fit a site."
What classifies as not related?
Sparkle dogs
unrealistic designs
wings
legwarmers
pircings
scarfs
Anything that can be described as scene dog/emo dog, etc. If it can't happen in the movie of concern, then chances are you shouldn't send it.
Also, this doesn't mean you can't be creative, so don't go there. You can be just as creative with a realistic dog that is related to the movie of concern.
What is allowed?
Realistic colors and markings
Collars (if the animal of concern can wear one)
Relation to Balto. And not just: He lives in nome, or he knows Balto. Try and be more complex and devolop the character.
Your own version of one of Balto's un-named pups, or a character that was seen but has no name.
Human characters, but keep in a style that is from that time period.
If you're interested in helping in restoring this site, then this is how you can help: Go through your galleries and delete anything that shouldn't be there. Go through your characters and clean them out. Send in content related to the site. The last thing you can do is use this banner here in your profile. But ONLY if Hecate says you can, she's very picky on who uses it.
So that will be all for now. Have a nice day!
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Comments
Dreamer
Whispere
r
If it was just art, yeah 5-7 is plenty.
Next, on this hub. I've read all the comments and have seen all sides. I do agree that while I was very optimistic about this Hub, I do think that it will have an extremely low popularity. Noobs want to upload their characters and such to a fansite, not just a random stock pile. Plus, it would be extremely hard to enforce, and the Hub would end up losing members as those who don't care and just want to spam get on even their nerves. To combat this, however, and I held this view back in Mighty's little joke, we should make it somewhat appealing and less insulting by referring to it as a Hub: A Source for the fandoms that don't yet have a Source. It wouldn't be to the majority of junk that is moved there, but it could still be under that disguise.
It's late, and I'm tired, but Heaven knows that I have several opinions on this, but they will have to wait. Thank you again Mighty!
-Ciao
Wolf
f
But yeah a character limit might be a good idea. I'd say 20 max.
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I personally think 5. That is a bit much, but it would clean up the characters more and possibly promise uses. Plus after "lurking" around on profiles, I've noticed people with more than 5 rarely use their characters. Just the new ones they create and the smaller limit could create more explained balto related characters so they aren't using the same relation as their previous character has [EX. Was adopted by boris and grew up with Balto / Was mates with balto before Jenna.] as I have seen on many characters.
f
Also, a shorter time limit for unused characters, something like 6 months.
FOR CHARACTERS
1. They can be anything existing, or not existing. So...anything. XD
2. BUT they need to have well-thought out bios, personalities, and interests.
3. Each character needs to have a Name (Something you thought of yourself and not just copied from a movie), Personality, History, and Likes/Dislikes. It can have more than this but this is just the basics.
4. Each aspect of the character needs to be at least 4 lines long. That's about 4-5 sentences, if they're not only three words each that is. (The name, obviously, is only one word so it doesn't count XD)
5. NO copying characters from other movies, TV shows, etc. Not even to make it into an animal or object. This means for their bios too, though they are allowed to be somewhat similar, since sometimes people can make mistakes or unintentionally do things, which I have done in recent years.
6. The character MUST be featured in either an art, a "fanfic", or an image. If a year has passed and the character has not been featured in anything, the character will be deleted. (The member will get a week advanced warning.)
7. This is where I suggest that you put the date the member created their character, that way we'll know if a year has passed and no one would have to guess. This will probably be automatically added to the character and not done by the member, for the sake of some cheaters out there.
Again, tell me what you think. Just don't flame, I won't respond to it
FOR IMAGES - This one is tricky but I'm gonna try and make it work.
1. You can make avatars/signatures and post them here.
2. You ARE allowed to use screenshots from movies and such, but if they already have a source on AS, then just post it there.
3. No renders. No line arts (that can go in fan art). No tracing from screenshots.
4. You can post your photos here. (photos that you took yourself that is, and NOT just found on google.)
5. Again, nothing that could potentially be offensive.
6. You can use your own characters in these, but not just posted as art. You can make them into a graphic if you want, though. Like with special effects or multiple pictures with a cool quote on it. Something cool.
7. Animated sigs and avatars are not allowed on any of the sources.
FOR ART
1. Obviously, no (censored) or violence. This one is a given for every aspect on all the sites.
2. No photos
3. Only contains characters that YOU created or other characters with the original creator's permission.
4. (Going along with 3) No fan art. That goes to the sources. These are your original creations with your original characters. Have fun with them!
5. No tracing, copying, or referencing off of other people's work.
6. Make your art look pleasing. Don't just make a stick figure and send it. XD that's just silly!
7. Try and refrain from things that could be offensive to people. Like things about religion, politics, race, all that jazz.
FOR FANFICS
1. No shorter than a page, unless it's a poem. (But don't just say its a poem in order for yours to be sent)
2. Must be completed when it's sent. You can edit little things and you can surely do parts if the fanfic is way too big, but this is what the editor on the site is for. Make your fic (or part of fic) in its entirety and THEN sent it.
3. Try to be grammatically correct...or at least make it understandable.
4. English please (or French for the French side)
5. Again, try and refrain from possible offensive content. (religion, politics, race, etc.)
6. Use your own original characters for these. (Then I guess they shouldn't even be called fanfics XD) or you can use other characters with the original creator's permission.
7. No plagiarism. Think of your own creative ideas
.
Or simplier what Kelsey said, no more page. If we are aiming for a fan site, maybe it should just be strictly balto universe related drawings and renders. There would be a few trickers who would make a balto related character, and just draw / render the requirements of every so often making a related image, and in that case, not being a true fan.
:EDIT: And there is always DA for the characters.
.
But some concerns, and if any have been already answers, please ignore this next paragraph.
Let's say this.. additional source came to life. How would all the characters be moved? I understand people have the choice to take their characters down, and just move them, but what about the people who will never read the news, because face it, there are people like that. If the characters are deactivated / reported for deactivation, and it's one of those people who didn't read, it seems the mod would have to send a PM explaining the new rules, which might be annoying, but no problem. Now the other concern, I know many people aren't on this site anymore, and have the unrealstic / sparkle / unrealted to balto characters. I'd imagine people would have to report all of them which could be a nightmare on this mods.
I'm have no clue how this website works in that manner, and it could be just a simple going threw the unrelated and sparkle filters and deactivating them all[Which I hope.]
Now for my own view on characters. I think at one point or another, instead of just removing the unrelated to balto and sparkle characters, we should also remove characters from memebers who are no longer here or no longer used and should have a character limit, like the rules grey set up a while ago. It may just be me, but it's just as annoying as sparkles, to see characters with no owners and have not been used in years. There are characters just simply uploaded and left to clutter in the pages and profiles, and it is more annoying to go to comment on a profile and have to scroll to get past their overly large amount of characters.
All in all, I am 100% for the addtional site.
Whispere
r
Whispere
r
pala
By the way I did have characters but brown wolf deactivated them
pala
Whispere
r
kopa
pala
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