Animation Source Forums

Maybe. I'm not upset at the whole thing, but this is not a topic intended for humorous exchange and topic derailing.

Oh dear, yes, I was just being silly. I really do agree with you and everything you say, oh gosh I'm so sorry.
I didn't intend to derail the thread or make it into a joke, my sincere apologies. This IS a serious issue and I realize that.

What I said in my first post still stands in full. I've been more of an observer than a poster all the while I've been here, usually pretty shy, but the things I've noticed (such as the subject matter in this thread) are quite disturbing.

I'm probably late to the party as is, but I'm going to throw my opinion out there anyway X). I have no problems with criticism as long as it's constructive (duh). Tactfulness is very helpful in situations like these. In regards to poorly made characters (like maybe characters with similar design and marking to another) just going on someone's page to state "This isn't very original" isn't right at all! I mean yes it may be Balto with different colors, especially if it's a render (another subject XD), but I think perhaps if more people received encouragement to either draw their own characters or try to use unique colors and backgrounds, it might get a little better. (Sparkledogs is a whole different story because I believe they don't belong anyway, but you still shouldn't make trollish comments.) Suggest what the person could do with the character and maybe some things worth changing that way they'll have an idea for it should they choose to do so.

For what it's worth, this site is getting over saturated with characters to the point where it's hard to be original without unknowingly copying something else you know? I mean the most common cliches I see with characters are:

Orphanage: Seriously, it's like killing off parents is just the thing to do now.

The Good Child: The only surviving one of the litter *gasp*

So Beautiful: My character is so pretty it has all the boys falling for her *squee*

Bad Attitude: "I'm a dude with a 'tude, watch out." Yes, your "bad boy" characters are there too.

There's probably more that I missed. I'm not using it as an excuse, but you're going to have to put in a ton of imagination if you don't want your character to be either cliche or mary sue (a term I hate seeing and hearing these days XP)

I use the same principles stated earlier when it comes to reading and reviewing fanfiction. I find what I like, and try to be honest without the degrading comments. A little encouragement goes a long way.

Now for those too easily offended: How do you expect to get better without someone telling you what you're doing wrong? I mean heck, if a child believes that 2 + 2 = 5 are you going to let him sit there in his error? Not that that gives us the right to be nitpicking everything, but if you post it on the internet, well honestly it's fair game for whatever unless you disable comments or something like that. The fact of the matter is, we need more of it in this "politically correct" age. Nobody likes being corrected, but the mark of maturity really shows when you're able to take it without lashing out at the person with all the popular excuses. You could do us all a favor and tell us that you don't take criticism well X) at least that way we wouldn't have to waste our time on it haha.

I feel I should post maybe one or two examples of how I comment on things and how people have commented on my stories. I commented on a story on fanfiction net and I did receive a good response from the author in a pm. My review is at the bottom: Here

Now Here is where someone happened to review my story, and I greatly miss this reader as he left the site soon after. He's not mean about it, just truthful and encouraging, one author to another (as I had reviewed his story in the past). I admit it myself, it kinda stung to find out I screwed up part of my grammar even though I went over it a few times, but hey it's something that having another pair of eyes to see is useful.

I say this in my profile about reviews: I try to leave a good review. I try to be honest as much as I can without being degrading. If I can help it, I will write a long informative review, which I know some authors appreciate more than: I like dis plz update soon! I can't always write several paragraphs XD, but I try to touch on what the author wants to hear about. Even when I start reading a story late, I'll still review, and when it updates I'll try to review every subsequent chapter that comes out. I take time to consider what I'm going to say and if my opinion has weight to it. I try to avoid one liners (we have a 10K character limit for goodness sake! You can at least try to use some of it.) I'm not a perfect writer and do not consider myself the best on here by any means. I make mistakes same as anyone else on the site, but that's why we review, to help each other get better at our passion.

It generally works the same for art. There's usually faults on both sides in some way, and I'm not accusing anyone. Well that's my two cents on it (more like a dollar XD). I may have said some things that have been said already, but I do believe that as long as comments are in compliance with rules and general respect, they shouldn't be deleted if they're merely constructive criticism.

Guys, I respect your opinions, but this topic really isn't about character types and what ought to be, and what ought NOT to be, acceptable for posting. Read the original post again if you must.

I knew what it was about, I just threw it in as an extra. My main point was reactions to criticism. I hope that clarifies myself a little bit.

Alright, Ancient. Thank you for your contribution either way.

Oh how veerrrrry interesting...in another topic on this board, where I was repeatedly flamed by two people (including Skulblaka Shurt'ugal), I posted a response to some of his wild accusations which included a screen shot, proving something he has worked very hard to cover up and then try to spin doctor to make it appear less provocative. Something of great RELEVANCE to Animation Source members!

So I was wondering why, after the topic was locked, I kept observing him spending so much time in the topic and on that board. And I found the answer. Once again, a post of mine was stealth-deleted on the sly. Yeeees, once again, we have evidence of one or two of those friendly to a key manipulator of the system, one who is hoping and trying to rewrite the Animation Source rules to conform to some "Brave New World"/"1984" version of things, secretly working with those friendly mods to get a legitimate response of mine carefully and secretly deleted, either hoping I won't notice, or not really caring at all. The screen cap is shown below (it shows also that it was edited one time by me, but that was when I added the earlier screen shot I mentioned, which occurred after someone else had already posted in the topic after my post).

So the stealth deletions are still occurring, folks. I would encourage you all to PM steet. Or e-mail him. It's time he considered a new house cleaning of the staff. Clearly, when moderators act in this way, by trying to cover up posts that expose things one or even a few members would like to keep secret from you all, or which ruffle somebody's feathers, that is a SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR ANIMATION SOURCE. It's dirty, it's contemptible, and it's very much beyond the authority of ANY staff member (except the webmaster himself, and even then secretly deleting posts would be contemptible).

By the by...should anyone want to see what Skul was obviously so gosh-darned eager to keep you from seeing, I'll gladly PM or e-mail it to anyone who contacts me...because, clearly, if I post it HERE, he'll just get them to wipe it out again. (Denial isn't going to fly, Skul. It would only have been deleted, in spite of the fact that my other responses to you remained untouched, because you want to cover up that information.)

Here is the now empty post, where what I entered there was wiped out of existence:




For shame, Skul. And the unnamed moderator who shamefully assisted him with this.

How DARE you accuse me of having one of your posts deleted. I will be the first to admit, I wanted the topic locked--not deleted, locked. And I was not the only one; SEVERAL people I talked to yesterday wanted the topic locked as they thought it was getting nowhere and was the source of much flame-baiting. But I did not ask for any of the posts to be either deleted, or manipulated in any way. Unless you have proof that I did so, then you have no business - and apparently no maturity - in sharing such lies with the rest of this website.

Accusing me of doing so is the equivalent of slander and libel - which I don't think I need to tell you, in a real-life situation, can result in lawsuits.

I want for you to refrain from mentioning me in any future posts. And as I said in that topic, if you have a problem with me, then TALK to me about it. Say it to my face.

And how DARE you threaten me and try to act like this is some big mystery to you!

You don't want or need that sort of trouble either, Skul. I've got numerous bits of hard evidence which would land you in a great deal of difficulty with a "slander/libel" tag.

I've made it very clear to you, I don't want to listen to you carry on and whine about the inequities of what you have been "going through". Your blatant hypocrisy about this post, and offering to talk to me, is actually BENEATH contempt! If you actually wanted to communicate with me in a productive and positive way, you wouldn't have "ignored" me on the BS shoutbox. Clearly you don't have an altruistic desire to do anything but foment more difficulty in a private argument. And in that, I have zero interest. Absolute zero.

Stop playing games...the connections and implications are way too obvious.

Either way it goes, it was a post responding to YOU, and one of at least two in that topic. And the only one which was secretly wiped out of existence. There are only FOUR people, at most, who could have been responsible for that. A very small list. Someone WILL be held accountable.

Gosh...I wonder who this could be? ROFL

And so, Animation Source awaits the upcoming explosion with bated breath...

lol That's good, Conay. I guess we'll see...