Animation Source Forums

^^This. Seriously, imagine if we changed "character" to "fancharacter" people would flip a lid because we want your characters to have something to do with the fansite that they're on. O mai gewdness!! DDD: hide the womanz and the childrenz, we can't let them take away our precious sparkles. Like trying to take away a toy from a selfish child.

I think another reason this is such a problem is because we're attracting the wrong kind of people. These aren't true fans, they are popularity addicts, as Jersey already mentioned.

Perhaps the reason most of them decide not to go to DA or some other art website is because they themselves are in a group here. A group that actually supports and gives nice comments about said "art." If I were them I would be afraid to post some picture of a dog that looks like (insert whatever crayola puke joke you want here) because people are able to be more explicit than we can be on here. Of course they're going to cry if it hurts their feelings, everyone wants to feel accepted in some way, but that's the point, Sparkle-whatever is NOT the right way to get accepted on here.

It may not be the end of the world, but it could be the end of BALTO source (as an actual fansite dedicated to Balto, not as a whole) and all the other sources if they ever become as popular.

Honestly, it is not hard to get noticed on DA and have a small dedicated fanbase, which is what I am comfortable with. I mean, I can't understand why anyone would want to be popular on the internet for drawing sparklewolves? Hasn't anyone learned from Kay Fedewa and Blueshinewolf that being popular for drawing sparklewolves is probably the furthest from 'well-liked' you can get in an art community? These inspiring artists fail to realize that there is a darker side to popularity and anyone with sparkledog characters is troll bait in my opinion, because having them is so stereotypical of a whiny teenager who can't take critique or goes spare every time someone calls them out on their genetic and frankly eye-blinding creations. Not to mention the fact that your dedicated fanbase will be made up of brain-dead wolfaboos who wouldn't dare criticize the beautiful woofies they churn out and the chances of them getting used to honest criticism or even getting it from your watchers will be... nil.

The lesson to learn: sparkledog artwork could spurn your art growth. Just like something as meaningless as Sonic recolours.

Someone once brought up that the word 'sparkledog' should be used to describe the attitude of people with them and, lo and behold, the artists with the sparkledog creations have quite selfish viewpoints and Messiah complexes it seems. I've seem numerous comments like 'BALTO CHARACTERS ARE BORRRIING' or 'WE'RE JUST TRYING TO BE CREATIVE' and I can see why they would dislike DA. DA would rip them to shreds with attitudes like that so why shouldn't we? I agree with Singapaw's view that we shouldn't be aggressive but we don't have to put up with it for the sake of some attention-seeking brat(s), that's for sure.

Sparkledogs are absolutely fine if you're not serious about being popular or are just doing the art thing for the kicks but if they're really here for the popularity points, like Ancient Fairy Dragon points out, they need a reality check. >8(

We're all griping in circles. We've beat this proverbial horse right into an early grave. It's time to move beyond just the mutual frustration society and actually talk about what we're all going to do to get something DONE about it.

I've already had some productive initial conversations with Hecate who, because of her associations with the French side of AS (where Himself is not so reticent and ensconced in his little TSS), she might be able to bend the webmaster's ear. Maybe. She is willing to try (at least when we last spoke of this).

What's the alternative? You all can continue this circular griping in a vacuum, and see the problem not go away. Frankly, I'm exhausted with this constant, unending, circular discussion and the usual "steet's never gonna do anything" whining. We fix it. Or we stop complaining about it and accept the ugly reality.

So which is it going to be?

I myself have been working on a PM to Steet after Hecate sent me the following out of the blue:

Hello ^-^
I've say to Steet that you've to talk with him about the fans creations ( when I say " you" I mean the english mods ), I hope he'll listen to you ^-^

Whether or not Steet reads it, it's at least something.

EDIT PM has been sent.

IF steet will actually bother to read any PM from anyone on the English side anymore.

It's a good start. But it's the same tactic we've used before. I was hoping that we could try a new course of action that he hasn't learned to avoid yet (and by that, I don't mean what the trolls have done to force him into playing Mr. Wishy-Washy. )

What might you have in mind? lol

For starters, someone monitoring the TSS shoutbox on the English side for steet's usual arrival, so that he can be repeatedly reminded to check said PM or e-mail until he acknowledges that he actually WILL do so.

We become proactive. The so-called "squeaky wheel". We LEAN on him, benevolently of course, until he acknowledges the situation and acts (or at least allows for a discussion regarding the merits of changing the character and art submission rules).

Dig?

I'm game with that idea.

Now...

...Who? Being at work during the day, I cannot keep a persistent vigil upon that box or even the site overall. I just check back in from time to time to time over the course of the day, and during lunch hour...

I can watch the box, I'm sure some others would volunteer too. If they're available that is.

Well, it's another step in the direction we NEED to go if ANY of us are actually serious about this, and not just content with griping impotently.

I think more PMs or e-mails to steet, from English side members, supported by Hecate and any OTHER friendly and willing French-side staffer or member, is necessary and would be proactive. It's time to stir up the grass...

And I'm most certainly serious about this, I want to see something done about this.

I'm willing to keep an eye on the TSS shoutbox (no number of salt baths will wash me of the shame but alas) as well. I'm not that fussed about annoying him and I'm only an hour behind him in time zones. I guess hassling him slightly will be our only option. 8/

Not necessarily hassling him to the point of annoyance. But more like a push to show how much we're behind this. He has listened in the past, maybe he'll listen once more. I myself will send a pm to him sometime soon when I get the time to write more than just a few sentences. But the more messages he gets protesting this the better. As far as shoutboxes well, I don't lurk as often, it really depends on what day, plus the fact that my timezone would put me way out of sync Lol, (though I can easily go for the late nights it just depends).

I certainly hope something becomes of our efforts, because wolves are now evolving into sparkle fish as we speak. *Gets out a fishing pole* I'll take care of this! >8D
http://www.animationsource.org/balto/en ... mart=21299
Nice excuse for a sparkle dog xD So I will make it live in salt water so it can have odd colors naturally. Yeah no...That idea stinks just as bad as the fish does.

And because I can.