I think we need more dynamic content

[Captain Southbird (EHOL Creator)]

I've been thinking about it a bit... this site probably could use more dynamic content of some sort.  Something simple to manage like Pic of the Moment, since none of us have any incredible amount of time to create anything REALLY elaborate on a day-to-day basis or anything.

Any ideas?

[MrWhat]

Okay.  Writing a long post is a good way to put off all those chores I need to do around here.

How much bandwidth will your Big Project take?  I know you've talked about what kind of story you'd like to tell, and I've seen a few sample clips of video game-type animation-- but I have to admit, I still don't know exactly what you're doing.  Anyway, you might want to set aside some resources for that.

If the group chat hadn't just failed, I'd suggest a "viewing party," where you get people to synchronize their DVD players, and watch something at the same time, and chat on the computer as they're watching it.  I think some music fans have had "listening parties" like this.

DVD Tracks is a site where people can record and upload their own DVD commentary tracks.  I've thought about trying to record my own commentary track for OVA1.  Maybe someone could do an MST3K for Alt World.

Do we have enough people to do a karaoke contest?  I recorded some MIDI-based MP3s with vocal tracks a couple years ago, when I had more free time, so I could also put my voice on a karaoke MP3.

I'm pretty sure I mentioned this before, but the Tsunami Channel web comic has a script site, where you can write your own comic strips.  I've never tried to write one, so I don't know how well it works.  A couple good ones are Palak Paneer and The Old Switcheroo.

I don't RPG, for lack of time, and many other reasons.  But I've seen where other message boards tried more simple round-robin interactive writing.  The AIC El-Hazard bulletin board has a very silly round-robin story.  Maybe you could throw up another forum for creative writing.  Someone could try to start a more serious round-robin story, or we could just go for complete unmoderated silliness.  Or both.

Do we have enough active fan fiction writers to issue a challenge?  I've thought about issuing a challenge on my own, but I'm barely an active writer now, myself.  Something like, you have to write a short story with a certain theme, or a particular cross-over, or a story that includes as many things as you can include from a list of random objects.

The hair-coloring thing is fun.  Maybe you could start a more general Photoshop contest.  I know you've done at least a couple incredibly disturbing Photoshop jobs yourself.

And, if you could create sub-folders on your server and dole out limited rights, maybe you could start up your own El-Hazard site network.  Each EHOL member can make their own home page, or maybe a few HTML pages, as long as they're related to El-Hazard.  I've got echoalpha.com to play with, but other people might take advantage of something like that, rather than subject themselves to the whims of GeoCities and such.

I guess that's about all that I can think of, at the moment.  I've got a ton of stuff on my own list-- Hana Ni Arashi is only half-done, and two or three more serials after that, and a bunch more short stories, plus amateur Japanese translations, and fan art, and someday, a Makoto+Ifurita Moody Blues music video.  But I may get tired of the franchise and call it quits before I get through half of that.

Actually, for a relatively obscure anime that's been extinct since ca1998, I think you're doing pretty darn good.  I've been checking the latest 10 posts and the caption contest once or twice a day, almost every day, lately.

[Captain Southbird (EHOL Creator)]

How much bandwidth will your Big Project take?  I know you've talked about what kind of story you'd like to tell, and I've seen a few sample clips of video game-type animation-- but I have to admit, I still don't know exactly what you're doing.  Anyway, you might want to set aside some resources for that.

I'm not terribly concerned about it yet.  I hardly know what I want to do.    However, I'll alert the general populous when the time comes.  Very slowly it's becoming more clear but I'll need some more time yet, especially since I took to developing my own 3D engine.  So far so good.  (After almost a month of pouring over 3D maths...)

If the group chat hadn't just failed, I'd suggest a "viewing party," where you get people to synchronize their DVD players, and watch something at the same time, and chat on the computer as they're watching it.  I think some music fans have had "listening parties" like this.

To a degree, the failure was caused by the fact that we couldn't synchronize our life schedules.  That kind of throws anything "live all at once" off except maybe something super special.

Maybe someone could do an MST3K for Alt World.

Get Jason Youngberg on the line!  Or not.  He still calls my site "Choose your destiny, traveler..."

Do we have enough people to do a karaoke contest?  I recorded some MIDI-based MP3s with vocal tracks a couple years ago, when I had more free time, so I could also put my voice on a karaoke MP3.

I'm sure we'd have plenty of people if we advertised on the main page, but unfortunately I think most of us are too gutless to try.  Perhaps if there was a monetary prize or something.  


[qyite]I'm pretty sure I mentioned this before, but the Tsunami Channel web comic has a script site, where you can write your own comic strips.  [/quote]

I actually thought of that once.  A variant of my already-existent MegaHAL "comic" generator.

Do we have enough active fan fiction writers to issue a challenge?  I've thought about issuing a challenge on my own, but I'm barely an active writer now, myself.  Something like, you have to write a short story with a certain theme, or a particular cross-over, or a story that includes as many things as you can include from a list of random objects.

More or less... I was also thinking of a simple MadLibs type script.  If you guys were just to write some short stories to some simple script-loader format I'd make up, then we could have possibly reusable silly fun with the good ol' word game.

The hair-coloring thing is fun.  Maybe you could start a more general Photoshop contest.  I know you've done at least a couple incredibly disturbing Photoshop jobs yourself.

That's an idea.  We'll need more rules about it, though.

And, if you could create sub-folders on your server and dole out limited rights, maybe you could start up your own El-Hazard site network.  Each EHOL member can make their own home page, or maybe a few HTML pages, as long as they're related to El-Hazard.  I've got echoalpha.com to play with, but other people might take advantage of something like that, rather than subject themselves to the whims of GeoCities and such.

Possibly.  Ironically almost the same sort of thing I was offering when first trying to get off the ground; as I browsed the internet, if I found an abandoned page worth salvaging, I'd email the owner about it becoming rehosted and included as part of my site or something of the sort.  But I either wouldn't get replies or I'd get "No thanks" in so many words.

Actually, for a relatively obscure anime that's been extinct since ca1998, I think you're doing pretty darn good.  I check the latest 10 posts and the caption contest once or twice a day, almost every day.

Thanks.  But I'd like to increase the general populous draw, since only maybe 5% of registered members ever actually go to the forums.  The other folks wouldn't have a lot to do except ... wait.

[Saucer]

OI don't RPG, for lack of time, and many other reasons.  But I've seen where other message boards tried more simple round-robin interactive writing.  The AIC El-Hazard bulletin board has a very silly round-robin story.  Maybe you could throw up another forum for creative writing.  Someone could try to start a more serious round-robin story, or we could just go for complete unmoderated silliness.  Or both.

Wow, they're still doing that at the AIC board? I used to participate in those all the time. I haven't been there in over a year though. I just got sick of the pretentiousness. -.-

Hey Rob, I just gotta show you this. I almost forgot about it, since I did it so long ago. First off, you may recall this link (I believe I sent it to you before);  http://www.realultimatepower.net Well, when we first discovered this website a year and a half ago, me and this other guy on our old message board did a series of parody sites. Not the least of which was one of my own, which I'm very proud of http://www.angelfire.com/anime/mangatemple/riffy.html ^_^;

[kiddo]

Rob, what about the hentai? ::shot::

[Spanner]

Not the least of which was one of my own, which I'm very proud of http://www.angelfire.com/anime/mangatemple/riffy.html ^_^;

After I looked at your website, I headbutt my dog so hard that we both screamed. And that's what I call Real Ultimate Power!

Rob, what about the hentai? ::shot::

Kiddo, I'm disappointed! When I saw that you had posted something to the "dynamic content" thread, I was almost afraid to look. But this was pretty tame. *Shakes head sadly* If it wasn't for your current avatar, I'd think you were losing your special touch.

[Saucer]

After I looked at your website, I headbutt my dog so hard that we both screamed. And that's what I call Real Ultimate Power!

The webpage is so sweet that I want to crap my pants. ^_^;

Kiddo, I'm disappointed! When I saw that you had posted something to the "dynamic content" thread, I was almost afraid to look. But this was pretty tame. *Shakes head sadly* If it wasn't for your current avatar, I'd think you were losing your special touch.

Careful what you wish for Spanner. ;;;

[MrWhat]

I'd like to increase the general populous draw, since only maybe 5% of registered members ever actually go to the forums.

Mmm.  You might try something like "if you've never posted before, or if you haven't posted in a long time, please consider answering this question."  Maybe on the front page.  If you haven't already, and I've forgotten it or missed it.

When you put something creative on the Internet, you're lucky to get feedback from one hit out of a hundred.  I've read fan fiction without leaving reviews, so I do it too.

Wow, they're still doing that at the AIC board? I used to participate in those all the time. I haven't been there in over a year though. I just got sick of the pretentiousness. -.-

I never got started over there.  Always a little nervous about posting to a message board run by AIC themselves.

http://www.realultimatepower.net

"Those darn ninjas.  They're wacky." --The Tick

I found that site on my own awhile back.  My favorite page is Seppuku with a frisbee.  "If you succeed, everybody will be like "Holy Crap!"

Well, when we first discovered this website a year and a half ago, me and this other guy on our old message board did a series of parody sites. Not the least of which was one of my own, which I'm very proud of http://www.angelfire.com/anime/mangatemple/riffy.html ^_^;

LOL!  Excellent.  Yes, our Ifurita is more of a Real Ultimate Power.

And yes, one of her weapons would be cleavage.  It's a Weapon of Mass Distraction.  "I shot him in the face with my key-staff while he was staring at my chest."

That's another idea-- an El-Hazard web site parody contest.  I'll have to try that, one of these days.

Rob, what about the hentai? ::shot::

If Rob invents something like "dynamic hentai content," he might get more traffic than he really wants.  On the other hand, he could become the hero of sad lonely fan-boys everywhere.

[Saucer]

I never got started over there.  Always a little nervous about posting to a message board run by AIC themselves.

j00 shouldn't be man. It's no different than any other large message board. Pretentious people and spammers battling it out for the limelight! Plus, the administrator is some guy who works ay AIC and stops by like once a year or so. Like most anime studio staff, he probably works 23 hour days.

[Lord God Jinnai]

I don't RPG, for lack of time, and many other reasons.  But I've seen where other message boards tried more simple round-robin interactive writing.  The AIC El-Hazard bulletin board has a very silly round-robin story.  Maybe you could throw up another forum for creative writing.  Someone could try to start a more serious round-robin story, or we could just go for complete unmoderated silliness.  Or both.

Yes, those old AIC round robbins were pretty fun.

The only problem is that these things can pretty much degenerate into bizarre, head-ache inducing LSD trips. Take the round robins I started for instance: Round Robin I and Round Robin II.

The first one had no rules, which explains the general chaotic structure of the piece. For part 2 I tried instituting some rules into it, but that didn't work out since the rules seemed to limit everybody too much.

[Saucer]

Ah ha!!! I knew, I knew you from some place else. It was kind of hard to tell at first, what with all the Jinnai's on the internet.

[Lord God Jinnai]

Dammit! I've been recognized!

Retreat!

*flees thread*