Monday, January 31, 2005

Drop it like it's Jeh. Ahem. ^_^; So, how are all you cats doing tonight? Has anyone been having awkward sleeping patterns like me? In the hot weather, I seem to have great difficulty sleeping. During the last week I've woken up with splitting headaches and I've even been feeling a little dizzy. But now that's mostly gone away, thankfully. This week I started drinking a lot more water than normal. And it seems to be working wonders. It has apparently eliminated my headaches and I'm generally feeling a lot better. So, take it from me, kids...drink your water and it'll all be okay! While you're drinking your water, you might want to look at my wallpapers page. I've uploaded five wallpapers, which are based on the new myOtaku backroom style. Choose your flavour. ~_^ Anyway. I am still technically on holiday, but I tell ya...you wouldn't know it! Lately I have been discussing freelance web design with a friend of mine (who is a programmer with ANZ down here). He was telling me that he sells his work to bidders and when he saw my design work he wanted me to assist him. So I agreed. Now I'll be getting 50% of whatever he makes on freelance work...which is good. Of course, I'm not a fan of generic web design of this nature, but hey, money is good for buying things. Before I go, I'd like to ask a question of you. Some of you may remember a concept for a site called OtakuGamer. It was something I was thinking of adding to theOtaku.com a while ago, after our video game sections died off. Would anyone have an interest in that site at this point? I mean, a game-centric site that fits within theOtaku.com's network and that features all of the myOtaku-connections that theOtaku.com has (ie: people can submit reviews, articles, artwork, etc). I don't want to give a false impression; we are not planning to make this site. But I've discussed it with Adam a couple of times recently and I'd like to know what you guys think. I have a few ideas myself, which I might talk about at some point. It could be exciting.

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Monday, January 24, 2005

Need a little love to ease the pain... I should really start by thanking everyone who has been so good to me over the last couple of days. They've been a very rough ride and the lyrics I quoted above have rarely been so appropriate. ^_^; So, thank you for being there. It's nice to be reminded that people within this community are so supportive, it definitely makes the place all that much nicer. But I can't be down in the dumps forever. As I said to Alan today, it's sink or swim. And it's not like me to sink. I still need to change the song on my page here, even though I only just changed it recently. This track does not at all reflect the visual theme. I need something a bit more crazy, I think. So I'll see what I can come up with. Thankfully, being Jeh means plenty of silly music. Anyway, I don't have much else to say for now. Hopefully I'll have something interesting to report soon. ~_^

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Friday, January 21, 2005

Pondering the Future Wow, I haven't posted here in a while. Not that there's been much to post about, really. The main thing is, I have been in the process of developing the style for OB 7.5. It's always quite a long process, largely because I'm rarely able to just sit and work on that one thing constantly. I tend to slip in bits and pieces of it when I can. Slowly but surely, it's taking shape. I hope to have this new edition of OtakuBoards ready to go live within the first quarter of this year (ie: before the end of March). One of the biggest issues facing 7.5 is staff. The staff situation is really in a state of flux right now. I am aware of some people who are waiting to be hired and some who are waiting to learn their fates (at least, in terms of working out where to position them in the future). Rather than deal with this issue progressively, I think it's best to just deal with all of it at once. It's necessary to complete this step before the site can go forward. Perhaps the biggest news is that Charles will no longer be our Administrator. As most of you know, he's been a very busy guy in recent times and we both agreed that this puts him in a tough position. But having said that, I have encouraged Charles to let me know what he might like to do other than that particular job. It seems that regardless, he'll continue to play an important role at OtakuBoards in the future, which is great. As I said to him in our long discussion earlier, I really want him to stay around in a position that he enjoys. This means that aside from hiring any new staff in other areas, I am going to be on the hunt for a new Administrator. I have several people in mind for that job and I had a lengthy discussion about it with Charles. He was very helpful and made several suggestions that we both agreed upon. The difficulty is that usually, with Moderators or Team Leaders, I tend to know who I want and I simply approach them and let them know what they're in for. At that point it's up to them to say yes or no; to simply accept or reject my proposal. In this case though, things are very different. Although I value and trust all of the staff at OtakuBoards, an Administrator is a very particular kind of person. The Administrator is someone who has a massive responsibility in the community and who may need to outlast me at OtakuBoards. Right now, for example, I don't have much of a luxury to simply leave OB and move on to other things. Although we have a team of senior staff (Team Leaders) who are very talented and dilligent, OtakuBoards would still need someone to run the overall site - to be responsible for a wide variety of things that fall outside a Team Leader's role. That person would really be responsible for the entire direction of the site. If you think about it, that person would have the ability to massively change OB in whatever way. So considering that this eventuality is possible one day, I feel that I need to find the most ideal person possible. This means that right now I am in the process of simply discussing the concept with several people. I'm not ready to make a decision yet, but when I do, you can bet that it will have been done after much discussion and analysis. Of course, I do not have any plans to simply leave OtakuBoards anytime soon. I committed myself to sticking around to complete Version 7 and I am very committed to Version 7.5, because I think it will come even closer to realizing my goals for the site. When you also consider that I will probably have some sort of involvement here for some time yet (provided that this network continues to reach new heights, which seems certain and provided that my skills are still needed in some capacity), it would make no sense for me to leave OtakuBoards. But I would hate to be in a position where I have to dig someone up at the last minute, just because something has dramatically changed or gone haywire. Having an active Administrator will create a buffer, that will not only help to secure OB's future, but that will also keep the site operating at a higher level on a daily basis. My ability to delegate certain tasks to an Administrator (name changing, avatar library development, staff organization/coordination and so on) will really allow me to focus my efforts on the bigger picture; namely, things like new skins, site updates and OB's connection to the rest of our network. Those of you who read myOtaku here and who are also OB staff will want to note that I'll probably going into this subject in more detail in our staff forum soon. So, now is the time to seriously consider your contribution to OB and your availability in general. I know some people have avoided stepping down or requesting a move, because they feel they are letting me down. But please know that you are doing the opposite by making decisions about these things earlier. ^_^

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Sunday, January 9, 2005

Clubbed to Death This one goes out to the colourblind folk. At some point I'll get around to putting the next song up. I wanted something that matches this theme, but right now I can't think of anything. Maybe this post's namesake will have to do. If you haven't yet been, you should really check out Never Established and Dead Seraphim. The former is owned by the lovely Lady Asphyxia, the latter by the Mr. Alan. Very cool sites, don't you agree? These two cats are also new Velegant subscribers -- it's really pleasing to hear that they are enjoying the service so much. While I am here, I should mention something to those of you who have contributed to The Reanimatrix. I am wondering, what would you think of a site called "The Reanimatrix Revisited"? Basically, it would be a place to present all of The Reanimatrix's pieces with the author's choice of formatting and artwork. My feeling was that this might be a nice gesture to the people who contributed, so that they could link specifically to their piece. And, overall, I thought it might be a fun little project to work on. I am really just wondering whether or not contributors would have an interest in something like this.

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Tuesday, January 4, 2005

Obligatory New Year's Post For some reason, I had absolutely no excitement about new year's eve this time around. I went out and did the whole party thing, but still, it seemed to lack something. I'm not entirely sure what. Oh well. Lately, I've been keeping myself pretty busy. A large part of that relates to the fact that I'm going to be rennovating my bedroom this month. I wasn't really able to do it last year, but now I have the means and the will. So, I'm going to go ahead with it. Rather than describe it here, I think I might just take a photo when it's done, so you can see how it looks. As I've said to Alan, I've designed various things in the past -- I've done design stuff for the web, magazine, point of sale, etc. So why not try applying the J-ness to my own bedroom? It'll either work out well or be completely awkward. Either way, I'll show you the result. ~_^ I'm also pretty happy with the state of The Arena, over at OB. Anthology is full of great stuff right now and so are the other forums. I was amazed to find how many more people had signed-up to Patronus/Arcadia's Paranoia RPG when I came on today -- it's very cool, but I know it's going to be hard for them to decide. I've seen a lot of truly great sign-ups in there. Wonderful stuff, I think it will be a lot of fun. I'm also going to start my Maverick Hunters RPG soon. So hopefully that'll be fun. Anyway, there's not a whole lot more to talk about really. I hope everyone had a happy new year's day. And thanks to those who have made suggestions about my portfolio site's name (you know who you are ~_^).

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Sunday, December 26, 2004

Christmas wishes. I'm a little late, but I hope that everyone had a great Christmas day. Hopefully you had a good time. ^_^ My day was pretty good yesterday. The routine of having lunch with my father's side of the family and dinner with my mother's side is always something I look forward to. It's especially great to catch up with people that you don't see very often during the year. I also received some pretty cool gifts. I got a great aftershave/bodywash package from my grandmother (it's something I always seem to ask for each year). And I received the Matrix box set and a copy of Need for Speed Underground 2 from my parents. My parents and I also did some post-Christmas shopping today, which was great (it's always good to nab a few bargains after Christmas day, especially when there's some money to burn). I haven't even watched any of the Matrix DVDs yet, but I'm really impressed with all of the packaging. I deliberately bought the cheaper version, because I didn't really want the clear package one. The bust isn't something I care about and I really dislike the clear case for it. So far I've just flipped through the different DVDs and one thing I really like is the presentation. Each set of DVDs comes in its own little cover, which is covered with gorgeous artwork and photography. Even the art on the discs is quite elaborate -- far more interesting than what you get on the standalone versions. It also comes with a little booklet that contains a written introduction from the Wachowskis. It's a great read and it really underlines a lot of their key philosophies (that you can combine an "idea movie" and an "action movie" without compromising on either area, for example). All-in-all, it feels great to be able to own the entire set with all the extra bits. I'm going to have fun going through them. Also, two days ago I completed Half-Life 2. If you don't yet own this game (and you have even the most remote interest in PC games), you must buy it. The last first person game I liked this much was Metroid Prime -- and we all know how that game had a tendency to bowl people over. I think Half-Life 2 is similar in terms of its impact. Gorgeous game. Anyway, again, I hope everyone had a happy and safe day yesterday. Enjoy your holidays.

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Thursday, December 23, 2004

Response to your responses. Asuki: Exactly. And the idea that an RPG can't be good or popular without HTML is utter rubbish; there's plenty of evidence to the contrary. And there are plenty of RPGs that have used HTML but haven't gone down so well. Arcadia: Well, I don't really think it cuts across the HTML/"oldie" lines. Honestly, I see plenty of RPGs made by so-called "oldies" that simply flop as soon as they're posted. And then I see new concepts sometimes doing very well, even when they're made by a very new or obscure member. So I don't think that the status of a person or their use of graphics is necessarily going to ensure that other RPGs are ignored; I'm sure it does sometimes happen, but I also think that people will gravitate toward the concepts that interest them. Karmi: I understand that point of view, Karmi. But do you know what that ultimately means? It ultimately means that the "better" you make your RPGs, the more you'll be punished. And really, how much sense does that make? My RPGs have never been about flash or style over substance. My aim has always been to bring writers together to have fun primarily, but also to hopefully make something that others will want to read. Again, all you have to do is look at The Reanimatrix. That has turned out to be a great project. And yet nobody has been "rejected", by nature of what it is. Also, it's simply not possible for every single person to get into an RPG these days. Just about all RPGs that are created these days (regardless of who makes them) will have a finite number of final places. I do my best to go for a variety of members and I deliberately try to give new members a chance. So this whole...stigma about my RPGs is false. And that's really what I'm getting at. It feels like a backhanded compliment when someone says "Your RPG is great but nobody will sign up." PT: Oh, I know, I know. lol Don't worry, I'm not that ignorant. I understand that Boba's intention was not malicious towards me. What I'm saying, though, is that he is reflecting a general attitude that is problematic. It's an attitude that seems to say "the more work you put in, the more exciting/fun you try to make it, the more your work will be marginalized". Or something along those lines. Animangademon: But at least, with Volume 1, there was a strong attempt by everyone. Back then nobody was saying "I won't even try." Also, many members are definitely in a position where they will primarily (or only) let their friends into an RPG. Yet I actively try to mix it up a little. It's also false to say that all of the participants at the time were Moderators; they were not all Moderators. This is especially true in Volume 2, where the two new characters were cast to two members that were (and still are) pretty unknown. At least you recognize my intention. But the whole idea of being intimidated on an anime message board is still something that I can't quite get my head around. Like I said before, if it interests you, at least try. Regardless whether you get in or not, you'll at least be able to build up that writing experience further. Mimmi: Yes, thank you. That gets to a large part of my whole point. As I said, I don't believe that anyone is deliberately being malicious. However, I do believe that there is a massively incorrrect perception out there. And it's unfortunate, because as I mentioned earlier, it's like a punishment to those who make something that is deemed as "good work". In just about every RPG I make, about 90% of the sign-ups impress me a lot. But if 30 people sign-up, I can't let them all in. A 30 person RPG would probably become so complex and difficult to follow that it'd die after a day or two. And so, that's why I made The Reanimatrix -- to accommodate anyone who had an interest. And that thread is still going, still being added to. At least in that case, many people got over their feelings of intimidation and realized that there's nothing to be worried about. So yeah. In future, it would be great if these things were remembered. It'd be great if people realized that I'm not out to create some clique of the same people who get into all my RPGs or something. It'd be great if my attempts to be inclusive were recognized, because being inclusive is so fundamentally important to me. All I know is that these days, I almost approach the creation of a new RPG with a sense of worry. Rather than hoping for the best, I worry about how many will take interest but not go near it. And that's not fun.

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Wednesday, December 22, 2004

Set the record straight. Okay, I'm here with a semi-rant. This is a subject that I've talked about before, but I am constantly being reminded of it lately. The issue in question is my RPGs. Quite often, when I talk about something I am going to make, I will get people who say "That sounds great, but I know I won't get in." Now, I have to admit, I don't really know where that attitude comes from. But it disappoints me a lot. Why? Because it's unreasonable. If you look at the stuff I've done most recently (particularly The Reanimatrix), you'll see that getting into any of my RPG/writing threads isn't exactly rocket science. Provided that you follow the most basic of requirements (and believe me, there are plenty of other RPGs have have stricter/harsher requirements than mine), you'll be just fine. I can see why people may feel intimidated in one sense -- with Kill Adam, for example, only a limited number of people got in. But for me, Kill Adam is the exception and not the rule. In that RPG, it was necessary to have fewer characters. And I really wanted to do justice to the great writing that the people in Volume 1 had produced, so I wanted to be very careful about who I chose for Volume 2. But as I mentioned in that thread, everyone's submission was excellent -- which made it insanely tough to choose the final participants. I just want to make that extra clear, because this is the one thing that has been consistently annoying me at OB. If I were somehow highly strict with every RPG, I could definitely understand it...but I'm not like that at all. I also understand that Kill Adam set one precedent; the use of HTML in RPGs. My hope was that the introduction of things like that would simply provide an example of what is possible on OB. In other words, you don't need to use graphics/HTML/chapters if you don't want to. But they are there to show you one possibility that you may not have considered. I bring this up because I read Boba's story in Sara's 55 Fiction thread. I'm not sure if it was just a joke or what, but that really stung. It stung because it implied that no matter how great your writing is, it doesn't matter unless you have pretty graphics/HTML. And that concept goes so heavily against my own philosophy that it kind of makes my head spin. As I said, it's true that Kill Adam introduced some of those things. But you know why Kill Adam has been such a good RPG? It has nothing to do with HTML or images or music. Go and read it. Read Shy's interwoven histories/tangents (we all love his tangents). Read Tori's highly emotional and raw posts that discuss her character's life. Go and read Tony's brilliant post that goes into detail about his character's childhood and how terrible it was. Or read HC's posts, which are laced with great dialogue and a really fantastic pacing (as well as providing just enough glimpse into the past). It's good because it's about the writing and not about the HTML. The visuals only help to add to the atmosphere and presentation, but they are not what make the RPG special. Chances are, I'm probably coming off as incredibly concerned about all of this. The truth is, I just find it somewhat annoying. These things misunderstand what has been done...and they misunderstand what my own RPGs are all about. Don't forget that Reanimatrix had no sign-up requirements at all (other than that your post had to be about Matrix, or related to it). And what is the result? A collection of short stories and poetry that I'm incredibly proud of. Each one is unique and each one is fantastic. I love everything in there, regardless who wrote it. So, please. If you have an interest in any of my RPGs, all you have to do is follow the basic requirements that get laid out. But believe me, most of you who think that you "don't have a chance of getting in" are probably the same people that would write the sign-ups I'd love to see. Alan was saying that same thing about Maverick Hunters recently, but I love his sign-up. It's ideal for the story. This thing about not being good enough? It's all in your mind, people. Besides, you'll never know if you don't try.

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Monday, December 20, 2004

Golden Power... Some of you may have read about my plans for another big RPG, based around Zelda (with a Burton-esque visual streak and my own nutty twists). I've been working on it a little this week and I thought I'd share an image with you. I guess you could call it a little teaser or something. Zelda Lives.

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Sunday, December 19, 2004

You are... J.R.R. Tolkien: Lord of the Rings. You are entertaining and imaginative, creating whole new worlds around yourself. Well loved, you have a whole league of imitators, none of which is quite as profound as you are. Stories and songs give a spark of joy in the middle of your eternal battle with the forces of evil. Which literature classic are you? brought to you by Quizilla Funky. Although I think it probably overplays the whole "battle against evil". I think the biggest evils in the world are biggotry and intolerance, which I constantly reject/oppose. But I wouldn't say that it's some grand struggle on my part, I just feel an obligation to oppose it, because it's the least I can do. Out of all the quizzes on Quizilla, this is probably the most interesting I've seen. It's designed very intelligently, with a myriad of questions (and the ability to choose multiple answers). I recommend it to everyone, as the results seem to be quite different from person to person. Today was incredibly slow, but nevertheless, it was really good. I spent a good deal of time watching my little brother play Half-Life 2. He's up to Ravenholm (I think that's the name of it), which is quite a scary place. He didn't want to play through there on his own, which is understandable. lol I don't know why some gaming sites say that the gravity gun isn't used enough in Half-Life 2. I mean, in Ravenholm, you are basically forced to use it frequently. Sure, there isn't a huge amount of variety in terms of using it (it's used more for attacking than for puzzles), but still, there's so little conventional ammo there that you're pretty much required to go with that weapon. Not that it's a bad thing, it's pretty fun and challenging to use. Also, thanks to everyone for your suggestions in regard to my last post. I still haven't really come up with an appropriate name...and I will feel uncomfortable going ahead with anything until I do that. Still, it'll keep it in my mind all the time. Eventually I'm bound to think of something. I swear, it's getting tougher to write these updates. I really need subjects to discuss. Or maybe I should put less pressure on myself. What do you think?

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