Community Feedback/Suggestions Part II

[chacusha]

COMMUNITY FEEDBACK PART II
(moogle_workshop, ultima_arena, & ff_minigames)

This is part 2/2 of the feedback polls, focusing on the big point-giving activity comms, moogle_workshop, ultima_arena, and ff_minigames. The other part (with explanation) is over here.


[Poll #1737747]


Polls/suggestion box will be open until Saturday May 21
If you need to change your vote, click on the "Poll #______" link at the top of the poll, then [ Fill out Poll ], then change your answers and resubmit.

Comments

[chacusha]

Note: If you have ideas for specific contests/activities you'd like to see in ultima_arena or ff_minigames, don't comment here with those. They should instead be left here (UA) or here (FFMG)

[eotheod.livejournal.com]

While I'm sure the Mafia game was fun for those involved, I feel like it really really cluttered up the community with lots of posts that were irrelevant for those not involved. *is a grumpy old fart*

[glacialphoenix]

Ack. I'm sorry if the transcribing to moogle_workshop bothered you; I thought it might be easier to read for those involved and those who weren't actively in the game but wanted to read or reference it for voting as a bystander.

[thedrowned.livejournal.com]

Ah, I'll have to disagree, as I found them to be not too much of a bother anyhow, though I didn't participate.

That being said, perhaps there is a place we can put any future Mafia transcripts? Maybe its own user or community? Especially since it would be perfect for memories.

[eotheod.livejournal.com]

Honestly, now that I'm not such a grump/have gotten sleep, it wasn't too bad, I just feel like some of the posts had an obscene amount of lj cuts, which sorta made lj cuts seem redundant since it took up half a page anyways.

[the-404-error.livejournal.com]

When it comes to the point scales, I now know it takes me a lot less time to write 50 points worth of fanfiction than it does to make 50 points worth of icons. The former can be done in a day, and the latter... well, it did take me nearly all month to finish those 22 Tarot icons.

However, I can't really say "more points for icons!" since I could make 25 in a few minutes if I just cropped images and didn't play around with them forever. Maybe I'm just slow is the real problem XD It would be both tedious and difficult to judge them on a "complex" scale similar to the wallpapers, and I don't think anything is particularly wrong with the fanfiction scale. (If someone can write 10,000+ words, they deserve a shitload of points XD) So, in short, I find it a bit inconsistent, but am not sure if it's possible to do anything about that.

[Edit: Ah, I forgot to mention... The reason I voted for "too few placings" for the ultima_arena contests is mainly for the ones that took up a whole month and only had two winners at the end. I'm fine with all of the others, and while I can see it from there "there's not as many entries" perspective, one more slot didn't seem to like too much? For instance, I wanted to vote for three entries in the long fic contest anyway.]

[zerrat.livejournal.com]

Oh, question! I've been meaning to get back into the craft business. So, for example, I made (http://plushie-pandemonium.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d1lmq39) a (http://plushie-pandemonium.deviantart.com/art/Squall-Preview-09-133318634?q=gallery%3Aplushie-pandemonium&qo=2) few (http://plushie-pandemonium.deviantart.com/art/Terra-Preview-2009-133318387?q=gallery%3Aplushie-pandemonium&qo=3) more (http://plushie-pandemonium.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d27dglj) of (http://plushie-pandemonium.deviantart.com/art/Zidane-Preview-09-133319141?q=gallery%3Aplushie-pandemonium&qo=0) these? (http://plushie-pandemonium.deviantart.com/art/Lightning-Preview-09-133318945?q=gallery%3Aplushie-pandemonium&qo=1)
How much would they be worth? What kind of scale COULD you even use? *curious*

[glacialphoenix]

Oh, those are lovely!

...point scales.

Oh god.

[cue expression of utter consternation]

I have to confess here and now that there isn't a scale (yet!) for craft items, largely because there are fifteen gazillion ways someone can express their fandom love, and we could brainstorm a week and someone would still come up with something we hadn't thought of before.

But those are fanworks and should definitely qualify for points in the fanwork community if you make them and post pictures here... How long do you take to make these? I imagine they take quite a bit of effort and I really wouldn't want to under-reward you for them.

[zerrat.livejournal.com]

Hm, depends on the size and complexity as to how long it would take. Possibly around 30 hours, especially if I'm working with fur (that Sephiroth one oh my god) and how many accessories they have (Terra's beads, Lightning's... everything).

Those ones are usually around 25cm from base of foot to top of head (standing position).

[arivess.livejournal.com]

*pictures Snow secretly sewing plushies while on guard when everyone's sleeping*

[zerrat.livejournal.com]

You know it to be true.

I don't actually look like Snow. GASP

Ultima Arena suggestions

[chacusha]

I don't have an opinion either way on these, but I thought I'd throw them out there for discussion:

- Would people like there to be a "mod's choice" for the UA challenges? A mod's choice would be an award given to someone who didn't place, by the mod who is running that contest, and would be worth a comparatively small amount of points.

- Are there alternative ways of scheduling challenges that people would be interested in? Is three challenges going on at once a good amount? Too hectic? Would people like to see more light-weight challenges that happen more frequently (for example, a one-week icon contest where you submit only one icon, or a one-week drabble contest where you submit only one drabble)?

- And that kind of reminds me, would people be interested in a LIMS/rumble type of competition (an icontest that spans multiple challenges and involves either elimination or point accumulation?)

Re: Ultima Arena suggestions

[thedrowned.livejournal.com]

For the LIMS-type of challenges, I believe the only issue with that would be what eotheod was talking about: how if one doesn't participate then the many posts may become excessive or a bother. Then again, a LIMS (in comparison with a Mafia) might be short enough to not get on anyone's nerves.

For the "mod's choice", I believe that's a fair award. Happens all the time in my icontest communities, and it goes over well.

Three challenges at once doesn't seem like much, but when you add it to whatever might be going on in the minigames, a person who likes to do both may feel overwhelmed. I guess in that instance we can just remind them to take it easy and that they don't have to do every single challenge, but I can't help but feel maybe there should be an alteration. Maybe use the lighter challenges whenever something long is happening at the minigames, to compensate those who are crazy participate in both?

Re: Ultima Arena suggestions

[arivess.livejournal.com]

-I like the idea of mod's choice!

-I think 3 challenges at once is too much. Like thedrowned said, the contests don't seem like too much on their own, but when you figure in minigames and stuff too... Plus, we're already not getting that much participation. More challenges = less participants because if you're short on time, you're going to have to choose which ones to enter...

-Although maybe a light-weight challenge every once in a while is good. I like that idea. But maybe not all the time?

-Urgh I don't like icons. >.>

Re: Ultima Arena suggestions

[the-404-error.livejournal.com]

I don't think three challenges is too hectic. In my experience, the only ones that are particularly time consuming are the month-long ones. There's typically 15 days to get the others done, and if someone doesn't have the time, they could just... ignore any of them they think will take up too much time. I kind of considered many of the mini-games as the "light-weight" challenges, even if they're not voting challenges. Let's just pretend like this makes sense.

I don't really have an opinion on the mod's choice, as I can see about an equal amount of positives and negatives for that. So long as it's a small amount of points, I don't think anyone would object though.

The rumble type of competition sounds entertaining!

Re: Ultima Arena suggestions

[breyzyyin.livejournal.com]

I like the idea of a "mod's choice." I've seen it work on some graphic comms before, so I think it could work for any of the challenges here (and maybe be a confidence booster to someone who doesn't place regularly!). ♥

~Personally, I think the challenge scheduling is handled really well! They're not super hectic to me...the more time-consuming ones are the month-long ones, but since people get a whole month for them I think they have a good amount of time to work on both them and the half month challenges (which still get 15 days, so that's a pretty good amount of time as well!). I don't dislike the idea of the light-weight challenges though! I just wonder if that wouldn't be a lot of pressure for you and other UA mods though (to have to come up with so many challenges...they'd probably add up pretty quick). O_O;

~Oh, the rumble type of competition sounds neat! I'm not 100% sure how they work, but I think it would probably be pretty interesting from how you described it once I figure it out, lolz. XD

Re: Ultima Arena suggestions

[breyzyyin.livejournal.com]

~I like the idea behind the "Mod's Choice"--that sounds rather neat in a way! :D

~And as everyone has said before me, I think the UA challenge schedule that has been going on right now is pretty fair and well-done. :D The light-weight challenges sounds like a neat concept, but as arivess said...perhaps they should be done sporadically? At least that way, it wouldn't be too hectic for the people coming up with them...and perhaps if they were announced ahead of time (such as mentioning a light-weight challenge coming up at a certain week awhile beforehand), maybe members could plan to set aside the time if they want to enter? *is unsure* As Breyzy said though, I hope it wouldn't put too much challenge on the UA mods to have to keep coming up with them while thinking of the other challenges too! ...It really just depends, I guess.

~The rumble idea sounds rather interesting too, I think! Granted...I don't make icons so maybe I shouldn't talk, lolz. XD

[arivess.livejournal.com]

Re: Moogle points scale--

Well, we know the fanart scale is a problem, already. XD; Just voting it here in general.

I don't feel like other things are as big a problem, but... yeah. Like Vanja mentioned, icons can take very long or very short, but it'd be too hard to scale them on that. :\

But I feel writing can also take a lot of differing times, too. I mean, it'd take me a week to write what Z does in a day, for example.

But. Yeah. I feel the biggest problem is drawing. Because right now, for some 100 points of art, it'd take me some 20-30 hours. Which might not take someone else as long, but still really, really long.

Re: Ultima--

I liked all the contests, but, as stated in the other post, I do think we need more varieties than fanart (...which we only had 1 of, anyway ._.;), fanfic, and graphics. Which is hard, I know. But things like the design a jobclass, sequel from hell, and stuff like that were great and highly entertaining! XD

I think contest schedule's okay, but I wonder if it might be better to stagger the due dates. You can still keep the same number of contests, but maybe for the smaller ones, post one a week and make them last two weeks, so that they're due each week instead of having 2-3 due at the same time? Pretty please, for last-minute procrastinators like me?

Re: Minigames--

Again, as stated in previous post, I think minigame scores are too low in comparison to contests. They're kinda like... drops in the ocean. Hardly makes any difference. :\

Oooone thing I'd like to request is for Eilia and me to be able to participate in them more. ;_; I think the worst part is things like the really big ones, like the Easter Egg Hunt, Eilia and I couldn't participate at all, and I was like BAAAAAAAAAAW when I saw thiefie scores. >.>; It'll be an especially big blow if we do scale up minigames points, too...

[lightofeilia.livejournal.com]

We just need to stop collaborating, that's all lol. DO YOUR OWN THANG

[thedrowned.livejournal.com]

Re: the request for participation. What if you guys, like...alternate? That way one of you could play in the game while the other hosts, and then you can switch up the next time.

[chacusha]

Erm, I tried to select the last line and then accidentally hit Post. DX

I liked all the contests, but, as stated in the other post, I do think we need more varieties than fanart (...which we only had 1 of, anyway ._.;), fanfic, and graphics. Which is hard, I know. But things like the design a jobclass, sequel from hell, and stuff like that were great and highly entertaining! XD

I will try to do more fanart challenges, but we just have too few artists at the moment to support more than about one a game. Actually, this is something I've been meaning to ask, but I was wondering if someone (who actually has a presence on dA (*hinthint*)) could try promoting our comm there? I abandoned my dA account like 6 years ago and don't have any connections to the FF fandom, but I really want to bring in more artists!

And I'll try to think of a wider variety of contests to try next game. I'm actually thinking about some more meta contests, things like short essays that require people to analyze characters and aspects of FF games and do a write-up of them, compare and contrast, analyze patterns, that kind of thing.

[roax.livejournal.com]

Okay since I already took my time on other posts, i will reply here in short -- I really enjoyed ff_minigames far more than any other activity here. I thought that most people join for fun, not everyone has confidence in their abilities or abilities to write/draw/make graphics/sing/whatever else. Also, the time. While I am not a fan of ultima_arena (you could say that's mostly because I cannot participate. I cannot write, sing, and totally lost the desire to make graphics), I do enjoy looking what other's work but I thought it's just really easy for a team to lose points/be behind since the points earned there are high. Of course its all deserved since people put more effort into writing etc.

That also means i agree with some people above -- I think ff_minigames would award those who participate with more points. Even if i have internet problems or don't get enough time to be very active, i still try to earn at least a bit point for my team by doing challenges. I admit that this round, i thought all my efforts weren't worth it since we were always the last ones but it's no one's fault and I don't regret it. I had fun but I just think it would be more fair if... you know. Sorry if i don't make much sense. I am writing it just before going to bed D:

[lightofeilia.livejournal.com]

Something I wanted to comment on... the competition system at UA...

I've only played a few of the FF games, so I feel really bad when it comes to long fics that focus on a game I don't know about. In the end I end up voting for the fics that focus on games I know, because I have a better feel on things/characters/places/etc. It's hard to read and like a fic that focuses on characters I don't know... And it really does affect my voting. Sometimes I don't vote at all because none of the entries are things I know about :X

So maybe we could make some challenges game-specific?

[arivess.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if that's a good idea... The games people know are all over the place, and we already have semi-low participation. Limiting something to one game will cut it even more. :\

The games most people know are 7-13 (minus 11, and vaguely minus 9), but the only one I know out of those is 9, so I'd be sitting out for just about all of them.

And then if you make challenges for the obscure games, you're going to get like... maybe 4 participants and 5 votes or something.

I haven't had any trouble voting on things I don't know, personally. Most of what I've liked, I liked because they looked/sounded nice, even if I barely knew a thing about the game itself.

[the-404-error.livejournal.com]

I agree with Ari here. While it is difficult to put aside personal game bias, I usually try to, and I know I've voted for entries from games I don't know or even games I don't particularly like before just because they were well written/the graphics looked nice/etc. The only time this gets confusing is when there are terms that don't mean anything to me, like l'cie, in which case I try to figure out what I can from ff.wikia. (Though I use that as an example since I'm only more confused than ever the more I learn. Turning into crystals? What? I don't...)

If they were game specific, it would likely be for the more well known games, and then my old-school-FF heart would die a little. ;-;