posted
Well, it appears that I’ve screwed up. I’m sorry. I had assumed that you guys realized that this board isn’t complete and that we’ve got a lot more planned. But, based on several posts over this past week, it seems that some of you guys think that this is a done deal. What you see was for the most part hurriedly created in order to open it up to the public. When Scott and I decided to create a message board for all of us Legion fans, we had three choices:
One, we could keep it a secret and work on it until it was perfect. Dot all the ‘i’s, cross all the ‘t’s. Work on making all of the graphics perfect. Iron out all of the details before hand. Make sure polls were in their own forum. Fill up the Encyclopedia with every known Legion fact. Determine how many characters everybody would want in a signature. Have all of the graemlins available. Have the opening page be set up and error free. Include the calendar mod, the game mod, maybe even the chat mod and more. Etc. Etc. It would have been months (if at all, knowing me and Scott and our schedules) before anyone else would have ever seen this place. Or the other extreme would be…
Two, we could have loaded up the board on Scott’s site without the separate address. It would have the UBB Classic logo instead of the Legion L in the upper left corner. It’d contain generic graphics and graemlins that came with the software. There’d be Forum 1 through 3 in Category 1, Forums 4 & 5, in Category 2, etc. Nothing would be original and it would look like any other MB. Boring and not very inviting. The plus side here would have been that you guys could have started to post a week or so earlier than you had. But, instead we opted for…
Three, we set up a new web address. Loaded up the board. Quickly, cobbled together some Legion-like graphics in some cases hours before the launch (mostly as place holders until either one of us has the time to do them justice). Set up some forums we thought people would enjoy. And invited everyone over to join us. The mistake is we thought you guys would understand if every little thing wasn’t perfect yet and would be patient enough to let us do things at our own pace. I guess we shouldn’t assume.
I too have an artistic background and spent only an hour re-coloring all of the icons to look a little like Legionnaires. Heck, I still haven’t touched the hands, yet. I’ve changed things as time has gone on and will continue to change them until I’m happy or happier. This includes the message icons. What I wanted was to get this place open as fast as possible. I didn’t realize how fast we would grow in such a short period of time. I thought I had a month or two to get things right. It’s my fault for not explaining these things sooner. Sorry.
Unfortunately, this MB is my hobby. I have a full time job away from a computer and a personal life beyond here. Scott’s got a full time job and some serious personal business. I’m amazed about how much time he’s devoted to being here and thank him for it. July is the worst month I could have done this project. Not only was I busy last weekend, but also I have Comic-Con the next several days along with my 9 to 12 hour days of work this weekend. Then, the weekend after this, my BF (mogli, here on the board) is visiting me for Gay Pride weekend. I promised to spend most of my time with him, since I was distracted during my NYC visit (he moved there in March), thinking (read obsessing) on what I wanted to do with this here board. In my eyes, I ruined the time I spent in New York, not enjoying the moment but worrying about getting home and getting everything up and running. I plan on making up for it.
Things have been changing here and they’ll continue to change as Scott and I find the time to improve them. I’m working on modifications, when I can. I would love to contribute more stuff to the Encyclopedia (that’s why I created that forum), but I just haven’t had much time. I wish I could have waited to do this project a month later when my life’s less hectic. It seemed, based on the posts at various other boards and the activity here that that was not a luxury that I could afford.
I guess what I’m trying to say is I’m sorry things around here aren’t the best yet, but I’m working on it.
From: San Diego, CA | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
I forgot to add that I've successfully recreated an old thread from the original DCMBs over at our test site. It's time consuming, but possible. If you've got a thread you wnat to revive, it can be done. Including the original dates and posters even if a poster hasn't joined us here yet. That poster appears as a 'visitor' to the board. Everybody else appears as if they made the post on the new board not the old one back before this board was even created. It's pretty cool and better and easier than Rob indicated at his board.
However, like I said up above I won't have the time to do this until August. Sorry.
From: San Diego, CA | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
Gary, a version of this key to the smilies/gremlins would be a prime candidate for the Encyclopedia Galactica section, and I hope you'll make it permanent there.
It's a wholly inspired effort, but I don't believe that every assignment that you've made is as intuitive as you seem to be seeing it. I had the frequent reaction, going down your list of explanations, "Yes, of course, that fits" ... but I wouldn't have thought of more than half the connotations you used in advance of posting.
From: Starhaven Consulate, City of Angels | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
Well, now that I see my post immediately above, responding to the concrete matters of smilies, etc., on the first page, I feel -- having read Gary's notes above on this page -- like a shitheel, frankly. I had no idea you were this upset.
Gary wrote: "[...] The mistake is we thought you guys would understand if every little thing wasn’t perfect yet and would be patient enough to let us do things at our own pace. I guess we shouldn’t assume."
Gary, amigo. What part of the praise for your efforts has not gotten through? You and Scott did a magnificent job, and I mean that overworked word literally -- Legion World glistens with the care you two took for the experience, and it has from the very first day.
Your "third" alternative for how you would set it up is exactly what I would have done with such a board, if I had the stamina. You used UBB, an excellent backbone, and that was half the battle.
What is confusing me is this: Why are you taking detailed commentary and response -- which you both have solicited -- as signifying "impatience"?
Instead of the immense compliment that it represents, in how Legion World is gathering passionate reaction from those who use it?
Some of us run our written "mouths" too much and too long. I know I do. Yet, to be frank, you've encouraged us to do so, you and Scott, both with outright requests and with actually being responsive to the feedback you do get.
I guess what is important to say here, more simply and once again, is that a host of us fans both profoundly appreciate your efforts, and are happy to help in adding texture and removing bugs.
Yet I also have to wonder, frankly, whether -- or perhaps when -- you're going to believe us when we say this.
You wrote: "I guess what I'm trying to say is I'm sorry things around here aren't the best yet, but I'm working on it."
I rarely shout on the Net, but this time, amigo mio, I have to do it, and I know that for once this is as unanimous a thought as we'll ever have around here:
YOU HAVE NOTHING WHATSOEVER TO APOLOGIZE FOR, AND A HUNDRED EFFORTS DESERVING PRAISE!
And with whatever response you do get, about any feature or other aspect, I hope you'll remember that.
From: Starhaven Consulate, City of Angels | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
NC, I'm sorry if I gave the impression that I wasn't and continue to be very impressed and satisfied with Legion World and all the work, time, and creativity you and LL put into it.
We share art backgrounds, but unlike you I don't have a computer background so please excuse some of my naive assumptions, questions, and suggestions about the board and it's development. I guess it probably would be best for me to wait a week or two on such questions and "wishes" to see if they are dealt with by you or LL or addressed by more knowledgeable members.
And I'm now better understanding the time constraints you're under, so I'll only bring forth what appear to be "major" issues if again after a period of time I think no else has raised them.
Again you and LL are doing a wonderful job here and we all appreciate it and the unique form of quality fun it provides!
Have fun at the con!
As always at cons, avoid the congealed nachos. Unless they're a bargain.
posted
Not to sound like a broken record, but I'm sorry for my more emotional than it needed to be response up above. I really have no problem with any of you guys or your feedback. I usually don't post in an emotional state of mind. I try to collect my thoughts first.
Unfortunately, I'm in a frustated state at the moment. I've got a hundred things I need or want to do right now, both here and in real life, but seem to be doing nothing but spinning in place. I'm not going to bore people with my problems, so I guess all I really want to say is, "Thanks for your suggestions and please keep them coming. I hope you'll understand if I don't respond within the next couple of weeks. By the time August comes, I should have most of my real world problems solved and can concentrate on getting some things done around here."
I'm probably overly sensitive to Administrators not responding to concerns and suggestions due to the frustrations over at the new DCMB. And didn't want anyone to feel that way here.
Again sorry. I'm not usually like this. Really.
From: San Diego, CA | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
I'll echo Grey's sentiments and say that you have absolutely nothing to apologize for -- you guys set this up at the perfect time and the continued care you've shown have blown us all away. You guys have been responsive and open to feeback from minute one and we'll forgive you if you need to take a breather -- the last thing anyone here wants is for you to not have fun here anymore -- it's your house, your playground and we're happy to be your guests!
Thank you
From: New York, NY | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
psssst--Hey, Gary, just another liiiiittle suggestion: Might you be able to change the color of the "???" over the Blok gremlin's head? They're really hard to make out against either background color as it is; or is it just me?
Anyway, what you've given us so far! Don't stop!
-------------------- "Anytime a good book like this is cancelled, I hope another Teen Titan is murdered." --Cobalt
"Anytime an awesome book like S6 is cancelled, I hope EVERY Titan is murdered." --Me
From: Up a Gumtree | Registered: Jul 2003
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