My Confession Over Fan-Fictions to Users, Mods, Telltale Staff Alike
Now recently it has come to my attention that the creation of fan-fiction threads were becoming a problem. I've heard such things like, "fan-fics are over-crowding the forum", "not relevant", "no real purpose" (some of these I heard in real life so hang with me here) and so on. Well I suppose a different world than some of you do... and what I see is 'importance'.
What I mean by importance is the fact they give us something to inspire by, not only regular members, but the Telltale staff itself. We created things to inspire one another. We give out imagination and let it mold. These fan-fictions could allow certain kinds of business people, getting them noticed. And I don't mean only Telltale, but other companies as well. There is a possibility that some of these creators want that attention. And I'm proof of that example because a member from Telltale said they were interested in seeing my comic before I even got started on the actual comic stages. So there's that possibility of getting noticed as many fan-fics shows potential career skills. Take LeeTheProfessional's for example, his story is unique and well made. Or Markd4547's thread, it has many interesting writers as well. My point is moving fan-fics to a section of the forum that is RARELY visited on could be a mistake.
I know there is people complaining how there's too many fan-fics but when look more carefully it's not that many. There is only about 16 threads including mine that are fan-fics, and mine's the least related of them all and mine didn't get moved which seriously makes me uncomfortable thinking people would get mad at me or come to my thread less as well cuz of it. Plus we get new members often and I noticed many of them never got to read the fan-fics (this was an assumption). Plus there WILL be more fan-fic creators along the way and if their story gets moved to a "ghost thread" then much of their hard work was pointless.
Anyway many of the legit discussions that are related to The Walking Dead in reality is more dominant than fan-fics as there are some fan-fics that actually died out. And if you see a discussion that you don't like, the first that comes to mind is 'ignore' meaning if you're not into fan-fics, just scroll past it, it's easy. Most Walking Dead discussions are actually rehashes of old ideas when you look carefully, it's nearly the same thing over and over; meaning we're running out things to talk about. That also means in presentation to newcomers the forum would look slightly stale without the creativity of subjects as it can be difficult to find interesting topics in certain threads. I know we had rants about the fan-fics, but in all honesty there wasn't that many complaints when you look at it. You need to have "spice" on top of your "dish".
(ADDED) Plus I like to explain there are some who never asked for attention and just made it for fun but they still got attention. There are fan-fic creators like myself and LeeThePro who sacrificed much of our time now to make things enjoyable for everyone. Fan-fic creators, intentionally or not, made these stories which would bring enjoyment to the community(not all of them are enjoyable, no offence). There are those who are really dedicated to it and they try not to disappoint. And to have fan-fics called a nuisance and thrown to the side like trash is a big slap in the face to the creators who put a lot of hard work to their stories.
Overall I think we should reconsider as a whole that fan-fics are not that big of a problem as it makes the community much more enjoyable. And if you're mad about threads about fan-fics then we should make a rule where we put that sub-topic of the thread in the Telltale Talk section and the original creator must give out a link to that sub-topic(or Lounge for instance). If we can't put back the fan-fics where they came from then we might as well have a banner link in the front page dedicated to the fan-fics of the ENTIRE forum, including mine(still don't understand why mine's untouched). So that there is still higher recognition for other people's work.
Thank you for reading this entire confession as I couldn't get it out of my head and concentrate on my comic because of this. And mods please don't remove this as I believe we should hear what everybody thinks about this. Good day.
Comments
First things first. I did read this. all of it. so, no chicken gif for you. second, I don't know what the mods have planned, but they never reverse descisions, despite teh pleading of users. Heck, I barely see The walking dead meme and fun thread or the wolf among us meme and funny nonsense thread anymore cause they're buried somewhere, along with the fanfics. that being said, I don't think anyone is mad that your comic stayed. It isn't your fault that everyone else got moved. Plus, your comic is one of my favorite things about this forum. And even though you may have a point, I doubt that there'll be a fanfic section anytime soon. WIll this discussion get closed? probably. but maybe, just maybe, It'll make a difference.
actually.........
Thanks. It really was bothering so much I couldn't do much last night. Now that I got this off of my chest I can breathe easy again.
Hey, no problem man.
Go to forum fanfic section and get a great identification of what the Mods think of that area TWAU and TWD meme threads, Contests, Appreciation thread, Opinion game, jokes etc
Lets take look at some of most stupid threads put in that section
http://www.telltalegames.com/community/discussion/71305/dislike-this-thread
http://www.telltalegames.com/community/discussion/73343/to-gunab-please-read
http://www.telltalegames.com/community/categories/forum-games
There is even more but to lazy to check but the mentioned above were on the first two pages of forum games hmmm to a ignorant mind like myself it seems like the mods created a dumping ground for threads that they feel have no place.
Already spoke in depth on the issue and I didn't get a response so pointless and the forum recently is dying fanfics were only bright spot R.I.P Fanfics:'(
R.I.P my fanfic and many other. No one really comments on it anymore.
Lol you should see mine, I got the smallest amount of visits in my thread it worries me every day. I liked the good old days when people used to come by everyday, now it's just ruins.
I agree. Maybe there could be some kind of ignore/hide feature added and there wouldn't have to be another section? That way people who don't want to see them can hide them and don't have to deal with them, while newcomers can feel free to join in. I honestly like the fanfics, seeing as there is nothing much to talk about concerning the game right now. There isn't as much traffic on the 'front page' or whatever you want to call it, and you often see the same 20 or so threads being recycled. (I've also noticed an influx of spam bots and just general spam posts staying there for quite a while, too). They will definitely die out around the time the next episode comes out, so I don't see why they should try to give them a different section (which is nearly impossible to find, especially for new users) right now. IMO, they're fun and make the community more of a community, but I can see how they aren't for everyone.
Gosh guys, fanfiction doesn't prove you are creative or something like that you are not even creating something new you are just re-using things other people made! And some of those fanfictions, bad writing, unoriginal stories, re-used characters and worse! All this prove is this is that this people shouldn't be writers! but just because i say that doesn't mean there isn't some good ones, look what i'm trying to say is: this forum is about The Walking Dead not about fanfiction.
I'm not sure how to feel because I've never actually posted my fic entirely into a thread, I just link over to where I have it up on fanfiction.net that I've used for donkey years. And I've never really had much problem in worrying about my fic not being seen, because I also have a tumblr account where I'll post up a link on there for whenever I update so people know about it.
Maybe it's just something to get used to, I mean hey the fanfiction thread is the top-sticky on the TWDG so it won't disappear and people will always see it there. Even if you post a thread it in the game section [even though fanfics really aren't games, not all of them anyway] you can add a "Oh hey guys I updated, come over here" post in the sticky thread for people see and direct them there :P
But I get what you mean by inspiration. It's a good thing to have for anybody. But the sticky thread is there, people will see if and still know where to look
But maybe you should think about using fanfiction.net like me, you'll get more readers on there too.
Not EVERYTHING. There are moments where it feels like a remix, but there is originality. It's just hard to find it. I understand there are some which are rehash, but you gotta look at the facts. Plus isn't your character re-used from a video game npc? For example: my comic has a lot of forms of remix and it's still entertaining to viewers.
I think this change has brought more bad than good. The fan fics/ interactive stories are suffering because they have been placed in a graveyard thread. Some writers have spent hours of their time on their stories just to have them be forgotten. For people saying that the actual stories themselves aren't creative, badly written, boring, and a rehash of old things, I don't think that is fair. Some writers are younger members or may not speak English as a first language. For the rehashing of already used concepts, almost every zombie-related media I have seen uses the same tropes or events.
I have only peeked at your thread, Tobi (though I do intend to read it all someday) and I can see how much you care and how much work you put into your story and drawings. I'd rather have a thread like that on the front page than another Kenny vs Luke thread or some ridiculous theory. Not all discussions are bad, but people seem to run out of things to talk about while waiting for the next episode.
Fanfics aren't supposed to prove anything. So what if they're not good, as long as people enjoy writing or reading they're not doing any harm. To call them out for being uncreative and that they shouldn't be writers is just straight out harsh.
Yes I agree when you got fanfics things cluttering up discussions that can be a problem [most forums i've gone to seperate sections up clearer and have them easier to access] but they still have a place to be there like the fanart thread. Things just need organizing.
To make a good FanFic you need to be creative, so I disagree. The FanFics I've read so far have been great and very creative! So don't be hatin' dude
Alright, so let's talk short term solutions (i.e. solutions not involving the web team).
The reason why the mods felt that the fanfics needed to be moved to Forum Games was because the sheer number of threads about them were overwhelming the forum. You guys might not see it this way but for people who aren't super into fanfics or aren't into interactive fanfics, logging into a site and seeing like 10 fanfic threads and barely anything else makes the forum seem pretty uninviting. So I think that it is necessary to reduce the number of fanfic threads on the main page.
It seems that the major gripe that people have about fanfics being moved to Forum Games is that it severely reduces their visibility, since they can't be seen from the main page. The sticky thread that Blind Sniper created is meant to address this, but again, it's still not on the main page. So, what if, along with the sticky that Blind put up, we just had one big "Official Fanfic Thread" that's not stickied and in which fanfic authors can advertise their fanfics whenever they're updated? It'll just be one thread so it won't clog up the forums, but if all the fanfic authors are using it, I'm betting that it'll get bumped up pretty often to be seen on the main page.
The only problem I see is that it will probably get pretty messy in there if people use it for reasons other than just posting links to their fanfics and notifying people of updates to them. But if people just keep try to limit the posts in there to just links and updates, with no side chatter or off-topic comments, it might be the best solution we have for now.
Sounds good. I like that idea, even though that is what the sticky was meant to be in the first place.
I'll try that.
EDIT: Just to clarify, my sticky thread was basically the same thing. I created a new, non-sticky thread so it would have more visibility is all.
As DomeWing333 already summed up, the problem with fan fiction threads was the sheer quantity of them. Many blame OhYouP0ked me, but this was something I was already considering beforehand.
I originally created a sticked thread, but since those don't show up on the main community page, I have created a new non-sticky thread and am keeping the already existing sticky thread.
http://www.telltalegames.com/community/discussion/73577/advertise-your-fan-fiction-threads-updates-etc-from-forum-games-here
Oh rlly?
I'm guessing I was kinda the "final straw" for the fanfics?
OPINION GAME HELL YEAH
This turns into a real life choice game: allow hard-working writers more noticeability, or allow common discussions about topics to rise without having to fight.
Both people on each side is justified, but I stand by the same position in my rant: it was to much and overwhelming any normal discussions. I enjoy my discussions and I want people to have knowledgeable comments and opinions.
I agree that a sub forum would be ideal, but moderators are not Telltale staff so we cannot crate new forums.
This is (hopefully) an indefinite solution until something better comes up.
EDIT: nvm, I saw Blind Sniper's comment
I already had that. People only used it to complain, so I started again with a non-stickied thread for more visibility.
The original sticky thread I made is still up, but closed.
The problem with pinning the topic with the links is that it won't show up in the main forum list (the one you get to when you go to http://www.telltalegames.com/community). Having it unpinned means that it can be found even by people who navigate through the main forum list rather than clicking on the Walking Dead sub forum. That's the reason we unpin the release date threads too. If the authors keep the thread updated whenever they release a new chapter, it should stay at the top pretty regularly.
To me, this is basically the equivalent of when a new meme comes up. You've never heard about it, and then you see it, and you can't stop laughing. Next thing you know, your close friends know about it too, and you joke about it. Then a LOT of people start to know about it, and the meme is everywhere. Some alterations are as funny as the source material, and some...aren't. Nonetheless, after a while, you've seen it so much that the meme isn't all that funny anymore.
My comment got removed from that thread I'm just wondering in terms of comments which are deemed acceptable I have a thread about creating your own stories not a decision thread so I can't post about updated chapters. Can I post and say what my thread is about and leave a comment everytime another story is posted?
I want the thread to be used for posting new fan fictions and/or updates to fan fictions only.
That's due to the community's dark days. No gifs, pictures...
shivers
Like the Kenny confirmed for season 2 GIF?
Well I'm okay with it for now. As long as that fanfic base thread you put up doesn't get moved elsewhere or deleted it, I'm cool.
What? No but that's always funny!
So you're basically saying that moving the fanfictions to another forum is bad, because some people might not be noticed by the anyone from Telltale? Is that the whole purpose of fanfictions? To get noticed so you could have a potential job at a game company?
My main thread hasn't been moved but even if it was, then so what? I wrote a story about what happened after Omid's death and it took two months for people to notice (never bumped it). It wasn't an interactive fanfiction nor did it include characters based on or made by other people on the forum. When I finally got some followers, the people who actually want to see the story still continue because they thought I did a brilliant job? Those are the ones that I write for. Not for Telltale. More importantly, my followers enjoy my writing, because it's something that I want to do.
Sure it would be cool if Telltale did see it, but that's not the reason why I do it. I don't do it for attention. Neither should you, neither should anyone who writes fanfictions or anything for that matter. Don't do your comic series because you want people to pay attention to you. Do it because you wanted to. Once people see and acknowledge your talents and they want to see more of your work, you've succeeded. Trust me, it's fantastic feeling.
I don't think that's his point, but I won't speak for him.
Yeah... I kind of had a thread like this but it got closed -_-
Actually I noticed that happening before those dark days. :P
Alright if that's all we can do, that's cool then. I didn't expect much anyway. I was prepared for anything really.
Pokedme please don't start acting so arrogant about it...
POKE
I added a paragraph to explain better, but I'll explain still. (Apologies I didn't explain better in the OP)
No that's not entirely what I talk about. There are creators dedicated to their hard work for the community. It can also just be about having fun and making people enjoy it as well. Fan-fics has more than one purpose.
There are people who first arrive don't really know their around the forum at first. Like it took me a week on how to check the newer comments cuz I kept missing the page tabs. Same could happen with other stuff as well, humans has the tendency to overlook sometimes.
I agree not everyone's purpose is that to be honest.
Believe or not I actually started this thing for practice and fun. Like mine originally started out for fun then I started thinking about the community and trying to make it more enjoyable for everyone. It did get some attention from Telltale but I wasn't expecting a ton of it.
Anyway I hope you understand I'm just trying to look out for the other creators as well, I mean I felt a little sad that Pro's thread got more attention than mine recently but I decided to be proud of his success and just let it go and be proud I still have others following my story. I dunno, sometimes can't even understand myself fully.