I'm sure you've all read my blog post on the Felarya group. If not, read it now.

Read it? Great. Now, we forumites are presented with a problem.
The problem is multi part and will not be easy to tackle, yet we must try or the gap between the communities of Felarya will grow even wider.
The first part of this problem is one I addressed in part in my group blog post. It is that of views. The forum is very welcoming to people who come along and share the prevailing view here, yet are hostile to people who bring opposing or incorrect views. Some examples of these views are:

• Felarya is a place where I can bring in by kickass character to fight predators one-on-one.
  
• Felarya is a place where giant predators eat silly humans and have vorgies all day. Humans can't fight back.

These are wrong, Felarya isn't that.
These are just examples of views and extreme ones at that, I doubt anyone here really thinks that way. But the point remains, when someone comes to the forum with incorrect pre-conceived notions of what Felarya is like, or what goes on there, they get curb-stomped. At often at least 4 people post on their idea/character bio pointing out exactly what's wrong with it, often written in a way that's not exactly pleasant.
This has to stop.
We have to let people know they're not right without slamming their faces into it.
Do I have to bring up the bad old times when we had real flame wars going because someone posted something bad or even something that was just a little off. We need to learn from our mistakes, not repeat them.
These unification posts here on the Felarya group and here about bring the community back together in to the single entity it was way back when Felarya was a young idea. I know that that state is near impossible to achieve again, however the state the community is in not is not the best possible one. We can have better communication. Do not let the forum be known as a place that newbies try to post on and then get beaten over the head with counter-arguments that can be summed up as: "This idea is wrong, you're wrong."

Second thing; be welcoming. I send a welcome message to every new member on the forum and have been doing so for years.
Cauldronborn24, Aisukaiko, Slimetoad, Salvyrn, Mr Nobody , EdgedWeapon and kaitheguy123 are just some of the members I have welcomed in this time.
Send welcome messages to newcomers, tell them a little bit about what you do in the community, whether it be writer, idea maker or whatever it is. Tell them what you're interested in, what you can help them with. For example, Cauldronborn24 is an excellent source of all things ballistic weaponry and other military equipment.
The key here is communication. A forum is all about communication, yet I don't see as much as there should be. This place needs to be far more welcoming. A new member should get at least 5 welcome messages. Don't leave it to other people, thinking that someone else will welcome them. I can give a reasonable figure that at least 75% of the newcomers who post in the introduction thread post there because I linked them to it in my welcome message. Establish communication, talk to people. When someone needs to know about Jotun, they should know to talk to Jætte_Troll. When someone needs to know about physics, Aethernavale is the man. There are many other people who have specialities, things they are good at that they can help people with. These should be known.


New Members:
To newcomers to the forum reading this: Don't immediately post your ideas. Wait a little while, look around. Make sure nobody has suggest it before you (there is a search function in this forum). When you've been around for a little while, think about your idea again, does it really fit in with Felarya? In the meantime, talk to older members, we're happy to help. Give us time to get you integrated here. Many of our newer members who fitted in well are ones that just watched for a little while. Some people will have to accept that their ideas about Felarya don't quite fit. Don't let it deter you.

Everyone can contribute.

Yes, I copy paste parts of the Welcome message, there's nothing wrong with it, you can do it too. Just don't copy paste all of it.

Why can't we be friends?:

I hope you don't mind if I answer to this topic through quoting you, AJ, since you're making some interesting points and I'd like to comment them.

Anime-Junkie wrote:

The problem is multi part and will not be easy to tackle, yet we must try or the gap between the communities of Felarya will grow even wider.

As I said on the blog post, the sub-communities can still exist, as their distinct features can contribute for the better of the overall community. Still, it's true that the gap is growing wider, but there's time for some unification. And of course, the issues you address have to do with this a lot, and I agree that we must try, even if it looks too hard.

But in a community, everyone has to support everyone, right?

Anime-Junkie wrote:

The first part of this problem is one I addressed in part in my group blog post. It is that of views. The forum is very welcoming to people who come along and share the prevailing view here, yet are hostile to people who bring opposing or incorrect views. Some examples of these views are: Felarya is a place where I can bring in by kickass character to fight predators one-on-one. Felarya is a place where giant predators eat silly humans and have vorgies all day. Humans can't fight back. These are wrong, Felarya isn't that.

In the beginning it sure was more of a fetish than an actual fantasy world, but we all know Karbo has made it evolve beyond just giant women eating tiny people, and thanks to many contributors and their ideas, Felarya is more than just 'vore and fighting preds'.

Also, some of us aren't interested in the fetish side of Felarya. I got to know Karbo's art by chance - it's a long story I have told many times, you'd be bored to death listening to it again xD - and if I'm here it's because of how Felarya, as a fictional world, has been changing and improving. Some will agree with what it currently is, some won't, but the idea of just showing your overpowered character fighting against hybrid vorish giantesses has become too cliché, in my opinion.

Anime-Junkie wrote:

These are just examples of views and extreme ones at that, I doubt anyone here really thinks that way. But the point remains, when someone comes to the forum with incorrect pre-conceived notions of what Felarya is like, or what goes on there, they get curb-stomped. At often at least 4 people post on their idea/character bio pointing out exactly what's wrong with it, often written in a way that's not exactly pleasant. This has to stop. We have to let people know they're not right without slamming their faces into it. Do I have to bring up the bad old times when we had real flame wars going because someone posted something bad or even something that was just a little off. We need to learn from our mistakes, not repeat them. These unification posts here on the Felarya group and here about bring the community back together in to the single entity it was way back when Felarya was a young idea. I know that that state is near impossible to achieve again, however the state the community is in not is not the best possible one. We can have better communication. Do not let the forum be known as a place that newbies try to post on and then get beaten over the head with counter-arguments that can be summed up as: "This idea is wrong, you're wrong."

It sure has become a concern lately. I guess it's what you think, the fact some newcomers have a wrong view of what Felarya is and bring ideas that clash with the concept we've been helping to build. And some people are pissed off, taking it too seriously, when this is just a fictional work that has grown not only thanks to its creator, but also because of the community. And communities stay together, and if someone is doing something wrong, you have to tell them and even give some advice. No need to be harsh.

And if we've been harsh, we should be more careful and learn from our mistakes, as you say. We aren't perfect, but that doesn't mean we must repeat our mistakes over and over again.

I always try to be calm and be honest, never trying to hurt anyone's feelings. But if any of you guys see me doing it wrong, let me know.

Anime-Junkie wrote:

Second thing; be welcoming. I send a welcome message to every new member on the forum and have been doing so for years. (...) Send welcome messages to newcomers, tell them a little bit about what you do in the community, whether it be writer, idea maker or whatever it is. Tell them what you're interested in, what you can help them with.

Some of us should visit the introduction topic more often, at least not to make newcomers think no one pays attention. And the idea of telling people what you're good at or what some people might be of help sounds good, although something tells me not many will make use of it.

Anime-Junkie wrote:

The key here is communication. A forum is all about communication, yet I don't see as much as there should be. This place needs to be far more welcoming. A new member should get at least 5 welcome messages. Don't leave it to other people, thinking that someone else will welcome them. I can give a reasonable figure that at least 75% of the newcomers who post in the introduction thread post there because I linked them to it in my welcome message. Establish communication, talk to people.

Good statement there. Although the "at least 5 welcome messages" part sounds a bit awkward for me, I can consider it as a way to remind members of the community to be more talkative with the newcomers. The can't run blind into the forum, that's for sure, and the best they can do is looking for advice from the people already here.

Which takes me to your next point...

Anime-Junkie wrote:

New Members: To newcomers to the forum reading this: Don't immediately post your ideas. Wait a little while, look around. Make sure nobody has suggest it before you (there is a search function in this forum). When you've been around for a little while, think about your idea again, does it really fit in with Felarya? In the meantime, talk to older members, we're happy to help. Give us time to get you integrated here. Many of our newer members who fitted in well are ones that just watched for a little while. Some people will have to accept that their ideas about Felarya don't quite fit. Don't let it deter you. Everyone can contribute.

Certainly, older members are the clue for newcomers to get integrated. Knowing the people that is already here and can tell you more of Felarya to help you get the right meaning of the community and the world becomes very useful when thinking of your own ideas. Heck, myself I had to wait before I could create my first character! And it was worth it, as I got time to know the setting and how things work in the forum in particular and in the community in general.

So it's sure that both experienced members and new ones will have to put a lot of effort into this, but even if results won't come immediately, giving steps in the right direction will lead to something better for all of us.

Hum I'm very wary of this notion of correct and incorrect views personnaly.
To me there is no such things except in some extreme cases. The problem - and also what make its flavor - of the universe is it's built on different things.
Ideally it's better to find a balance between them but if you don't, it's fine too in my book. I'm not really in favor of an unique view.

For example if someone want to write vore stories only, that's fine. And if someone want to concentate only on the civilization aspects , that's cool too.

And to me the bottom line is : Whatever someone come with , that person should not be attacked and flamed for it.
You think they made an error somewhere or didn't get a fact right ? well then tell them but *calmly*, not as if the person has commited an unspeakable sin...
There is a fine line between offering blunt but helpful criticism and being outright hostile and rude, which we see more and more lately...

What you've described is really how everything should work in the end ... and well I'll try my best. At least I try to show a little more activity in this Forum ... bashing or telling "Newbies" that their ideas aren#t good wouldn't come to my mind. I really like the ideas you brought up but also like Feardraug said: These sub-groups are normal and it's also on a way good that they exist. And the most important: Most of us are adult persons so we should be able to talk with each other on a civilized and calm niveau, shouldn't we?

I'm not good with introductory stuff and I'm a cynic at heart. While some people may say that it's only the contributor's fault for not being recognized, I see it both ways. The sub-communities also pigeon-hole themselves. Due to having a pretty stiff view of how a story is told, or how a character is structured, I usually stay away from giving criticism, as I tend to be poignant, and speaking in a neutral tone isn't that easy.

I was under the impression that the Felarya Group on dA was the first step toward being more unified, but it instead did nothing, as members of the group would see the stories of the contributors being submitted. However, it didn't help in the slightest, as people either vote without checking, or simply close the window. Very few actually check out the content of the submission.

As far as people coming in with bad ideas from the start, this can also be attibuted with the newcomer itself, being too eager to join or too lazy to do some actual research. While we are all lazy to a point, the fault also come to the old-schooler who give little chance to others. While some are more tolerant than others, a third chance should be awarded after the initial screw ups. But it is indeed true that some people simply won't learn, which justify the fiery temper to a point.

In my opinion, the first priority would be to dissolve the sub-communities centered only around certain contributors, as more often than not, only the same characters and the same artists receive mention, when others are continually left in the dark. This is my biggest problem with this "community": the lack of universal support. Some people people, such as yours truly, receive very little feedback, and while they may have more readers than s/he thinks, it is the presence of various feedback that assure him that more than one person have read the story.

This is not the case here. Some people receive a flood of feedback upon the story or art being submitted, while some receive a fair amount of comments overnight, and others receive some comment every once in a blue moon. This attitude serve only to prove the split nature of this group of people with a common interest: they are only interested in one person and refuse to broaden their horizon. While the fault can't be attributed entirely to them, it is a shame that people who take the lesser used road is left in the dust due to stubborn readers who subsist themselves on only one flavor of material.

While some might say that it is only a matter of time before being found, and patience is a virtue, patience also has its limit, and this lack of attention will of course produce jealousy. A good amount of feedback is also what motivate someone to move on and see mistakes that he couldn't see on his own, and a lack of proper support naturally stunt this necessary progress. If people bothered to leave tap on their keyboards for a few more second and leave comments, this would already be a good step toward a more consolidated community, which is not the case in its present state.

As a newcomer myself to Felarya (as in adding stuff to it since I spent myself mostly looking at Karbo's pictures before I tried my hand at a character), the biggest issue for me is the lack of anything definitive in the world.

There is so much information on here about different species, ideas, fauna, being discussed, but I haven't seen any of this in the wiki. Like the Dryad Reproduction topic. If there isn't anybody to finally go. "Okay, here is the decision" and make things canon, we're just going to continue to talk and talk until we get irritated with each other re-hashing the same theories over and over. (Not that I'm saying that is happening now, I'm just trying to point out something. )

I think that sooner we can get the information of felarya on the same page, the more we can get the fans on the right page.

You still cannot deny that issue. In order to be more unified, this trend need to die down, as to show we support each other, people with next to no feedback must receive feedback. The keyword is Support. Support require the help of someone else and some people do not receive this help. This does not show that we're binded by a common interest, but rather sub-groups of people binded by personal views on how the grand scheme of things should be.

@rcs619,

I assumed that Karbo did do that. I guess I haven't been here long enough to see something go from start to finish.

I'm sorry if this comes off as me being petty... But I have to just explain why I've been feeling a little vexed lately.

I've been a part of the Felaryan community since about October of 2010. In these last few weeks, what I've noticed is new people not wanting to hear anything contrary to their views in critiques, and I've noticed some members trying to gather followers while being less than pleasant to anyone that isn't part of their following. Both of these factors breed hostility and I've become a tad sickened by it.

Newbies should understand when they come through the door that they will receive critiques on their ideas and stories, and that the point of critiques is to help them assimilate into the community. Saying everything is fine, is fine but it will lead to division. People should be willing to accept the minimal requirements for making respectable ideas in Felarya, but too often they are not, even when asked politely. I've made some incompatible ideas and characters in the beginning, and may still have a few, but I take the critiques and try to apply them instead of just saying, "Well, I don't agree with that." Why should anyone even bother critiqueing then?

To my point about gathering followers and segregating oneself from the rest of the community, I've noticed that happening and the personal attacks on anyone who doesn't share that view is disgusting. We don't have to share the same interests and opinions to be accepting of each other, rather than carry around a brash gang mentality.

Having said that, I hope anybody that I might have offended with my views since I've been here will accept my apologies and understand that I don't discriminate against others for their views. I also ask that people think for themselves and not be easily swayed in one direction or another on personal views, and opinions on other people.

i disagree a bit with you, MATT, =P talking about your 2 points of what felarya isnt.

i take it for granted everyone knows felarya is a fetish world. Yes? thank you. It's not that felarya isnt the parady giantess and the badass human lands, the thing is: Felarya isnt JUST THAT. what you think will happen in a world saturated with magic filled with huge treasures and such? yeah, powerful mages will come and super armored guys as well. And for the giantess, what you want them to do in their life except chasing all day and sleeping? yeah, they find distraction. sex is a good one because it procures them pleasure.

but like i said, felarya ISNT JUST THAT. though its an aspect of it. for the sex part, just think bout vivian.

thats it for me for now =P i may find other things to say another time

Maybe "Popularity Contest" isn't the proper term for this problem. It's really people who gather in smaller groups of shared interests in one of Felarya's aspects. In theory, that's a good thing, since these sub-groups can focus on something more specific. The problem is the lack of interaction between said sub-groups, and at times, hostility between said groups. It doesn't help that a lot are sheltered like hermits and refuse to check someone who is attempting something new. I admit, if you read my latest stories first, you may wonder what it has to do with Felarya, and unless you read from close to the beginning, you will be lost, which may drive certain people away at first. I think the problem is that people in the community lack courage and can't swallow their pride when they see something lesser used or don't really like.

Well, then it's not a 'popularity contest' like I said, I stand corrected. So in the end, it's back to the sub-communities and the interaction between them.