So what's with the colored names..

[Kether]

topic says it all.

[Mitera Nikkou]

Because MSF is special, you're special, and we're all special. Isn't that special?

The colored names are for whatever. Personally, I kind of see it as a sign of the times. If MSF had more activity, more people unfamiliar with how things work, and more of the sort of trouble that demands the actions of authority (In other words, a more normal and healthy messageboard)... I would have been against the idea, rather than not caring about it either way.

You might as well take advantage of it while you can, because I don't expect things to be like this forever. I'm rather optimistic about the future.

[Kyunji]

You might as well take advantage of it while you can, because I don't expect things to be like this forever. I'm rather optimistic about the future.

I'm curious -- why are you so optimistic about the things in store for the site? I don't mean to sound rude, but it seems to me that MSF is in quite a slump. Almost nothing new is being posted here -- just look at the activity on the Stories and Art boards, and even the usually-active Caption Image board. New content has dropped to practically zero. Now, add in the fact that the main site has been down for... what, has it been three weeks since someone said they noticed?... and you have one poor web site. Hell, the only active parts of this site are the role-playing boards.

Like I said, I'm trying not to sound offensive, but I just don't see any reason to be particularly hopeful about the site's future.

[Mitera Nikkou]

It's understandable.

There are several reasons that I expect plenty of changes before the Summer is out. One reason is that it will be Summer vacation, and thus those previously focused on school and college, that can add their input and labor to the site and/or messageboard, might be available (or, at least moreso than usual).

And, whether if anything happens in that area or not, I know that I'll be doing something myself. I'm probably hoping for too much, especially if I end up having to rely on my own website-building skills (and having no access to MSF's site), but we'll just have to see.

I know I'm not the only one that wants something to happen, so I'm optimistic. Either way, I think it's just a matter of time when things will happen, not a matter of whether they will happen or not.

[Just some lady]

Ooooh! We can request colorful names even if it's not our birthday now~? ^^

[Jaya]

Psshh- as someone new here, I refuse to lose my optimism!

I don't have the advantage of knowing first hand how it was 'before', but all things considered, whether or not this place is as active as it used to be, it certainly seems active enough now. At a glance (looking at the thousands of posts and the years that this place has been around) it seems to me that you seem to be looking down on the good you do have, because you're looking at it as if everyone is playing around in the cavernous ruins of what used to be a thriving site. I could be completely wrong, of course, but I thought it was worth saying.

Regardless, it seems to me that there is plenty of activity on these forums. Which means that you'll (I guess I should say we'll) most likely continue to grow, probably even more than in the past. At the moment, things are probably a little stagnant as far as new members and new material goes simply because there is hardly any way for someone to stumble across this site anymore. I'm in no position to offer suggestions, but I will point out that the only reason I'm on these forums is because I saw the website before it became unavailable, so I knew to search for 'magical sailor fuku' in google. But beyond that, there are probably only a few other links here. I expect that when whatever problems are surrounding the website are worked out, everything should pick up in pace fairly soon after.

[AshK]

Yes we can. Just go into your UCP and click on Usergroups and pick a group that you want to be part of for colored names.

Blue Crests

Red Rascals

Green Boogers

Pink Ladies

I hope this helps out a bit!

Did I get the right color Pink Nikkou?

[Kyunji]

It's understandable.

There are several reasons that I expect plenty of changes before the Summer is out. One reason is that it will be Summer vacation, and thus those previously focused on school and college, that can add their input and labor to the site and/or messageboard, might be available (or, at least moreso than usual).

And, whether if anything happens in that area or not, I know that I'll be doing something myself. I'm probably hoping for too much, especially if I end up having to rely on my own website-building skills (and having no access to MSF's site), but we'll just have to see.

I know I'm not the only one that wants something to happen, so I'm optimistic. Either way, I think it's just a matter of time when things will happen, not a matter of whether they will happen or not.

The summer will certainly free up time for most people, but I'm concerned about if they'll even bother posting content here. The main site hadn't been updated since the beginning of January at the time that it went down, and even then it contained almost no content. Even on the forums that currently comprise the entire web site, recognition of users' creative efforts is low. The way things are currently going, there's almost no point in posting new works because practically no one pays any attention to them. I have personally seen authors stop posting content on MSF simply because no one would comment on their stories. I think this is an issue that has to be dealt with before MSF can grow into a better community.

I'm all for changes in MSF (ha!), and I'd really like to see it become a major web site (as major as transgender anime websites can get, anyway). I'm just afraid that the current community mindset isn't conducive to that goal.

[Jaya]

Yes we can. Just go into your UCP and click on Usergroups and pick a group that you want to be part of for colored names.

Blue Crests

Red Rascals

Green Boogers

Pink Ladies

I hope this helps out a bit!

Did I get the right color Pink Nikkou?

Yay! I'd have never noticed that if you didn't tell me XD
I suppose I should go check to see if it works now ^^

[Mitera Nikkou]

Kyunji:

Well, I think a good start is getting the main site up and going again. And updated with content and such. In the end, though, what we're really missing is someone to lead and organize the people interested and willing to expand and cultivate MSF. That usually rests with the owner of the site, but... That hasn't been working out all that well since the start of '05 or so.

[Kyunji]

Psshh- as someone new here, I refuse to lose my optimism!

I don't have the advantage of knowing first hand how it was 'before', but all things considered, whether or not this place is as active as it used to be, it certainly seems active enough now. At a glance (looking at the thousands of posts and the years that this place has been around) it seems to me that you seem to be looking down on the good you do have, because you're looking at it as if everyone is playing around in the cavernous ruins of what used to be a thriving site. I could be completely wrong, of course, but I thought it was worth saying.

Regardless, it seems to me that there is plenty of activity on these forums. Which means that you'll (I guess I should say we'll) most likely continue to grow, probably even more than in the past. At the moment, things are probably a little stagnant as far as new members and new material goes simply because there is hardly any way for someone to stumble across this site anymore. I'm in no position to offer suggestions, but I will point out that the only reason I'm on these forums is because I saw the website before it became unavailable, so I knew to search for 'magical sailor fuku' in google. But beyond that, there are probably only a few other links here. I expect that when whatever problems are surrounding the website are worked out, everything should pick up in pace fairly soon after.

I would say that this site's activity has dropped considerably over the years I've been here. I haven't been around as long or been as active as some members, but I've seen a few of this site's many incarnations and watched its forums fairly closely in my time here. To be honest, the site has never been as active as I've wanted or hoped, but new content used to show up on a fairly regular basis. If you take a look through the Stories forum, you can see the farther back you go through the pages, the more activity goes up, and those aren't even all of the posts in that forum; some were moved to the Stories and Art Archive. The Art forum, as far as I can recall, was similarly active. Most of all, Caption Images was always very active in MSF's "heyday" (this I'm sure of, as it has always been the part of MSF I've liked the least). New content there has plummeted; we've even had a topic about lack of activity there.

I'm not going to rant about the "good ol' days," because quite frankly a lot of the old content was very bad, but it at least showed that people were giving an effort to be creative. Anyone willing to put effort into the things they do and be open-minded about any criticism they receive can improve and become even more creative. Now it feels like people just don't care about posting new material and being original or even giving constructive comments on others' material, and that's an attitude I strongly dislike.

I'm with you on the issue of lack of publicity; if someone didn't know about MSF before it went down, there's almost no way for them to stumble across it. The only way to find out about it right now is to be told by someone who's already on the forums, and most people have already invited friends who are interested in transgender themes here. Even when someone new -- like you -- does come, there's not much to do except roleplay. If this site ever revives, it'll need both new content and a way of promoting itself, much like when we tried to have a "sister sites" project with the Temple of Ranma's Senshi Seifuku.

tl;dr MSF used to be better, no one's posting anything now, and almost no one new is coming to the site.

Oh, and by the way, it's nice to meet you. You seem like a good, intelligent person, and I'm always glad to welcome more of those to MSF.

Kyunji:

Well, I think a good start is getting the main site up and going again. And updated with content and such. In the end, though, what we're really missing is someone to lead and organize the people interested and willing to expand and cultivate MSF. That usually rests with the owner of the site, but... That hasn't been working out all that well since the start of '05 or so.

Yeah, that's what I was basically hoping would happen when the web site was re-re-re-(re?) started at the beginning of the year. I thought MSF was finally going to have someone active in charge, someone who truly wanted the site to be better and had the ability to guide it to that vision. Then... well, that revolutionary spirit just sort of faded away.

[Mitera Nikkou]

I don't really understand it myself, really. I figure that Eirien must have known that her activity would have been short, and thus would have left the site in someone's hands, but... *Shrugs* At the time I thought that things were going to change as well, so I thought that I wouldn't be needed around the site anymore. I was kind of hoping to make the escape that I've planning and attempting since the dawn of time (it seems), but now...

I realize that I probably have more time and less of a life than anyone else around here, I'm among the most active and consistent visitors, and I still give a damn about most (if not all) aspects of MSF. Personally, I prefer to be independent and out of the spotlight, but I've been reconsidering things lately. I mean, as much as I've tried to ignore it, I've been out in the open and under someone's directions (however absent they usually are) for a long time, now. The only thing that remains is to decide on whether I should take advantage of my position or not. The result of which could mean anything at this point.

Regardless, I'm sure I'll be doing something for MSF this Summer. I have these ideas, as well as those of others, so... We shall see. For now, though, I'll be poised on the starting block, to see what happens in the next few weeks.

[Jayme]

Don't listen to Ondores Lies! It's an invasion! Each Color is a different part of the invasion force! Run Now! Save Yourself..

What a post to make seeing as how it's my first in months but it was just too good to pass up..

[AshK]

Okay whatever you say Jayme. Whatever you say.

[Jaya]

Thanks, Kyunji, nice to meet you as well.

As far as the site goes, I suppose the best thing I can do now is just wait, and offer to help out when things do begin to get organized ^^

Don't listen to Ondores Lies! It's an invasion!

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Keep up the good work Captain Basch