Coming Soon: Enchanted Cherry Blossom

[Zilla]

Due to inspiration and a link from the wayback machine, I've decided to make a website in the vein of Old MSF, focused on hosting TG media of all types. This website will be known as Enchanted Cherry Blossom (partially in honor of Lady Sakura), and will be available soon, when I get the site design set up and some submissions forms in place, so users can submit content to the site.

What do I need from you?

- Feedback! I want to hear what you want in a TG media hosting site. Features, accessories, and any add-on content, like a MUSH/MUCQ/MUD, chatroom, or profile-things.

- Content! This will be a site for all types of TG-themed art. I don't expect much in the way of songs or videos, but I'll gladly host whatever someone makes that fits the theme of the site. I'm looking for original works and art, including literature. I'll be hosting some of Kerina's works on the site.

- Staff! I want to run a moderated site, which means I need kickass moderators. If you think you have the fortitude, time, and investment, send me a PM, and we'll work out whether you're qualified to be a part of the Enchanted Cherry Blossom moderation staff. I mostly envision this role as a gateway to safeguard the submission process, and approve content. If there's interest in a forum, I'd like forum moderators to apply as well.

I'll let you guys know how things are going as they develop. We're in the late-planning phases before we get the site set up at the moment, and are making mockups of pages. That's our status report as of now.

[Ninian]

Would it be alright if I offered unsolicited advice?

My recommendation is to add moderation as moderators are needed, largely based on the forum population. MSF had way too many, with a needless amount of showboating and drama for each new one. I can agree you should find good ones, particularly ones that have patience for dealing with late teens and young 20-somethings who are still trying to find themselves emotionally and may not have perfected self-control. This gets even harder when you're dealing with a forum population largely composed of males with self-esteem issues who wish they were Japanese schoolgirls or something. Emotions will run high, and whoever you pick will need to be ready for it.

(Disclaimer: All of the above wasn't necessarily a volunteer statement. I was picked early on in MSF's lifespan and if I may be blunt I wasn't very good. I guess what I'm saying is, avoid picking a younger version of me.)

Okay, item two? The idea of a purely TG-themed site is kind of outdated in some ways. Something that was more done ten years ago than today. Nowadays it's all about social networking, blog rolls, twitter feeds etc. etc. with most dedicated sites being commercial in nature. It's a very, very different internet than from the founding of MSF. So if I have any recommendations for you going in, it's that you let go of any expectation of ECB becoming a social mecca or hub of some sort. MSF had that opportunity when it presented itself, and I'm largely convinced that ship has sailed. This isn't to say ECB can't find a niche, and I think the fact you want to focus on the art side of things is a good start. In fact, there is a substantial disgruntled "weeaboo" sect on the TF Games Site who are absolutely fed up with the pornographic culture of that community and would gladly jump ship if they had anywhere else to show their stuff.

Another recommendation I have? If you're going to call it "Enchanted Cherry Blossom", two other knots need tying. One is that the name quite clearly implies quite a strong connection to Japanese culture. If you're going to go that way you might as well go all the way with it. Have a Japanese mirror, or even an organized language-learning group. Reach out to the other side of the ocean. I know quite a few TG/TF (or as they call it over there, "TSF") people from Japan who'd be thrilled to know they have support overseas. Especially pay attention to professionalism in how all site matters are handled. Assume any day that /jp/ on 4chan will discover the site. This will either be fortune or apocalypse depending on how well you put it together. Be ready to be analyzed, scrutinized, and mocked. "Weeaboos" are barely above furries on the totem pole. ECB will be judged even by its front page writing whether the owner(s) are mentally balanced.

Third? If you want to attract artists, give the appearance of a place that respects artists. Among those will probably be offering no "official" support for captioned images. It'll take quite a bit to convince artists to share, too. Most are pretty happy just linking their Deviant Art or Pixiv accounts and calling that enough because there are more legal protections in place. Again, if you have some ambition of becoming a hub for TG art, that ship has left port years ago. You're going to need a bit more than just pointing to an empty gallery and implore artist to fill it. In my opinion, art is more likely to happen as a complement to other media. Games, stories, etc. may get fanart. That's how Mashiro's site still works and it has quite a bit of art to show for it. I've tried the other method of just yelling at people to contribute creatively, and it doesn't work. They look over at me, tell me I'm out of touch with the "MSF community" (such that it is) and go back to their circlejerk roleplaying.


I'll be glad to frequent your forums or share my writing, if you manage to pull everything together. You've quite a task ahead, good luck.

[Zilla]

Thank you very much for your insights. They're very keen, and a lot of that is something I'd considered, and I'd put thought into, but hadn't been as far along in putting the thoughts together as that. Mostly, that's in regards to what to do about missing the "ship," so to speak.

I'm well aware of that change in internet landscape, and I personally detest it, but it's a reality I have to deal with. I know it's an old concept for a site, and it's not about social networking and all that jazz, but TG-themed stuff doesn't exactly lend itself to the raw personal nature of things like facebook and myspace. I'm from the before times, where anonymity on the internet was assumed, and everyone hid behind the identity they crafted for themselves. I miss those days, where that was the unchallenged assumption...

But, I'm thrilled with the inspiration you'd given on what to do in regards to that, to make the site more focused, and to cater to the artistic demographic. It would indeed be very cool to intersect with this "TSF" community... and a language learning group would be absolutely awesome.

My web-designer is very artistically inclined and has a lot to say about supporting artists, so I'm taking her advice on being able to support them. I'd like to have the same type of air as DeviantArt, when it comes to art. I agree that there won't be "official support" for captions, and it's not just going to be a place to post what you've found elsewhere on the internet and call it good. I do admit I'm a little at a loss as to how to make the site more friendly and useable than something like deviantArt, which has the added benefit of reputation, traffic, and a well-experienced staff. I'd like to be able to do so, but as I don't use DA much, and I'm not extremely familiar with what features would support artists the most, I'd be relying on input from users, and in order to get input from users, I need users to try the site to begin with.

I was unaware of a growing sect on TFGS that disliked the pornographic nature of the place. I hope my site suits them, then. I know that that is the exact reason I stopped going to TFGS, and why I ended up here.

As to the moderators, that's something I have experience with. I'm a veteran forum administrator, and I know how important your moderation staff is. They need have grace and good judgment on their own, because they are the executors of the spirit of the site, and they very strongly influence the behavior of the site. I'm looking for people who know when to act, and when NOT to act, and who know how to handle delicate situations without resorting to blanket rules that don't deal with the intimacies of the situation. I know what I'm looking for in someone I'm considering posting as a mod.

And that might be put off until the site grows, because I may be able to handle the initial traffic myself.

[Ninian]

It makes me happy I could help, even a little bit. You have my full support, Zilla.

[Garath the Shadowshifter]

Just a random suggestion for a way to possibly do what you want, while still catering to how the net seems to work now:

Are you aware of the Pony Craze? My Little Pony? If so, or if not. Either way I'd suggest checking out the blog for it: 'Equestria Daily' which handles all sorts of pony related material with a fairly good head.

Art work is put up in posts called: 'Drawfriends' and shows many different pony related pictures.

There are individual posts for fanfiction, and for each post you can 'comment' and either have a registered name. (Well actually they cut the anonymous posting, but you could have it on yours)

On the top they have links to the different sections of what you'd might want to see. Media, art, fanfiction, news. Something along these lines probably could work.

Anyway it's just an idea. Thought it might be worth considering.

[Selena Aninikkou]

I'd offer to help, but sadly I either never seem to have time to do web work when I'm not working anymore, or when I do, I don't feel like doing the same stuff I do at work in my spare time.

However, if you don't seem to get any offers, let me know. I might be able to help if I can find the time.

[Zilla]

At the moment, we're in need of a good site coder. I'm mediocre at best. My designer and I are working on the look of the pages, and as far as aesthetics go, I could probably achieve that look, but it wouldn't be efficient.

We have a template now, at www.enchantedcherryblossom.org

[Zilla]

I think the forums are good to go:

http://enchantedcherryblossom.org/forum/index.php

Give 'em hell.

[Selena Aninikkou]

Among those will probably be offering no "official" support for captioned images.

I've always been of two minds about this. On one hand, people tend to be VERY creative with captioned images, and I for one very much enjoy them. But unfortunately, I can see why artists wouldn't like them and wouldn't want sites to use them. Sigh... I miss those days of MSF sometimes.

[Zilla]

I'm fine with captions as long as they own the source material, or have permission from the artist.

And they're free to post them in the forums otherwise, I just don't wanna be hosting them if they're on sketchy grounds as far as rights go.

[Zilla]

Update: The site's been on temporary hiatus while payment and hosting stuff has been sorted out. It looks like we're at the end of that phase, and should be ready to go in the next few days.

Forums are up, and we have a SakuraBooru at the moment for image sharing. I'd like to get something that facilitates community more, but for the moment, this will do.

I'll post back in here when the flag drops.

[Zilla]

Yeah, remember this? It's back and this time, I'm hosting it on my own site rather than relying on someone else's goodwill to host.

It's not much since I have to rebuild, but here's what's up so far.

www.enchantedcherryblossom.com