Dear Written Cards - concerning activeness of our section..

[-Griffin]

It seems that the old thread, 'how to make this section more active' isn't here anymore, so I guess I'll be posting this in a new thread.

 

After looking at Written Cards again, and being saddened by the dead-ness of it, I think I've found a part of our problem. While I spent some time posting in Realistic, you would see that most threads are singles - or still less than 5 cards. Commenting on them is easy because there isn't a lot to read through. Realistic is, effectively, commenter-friendly. Now if you look at Finished Sets, it's a lot less active. The larger sets push commenters away.

 

With Written Cards, the time consuming process of finding an image that fits and getting everything right into the card maker is removed. This means that making a card can take a lot less time, even if it's just as good. That gives a tendency in Written Cards for people to post large sets, which no-one wants to comment on.

 

This tendency, Written Cards, is one reason I think we're so inactive. If anyone's interested in the section being more active, what do you think about making more threads for single cards/small sets here, to encourage commenters?

[Morgan LeFlay]

It could work, although posting a single written card might not get very positive reviews.

[-Griffin]

I've done it multiple times and those are usually my more successful topics. Only when I expand them above ~5 cards do they suddenly die.

[JG.]

I'd do it if I was still into card making.

[-Griffin]

Er, okay? Thanks for the support I guess.

[Bringerofcake]

Sounds like an interesting idea. However, the problem I find is that most of the time these threads do indeed start small, and grow bigger as people add more cards. People WANT to make 20 or so cards. We can't just say "This is too many, it won't attract people, delete these."

[-Griffin]

Of course we can't. This isn't to control what's posted in WC, but to show people "if you want comments, post less, but you can still post more if you feel like it."

[jack781217]

it's unavoidable that people are going to have 10+ card thread. I guess what can help would be grouping the cards in a meaningful way. Like separate them into spell, trap, 0-tribute, 1-tribute, etc. At least that's what I think of that would not scare people away.

[Skyson]

The difference between Realistic and Written Cards is that anyone can make a written card in about 30 seconds. A good written card, even. So, it feels almost natural to come up with a batch of them at a time.

 

If Written Cards were all about singles, there would be a lot more activity, in my opinion. Nobody has the time to look through a set of cards and individually rate, but nobody's short-sighted enough to just make one card without thinking of how to expand on it, which is a good thing, but not from the commenter's point of view.

 

It's a catch-22. Written singles are hella easy to make, but that's the problem. Too hella easy.

[Umbra]

The difference between Realistic and Written Cards is that anyone can make a written card in about 30 seconds. A good written card' date=' even. So, it feels almost natural to come up with a batch of them at a time.

[/quote']

 

Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know Written Cards has a lower standard than the rest of the forum. That's because it doesn't. Anyone can come up with a card, but it takes more than that to come up with a good card.

[Skyson]

The difference between Realistic and Written Cards is that anyone can make a written card in about 30 seconds. A good written card' date=' even. So, it feels almost natural to come up with a batch of them at a time.

[/quote']

 

Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know Written Cards has a lower standard than the rest of the forum. That's because it doesn't. Anyone can come up with a card, but it takes more than that to come up with a good card.

 

Fail. I didn't say anything about standards. There's no legwork involved with a written card. You don't have to look for a picture, you don't have to think of associating anything with a picture, no bother going through the clicky-clicky card maker.

 

I make written cards all the time, I wasn't saying anything about the quality, they're quicker and easier to make, so the idea to make some en masse just comes naturally.

 

Stop assuming everything that you can do quickly will turn out crappy, thx. <3

[Umbra]

The difference between Realistic and Written Cards is that anyone can make a written card in about 30 seconds. A good written card' date=' even. So, it feels almost natural to come up with a batch of them at a time.

[/quote']

 

Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know Written Cards has a lower standard than the rest of the forum. That's because it doesn't. Anyone can come up with a card, but it takes more than that to come up with a good card.

 

Fail. I didn't say anything about standards. There's no legwork involved with a written card. You don't have to look for a picture, you don't have to think of associating anything with a picture, no bother going through the clicky-clicky card maker.

 

I make written cards all the time, I wasn't saying anything about the quality, they're quicker and easier to make, so the idea to make some en masse just comes naturally.

 

Stop assuming everything that you can do quickly will turn out crappy, thx. <3

 

Written cards still have to fit with the theme, regardless if they have an image or not. You have to put more focus on the theme, you have to think of names and effects associated with the theme.

 

In addition, last time I checked you could still Tab + Arrow Keys your way through the card maker; the clicking argument is invalid.

 

I have in no shape or form assumed that everything done quickly is crap; that depends on the thing itself. I said what I said based on your post, and thought you were saying that. If I misread, I apologize.

 

Just because a written card doesn't make as much of an impact as a single doesn't mean it shouldn't be done. I say yes to more singles while still relying on Archetypes. On the other hand, I don't want the comments to be "nice card 7/10 font is hard to read", which archetypes tend to stray away from.

[Guest JoshIcy]

I honestly see WC as higher than even RC. You can post many cards at once (though like 7 or more is a hefty read for a casual visit) and get more across with well... Umm... dakine <_<...

 

Having to post Singles (as a kind of requirement to get more views), seems insulting doesn't it?

[-Griffin]

Just because a written card doesn't make as much of an impact as a single doesn't mean it shouldn't be done. I say yes to more singles while still relying on Archetypes. On the other hand' date=' I don't want the comments to be "nice card 7/10 font is hard to read", which archetypes tend to stray away from.

[/quote']

 

. I do see your point there, and agree strongly with the post as a whole. Hopefully, an increase in singles will boost activity and interest in the section overall, which would result in the archtypes that do get posted here reviving the attention they deserve.

. The problem of bad comments is... a problem (I say not being descriptive at all). Hopefully, the lack of "Oh, pretty picture!" will discourage those commenters, but we should still ask, as nicely as possible, that people making those comments are a bit more descriptive, rather than encouraging it by just saying "thanks", as many recipients do - thanks is all good, but encouraging the slightly more insightful comments WC tends to have is a good step.