The Golden Tickets

[VampireNaomi]

In the not so distant past there was some talk about the Golden Ticket system. I never really understood what it's really about. Anyone care to enlighten me?

 

I mean, from what I gathered, they were handed to people as prizes for coming up with a funny reason to have one. Apparently they can be used to access some special features on the site.

 

And that is what bothers me.

 

Is there going to be some kind of super cool extra content that only a selected group of people can view? That doesn't seem fair to me.

[Valkian]

Why do you complain? You won one. Besides it's not that super cool extra content. It's just cool extra content. And it's The Dig Museum content, not The Dig content.

It's only for those who deserv it. Who says anyone deservs it? Me.

You don't like that. Fine. Then go to other The Dig site? What? There is no other Dig site? Oh my!

 

EDIT 08/23/2011: Oh wow, I was a real jerk.

[VampireNaomi]

I know I got one. You don't have to turn snarky on me for caring about others besides myself.

 

PS: Who is that guy in your new avatar?

[Valkian]

Well, then it's a bit contradictory don't you think?

You say it's unfair, but then you go and participate.

 

But let's do this...You are worried about the others, that's great. Then you just gave away your ticket, and there will be someother person that may earn it, and be really happy.

See? You just contributed with the community. Thanks!

 

Now it looks pretty fair to me.

 

P.S: The guy in the picture is Moby.

[Dtt]

Hmmm.

 

I dont think that was exactly what Naomi was getting at.

 

I think that getting an opportunity to use Mixnmojo's space to create a fan site brings with it some small smidgen of responsibility to the fan community. The Dig Museum has some awesome content, especially the images you have made. Those are the kind of things that really make a site special.

 

However, as was somewhat apparent from the beginning, the problem everyone has been having is the lack of reverence or censorship used on the Dig Museum. Being a fan of the Dig myself, I would love to see a thriving online community centered around a cool site that serves its audience.

 

When I go to the Dig Museum, as a fan, I do not want to hear volumes of rantings about site politics, or hear personal opinions. That is what forums are for. I want to see game related news, maybe some more of the cool content you have shown so far, some fan art, etc. A great example of this are the monkey island sites, MI Legend and Word of MI. Both of these sites have vibrant atmospheres, and part of what makes them special is the fan participation.

 

The whole "golden ticket" idea might be cool, if it encouraged people to contribute to the site or community, and make it a success. But it could, and seemingly is, turning into a personal tool, as the site has been used in the past. You will quickly find that not everyone finds your personal exploits quite as entertaining as you seem to think they are.

[VampireNaomi]

Fine. I'll give up my ticket. Give it to whoever you find fitting.

 

And Dtt's post expresses my feelings perfectly. When The Dig Museum was just announced the site news was all about the game and the site. I was really excited and wanted to take part in everything that went on around here.

 

Nowadays the site seems to be more about you and what goes on in your life. We don't need to know that. It doesn't matter if there is no The Dig related news at the moment. You don't have to fill the void. Get a Livejournal and post a link to it, so that those who are interested may go there.

[Valkian]

I never ever post a single thing related to The Dig! So don't come here telling me "Oh, you've changed!" because that's crap.

 

I post what I feel like posting, what else do you expect?

 

What's the matter with you? Why are you a moralist all of a sudden?

[Valkian]

Regarding The Dig Museum things that Dtt talks about:

 

Right now this is a TRANSITIONAL SITE!!! Get it?

 

I can dance naked in it if i want! (it's not in my plans though)

 

When we LAUNCH The Dig Museum, you'll see more things than you would expect to see in fan website about a game. LOTs MORE!

 

I'm facing this project more seriously than anyother site I've seen so far. The Dig Museum is the result of an outstandig professional research.

 

But in the TRANSITIONAL SITE is just to have some fun. You don't have to see it if you don't want to, If you are in our mailing list then you will all receive the official announcement of the release date.

 

No one is paying me for publishing all the information I have, I'm doing all this site for free, so if the only thing you all are going to do is complaining then I rather publish The Dig Museum book and sell it.

So if you are not going to help then sit quietly and enjoy.

[VampireNaomi]

Originally posted by Valkian

 

I post what I feel like posting, what else do you expect?

 

What's the matter with you? Why are you a moralist all of a sudden?

 

Because the content is getting sillier and sillier. At first it was fun, I even liked the CafePress argument. In fact, I wouldn't mind hearing about the stuff in your life if you presented the things in another way. It's your attitude that annoys me.

 

This is your site. You can do whatever you want here. But as long as you publish your stuff in public, we have the right to say if we don't like it. Stop acting like your site is the greatest thing since sliced bread and that you are some sort of god. So many of your posts have the message "I run The Dig Museum and I know more about The Dig than anyone else! Look at me! Aren't I great?"

 

But this is getting really wanky now. I give up.

[VampireNaomi]

I'm sorry. My previous post was written without thinking. To put everything in a nutshell, this is my problem:

 

There doesn't seem to be any room for criticism here. When someone says something negative about your or the site, you

 

a) snark at them

b) play severely insulted and get sarcastic

c) state that your site is the only The Dig site in existence and therefore you have the right to do whatever you please

 

The "We're back!" thing that you posted on the site was funny and I liked it until I came to the part in which 8 of 12 "entered" the conversation. The message I got was "Hey, let's all mock and make fun of this guy because he disagreed with the webmaster!". Not particularly funny, in my opinion.

[JBRAA]

Originally posted by VampireNaomi

I'm sorry. My previous post was written without thinking. To put everything in a nutshell, this is my problem:

 

There doesn't seem to be any room for criticism here. When someone says something negative about your or the site, you

 

a) snark at them

b) play severely insulted and get sarcastic

c) state that your site is the only The Dig site in existence and therefore you have the right to do whatever you please

 

The "We're back!" thing that you posted on the site was funny and I liked it until I came to the part in which 8 of 12 "entered" the conversation. The message I got was "Hey, let's all mock and make fun of this guy because he disagreed with the webmaster!". Not particularly funny, in my opinion.

 

 

Well said!

 

Haha take that psycho-boy! =)

[Valkian]

All I have to say is: I can't really understand small-minded people.

 

I'm know I'm not the greatest thing in the world, I'm just having fun.

I don't understand why you take me that seriously, come on give me a break. Live your lives!

I don't know why I still bother answering you. I will have to learn to ignore you. That is what great people do, ignoring the "complaining minorities"

[VampireNaomi]

I guess you and I are doomed. You will never get my point, and I will never get yours. But now that we hopefully are past the argument part, I have a suggestion:

 

Dtt mentioned that The Golden Ticket system could be used for the growth of the site. I agree. How about giving people points for submitting art, stories and other content? Once they reach a certain amount of points, they can have a Golden Ticket for themselves. That would mean that everyone has the chance of getting one, but only if they do something to improve the site.

 

How about that?

[Valkian]

Yep, we are doomed. Other thing I wanted to comment, If you don't like my attitude (or if sometimes you like it and sometimes you don't) then there is nothing I can do about that. I'm not going to change just because you don't like it.

 

Having said that let's move to the Golden Tickets:

 

Everyone has a chance to get a Golden Ticket. If you are creative you can have one, in just one day I received a great ammount of creative answers. People enjoy the system I designed, and I certainly don't see how a point system will help The Dig Musuem in any way. I also don't see what people could do to get those points, because submiting art and stories won't make The Dig Museum better.

Anyway thanks for your suggestiong, and you are free to explain it further if you want.

[VampireNaomi]

I don't understand what you mean by saying that submitting art and stories won't make the site better.

 

You have tons of cool content that you will put on the site, but you can't have an endless amount of it, because The Dig is such an old game. Sooner or later you will run out of updating, unless people are encouraged to submit their fanworks and other possible content.

 

Besides, having an active fan base that posts their own work will keep the site alive, even after the "Ooh, aah!" of your content has passed. When a newbie comes to the site, sees that many other fans have posted their work and got extra (like the points) for it, they will naturally feel like posting something as well.

 

Encouraging fans to participate (and what can they do, except post fanwork?) creates a friendly atmosphere and we can all be best buddies and forget the kind of silly arguments we had earlier.

 

But believe me, saying that the fans' participation won't improve the site is a certain way to make sure that no one wants to submit anything. It gives the feeling that they are not appreciated, and at least some of them will go away once they have checked out everything that you have put up. I know, because I had planned drawing some art for the site. Now that I know what your opinion on that is, I'll probably draw something for Razputin's Domain instead.

[Dtt]

Well said.

 

I have a problem with the statement that fan contributions can't make your site any better.

Have you ever read the Monkey Island comics at world of mi?

Breathtaking.

Who knows the art, the characters, or the stories better than the people who have played them lovingly for years?

 

And Naomi makes a good point. Your site certainly cant improve if you dont let it.

 

No, you are not God.

Yes, there are other people in the world with good ideas too.

[Valkian]

I don't like and I don't encourage FanArt and even less Fanfiction. I think it's a very uncreative way of expresion. One thing is making a parody or something like that, but fanart is something I don't like at all.

I've seen only two or three fanart things that where good, but they tend to be an exception.

 

I do encourage fan's participation although I don't consider The Dig Museum to be a fan website. But I support the participation of those who like the site and The Dig. And by doing The Golden Ticket people is participating and having fun.

 

"Who knows the art, the characters, or the stories better than the people who have played them lovingly for years?" That's easy. THE CREATORS! the people who created them!

Dear FanArtists:

If you want to write a novel about The Dig then get the propper authorization from LucasArts and if it's really good then get a real publisher to publish it, and sell it, and make yourself rich, and laugh at us. And then, and only then, I will respect you.

 

Sincerily,

Sam.

 

The Dig Museum is intended to stay as it will stay once it has all the info about The Dig in existance. It's like a real museum. Do you see any Leonardo Da Vinci FanArt in the Louvre Museum? I don't think so.

People keep visiting museums even though they always (at least some of them) have the same exibhition.

So The Dig Museum will remain mostly as an historical document, like a virtual museum that anyone can visit.

I have other projects planned for the future I'm not going to dedicate the rest of my life to The Dig. And once the site is finished I will only update it when there are new features or new interviews, or free candys or whatever. The Dig Museum will remain alive by itself. Because it's a living being, it's already alive, it talk to me. I wish he didn't.

Most of the people like what I'm planning to do, most of the creators of The Dig like what I'm planning to do. And that's all the inspiration I need.

 

"Now that I know what your opinion on that is, I'll probably draw something for Razputin's Domain instead."

Now who is the immature? You are like a little girl who cries just because she dropped her candy. Calling for attention.

 

"No, you are not God."

No, I'm not a God, I'm a semi-god. and not ANY semi-god...I'm THE MODERATOR...and I can laugh like this: HO HO HO!

 

"Yes, there are other people in the world with good ideas too."

Yes, but It seems you are not one of them.

 

Sam has talked!

[VampireNaomi]

Wow. Now I honestly don't know what to say. I never expected you to post a comment such as that. I guess I'm shocked. And extremely disappointed.

 

I thought you were aiming at creating a living fan community. But now I know that the only thing you expect us fans to do, is to comment on what YOU have put up and praise YOU for doing it. EDIT: wow, that was immature. I apologize.

 

This may very well be the most immature post I have posted during my time on LucasForums, but the hell I care.

 

And I don't see how you can hate fan art and fanfiction. Unless the artists/authors are making money with it, I don't think there is anything wrong. They demand just as much creativity and work as original content.

 

If I write The Dig fanfiction, I have to get all the facts right. I can't just make things up and I also must make the characters sound like themselves. I can't make Brink walk to Low and say "What's up, buddy?". That would be lousy writing. Same with fan art. The characters have to look like themselves. Fan art and fanfiction are just as creative as, let's say, creating a fan site around something.

 

And about my immature fan art comment. I was aiming at the kind of things you post all the time. Perhaps you now understand how immature you sound?

 

But this will probably turn into another argument if I continue, and frankly I don't feel like that now. Keep you site the way you like it, and I'll leave to a place where I know that fans are appreciated. I hope we both end up happy.

[Alien426]

I thought the new The Dig site would be great, but now I'm almost sure it won't be.

 

I agree with Naomi, that "Vacation On Cocytus" is fan art, too, as well as the posters and trailers. So what's your problem with it? You can always review the submissions and if you don't like them either say so (as objectively and kindly as possible) or deny to put them on the site. You really think you are so much better than everyone else, don't you?

 

If it's supposed to be just a museum, why do you even have a news section at all? And why post stuff before the release of the site?

 

Your attitude stinks, Valkian.

 

I won't say any more on the matter of the Museum until it is finally published. Then we'll see if it's really as great as you brag.

 

If I had the time, I would probably make a The Dig site myself. But I guess we'll always be stuck with one site and it will never be as good as the many dedicated to Monkey Island.

[Valkian]

"Fanfiction: violating characters and locations that you don't own and placing them in your own twisted fantasies 'cause you're way too lazy and pathetic to make your dreams come true in real life."

I didn't wrote this. You did. The only thing you are doing is proving once more the kind of contradictory person you are, Vampire Naomi.

 

I'm not saying FanArt or fanfiction is wrong, I just don't like it and I don't encourage it.

 

I DON'T consider the audio drama, and the posters and trailers to be fanart. 'Vacations on Cocytus' is a parody NOT fanart.

 

I'm fully aware when I say immature comments, and I make myself responsible for them.

 

"But this will probably turn into another argument if I continue, and frankly I don't feel like that now. Keep you site the way you like it, and I'll leave to a place where I know that fans are appreciated. I hope we both end up happy."

 

It's not my intention the end up baddly, we just have very different opinions. I say what I belive is right, and you say what you believe is right.

And if you want to go to a The Dig site where fanart is appreciated then I recommend you to go to the best The Dig site there is (until we open):

http://www.pcpages.com/thedig/ (GJ's The Dig Site)

AWESOME SITE!!!!!!

 

"If it's supposed to be just a museum, why do you even have a news section at all?"

I DON'T have a news section.

 

"And why post stuff before the release of the site?"

Because I want to.

 

"Your attitude stinks, Valkian."

Oh, gosh. You are hurting my feelings!

 

"I won't say any more on the matter of the Museum until it is finally published. Then we'll see if it's really as great as you brag."

Deal!

 

I have to tell you that you two or three or four are just a 2% of The Dig Museum visitors, the other 98% is very happy with the site. So I guess this forum is cursed. I will try to use my moderator powers to try to change that.

[VampireNaomi]

My signature is meant as a joke. You know, self-irony?

 

Thanks for the link. It looks like a really great site.

 

I am disappointed that The Dig Museum won't be what I expected it to be. Especially because there are such great fan communities around other LucasArts games, and fan creations are highly encouraged there. But I've already said my opinion, so there is no use to add anything.

 

EDIT: I also have a question. You keep talking about your moderator powers. What moderator powers? The moderators around here are LucasTones, Schmatz and Zaarin. Looks like someone forgot to make you a moderator again after the position was momentarily taken from you. Perhaps you need to ask someone to become one again?

[Valkian]

Well....Since The Golden Tikcet topic is over I would be honored if you could come with me to a new thread.

 

 

My moderator powers are always strong with me, like the force. But the this forum sometimes doesn't want to admit it. It's a self-concient forum.

 

Schmatz is dead...

Zaarin is traveling around the world, no time for forums...

LucasTones... it seems like it's some kind of god.

 

Let's go to FanArt & Participation Thread!

 

EDIT: I was being Ironic when I said that GJ's The Dig site was....AWESOME!!!! But I guess until The Dig Museum opens, it's the best there is....hehe the best.