Writing OtakuBoards Newspaper

[2010DigitalBoy]

[COLOR=DarkOrange]i guess i'll just go and get the ball rolling. I figured the news would need to be up-to-the-minute to be true newspaper quality and so...

[B][url=http://otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=57242][COLOR=DarkOrange]Hentai and Bigger Stuff[/COLOR][/url][/B]

Recently, in the OB [B]Suggestions & feedback [/B] forum a massive debate broke out over hentai and bigger images for banners. While the thread appeared to have started as a joke, it quickly developed into fierce debate. While most tried not to take it seriously, a volley of valid and un-valid points began being flung about and soon, the posts escalated into heated quote-on-quote action.

The people posting in this thread mostly belonged to a game that was made as an argument between the two sides. Two people, [B]Premonition [/B] and [B]Nonentity [/B] actually managed to get kicked out of the game for taking it too seriously, though there were others who shared similar feelings of uneasiness toward the morals represented in the debate. Eventually it became hard to tell who was serious and who was joking around, and the whole thing wore a grim face. As with most threads involving such high-brow members of the OB, though, it managed to go well over 100 posts in just 2 days. Whether or not these are actually good ideas for the OB probably doesn?t matter at this point - as the thread has reduced to bickering and somewhat personal attacks.

This thread is a [B]Recent Event[/B].[/COLOR]

[Allamorph]

[quote name='Revelation][size=1][color=#8B008B]Anywho, as for the set up of the newspaper, Mom already set it up. It's quite nice actually but I'm not sure if it's the final set up.[/size'][/color][/quote]
[FONT=Arial]Oh, the sticky deal? So then, all of the articles in the newsletter will be contained in one post, separated by subheadings?

I'm just trying to get a feel for how this will look on the screen, and whether readers will be able to easily jump from heading to heading if they don't wish to read, say, Creative Works, or if they want to go in a different order.

It may be cart before the horse, I know, but....[/FONT]

[Sakura]

[color=navy]*peeks head out* So does anyone (Rev, Allamorph, A_M) object terribly to me being a part of the editting team? I know we may not need three editors so as I said earlier I'm willing to do writing on the side if needed, especially if there's an area lacking. I'm bored and I don't want to study... ; - ;[/color]

[Rachmaninoff]

[QUOTE=Allamorph][FONT=Arial]Oh, the sticky deal? So then, all of the articles in the newsletter will be contained in one post, separated by subheadings?

I'm just trying to get a feel for how this will look on the screen, and whether readers will be able to easily jump from heading to heading if they don't wish to read, say, Creative Works, or if they want to go in a different order.

It may be cart before the horse, I know, but....[/FONT][/QUOTE]Well I suppose she could do something like I've seen in the thread directories, where you can click on a link and it takes you down to another part of the post. Though how you do that I don't know. Still it would be pretty slick if the newspaper was set up like that.

Also, I love Des's idea for a more broad freelance thread since that would suit me as well. I could input articles from time to time since I do want to help out.

And another idea, if I missed it sorry, but I think we should pm everything to Aaryanna_Mom, that way she can turn around and assign each article to different editors to avoid confusion. Once the editor finishes they can send it back to her for publication.

Oh and even though DB's article is great I think we should have direct links to the thread's being reported, so the person reading it can go and check it out if they want. I'm lazy so I know links that take you right to the material are awesome. :catgirl:

[2010DigitalBoy]

[quote name='Rachmaninoff']Oh and even though DB's article is great I think we should have direct links to the thread's being reported, so the person reading it can go and check it out if they want. I'm lazy so I know links that take you right to the material are awesome. :catgirl:[/quote]

[COLOR=DarkOrange]Thanks for reminding me, I added a link in as well. I suppose when copying the articles into the newspaper, if you want to make ure you keep the blod parts and the urls then just quote them and copy the quote...[/COLOR]

[Aaryanna_Mom]

[QUOTE=Allamorph][FONT=Arial]Oh, the sticky deal? So then, all of the articles in the newsletter will be contained in one post, separated by subheadings?

I'm just trying to get a feel for how this will look on the screen, and whether readers will be able to easily jump from heading to heading if they don't wish to read, say, Creative Works, or if they want to go in a different order.

It may be cart before the horse, I know, but....[/FONT][/QUOTE]Revelation is correct, the format I presented earlier was what I had in mind. Though if you want to make suggestions on improving it that would be fine.

I also like the idea you had Rach about what they did in the thread directories. I'm sure I could pester my daughter to show me how that is done. Anyway, here's the format with the temporary name until a banner is choosen:

[CENTER][SIZE=3][B]OtakuBoards Communiqué[/B][/SIZE][/CENTER]

[B]Entertainment[/B][INDENT][information here on interesting threads, etc.][/INDENT][B]Community [/B][INDENT][information here on interesting threads, etc.][/INDENT][B]Creative Works. [/B][INDENT][information here on interesting threads, etc.][/INDENT]
[B]Members[/B]
[INDENT][Member of the Month]
[Artist of the Month][/INDENT]
[B]Beyond OtakuBoards[/B]
[INDENT][News]
[Comics][/INDENT]
[B]Reviews[/B]
[INDENT][movies]
[books]
[anime, etc][/INDENT]
Here's a revised list of people who want to be involved and I am sorry that I seemed to have missed a few the first time.

Aaryanna - Entertainment
BKstyles - Freelance
Peanut - Entertainment
Darren - Freelance
Rachmaninoff - Freelance
Premonition - Gathers Leads
indifference - Freelance
SunfallE - Community
2007DigitalBoy - Freelance
Revelation - Creative works, Editor
JJ - Creative Works
Sakura - Freelance, Editor
Allamorph - Editor

Also, I would prefer it if articles are pm'd to me. Or rather the whole content. What you did DB is excellent. But instead of including the whole article I'd rather people just post saying I'll write one about this thread. That way when the time comes the articles will be a surprise for everyone. Except for the editors since I'll simply go on rotation and send each one of you one to look over, improve and send back for the final publishing.

Anyway...Looking good everyone. I know my daughter is working on a banner for the paper, so once that's up I'll probably start a thread for people to vote on which one they would like to see. So far all of them look great. :catgirl:

[Darren]

Haha, well... I haven't checked this thread in a while and I'm very glad that it's going pretty well. And since I'm the only one who's marked as undecided, I'll just say that freelance would suit me best. That way, I won't have to worry about the same old thing...

I also like the prospect of editing. I'm pretty good at that having experience for the past year an a half on my school's newspaper. So if you're still looking for editors I'd be more than happy to do that for you.

[Desbreko]

[quote name='Allamorph][FONT=Arial']I'm just trying to get a feel for how this will look on the screen, and whether readers will be able to easily jump from heading to heading if they don't wish to read, say, Creative Works, or if they want to go in a different order.[/FONT][/quote][color=#4B0082]I suggest you guys make use of the [aname] and [alink] tags for easy navigation between headings. ([url=http://www.otakuboards.com/misc.php?do=bbcode#alink][u]Click here to see how to use them.[/u][/url]) I made them mainly for use in stickies like the thread directories but they'd work great for this as well.[/color]

[Allamorph]

[quote name='Desbreko][color=#4B0082]I suggest you guys make use of the [aname] and [alink] tags for easy navigation between headings. ([url=http://www.otakuboards.com/misc.php?do=bbcode#alink][u]Click here to see how to use them.[/u][/url']) I made them mainly for use in stickies like the thread directories but they'd work great for this as well.[/color][/quote]
[FONT=Arial]Son of a gun! Thanks for reminding me about the code tags. That's make things easier to transfer from my Word formats. I can't stand having to double-enter everything, especially when I'm using location effects. (Like in my Veridan sketches; formatting was a royal . . . well, rhymes with [I]itch[/I].)

And, yeah, that was what I was asking about, layout-wise.[/FONT]

[Aaryanna_Mom]

Thank you very much Desbreko. That's exactly what I was referring to and Aaryanna has assured me she will show me how to use the tags.

Anyway, I'll put you down as freelance Darren. Also, to help get people started I've complied a list of threads that at least I found interesting that would work for the first edition.

[URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=57159]The Anime Feud[/URL] - indifference
[URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=57165]Caption Contest VI[/URL]
[URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=57084]Graphic Worm 2007[/URL]
[URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=56992]Community Anthology Thread [E]-[M][/URL] - 2007DigitalBoy
[URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=57091]The Panopticon [M-LSV][/URL] - BKstyles
[URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=57092]The Panopticon Underground [M-LSV][/URL] - BKstyles
[URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=57245]Let's Talk About Hentai, Baby...[/URL]
[URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=57026]U.S. Department of Defence's Paranoia Reaches Hilarious Low[/URL]
[URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=56770&page=1&pp=15]The Big OtakuBoards Anime Event[/URL] - 2007DigitalBoy

I've provided links so all of you can go and look at them. I'd like to see something similar to what DB did with his article that he posted here in the thread. The summary doesn't have to be as long as what he did. But it does make a good reference.

Once you've taken a look if you decide to write about one just post here indicating which thread you will report. There's only one thing to watch for and that's the one for The Panopticon. Those two threads are meant to be reported together in one article. The reason being that I understand there's been quite a bit of drama in the underground thread instead of the main thread. So I thought it would be unique from the sense that more action was being seen in the underground thread instead of the main thread.

Also the article for The Big OtakuBoards Anime Event is really more of a commentary on how a good event seems to have died. Though if White gets it going again we can always change the article to reflect that.

Anyway, by all means if there are other threads you find interesting be sure to let me know or keep them in mind for the next edition. Also, does anyone have any reviews in mind?

[TheResplendent]

[FONT=Tahoma]I was going to handle The Panopticon anyway, so you can go ahead and cross that one off and expect it from me hopefully sometime this week. I intended to cover both threads initially as well.[/FONT]

[2010DigitalBoy]

[quote name='BKstyles][FONT=Tahoma']I was going to handle The Panopticon anyway, so you can go ahead and cross that one off and expect it from me hopefully sometime this week. I intended to cover both threads initially as well.[/FONT][/quote]

[COLOR=DarkOrange] :p You can do the news article, but I've got dibs on writing the otakupedia article for the Labyrinth series. I'm interested to see what you come up with, in any event. I call the community anthology thread.[/COLOR]

[Horendithas]

[COLOR=Indigo]I'll write one up on [B]The Anime Feud.[/B] I should have it ready for you in a few days.[/COLOR]

[2010DigitalBoy]

[COLOR=DarkOrange]Guess I should take care of the [B]Big Otakuboards anime Event [/B] one now.

Done. I'll handle the caption thingy next as well. If I'm taking too many, notify me.[/COLOR]

[Aaryanna_Mom]

No problem 2007DigitalBoy. Also, I haven't forgotten this. Aaryanna was sick and unfortunately I got it so I've been feeling a little under the weather for the past couple of days. However I am starting to feel better.

Also now that I have several articles I'll be sending them to the various editors to look over in the next day or two. And in the next couple of days I'll have the thread on voting for a banner up.

I do have one question and this is really directed more towards Revelation. Should I simply include that in this thread? Or can I create a separate one with a poll and everything?

[Shy]

[size=1]Is there any meaningful way we could combine this newspaper and Otakupedia? I fear that the OB Newspaper has been at least partially responsible for draining the talent pool for Otakupedia.

Both of them seem like worthwhile projects with basically the same goal. Even if we could just retool old newspaper articles into Otakupedia entries that would cool by me.

-Shy[/size]

[Aaryanna_Mom]

[QUOTE=Shy][size=1]Is there any meaningful way we could combine this newspaper and Otakupedia? I fear that the OB Newspaper has been at least partially responsible for draining the talent pool for Otakupedia.

Both of them seem like worthwhile projects with basically the same goal. Even if we could just retool old newspaper articles into Otakupedia entries that would cool by me.

-Shy[/size][/QUOTE]Actually I believe 2007DigitalBoy was already planning on turning around and submitting some of the articles into Otakupedia. ;) So that would work just fine. And once each edition goes up the same can be done for anything else that others think would make a good Otakupedia entry.

[Revelation]

[size=1][color=#8B008B]I've already sent you [Aaryanna_Mom] a PM about the banner polling and in regards to the Otakupedia/Newspaper dilemma, I wonder if Charles would be up for combining the two. I mean, it'd be less of a hassle for both Charles and Mom, as well as an advantage to the two.

Initially both would be controlling their own element but helping each other at the same time. Charles would be getting his worth of articles by adding in topics that people haven't suggested, as well as adding in new information about old articles he has in the Otakupedia and Mom would be creating her newspaper with the topics she's chosen or the members helping out with the newspaper have chosen.

It's really a win-win, I think.[/size][/color]

[2010DigitalBoy]

[COLOR=DarkOrange]I'd hate that idea. Otakupedia is for important OB things, whereas the newspaper is for surrent events. It's not like every little thing that happens on OB neds to be an article. for example, I wanted to see BKStyles do an article about my rp the Panopticon, but for the Otakupedia, it should be about the whole death-card series. Sometimes, things in the newspaper might become otakupedia articles - such as the member-of-the-month for each month and so forth, but for the most part I think they'd be better as seperate entities.

Another example - i recently submitted an article for caption contest VI. Now which would be better, an otakupedia article about the rather uneventful 6th installment, or of the entire series in general? In a way, I think otakupedia should be the box set for the newspaper articles. If you're sad about loosing people's interest in otakupedia for the newspaper look at it this way - only 3 or 4 people are even writing for the paper at this moment, and I know I fully intend on doing otakupedia articles in the future. I intend to do the death card trilogy the moment my Panop after-party is over.[/COLOR]

[Horendithas]

[COLOR=Indigo]DB, Shy did mention [B]retooling [/B]the articles. And that's really a good idea since like you mentioned, you would change the one on the Panopiticon to include all three of the death card series. By retooling them they would be a different entry, he wasn't talking about literally copying and pasting them into Otakupedia. lol

So it's really a great idea to semi-combine the two. It's not like everything that is written would end up over in Otakupedia, but stuff like the death card rpg are perfect to be re-written and turned into an entry for Otakupedia as well.

Revelation hit on it as well, using the articles would also be great for adding to existing ones. Take Rachmaninoff's entry. At the time his RPG the Maze was current, it certainly wouldn't hurt to update it to show that it finished successfully. [/COLOR]

[Shy]

[quote name='2007DigitalBoy][COLOR=DarkOrange']Another example - i recently submitted an article for caption contest VI. Now which would be better, an otakupedia article about the rather uneventful 6th installment, or of the entire series in general? In a way, I think otakupedia should be the box set for the newspaper articles. If you're sad about loosing people's interest in otakupedia for the newspaper look at it this way - only 3 or 4 people are even writing for the paper at this moment, and I know I fully intend on doing otakupedia articles in the future. I intend to do the death card trilogy the moment my Panop after-party is over.[/COLOR][/quote][size=1]The idea of anyone writing [i]anything[/i] about a Caption Contest thread just blows my mind. Wow.

I agree with indifference. Not every thread on OB needs an Otakupedia entry, but if something is interesting enough to warrant a newspaper article then it's probably worth considering. Doing a single entry on Labyrinth and then an expanded one on Death Card RPGs would probably be the best way to go about covering those topics.

I'm just saying that there is probably a solid way to combine our efforts. Perhaps giving both projects a shared title 'Otakupedia' and 'Otakupedia Monthly' or something might be appropriate.

-Shy[/size]

[Allamorph]

[FONT=Arial]Actually, I was considering covering the Death Card series as well (Death Note puns, anyone?), though I had a little something different in mind.

OB Idol 2 glanced off of both Labyrinth and Mafia, so the initial Death "Note" game has already been covered, if somewhat cursorily. I was thinking that if the news article began with a mention of [COLOR=DarkRed]Sandy[/COLOR]'s starter, touched on the franchise, and then covered the latest installment, it might flow better.

Also, as far as the Otakupedia article goes (which I [I]so[/I] have dibs on, unless...), a similar treatment would work, starting with [COLOR=DarkRed]Sandy[/COLOR]'s and devoting a paragraph or two or three to each of its successors, finishing with the series in general, and leaving it as an article in progress, since there are others in the franchise's future. Individual material could be easily swapped with the broad coverage, depending on which way looks better; and of course the contributor would [I]have[/I] to make a direct comment on the fact that successive games are being planned. (Captain Obvious, here, just stating the obvious. Like I do. Since, you know, my superpower is that I state the obvious, and all.)

Right.[/FONT]

[Aaryanna_Mom]

[quote name='Shy][size=1]The idea of anyone writing [i]anything[/i'] about a Caption Contest thread just blows my mind. Wow.[/size][/quote]Now Shy I'm gonna have to bonk you for that one.The whole point in covering something like that is silly game threads like that are a part of the boards and in their own way fun. That makes them worth mentioning in an article. It's also what news is about, covering what people find interesting, even if you yourself find it tedious or boring. ;)

Though I have thought about making a more grand article covering several types of game threads instead of focusing on just one. Kind of a comparison between very silly ones to more thought out ones like the six degrees of Wikipedia. Since obviously some of the games are more interesting than others are. :catgirl:

[Tetra of sound]

I have ideas! We could do a game of the month, as well as year! I got 1 for 2007!
[B]The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess[/B] ! EGM gave it a 10/10 with all 3 who reviewed it.

[Aaryanna_Mom]

Alright, so far all the articles I have gotten are wonderful. Great job everyone.

Also, due to something that's been stressing me out lately I will be gone for a day or two. I should be back either Monday or first thing Tuesday. Then we can get things rolling so to speak.

[CENTER]-------------------------[/CENTER]
Okay, sorry for the delay. I've gone ahead and added a poll to the banner request. Just follow the link in my signature. There's are six great banners to choose from. :catgirl: Also, I have several great articles for the first edition. So even if we don't get every area covered, you're all going to love the first edition. I even already have a recommendation for member of the month.

If there are any other articles that you want to see or you are working on. I'd like to have everything sent to me this weekend. I'm not too picky about getting it up right on the first, but I do intend to post what I do have before the forth of July next week.

Anyway, great work everyone.