IMPORTANT DISCUSSION / VOTING
We'll be making some very important decisions on the future of the game following this post. Please read it and give your selections a lot of consideration!
Some background on the issue:
So, about a week ago, Livejournal instituted a massive change of the comment pages. The old style of comment pages (which most players used by selecting 'turn off custom comment pages' in their journal) is no longer available. Instead, there is a new style which you may see in this post. The new style includes expand feature for every comment, edit buttons for everyone, and a browse icons feature for everyone. However, it also lacks a preview function, subject lines, and the ability to use a dropdown box to select userpics instead of the browse function. With the way thread expansion works, many players have reported that threads on the new pages are very slow for them and difficult to load. The browse userpics function can be difficult to load (and does not work on mobile platforms), and the lack of subject lines makes posts more difficult to organize. Some like the new pages, but others find them very difficult or impossible to use.
Current solutions to the problem on Livejournal are to turn on custom comment pages. These can often be buggy, fail to load all the way, and are more distracting than regular comment pages, but they do contain subjects, icon dropdown menus, and do not have the same loading issues as the new pages. It is also possible to use some layouts that have specifically been customized to mirror the old pages, but that requires using a minimalist layout in your personal journal. here is an example of the layout and comment pages, used with permission. Livejournal has also stated they may make the old style available as an option along with custom comment pages, but we do not know specifically how this will work or when it will be available.
An alternate solution would be moving the game to another website, specifically Dreamwidth. Dreamwidth is a website that runs on code adopted to Livejournal, so in functionality it is very similar to the old Livejournal style. We can work around the current comment issue, although the solutions aren't ideal, but it is clear Livejournal will continue to make changes in the future that might bring about additional problems. Some players have stated that they would prefer using a different website due to general frustration with Livejournal for which the new pages are only a part. Moving to a different website would be a lot of work for the mods and may be a hassle for the players (though we feel we can minimize the latter), but we feel it would be worth it it's what we as a game want to do.
What we'd like to do is take a poll to get a sense of how everyone feels. The big issue is whether we're staying or going, but we'd also like to see how you'd like the game to look whether we stay or go.
For those of you who aren't sure about this issue, here is a very comprehensive post about the features Dreamwidth offers in comparison to Livejournal. Here is a guide to Dreamwidth for LJ users, and here is an FAQ if you have anything specific you're curious about.
Reasons to go:
For many people, the new formats LJ is transitioning to make RPing much more difficult.
The new comment pages do not work on mobile platforms or on older platforms, which many players use to RP.
While there are workarounds for the new pages, it would force people to change their layouts or use styles they don't like or that don't function smoothly.
DW's support team has been consistently responsive to player concerns and generally are willing to make changes that support RP communities and users.
DW's icon packages for 100 or 250 icons are cheaper than LJ's.
Many large games are moving to Dreamwidth, indicating that the roleplay community as a whole is shifting there. Using the same platform as many games and rpers are using would make it easier to attract new players and grow as a game. (On the other hand, this could be a reason to stay if fewer players wind up moving as it currently seems might).
Reasons to stay:
Many people have bought paid accounts on Livejournal, which means they'll have to pay for an additional paid account or go without if we switch.
It is possible to work around the new changes, and Livejournal has stated it may offer better workarounds in the future.
Dreamwidth has invite codes, which means it will not be as easy to make accounts (though based on how other rps have worked on DW, we don't think this will be such an issue).
If you typically buy the 30 icons or 170 icons packages on Livejournal, these packages are not currently available on DW and you will have to pay more or use fewer icons. DW may change this in the future.
We're not sure just how much modwork and playerwork the move will involve, but it will certainly be a lot more work than staying.
(If anyone has any additional pros/cons we'll be happy to add them)
Poll Notes
For 'strongly that we should/shouldn't' answers, we mean that staying/going would impact you to the point that it would seriously impact your ability or willingness to still play here. Not necessarily that you'd drop, but it would be a very big deal to you. If you just have a preference but will not be seriously impacted to the point of dropping/considering dropping, pick the prefer choices.
Whatever the answer to the journal style question is, we won't be making it mandatory that anyone use any particular layout. What we would probably do is add a page about layouts explaining which one to use and that it's the preferred layout, and may add a note suggesting using a particular layout in acceptances. Feel free to pick more than one if more than one applies.
If we do move, the mods would prefer to do a comm based game because it will reduce our workload in the transition and in the future. Because it would be a lot easier for us, if we move, we'll probably do a comm based game even if it isn't the majority preference as long as there isn't a lot of resistance to the idea.
If you're not sure, a comm based game is where you post entries to a community rather than to your journal. This means you (and we) do not need to keep up with friend adds, all entries will be in an easy to check community and there will be tags to track specific characters. Many games on Livejournal use this style.
Poll
In the comments, feel free to discuss your personal feelings about any of these options or point out things we haven't thought of and explain your choices. However, this is not the place to debate LJ versus Dreamwidth. We want to know how you personally feel and for this to be a place where people can express their opinions. Because of that, while it's okay to discuss things in the comments, please do not debate or argue anyone's position. Just share your feelings in your own comment. If we feel any thread is getting too heated, we will freeze it.
This poll will be open until January 8. Please vote with a character journal, but only one journal.
If it's helpful in making your choices, if we did move, we would announce a decision immediately after the poll closes. However, we will keep the LJ game open while we get ready for a transition. You would have until a date in late January/early February to make your DW journals and join the game on DW, after which we would reopen the game there. There would be no Activity Check for the month of January because the move would serve to remove idle characters, and we would be ready in time for February apps.
Thanks for your patience reading this!
Some background on the issue:
So, about a week ago, Livejournal instituted a massive change of the comment pages. The old style of comment pages (which most players used by selecting 'turn off custom comment pages' in their journal) is no longer available. Instead, there is a new style which you may see in this post. The new style includes expand feature for every comment, edit buttons for everyone, and a browse icons feature for everyone. However, it also lacks a preview function, subject lines, and the ability to use a dropdown box to select userpics instead of the browse function. With the way thread expansion works, many players have reported that threads on the new pages are very slow for them and difficult to load. The browse userpics function can be difficult to load (and does not work on mobile platforms), and the lack of subject lines makes posts more difficult to organize. Some like the new pages, but others find them very difficult or impossible to use.
Current solutions to the problem on Livejournal are to turn on custom comment pages. These can often be buggy, fail to load all the way, and are more distracting than regular comment pages, but they do contain subjects, icon dropdown menus, and do not have the same loading issues as the new pages. It is also possible to use some layouts that have specifically been customized to mirror the old pages, but that requires using a minimalist layout in your personal journal. here is an example of the layout and comment pages, used with permission. Livejournal has also stated they may make the old style available as an option along with custom comment pages, but we do not know specifically how this will work or when it will be available.
An alternate solution would be moving the game to another website, specifically Dreamwidth. Dreamwidth is a website that runs on code adopted to Livejournal, so in functionality it is very similar to the old Livejournal style. We can work around the current comment issue, although the solutions aren't ideal, but it is clear Livejournal will continue to make changes in the future that might bring about additional problems. Some players have stated that they would prefer using a different website due to general frustration with Livejournal for which the new pages are only a part. Moving to a different website would be a lot of work for the mods and may be a hassle for the players (though we feel we can minimize the latter), but we feel it would be worth it it's what we as a game want to do.
What we'd like to do is take a poll to get a sense of how everyone feels. The big issue is whether we're staying or going, but we'd also like to see how you'd like the game to look whether we stay or go.
For those of you who aren't sure about this issue, here is a very comprehensive post about the features Dreamwidth offers in comparison to Livejournal. Here is a guide to Dreamwidth for LJ users, and here is an FAQ if you have anything specific you're curious about.
Reasons to go:
For many people, the new formats LJ is transitioning to make RPing much more difficult.
The new comment pages do not work on mobile platforms or on older platforms, which many players use to RP.
While there are workarounds for the new pages, it would force people to change their layouts or use styles they don't like or that don't function smoothly.
DW's support team has been consistently responsive to player concerns and generally are willing to make changes that support RP communities and users.
DW's icon packages for 100 or 250 icons are cheaper than LJ's.
Many large games are moving to Dreamwidth, indicating that the roleplay community as a whole is shifting there. Using the same platform as many games and rpers are using would make it easier to attract new players and grow as a game. (On the other hand, this could be a reason to stay if fewer players wind up moving as it currently seems might).
Reasons to stay:
Many people have bought paid accounts on Livejournal, which means they'll have to pay for an additional paid account or go without if we switch.
It is possible to work around the new changes, and Livejournal has stated it may offer better workarounds in the future.
Dreamwidth has invite codes, which means it will not be as easy to make accounts (though based on how other rps have worked on DW, we don't think this will be such an issue).
If you typically buy the 30 icons or 170 icons packages on Livejournal, these packages are not currently available on DW and you will have to pay more or use fewer icons. DW may change this in the future.
We're not sure just how much modwork and playerwork the move will involve, but it will certainly be a lot more work than staying.
(If anyone has any additional pros/cons we'll be happy to add them)
Poll Notes
For 'strongly that we should/shouldn't' answers, we mean that staying/going would impact you to the point that it would seriously impact your ability or willingness to still play here. Not necessarily that you'd drop, but it would be a very big deal to you. If you just have a preference but will not be seriously impacted to the point of dropping/considering dropping, pick the prefer choices.
Whatever the answer to the journal style question is, we won't be making it mandatory that anyone use any particular layout. What we would probably do is add a page about layouts explaining which one to use and that it's the preferred layout, and may add a note suggesting using a particular layout in acceptances. Feel free to pick more than one if more than one applies.
If we do move, the mods would prefer to do a comm based game because it will reduce our workload in the transition and in the future. Because it would be a lot easier for us, if we move, we'll probably do a comm based game even if it isn't the majority preference as long as there isn't a lot of resistance to the idea.
If you're not sure, a comm based game is where you post entries to a community rather than to your journal. This means you (and we) do not need to keep up with friend adds, all entries will be in an easy to check community and there will be tags to track specific characters. Many games on Livejournal use this style.
Poll
In the comments, feel free to discuss your personal feelings about any of these options or point out things we haven't thought of and explain your choices. However, this is not the place to debate LJ versus Dreamwidth. We want to know how you personally feel and for this to be a place where people can express their opinions. Because of that, while it's okay to discuss things in the comments, please do not debate or argue anyone's position. Just share your feelings in your own comment. If we feel any thread is getting too heated, we will freeze it.
This poll will be open until January 8. Please vote with a character journal, but only one journal.
If it's helpful in making your choices, if we did move, we would announce a decision immediately after the poll closes. However, we will keep the LJ game open while we get ready for a transition. You would have until a date in late January/early February to make your DW journals and join the game on DW, after which we would reopen the game there. There would be no Activity Check for the month of January because the move would serve to remove idle characters, and we would be ready in time for February apps.
Thanks for your patience reading this!