Ozoneocean
Sorry man, that sort of thing is frowned upon here.

Drat! - and I was planning to assist my own comic.

Now I'll never get the damn thing started.

Just to clarify, there's nothing wrong with having multiple accounts, we just like people to stick with one of them when it comes to the forums. Otherwise things start to get confusing. (And then there were the people who ruined it for everyone of course.)

parkbenchbook
I'd rather talk comics.

I'd rather die! :P

I'm not feeling very forumy right now… This is my only thread for today for today. -_-

But one good thing about things as they are is that it can feel a little crozier. After Plat took over and the initial changes, things started to get MUCH busier after a while. Posts left right and centre, couldn't keep track of all the threads and the new people, and so many just coming in because they wanted Plat to notice them…
That can get a bit bewildering and not feel as homely. So it's a two-edged blade.

A lot of the last generation of artists have given up and/or moved on too. I have like 50 comics favorited and only like 5 of them have updated in the last month (and I haven't really had the time to start reading any new comics lately.) Most people who stopped updating on DD stopped talking on the forums too, and if new people are apprehensive of jumping in on the forums, well…

I remember when I did the first round of the Comic Remix, I was competing with like 5 other community projects. Now that forum is just people looking for artists.

No I didnt notice that,only when is holidays not normal days.

Yeah, I notice less people around the holidays :s. It's probably just the holidays.

Hey I am new here, been reading web comics for a while but this is the first time I am making one. I just want to say that I am looking forward to becoming part of this community. I plan on updating at least three times a week. Basically I plan on sticky around. I say that because I wouldn't join a site and invest time in it if I thought it was falling apart. As with all sites that have been around for a while the forums seem to have there regulars, but I'm not going to let that scare me off from saying anything. I already said hi, but I want to say it again and say I hope this site sticks around.

Also what the heck is td, or should I not worry about it.

Welcome redbaron, I hope you enjoy it on DD :) Don't worry about the forum regulars, if you can take an occassional gentle ribbing you'll fit in quite well. (TD was Top Drawer, a subforum that turned into a 4chan sort of place until we got rid of it.)

Some users may have just moved onto other things. It happens. No community maintains a high level of activity for extended periods of times without a collapse or a dry spell once and a while.

Hey HP, welcome back! ^_^

kingofsnake
A lot of the last generation of artists have given up and/or moved on too. I have like 50 comics favorited and only like 5 of them have updated in the last month (and I haven't really had the time to start reading any new comics lately.) Most people who stopped updating on DD stopped talking on the forums too,

I've noticed this trend too. Some of my favorite comics left like Roguehill's ghost comic, Pictures of You, and gunnerdan(sp?) Court and others have left. Others have faded away like Purgatory Tower and The_WAVAM_Project. Most everyone else is posting at about half or less of what they were posting.
I'm not aware of a new web comic site of the year that everyone is going to, that is the hot place to be.
I'm not seeing a flood of new artists coming in to replace the old favorites.
I think it's the economy and mistakes made by this website. I know a couple of my fav comics left out of frustration. One left to go publish, an not give away content for free. I think most of us are too busy trying to find a job or keep food on the table to do this hobby. That's my excuse. I'm fighting with money issues to post more.

What do you think? The bad economy is the biggest factor?

The longer a comic goes on, the more likely it is to either A: be dropped for some reason, or B: move elsewhere. I don't think it's unusual that older, better-known comics have left DD. 2 years ago you'd have given a different list. Some of the ones you listed left because they wanted exclusivity on their main site, or because they joined a site like keenspot that doesn't let you have mirrors. Or they just quit. Gunnerkrigg Court actually left a full 2 years ago, before Plat bought the site, but people still remember it being here on the site because it's a well known comic. The loss of established comics does sort of reduce the brand image (could I call it that?) but it would be hard to say how many of that number are attributable to management/ownership problems. (I'm sure that's a factor of course, just not the case for all of them.)

The economy thing is interesting. I wonder how many people are finding out that comics just don't pay?

skoolmunkee
The economy thing is interesting. I wonder how many people are finding out that comics just don't pay?

For me, it's the opposite. I can't find a job, so I need the hobby to keep me sane and make me feel like I'm productive and have some value. Nothing is more soul-crushing than week after week of constant rejection (not just for money but for being a contributing member of society).

I doubt that people on DD are under the delusion that it is a career. If they have comic career aspirations, they have almost certainly left for their own domain…

skoolmunkee
The economy thing is interesting. I wonder how many people are finding out that comics just don't pay?

That wasn't what I meant. I'm not doing my comic here for an income. My comic is a hobby and I don't have time or money for hobbies right now. I either need to be at my day job, or getting new skills for my next day job.
I think more of us are in that predicament with less time for our art.

usedbooks
For me, it's the opposite. I can't find a job, so I need the hobby to keep me sane and make me feel like I'm productive and have some value. Nothing is more soul-crushing than week after week of constant rejection (not just for money but for being a contributing member of society).

UsedBooks, I think we're secret psychic twins. Or, er- just in similar situations. But I'm the same way- this stuff keeps me feeling like I've got a purpose. I mean, I'm sure if I had a job, I wouldn't (couldn't) spend 12 hours a day working on comics (and probably quite a few hanging around this joint, too). Or maybe I'd just cut out sleep. Psht. Who needs it?

Also: I feel super lame because since I joined up, I'm always on here. Always. It's sad.

Hyena H_ll
Also: I feel super lame because since I joined up, I'm always on here. Always. It's sad.

Hah! You've become a new regular. :)
We love regulars ^_^

skoolmunkee
The loss of established comics does sort of reduce the brand image

As long as the site's got Pinky TA, we'll be jussssssssst fine ;)

-Actually, Charby and GOA really…

kingofsnake
Most people who stopped updating on DD stopped talking on the forums too, and if new people are apprehensive of jumping in on the forums, well…

I felt that way. It isn't that the forums aren't welcoming, it's just hard to try involving oneself where people are good friends and in cliques and such. However, it looks like people who do try don't have trouble, so it likely wouldn't be an issue for anyone who isn't generally shy. Doesn't seem like that should be a problem that would affect forum traffic, right? It would only affect people who are naturally less likely to post in the first place!

Ochitsukanai
it's just hard to try involving oneself where people are good friends and in cliques and such.

Hey, I know I guy - the three of us could get a little clique going.

Ochitsukanai

kingofsnake
Most people who stopped updating on DD stopped talking on the forums too, and if new people are apprehensive of jumping in on the forums, well…

I felt that way. It isn't that the forums aren't welcoming, it's just hard to try involving oneself where people are good friends and in cliques and such. However, it looks like people who do try don't have trouble, so it likely wouldn't be an issue for anyone who isn't generally shy. Doesn't seem like that should be a problem that would affect forum traffic, right? It would only affect people who are naturally less likely to post in the first place!

Actually, when I first joined the forums, I didn't want to post anywhere because I felt like I would be intruding. When I finally got brave and joined a thread or two, it sucked me in. People don't ignore “newcomers” here. They are very quickly absorbed into the fray. People will read your posts and respond to you. You're one of us now…

There are some “clique-y” places in the forums that I still don't visit at all, but most of the boards/threads are easy to jump into and get involved.

Ironscarf
Hey, I know I guy - the three of us could get a little clique going.

This could be just the unsavory-sounding opportunity I've been looking for, so long as everyone is dressed as Victorian era dandies.

usedbooks
Actually, when I first joined the forums, I didn't want to post anywhere because I felt like I would be intruding.

Yeah, that's exactly it. Since forums always have groups, it doesn't make sense to think that way, but it doesn't mean the general feeling of awkwardness doesn't persist for a while even if a place is friendly. There must be other people like that who lurk, think about things to say, and never say anything.

Ochitsukanai

Ironscarf
Hey, I know I guy - the three of us could get a little clique going.

This could be just the unsavory-sounding opportunity I've been looking for, so long as everyone is dressed as Victorian era dandies.

o_0 !
I want in on that!

ozoneocean
Hah! You've become a new regular.
We love regulars ^_^

Whoohoo!

Ochitsukanai
Yeah, that's exactly it. Since forums always have groups, it doesn't make sense to think that way, but it doesn't mean the general feeling of awkwardness doesn't persist for a while even if a place is friendly. There must be other people like that who lurk, think about things to say, and never say anything.

I can't tell you how many times I type out a lengthy and carefully constructed post and as I go to hit “Send” I stop and decide to X out my browser instead. I still do that. It isn't just a newbie thing.

usedbooks
I can't tell you how many times I type out a lengthy and carefully constructed post and as I go to hit “Send” I stop and decide to X out my browser instead. I still do that. It isn't just a newbie thing.

I never used to do that. I do it now though.

Hyena H_ll
o_0 !
I want in on that!

Would you mind terribly if I called you “Postlethwaite?”

usedbooks
I can't tell you how many times I type out a lengthy and carefully constructed post and as I go to hit “Send” I stop and decide to X out my browser instead. I still do that. It isn't just a newbie thing.

But of course, it's necessary to get the right “feel” to the words. If it doesn't feel right, the prose style needs revision, which can go on for ages. After the necessary changes are made, the tab is ultimately closed regardless. If that's what you mean by “carefully constructed,” at any rate, that's exactly how I operate.

Clearly, I'm the alterego your unknown second personality created to instill in you feelings of alarm and dismay. O_O

Ha! I don't discard thread replies for that reason. I just see that I write too much or see that it's needlessly negative so I decide ultimately that the forums are better off without those contributions of mine. :)

freefall_drift

skoolmunkee
The economy thing is interesting. I wonder how many people are finding out that comics just don't pay?

That wasn't want I meant. I'm not doing my comic here for an income. My comic is a hobby and I don't have time or money for hobbies right now. I either need to be at my day job, or getting new skills for my next day job.
I think more of us are in that predicament with less time for our art.

You may not be trying to get some income from your comics, but lots of other people do- through ads, donations, cafepress stuff, etc. With less disposable income I imagine ‘support my favorite webcomics’ becomes drastically less important than ‘make sure I don’t go hungry'. It would be interesting to see a graph of average ad cost on project wonderful over time, or something. I bet there's just not as much money in the system as there was a year ago.

ozoneocean
Ha! I don't discard thread replies for that reason. I just see that I write too much or see that it's needlessly negative so I decide ultimately that the forums are better off without those contributions of mine. :)

I do that too. Other reasons I decide not to post: I wasn't really saying much or adding anything.

I made the forums my homepage months ago, it became routine and now i check through several times a day for new thread posts. So don't worry Hyena you'll never get as lame as me :) god help you if you are.

Plus i recently started setting up a site with wordpress, and even despite the hurdles learning it, it's clear to see why people leave free hosting forever. For one thing:
1. you don't have to scroll down that ugly DD top bar w/ ads to see the comic page
2.it's empowering to have your own site you can do anything you desire to
3.Widgets!
4. you feel more…'professional'

Cons:
1. you have to pay for it
2.no community like DD :(

I'll need to make at least 3$ a week off ads (once i update again) so i can pay for hosting and have some left over for advertising

Skullbie
I made the forums my homepage months ago, it became routine and now i check through several times a day for new thread posts. So don't worry Hyena you'll never get as lame as me :) god help you if you are.

Plus i recently started setting up a site with wordpress, and even despite the hurdles learning it, it's clear to see why people leave free hosting forever. For one thing:
1. you don't have to scroll down that ugly DD top bar w/ ads to see the comic page
2.it's empowering to have your own site you can do anything you desire to
3.Widgets!
4. you feel more…'professional'

Cons:
1. you have to pay for it
2.no community like DD :(

I'll need to make at least 3$ a week off ads (once i update again) so i can pay for hosting and have some left over for advertising

How much are you paying for hosting?

I just set 3$ as a weekly goal, I'm using dreamhost which i'll get charged around 120$ a year
Which if i do get 3$ a week i'll have 36$ left for advertising.

Hey, I'm here and a relatively new poster.

You need me to bring friends to liven this party up?