With the advent of actual digital media in recent years, could physical media of years past such as CDs and DVDs still be considered truly digital?

It's not analog

J_Scarbrough wrote:
With the advent of actual digital media in recent years, could physical media of years past such as CDs and DVDs still be considered truly digital?

My physical copies of DVDs and CDs keep me sane in the digital streaming world of redubs, reedits, and updated editions. The Sailor Moon dubs released by Viz in 1995ish have a completely different English cast than the one available on YouTube. There is also a very important scene in Neon Genesis Evangelion where Shinji’s EVA goes into berserk mode and starts tearing into an angel, whereas in the reedits, the scene cuts out most of the carnage and dubbed over the original dialogue making it more acceptable for a younger audience.

Whenever I notice these little changes occur in purely digital streams, I dig through old DVDs to find the original and confirm it was not all a dream.

To be fair, even DVDs can be edited in some way, especially when it comes to music rights, and in cases like that, you can count on either a music replacement, or that portion of the program being completely cut from the DVD release altogether. This is supposedly one of the reasons why we may never get official season set releases of the 1980s Alvin and The Chipmunks show, because they did so many cover tunes; what few episodes have been released on DVD do have some song replacements.

But otherwise, yeah, that in and of itself always reminds me of this particular argument I have with people who say streaming is superior to DVD:

Ozoneocean wrote:

It's like when I say I see the sun as white- That's how it looks to my eyes in the sky and that's 100% valid. Sure we know that without atmosphere that it's “yellow” and that's how we classify it compared to other stars, but that's a different context.

I just wanna say, I love how that discussion thread evolved. The subject was about the eventuality of interdimensional aliens making contact with earth, and it evolved into a mildly heated debate about what color then sun has. I love it😆😆😆

Ozoneocean wrote:

bravo1102 wrote:
I know that stuff versus actual historians? Right.

Man I love you but I feel you have a bit of an inbuilt superiority complex about things. XD

Inferiority complex. I have little to no self esteem and a constant feeling of not being competent so this leads to over compensating.
I really have to wrestle about replying to anything anymore.

bravo1102 wrote:

Ozoneocean wrote:

bravo1102 wrote:
I know that stuff versus actual historians? Right.

Man I love you but I feel you have a bit of an inbuilt superiority complex about things. XD

Inferiority complex. I have little to no self esteem and a constant feeling of not being competent so this leads to over compensating.
I really have to wrestle about replying to anything anymore.

good thing my manga is full of elevate your self stem all over it :)

I like to elevate my SELF STEM as much as possible. Sometimes it elevates by itself. But watch out. November is coming.

FlydiscDude wrote:

UPDATE: The new voice actor for Mario {, Luigi, likely Wario and Waluigi} has been revealed.

I remembered that the versions of Mario I grew up with on the NES (Super Mario Bros, Super Mario Bros 2, Super Mario Bros 3) and SNES (Super Mario World, Mario Kart, Super Mario RPG) did not have a voice.

Like Ariel from the Little Mermaid, Mario had to get creative with his outfits in order to communicate. My favorite Mario costumes were the Tanuki/Raccoon Dog from Super Mario Bros 3 that could turn into a statue and the frog that could easily maneuver swimming underwater in the water worlds.

I would like to see a revival of the original Super Mario Bros silent Mario with all the fun costumes and rad bad guys in the same style as Super Mario Bros 3.

Um, wow, did Disney just shoot the budget with WISH or something? Because that looks about as cheap, lazy, and unrefined as the ICE AGE material they produced since buying out Blue Sky.

Looks like the writers strike is finally over (again), so I guess that means I still can't write for a particular mainstream show that I feel like I really could write for . . . (yeah, I know that was never going to happen, still).

FlydiscDude wrote:
Remake of that game's coming out next month (NOV-17), in case you didn't know.
I really enjoy the “Beware the Forest's Mushrooms” track from it despite that I didn't play the game myself.

This is Amazing news! Quite honestly the best bit of news I have heard about in a while. The trailer brought back a lot of feel good memories from the Summer of 1998 for me.

Thank you for sharing. :)

Over at Comic Fury they started a blog topic “Where is the worst place to post your comic?” There was a lot of good feedback of various webcomic sites but a few people dissed the DrunkDuck and said that this site is the worst. Here are the reasons they listed:
-The community is small, pretty much dead
-There are members of DrunkDuck they wouldn't want to cross (afraid of duckies?)
- The Forums are dead
- One person mentioned the thin font with the yellow background gives them a headache
- They blame the past of DD's site failing and going down

I was surprised to see so many people against this site and I was curious what this community thought. I noticed that whenever DD does something new (like start a Patreon) CF is quick to follow in this sites footsteps. So if anything this site may be smaller but DD is like FORD paving the way and CF is having moderators and administrators keep tabs over here and copy some things like CHEVY.

It's not a huge community, but from what I gather it's more mixed, as the popular comics are also a variety and getting people to read and respond might be easier. Comic Furry seemed like having a younger target audience with more specific themes. And I mean users here complained before that they got banned from CF before because of their forum etiquette. I for one find it a positive that here that's rarely necessary, because it rarely ever gets toxic enough for people to report each other. Obviously the Duck could be improved and obviously they're working on it in some ways, which takes more time than anticipated, but based on my first impressions about CF, I would barely get any interactions out of putting my comics there. Here at least a few loyal readers comment now and then.

@Inky- I would think ComicFury would have a lot of people who would like your artwork/comic. The style and the way you present it is really unique and one of a kind and I could see it appealing to all ages. I wouldn't give up over there I think you should post your work over there too! Get as many eyes on it as you can because you are an amazing artist/writer.

Comicfury is an awesome webcomic hosting site and Kyo does an amazing job over there! It's just sad when people say DD is an outdated site because of it's collapse 12 years ago. Which never should have happened.

The (Drunk) Duck Webcomics: a Vintage Webcomic Hosting Site

LOL!

Ugh, Let's not have a comic fury discussion… Been done so many times, no point beating a dead horse.

But that said something could be taken from that, these forums could definitely do with more activity. How could we drive engagement?

I think a BIG DIFFERENCE is how the forums are presented as well as the age groups of people viewing. I don't know how you would go about bringing in groups of people to a site but having that forum out in the open and exposed and moving while people leave theirs topics and posts gets a lot more eyes.

Genejoke wrote:
Ugh, Let's not have a comic fury discussion… Been done so many times, no point beating a dead horse.

But that said something could be taken from that, these forums could definitely do with more activity. How could we drive engagement?

That's right. They're just envious, that's all.
Not kidding. I do actually think that at least in some cases it must be envy. Then there are always people on the internet who will be spiteful at anything and try hard to find reasons. They usually seem to be more than they really are, too, because they shout loudest.

You're right about the forums, too, but first things first. Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Jason Moon wrote:
Over at Comic Fury they started a blog topic “Where is the worst place to post your comic?” There was a lot of good feedback of various webcomic sites but a few people dissed the DrunkDuck and said that this site is the worst. Here are the reasons they listed:

Thank you for sharing it with us others who haven't got an account over there. No matter what we think of the discussion, I think it's always good to keep an eye on outside criticism.
To me, most of it seems to be an example of what I just said above about envy and how envious people will always try to find things to criticise, no matter what. I hope you don't mind if I add what gives me that impression. Perhaps there are some take-home messages hidden underneath, after all?

-The community is small, pretty much dead

That person clearly hasn't seen the level of interaction here. Being small and relatively close is not the same as dead. Quite the opposite, actually.

-There are members of DrunkDuck they wouldn't want to cross (afraid of duckies?)

Afraid of some creators because of the comics they create? Either because they're too sick or not sick enough? But there's enough of either on Comicfury that they should know better than to confuse what a creator is like with what their comic is like. Won't stop self-proclaimed moral guardians to raise their pitchforks anyway, though.
Perhaps it's this: a lot of posts being made by the same people who have known each other for a very long time might sometimes be mistaken for exclusivity, as in difficult to get into. Which is just as (un)true for just about any community on the web. Might be a good idea to think about how much we project this, though (or don't).

- The Forums are dead

Nope! But they are unwieldy and need to be upgraded if you ask me (see below).

- One person mentioned the thin font with the yellow background gives them a headache

Yes, the yellow background sucks! But if I were on those forums I'd point out that firstly, that has nothing to do with the content and doesn't affect the comics. Secondly: if the font is to small, every normal browser allows you to zoom in. Thirdly: if you really can't wait for the redesign and absolutely can't endure how the yellow background makes your eyes water, just switch the browser to night mode. Problem solved. What, your browser doesn't have a night mode? - And you dare accuse others of being old-fashioned??
Conclusion: this is actively looking for things to whine about in as pure a form as it gets.

- They blame the past of DD's site failing and going down

Some people always will. Can't be helped. Sites fail, that's the way it is, only most don't come back so nobody remembers. At least this point does one thing: I'm getting a wonderfully bizarre mental image of an ancient battle-scarred, half-demented webcomic veteran reminiscing: "Remember the fall of 2011? No? Of course not, you still drew only with crayons in the kindergarten back then, din't ya? Hoho! Listen up, you young whippersnapper, I had to upload several pages again! Several! And all of my customised buttons! Imagine that! Hee hee…"
Got to draw that some day. :)

Forums:
That's where we could and should really learn from Comicfury and others. I'll totally second that.

I've been here for more than fifteen years (I think. I kinda forgot since when.), but I've never used the forums very much until very recently. I hardly ever bothered with them because as a confirmed social-media-illiterate I've always found it very hard to keep track of the discussions. And that's a pity. There are a lot of really interesting threads buried here, and I felt I missed out on a lot. Which I did! I'd like to become more active in webcomics again and not lose touch in the meantime, so I've finally overcome my laziness and now take time to scroll through the forum menu, squinting at the screen to find what's new. That's because I'm either too stupid to use the search function properly or because it isn't very good. Some threads, like this one, I just bookmarked in my browser to get back there more easily.
How do you keep track, btw.? I'm pretty sure you all have figured out better ways.

Even so: something like an additional favourites list for threads that notifies you when someone posts something new, creates a new thread, or reacts to something you said would come in really handy.

How about a trending forum topic listing and or last post in forum on the front page. CF always had that so the SJWs could vent their wrath on the latest outrage.

Frankly it's enough work updating my comics on one platform.

As I've said before, CF may have a larger and more active community on their forum, but whereas they're a lot more high school and cliquish in who they perceive fits in with their community, our DD community is clearly more open and less picky-choosy in that regard.

As for hosting comics, I will agree that CF was far superior, and that much I was very disappointed to lose when migrating over here and having to work around DD's limitations, but honestly, I've been on DD long enough to say without a shadow of a doubt that its pros definitely outweigh the cons.

@ Paul- Love all the input you gave us! Thank You!
@Bravo - I agree! Or at least somewhat copy CF's forum setup because it really works. The moving topics and posts catches peoples eyes because it's a moving format in the left corner always visible.
@J - You are totally right! The age groups or the age range of viewers greatly affects CF. If you go to CF's “Popular Overall” at the top are ALWAYS Pokemon or Eevee comics. (Eevee is a pokemon btw) The pokemon and cute little furry animal comics dominate over there. I believe younger crowds have altered CF to their liking and created a unique flow of people. Someone on CF actually talks about it in that blog on CF and they describe it really well!

The big thing that I think brings in the younger people to CF and not Drunkduck is I think the large flow of people attracts them along with the scrolling forums. (Because forums keep people invested on the site when they are done reading or making comics.) And the other big reason BIG REASON is the ADULT COMICS. Young horny teenagers or just curious youths can bring up CF's adult comics and view them without logging in. Young people may be only interested in sexual or adult material and where are they gonna go to view it if they don't need an account to log into?

And yet, that stuff would also lure in unsavory types that Kyo told me they try to keep at bay because, evidently, they've had instances in the past where pedo creeps slipped into their community with the intent of trying to groom younger members (and I mean actual grooming, not what the far right in America claims grooming is).

CF had a nice variety of comics that I did enjoy, but from what you're describing, that seems to be what Smack Jeeves' problem was way back when. As I've said before, SJ didn't lack variety, however, they clearly had a zeitgeist, and if your comic wasn't Westernized Manga, stolen video game sprite, or LGBTQ+, then the chances of your comic getting any actual notice was slim to none . . . which . . . I can attest to.

Then again, that's the problem with the internet as a whole anymore, and it seems to only get worse as the years pass by: everything falls into a zeitgeist, or some sort of algorithm, and if you don't really fit in with such, then you pretty much don't exist. It's sad to look back on James Rolfe's early pre-AVGN Cinemassacre stuff, and how he's spoken of the internet being the ultimate place for little indie guys to gain exposure for their original work that would otherwise go unnoticed by the mainstream masses . . . that may have been true back in the 2000s, but that's hardly the case anymore.

@j - That is unfortunate that Kyo has to deal with that over there but I suppose it isn't surprising considering the amount of people that visit the site and the easy access to all the material.

I think DD could actually benefit from more creators that like to create Adult and LGBTQ comics. We have talented artists already that do but I think we could use more to reel in the crowds that enjoy it. CF has a lot of popular creative types that appeal to those crowds. Genejoke and Lothar are naturals at making adult comics but we lost our beloved El Cid who was very prolific in making that material.

It should be pointed out of the twenty-five most viewed comics, 20% are adult rated. There is only one adult rated comic in the top ten which is unusual as it is usually at least two and a few times it I've seen it at five of the top ten. So adult comics do well here.
And we all miss El Cid. He was actually one of my most loyal readers. Two characters he created are among the cast of my comic Belle's Best the Films of Belinda Brandon . He is sorely missed.

Indeed, I wonder what became of El Cid.

I guess even outside mainstream, the notion that sex sells proves to be true.

J_Scarbrough wrote:
I guess even outside mainstream, the notion that sex sells proves to be true.

As Avenue Q put it so well into song “the internet is for porn”.
And rule 34. If it exists, there is internet porn of it.
Sexual selection is a thing and humans are wired to enjoy it for more than just breeding. There's been some puritanical and evangelical backlash since the 1970s but hopefully this species will get over its hang ups before the 22d century.

Nah, time to listen to J. Geils Band. Love Stinks. No one ever said it was easy, but all you can do is try your best.

And when I found out that the most quiet innocent girl I thought I knew wrote very sexy erotica? You just don't know people and how they really feel as opposed to the masks we all wear for polite society.
That's what El Cid was about. Dropping those masks and letting it all out. Be nice to think he still reads my stuff even if he doesn't comment because he's not logged in.

I wish I could do something halfway decent that way as opposed to 1970s exploitation. But no where close to being out of ideas.

Last time I heard of El Cid was last year when he and I were the judges together on I think it was best action in a comic for the DD awards 2022. Miss the guy as well.