Hrm... just my two cents on the issue:
The following is mostly in regards to some of the comments posted in the other tread on this issue:
http://www.pokegym.net/showthread.php?t=401
Marril said:
I'll put in my vote,as an original 'Gymmer, but I won't size=7 a shout for a fic forum. IMO it's immature.
What's wrong with a shout out for a fiction forum? At WizPog, we requested one, but didn't ask enough, and guess what? We never got one. Just as in a oral conversation with someone, raising your voice just helps add to your point. If shout outs weren't supported here, there wouldn't be the option to enlarge font.
SD PokéMom said:
Wait a minute, please: the last thing I (and I'd assume the rest of this community) want to see is some kind of "us vs. them" division, with this board just over a week old!
Yes, I was at the 'old' Gym...and I saw a lot of people leave when it moved over to Wizards of the Coast. As with all communities, online or RL, change is inevitable; NOTHING is going to 'bring back' the "old 'Gym"...not the return of every 'old' member, nor the addition of a fiction forum.
I'd dare to say that a good 80% or more of the members of this incarnation of the 'Gym never were on the Psylum boards. And IMHO holding up the 'old 'Gym' as some kind of ideal of perfection and essentially telling people that if they aren't demanding a fiction forum in every post they make they aren't "true 'Gymmers" is divisive at best...and elitist at worst.
The community is still forming/re-forming; there are going to be more things added as time goes on, such as avatars, etc. Please, please be patient; we want to make this community what it's members want it to be. But suggesting that only members of the old Psylum 'Gym 'know' what the 'Gym 'should be' is wrong, as is saying those who aren't posting demands for a fiction forum are not 'true' members of the community. Personally, I'd like to see a forum in which ANY type of art can be linked/posted...graphic, poetry, music, etc....NOT just fiction.
JMHO,
'mom
The thing is, because of what we had at the original 'Gym, in a sense, we do know what this incarnation
could be. We're not saying the original 'Gym was perfect, we're just saying that it had a more unified and varied community than this one is, due to the fact that it had lots of different forums that cattered to lots of different Pokémon fan's tastes. Us supporters of the Fiction Forum would
never want a split betwen the old "Gymmers" and the newer ones. That would go against our whole goal, which is a more unified and varied community. As Tia3 so wisely said, this board is much less about Pokémon, and much more about the people the make it up. Tia3 wasn't saying that you're not a a true "Gymmer" if you don't support the idea of a Fiction Forum, she was implying that we are
all true "Gymmers" because of the simple fact that we all come here for the people, not just those dang Pocket Monsters.
onederlnd said:
We understand what you want, and we are taking it into concideration... but the board is still new, under new management, give us TIME before you start your ranting and raving about adding things. Please.
Do you consider a polictical speech to be ranting and raving? Tia3 said nothing more than what a political leader would say, which is only in the hope of creating support and unification. We do understand that the board is brand new, but we're only looking for support and an answer, not instant gratification. We've got our answer now (in the form of obvious hints), and as evident by this thread, there is support for a Fiction Forum. We're satisfied for now.
Anywho... I've said all I've wanted, and I thank you for listening to me.
To the future!
Matthew