Jump to content

The Future of xat's Graphic Community


Exuby

Recommended Posts

  • Advanced Members

During this year, xat's graphic community has been lacking and it's really shown in the last six months of 2016. There are tons of people who can make beautiful designs on xat today, but I'm sure they don't have a place that is active enough for them to use their skills as an income. I feel like this can't be improved without changes to the system.

 

It is very sad to see xat.com/Graphics no longer active as it once was. I've tried to make it more active as a main owner with no success, and now I feel like it is time to find a new way where users can buy, sell, and discuss graphics on xat.

 

Graphics and design is a big deal on xat. So then why isn't it treated like it is? Chats, xatspaces, banners, powers, and everything else on xat is design, and it shouldn't be disregarded. If you go onto any active chat, it'll very likely have a custom background made by a designer. xat revolves around design, you wouldn't want to go onto the official Help or xat_Test chat if its background didn't look good, it's nearly impossible to hide because it's basically what we're typing on, we see each others' messages in front of a background, and we wouldn't want some Microsoft Paint + Comic Sans background, would we? We as users need to focus on making this community more active, because without graphics or people who can make them, the website wouldn't be as lively as it is today. 

 

This is why I propose users who make graphics to make their own thread showing their prices, not have users who are in need come first and ask. Make a portfolio and showcase it in their own thread, and users who would be interested would contact them. 

 

Do you guys have any ideas about how we can improve the future of xat's Graphic community? Feel free to share as every suggestion is useful.

  • Award 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Advanced Members

There could be a community showcase of sorts where people are free upload and then to vote on their favorite pieces. The more votes a piece gets, the higher it gets on the list. This would allow users who have a genuine talent to become more known. 

 

The only downside of this is that it would have to be moderated in addition to all of the regular forums. 

  • Award 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Advanced Members

You do realize that xat hasn't been declining because the design community has declined?

In fact, it's the converse: The design community has declined because xat has declined (for various reasons).

There's nothing wrong with what you said, but I feel you have the wrong idea on the design community's decline.

  • Award 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I mean the chat was run into the ground because certain volunteers/members of the xat community don't care if they're in charge of an empty chat as long as they can say they're in charge. 

 

Most of the old members of the graphics community have since left xat or found better ways to showcase/display their graphics. From what I can tell the people still making backgrounds haven't really innovated or anything in a while and literally every background looks the same. Lack of creativity/freedom killed the community.

 

But hey, if you're making dope stuff still more power to you, I would love to see what you guys have been doing. 

 

Here's the last thing I made (cut out & (over?)edited the graffiti from a picture I took).

 

9e4951a538544d1e8197e4993c010bfe.png

 

 

  • Award 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Advanced Members
On 12/30/2016 at 5:33 PM, Angelo said:

There could be a community showcase of sorts where people are free upload and then to vote on their favorite pieces. The more votes a piece gets, the higher it gets on the list. This would allow users who have a genuine talent to become more known. 

 

The only downside of this is that it would have to be moderated in addition to all of the regular forums. 

 

I like this idea and think the current forum software can support something like this if it sparks enough attention between the community and admins (not very likely, though).

 

21 hours ago, DontPanic said:

You do realize that xat hasn't been declining because the design community has declined?

In fact, it's the converse: The design community has declined because xat has declined (for various reasons).

There's nothing wrong with what you said, but I feel you have the wrong idea on the design community's decline.

 

I never meant to say that xat has declined because of its graphics community, I meant that the current graphics community is not stable, while yes, this may be because of xats decline over recent years, but what I was referring to was how it can be improved from what it is at the moment (which is pretty much nothing).

 

16 hours ago, [yeti] said:

I mean the chat was run into the ground because certain volunteers/members of the xat community don't care if they're in charge of an empty chat as long as they can say they're in charge. 

 

Most of the old members of the graphics community have since left xat or found better ways to showcase/display their graphics. From what I can tell the people still making backgrounds haven't really innovated or anything in a while and literally every background looks the same. Lack of creativity/freedom killed the community.

 

But hey, if you're making dope stuff still more power to you, I would love to see what you guys have been doing. 

 

Here's the last thing I made (cut out & (over?)edited the graffiti from a picture I took).

 

[image]

 

 

 

Yes, totally right on the first point, once I had gone inactive and left Graphics (my bad) I didn't think ^.^ would be put in charge. I was expecting someone like Jake, or other staff who had rightfully earned the position and been on it for years, definitely regret leaving after that.  

 

Also, yeah, there hasn't been much innovation in the graphics community lately, no Nicebits or Jake-like creativity from the users, no new templates or resources, it's really died out. This is exactly why I'm looking for new ways to attract people with the skills in design to xat, and it wouldn't be possible without the ideas or help from others. (Really like the image you made, creative!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Advanced Members
On 12/30/2016 at 5:33 PM, Angelo said:

There could be a community showcase of sorts where people are free upload and then to vote on their favorite pieces. The more votes a piece gets, the higher it gets on the list. This would allow users who have a genuine talent to become more known. 

 

The only downside of this is that it would have to be moderated in addition to all of the regular forums. 

 

This is really stretching my memory now, but I think SMF boards support(ed?) some kind of "gallery" add-on where users can post images or rate/comment on others, so there's probably something similar for xat's forum software. Generally I find forum add-ons a bit tacky, but I think it would make sense here.

 

For what my outsider opinion is worth, it's probably a combination of both what yeti and DP suggested: mismanagement drove away high-profile members, and that talent isn't being replenished because of xat's declining activity. Some things could probably be done to nurture the graphics community a bit, but without addressing those two issues, I don't think there's much hope for a full recovery. In any case, I think it's a shame since I've always respected the people who made graphics here, and a few years ago I would have said that the graphics section was one of the few good things about the forum.

  • Award 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Advanced Members
1 hour ago, tan said:

^.^

All I did was ask tbh. Only one other person asked Rida, but he also leaned towards me.

 

I was doing alright until my free time decreased. I've offered the position for anyone that wants it if they have a decent plan. Only two people have asked, one through ticket and one personally. The personal one had a good plan, but I don't know if he went though with it.

 

If anyone else wants it and has thought it through, let me know.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Advanced Members
2 hours ago, Elie said:

All I did was ask tbh. Only one other person asked Rida, but he also leaned towards me.

 

I was doing alright until my free time decreased. I've offered the position for anyone that wants it if they have a decent plan. Only two people have asked, one through ticket and one personally. The personal one had a good plan, but I don't know if he went though with it.

 

If anyone else wants it and has thought it through, let me know.

 

I might reach out soon. I didn't account that you became a volunteer and most likely have other things in real life.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Advanced Members

Problem is, is that anybody can make designs on xat these days.

 

It's hard for users to sell their work especially if it isn't as appealing to their customers.

 

That's why graphics design is a big deal on xat and it is treated as a big deal. It's not for everyone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Advanced Members

I believe that there is no serious project, nor much less interest on the part of the owners to improve the quality and dynamics of the graphics.
I asked in more than one occasion if they had something planned regarding that and never got an answer, make graphics for xat has much demand is what I can see.
It's not just saying "I make a background" you can also collaborate in the graphic subphase with resources, templates (current).
I have seen comments that xat.com/Graphics is always dead, if the designers themselves are not in xatGraphics as they expect the project to start and much less prosper.

 

Learn to share does not cost anything..

  • Award 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Advanced Members
8 minutes ago, Manu said:

I have seen comments that xat.com/Graphics is always dead, if the designers themselves are not in xatGraphics as they expect the project to start and much less prosper.

I hope to change this with my ownership of Graphics.

 

Very good points in all of your post, Manu. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.