Honestly, everyone in the community is so sick and tired of seeing amazing and intriguing threads getting buried under repetitive and stupid questions. We’re all guilty of this, in some sense, and it’s part of why the forums are so dead lately.
So, how can we fix this?
Directing problem/question? Search to see if it’s been asked before.
9 times out of 10, you’re question has been asked before. Many, many, times. Look up keywords relating to your problem. Can’t find a thread? Ask it on the Stupid Questions or one of the dozens of help threads. Then, and only then, if by some fluke of nature your question hasn’t been answered, then you can make a new thread. But trust me, if you put your effort into doing this, there’s no need to make a new thread.
Stop gravedigging old topic ideas.
When a thread dies, it dies for a reason. Bringing it back so people can regurgitate the same nonsense won’t do anything other than make another pointless thread.
For the love of god, STOP MAKING ART REQUEST THREADS.
You know that neat little section? #creators-discussion:resources? It exists for a reason. If you want art, go to literally the HUNDREDS of art shops that already exist.
Stop making R4R threads.
We get it, your 100% original Mafie Werewolf Bad Boy story is s o o o o special that it needs it’s own R4R thread. But can you like… not? There are already so many R4R threads and copying and pasting a R4R message ain’t gonna break any of your bones.
I agree with this. If you have any coding questions, there’s threads open to help with directing issue and sites like Dara Amarie’s. Her website helps out a lot, and it gives good information for basic and advanced directing. If you need customization templates, go to Dara’s website again. If you need help with art resources, check public domain image sites, art shops, and free background sharing threads.
For promoting and getting more attention towards your story, make a thread or respond to threads that make the whole promotion process more varied and interesting. For example, you could pitch your story to someone through answering questions or having a spotlight placed on you to explain why you think your story is worthwhile.
I think the only way to improve these forums from this current state is to cut down on those repetitive threads through effective means by checking first before you make a new thread. Consider interacting with other threads that don’t involve Episodes stories, but just some general chat about things people are thinking about right now. Try out forum games, and look at other people’s content and give them much needed support and feedback too.
but again I agree people ask the same qustions, you could find either find already answaerd by search or Joseph Evans videos, that is what do, and honestly its faster to look for it answaerd then to make a topic and wait for that answaer.
and yes art request there is like ten new evry day. and usally that person have only just started on the story, hey I am looking for a realistic art cover I wont pay because I am young and poor, also I been working on this story in like a week and will properly give up on it before I finish chapter 2.
I dont mind r4r. I know there is a lot but honestly r4r is one of the best ways to get reads.
I’m guilty of doing some of this
I’m better tho, I promise!
If I want r4r (which I don’t need rn) I will go to a r4r threat.
I don’t post a whole new threat for art request. That’s stupid and 9/10 times the response I’ll get is artwork they did that doesn’t entirely match the theme I’m going for with my story (except my prof pic, it was artwork someone did for a story (that I had to discontinue for personal reasons). I appreciate the effort they put in, but I now ask my sister (a digital artist) to help me with cover work.
I don’t like grave-digging old topics. The only time I see it as “okay” is if it’s an outfit/background/hairstyle/animation/app feature request that was super popular, but Episode ignored.
Usually if I see something asking for, say, overlay help, I will link them to a thread that helps them. Sometimes there are directing problems that are specific to one person (that’s what the directing help category is for), but if it’s a general question about spot directing or zooming, just look for a thread on it.
Sorry I did this in reverse order, that’s just kinda what happened.
Sorry if none of this makes sense, I’m tired lol
I 100% agree with this!
One of my pet peeves here is when new authors start writing a story without even looking up youtube videos or even the slightest idea about how to do it and starts a thread and expect to have the whole script fixed for them!
I think the forums have much more to offer than that!
I don’t understand commenting on episode announcement threads months after they were released. I see it way too often where people are like. “Omg I love this dress!” 6 weeks after the post was made… Also don’t bump those threads??? I really don’t get why people bump threads that were just for announcements. There’s no further discussion needed.
Just a reminder that any thread can be muted on the forums and you can also change your notification settings to better suit what you want to see and not see. Check them out in your profile preferences / account/ notification settings
I was guilty of this, I searched a question, couldnt find it, so I made a thread, I ended up finding the thread the next day, turns out I worded it weird when I searched it.
ahh yes but about the art requests, there’s many artists/editors who aren’t in an art group/shop and take requests randomly through threads sometimes if they’re available and i think it’s better creating a thread to see if anyone’s open than pming people who probably don’t want to be asked. and some of those hundreds art groups can be inactive or busy.
bumping old threads - some are pointless to but there some like ones who are feature requests who people may forgot about or they weren’t interested at the time about and bump so it’s gets noticed again because new people are always joining the forums
i don’t have a problem with R4R honestly, some people want create their own r4r threads that focuses on their story and them instead of others
Bump! I always find it weird when I checked unread topics, and see a topic involving an update announcement made like 3 months ago pop up again. The only announcements that I can understand being bumped and having more consistent posting is contest threads throughout the duration of the contest and a little but after the deadline since everyone’s waiting and developing their stories.
Preach 
