peopleofthedas | I Miss Our Community

Hear, hear!

Awwww WE MISS YOU TOO.

There have been some discussion posts lately, but with DLC for DA2 dying down and Skyrim taking over a lot of people's lives I realise we're going through a bit of a quiet patch. Do not despair, though! I'm pretty sure DA will be with me forever, so I'll sit in the room with you drinking whiskey and reminiscing and shaking my cane at other fandoms forever. <3

Skyrim has eaten into a lot of my free time, that's for sure. Over 60 hours logged and I don't think I'm even close to halfway.

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1smut_princess - 2012-01-26 18:02 (UTC) - Expand

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kelcat - 2012-01-26 18:06 (UTC) - Expand

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1smut_princess - 2012-01-26 21:36 (UTC) - Expand

I think that may be a part of it... the DA2 life cycle is pretty much nearing its end. By the time DAO hit the final few DLC they were already working on DA2 and we had that to get excited over.

As for me, I am SUPER psyched for DA3. Really. What little I've read makes me think they're keeping the good combat and voiced hero of DA2 and bringing back the choice, variety, and complexity of DAO. And, you know, never doing repeating dungeons again since they will never live that shit down.
I honestly do think DA3 has the potential to be the best of both worlds, and utterly awesome. And I CAN. NOT. WAIT.

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dragonreine - 2012-01-27 03:23 (UTC) - Expand

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braigwen - 2012-01-30 22:35 (UTC) - Expand

Aw, Jan, I don't think it's on its last legs! It's just slower than it used to be, and that's to be expected. Like Miri said, people are playing other games and doing other things, but that doesn't mean the comm's going to die. I have no intention of quitting the comm anytime soon and I hope that that a lot of others feel the same way.

We've got a really good amount of people participating in Sugar & Spice and we're really psyched to see how that turns out in a few weeks. I've started writing mine and I'm really excited to find out what people think and read other people's stuff (and see their art) :D Don't despair! <3

I really agree. This has been an awesome year to be a gamer. Especially an RPG gamer. So many cool things have come out.
It is feast or famine I guess.
But right now I think a lot of people are playing brand new games. That doesn't mean no one will look back to DAO, DA2... or look forward to DA3.

*is not going anywhere anytime soon*

I think this is just a temporary lull.

I agree. The Doctors are already discussing DA3 in interviews. Then on to sweet, sweet speculation season.

I think a lot of community contribution has died down as a whole over the past couple of months, not just here: everything seems quieter in general.

I am guilty of the Skyrim addiction too (soooo shiny!). For me personally, I'm still around, just not saying much *shrugs*

I think things will perk up again once the ME3 hype is done and/or new DLC or DA3 is announced...

Skyrim is good for the crack of "Oh hey look I'm climbing a mountain while sneaking and raining arrows down like an angry avenging god, byebye dragon..." (I'm at the hardest setting and I still cheese through everything...) But while the gameplay is good, the interactions are absolute bunk. It nearly makes me nostalgic for tuggin' out an SNES and poppin' in FFIII/VI for laughs. Shit...no. No, Rhion, don't do it! Crap. I'm gonna do it. Just have to find a memory card...

Though FFN is still active in lots of new stories, it's just that they get discouraged because of lack of interaction. So, yeah, continual die-down.

Well you know why I've pretty much stopped bothering with the posting, and it has nothing to do with not writing. If people consistently can't be sodded to participate unless prodded to it with a ptichfork, why bother? I mean, I get that there's other games, I've been playing them as you know, and even busted out all my old PSOne games, GameCube, PS2 and shit, so I can do stuff between taking care of business and writin'. Every community and fandom I've been in over the last, well, okay so 1999 (Oh Hi Lexx... Kai, Last of the Brunnen-G with your big bouffant hair...) dies down not due to such levels because of other things taking the place of the prior things, but because of lack of participation. Those who post versus those who interact, as that gap increases, posters slowly stop posting, as there is a cycle to continued excitement.

However, we'll probably get a bit of an upsurge due to ME3 - people will go "Oh, BioWare, hey they have other games too, let's (re)play those! Woot..."

Yet, if people don't put the effort in...chirping is what we'll be seeing for a long time.

Well, we have a pretty large amount of participants for Sugar & Spice and had a really great discussion going on in the sign-up post, so I don't know if it's fair to say that people have to be prodded with pitchforks to participate or that they're not putting the effort in. We also still have at least a few people a week joining the comm, which is really heartening.

I think it's a testament to how loved this community is that people express their frustrations about it not being the same as it used to be, but I don't think it's anyone's fault that things are slow lately. The whole DA fandom is slow right now as far as I can tell. People don't post as much as they used to and no one gets as many comments as they used to. That's how it is when nothing new (e.g. a new version of a game or a DLC coming out) happens in a fandom. Harry Potter, for example, has been exceptionally quiet since Part 2 of Deathly Hallows came out on DVD.

The bottom line on this issue for me is that this place is supposed to be fun, and I don't want anyone to be made to feel guilty for not participating if they're busy or just want to do something else for a while (like I did). Guilt is only going to make them want to participate less.

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feckless_muse - 2012-01-27 20:25 (UTC) - Expand

You won't be the last to turn the lights out, hun, cos I'll be right here with you :)

I've been playing Old Republic (and omg, it's a Bioware mmo. It has eight origins and they all have their own personal story the.entire.way.through.the.game.)

However, I still check in here at least once a day to see what's going on. I don't comment on everyone's fic though, as it's not all my cup of tea. Da2 was a bit meh, for me.

But still writing, still posting and still here :)

Mmmm SWTOR. Love it lots... I am a little (well more than a little if truth be told) disappointed that Bioware made it closed world (why gods why?????). I have never encountered an MMO that is not open world and I am really really confused about why they would do this!

It really hurts replayability for people who aren't hardcore Bioware RPG fans. Not that I care if the elitist twat/troll MMO crowd drop out but it might spell the premature decline of the game if they don't really churn out new content fast and consistently, and that would be sad.

I'm rambling... What I wanted to say is YAY big assed Bioware rpg!! :D

Which server are you on? I'm on the randomly commandeered by the Aussies 'The Harbinger'.

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scarylady - 2012-01-27 09:38 (UTC) - Expand

I've never been one to join in discussions or comments, sadly, being the dumb, quiet sort who doesn't just become wallflowers, but melt into the wallpaper. I do, however, check in everyday, like what scarylady does, and frankly I always look forward to more art/fic recs or submissions from here than anywhere else.

I don't post much art, but I'm just generally busy (Skyrim, festive seasons, health problems etc), so there's a lack of output. But I'm still drawing, still writing (when I can) and still watching this community. :)

Ironically? This is probably the single most active comm on my reading list, so I didn't realize that there was a problem.

At any rate. I just picked up the games (yes, I'm a little late) and once I can actually play them, I'll be able to contribute! So far I'm enjoying reading things, but I don't really have much to say. ^^;

Well, we're very glad you're here regardless :D

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scarylady - 2012-01-26 23:46 (UTC) - Expand

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amhran_comhrac - 2012-01-27 01:36 (UTC) - Expand

I've also felt at times like the comm was dying, but I won't ever leave because you all are the best, and we have really awesome authors and artists here.

I think part of the problem may be that while most of us read the posted fics, we don't often comment on them. I admit that I'm guilty of this myself. I really do try to give feedback, but sometimes I lapse. When I scroll back in the comm archives, I see many fics with no feedback. I think this may discourage some authors, because they may feel that nobody likes their stuff. On the other hand, discussion posts usually see a lot of traffic.

That's not to say we should read every fic posted; I only read what I'm interested in and I'm sure others do the same. It might help if we post a comment to the ones we do read, even if it's just a "good job!"

I don't post all my fics here, because I have discovered that each community has a different audience. For example, I post my long, plotty series on FF.net instead of here, because there is more interest there. I post much of my slash here though, because people seem to like it. I'm never offended if I get no feedback because I know that not all stories appeal to everyone. At least, I hope that's the reason and not because my fic just sucks LOL!

Skyrim has also sucked me into its gaping maw, but I'm still writing DA fics as time allows. And I check in here at least once a day!

If you don't get any feedback, it's definitely not because your fics suck! ;-)

I agree with you as far as audiences go. I noticed that I get way more feedback on my Alistair/Zevran fics than my Anders/Nathaniel fics, just because the former is a more popular pairing than the latter. (Though I'm doing my best to saturate the market and change that, lol!)

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brynna - 2012-01-26 21:44 (UTC) - Expand

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brynna - 2012-01-27 17:08 (UTC) - Expand

I read, and I'm here :) But I'm especially reading stories with Zev in them.
(and I never know what to comment about...)

Usually any author/artist wants something along the lines of your thoughts - if anything struck you in particular or moved you, overall. The rule of thumb I was taught long n'long ago, was put yourself in the creator's shoes and think about what you would want someone to notice, then apply what you see. Even if you don't do it regularly, know that most any who get that sort of input, particularly if it's something you're honestly thinking or have observed or felt, will be pretty much thrilled and you will make their day for that sort of thing. (From experience, every time I get a review like that I usually wind up hugging my Eyeore and bouncing up and down and squawking excitedly while yammering at my husband, and then trying to expand upon those things noticed. Even if it's criticism like 'there seems something off in your 'voice' here, I can't quite put my finger on it/or this here seems to not fit in with the rest of the story/style you've got going on and it's jarring'.)

Hmm, we had this over at TPF in LJ land too. I don't think its dying. I think exams and Christmas rush at work and new years and end of holidays and Skyrim and SWTOR happened.

I'm sure not going anywhere. I'm even trying to decide if my moral compass will let me use Origin so I can keep playing in the DA and ME worlds. I don't think I'll stop abusing the poor characters in this Verse for quite a while yet.

Give it a few more weeks and another dlc or x-pac and it'll bounce back again.

Even if EA completely screws the pooch w the next game I'll still love origins, awakenings and the da2 characters :-D

This. <3

Assassin's Creed Revelations! woot!

(And DAO when ACR's not looking - am playing a bad mCousland through to see how evil Ferox can be.)

The Zevs are unimpressed with being killed.

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le_monde - 2012-01-27 01:14 (UTC) - Expand

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le_monde - 2012-01-27 01:33 (UTC) - Expand

So you know how there's autopay with bills?
Well, if your CC expires... Time Warner neglects to mention that. They just... do nothing.
Until they turn off your internets. (HI I DON'T BALANCE MY CHECKBOOK SO SUE ME).

SO that was my yesterday, when this was posted. Wheee. Or I would have replied a million times until now.
Which I will probably do now as I go through the thread.

OK, here are my overarching blanket thoughts vis a vis The State of The Community.

There are communities where you might see one post a week. One post a month. We are nowhere near that point, not by a long shot. Not when we're actually all here discussing our mutual love of the community.

You all may not see it, but there is still PLENTY of interest in Dragon Age. We get at least one new member almost daily. No exaggeration.

The question then becomes... why don't they post?

We mods have actually tried to proactively keep the community going. We were doing prompts. I tried to get some chatter going on Thedas lore. We have the swaps (and Sugar and Spice is going to be AWESOME, folks. We have so many talented people here it is not even funny).

But it remains that, quite often, the stuff we posted was pretty much ignored. I don't know if it wasn't of interest, or the timing was off, but we'd get a few comments and then silence.

A lot of people post their fic here. I would love to see more involvement than that. Sometimes it feels like drive by fic-posting. Boom, a chapter and they're gone. I would actually be dancing-happy if the ratio of fic to discussion was a bit more balanced. But we can't do it alone. We're only five women here... five brilliant, sexy, charming women, but just five of us. Out of more than three hundred members. If you want more discussion... start a discussion! It doesn't all have to be "what do we think the long term economic and socio-political consequences would be if the Chantry was no longer allowed to profit from the Tranquil's labor?" It can be "hey, here's a great mod I found to give Isabela new boots" or even "writers: beta or no beta" or whatever (although I would blabber like nobody's business about the first one!!)

I will admit, I have been MIA for a long time, mostly due to hellish personal-life drama and brain issues. I MISSED this place, though. And I am so glad to be back. And I WILL be posting discussions left and fucking right until everyone is so sick of my avatar that they wish for a house to drop onto my head. But none of us can do it alone. SO come... let's talk Dragon Age.

I tend to be a drive by fic-poster, I'll totally own up to that :) But one of the main reasons I don't join in a lot of discussions here is because they tend to be focused on DA2 stuff (which I'm more or less meh about).

Not saying that's a bad thing AT ALL, just that those aren't of interest to me, so I don't chime in. And it honestly never occurred to me to make discussion posts (bad habit from being in so many meme and rp comms). So maybe I'll try to think up some topics and start posting more.

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feckless_muse - 2012-01-27 21:00 (UTC) - Expand

*blinkblink*

Wow! There are people still here. I was beginning to think there were only about 6 of us left. Whew!

See, since I live on a fixed income due to my disability (panic/anxiety disorder, long story), I can't afford to get the latest games when they come out. The current price tags of $50 or $60 for new releases is almost a week of groceries for me. I haven't even played DA2 yet because the price hasn't come down far enough, although with what many folks have said about it, I'm not really sure I want to. I probably will just because I'm a bit of a completionist, but there you are.

And Skyrim? I loved Morrowind and didn't mind Oblivion as much as many people seemed to do. The story wasn't as rich, but it was fine. Well, it was fine until BethSoft stopped supporting it after it'd been out for about 6 months. I updated my video driver, and suddenly couldn't play the game anymore. Talk about pissed! I'd really like to get Skyrim, but like DA2, the price will have to come down.

I post here and over on LJ and usually on FF.net too. When it got to the point where I wasn't getting anything, not even an "I like this story," I just figured it was because no one was reading. I used to be able to count on at least 3 or 4 comments, but when I stopped getting anything...well, I've already said it.

It's been nice to see discussion once again. I truly do miss seeing regular activity. I've got about 6 or 7 pieces I've started, but hadn't had the heart to work on because I figured no one would read them anyway. Sorry, that sounds a little "poor, poor, pitiful me," and I don't mean it that way at all. I write to stretch my muscles, as it were. I can write an academic paper with one hand tied behind my back, but fiction is harder for me. So, I had taken on writing fan fic for DA because it let me do something I'm actually good at -- I can take something that's already there and edit it, so to speak, but I don't do so well at cutting it from whole cloth. I can't build worlds. Since I write to challenge myself to develop a new set of skills, comments are more important than I thought they'd be when I first started posting fan fic.

Because I know that people often cross paths on the 'Net, but may not recognize each other, I use the same nick or a variation thereof anywhere I go. So, I'm Jannifer here and in the DA Forums and on FF.net and on the Wiki. On LJ, I'm Janni-in-VA (my first choice alternate nick). Only on Etsy and Facebook do I go by my full name (Jan C. Lane, if you're curious).

Okay, if y'all are reading, I'll keep writing. If you toss in the occasional few words, I'd be pathetically grateful. I'm not asking for a full scale review, just a few crumbs. Scarey, you can even correct my grammar. *grin* (Although since I have a BS in English, I try to make sure there's nothing to correct.)

*wanders off muttering about conversation starters and characters and plot and dialogue and stuff*

Jeeze...talk about the Great Wall of Text...lol

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1smut_princess - 2012-01-28 02:44 (UTC) - Expand

I'm still here, too, and I still check in regularly.
Unfortunately real life is kind of heavy right now with roleplaying and studies (yes, I'm taking an English grammar course at uni this semester!) eating what little I have of free time, so I don't read everything on the site and I really suck at commenting.

Excuses, I know, and I really should comment on all the fics I read. :D Sorry, will do better!

Aw, maaaaan! Don't give up on us! I'm sorry that I've never been one to enter into discussion or share in the community stuffs. I actually have pretty bad problems with anxiety and a fairly low opinion of what I have to say. I still love to lurk and read.

I've been writing all my life, but the DA stuff got me over a ten-year drought. I still write to "stay in shape." Even if I'm writing things for pro publishing, here are still a lot of things I have unfinished and frankly, I write things for myself to read. If I'm still having fun with it, then it's getting written and then prolly foisted off onto you unlucky so-and-sos! Mwuahahahaha!

*slinks back into the Cheeto dust and coffee stained cavern from whence she came*

7Corbies, I have severe, refractory panic/anxiety disorder. (For those who might be unfamiliar with the term, "refractory" means it's resistant to treatment so that I have break through attacks even though I'm on good meds.) Believe me, I know what you're talking about. As for what you have to say, you don't always have to say something deep and meaningful for it to matter. I mean, you don't have to go "symbol hunting under the bed" as one of my college professors used to say. It's okay to just mention one thing you liked. "I liked so and so's comment on such and such" or "Yeah, my Zevran says stuff like that too." And do come out of the cave, dear, you'll catch your death of cold in there.

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seven_corbies - 2012-01-28 04:54 (UTC) - Expand

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jannifer - 2012-01-28 12:35 (UTC) - Expand

I'm still here too. I'm just shy about posting stuff, especially my writing, as it's just not very good. Also my Zelda muses have been hitting me full force the past couple of months, so I've been working on them. And then a death in the family kind of... borked all my muses for awhile. They're slowly turning back on, so we'll see what happens there.

But I AM still here, and still check the place fairly regularly.

Yeah, mine's not wonderful either, and I think I'm completely incapable of planning anything longer than a one-shot. But, I still like to throw it up and see what people have to say. I figure practice makes perfect, and I'm practicing.

I must say that this community never seemed dead to me. I'm fairly new around here, but everything still seems very active.
Dragon Age is still the biggest and most active fandom I'm involved in, and I'm not going anywhere! :-)

i might be late to the party, but i just want to throw in my two cents: i believe i'm probably one of those drive-by fic slingers. >.> i don't mean to be. honestly, real life has swallowed me whole, with a lot of drama, and just finding the time to write was hard over the fall and winter, let alone anything else. when i do get a chance, i pop up googledocs and just go. sometimes i check my email. i only happened by this thread on accident, because i decided to check the scroll on a whim before i get back to work on chapter 27. fish has started flowing out of my hands so quickly over the past week and a half or so that i can't even keep up. i wish i could say i'm exaggerating, but my family are getting pissed that i'm writing all the time. i know i've missed a lot of good art and writing, and i hope i can catch up at some point, but for now, the only thing i can do, if i want to participate at all, is write. so, i love you guys, and, i hope that you'll still be happy to see me once my story's told. ~<3~