While I completely agree with you on the simple one word cheerleading posts here (not constructive- absolute waste of space) I have an extreme dislike (pun intended) for anything Facebook-like. Take those 'likes' and social interfering tools elsewhere I say, don't implement them here. I have a flickr account I can tell when pics are appreciated by view counts and how many people favorite them. I just don't want this place to ever become like Facebook, it's an albatross around society's neck.

^^^^^^
LIKED!

I like looking at pics too, but posting for popularity is just fuckin' needy!

As is posting the same picture across multiple forums.

As is posting crappy pics and apologising for posting crappy pics . . . Just don't post the fuckin' crappy pics in the first place!

As is posting pictures of toys still in the bag, or even worse, still in the fuckin' box!

As is . . .

I'll continue the derail.

If a "like" option was even possible to add here, I doubt it would alleviate the inane posts.
Using IG as an example, even being able to ♡ a picture doesn't stop people from posting the "wow's, cool's, awesome's, etc." in addition. I'll admit to being guilty of such behavior on occasion. The same would almost definitely happen here as well (especially when post count boosting is factored in).

Andy, I 100% agree with everything you just said except for the cross-posting of pics on forums. What's the harm? I'd venture to say there's still plenty of members here who don't have an IG account. SB would benefit from more pics shared not less.

I'm pretty sure he's talking about the idea of someone getting a Kumon (for example), and posting the same pic of it in the "what you just got in the mail", "marbled madness!", and "KUMON" threads.

Totally misread that. Thanks chimmychazz

In that case, in complete agreement with Andy's pet peeves... especially the bagged/boxed pics. Save that shit for the bst or ebay

And you're all wondering why this forum is fading out... People like you scare off all the newcomers.

But it's not fading out. Not at all. His point is you've been an active part of this forum for less then 100 days. Don't take this as an attack, but unless you were lurking for an extended period you don't know much about this board right now in terms of if it's community, it's attitudes or whether it is fading in or fading out. If Moody can scare you off with just a suggestion to read a bit more and post a less (just in regards to issues like this, in other topics go wild) then this isn't the place for you.

All and all, your suggestion was just a comment and really inconsequential in the grand scheme but Moodydoom's response wasn't very harsh. If you want to last on skullbrain, you have to develop thicker skin.

I try to turn a blind eye to over-eager newcomers who tend to steam-roll in and yammer on and on. Take my suggestion for what it was. It could have been way way harsher, and in fact i'm really surprised no one has called you on it sooner.

As for 'people like me', welcome to my ignore list.

I want to rename this topic.

What ever makes you feel important. And sorry my enthusiasm for toys offended you.
At the end of the day, this is a board about toys. You know... things that are supposed to be fun to collect? Wouldn't hurt to take it easy and have fun once in a while instead of getting so worked up about someone making a simple suggestion.

^ It's cute how entirely unaware you seem to be of what a solid precedent there is here of people spouting off in the exact same way as you are in this thread, right down to the same presumptive insults being flung at those that are just trying to be helpful. Your classic defensiveness will sway no one to your psudo-casual attitudes: we all love toys here, sir or madam, and the enthusiastic exchange of information and of beautiful plastic dollies is constant.

Please reread hellopike's remarks to you - you won't find a more reasonable assessment of this non-situation anywhere.

Honestly you should stop and look at things from another perspective for a second. There are people in this very thread who have been here for the better part of a decade. They probably have quite an attachment to this place by now. Telling any of them that this place is slow or dying or needs to be adjusted to bring in more people to keep it going is pretty presumptuous.

You obviously think this place is about toys but it's really not. If it were just about toys then anyone could post about any kind of toy they wanted. People could sell toys for 10 times what they paid and not get called out for it. People would post lottery information every single week for everyone else to see. People would be allowed to post live auctions of stuff to make more money for themselves. It's not like that. This place is a community of people who for the most part want the same thing. Toys made by people who love making them at prices an average person can afford. Yes it's a bit fractured and there are lots of old grudges and all the negative things that come from a hobby that has more demand then supply but it's still a community.

With all due respect you have been here for just a few minutes. I myself have been here for just a few minutes. My hope is that maybe a few years from now I'll be a part of this place like so many others are. I'll know some of these crazy people in person and have a few toys from a few people I really think make amazing stuff. If I just wanted a busy forum about toys and that's it then I would go to one of the other dozens of places that are about toys instead of about history and community. The question you should ask yourself is what do you want from this place? If it's just toys and lots of new posts and threads this is probably the wrong place to look for that.

I mean no offense at all, really. This place just isn't everywhere else. Anyone who really wanted to could profit from this hobby and the information here and make things harder for the people who just like toys. That is why new people like us are judged harshly in the beginning and rightfully so. One single person can do a decent amount of damage if they try hard enough. So this place tries to protect itself the best way it can and a huge influx of new members would make that much more difficult if not impossible. It's not about exclusivity it's about protection of something these people love. Whether they are fighting a losing battle or not no one really knows yet but taking it personally is just shortsighted.

The idea of Organizing by Genre rather than Location is cool, although like Lixx mentioned, there are those of us who only collect Japanese...

Thanks for bringing this up, James, because whether we like it or not, as our hobby grows, the access to it's information needs to grow with it.

I'm fine with there just being: Japan , U.S. , & Elsewhere. And once another area's producing on the same levels, we can roll with the times then too and give them there own spot.

Maybe it should all start with 2 sections: Sofubi / Nofubi

The titles needing to be creative or clever aren't really so necessary tho. It's fun for a second, but I'm always a fan of simple & to the point. Sometimes it's nice to know where I'm going without having to go there first

If only he knew what he was getting into beforehand (beforefinger) ...

What about we who live in Japan and make toys? But then again, if Ive made enough Kumon to be used as an example maybe its time to stop.

I agree with Maddie. I'm new as well, but have been using message boards for 20 years now and know how they work. First you have the original members, topics are made, discussion is had and then things sizzle. Then after a few years, new people come who are hungry for the discussion they missed, and older members are tired of having the same old discussion. "Use the search tool"! "That's been answered!" The newcomer is looking for a community of like-minded people to discuss her interests. If original members aren't willing to rehash old discussions, why not bring in new blood? Of course the older members will retaliate against the change. We've all seen this happen over and over for 20 years now, right?

Just because someone is knew, doesn't mean their contribution is worth less than more establish posters.

I found this place because multiple google searches for Balzac stuff brought me here. I don't collect kaiju, vintage stuff, etc., but I read the posts and my appreciation of these arts has certainly developed.

The posters who are bitter, mean and negative to newbies are real killjoy. But the great thing about skullbrain, is that for each time someone jumped down my throat for breaking an unwritten rule, about 3 other people politely pm'd me to explain my transgression.

As for the topic, I think categorization by genre is a good idea. Why separate Super7 and SecretBase because of the nationality of the creators?

That's why you have to meet boardies in person, because many are much nicer than their internet tough guy counterparts

Says you, you where a real hard ass and mugged me after a few minutes. Horrible experience.

Thank you for the very well-written, level-headed response. I definitely see what you mean. New people could definitely shake things up in a negative way based on their intentions and actions. I myself have seen a few people join and immediately start trying to peddle toys, I'm sure that causes a lot of mistrust between SB'ers and new folks.
Still, when I first started looking at the forums, the first thing I noticed was the disparity between how many people were online at any given time and the "record" amount of people who were online sometime in 2007. I wasn't there back then so I don't know how many of those members were actual community members and how many were bots/lurkers/spammers, but the difference was startling.
I guess my fear is that I walked into a forum on the decline. I've been a part of communities that suddenly died out, and it's a very sad feeling when it happens. We all have a great thing going here and I think we should try to preserve it.

i'm sorry but i disagree, it's not ok to just come on in and start sharing your 2 cents wherever/whenever you feel like it.

If someone new is eager and hungry for new info. they should find a thread that matters to them and start engaging in actual conversation, and hopefully, start contributing something, even if only to ask questions.

What they shouldn't do is come here and jump into whatever's on the front page of the Active Topics section and start talking about "what we should be doing to this place" and then, when they get called on it, insult older members and blame them for how this place is 'fading'. Fuck that noise. It's just rude. Would you do that in an actual social situation in which your meeting new people? No. Same goes for this place. I'm a nice guy in person, i try to be a nice guy here, but act inconsiderately and you deserve to get called on it. I don't think that's mean, i think that's quality control.

I'll never forget the first time I looked into your sparkling brown eyes. And then James'. And then Linda's. And then her husband's.

I'm coming for you, Moodydoom.

Don't take that out of context!

My eyes are blue, asshole.

This conversation has taken a lot of turns and ended up pretty off-topic. Votes are in and it looks like renaming the section to something more inclusive would maybe a good idea.

I'd say there's more than a little bit of negative connotations being thrown around about some very hard-working and incredible artists, and before this whole thing becomes an opportunity for people who don't like non-Japanese artists to rag on them some more, I'm going to lock this down. Feel free to start another thread to talk about board suggestions, but let's try to remember that even though they might not be your cup of tea, these artists from outside Japan are doing a ton for this community. Let's try to be respectful.