NDA Art Critique Message Boards

Okay, there was a time when I was really active here, then I left for a bit, only to check things out one day and find this place at a near standstill. I used to get on and there would be at least 5 other people on as well. Know you're lucky if more than 5 people log on each day! I used to love this site, but know I get sad everytime I see it, what do you guys think needs to happen to get this place as active as it once was?

My reason for this is that it's not as reliable as other sites, I mean it's not very popular anymore, sadddly, and yes, I know you pointed that out.

I would have to agree with Gingerleaf.

I think it's because there aren't enough members. This forum has less than 600 members in total, and over 150 of those members haven't made a single post. Plus, there are a lot of members who have made less than 10 posts. Heck, I've barely posted on this site and I'm already in the top 100 for activeness.

I just wish there was some way to make it popular again. It makes me sad everytime I come here to see it so, dead..... it makes me want to leave, but a part of me can't let it go. If activity stays like this for too long though, I will leave. I don't stay here for my artistic needs, I have DA for that, I stay here for the people, and the special meaning this place has in my heart. If this place gets any worse though, I probably will leave, because it makes my fragile self sad to see it this way.

I wish I knew how to do screencaps on my computer. :< At the time of writing this we have 5 members online!!! W00t! xD

Anyways, I do wholeheartedly agree. I think another reason for the steady drop in 'popularity' could be that at the time the forums were going strong, Neon had a web-comic or two going as well, which constantly brought new people to peruse over the boards, some of which stuck around to contribute.
Since those comics have been discontinued for quite a while, the community has been left pretty much on its own resources to grow. The members grew older, the bots grew sneakier, the board had to be moved which I'm sure lost a lot of the previous members. Most of the more prominent and oldest members have left NDA for a more advanced and challenging art forum as well.

I've been a member here for quite a while, though I was never extremely active, but I do remember times when there were so many people on at once, you could actually have running conversations with them without having to wait two days for a reply. I even remember a time with a Role-play section, which was quite popular (and relatively intelligent as RPs go) as I remember it.

I'd have to say the best way to grow and build NDA is to promote it. It will only get more populated if people actively seek to improve it. If people ignore it and just hope for it to grow, it will die.

Although..with more people, comes more problems. I recall a severe pornography incident just a short while before the forum was moved, along with the bots swarming from every conceivable direction. A problem that we don't have to worry about here too much due to the size and general age of the members here, plus the registration limits Neon has set to stop the bots.

The age group that this is geared for is also limiting to how many people we bring in. They're young and sometimes their parents don't want them online so much. The lack of registration is also limiting the amount of people that are coming in, plus neon isn't as active as she used to be which is why some of the people come to the boards for.

#1: Forum registration must be turned back on. This can't happen until a filter is put on that stops most bots from registering, or the entire forum is going to be covered in pr0n. The forums can't really continue WITHOUT this filter and registration turned on.

There are many other things that can be done, but the above is probably most important. (I need to post more, the neondragonart domain as a whole needs to be updated with new content, including new tutorials and reformatted old tutorials, users who do post need to be open to critique and not just be here for back-pats (most here are fine!), and some interactive community activities like a challenge of the week or sketch battles would really liven things up.)

Sounds do able fer sure! I'll try and think of things and stuff that would be fun for our users, and help draw attention to this site.

I don't think it is really "dead" but more, sleeping. Remember now, we have a lot of people on this site of different age groups and therefore, different responsibilities for that age. I for one, could not go on this site as much as I 1. Liked going on the Public drawing boards a little too much. and 2. I was REALLY busy with school and simply did not have the time. Now that I am on Summer Vacation (HUZZAH!) I will be way more active on here (and since I don't have a job as well ). What I'm trying to say is, that most of us are quite busy and some are not, therefore there is a conflict between the activity level of both sides (I hope I am making sense to you all, I am horrible with conveying anything in words )

Also, I don't think having a small community is that bad, having a big community as Conundrum mentioned, can give boards attention, but not exactly positive or helpful attention. I personally, love the community of close-knit artists we have here, feels kind of like a safe haven sometimes. Sure you may not get a lot of comments but, a few well though-out comments is better than a gazillion "OH MY GOSH IT SOOOOCUTE" "i LUV IT FOREVAH, WHAT A PURTY DRAWING LOL" That, would drive me insane.

That's just my opinon however