New Media

Talk with others about anything shrine-related, be it presentation, content or something else.
Todd
Posts: 2636
Joined: Sat Aug 13, 2011 10:18 pm
Location: Zanarkand
Contact:

New Media

Post by Todd »

(Karen gets credit for this discussion topic, as she mentioned it to me in an e-mail about a site we're working on, and it got me thinking...)

Media "basics" for media sections on fansites have always been icons/avatars, wallpapers, and scans/screen caps/galleries. With the way the internet, and I guess technology, has moved on, though, some of these things could be considered outdated and unnecessary, and are probably largely unused.

Icons made sense a while back because almost everyone had a Livejournal or equivalent, and people were active on more forums. Nowadays there are less active forums, and a lot of people seem to have moved on from Livejournal. Do icon sections still make sense?

Wallpapers used to come in two general sizes: 800x600 and 1024x768. With screens getting larger and larger, and resolutions differing so much from one monitor to the next, there is no real general size to make wallpapers in anymore.

What kind of media do you offer on your websites? What are other types of media that visitors may want to find on a fansite today and possibly use?
Crystal
Posts: 2320
Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2012 5:02 pm
Location: Alberta Canada
Contact:

Re: New Media

Post by Crystal »

Usually I'll have official art or screenshots in my media sections, but as of late I've generally avoided doing them all together. Sometimes I'm just never sure what to do for them plus there are other sites around that provide better quality images so I tend to just not do them.

Wallpapers I used to make for fun, and even used on my websites if the wallpaper I made fit the subject, but because of the large variety of screen resolutions out there nowadays I just don't make them anymore. Even any wallpapers I download now to use I have to do some resizing and cropping just so they'll fit my resolution.

And icons I just suck at making so I don't do them. *cough*
There are shadows before us - but only because the light is at our back.
User avatar
Rems
Posts: 113
Joined: Fri Aug 02, 2013 12:35 pm
Location: England
Contact:

Re: New Media

Post by Rems »

I've made lots of icons over the years so if I have any that I still like, then I'll include them, but it's not something I'd go out of my way to do anymore, really? Since they're not as popular and if people are looking for icons they are more likely to check DW/LJ first.

I do sometimes put artwork up, but it's generally not very extensive. I used to include lyrics to songs that I related to whatever the subject was, but now I'm leaning towards making fanmixes and uploading them to 8tracks and then linking out to it afterwards, since it's kind of interesting.
❝ they have stolen the heart from inside you, but this does not define you ❞
Destinie
Posts: 3357
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2011 5:27 pm
Location: Columbia, MD
Contact:

Re: New Media

Post by Destinie »

I think I've started to stop putting media sections on my sites. I used to be fascinated by them but that was in a day when the internet was newer and it was harder to find media. Now it's really easy to go to google images, youtube, or various other places to gather media. I'll scan images to use in essays and will put a few images of the character in the profile page, but my media page use is definitely slimming.

The only exception to this case currently is my revamped Meowth site. I decided to keep the media section since I already had a bunch of scans and screenshots. An addition I made was a page that I could use to showcase my collection of Meowth stuff. I think that's kind of fun and I love going to Pokemon Collectors pages, so that (along with Todd's 'Solitaire') inspired me to make that page.

But in future sites I will have much less media. I'm not even sure if most people who visit shrines anymore still look at those pages? I do sometimes but not a whole lot. I may just glance to see what the character looks like then move on.
dubiousdisc
Administrator
Posts: 2535
Joined: Thu Jun 21, 2012 5:49 pm
Contact:

Re: New Media

Post by dubiousdisc »

For me it depends a lot on the subject; if there's not a lot of official art, might as well make a page to collect it all. I've seen the media page on my Malice site being passed around a lot, so it seems like this is still somewhat useful. Otherwise, I don't make media galleries anymore for the reasons that other people have mentioned. I might make fan art for something that I have a fansite for, but I don't want to have to maintain three million separate galleries...

However, there is one interesting thing that I think could reconcile the new to the old.

I've been helping out Denise with the revamp of Copycat. She previously had an extensive user-submitted fan art page, with galleries by dozens of artists. For the new version, she came to the conclusion that it wouldn't make any sense to keep it: they are a relic of an age where it wasn't so easy to submit your art to the internet, and sending your pictures to fansites was really the only way to have your stuff out without having to make your own page. However, she still wanted to be able to feature her favorite fan art. What we're working on is a way to pull a Tumblr feed to her fansite: this way she can use Tumblr to reblog or feature art she likes and it can be integrated seamlessly into her fansite.

We still need to tinker a little more with it, but when we'll be done we'll make this code free for use! I know I can find a few uses for that myself. :D
Todd
Posts: 2636
Joined: Sat Aug 13, 2011 10:18 pm
Location: Zanarkand
Contact:

Re: New Media

Post by Todd »

That's a great idea, Dubiousdisc! Tumblr really can be useful for media like that.

I think it's important to at least acknowledge what people go to the internet for when creating fansites. I think a lot of what we find typical is becoming somewhat archaic, and I want shrines to continue being a striving medium, so coming up with and discussing ways to adapt to the forever changing internet is super healthy (and optional for people who like the old way)!
Mikari
Posts: 3159
Joined: Thu Jun 21, 2012 6:30 pm
Location: Coruscant
Contact:

Re: New Media

Post by Mikari »

I don't make computer wallpapers anymore, though I kept the ones I had made before. I've also made PSP and iPod wallpapers in the past, though like PCs, those also vary in size with time. The icons are the most classic things. Forums and LJs are not so common anymore, though some apps allow avatars and they can be used for that. I find pixels to be cute so I like to make those regardless of the times, plus pixel art is sort of making a comeback as retro indie games become more common and well known.
anon

Re: New Media

Post by anon »

I used to make wallpapers and avatars but I don't think people care much for those anymore, so I stopped.

It has been obligatory practice for me to offer a streaming music section with my favorite songs from the series, or if it's a character-oriented website, all their image songs and instrumental themes.

I don't offer image galleries unless I scanned the images myself.
Post Reply