Realm of the Rah'liani [CLOSED] MOVED TO ADOPTABLE OEKAKI

[galaxy.]

bump C:

[rainbowpanda101]

VERY IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
Please read the following:

As I'm sure you all know, I absolutely adore every one of my customers. From the people who stop by once and are never seen again to those who return time and time again - I love all of you. And so it is with apprehension that I ask this question. Because it is a big question. One that could shape the future of Realm of the Rah'liani as we all know and love it.

With the way my life is at the moment, I'm noticing that I'm beginning to get super stressed out and depressed again. I'm taking three very difficult classes this semester, trying to find a job, cleaning house more often than I'd like because nobody else in my household will do it, and trying to deal with many other things all at once. I've come to the realization that the way I've been handling my stress/depression is not the right way. I need to get away from the computer and out into the world again. And the way that Realm of the Rah'liani is currently run, I'm finding that it takes up way too much of my free time.

Please understand that I'm not saying I want to shut down RotR permanently. What I'm saying is that I need to find a different way to run the place - one that is more efficient and takes less of my time. If you got a behind the scenes look at what I do for you guys, you would probably be amazed that I'm willing to do it all in the first place. A lot goes into keeping up a shop as popular as RotR. Creating litters, making customs, figuring out the genetics of offspring from breedings and then creating them, replying to messages in the thread and PMs, accepting and editing trades for Gemstones, constantly updating Bank accounts, and coding the Archives and shop itself.

Back in April when I first made RotR, I had no idea it would escalate so quickly into the busy place it is. I never once thought that my overly grand ideas would actually result in there being over 200 adopted Rah'liani from litters, customs, breedings, and exploring combined or over 30 different adopters. I love that people love my ideas. But I've got to face the reality that I can't keep things going like this forever - not with just myself and one very dedicated guest artist.

So I've been contemplating, little by little, over the last few days. I've thought about what parts of RotR I would keep, which parts I'd possibly get rid of, which parts would no longer work out. I've scoured the oekaki boards and art shops looking for artists I could commission whose work was the quality I liked. And it has boiled down to one question that I need to ask my customers:

Should I move Realm of the Rah'liani to the Adoptable Oekaki section?

Before you answer the question, please take note that things would be run differently if RotR was moved to the Adoptable Oekaki section. There would no longer be "litters" of Rah'liani. It would be run more like Jelly Bean Dragons or Rune Dragons, where each Rah'liani is either first come, first serve or a competition you enter to win. Customs and Breeding would be handled much the same, but I'd be getting rid of the Super Potions so your litters would only be 2 - 4 in size. I'm still thinking about how I would go about doing the exploring, but I imagine it could easily be run the same way. And there would most likely be a maximum number of Rah'liani you could adopt, to give everyone a chance.

Moving to the Adoptable Oekaki would make it so much easier on me. Taking care of the Archives would be much faster. The genetic codes, whether they have a Breeding Ticket or not, and any other important information could be kept right in the first post of each Rah'liani. I'd probably have a better chance of finding guest artists. One big downside is that my customer base would most likely expand and there'd be more competition to get your hands on a Rah'liani. But think about it this way - many of you more dedicated customers already have massive numbers of Rah'liani to your name.

On a final note, if you don't think I should go this route, please offer suggestions on how I could change how I do things and be more efficient. The way RotR is now, it just takes too long. I'd like to hear any and all opinions about what I've said, and thank you for being a valued customer of Realm of the Rah'liani.

[Flitter]

I definitely think the adoptable oekaki would be a good choice, and I'd go with it. It would make things easier on you...and in a lot of ways, easier on us, too. I actually like the format and styling of the adoptable oekaki forum better than here--more visuals make it easier for me. With a picture of Rah'liani right in plain sight, you might get more business than you already do...which means there would most likely be more competition Rah'liani. And I absolutely adore competitions. xD
You'd also find it a heck of a lot easier to get artists/GA's. I, for one, would enter in a heartbeat if I could get a job by drawing on the CS board (I don't have a gimp/photoshop program). Things just seem simpler when it's all centered around one main set of lines on the oekaki. It would make me, for one, very happy to see the switch.
You could more easily get more help there. More artists, and with a new thread you can assign jobs--if, for example, Carrie T. Carrot was to be in charge of the archives, she could reserve one of the first posts and you wouldn't have to worry about it. Same thing with the banks. You'd still be head magistrate/queen, but we could help more. I think a lot of people would.

...that was longer than I was anticipating. But I'm in favor of the switch. <3

[☆ ★TARDIS]

I definitely think the adoptable oekaki would be a good choice, and I'd go with it. It would make things easier on you...and in a lot of ways, easier on us, too. I actually like the format and styling of the adoptable oekaki forum better than here--more visuals make it easier for me. With a picture of Rah'liani right in plain sight, you might get more business than you already do...which means there would most likely be more competition Rah'liani. And I absolutely adore competitions. xD
You'd also find it a heck of a lot easier to get artists/GA's. I, for one, would enter in a heartbeat if I could get a job by drawing on the CS board (I don't have a gimp/photoshop program). Things just seem simpler when it's all centered around one main set of lines on the oekaki. It would make me, for one, very happy to see the switch.
You could more easily get more help there. More artists, and with a new thread you can assign jobs--if, for example, Carrie T. Carrot was to be in charge of the archives, she could reserve one of the first posts and you wouldn't have to worry about it. Same thing with the banks. You'd still be head magistrate/queen, but we could help more. I think a lot of people would.

...that was longer than I was anticipating. But I'm in favor of the switch. <3

I totally agree with Flitter and think that this is a good idea. If you did this I would probably try to be an artist, the only reason I didn't try out before is because I didn't have the programs necessary. I'm just too lazy to type it out.

[Carrietta]

I definitely think the adoptable oekaki would be a good choice, and I'd go with it. It would make things easier on you...and in a lot of ways, easier on us, too. I actually like the format and styling of the adoptable oekaki forum better than here--more visuals make it easier for me. With a picture of Rah'liani right in plain sight, you might get more business than you already do...which means there would most likely be more competition Rah'liani. And I absolutely adore competitions. xD
You'd also find it a heck of a lot easier to get artists/GA's. I, for one, would enter in a heartbeat if I could get a job by drawing on the CS board (I don't have a gimp/photoshop program). Things just seem simpler when it's all centered around one main set of lines on the oekaki. It would make me, for one, very happy to see the switch.
You could more easily get more help there. More artists, and with a new thread you can assign jobs--if, for example, Carrie T. Carrot was to be in charge of the archives, she could reserve one of the first posts and you wouldn't have to worry about it. Same thing with the banks. You'd still be head magistrate/queen, but we could help more. I think a lot of people would.

...that was longer than I was anticipating. But I'm in favor of the switch. <3

She, she.

HOWDIDYOUKNOW!?!?


Okay, in all seriousness, this doesn't sound like that bad an idea. I'm quite good with coding and all, and, since I'm a perfectionist with coding (I think that's what you'd call it for the Archives, not sure...) I can gaurantee that I'll get the right Rah'laini in the right places! Trust me!

I have a question, though. Let's say you (Panda!) do move ROTR to the Oekaki thread and I was put in charge of the archives, would the whole Archives have to be changed? Since I didn't start the Archives "forum" myself, I wouldn't be able to access it, hence, I think I'd have to make another forum for the Archives, right?

[luvarien]

I definitely think the adoptable oekaki would be a good choice, and I'd go with it. It would make things easier on you...and in a lot of ways, easier on us, too. I actually like the format and styling of the adoptable oekaki forum better than here--more visuals make it easier for me. With a picture of Rah'liani right in plain sight, you might get more business than you already do...which means there would most likely be more competition Rah'liani. And I absolutely adore competitions. xD
You'd also find it a heck of a lot easier to get artists/GA's. I, for one, would enter in a heartbeat if I could get a job by drawing on the CS board (I don't have a gimp/photoshop program). Things just seem simpler when it's all centered around one main set of lines on the oekaki. It would make me, for one, very happy to see the switch.
You could more easily get more help there. More artists, and with a new thread you can assign jobs--if, for example, Carrie T. Carrot was to be in charge of the archives, she could reserve one of the first posts and you wouldn't have to worry about it. Same thing with the banks. You'd still be head magistrate/queen, but we could help more. I think a lot of people would.

...that was longer than I was anticipating. But I'm in favor of the switch. <3

I agree with Flitter,it sounds Like a great idea to switch.
I would love to be an attist but Im not very good at Being one,that is The only reason I didnt try out to be one.

[Lukina]

I think it sounds like a great idea to move the thread, and I have to agree with Flitter as well.

[rainbowpanda101]

Thank you so much for your responses, everyone. :3

The whole "Rah'liani right in plain sight" aspect of the Oekaki board was one of the appealing factors, but what is most appealing about it is the fact that I don't have to save the images to my computer! Or upload them, for that matter. That's one of the more time consuming parts. I've got folders inside folders inside folders in an attempt to keep things organized, and trying to hunt down a Rah'liani among all of those folders can take five minutes or more. It's probably one of the biggest reasons I haven't done dress ups that often.

See what I said about it being easier to get artists? I've already got two people interested in trying out! I think having a handful of guest artists would be immensely helpful - as long as they're willing to take the time to understand my pattern and marking restrictions and genetic mumbo-jumbo. (I have the restrictions and genetics because I think it makes the place unique and more realistic. You don't see tigers popping up with spots, right?)

I've thought about having other people do the Archives for me in the past, but the way they're currently set up takes enormous amounts of coding and can get super confusing. With RotR in the Adoptable Oekaki section, Archiving would be a cinch. All that would be needed is an A to Z list of Usernames, and the names of each of a person's Rah'liani would go beneath the user's name and be placed in the Rank order. (You know Alpha first, then Beta, Healers, Elders, etc.) Each Rah'liani name would then link to their oekaki page. As for how it would be done, as Carrot asked, we'd just have to post a brand new Archives here in the User-made Adoptable pets/characters section with a link to the old Archives.

Now the only thing I have to worry about is finding an artist willing to do the lineart for me. I have one prospective artist in mind who is currently open for commissions. If they're willing to do all of the different types and everything - great. If not...I doubt I'll be able to find anyone willing to do so unless I pay them something like all of my Rares or my most prized pets (which I'm not willing to do - I worked hard to get those). And if they just do the base linearts, that means I'd have to go in and do all of the edits myself (like I did on the original linearts). So either way, it's going to be a bit of a wait before RotR can be fully switched over. I'll probably be able to continue working in this version of RotR in the meantime, but all work would cease once I started switching everything over and then pick up again once it's all been switched. And if I have to do the edits myself, all work would cease in that case until the edits were done.

Thanks again for your input, everyone! ^3^

[galaxy.]

I really don't have a clue what to say... I always knew that there might be a chance this would happen. I mean you told me yourself Panda how stressed you were getting. I just hoped maybe it wouldn't... But I guess it is time to voice my opinion...

I love Realm of the Rah'liani. Everything about it. But mainly, the closeness we have on the thread. I seem to check back here about seven times a day, sometimes way way more. I love how we all know each other, and are nice to say other. And I know this would continue wherever the species goes. But what really set my heart on getting a Rah'liani, was how proffessional everything was. It was in its own thread, full to the brim of things that really got me excited. How much was going on, how many different options you could choose... Also, how thought through the species were. What with the clever genetics. The colouring too was a selling point. How smooth they looked. The patterns, the variety in line art. I just adore all of it. That is what makes me check back here every time I log on, hoping for something new, or someone new.
I feel, like if Rah'liani moved, I would probably visit less... It's nothing personal or anything, but I really got excited about being a guest artist here, having to download GIMP) and all of that... I would love to be one for Oekaki, but it hates both my mouse and my tablet... Plus, to me, I don't think it would be as special. You see, RotR is different to Jelly bean dragons and such... It is unique and just so special...
One more thing, I would miss there being 'litters'. I love knowing that, when I look through the archives, 'oh I have the sibling of ____'s pet....' It's fun being able to choose which one of the bunch you like best. I guess I would just miss that...
Please remember this is just my personal opinion. I understand how stressed you are Panda, as I have seen what a lot of work it takes to create these wonderful animals. So I agree I guess that moving RotR will help you have less work...
But now, I think I shall just leave. I barely had enough time to do my Rah'liani litters anyway, but I made time because it was just so amazing to do them. It would take even longer to do them when any time I flick too suddenly on my tablet, or attempt to draw something nice with my mouse, Oekaki crashed and I loose everything. It would make me feel miserable that I couldn't help... So I think it will just be better if I leave now... I will try and get this last litter done, but I'm still not sure, as I have so much work to do now. Thank you so much for this amazing oppourtunity to be a part of RotR, but I think it may be time for me to step back... I know it actually hasnt been that long, but I have to... I'm very sorry and I hope realm of the Rah'liani continues to be loved. It deserves it...

[Coexist]

I too would miss the interactiveness of this form of the Rah'liani but if Panda thinks that the other will be easier to handle then that is up to her, It also makes me wonder however where all our current gemstones and all will go to. I have in the past offered many times to do archive and inventory for Panda here at this Rah'liani site as I am familiar with all sorts of code, I am sure there are others willing to pick up slack in other areas. such as the labryinth and all. the only part you would be having to do is the Rah'liani themselves and Survivor could help with that. It sounds as if switching to adoptable would be just as much work if not more work then keeping this thread alive. But you know your fans are behind you, willing to help you in any way we can!