And thus the new Dojo begins...

[Sean]

Is all of this grumbling really warranted?? No, and here is why:

I have been reading through a lot of the complaints...I mean "posts" within the greater forum since our launch and I truly find it hard to believe how some certain individuals can bemoan so robustly about preferences regarding avatar placement and rank status. Considering that the site has been alive for only a couple of days now it is rather disparaging to see that the only feedback people seem to care about relaying is related to issues of preference rather than to issues regarding the site as a whole and its direction moving forward. When one also considers the shape of the Dojo before this relaunch I feel that at the least certain individuals should recognize the work and effort that was involved in resurrecting the Dojo back from the proverbial dead.

In my own objective sense of things I feel that this form of neolithic nitpicking and attitude is what lead the Dojo in its previous iteration to its ultimate relegation within the greater Shenmue/Gaming community. Individuals became so concerned with topics that were so paltry and irrelevant that the whole focus of the community drifted away from the series and towards bickering and illogical argument. Although one must concede that because the series has not received a new installment in almost a decade, the promulgation of new dialog has been rather difficult to achieve. However, it must be now declared that this new manifestation of the Dojo will work arduously to help ameliorate this issue as much as possible.

This "distinct" Dojo was crafted into motion in order to graft the entirety of the Shenmue faithful back into a sort of unified communion with the series and with each other. Here the series will remain the focal point and will be the basis of every action that is taken within the site and within the community as well. Let it be known that any derivation from this basis, or manipulation of this foundational core of the Dojo that is used derisively or in any manner that leads to exclusion or conflict will be responded to in an expedient and formidable fashion.

I hope that this community will be able to now come together in such a way as to reflect upon the reasons why we all carry the love and affection for the series that we do; each with our own unique reasons. This very ideal is what makes the series so beautiful and what gives such great meaning to the games in general; and it is this ideal which should be the basis for fruitful and meaningful conversation and discourse within this community. I hope that all of you here will be willing to do your part in this, because each member here is indeed truly a part of the series; the emotional investment and attachment we all have to the series itself connects us all to this unified, single sentiment.

[silent killer]

well, Yama did say he'd hear us out if we had anything to say. So you can't blame us for doing so.

[Riku Rose]

Most know me as the guy who has the most shit to say about Shenmue. It's a great game but not even in my top 10. After I beat Shenmue II I went onto google and typed in Shenmue and found this place. I bookmarked the forums and checked evrey now and then to see if there was any news. I then gave up. I still doubt we will see anything any time soon. But I kept coming here because of the people. I really don't care much for Shenmue anymore and just found this was the best community out there for games or just general crap. We have smart members, funny members the lot. This so called direction it went where Shenmue was pushed aside I liked. I'm not a fan of places that focus on one thing it just seems like a bunch of people who like evreything no matter what. Evrey so often we would get some noob who asked why we still came here if we had no hope. One answer: The members. I really think this place would do better as a general games forum but it was owned by Ziming and now Yama who wanted it to focus on Shenmue. Well it's their website they can do what they want with it. I have no intrrest in joining in this Justice League of Shenmue fans but will carry on to come to a forum with people I like and discuss random crap should it be a Final Fantasy game or a video of a monkey playing a piano.

Mittens summed this place up perfect. We are a little local pub where evreyone knows eachother we talk to who we want to and should there be a problem we have each others back and Ryudo or OL (The barmen) will kick that person causing the problem out. I've not seen this as a Shenmue site since I started posting as a regular but as a place where you can be sure to say whatever the fuck you like and not care less.

Thanks to Yama and evreyone that did this but I'm not changing and will not take part in changing this forum. We would see posts on other forums bitching about us but who fucking cares. We are a tight nit group and that best not change just so we can get an extra five members.

And no best thank me for this you fucking queers.

[Bluecast]

I was often poked fun of for living here at SD yet the changes while tough at first like anything are abit tough to get used to.
Yet I am taking it with stride. I like most the stuff done and even toning down the bitching at each other like we got comfy with(little too comfy sometimes) we still have the same fun we always had but taking things down a notch should not be hard.
Some people (not naming names) are flipping out over nothing. Relax just do it.
Damn come on let things settle in and i promise you things will be just fine.

I am going to say after being through a few big changes,everyone has thier own style to run things. No one is asking you to turn into perfect boyscout posters.
As for forum changes in looks and features. Like i said in another topic. New shoes always pinch the toes but we get break it in and love them.

There is too much nitpicking.
I see a lot of biting the hand that feeds us right now.

Don't make me bring out the boot ya spoony bards!

[Riku Rose]

I like most the stuff done and even toning down the bitching at each other like we got comfy with(little too comfy sometimes) we still have the same fun we always had but taking things down a notch should not be hard.

I disagree and don't think we need to tone down anything.

Some people (not naming names) are flipping out over nothing

[Sailors?]

I've already gotten used to the overall change of theme and features but i'm with Riku on not wanting the forum to change in the way things are run around here(Which has been controlled mainly by Ryudo and more recently OL for a long time) We have a nice community here and that's what I come to the forum for, not Shenmue.

[Oppy]

i'm with Riku on not wanting the forum to change in the way things are run around here(Which has been controlled mainly by Ryudo and more recently OL for a long time) We have a nice community here and that's what I come to the forum for, not Shenmue.

This.

[Crimson Ryan]

New staff will have to live and learn, that's all I can say.

[LawXiu]

I was often poked fun of for living here at SD yet the changes while tough at first like anything are abit tough to get used to.
Yet I am taking it with stride. I like most the stuff done and even toning down the bitching at each other like we got comfy with(little too comfy sometimes) we still have the same fun we always had but taking things down a notch should not be hard.
Some people (not naming names) are flipping out over nothing. Relax just do it.
Damn come on let things settle in and i promise you things will be just fine.

I am going to say after being through a few big changes,everyone has thier own style to run things. No one is asking you to turn into perfect boyscout posters.
As for forum changes in looks and features. Like i said in another topic. New shoes always pinch the toes but we get break it in and love them.

There is too much nitpicking.
I see a lot of biting the hand that feeds us right now.

Don't make me bring out the boot ya spoony bards!

It always felt like the dojo was ours before, our little place to vent and express our true thoughts in whatever way we wanted to. They want to turn the place into a generic forum and we shouldn't let them. I don't understand why your bending over for them Ryudo. You say they want to tone the place down but that's not what the rules say.

[ys]

Is all of this grumbling really warranted?? No, and here is why:

I have been reading through a lot of the complaints...I mean "posts" within the greater forum since our launch and I truly find it hard to believe how some certain individuals can bemoan so robustly about preferences regarding avatar placement and rank status. Considering that the site has been alive for only a couple of days now it is rather disparaging to see that the only feedback people seem to care about relaying is related to issues of preference rather than to issues regarding the site as a whole and its direction moving forward. When one also considers the shape of the Dojo before this relaunch I feel that at the least certain individuals should recognize the work and effort that was involved in resurrecting the Dojo back from the proverbial dead.

I don't think anyone was actually outright complaining or not acknowledging the effort behind all of this. Many did thank and I myself did make it clear that my remarks were regarding minor details. If someone asks what people think I give my opinion also in real life. And I kind of think that it's not too strange that people first try to "settle down" in a new place and then when that is out of the way concentrate on the rest.

[Peter]

I really dont see the need for this topic to be created at all. I dont know about any of the other posters, but reading that first post really placed a negative vibe on the whole opening of a new dojo. A tad unnecessary imo, considering its a brand new forum and can be tailored to suit small issues which, by the way, the forum administrator asked for.

[Bluecast]

I have seen many changes with admins in the Shenmue community and a few of them got people so worked up and I just kept on doing what I was doing. Rule changes and different styles of managment. Yet the community stuck. Some left but most who left always come back eventually.
After some time people get used to things and continue to have fun. I admit somethings i want back like the titles of the forums and user titles but it's minor and can live without.Though I really do miss "It's time to chew bubblegum and play games...and we're all out of bubblegum" and Riku's Dickbutt. But I just can't get worked up over what to me is just another admin change.
Ziming when he took over people got so worked up, in the end he did a really good job.
I don't think much will change that's worthy of flipping out over.

I was a little shocked to log in and See green again instead of red. But phpbb3 allows a bunch of extra features I needed as mod bb2 didn't have and that is why Master K gave me admin. I don't need an admin title but would be nice at rare times when I notice instantly someone having trouble with their account and I fix it if I can that moment. Yama seems more on hands with things like that as well,something I didn't have in the past was back up very often.
People pm me at HD sometimes about issues at SD even when i was mod then things I had no control over until later.
I will still just do whatever I can when needed. I am still the bluedick cripple mod and if needed will instantly turn into Kevin spacey and shoot your ass if needed.

I will always be carrying my boot to toss at heads.

[Sean]

I really dont see the need for this topic to be created at all. I dont know about any of the other posters, but reading that first post really placed a negative vibe on the whole opening of a new dojo. A tad unnecessary imo, considering its a brand new forum and can be tailored to suit small issues which, by the way, the forum administrator asked for.

Perhaps you should read the entirety of the post and not merely the 1st paragraph...

No one here is saying that you all cannot converse amongst yourselves on various topics and carry on with the rapport that has grown between the members and the site over the years. However, it must be realized that this site is NOT just for a select few individuals but rather for the ENTIRE Shenmue community at large, after all place is called SHENMUE Dojo for a reason; the staff has not been working so diligently and intricately just to merely create an online chat mechanism for a select group of individuals.

While this site should serve as a medium of exchange that is enjoyable to the veteran users of the site, it should also serve as a conduit to reach out to fans of the series who are not aware of the Dojo as well as gamers in general who have a genuine interest in gaming. This site will as a result be run and administered in order to be inclusive and open to all like-minded individuals who share these interests. Coupled with this is an effort to bring excitement and new life to the series itself through the implementation of new features with the hope that eventually enough people together will show enough interest in the series as to warrant the powers that be to resurrect the franchise.

I reiterate, none of the staff here are stating that members can no longer have fun on the forums and that speech itself will be relegated to the greater subject of Shenmue or even gaming in general. However, I encourage all of you to conduct yourselves in such a manner that will help with this goal of bringing new light and energy to the series. And for those of you who no longer have any strong affinity towards the series, be at the least respectful of members old and new who still carry some interest.

Thank you.

[Henry Spencer]

In my own objective sense of things I feel that this form of neolithic nitpicking and attitude is what lead the Dojo in its previous iteration to its ultimate relegation within the greater Shenmue/Gaming community

The Dojo used to be much, much worse. Believe me. People like QWERTY and TEEPO used to get away with everything back in the day.

And people still joined the Dojo, regardless. I wouldn't worry about new members signing up. There isn't any other Shenmue community left worth speaking about, so I don't know where you think the Dojo got "relegated" from? I understand your frustrations and concerns, but realise this; not all of us are full of hate and people can adapt, just give it time, be patient. You'll always find people are apprehensive to change in all walks of life. There's bound to be disagreements. And if you helped to reinvent the main page, then thank you, it looks really great.

[Kenny]

We keep all that Dojo affection for the Shenmue series in the appropriately named forums on the top list. You know, the place hardly anyone goes to anymore.

That aside, the general direction to be a bit more "mainstream" by being more user friendly is fine. But this place mostly survived by older members who say and "do" things most other uptight forums can't. Not really cause we're gamers and happen to have played Shenmue at some point in our lives. This board has a unique cast of characters with different conflicting personalities, different to have their own critical viewpoint but similar enough in and find mutial respect for one another. This was accomplished by being more lax with the rules. If we can achieve the same vibe under stricter rules to allow others to join in, then we will. If we can't, then eventually this place will be deserted by the regulars.

I'm just gonna see how this pans out. If we're "nitpicking" that's cause we're not used to the layout yet and some features from the old board weren't really carried over in the transition like the center tags. I personally would like to have the custom titles back. I can live with the new avatar and sig rules.