.... Ok, personally, I don't care about this drama over Gaia and other sites... rater just focus on Mene.... because that is where we are.
I will give you that Gaia has amazing items.

Regarding the avatar, it was updated before, and it was a major improvement. People have different styles. I like having a full sized ish avatar.
And I can see your point regarding the new games...
Regarding the "selling items with one pose," you mean that you can only use the multi pose item for one of the poses, right?
I can see that... But it was also something that kind of pissed me off and caused a bit of inflation, due to the greater demand... Meh, it's a heartless way to make money.

Also, the shops are being redesigned.

And there are plenty of people willing to help.

If you don't like the items, recommend some, or it's just personal preference.

It would make a difference because the main reason, the number one reason to stay on mene is not the shops (which recently got a preview option, and gaia's shops where similar as in having all the items laid out separatly around 2005ish) or the pretty clothing with lovely layering, its the people. The people here are really a community, they have a few arguements but not usually. Its an accepting community, and unless you take the time to talk to its users, you dont really understand that.

Wow, thats really sad :c I kind of joined here then forgot, but just realized I had one, but this is such a nice avi site. I'd be real sad to see it die, or any other avi site (besides solia, they can die and i wouldn't bat an eyelash)

Cora- I have been on many small sites. I understand the small avatar site community. I'm saying that you can get the current users to stay here all you want, and the site will still flop if that first post is true. A loving community with no money still has no money.

Hatake- The item designs are great, it's the pixeling style that's out of date. The greater majority of avatar site users prefer tool shaded to pixeled. If Mene doesn't want to tool shade, then maybe they could consider adding some more shading to it? I think the brighter, crisper look of the items, WITH some well done advertising, would help a lot. They don't even need to redo the old items, just make new ones. If the members don't like the one pose per item deal, then it can be avoided, but you still need people to buy the items put out.

Dragon- I understand why they're going on Solia and looking at other sites, but that doesn't mean you publicly say you think they're failing. It's bad form, poor sportsmanship, and can hurt that site even more. Also, it would be a lot different if they weren't putting so much money towards games when they were hurting this bad. You can't paint a sinking ship. I really believe that should be turned into an emergency revival fund.

Edit: If the shops are getting redone, it needs to be advertised somewhere, where new people not already on the site or with abandoned accounts can see it. Like a, 'New shops, New (insert!)' thing here. And I know no one likes advertising floods, but a lot of members stay if they like the site.

Dragon- Unfortunately it would have to be Tektek or perhaps Facebook. Or you could go with gorilla advertising, but that involves guts and lawsuits sometimes. Well, usually not lawsuits. Just some warnings to like... not draw with sidewalk chalk in center city.

If you're trying to draw in the literate crowd, I dunno... get crazy and make an actual lit magazine to be distributed for free? Just something you get volunteer writers for (or paid in gold or something) and then print really cheap at Kinko's and leave laying around in bookstores? There's all sorts of ways to get the name out there, and not all of them are just Tektek.

I still do not agree with you, but I am going to say I agree to disagree.

Fcai19, thank you for posting. We appreciate your constructive criticism and honesty.

As for this thread, Insomniac and staff want to inform the users of the site's current situation to keep them in the loop. Other competitors have been mentioned because it's no secret what this industry is going through right now. Many of these sites have come out publicly about such.

For instance, Kinsaki has posted this announcement regarding their current sale. One of their staff members is also a dedicated member to Menewsha, in which she has discussed it numerous times. Roliana has also been up for sale in the past year. Regarding Solia, such information can be found if you look in their Site Feeback and other relevant forums.

Anyways, thank you for responding. :)

Wow I didn't realize how much was involved with this... Though even without knowing I would love to donate, but the fact is with the way the economy has been, I've had as few as 32 per MONTH lately, sometimes going weeks without work (which really stinks by the way).

I will be more mindful about contributing in the future, though.

Thank you for telling us about this Insom, it means a lot to me (and I'm sure many others), even if I'm not active like I was before due to life constraints.

But...I see all this, and all I see is DOOOOOOOOOM.

Do you have any plans to try and expand menewsha to appeal to other groups of people, or, do you just expect this site to die like all the others and are giving up hope?

monstahh`: I'm not giving up, the site will expand ;)

^_^ That is certainly good news. I wonder it what ways..? :o hmm

have faith! if you build it, he will come.... wait... that's not right :sweat:

Inso - I'm glad you're not giving up, but must express my concern over the fact that you are personally losing money with this site. I'm more than happy to be here, but not at your expense.

this is very insightful, and I didn't know that our niche was suffering so bad! D: I like our niche!!!
Although it sucks, and would make users quite angry as it's one of the great things about this site, we only need to donate to purchase 1 item a month, as we can then select how many times and poses we want to wear, so the people who DO donate don't have to donate much (unless they then sell in the forums). Another problem is I never see advertisements for Mene...anywhere o__O I don't know what you're spending your 10g's on. as for how we can 'evolve' there's not much I can think of....

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I LOVE the idea of a magazine, although I'm unsure as to what the content would be. I would love it if the manga became regular. Maybe do a touch up of the original first chapter pages - cause the colouring/art style at the moment is HOT - and leave them around in bookstores/cafes, etc.

if you do have advertisements, you could do what DA does, and have ads for people's DA links. people who have art/pixel/pet shops could pay like $10 to have their banner in circulation with others on the site and when it gets clicked it takes users to their art shop

how about if people spend X amount of $ on donation items, or donating in general, they can get a free sketch off a menewsha artist (or maybe artists who volunteer from menewsha) of their avatar?

I think the magazine would be a pretty useless idea...the cost it'd take to produce them, plus permission to put them in places, not to mention the fact that users are from all over the world, I don't think it'll be very cost-effective.

For your second suggestion, it sounds like a really big hassle for the staff. They'd have to pair those who donated extra with artists, and even then the artists might not have enough time. Furthermore, different users like different styles, so there might be more discontent (for example, what if someone donated $__ just for the sketch, but didn't like the sketch at all?).

*shrug* If people are happy to donate $10-15 for a RIG only to get an item worth 4k, then I think that people could be happy to get an additional art reward on top of their guaranteed purchase, you may end up with a 'bad' artist or a good one. I'm thinking it'd be kinda like an additional option that appears when they type in a certain quantity or more. whoever checks that option then gets put on the list and assigned to an artist randomly.

As for artists not having enough time, some have been suggesting to let themselves, or other artists to assist with making banners/art and whatnot, if a gold reward (eg. 1-5k) or something is included people can just see it as a commission. If a little time is spent organizing the system artists could be put on rosters every month. and a sketch could be just a headsketch, or a chibi or w/e the artist thinks they have time for. With the current amount of people donating, and those who donate X amount per month it'd be only a couple of sketches per artist per month, something that could be easily knocked over in 20mins to an hour, at least for me ^^;;

I would pay upwards of $20-30 for a scketch by the mene artists. Thats not even with donation items....just for the scketch itself. I am an Art WHORE!

I wondered about this.

Personally, I left the site because one of my quests became (probably) impossible. I know that I'm going to get smashed for this, but I suggest re-releasing a bit for money. I don't think that people feel like they are getting enough for their money. Maybe only re-release some old event items, since people actually paid for CIs. I'm saying this as someone who worked very hard to get most of the event items. I spent a lot of time, but I wouldn't mind them deflating a bit.

I knowThe old admin screwed up with availability of some of the old event items. And for people like me, such large holes in the economy make me want to leave.

I say this as someone who not only worked my butt off for the event items, but as someone who donated many times. One of those times was very recently. I really want the oppurtunity, in some form, of getting the green clover pin. I'd donate for it. And I'd continue donating after it, because I'd feel more complete; being a completionist.

I know that I sound self-serving, but personally, that would keep me on a site that I'm otherwise going to leave. I love mene, but it's stupid that an item is quite this rare. Why? It's so frustrating and it was terrible planning on the part of the site's old admin.

And I know tht you could draw some people back in and create more donators.

I hope that the site stays afloat and I'm sorry that it costs so much. My request is not the solution. It will take more than that. I wouldn't mind having ads on Mene, at least temporarily.

And by the way, thanks for being blunt.

On my computer the blue blank space either side of a thread leaves room, in my opinion, for ads, so I wouldn't mind 'em, I can ignore 'em as much as anyone else and you'd get money out of it xD

Ads don't really work like that unless you get brand advertisers involved. Ads need to be clicked to make money, and the people clicking on the ads need to occasionally buy whatever is on the other side.

I usually don't click on third party sites unless I know 'em anyway ^_^;; contain waaaay too many viruses usually and Macafee warnings xD but if you did include them they wouldn't bother me seeings as they would unlikely mess with the proportions of the thread on my computer