Reviving UtaForum

[partial]

As I'm sure any regular visitor is aware, this forum has been steadily losing activity and has been pretty quiet for quite some time now. I used to chalk it up to users being in school, but this past summer has really made it apparent that isn't the reason for the forum's inactivity.

Other platforms are becoming the standard for discussion, and I get why. Discord is convenient, and it's a great place to get quick help. Amino is... well, Amino.

I firmly believe forums are the best place for vocalsynth related purposes, especially when it comes to technical issues, FAQs, and the like, because it's an easy and reliable way to archive information. I'm sure we've all needed help with something UTAU related and found the answer on some old forum post from years ago. That wouldn't be possible without UF, and it would be lost in a Discord server.

With that said, I'd like to come up with ideas to help bring some activity back to this place. There was discussion about this in the chatbox yesterday.

Someone talked about doing a Secret Santa-esque event. That sounded like a good idea to me, but what do you all think?

I also like the idea of some sort of cover contest, but the competitive nature of a contest may drive even more people away, and what we really need is a sense of unity.

Please feel free to share your thoughts.

 

[ArtsyP!nk]

A secret santa-esque event sounds great, but how would it work? If the turnout rate is high, it would be inefficient to message everyone individually and tell them which utau they got.. I guess this may be a bit of an issue later on.

I was thinking of having a large collab every...2 months? maybe? The theme of it changes every time, so there's always something new for us to try! New languages, different producers, maybe even some multi language stuff! Maybe at the end of the year we could throw in a bunch of themes from previous months into this large mishmash, as a final hurrah for the year, ready to move on to the next. It kinda sounds like a lot, so it's probably best to spread 'em out so people can have a breather after one ends. We'd learn a lot from them, and grow stronger together as we learn as a group. As a forum.

so uh yeah.

 

[Kiyoteru]

Hosting formal events, collabs, and challenges would be a great way to kickstart activity. What I really want out of those projects, though, is to create a culture where people are more involved in each other's work, more willing to pay attention to each other, support each other, and work together. So to start, we probably will need some single person to organize each project along a strict timeline, but in the long term I hope that those sorts of things would be started by anyone and happen organically.

 

[tetodash]

This forum is really the best way to speak about vocal synth. Also I agree that in a discord server things can just get lost essentially. Also I’m not really a fan of Amino like at all. Not just the Vocaloid community but other communities too. The main problem is the mods/admins aren’t professionals trained to run a big web community like that. Here the mods/admins are great at what they do. I really would love if this fourm became more active. I know that plenty of Utau users are out there but a lot of them just probably don’t know this forum exists. Perhaps there is someway for us to advertise this forum to other vocal synth users on other platforms. Also I think having some big event/contest would be really fun for everybody.

 

[lunari162]

I've noticed more people will join if there's something in it for them, like covers/art/money. I'm not suggesting to offer that every time (or at all), but it's just a pattern and my pessimism

That being said, maybe collaborations could still bring people in? I've changed my mind on the cover contest thing (it could become stressful/competitive), but themed covers still sound fun! Multilingual/multinational covers are a good symbol of unity.
While I'm not the biggest fan of Secret Santa events, anything that could help is better than nothing. I could see that being one of the events we do in the future!

There's also the idea of making a collaborative UTAU. I was thinking of Daisy Hapyon, but then I found this. I don't think that UTAU was ever created, so we could always try again!

I don't have many ideas, sorry. I really want to see a revival here, though, so I'm willing to help out with anyone else's plans!

 

[partial]

I really like the idea of themed collaborations. Halloween is coming up, so maybe this would be a good opportunity.

How should it work, though? Maybe a voting system to choose a song, and then have that song split into pieces for different singers?
Maybe have art collaboration, too, perhaps for PVs or just in general. It'd be neat also if we did themed collaboration illustrations or something, but I'm not exactly sure how to go about organizing something like that.

 

[AmberTonnerre]

I think it'd be neat to do a collaboration on like a medley!! Everyone has a chance to show off an utau and it sounds like a great deal of fun to me ^^b I also really enjoy the idea of general themeing collabs!

I'm not that active on the forum but I've always had a place here because all of you have given me one!

I love talking to everyone and interacting and even coming back after a break it feels like no time has passed at all because of how friendly everyone is.

It really feels like we are all friends on this forum which is one of the thing I love most about UF!

 

[NegaiUta]

I love the ideas here! For a Secret Santa exchange, I know a website called Draw Names that pairs up people in an email list automatically so that no one is left out. I think it would be helpful

Collaborations, especially themed ones are awesome! Maybe for that, we can have different open roles like for art, mixing and anything else. That way, anyone can contribute their skills even if they don't know how to draw or don't have an UTAU. We can also have a song list voting so that people can be involved.

I like this forum because it's easy to find things and a nice environment, so I think that whatever we do together will be fun!

 

[ArtsyP!nk]

For the art/PV (if possible), we could gather maybe 5 or more artists to come together to make on drawing to illustrate (is that the word I should use? I think so..) the theme. It'd look so colourful, with a bunch of different artstyles, together in harmony!

I tried making an example of a banner thing indicating that a new collab is here! It's just an example so it doesn't look the greatest, but eh.


Maybe at the end of the year after the final collab, we compile the best parts of the collabs that year to remember all the good times we had.

 

[Soursop the fruit]

Everyone have nice ideas...I'd like to suggest...

Spoiler: *drum rolls*

Meme contest: Show us your best vocal synth memes!

Or do something together like drawing UTAUs in drawpile ie: I draw ArtsyP!nk 's UTAU, Artsy draws Pazu's UTAU, and so on, together in one canvas...And when we're all done one of the participants post the result in a thread specified for it.

Btw, i was looking around and found out that we have many inactive threads with interesting & fun topics.

Imo, while discussing events to promote UF, we can start the revival now by increasing forum activity with these threads; we can revive and be active to post in them anytime when we're free.

However, some sections containing many of said threads (Forum games & Chit-chat iirc?) have "announce new post in front page/chatbox" feature disabled
Is it possible to enable the feature in those sections? Seeing new post announcements of interesting & fun threads may encourage inactive members/guests to participate in forum's activity and help reviving UtaForum
(If it's not possible, we can start from sections with the feature enabled)

 

[partial]

I think it'd be neat to do a collaboration on like a medley!! Everyone has a chance to show off an utau and it sounds like a great deal of fun to me ^^b I also really enjoy the idea of general themeing collabs!

I'm not that active on the forum but I've always had a place here because all of you have given me one!

I love talking to everyone and interacting and even coming back after a break it feels like no time has passed at all because of how friendly everyone is.

It really feels like we are all friends on this forum which is one of the thing I love most about UF!

I also really like the sense of unity/friendship UF brings. It's something you just don't get when you enter a huge Discord server imo!

I love the ideas here! For a Secret Santa exchange, I know a website called Draw Names that pairs up people in an email list automatically so that no one is left out. I think it would be helpful

Collaborations, especially themed ones are awesome! Maybe for that, we can have different open roles like for art, mixing and anything else. That way, anyone can contribute their skills even if they don't know how to draw or don't have an UTAU. We can also have a song list voting so that people can be involved.

I like this forum because it's easy to find things and a nice environment, so I think that whatever we do together will be fun!

I didn't know of any website like that, so that's really useful information to know. Thanks for sharing! I also think collaborations would be a really good way to get people to interact with each other and that's something this place really, really needs.

For the art/PV (if possible), we could gather maybe 5 or more artists to come together to make on drawing to illustrate (is that the word I should use? I think so..) the theme. It'd look so colourful, with a bunch of different artstyles, together in harmony!

-snip-

Maybe at the end of the year after the final collab, we compile the best parts of the collabs that year to remember all the good times we had.

Having multiple artists collab on one piece of art would be really interesting. It's not what I initially thought when I had art collabs in mind, but that's what makes the idea interesting! I think the thought about compiling the best parts of collabs from the year is really good. It'd be a fun way to look back on things and hopefully continue igniting inspiration for the future!

Everyone have nice ideas...I'd like to suggest...

Spoiler: *drum rolls*

Meme contest: Show us your best vocal synth memes!

Or do something together like drawing UTAU in drawpile ie: I draw ArtsyP!nk 's UTAU, Artsy draws Pazu's UTAU, and so on, together in one canvas...And when we're all done one of the participants post the result in a thread specified for it.

Btw, i was looking around and found out that we have many inactive threads with interesting & fun topics.

Imo, while discussing events to promote UF, we can start the revival now by increasing forum activity with these threads; we can revive and be active to post in them anytime when we're free.

However, some sections containing many of said threads (Forum games & Chit-chat iirc?) have "announce new post in front page/chatbox" feature disabled
Is it possible to enable the feature in those sections? Seeing new post announcements of interesting & fun threads may encourage inactive members/guests to participate in forum's activity and help reviving UtaForum
(If it's not possible, we can start from sections with the feature enabled)

The drawpile idea sounds super cool! I drawpile with @Akriel pretty much on a nightly basis so that'd be super convenient already!
I will pass your post along to Myst and see if that's a feature she can enable! I don't see why she couldn't. Fingers crossed!

All in all, I think we should start thinking of good songs for a Halloween collab, since that holiday's coming up. Feel free to throw in recommendations and I can start another thread with them in mind!

 

[Akriel]

All of these are really amazing suggestions! I'd love to get to know the people of this forum better, I met one of my bestest friends on this forum, so I see so much potential into reviving it! I love the idea of a Halloween collaboration, a way to bring in users to celebrate (not literally but-) every Holiday as it comes and goes is a really nice idea!

Another cool idea is to just have a Halloween event, having everyone come together and make whatever UTAU related Halloween thing they want! Simple Soundcloud link? Go for it! Massive PV with lovely art and everything in between? Be my guest! Wanna team up with friends? Go right ahead! Of course that's probably not the most exciting thing out there, but hey! Still an idea!

I've participated in Secret Santas and let me just say, it's more fun than it seems! No matter how it looks, receiving a gift on Christmas is always really nice- even if it's just art!

As for how to really set up a massive collaboration like this, I'm more than willing to help! I'll also make a list of potential songs for the collab if we're up to doing it!

I really want to see this forum pull itself up from the grave, the mods work their hardest and they try their best. This forum deserves love and recognition!

 

[partial]

I've participated in Secret Santas and let me just say, it's more fun than it seems! No matter how it looks, receiving a gift on Christmas is always really nice- even if it's just art!

As for how to really set up a massive collaboration like this, I'm more than willing to help! I'll also make a list of potential songs for the collab if we're up to doing it!

I like everything you said in your post, but I've snipped out the two points I want to reply to most.
I really do like the idea of a Secret Santa. It really is neat to get gift art from someone! I think we should do it. We could do a Halloween themed Secret Santa! Spooky Synth I'll start a thread on it where people can sign up if they so choose! (And I personally really hope they do choose!)

I'm interested in your list of potential songs Aki!

 

[Kazumimi]

Maybe a mobile app for the forum? I don't know if the forum would translate well into a mobile app. And, since developing and publishing a mobile app would cost money, maybe run a kickstarter/gofundme/patreon/etc. page to raise money for the app? I think a mobile app might be a good idea since a lot of people these days seem to prefer mobile over desktop. Just a thought.

 

[Kiyoteru]

Maybe a mobile app for the forum? I don't know if the forum would translate well into a mobile app. And, since developing and publishing a mobile app would cost money, maybe run a kickstarter/gofundme/patreon/etc. page to raise money for the app? I think a mobile app might be a good idea since a lot of people these days seem to prefer mobile over desktop. Just a thought.

A plan like this would have to be entirely up to @Hentai to work on. And given the state of the unfinished forum themes, I don't think he's got a lot of free time to work on UF.

 

[Hentai]

We used to used to have TapaTalk for our mobile app, but not many people actually used the application, it was a pain to keep updated, and it introduced some security vulnerabilities so I uninstalled it. If there is demand I could look into re-enabling the plugin again.

As for new development is frozen until we are in 2.0 transition as outlined in my Future Roadmap.
The main delay for a XenForo 2.0 transition was waiting for the UTAU Showcase plugin to be compatible with the 2.0 branch. We are probably good to update now once I iron out a chat replacement, but it will require some significant time on my end, as almost nothing from the 1.5 branch will be able to come with us to 2.0.

I am tentatively scheduling setting up a 2.0 test environment pretty soon, but not doing the actual transition until February-March or so when version 2.2 is released and stable. Early revisions tend to have issues, so I am not a big fan of being an early adopter, but I expect most of them to be sorted out by the 2.2 XenForo release, which should happen early next year.

2.2 will be bringing a lot of upgrades to XenForo, from a first-party CMS, new navigation system, AMP integration, first-party reactions, conversation system overhaul. The most compelling feature of 2.2 is a theme system overhaul, so I don't want to plan anything until that is finalized, as acting hastily beforehand may require re-doing a lot of work.

So yea, from the dev perspective I am in a holding pattern until a 2.0 transition and I don't want to transition to 2.0 until XenForo 2.2 is released.