(Since it was so mammoth I thought I'd make it a seperate RECord)

Hey Joe, thanks for the lengthy, thorough and respectful response to my points - much appreciated :) Fractaldust said a lot of what I wanted to say but I'll add a few rambly musings to help you guys understand where this stuff comes from. Cos I totally have the answer to everything :P Oh and obviously I've been incredibly lucky here and I'm not complaining for myself hehe - just things that I've felt aren't right and things I've heard expressed by others - both current and past hitrecorders. And I really just want to help you guys and this place to make these sorts of venting sessions less necessary and less likely to keep cropping up. 

I think part of the reason is because over the past while, the user has suffered a series of big blows - so that shift has caused frustration. 

First, a lot of the site functionality , either stuff not working like the dashboard or stuff being limited like how many of the latest records you are allowed to see before the list is cut off, has led to less hits on RECords, and less hearts. Yes we shouldn't care how many hearts we get it should be all about the joy of making things but of course the feedback of our peers is important to us, and without the affirmation afforded by the hearts and comments I doubt people would stick around here so long. I know I wouldn't. The support and encouragement of fellow artists is the best part of the site. 

Also on this topic, we've had a huge influx of new people who often just come in to fulfil a request and leave - leading to the site feeling a lot more like a competition than a community - many of these users have even called their RECords 'entries'. Of course this all has its benefits - you guys have more art to choose from and a bigger pool of talent. We have achieve amazing things and made quality stuff - but please understand the effect this has on the community. 

And the requests at the last minute just serve to ramp up this feeling. It's not so bad doing something you felt inspired to, with no expectation, but when you work double speed to make something specific to a request and then your 'entry' doesn't even seem to have had a chance, and you never know why - it can feel very hopeless. (One specific example is with the scripts for the fall formal - also the tendency to have Dr. Gory make final edits when a ton of editors have already produced work and had no feedback). Dr. Gory does a great job by the way and seems a lovely chap - but you know what I'm getting at. :)

I should say that, personally I just do stuff on here that I find fun and don't often respond to specific requests (sorry!) :P and that's what others should do unless they're happy with the effort/satisfaction ratio. The ratio could be better though... 

You say you see all the contributions and I believe that you do - but maybe the odd heart here and there wouldn't go astray? It means a lot to people that you have seen their work and see merit in it. I know you don't want to endorse things that you don't want the community to follow through with - but I think a heart means 'well done' but a feature means 'we can and may use this one'. Also, if you let the community know as soon as possible when you have found the contribution you are going with - then you cut down on the amount of wasted contributions and potential disappointments. 

My problem with the short timescales isn't the quality of the end product - we can pull it out of the bag sure - it's the unnecessary stress it puts on contributors and how it polarises that feeling of despondency when there is even less communication than ever. (In contrast I like the way the books came together much better - although it would be nice for folk to know if they're in the book before they buy it but that's another story!)

Overall, there's a feeling that users and their work is less valued than it used to be. I know this is not you guys' intention but it is nonetheless a side product of the changes round here - and has led to discontent and to people leaving. The problem has come about partly because there's just more RECords and users than ever, partly because the chances of people's stuff getting used is so much less even if they make specifically what you want and partly because of the lower hits/hearts.

Probably when the last of the users who remember the crazy, hazy days of V3 have toddled off you'll have less of these feelings cropping up :P It's not that this still isn't a great place to share art and make cool stuff - it's just that, for the individual user, it used to feel so much warmer and fuzzier. (You’ll notice almost all the remarks on this thread saying everything is peachy are from new users.)

And for the record, I don't think it's anything to do with monetization. 

My GOODNESS I do go on!! 

Anyway I don’t know how to fix a lot of these things but I’d love to help any way I could - we all would and we're on your side as Dusty said. I do understand what you guys are trying to do, and I admire your ambition and it must feel like a right slap in the face to do so much and have us all whining at ya – you’ve given us all an incredible gift with this place – problem is we get very attached to it and desperate to preserve our favourite bits. As Via said ‘with great power comes great responsibility ‘. And that’s why I hope I never get any :P

I have said a lot of this stuff before and I hate repeating myself, hate confrontation too, but I couldn’t carry on contributing here in good faith and keep my mouth shut about the issues I see and the frustrations of my friends. That said, I hope you guys aren’t taking this too personally – I know the direction of the company is tied in with you very closely but it’s the processes of the company I’m talking about - not you as a human :) We know you can’t fix everything –but just the way you’re listening and responding is great and really helps. 

So thank you <3