ponyville: Feedback poll

ponyville (

ponyville) wrote,
@ 2007-01-09 11:57:00

Feedback poll
I mentioned in the last entry that it's Ponyville's 2nd Anniversary!
(PLEASE DO check that last entry if you missed it, as I posted a new comic too! I'd really like your comments :))

It's been perhaps an entire year since I last posted a feedback poll for PV's readers - YOU! I'm finding that the strip is at a pivot point here: I'd like to make it something better than it is, and to do that I very much need your input.

Please take the time to fill out the below poll. I can't emphasize enough (with hand gestures and everything) how important your input today will be to the future of the strip. PLEASE BE CANDID, and don't be afraid to give honest criticism where I ask for it. You will not hurt my feelings; in fact, getting criticism is an excellent way to help improve the comic, which I want to do.

Thank you all again for sticking with PV through its changes and challenges. You have made the strip something special for me.

Now, to the poll! Please feel free to speak openly in this entry's comments, too, if you ran out of room in the text boxes or if you had something else to add that I may not have asked about.

Poll #903539 Ponyville Feedback Poll #3 (Mini)
Open to: All, results viewable to: None

One of *my* New Years goals is to update Ponyville more frequently/regularly. However, I find myself busy with yet another semester at school. Would you favor more strips at a diminished quality of art, or would you prefer the same level of artwork quality with less frequent strips?

More comics with possibly less visual appeal
21 (27.6%)

Same visual appeal, with aproximately the same posting frequency
47 (61.8%)

More quality to artwork with less strips
8 (10.5%)

I usually view Ponyville at:

Home
67 (87.0%)

Work
7 (9.1%)

School
3 (3.9%)

I am most likely to see comics at the following time of day:

7:00am - 10:00am
7 (9.3%)

10:00am - 1:00pm
23 (30.7%)

1:00pm - 5:00 pm
15 (20.0%)

5:00p,m - 8:00pm
12 (16.0%)

8:00pm - 12:00am
16 (21.3%)

12:00am - 7:00am
2 (2.7%)

Characters. I'd most like to see more of:

Mayor Pie
4 (5.6%)

Sweetberry the Secretary
8 (11.3%)

Lemon Squash ("Wife")
7 (9.9%)

Toola Roola
3 (4.2%)

Dash
11 (15.5%)

Minty
7 (9.9%)

'Roo
4 (5.6%)

Wysteria
6 (8.5%)

Jack
2 (2.8%)

Cotton Candy
2 (2.8%)

Ki'ono
6 (8.5%)

Sunny Daze
4 (5.6%)

Sparkleworks
2 (2.8%)

Amberlocks
5 (7.0%)

Plot. Ponyville should:

Become more story-based, with each strip focusing on plot
22 (28.9%)

Stay as it is - loosely story-based, but largely vignettes (one-week scenarios)
52 (68.4%)

Ditch story completely and just tell jokes.
2 (2.6%)

Please complete this sentence. If you run out of room, you can finish in a comment. "I'd be more interested in Ponyville if..."

Please complete this sentence: "Ponyville is at its best when..."

On a scale of 1 to 10, rate your enthusiasm about Ponyville compared to a year ago. "5" means it's the same; 6-10 are respective levels of MORE enthusiasm, 1-4 are LESS.

Mean: 6.91 Median: 7 Std. Dev 1.82

1	0 (0.0%)
2	0 (0.0%)
3	0 (0.0%)
4	7 (9.2%)
5	15 (19.7%)
6	9 (11.8%)
7	16 (21.1%)
8	15 (19.7%)
9	4 (5.3%)
10	10 (13.2%)

Why did you rate your relative enthusiasm as you did?

I am still interested in Ponyville merchandise (printed books, stickers, mugs, t-shirts, toilet seats, home pregnancy kits, etc..)

Yes
13 (18.1%)

Yes, but I'm broke
40 (55.6%)

No
19 (26.4%)

Check all that apply: I'd be more inclined to comment on Ponyville if:

there was an official website (that had messagre boards).
12 (18.5%)

there was a "shoutbox," like on websites.
5 (7.7%)

PV updated more frequently
29 (44.6%)

PV was more story-based
9 (13.8%)

I enjoy the comic, but don't comment; that won't change.
31 (47.7%)

STFU!
8 (12.3%)

Something that another or other comics I read do that Ponyville should do too, might be:

(Post a new comment)

	xyzzysqrl 2007-01-09 05:34 pm UTC (link)
	My first time commenting! It's really hard to go through the archives to the strip, and I'd really approve if the strip did have something I could point my friends to and go "Here, read through this." Aside from that, I've really been enjoying the comic when I remember to check it. I ought to go ahead and friend it so I can see it more often... (Reply to this)(Thread)

ponyville
2007-01-09 06:47 pm UTC (link)

Very good point! I really do need a way for people to flip through like most online comics have. I've occasionally wondered how I'll get new readers if they have to start from the most recent strips and work their way backwards, rather than read chronologically (which is crucial for some of the strips).

I'm flattered that you enjoy Ponyville (and want to show it to your friends! :))

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

dava
2007-01-10 12:39 am UTC (link)

There are a couple free hosting sites for webcomics, which can be made up to be pretty snazzy. The two biggest ones are DrunkDuck and Comic Genesis, which used to be called Keenspace. If I'm not mistaken, the Keenspace code is open source, so you can dump it onto your own site.

Of course, you could also just imbed this LJ into a website, but that won't give you all the navigation features you're looking for.

(I'm mulling over all this, myself.)

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

ponyville
2007-01-10 02:04 am UTC (link)

I know of both sites, but I think I'd probably do my own, very simple navigation page. This way I could link to each comic's LJ comments page, (and in addition, a respective message board thread where non-LJ'ers can comment if they want). I'd have to code it myself, but that would be incredibly easy, and the weekly upkeep would take a minute at most.

Although having the comic on either of the sites you mentioned would open it up to a greater (albeit largely gamer-oriented, as I see it) audience.

As C+C Music Factory once said: "Things that make you go hmmmmmmmmm...."

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

dava
2007-01-10 02:57 am UTC (link)

Yeah, I've been juggling the two options of coding everything or using code to automate. I'd probably opt for the automation, myself. I'd love to upload a page at 10:00 and go to bed early, rather than staying up to post it at midnight. It's a shame LJ doesn't have an automation option.

If KT gets a website, though, I will definitely host it myself. I'm leery about handing content over to others, ever since the Geocities copyright shenanigans.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	ponyville 2007-01-10 03:03 am UTC (link)
	Geocities. ::a ghoulish cackle rises from beyond the grave:: Automation.. I like that. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	dava 2007-01-10 03:14 am UTC (link)
	Automation is awesome. You can just upload stuff, and it shows up when it's supposed to! In fantasyland, I could make tons of pages and upload them weeks ahead of time and not worry about them. ... Pffhahahaha!!! (Reply to this)(Parent)

	cougarkittyn 2007-01-09 06:49 pm UTC (link)
	i am not happy i couldn't pick more characters i'd like to see. glowers so i'll do it here: roo, lemon squash, shalada (Reply to this)(Thread)

	ponyville 2007-01-09 06:51 pm UTC (link)
	ROFL, she needs her own spin-off comic. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	xayide2 2007-01-09 07:00 pm UTC (link)
	A timeline of the previous strips would be good, but I still like the feel of a good comic book on paper too. (Reply to this)

	guiliaine 2007-01-09 08:37 pm UTC (link)
	I am not sure I'd actually post on the messageboards, and I actually think that could be a really bad idea given all the idiots out there who end up ruining respectable messageboards, but perhaps it wouldn't be anything to worry about if the average people who post on the strips here are mature. Also, I'd like to see more of 'Roo (as well as Dash). (Reply to this)(Thread)

	ponyville 2007-01-09 09:43 pm UTC (link)
	I think if I had a message board, I'd rule it with an iron fist (and a mutton in the other fist). (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	guiliaine 2007-01-09 09:46 pm UTC (link)
	I agree!! (Reply to this)(Parent)

fjorab_teke
2007-01-09 10:39 pm UTC (link)

I sometimes post comments, but I usually won't unless I feel I have something worthwhile or witty to say, or something to ask. It doesn't mean I don't read or enjoy the comic...because I sure do! I'll try to keep in mind that you love comments and see if I can come up with something witty and meaningful for ya from here on out. ;-) Keep up the great work, and if you're too busy to post a strip on a certain day, or are simply out of "juice" for the time being, your readers will understand and be eagerly awaiting when you can resume the flow! :-)

(Reply to this)

dimespin
2007-01-09 11:03 pm UTC (link)

I want to clarify two things about how I filled out the poll. For the first, I don't actually really have a regular time when I'll see the comic, because I have a sleeping disorder and when I'm on the computer changes daily. I answered in the evening (8:00pm to 12:00AM) though.
For the second, I enjoy the comic, but don't comment. Actually I do comment, just not every time, because I can't generally think of anything to say about it. When I DO think of something though, I make sure I comment. =)

(Reply to this)

	jellostar 2007-01-10 02:00 am UTC (link)
	wanted so badly to pick more than one for 'who you want to see more of' question I'd also like to see more of Ki'ono, 'Roo, Minty, Sweetberry, Jack and of course Dash. There is no such thing as too much Dash. But Lemon Squash oh my stars. She needs to pop up more. She is totally one of those that hasn't been in near enough. :) (Reply to this)

soccerchicka7
2007-01-10 04:13 am UTC (link)

Some of the questions I was like "awww, I can only pick one?" The character one should have been 'click all that apply'. I would definately love to see more of Ki'ono, Lemon Squash, Sparkleworks, Minty and Dash/Wysteria. I picked Jack though, since he was in the last strip and in my mind. :) lol. I hope you can make sense of my written answers, I was quite upset when I couldn't continue a thought I had...lol. Kind of like when you try to make a witty msn name and it ends up being two or three characters too long...

To go along with my last input on the last question: you can find many examples of this in girly mangas and humourous ones. I have the link for the other webcomic if you'd like an example. :)

(Reply to this)

autumnwinds
2007-01-10 08:10 am UTC (link)

Two additional things:

1. I enjoy reading the comic more now because since the characters are more fleshed out, there's more humor to be had. The more we know about them, the more fodder there is for a story. I think the strip's increasing complexity has helped a lot. The less two-dimensional a character is, the better. Sweetberry became a lot more interesting when her distaste for idiots became homicidal. Dash became more interesting when he got fat and obnoxious. Wysteria getting crapped on by a bird wasn't funny. Wysteria being a hippie on Halloween and trick or treating a prostitute was hysterical. The only one-dimensional character I like is Roo, because that one dimension is so darned weird. I love his eyeball, and I love Minty's morph into Roo.

2. I don't like posting a comment just to acknowledge that I read the strip; if I comment, I want it to say something useful. However, I often lack the time to do this intelligently and end up saying nothing at all, which gives you a lower-skewed perspective of the strip's readership. I liked it when you added a poll where you could just check off if you'd read the strip and enjoyed it. I suggest you include a poll with each post that lets readers rank their enjoyment of the strip on a scale of 1 to 10. This would give lazy people like me an easy way to acknowlege that we read it, give you a better idea of readership levels, and also indicate which storylines and ideas and jokes are working better than others.

(Reply to this)

featherypony
2007-01-10 02:20 pm UTC (link)

I suck at these kinds of polls. I like Ponyville the way it is; honestly I think you're doing just fine. I wouldn't change a thing. But I agree with those who have said they'd like an easier way to search through the Ponyville archives.

I definitely wouldn't like a message board style comment format...I fail at messageboards hardcore. I have one that I go to that I can keep up with, but I find even that extremely difficult. I always try to comment on strips I enjoy...and I enjoy just about all of them.

As for time...I'm always here. I think you tend to post new strips on my day off, so I see them right away! And if I happen to be at work when a new one gets posted, I see it first thing in the morning since I often get home at like...6am eastern.

I am unhelpful.

(Reply to this)

	digitalduckie 2007-01-10 02:32 pm UTC (link)
	When can I expect a home pregnancy kit? Do I need to get a home pregnancy kit test first to see if theres a strong possibility of a home pregnancy kit in my near future? Would two lines being positive mean that a home pregnancy kit is on the way or would it mean that one is not on the way much to many women's relief? This is all so confusing. @_@ (Reply to this)

	banglesau 2007-03-08 11:23 pm UTC (link)
	First time posting AND reading!! Picked up the link though a friend. I have read everything- and I LOVE THIS COMIC. Your characters are great, and not everyone is a GIRL!! Keep it up, it would be sad to see them stop just as I find this place. Oh yeah, and I probably will comment... I comment on the other pony-based comic I read :) (Reply to this)

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