Comics Hangout/Open Studio

[punkarsenic]

this is pretty cool, especially the screen sharing function. i can just grumble about drawing to other creators (actually, might use this site as a more private version of picarto)

[LordVincent]

I dunno, I'm shy as fuck and I tend to be intentionally ignored/frozen out or spoken to in a very snarky manner when I'm in large groups of people. Might try it, assuming that it doesn't automatically have the mic and cam on when you enter the room? Google hangouts had that as a huge flaw, it would sometimes toss you into the convo and have your cam on for everyone to see without you willingly letting it.

[Kura]

That's why my cam is permanently pointed at the ceiling... but then sometimes the light will be turned on and my screen is just a blinding mess like I'm some divine figure that has descended with a form so incomprehensible it can only blind your eyes.

At least that's how one of my friends liked to describe it to me one day.

[LordVincent]

HAHAHA xD

Well that works if the cam is not stuck as part of your laptop screen tho ;w;

[Kura]

Urgg yeah the laptop cams get me every time x.x

[Hobbes]

Just as a quick correction, Hangouts is not being discontinued. Google is appropriating Hangouts to be for Businesses. As sad as it makes me that they're doing that, it was never that popular with regular people, just businesses, and so Google's moved on to different messaging services for regular people. All new features and decisions for Hangouts will be made with businesses in mind. (Also, they might be splitting the video calling and messaging portions into two separate things, as per Google's new weird mantra, they're already testing that on mobile)

Also, a stable link for that seems pretty cool!

[NanettesClouds]

Man I'm sorry to hear that @JohnVincent. Last night it was myself, @akemikae, and another guy and it was pretty chill. I mean we were all very pretentious and snarky about our own work but that comes with the territory :V In my experience art hangouts like this tend to do a good job of self-policing, but if someone is an actual problem and is intentionally terrible to you/or anyone else for that matter, you can let me know and I can look in to baning them from the room.

[NanettesClouds]

Painters tape is a godsend.

[akemikae]

@JohnVincent It was super chill. We did a lot of talking about our own works, and some advice and minor critics on each other's works. But we also had a lot of random stupid conversations that grew out of it, so it was super fun. No negativity going around at all.

It was nice having people to babble to about artsy fartsy stuff that is harder to talk about with non artists. So it was very refreshing.

[LordVincent]

Ok since noone mentions the webcam/mic thing I assume they're automatically on?

[akemikae]

From what I can tell, yes. It can sense that you have one, so I'm thinking if you go into your laptop settings and turn it off on the computer itself, It may not catch it.

[Kura]

Yeah, after using it I can tell you they automatically turn on, which is annoying, I was looking in settings to see if I can switch that off but nothing there for that.

[akemikae]

(My computer was being dumb, sorry. I wasn't trying to look like I was spamming the forum. o.o)

I think the site is still in beta, so stuff is bound to change still. So hopefully having your webcam off will be the default, or possible to make it so.

[NanettesClouds]

@kurapikasuki @JohnVincent Something to keep in mind is that the program is in beta, and having options to turn off your mic/cam by default would be a good feature recomendation for the developers. but yeah - for now it's a bit obnoxious. For now though, it's very easy to turn your mic/can off as soon as you get in. The other work-around is to go into your own private room, turn off your mic/cam and then go into the hangout room.

[LordVincent]

Lol the place is dead xD But hey at least that gave me a chance to turn the cam off so noone will be exposed to the horror that is this temporary hairstyle I've got.

[NanettesClouds]

mmm people are in and out - ive found that turning on desktop notifications has been a good way to go in while people are there. I'll probably be in there later today.

[NanettesClouds]

Some general advice on what to do if no one is in the hangout:

1) wait - people check in to see if anyone's there pretty frequently, but if theres nobody there they leave - be the person there. You can turn off your mic/cam/screen share until someone shows up to save CPU or whatever.
2) Turn on desktop notifications, this will let you know when someone has joined the room (you might have to make an account for this I dunno)
3) Bump this thread, say you're in here and what you're up to and people might follow you in :V (Lets not abuse this though, excessive bumping is against the rules.)
4) Invite some people you know (ideally they're also comic people or at least artsy people.)

[juyunseen]

Bumpin the thread cause I'm drawing in the hangout

[akemikae]

I tend to hop in a lot, but my schedule is very random. Haha. I am on a lot past 11 pm MST.

[LordVincent]

I dunno, I could probably be in there any time between 8am CEST to midnight-2am CEST, randomly. I am self employed pretty much cuz art and work from home.