2 suggestions from the voices in my head.

[Allea]

1. There is a 'music' section here but the closest to anything that is an area for posting 'songs' that people write is a 'rap battle'
Maybe add a section for people who truly wish to share poetry/lyrics they have written, whether it be rock, rap, bebop, punk, country or even 'elevator music' lyrics...
I have to think we have alot of creative people here...and also by posting songs we write here we just might end up getting 'noticed' by someone who can do something with someone's talent.
It would also give a time stamp on when they posted the lyrics they wrote so no one would need worry about their song being 'stolen' since they would have an 'EP backup' to prove they wrote it first.
(That wouldn't be the best legal standpoint for copyright infringement lawsuits, but by law, what you write, you own...unless you live in a communist country)

Which brings me to suggestion 2...
2. I have been a mod on a few forums and I know phpBB and vBulletin, how they work, etc...
Make a section called something like 'The Tavern' and set it so only people here longer than 90 days with over 25 posts (or whatever) can access it.
Kind of an 'adults only' section, but not based by age in real life and not 'adults only' in terms of 'sex' which is how such a title is usually viewed.
I mean like where only people who have proven they know other people and don't only post to say a download doesn't work are allowed to say things that might be a bit inappropriate in regular forum areas.
Known members could 'flirt' and 'fight' and whatever without it being a 'newbie' war where anyone gets banned for what they say.
Did any of that make sense?
You never know how many long time people here feel they have a group of friends or 'family' but no where to post personal things because they don't want every 'newbie' who logs in to read what they say. (No offense to newbies...we all were at one time and will be again at any given new forum we go choose to join)
Oh well...whether you like my ideas or not...maybe by typing them out I can finally put those voices in my head to sleep...

[Megalith]

You could create a thread for that purpose in the Music Zone, you know. A whole forum dedicated to prose and poetry would be dead in less than a month. A thread would be most sufficient.

As for your second suggestion, we already have it. We call it RetroParadise here. And the entry requirements are quite steap. You have to spend at least a year or two and be judged as cool enough in the opinion of other Retro members and the staff. What goes on there is confidentional information.

[Allea]

You could create a thread for that purpose in the Music Zone, you know. A whole forum dedicated to prose and poetry would be dead in less than a month. A thread would be most sufficient.

As for your second suggestion, we already have it. We call it RetroParadise here. And the entry requirements are quite steap. You have to spend at least a year or two and be judged as cool enough in the opinion of other Retro members and the staff. What goes on there is confidentional information.

First about the second topic...
I was here for a looong time under the name Slesai. DJnickname knows me well, as well as many others (GoPunkYourself, knowitman, isohunter...who I made quite a few different sigs for over a year ago until he was finally happy with one...lol)
I even was a Supermod on Gamerz Palace (GoPunkYourself's site) and would have been the queen of PSX Eden had DJnickname not joined up with GPY... *giggles*
I had a 'massive siezure' that landed my ass in the hospital for a long time.
When I got out of the hospital I found that my name (Slesai) had been removed here...so I started over...as Allea.
I don't care if I don't get access to RetroParadise...this isn't about my ego, just...
If you are going to have a special section for long term members, long term members shouldn't have to start over simply because they have a major medical problem...or family emergency or... *insert important reason here*
I don't mind starting over and earning respect back...
Maybe the siezure made me a wiser person than the 'giddy lil Slesai girl' used to be...
But, I did let everyone here know who I was (or used to be: Slesai) in a few different threads.
Damn...do a google search for the name 'Slesai'
The whole world knows me...I want to put a *giggles* here but it's actually true...oh well... *giggles anyway*
As I said, I don't care about post count or time (for me personally) but since and if you are going to have an area that is based on that, a person having a medical emergency and being away for a few months shouldn't negate them from acceptance by being deleted.
Even MasJ knows me as Slesai... I uploaded Megaman 8, Prismalnd and others long ago...to Gamerz Palace Ftp which at the time was working with EP to get new games on the EP download section. Who knows...even you may have played some of the games I uploaded...

As far as the first part with lyrics and such...then why didn't you just make a thread for rap battles?
Wouldn't that have worked just as well?
If people post their lyrics in a thread they will be lost in an endless stream of ambiguity.
But of course rap battles deserves it owns section. Maybe if you're the name of a candy coated chocolate treat you may get your name known on EP.
Oh well...I'm going to go eat some M&M candies... *giggles again*

[GundamGuy]

Well your Username was likely deleted in the great rollback of 2003...

[Megalith]

If you are going to have a special section for long term members, long term members shouldn't have to start over simply because they have a major medical problem...or family emergency or... *insert important reason here*

It's good to have a returning member, and hope the operation went well. Best of wishes and stuff. You can contact MasJ (or any other admin) regarding that matter, and they might be able to restore your original join date. There's no need to fret over it.

As far as the first part with lyrics and such...then why didn't you just make a thread for rap battles?
Wouldn't that have worked just as well?
If people post their lyrics in a thread they will be lost in an endless stream of ambiguity.
But of course rap battles deserves it owns section. Maybe if you're the name of a candy coated chocolate treat you may get your name known on EP.
Oh well...I'm going to go eat some M&M candies... *giggles again*

The rap battle hack is a whole other story. For one, you need a thread for every single battle. Imagine the chaos it would cause if it's stationed at the Music Zone as it originally was. That, and the other reason is that the hack works on the entire forum it is applied to. That means that every thread created in the MZ would be a battle, and therefore have a meaningless poll at the top of it. Creating a sub-forum for the hack was inevitable.

[Allea]

Okay...rap isn't my style at all, but after looking at the few threads in that 'special rap battle section' it obviously isn't anyone else's either...lol
I guess I'll have to change my writing style from 'Led Zeppelin' to 'Public Enemy'
Although since you have restricted my writing style...I'm not responsible for what I might say...
*Hugs Megalith*
I was a bit ... touchy in my reply before.
I am cursed with questioning life...not questioning you.
I still think a place for talented writers to post would be nice, beside rap battles....but okay...
I'll 'rap' ... especially since I heard so many rap songs where women are called 'Beeyotch' that I can think of a few words I would like to 'rap' about descriptions involving a few men many women have known...
As far as my past 'Slesai' time...I don't want credit for it, but thank you for acknowledging that I did my time...
Wow! Acknowledging is a big word to type...*sigh*
*giggles*

[polobunny]

Okay...rap isn't my style at all, but after looking at the few threads in that 'special rap battle section' it obviously isn't anyone else's either...lol
I guess I'll have to change my writing style from 'Led Zeppelin' to 'Public Enemy'
Although since you have restricted my writing style...I'm not responsible for what I might say...
*Hugs Megalith*
I was a bit ... touchy in my reply before.
I am cursed with questioning life...not questioning you.
I still think a place for talented writers to post would be nice, beside rap battles....but okay...
I'll 'rap' ... especially since I heard so many rap songs where women are called 'Beeyotch' that I can think of a few words I would like to 'rap' about descriptions involving a few men many women have known...
As far as my past 'Slesai' time...I don't want credit for it, but thank you for acknowledging that I did my time...
Wow! Acknowledging is a big word to type...*sigh*
*giggles*

Just start a poetic lyrics/poems thread. I have a few that I alredy wrote, some new ones comes as time pass. I don't mind posting them here if someone also does.

[MasJ]

Well, for your first suggestion, you could make a song/poetry thread and everyone could post in that, I do think an entire seperate forum for it isn't necessary at this point of time. We could make another one however if the idea takes off : ).

As for your second suggestion, you already know we have a retroparadise, as far as your eligibility for that is concerned, you're not yet eligible for retro status. I found a post from your older account dated 9th January 2004, I've rolled back your current account's join date to back then. So once you are indeed eligible, you shall recieve your retro status.
Hope this helps =D.

[Allea]

Awww...thanks MasJ, that was sweet...
I honestly wasn't asking for any kind of special consideration or anything.
Alot of times I start out to make a simple comment and end up getting carried away with a 100 line post.
Anyway...thanks again...