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Why do I like Cruxforums?

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Barbaria1

Rebel Leader
Staff member
I’m reflecting tonight on the fact that I have been a member of CruxForums for nearly seven and one half years, and remarkably ... I am still here!

I never would have predicted that when I joined the site in the summer of 2013. That was just before the infamous site crash of that year, which ... contrary to popular opinion ...I did not cause

So why am I still here?

It’s a question we might all do well to reflect on from time to time. I’ve seen a good many come and go over the years ... some burn out, get bored ... a very few get themselves banned ... others simply disappear and we never know why.

But, I’m still here and will most likely remain, at least for the foreseeable time. And I think there are some clear reasons why.

Most important are the people. CF is a remarkable place where individuals with a particular, if somewhat offbeat, interest (or set of interests) come together as a community to share. And, for me, one of the most remarkable things about the gathering is how truly international it is. CF brings together people I can get to know and find interesting from literally all over the world. That’s hard to beat!

And I do find so many of them to be interesting. I find here, far more than one might expect, a diverse and talented bunch of artists and writers, speaking of course of the core of really active members as opposed to those on the fringe ... although I was once a lurker myself who hesitated before jumping in.

And CF is not just about manipulated images, art and writing. There are also a great many animated discussions that take place on the threads, covering a remarkable range of topics, and displaying such expertise. I truly learn things here!

There is also good humor and banter, which at times can get out of control and can hijack an entire thread. But there is a lightheartedness here that affords a nice balance to the relative darkness of some of the materials on display. It’s a place where I feel I can relax and even be a little silly, and it’s okay ... a welcome release from the constraints and seriousness of real life.

Personally, I like to write. And CF is a place where I can enjoy writing, often about subjects that interest me but are not likely to be well received outside of a place like CF.

Over the past seven and a half years I have written and posted dozens of stories here, both long and short, along with some pitiful attempts at verse. A good many have been written in collaboration with other members, which is something I particularly enjoy, and I have had the good fortune to work with some awesome collaborators. You know who you are.

But the other nice thing about writing for the site is the commentary that appears on the threads. Feedback is a wonderful thing. And there is a lot of it here, as well as a kind tolerance for the fact that nearly all my stories feature the same principal character ... my CF alter ego, Barbara Moore (who in some ways is Moore of the real me than I care to admit).

But the vexing thing about my writing currently is that I seem to have finally run out of fresh ideas. I like to write stories that fit into historical contexts ... it’s the historian in me. But I seem to have covered just about every setting I can think of.

And it’s just that ... the lack of any fresh creative inspiration ... which has caused me to open this thread. After seven and a half years, have I reached a limit? Is it time to quit?

Apparently not, because I am still here and still enjoying myself, and I think I’ll stay. But it has me thinking a lot about the site, and how it keeps going.

There have been bumps along the way. We’ve weathered some crises ... some irascible members cause troubles from time to time, there have been occasional technical difficulties, and most recently a pandemic and a tightening of the income stream that normally kept us afloat. We evolve and we reinvent, and are resilient. And through it all the place retains my interest. My friends here are the best... so what Moore can I want. Love you all.

So, open for comments. What do you like about CF? Why are you here? How could it be better? I’d love to hear.
 
I'm only a new member of the community, but I can't agree with you more on everthing you said above (well, maybe except for the dubious claim that denies your responsibility of the crash... but I wasn't here back then, so I'll leave the judgement, and maybe also the necessary interrogation to others in that matter).

As you already mentioned most of the reasons why I love this community, I'll just add that I also regard CF as my refuge from all the hatred and venom which have all but completely engulfed most of the local internet communities where I live.

I almost feel physically sick whenever I read the comment section of the local internet news websites, or when I visit seemingly innocuous forums dealing with various subjects, like technology, games, baseball, and you name it. Everywhere I go, I only see such people who keep spewing the most abominable kind of political propaganda and hate speeches you woudn't imagine to see in ordinary English speaking forums.

As such, I began to spend less and less time on local internet sites while having grown so attached to this weird little community as to feel at home now.

So, even though I cannot write stories like you do, and even I can't spend much time on my 3D artworks anymore (hopefully it will change soon) I still visit this place and feel comforted amid all those squirrel pictures and Moore jokes, stories and artworks that conform to my secret fetish which I can't reveal to anyone in real life.

And needless to say, those people who are behind all such contents are why I keep visiting this community. So, I wish you could stay in this community for a long time because you are definitely a part of the reason why I love CF.
 
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I know i became inactive for few years back but I still remember the active and younger years of four us , my very first friend and bestie -@LittleSiss , then,@messaline @Barbaria1 .
Then my other senior members @admihoek @thehangingtree @Eulalia @phlebas @Darkprincess69 @mermaidhunter and my most RP partner @RacingRodent :)
I dont mean i dont remember the newer members...they are in my heart too but cant mention all here.
I cant say myself of boring here although moderen crux stories are not my kink. But RL is changing time by time and I cant much online here. But i still came time by time to time by checking Eul's covo of most of us.
It's good i am just saw this post ..here are my answers
1. Crux is still my strongest kink and that's why I arrived here when there were very less and bad internet connecting in my country. But as few of you may know, my crux kink is based on Fatasy or ancient world and I cant arouse myself if the main charactor is high class or noble born like Queen who are doing good for her own people.


2. At the first five years addited here is not only because of my kink and pleasure but also because of friendship and warmness here. I got very good environment here with the people I love. But i was afraid of it too when I saw few members are death, left or disappeared before me. I couldnt stand this in CF and my RL as i was ammatured at that kinda condition. Then I followed my spiritual journey to get my own equinimity in both here and my RL. I reliefed from my attachments but it dosesnt mean I love my friends in here. I still love you all the same but I'm just trying not to hold anyone (in RL too) :)


3. I also have to mention my English is better because of CF and I could make my dreams come true as by creating my own stories. And it is very good for me as I created them by collaborations with my international CF friends
I also managed to make self learning in phoshop after joining here. It is inspired by other manips and illustrations from other made for me and their works. It gave me my second hobby career and sone incomes in few years back as i had some struggles in my primary work.

In finally, CF is still in my heart and I still love all my firends in here. And It will be a good part of my life always. Thanks to All and Long live CF :)
 

But, I’m Still here and will most likely remain,
...
CF is a remarkable place where individuals with a particular, if somewhat offbeat, interest (or set of interests) come together as a community to share
....
And CF is not just about manipulated images, art and writing. There are also a great many animated discussions that take place on the threads, covering a remarkable range of topics
...
a place where I can enjoy writing, often about subjects that interest me but are not likely to be well received outside of a place like CF.
I've also been around for quite a while and keep coming back although I have had my absences.
One thing is that ... by joining up & participating,
all of us basically 'out' ourselves as having such interests that as you said, wouldn't be likely to be well received 'outside' of this asylum ;)
Sometimes recognizing that commonality, and having tolerance for the differences in the various 'deviant' fetishes, fixations, interests, desires we bring along, can also be transferred to other areas ... that is it can sometimes become possible to have 'impossible conversations' that elsewhere would get insta-banned.

So, open for comments. What do you like about CF? Why are you here? How could it be better? I’d love to hear.
I'd say whenever I'm lapsing it's erotic fantasy that inspires me to become more active again, (or join up in the first place) but if it weren't for all the other discussions I'd probably drift away again quickly .

As for 'how it could be better' there are certainly things one could come up with from various interests...

... but I am very wary of attempts to 'redesign' something that has in many ways grown organically from a community dynamic.

Such changes could end up improving a small aspect in the interest of a certain value, but at the cost of breaking what makes the community work.

Things should be done carefully ... often it may be best if you want to change something maybe perhaps get a few people together and demonstrate by example.
 
Probably like a lot of members I came here for the dirty pics, and stayed for the dirty stories and the filthy minds of their creators. On the whole CF has always felt like a nurturing and companionable sort of place, and it’s all down to the great people here.

The one thing I’d like to change (which I’m sure isn’t possible) is for artists to be able to have a gallery-type page rather than having to post artworks in a linear thread.. but I feel sure that can’t be done. And to be honest I’m fine with that. :p
 
But the vexing thing about my writing currently is that I seem to have finally run out of fresh ideas. I like to write stories that fit into historical contexts ... it’s the historian in me. But I seem to have covered just about every setting I can think of.

And it’s just that ... the lack of any fresh creative inspiration ... which has caused me to open this thread. After seven and a half years, have I reached a limit? Is it time to quit?
Barb, I think you already know how much I value the experience of writing with you. It's honestly something I treasure. I would seriously have it in my obituary as among my accomplishments if that were possible (it probably isn't ;)).

I'm proud of having created characters like Stan Goldman and the Barbara Moore who is on the right side of the law (mostly) as well as Priya, but worry about taking them too far. Perhaps, we've already done that, even though some of our fans didn't mind. So the challenge to do something new and different is out there and maybe we can't live up to it. But perhaps we shouldn't give up just yet.

As for the rest, yes, the people here are terrific. Some of you know that I had some difficult events happen during the time that I have been here and the support I received and continue to receive from people here was absolutely fantastic. So, while I may not be present on as many threads as I used to be, I still watch and will comment when something catches my interest, like this one...
 
So, open for comments. What do you like about CF? Why are you here? How could it be better? I’d love to hear.
That's not to fit in one reply post, I am afraid.:roto2cafe:

I recognize a lot in what you write. Probably the same reason why I am still here. Since 2014, some six years ago.

Sharing the same dark fantasies with like-minded people.

The writing problem, I have too, currently. I find more inspiration, the last year, in role play stories, where one member has the lead, and others have to follow, instantly. Clearly a good source of inspiration.:icon_writing:
 
In finally, CF is still in my heart and I still love all my firends in here. And It will be a good part of my life always. Thanks to All and Long live CF :)

Thanks for responding, Yu.

As a personal note I should add that it was LittleSiss (especially), Yupar, Darkprincess and Messaline who enticed me long ago to take the plunge from lurker to participant. For better or worse (LittleSiss once ruefully remarked that she had created a monster) I owe a lot to each of them, and to MermaidHunter, who crafted the avatar I still use today.
 
Most important are the people.

That about sums it up for me.
A kink I've had since........well, if I talked about that, I'd be banned......................has been a lonely concept in my mind, even when buying books and comics (expensive!!) and making crude drawings. Then the internet opened up stories and images, but it was still a passive, hidden occupation.
Then I stumbled here (thanks Google), and was turned off, if anything, by the crux aspects, but the BDSM section held a still lonely lurker. Finally the lurker thought "Why the hell not" and joined.
Tentative interjections were not treated with derision, and some contributors added me into their stories, so eventually I wrote my own story, which was received far better than I ever imagined. Others followed, but I also am now in a bit of a vacuum.
And all this time my sense of the people behind the avatars has matured, such that I care what happens and respect their opinions.

The only problem with the forum, and there is nothing that anyone can do about it, is that the members are too knowledgeable and the topics too informative; in RL I find myself quoting a fact I've picked up here, then have to bluff my way around how I learnt about it. Do any of my RL friends and relatives wonder about this "Scientific Forum" where I learn so much about US, German, Australian, Korean politics, economics etc?
 
Do any of my RL friends and relatives wonder about this "Scientific Forum" where I learn about US, German, Australian, Korean politics, economics etc?
In times of covid this has become easier, say it was a topic that just recently came up after everyone logged on a few minutes before the video conference was scheduled to begin and chatted a bit ;)
 
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I have enjoyed the Forum since I first discovered it,and although crucifixion is not really my thing,I have appreciated the work of many of the writers and artists who so generously contribute to it.
I.also was just a lurker, before I eventually decided to really join in, which I have not regretted,having found a number of people who I feel are on the same wave length.(I hope that it is not too presumptious to include you in their number)
 
The one thing I’d like to change (which I’m sure isn’t possible) is for artists to be able to have a gallery-type page rather than having to post artworks in a linear thread.. but I feel sure that can’t be done.

Xenforo offers something that looks like this

solutions-xfmg.jpg



The XenForo Media Gallery provides a central hub for users to upload, manage, organize, share and exhibit their media, including video.
Once uploaded, media can be tagged and assigned to albums and showcases, then made public or private to solicit discussion and commentary, making full use of the rich discussion features native to XenForo.

That's a category based media gallery as I understand but you could effectively use artist names as their own category.
Then each artist could have a gallery that could be commented on.
It isn't free though, as far as I understand the licensing on https://xenforo.com/purchase/ one could license this for 24 months at a price of $80 ($65 plus $15 extension for another 12 months)
 
It is here a bit like in a "mirror world" of some science fiction movies:

You often can find here helpful and extremely sympathetic people who possibly are so friendly just because they know of their "kinks" and how to control them.

My most preferred example of what I mean is H.R. Giger, the illustrator of the alien monster in the Alien movie series with Sigourney Weaver.

He once said in an interview on TV, he always had these pictures in his nightmares which were a real psychic problem for him, but they did no longer haunt him at night, when he painted in reality these alien and not only extraterrestrial monsters at day-time.

By the way, two of the last postings here remind me of a scene in this movie from my "post-adolescense phasis":


In the actor's school class of the "the great theatre professor Stanislav Korzenowski", one male student recognizes "Sandy Brozinski" (= Bette Midler), a brash, loud actress, and is happy to make her this compliment:

- (He, happily:) ) "Hey, I have already seen you in a movie!"

- (She, loud and gladly smiling:) ) "So, you have really seen me in my very best movie 'Horror Sex with Godzilla' "?
(just invented similar title because I do not know the real line in the German version any more)

- (He, suddenly very sober :facepalm: ) "Mhm, seems to be the only explanation ..."
 
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- (He, happily:) "Hey, I have already seen you in a movie!"

- (She, loud and gladly smiling:) "So, you have really seen me in my very best movie 'Horror Sex with Godzilla' "?
(just invented similar title because I do not know the real line in the German version any more)

- (He, suddenly very sober :facepalm: ) "Mhm, seems to be the only explanation ..."
His best retort would be ...

Guess who was in the Godzilla suit!?!
 
Legends sometimes develop a life of their own and I never thought Barbaria1 could do any harm to a poor little internet site, because she is so nice and friendly in every way.

:eaea:


Xenforo offers something that looks like this

If I ever had the money or the knowledge, I would like find or to provide by myself an internet site with such characteristics:
I would rather prefer an internet site - and I don't know if something like that ever existed or if this is possible - in which I could upload pictures, offer them as appetizing examples in thumbnail size and the possibly interested customers could then download single pictures for a rather small price, e.g. 1 $ per picture in full size or they could download a complete folder for a higher price with all the pictures inside, e.g. all pictures with my photo manipulations of "wooden horses" for about 15 $ and up to 20 pictures in one folder.
 
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