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Resident WWE Fanatic
109125
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Feb 24, 2022 22:36:56 GMT -8
Candice
?Just because you haven?t heard about it, doesn?t mean it?s a conspiracy theory.?
16,096
August 2007
quietgirl
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Post by Candice on Aug 6, 2009 15:31:15 GMT -8
Hard to see skins, unactive admins and members, low member count, no oomf to the plot and storyline(if any), and a boring display up front. Hi, Welcome to D:YP. If you wish to contribute to the conversation make sure your posts are at least 4 sentences long. Anything less shows that not enough thought was taken in the post, and is most likely not productive towards the conversation. Thank you
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143495
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Oct 10, 2017 16:39:01 GMT -8
FOX LOVER ?! <3
218
August 2009
miracleworker
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Post by FOX LOVER ?! <3 on Aug 7, 2009 16:53:44 GMT -8
Agreed. And yes, any site that wants new members does need to make it new, but original at the same time. Some people may say it's an impossibility, when its not. It's actually easy. Of course I NEVER made one like that, I made a default for a friend. She was making a real-life RPG. It worked out fine! She got millions of people on the site, before it crashed from all the stress, and age. Her forum was truely old. And I exaggerated at millions. It only got about 2,221 members. Still a nice record. (:
Well, I like to think of original but new ideas, but sometimes it dosen't work out that way. You really have to think, and get new ideas. The newer the ideas, the more views and members a site will get. Like currently, I am hosting a horseback riding academy RPG. Its not old, but it's not new. Its somewhere inbetween the two, and I usually get about 30 views everyday. I love it. I have a good feeling that the site my very well take off. And perhaps not at the fastest pace, but surely it will. I wont give up on it. (:
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105139
0
Dec 18, 2016 20:52:42 GMT -8
Bloody Hell
302
June 2007
jordan2020
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Post by Bloody Hell on Aug 7, 2009 17:19:40 GMT -8
I don't know. Sometimes a site can be incrediable different and still die, no matter how much you advertise and such. My Celeb RP died then again I guess it wasn't that different from others besides the fact I did Jokes and such a day in PM's. My new site is different however... and I'm surprised at how many new memebers I'm getting I'm already at 19 and just opened up yesterday and all nineteen have been active in the past 24 hours and none of them are not accepted yet they've all done there apps... its harry potter but a few actors are mixed in being taken out of the real world... its never before seen till now But, also I have a feeling if the admins not active I join an awesome site but the admin vanished and the site died... when the admin goes everyone goes... and sometimes I've noticed as an admin you can't be extremly laid back like I for one like to be I like people to stay and such... but you got to stick to your rules no matter how laid back ya want to be... because, if you don't the site no matter how awesome it looks... just turns out all wrong... I also think thats where I went wrong with my first site.
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Arson
New Member
Posts: 8
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0
Jun 28, 2023 10:05:08 GMT -8
Arson
8
June 2009
arson
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Post by Arson on Aug 10, 2009 11:24:09 GMT -8
I notice alot of people blaming the C-Box for dieing sites. On one site I was on teh C-Box helped the group on the site grow closer and in fact I made several friends. BUT about two members came along and were as I like to call them 'Thread spammers' They simply start threads because no one will reply to the others. Well two of them joined and started drama and the C-Bx was ruined. Then those 'spammers' brought mores like them *sighes*
This is pretty much a very good example of a dying site. I mean I love C-Box's cause it makes it easier to get to know fellow members but people cause so much damn drama in there when others are just trying to say hello and see how each other have been.
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125239
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Aug 12, 2022 12:14:11 GMT -8
Squishy
73
May 2008
naminesugarpuff
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Post by Squishy on Aug 10, 2009 11:42:42 GMT -8
If there wasn't a C-box on my site, I think it would die right away. No one on there likes sending messages. Plus, as long as the members try to keep their real lives distant, it seems to work out okay. I think if everyone truly just came on to roll play and not talk about events in their real lives with other members, it would all work out okay. I think getting to know the other members is a bad idea. That's what always makes my boards seem to fail.
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105139
0
Dec 18, 2016 20:52:42 GMT -8
Bloody Hell
302
June 2007
jordan2020
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Post by Bloody Hell on Aug 11, 2009 15:39:28 GMT -8
I think it all depends on the site and C-Box. I was extremly nervous to have a C-box and in character chat because on other sites I've been on people half the time only come to do that sort of stuff... but, surprisingly enough there are a lot of people that roleplay on the site... and the people on the C-box mainly just come on to say hey I'm here... or I gotta go... or something of the sorts or ask to roleplay with someone. Theres short conversations though. I like the idea of a C-box it just makes the site more homey and welcoming in my opinion plus it's quick and easy if you have questions and such...
I don't think a C-box has anything to do with a site dying... -shrugs- I think the admin just needs to make sure thats not all everyone does...
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138065
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Jan 21, 2010 19:54:13 GMT -8
kitty.KAT
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March 2009
kittywiens
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Post by kitty.KAT on Aug 13, 2009 7:48:00 GMT -8
Personally, I think a C-Box is a great add-on to sort of get to know the other members. If there wasn't a C-Box on a certain site, I might feel sort of isolated. I don't usually go into the Out Of Character chat boards and such, because I can never remember to go back to them later. If you tend to interact with people in the C-Box, you form friendships and sort of attachments and members are less likely to leave in my opinion. Not to mention it's much faster then PMing or boards.
I think a lot of forums die because the Admin will get bored and sort of drift away from it a bit, if the admin isn't there... then applications don't get accepted, their characters don't get played and gradually everyone sort of drifts away. Also, a lack of change could be the problem too. If there isn't a whole lot of posting going on, muse drops and soon enough the forum just goes bare.
I personally like to have activity checks and newsletters to keep people involved, to make sure they're still coming ^^
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128565
0
Nov 14, 2010 13:24:40 GMT -8
Hannah
59
July 2008
daneluver
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Post by Hannah on Aug 13, 2009 11:28:12 GMT -8
Skins that are bright and hard to see, or are just a mixture of random, bright colours are a big turn off. And as for the really bright skins - sometimes we really do like the colours, they just need to be toned down a little bit.
There needs to be change often. Not constant change, or change that nobody likes, just fairly consistant changes to the site. No change just makes it borin after a while, especially with RPGs. With role-plays, the same thing applies. You should make a main plot, but allow other people to make their own mini-plots PLUS roleplay out plot-twists and so on! It keeps it exciting and ever-changing, so the members don't get bored and leave because they have nothing to do.
Sometimes, forums and role-plays die because they are OVERWHELMING. A professional look and style is nice, but you also want to keep it simple and sweet [you know what I mean by that].
Having your site be a certain level of literacy. This really turns off some people. I believe it should be free and open for anyone to roleplay on. And really - define literacy.
It should have a fair amount of rules, but not too many that people feel restricted, but not so loose that people are doing whatever they want, whenever they want.
Also, there are younger members as well as older that join your site, so why not make it friendly and great for all ages?
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faded01
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-3633469
0
May 4, 2024 12:39:12 GMT -8
faded01
0
January 1970
GUEST
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Post by faded01 on Aug 13, 2009 17:00:47 GMT -8
For my sites its normally summer that kills any buzz I have going during the winter things go great because people are normally limited to certain hours they can hang out before being wrangled back in for school the next day. So instead of being out they stay in and rp since they have more time to talk on the computer then run the lands, friendly people and a chat box always help my sites. But Ive never seen my site really die due to lack of an admin because im always on and always helping people do something. I suppose what really makes or breaks a site is the people interested in your story line, sure you may like it and a few others might but at some point someone is going to try to be “original” and take what you have and add more to it which might bring more people to their site then yours. I suppose it is always nice to keep up the action and make it so that everyone has a place on your site sub plots work well and so do little events that might taken a certain group you have and put them in the lime light for a while doing that for everyone keeps them interested in what your doing.
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28486
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May 3, 2024 18:42:25 GMT -8
Artemis
20,776
August 2004
lray2
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Post by Artemis on Aug 13, 2009 17:32:55 GMT -8
Skins that are bright and hard to see, or are just a mixture of random, bright colours are a big turn off. And as for the really bright skins - sometimes we really do like the colours, they just need to be toned down a little bit. There needs to be change often. Not constant change, or change that nobody likes, just fairly consistant changes to the site. No change just makes it borin after a while, especially with RPGs. With role-plays, the same thing applies. You should make a main plot, but allow other people to make their own mini-plots PLUS roleplay out plot-twists and so on! It keeps it exciting and ever-changing, so the members don't get bored and leave because they have nothing to do. Sometimes, forums and role-plays die because they are OVERWHELMING. A professional look and style is nice, but you also want to keep it simple and sweet [you know what I mean by that]. Having your site be a certain level of literacy. This really turns off some people. I believe it should be free and open for anyone to roleplay on. And really - define literacy. It should have a fair amount of rules, but not too many that people feel restricted, but not so loose that people are doing whatever they want, whenever they want. Also, there are younger members as well as older that join your site, so why not make it friendly and great for all ages? You are correct, and it's very hard to establish something that works for everyone. In essence, rules that are strict enough to prevent trouble, but lenient enough to allow that sense of community, but at the same time allowing people of all ages to find interest in something. I think many forums are much too strict about what sort of people they allow, expecting a large audience, or even a smaller but active one; however, many of those sites don't last long because very few people see anything that interests them, and activity levels are usually down, with the exception of maybe a few people.
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142360
0
Sept 24, 2009 8:23:57 GMT -8
surferdude
8
July 2009
surferdude
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Post by surferdude on Aug 14, 2009 6:22:03 GMT -8
I am also effected during the summer as well,but in the winter moths there is a big boom of members and i also see this on the forums i mod as well.Spammers and trolls also kill of sites as well because then people don't even want to look at it and also if the mods and admins aren't posting then that gives a bad message out to other users.Also a bad skin if it is too dark i don't really like to spend my time on it.
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129185
0
Mar 21, 2013 17:30:41 GMT -8
Taylor
436
August 2008
xxemotionless
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Post by Taylor on Aug 14, 2009 16:09:08 GMT -8
I really, really, really don't want to read through the nine pages of posts to figure out if this has already been said, so I apologize in advance if it has.
I find that unless I bring a few friends from other sites that'll stick with the site even through the rough, not as active phases, it always dies quickly. My friends and I have established a small group who sticks together and works to keep the sites of everyone in it active. We include the new members in discussions, encourage RP between the members, and slowly the site grows. I also find that overburdening members by saying posts need to be 500+ words can lose your members fast. When you're having a down day, I find it comforting when I know I don't have to bust my mind trying to come up with a really long post. Also, having a chat box or active out of character thread helps, as it establishes connections between the fellow members and makes people want to come back. It's true that an administrator leaving doesn't always effect the site -- as long as one member is willing to step up and take over.
On my own site, my internet connection failed for a month. We had a good, active site going, so I'd seen no reason to appoint extra staff, as I'd always done fine on my own. When I was gone and no longer able to accept applications and change member groups, I was devastated and thought for sure my site would be dead. But my friend and fellow member had taken it upon herself to accept the bios, and even though she couldn't change the groups, the site lived on.
In short, I think that it's all up to the members to decide whether the site is going to live or die. (And eyesore skins definitely take away from amazing sites)
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gfx25
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-3635736
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May 4, 2024 12:39:12 GMT -8
gfx25
0
January 1970
GUEST
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Post by gfx25 on Aug 14, 2009 16:13:28 GMT -8
Having Artemis as a member on your forum, but seriously. What makes a forum die Is poor staff, if theres no head admin around then theres not that much a site can do, staff need to settle in new members that have issues or troubles. If there are inactive admins, who will be able to fix a problem with a board if it goes wrong? It depends on the sites ranks though I guess. Just if you join a new site make sure there is willing and dedicated staff team there.
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Sierra One
105802
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Nov 19, 2012 10:38:38 GMT -8
Michelangelo "Spike" Scarlatti
Dead To The World
6,224
June 2007
burbee34
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Post by Michelangelo "Spike" Scarlatti on Aug 14, 2009 18:25:06 GMT -8
Having Artemis as a member on your forum, but seriously. What makes a forum die Is poor staff, if theres no head admin around then theres not that much a site can do, staff need to settle in new members that have issues or troubles. If there are inactive admins, who will be able to fix a problem with a board if it goes wrong? It depends on the sites ranks though I guess. Just if you join a new site make sure there is willing and dedicated staff team there. Not always true on the poor staff bit I believe it has alot to do with the kind of people that join your board I've had many people join one of my boards that I tried so hard to bring back to life for like the 4th time now and all they did was join - do nothing for a few months - then they never bothered to reply to the emails and pms I sent. And thats when I finally decided to delete them from my board - I won't bother keeping inactive accounts for long periods of time. Especially on a role-play forum - on other forums I will keep longer. Whenever I make a board I always login everyday and I make posts and such whenever possible. But it's really not always up to the staff to keep a role-play forum alive or even a fan forum alive. I mean if you join a role-play fourm you should try and be active - or really don't bother joining then. As for the fan forum I think that is also something that all members should keep alive and not just the staff - if your a fan then you should post things too. Boards like chat boards and general type boards should all fall on the staff to keep alive. I honestly think that the main reason a forum dies is the type of people that join your board.
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Jul 7, 2010 15:48:57 GMT -8
++ Misery Bless
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November 2008
meowmeowkat
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Post by ++ Misery Bless on Aug 14, 2009 22:20:34 GMT -8
I personally think that if a forum site doesn't have really good features, and the members of the forum aren't dedicated to the site, then it will begin to die. After time, if the forum begins to advance in structure, that may also make some people leave; so I've seen. Not to mention, if a few members leave a site, that could trigger others in the forum to leave as well.
If the team of moderators and administrators tend to be unfair, that can also make people leave a forum site, thus making it die. There's really tons of things, most already listed in this thread. And lastly, if a new forum site gets a lot of attention, that could drive members to move from one forum to another, and yadayada.
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