What draws you to a forum?

[SearaQuoos]

I'm one who is very picky about how a forum looks because when I first get to a forum I see it's default skin. Ugly graphics or an overload of flashing images, or maybe the odd placement of things or extra things due to codes. Other than that a site has to have a good subject for me to join (and will prolly be a roleplay forum)... There has only been one site in the past that has made me want to join even though it had bad graphics, but I didn't end up staying there long because the members and the admin were not friendly at all.

[Skopz]

What the forum physically looks like doesn't decide whether I join or not. Granted, if the skin is like my kitchen tile, it'll probably have a lesser chance of me joining, but if it isn't all that terrible, it's irrelevant to me. I look more at content- How many users does it have? How many are active? Do other people seem to enjoy the site? Does everyone follow the rules? Are other members friendly?
Plus, I usually only get involved in role-play forums (ha, go figure), and I only join if they're advanced and of a topic I like. So if I'm currently looking for High School, I won't go joining some Harry Potter site. I'm kinda simple like that.

[nyaccent]

1) That you can't see the content of the site before you join.... I understand that you don't want guests to read your posts.....because why join if you can see everything without having to join....BUT at least allow the guests to see the topics on the forum.....PROBOARDS has many other options.... You can make some of the boards available to guests and once inside the forum other boards open up only to members..... You can make it so guests can't read the posts...... So what harm is it to have guests see the topics you have? If I can't see the guts or at least part of the guts, I won't bother to join......

2) If the colors are too dark with hot colors as the text..... That is soooooo hard on the eyes...that I can't spend quality time on a forum like that.....

[>>Phoenix<<]

The main thing is the topic.
I would definitely be more inclined to join a forum if I'm familiar with what's being discussed.

I have joined friends' boards at their request, but felt out of the loop as I knew nothing about the main theme of the board.

[kelendria]

Apr 21, 2008 5:43:46 GMT -8 >>Phoenix<< said:

The main thing is the topic.
I would definitely be more inclined to join a forum if I'm familiar with what's being discussed.

I have joined friends' boards at their request, but felt out of the loop as I knew nothing about the main theme of the board.

I have done that before, especially after being asked to help them out & being appointed staff rather quickly only to be left doing all the work. (I never just promote anyone on my forum)
I would rather join a forum that I'm familiar with on the subject side.

[Wells]

I would have to say their graphics and how many people are on.

[dirtkartracing]

Graphics are always good but i look for member activity and how many members their are. Post and thread count also come into play.

[Matt [Malfoy250]]

For my forum I try to attract people by my skin (The banner, color, ect.) because usually when I'm browsing through forums, I don't look further into sites if they don't have a good skin. The skin needs to match the theme of the forum, or it doesn't really go that well. For example, you wouldn't have a Halloween skin on a Christmas forum.

Also, I keep all my boards viewable by guests, so they can see what my forum is about.
A C box also helps because guests can ask you questions, and usually it shows that the admin cares enough about his visitors and wants them to come back.

[-[P U R P L E S T A R]-]

• Profile Forms ~ I don't know why, but the first thing I look at when I find a forum is the profile form. If they don't have one, I usually don't join.
  
• Plot ~ If the plot sucks, the forum sucks.
  
• Activity & member count ~ I like little forums and if nobody's been on in three days, I won't join.
  

[Kai]

I mainly like forums that have alot of friendly members, which I'm sure alot of you have said the same thing. I don't think bright colors make an attractive forum, or many different colors. Just plain one or two colors is fine. I also think it's good if the forum has activity. Also is the staff are friendly and active.

[HoudiniDerek]

Apr 27, 2008 13:16:26 GMT -8 -[P U R P L E S T A R]- said:

• Profile Forms ~ I don't know why, but the first thing I look at when I find a forum is the profile form. If they don't have one, I usually don't join.
  
• Plot ~ If the plot sucks, the forum sucks.
  
• Activity & member count ~ I like little forums and if nobody's been on in three days, I won't join.
  

Does that mean you only join RP forums? Just checking.

As for the activity and member count: If you like little forums, wouldn't you expect it to be down at times? I know that I have a small forum (not an RP) and there is sometimes not activity but me being on for a week. I realize that people have lives and such and with so few people, activity can be hard. Don't you think you miss out on a lot of good forums that way? (Again, just curious on your perspective of it).

[♥Elly]

For me, it's

1) Nice skin (no super bright colors)

2) At least 10 active members. What I hate is when there's a site with 100 members, but no one is on. Also, too many members is also annoying.

[HoudiniDerek]

Apr 30, 2008 14:00:29 GMT -8 ♥Elly said:

For me, it's

1) Nice skin (no super bright colors)

2) At least 10 active members. What I hate is when there's a site with 100 members, but no one is on. Also, too many members is also annoying.

Do you mean too many active members is annoying? If so, I am curious why you would think that. To me, it seems that if a site has a lot of active members (like this one for example) there is never a need or a lull in activity. Or did you mean too many members that does not accurately reflect activity?

[Gunn]

Well, as sure as a lot of people would say, I am mostly drawn towards the kind of forum is it, mainly something that I am interested in. That way, I can have a fine communication with the members there. It's kind of nice to become a part of an environment where people share the same interests as you do.

A few things tie along with that too, such as skin and activity and maybe a few features here or there. Also, how how organized the forum is as in a good and "proper" use of categories. I mean, I don't think I would want to see a board about books thrown in along with boards that are categorized in Pokemon cards or whatever. Yes ... picky. I would also check how they uphold the administration system.

[nyaccent]

Many of the reply here were talking about subject.... Of course if you aren't interested in the subject of the board you won't join...that goes without saying....

But if you are interested in the subject...What would make you join the board?

Does the board have to be PRETTY?
Does the board have to have the threads open to guests?
Can the guests just be able to see the content but not read the posts?
Do guests have to see the info table?
Do guests have to see the activity on the board?
Is a C-box important?

These are some of the questions I would like to have feedback on....

I think my board is pleasing to the eye.... It has a GREAT Banner if I say so myself.... but again everyone has different tastes so what one person likes another won't....

Right now my forun is visible to guests with a few guest friendly boards where guests can post... All of the thread titles can be seen by guests, but the threads themselves cannot be read except for the few explaining what the board is about.....

I do not have the info table available for guests to see.....

I do not have a C-box but I am thinking of putting one on..... but concerned about spam - and since it is a board geared for teens, that may be risky.

Being the Admin on my board, I am there everyday..... for hours on end reading every post and giving feedback on them.... It is a graphic board, so the graphics are fresh each day! Is it necessary for the ADMIN to be involved like that on a board..... Sometime I may be talking to myself.... Like saying Good Night in one post and then opening up the board with a GOOD MORNING being the next post the next day..... Do you think that is important....

My take on it is if the STAFF isn't active, then the members won't be .... Is that the correct line of thinking......