Ways to encourage Roleplay in the forum

[Danielle]

Hi, hope I've posted this in the right place, my apologies if I haven't!

So I've got a RP site and I've noticed people tend to spend a lot of the time chatting in the shoutbox instead of RPing in the forums. We have interesting threads and we try to keep them all update as possible. We have a lot of members and there are always people online and chatting away and it's not even about the show we are based around, it's general rubbish >.<

So I was wondering if anyone had ideas that we could put to use to try and get more people involved. I'm up for just about anything, would like to try and avoid spending anything if possible. We are a 'The Vampire Diaries & Originals' RP for anyone who wanted to know. Like I said willing to try anything because I don't want to close the site or anything :/

Thank you for looking and giving anything you can, it's greatly appreciated x

[Kami]

Don't have a chatbox? I mean I know it's useful but if members are forgetting the primary purpose of the forum then take it away. *shrug*

If you don't want to though I don't think there's anything else you can do. YOu can try to run incentives til you turn blue but if people are already ignoring their RPs for chat then it's up to them really.

[Søren]

Never seen the show so not sure what to suggest, but RP events are always good.

Think of a event that could happen that would effect everyone characters and make a thread explaining the mini plot, encouraging them to sign up to take part. Sometimes lack of rps is because of lack of ideas, so adding in your own event based on the sites theme is often helpful.

In the past for my own site (its a supernatural asylum/academy rp)  i made event that mean whoever sign up to it, gets there character species/gift randomly changed or cured. So while the plot was running, they could rp as something different and there characters reaction to that. And how they feel after they changed back lol

Another i had a 'spirit' running amok in Halloween, jumping into peoples threads and influencing things. (only way to get out of this one was to post saying you didn't want your character affected ( So things that offer the chance to change or force a change are always fun.

But just mini events are good. Often for my forum in holiday times, like Christmas i make a 'christmas dinner thread' so all characters can post to that if they want. Or a valentine dance thread.

Or make a monthly competition, whoever post the most gets a custom title/own board for the next month/ award (theres a award plugin for V5 which might be good).

If the cbox becomes a problem, maybe consider taking that out.

[oswaldz]

It does sound like the Chat box is the main cause of the problem to the forum, is there a way you can possibly limit people posting in the chatbox? Like hand out warnings to members who stray in the cbox too long or are in it for too long, that might be one way of getting them out and back into posting on the board, or like the others have suggested maybe get rid of the cbox all together.

[wildmaven]

I couldn't do without my chatbox. We have such fun in it that I really think the site would suffer if it went away. If I find that 2 members are engaging in a lengthy conversation and others are not able to get a word in, then I'll give a gentle nudge in the right direction. I don't think handing out warnings would be productive and might make members stop coming altogether.

Søren has some great ideas!

Basically, you need to make the board more fun. Are there times where the members are waiting long periods of time between posts because they're stuck waiting for other members? Maybe you can create a Backstory Board where members can write some stories about their characters before the current time period?

Please remember, too, that November is a horrible time to judge board activity. With National Novel Writing Month, many members are off writing their own personal novels, trying to reach the NaNoWriMo goal. I hate November for this reason. In addition, final exams can be taking place now, too, for some Universities and the holidays are fast approaching.

Have you talked to the members? I once created an anonymous poll where members could give feedback about the board. Sometimes you're so close to your board that you are missing some very basic things. The poll was a big eye opener for me and it really helped.

[Cuethelaugh]

I honestly think the best thing to do is for you to post multiple times yourself. People lead by example and if everyone is goofing in the cbox that's what's going to happen.

Ask a good friend on the site to thread with you and encourage threading elsewhere. It works!

[Lady Lex]

I agree with you, cuethelaugh. I always find when I post a few replies, it seems to make other people want to post as well. And it works both ways. I see some great posts and it's like, "Damn, I want to write now!"

Cboxes are important too. Especially for a quick note to someone to say you have posted in their thread if they can't be bothered to log in and check their PMs. Also for a little "poke" now and then. Questions, comments, general chat. But it shouldn't be the main focus of the board. I think that is why most people have it in a side box, small enough so it's not IN YOUR FACE but visible enough so it can be used properly.

It may be a good idea to turn it off for a time (I think there is an option on the Cbox Account somewhere to do that) and tell people that you will open it again when there is X amount of posting going on.

And yes, Lead By Example. Words of wisdom.

[Cuethelaugh]

Lady Lex- Man.. You and I are agreeing quite a bit today!

But yeah.. I think the way to get something is to be positive, be kind, and just stick with it. It's hard not to roll over when you feel outnumbered by a bunch of people wanting to do the opposite of what you want but sometimes life happens. Go with the flow. State it's important and lead by example and then eventually it'll happen especially if they are your friends. I'd hope so anyways. I personally learned from my mistakes when I was younger and managing sites.

I tend to get so super anxious (I'm just a naturally stressed out person) and worried that a site will fail and then die but with age I've learned as long as you stick around and maintain your relationships it'll always be there... Also RL should ALWAYS come first.

If that makes sense.. Just rambling here.

[Mandoli]

Make some sort of special event outside of the main plot. If the month in question is December, make a holiday party where everyone can mingle with everyone. It doesn't hurt to let people post with someone who they haven't RPed with yet.

I've also seen sites with in-character chat, so that might help muses out. It doesn't have to be used all the time. People also use the OOC chat to admit that they have a muse (or don't have one). I think it might be a bit distracting, but I don't have a problem with it.

[Cuethelaugh]

Aug 8, 2014 19:39:07 GMT -8 Mandoli said:

Make some sort of special event outside of the main plot. If the month in question is December, make a holiday party where everyone can mingle with everyone. It doesn't hurt to let people post with someone who they haven't RPed with yet.

I've also seen sites with in-character chat, so that might help muses out. It doesn't have to be used all the time. People also use the OOC chat to admit that they have a muse (or don't have one). I think it might be a bit distracting, but I don't have a problem with it.

Oh! I am also going to throw out there that having plotters that you encourage people to use really helps (at least on my site). That way even if you're new and shy you automatically have a way to connect with characters there and can feel like a part of the larger group.



Everyone feeling welcome = Most important thing to me.



Everybody wins!